Hell-today's study 1/24/16

• God will deliver his children from hell (Psalm 86: 13)-for your love for me is very great.  You have rescued me from the depths of death!
• Hell is a place of weeping (Matthew 8: 12)-But many Israelites-those for whom the Kingdom was prepared-will be cast into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
• Hell was prepared for Satan and demons (Matthew 25: 41)-Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, "Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his demons!
• Wicked people will receive punishment (Romans 1: 18-20)-But God shows his anger from heaven against sinful, wicked people who push the truth away from themselves.  For the truth about God is known to them instinctively.  God has put this knowledge in their hearts.  From the time the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky and all that God made.  They can clearly see his invisible qualities-his external power and divine nature.  So they have no excuse whatsoever for not knowing God.
• God will punish those who do not turn from their sin (2 Peter 2: 4-9)-For God did not spare even the angels when they sinned; he threw them into hell, in gloomy caves and darkness until the judgement day.  And God did not spare the ancient world-except for Noah and his family of seven.  Noah warned the world of God's righteous judgement.  Then God destroyed the whole world of ungodly people with a vast flood.  Later, he turned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into heaps of ashes and swept them off the face of the earth.  He made them an example of what will happen to ungodly people.  But at the same time, God rescued Lot out of Sodom because he was a good man who was sick of all the immorality and wickedness around him.  Yes, he was a righteous man who was distressed by the wickedness he saw and heard day after day.  So you see, the Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their trials, even while punishing the wicked right up until the day of judgement.
• Hell is a place of eternal fire (Jude 1: 7)-And don't forget the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighboring towns, which were filled with sexual immorality and every kind of sexual perversion.  Those cities were destroyed by fire and are a warning of the eternal fire that will punish all who are evil.
• God will send to hell those who do not believe in Him (Revelation 21: 8)-But cowards who turn away from me, and unbelievers, and the corrupt, and murderers, and the immoral, and those who practice witchcraft, and idol worshipers, and all liars-their doom is in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur.  This is the second death.

In this study, we see that God will deliver His children from hell-(those who not only believe in Him, but, submit to the Holy Spirit).  Hell is a place of weeping.  It is a place of torment.  Suffering for all eternity.  It is a place where His true children will not end up.   His children (meaning those who have accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior, and live by his teachings), whether they are Israelites, or Gentiles will be saved.  However, even those who are Israelites, and have not believed in Him, or accepted nor submitted to him (the Holy Spirit)  will be cast into this lake of fire described in these scripture passages.  Hell was prepared for Satan and his demons.  What this means is that Satan and every creature that has turned against God, His ways, His teachings, or His commands, will be sentenced to eternal death and suffering, and cast into the lake of fire described here.  Wicked people will receive punishment.  God's anger against wickedness is so great that no one who loves evil and sin will be able to escape His wrath.  This means anyone who rejects His truth.  God has purposely given us the truth since the beginning so that there will be no excuse.  God will punish those who do not turn from their sin.  Satan was once a heavenly angel.  But when He sinned, by turning against God and wanting to be greater than God, and taking 1/3 of the angels in heaven with him, he was cast out of heaven and so were the angels that agreed with him.  God didn't even spare the people who lived in the time of Noah; women, children,  they all were killed.  After that, the people of Sodom and Gomorrah were also destroyed.  It is clear that God hates evil and wickedness and will not spare anyone at anytime who does not repent of it.  This remains to be the truth of today and until judgement day.  This has not changed.  Hell is a place of eternal fire.  Sodom and Gomorrah were a precursor to the eternal fire that awaits those who do not repent on judgement day.  It is extremely important that we recognize that the LORD gives warnings; and history repeats itself.  What has happened in the past is a preparation for the future.  History is the best teacher to those wondering what the future holds.  God will send those who do not believe in Him to hell.  This is a very real truth.  There is a code of conduct to enter and remain in every setting.  Jesus was very clear when he warned believers of this.  He is very clear about this in all of His teachings.  They are consistent in all parts of the Bible, be it old or new testament.  If our lives reflect His teachings, we know we are on the right path.  If not, we have some cleaning up to do.  And if we need more strength to do it, we just need to ask Him for His help with it.  Until the next study, be blessed, be well, be right with Him!

Let us bow our heads and pray: 

"Heavenly Father we come to you in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ giving thanks for your Son, Salvation, and Your Word today and everyday.  We pray that your Holy Spirit would pour out your blessings and  help us to grow in those areas that desperately need improvement.  We ask that you  cleanse us by the blood of Christ that was shed for our sins on the cross at Calvary.  We pray that your Word continue to teach, correct, and guide us in Your righteousness, so that we may live forever with You in Your Kingdom.  And we bless your name for all you have done for us!  May you bless your Leaders to continue to live by Your Word, and be a blessing to those in need.  In Jesus' name, we pray, Amen!"