What's your thought on hell? Do you believe this is actually a real place? Do you believe it's eternal? Do you believe it is what's describe as the lake of fire or a separate place? Do you even believe that souls are in hell at this very present moment?
Despite our beliefs, it's really come down to what God says about this place.
Hell in Hebrew "Sheol or גֵיהִנוֹם" which means "a spiritual realm of evil and suffering, often traditionally depicted as a place of perpetual fire beneath the earth where the wicked are punished after death. (Oxford Dictionary)"
We see here that Hell is a spiritual place of suffering. Now this brings me to my next question, do you believe those who died living in a sinful state goes to hell immediately or do you believe this is a place reserved for the final judgement? As I said before who better to ask than God let's examine his words.
According to (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hell_in_Christianity) In the King James Bible, the Old Testament term Sheol is translated as "Hell" 31 times, and it is translated as "the grave" 31 times. Sheol is also translated as "the pit" three times. Modern Bible translations typically render Sheol as "the grave", "the pit", or "death".
in the New Testament, where it is described as a place where both soul and body could be destroyed (Matthew 10:28) in "unquenchable fire" (Mark 9:43). The word is translated as either "Hell" or "Hell fire" in many English versions.
As we can see by the mentioned above, hell was mentioned over 31 times both in the old and New Testament. Let's hear the testimonies of others recorded in the Bible about this place
David in many of his writings tells us about this place. He said that all the nations that forget God will go to this place. "The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God." Psalm 9:17 KJV
Also, In recognizing God in his omnipresence David stated that his soul cannot hide from God even if he ends up in hell. "Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there."Psalm 139:7-8 KJV
Isaiah the prophet tells us that this place is real and has now enlargen itself, which would determine that it is making room to receive more but more of what? "Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it." Isaiah 5:14 KJV
Hell has a location
According to Isaiah hell is beneath us. "Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming: it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations." Isaiah 14:9 KJV
Another prophet Ezekiel tells us in his writings that the sword is what kill souls in hell. The sword here mentioned is referring to the word of God as it is written the word of God is a sharp two edged sword! "They also went down into hell with him unto them that be slain with the sword; and they that were his arm, that dwelt under his shadow in the midst of the heathen." Ezekiel 31:17 KJV
There was a man that was tested and tried on every walks of life and during this hardship he had a revelation about hell. He said God have the power over this place, "Hell and death say, We have heard its fame with our ears.
God understands its way, and he alone knows its place." Job 26:6 and Job 11:8 he says "Deeper than hell; what canst thou know? His limits are higher than the heavens; you cannot reach them! They are deeper than the grave; you cannot understand them."
Now let's hear what Jesus and some of his disciples had to say about this place!
Heaven is better than hell
Mark 9:45 KJV
"And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched."
They that exalt themselves in this life shall be cut down to hell
Matthew 11:23 KJV
"And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day."
An untamed tongue can send someone to hell
"James 3:6 KJV
And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell."
Selfishness and greed can send someone to hell and no, this is not a parable. The Bible is specific on parables.
Luke 16:22-31 KJV
"There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:
20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,
21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.
27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:
28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.
29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.
31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead."
There are so many other scriptures that Jesus Christ and others have testified of this place. Now, I know that many are confused between hell being the same as the lake of fire but please note the Bible is very specific about the two in fact, the Lord Jesus told John the revelator that he has the keys to this place. Which would imply that there are doors to hell he said, "I have the keys of Death and of hell. ... I am he that liveth, and was dead; and behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death." Rev 1:18 KJV
Finally, John the revelator tells us in the same book of revelation that the day will come when hell, death and the grave will be cast into the lake of fire which I believe to be even more worst than hell. "And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death."
These are three different spiritual places.
Though we might believe that persons are asleep in the grave awaiting a final judgment. Our definition of "sleep" is different from that spiritual sleep the Bible is referring to. When you die immediately your soul is either carried into heaven which is temporary until we get our glorious bodies and is able access to the new Jerusalem or those who died outside of salvation is decended straight to hell and is reserved for the final judgment which is the LAKE OF FIRE. If you don't believe this is true then explain the following scripture Luke 23:43 KJV
"And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise." This was a conversation between the Lord Jesus and one of the thief on the cross. He didn't say soon, next week or on judgment day
He said TODAY which clearly tells us this was immediately after death. Now if that thief assended to heaven the same day he died then what happened to the other thief that Christ didn't say these words to? That's something to think about..
Here's my belief based on scriptures. I believe hell is a holding prison for souls who died outside of salvation. They are being tormented because the Lord said it's a place of weeping and snashing of teeth and also, he said the worms never die. I don't know the level of torment but I believe what's worst is the lake of fire and that's why Christ came so we don't have to go there. I also believe heaven is a temporary place for the saints who die in Christ until we are given our glorious new body. Then we are able to live in the new Jerusalem as human beings just the way God intended to be.
We were not created to be separated from our bodies which would make us spirits and not humans but who care what I believe the truth is Whatever our beliefs of this place is let us ensure we don't find ourselves there. I would like to share with you a vision where I visited hell. Click on link below to hear more: https://youtu.be/JwTIdVH29hM
Please, let us get our lives in order and in alignment with holiness because wether we believe ginger is ginger it is ginger. This means wether we believe the facts or not it still does not change the facts. I am only the messenger, if you still have doubt or is confused about the existence of this place and it's meaning, ask God. As my dear sister Lydia Dawkins shared a vision she had with me that The Lord told her verbally that whatever we see in his word that's what it means and we shouldn't try to change it. So let us stop wasting time trying to change or put in context what we believe the word of God means. If it says cattle on a thousand hills that's what it says cattle on a thousand hills.
Leave your comments in the comment section I would love to hear your thoughts on this subject and Please share and be a blessing to someone else.