What The Hell?

Luke 16:22-24

"The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried. In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.'

Read Luke 16:19-31

What The Hell?

Yes, you may say that ten times or hundred times, but there really is a hell. The very place people don’t want to think about, and trying to ease up in their conscience what the hell will be like by making an expression out of it. Jesus himself mentioned about hell to warn us how not to go there. Because of God’s love for us – He sent Jesus Christ to die at the cross to become the Bridge between us and God. For sin has separated us from God the Father. Hell was created for the Devil and his angels, and God sends no one there. It is a person’s decision and attitude that drives him or her to hell.

First, hell is a place of torment and agony (vv.23-24). If you don’t know what agony is, try hitting your fingernail with hammer and have a small glimpse of agony. There’s no such thing as partying in hell where friends are waiting – nope, torture is waiting. It is a solitary place where a person is being torn down but never consumed. The place where the worm eats up the body but never dies and the fire is never quenched (Mark 9:48). In our passage, the rich man was in desert of fire, choking in thirst, his saliva dried up, and no water.

Second, in hell, people have remembrance of their past lives (v. 25). The rich man wished that he should have not driven himself in that place of torment, but it’s too late. A person can live a good life, not hurting anyone, not ripping off other people, but still can go to hell. Our own righteousness and good works cannot rescue us from hell. By default, we are condemned already if we don’t believe in the finished work of Jesus (John 3:18). We need to satisfy God’s requirement to avoid hell - and only Jesus have satisfied that. There’s no other solution or way except Jesus.

Third, hell is an ultimate destination – there’s no temporary place holder and no transferring (v. 26-27). After appointment with death, the judgment follows whether a person goes to heaven or hell (Hebrews 9:27). There is no more appealing, no more pardoning – it is final. So, if a person is being convicted in his or her heart by the Holy Spirit to give his or her life to Jesus Christ – and decided to delay, it may be too late when death strikes at any moment.