The Bible Speaks . . .
Being that I've not received any articles for submission during the past 2 years, this Page has changed. The burden of witnessing has been more apparent to me recently so this Page will now have Bible topics as the Lord leads me to post. Contact the Web Master via E-Mail to rmrondynews@juno.com if you have questions concerning these topics.
Posted: 8 Feb 12
Duke “Smoke Talker” Paulsen
Did you know that even God needs a “garbage pit” to burn His trash?? He’s got one right now & will make an even bigger pit for later on.
Photo at Right: Courtesy www.Spaceweather.com Could a burning star like this one be the future "Lake of Fire?"
So what & where is the pit located. The first one He made is perhaps a thousand or so miles under your feet. In the Hebrew tongue, it’s called ShEol. Originally, Sheol was a compartment (once called “Paradise”) of sorts set apart from the larger area called Hell (Greek, “Hades”) of where certain believing (Noah, Moses, David for example) individuals who lived during the Old Testament times, to whom God would bring to Heaven when His Son, Jesus Christ would come down to get them after His death on the cross (release the prisoners). Once Jesus released these prisoners, this “compartment” would then become part of Hell itself.
What The Hell . . .
People today mention “Hell” frequently in one sense or another. Some in fearsome respect, some are terrified. Some curse as if swearing an oath of vengeance, some for “the hell of it.” But no matter how Hell is spoken of, it’s a real place.
It’s a loathsome place. It’s terribly dark, hot, stinky, ugly and full of undesirable people and things. No water available. Worst of all, there’s no way out[1]. Definitely a place to stay away from but many, many millions (perhaps Billions) will go there anyway . . . and wish they didn’t.
Separation Jesus spoke a story[4] concerning Hell in Luke Chapter 16 illustrating that it is a separate place. In part, Jesus says, “And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.” Luke 16:23 “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.” Luke 16:26 This man is experiencing (present tense) real physical pain in a real physical Hell.
Burning garbage Several times during Jesus’ ministry, Jesus speaking the Greek language[5] compares Hell to the valley of Hinnom south of Jerusalem. It was then a garbage dump with an on-going fire that was never put out. Strong’s Concordance #1067 (Greek) describes in part, “... ‘Gehenna of fire’ ... where the filth and dead animals of the city were cast out to be (eaten of worms[6]) and burned; a fit symbol of the wicked and their future destruction.”
Everlasting punishment “ . . . Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:” Matt 25:41b “And these shall go away into everlasting punishment:” Matt 25:46a Hell is the biggest torture chamber known to God. Mankind has absolutely no idea how big and intensely horrible Hell is . . . until individuals descend or are cast[7] into it’s pit. Terror, mutilation, torture[8], loneliness and molestation are the beginning “activities” to expect from the fallen angels, as the un-saved will have notorious company in Hell . . . until the time they stand before God’s judgment seat.
Hell is not a tourist stop. It’s a pit of exile with no chance of return, of never ending punishment that the wicked will receive and burn with a fire ignited[9] and always fueled by God’s anger at sin. “For all[10] have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” Romans 3:23 The souls who “shorted themselves” of glory because of sin, are now in Hell, then later in the . . . Lake of Fire .
Brimstone Bath . . .Known in the Bible as Brimstone, this lake of yellow and brown sulfur will be heated by the fire of God’s judgment. This being a lake, the sulfur will always be in liquid form.
The “coolest” this lake will ever get will be around 240 degrees F that sulfur changes from a solid into a yellow, watery-looking liquid. As the sulfur is further heated, the liquid will thicken to the consistency of 10-weight motor oil turning more brown in color and give off reddish brown vapor. Finally this heated sulfur will burst into blue and yellow flame at about 482 degrees F.[11]
This Lake of Fire will have a stench. Imagine, the intense pungent smell of very rotten eggs. There won’t be any “fresh air” to flush the smell away. Even if there were, the oxygen of fresh air would fan the flames even more making the lake hotter.
God used Brimstone (sulfur) as a means of physical evidence of His anger and judgment of sin. In Genesis 19:24, God rained upon Sodom & Gomorrah[12] brimstone and fire because of their sin. In Luke 17:29, Jesus mentions this event to His disciples 1,825 years[13] later when asked about the end times.
So why then, would those who reject Jesus & His gift of salvation, be exiled to the Lake of Fire? Why such a punishment?
“Lest anyone think this fate too severe, there are several factors to remember. In the first place, those who have rejected God’s presence in their lives while they were on earth will be less miserable in hell than if they were forced to be in His presence in heaven forever. Second, only infinite punishment is fitting for those who have rejected or ignored the infinite love and infinite suffering of the Son of God for them. Finally, they must exist forever somewhere, since they were created in God’s image, which by definition is eternal.”[14]
This is the future that awaits those who reject Jesus as their Saviour.
Down-side: If you choose not to accept Christ as Saviour, even if you just “space it,” “blow Him off,” or outright reject Him, you will be subject to the final judgment, and you will physically stand before Him who sits on the “Great White Throne.” “And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened…” Rev 20:12a Here, you will be judged by how you live your life and what works you did, “…and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.” Rev 20:12b Even every word spoken during your lifetime will be taken into account, “But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give an account thereof in the day of judgment. For by their words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.” Matt. 12:36-37
What & Where The Hell . . . and the Lake
First, the “what.” The “Lake of Fire” would most likely be a star (which by definition is a lake of fire in & of itself, see above photo). This star would not be all that large compared to most known stars presently observed but about or somewhat larger than present-day Earth. This star (lake of fire) would have to be large enough to physically contain at least 40+ Billion people, Hell itself, plus Satan and the 1/3 of the angelic host (no small number) that followed him before being cast down from Heaven. Unlike most stars which are fueled by nuclear processes, this one star would consist of liquid sulfur (brimstone) heated exclusively by God’s anger of sin in Deut. 32:22….forever. The average temperature of the Lake of Fire will be that of an overheated deep-fryer where the smoke of burning and tormented flesh will ascend forever.[15] The super-heated, stanching and poisonous air will burn inside with every breath taken. The pain will be so great that men will wail so loud as never before and gnash their teeth[16] in anguish as if to shatter.
So, “where” is this star? In a very far away, remote location of the cosmos. Well away[17] from the new earth and the heavenly Jerusalem described in Revelation 22. Even if this “star” gave off visible light, it would still be so far away that it would not be noticed by any of God’s created men and women. But God[18], being omniscient, will always know of its location, whose there and those suffering will always seen by the holy angels and Christ Himself[19].
In this present life, you still have the oppertunity to make a choice. Choose Jesus as your Saviour as He made complete payment with His precious blood for your sins and be in Heaven with Him. Or you can reject Him and find yourself physically in Hell and the Lake of Fire with Satan. There's no "middle ground" & I don't arm-twist. Individual men and women really do not know what the future holds for them hence, its vitally important to choose Jesus NOW! before death. Scripture declares it's "...appointed for men once to die, after this (life) the judgment." Your ultimate destination is in your hands now.
References
All Bible verses in this Study/Message are quoted from the King James Version (KJV) of 1611.
Strong’s reference numbers and notations from the Englishman’s Greek and Hebrew Concordances as incorporated with the computer program “Online Bible” version 6.12 Copyright August 1994, Woodside Bible Fellowship.
A. Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 62nd Edition, pages B-39 and B-40. Copyright 1974 through 1981, CRC Press Inc.
B. Compton’s The Complete Reference Collection CD. Copyright 1994 through 1997, The Learning Company Inc.
Professor Randall Younker of the Horn Archeological Museum appearing on “Ancient Secrets of the Bible” aired on CBS Television Network, Spring 1992.
Footnotes #’s 6,14 & 17 from two books and footnotes from “The Defender’s Study Bible” written by the late Dr. Henry M. Morris, President Emeritus of the Institute for Creation Research (ICR) published “The Genesis Record” in 1976 and “The Revelation Record” in 1983. These books are currently available through the ICR Bookstore at www.icr.org[1] Strong’s #07585-1b1 “place of no return”
[2] Isaiah 5:14a KJV “Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure:”
[3] Revelation 12:4a, Matthew 25:41 KJV
[4] Luke 16:19-31 KJV for complete story. Jesus did not say this story was a parable.
[5] Author presumed the Koine-Greek language because the NT was written as such. Probably, Jesus more likely spoke in Hebrew or the more common Aramaic language.
[6] “…perhaps the resurrected physical bodies of the unsaved will be dying forever. That is, their physical bodies will not be consumed by the fire, but will be eternally remain in a state of being consumed.!” The Revelation Record, page 432. See References.
[7] Revelation 20:15 KJV
[8] Hebrews 11:35 KJV Strong’s 5178 (Greek) in part, “...victims were tightly stretched out upon a wheel like device and beaten with thongs or sticks as if a musical instrument.” (Similar to a timpani in today’s orchestras. Author’s opinion.)
[9] Deuteronomy 32:22a KJV “For a fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn . . .”
[10] Strong’s #3956, Greek “all men” (context could be referring to mankind. Author’s opinion.)
[11] Info on sulfur excerpted from The Complete Reference Collection CD and CRC Handbook, 62nd Edition. See References.
[12] Prof. Randall Younker mentioned that sulfur was found on top of what would have been the surface of the ground when this event occurred. See references.
[13] Approximate
[14] New Defender’s Study Bible, page 2039, footnotes on Revelation 20:15. See References.
[15] Revelation 14:11a KJV “And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night…”
[16] Matt. 8:12, 13:42, 13:50,22:13, 24:51, 25:30, Luke 13:28 KJV are at least 7 of 20+ recorded statements made during Jesus’ ministry as recorded in the 4 Gospels.
[17] “Although this confinement will be in one sense be so located as to be in the “presence” of the Lamb and the holy angels and can even be viewed by the redeemed (Isaiah 66:23-24), these lost spirits will be apparently removed to some far-off region of the cosmos, “punished with everlasting destruction {that is, not “annialation” but “ruin”} from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power” (2Thess. 1:9), cast into outer darkness, like “wanderong stars” to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever” (Jude 13). Revelation Record, page 269. See references.
[18] “For our God is a consuming fire.” Hebrews 12:29 KJV
[19] Revelation 14:10b KJV “ . . . in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb:”
