Is there a literal Hell?

Matthew 5:22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

Gehenna is a Greek word for the Valley of Hinnon were fires were kept burning continually to purify the land and burn refuge that would endanger the health of the people and also used as a name for the place of everlasting punishment.

Hell is a place that does the same thing as the Valley of Hinnon. It rids the earth of evil doers and those that rejected the way to escape sin and be purified. Jesus Christ was the escape route to hell. If we let him remove our sins then, we will not have sin remaining within us at the point of physical death. If we reject that way and choose to remain (In Sin) it will result in eternal punishment in hell. If we reject the savior who came to save us from sin then our sin will send us to hell. If we accept the savior and his salvation from sin we do not have sin and we cannot possibly go to hell which is only for those who are rebellious and have their sin remaining at the point of death. Jesus takes away and forgives our sin. He is the only one with the power to do that. No amount of good deeds and works can do that for us. Sin is what takes us to hell. We need to get forgiven and get rid of that sin sometime before our physical death. After that point it is too late.

Matthew 5: 29 And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

This is another instance where hell is used which is taken from the Greek word, Gehenna. According to Scofield this was a place where once human sacrifices were done. Jesus uses this to warn us of a place for eternal punishment in which he came to save us from.

Matthew 10: 28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

We see here that hell is a place that destroys both soul and body. Physical death only destroys the body. Hell destroys both although the worm or soul never dies. Destruction here is used as meaning a place where the soul can never escape or be without pain and suffering. This shows us the importance of the death of Jesus Christ and why he stayed on the cross enduring so much suffering and agony. He stayed there so that our souls could be free eternally. He knew that sin was taking all of mankind to a literal hell. He knew that something had to be done to save us from eternal damnation. He endured the punishment on the cross on our behalf to save our souls. Believing in Him and what He did on our behalf saves us. If we do not believe and receive Jesus Christ and what he did for us then of course his death in our place does not benefit us.

Dake's definition of hell is an eternal hell where the bodies and souls of all wicked will be marred and tormented forever. They are destroyed but not annihilated.

Hades

Hades is another Greek word for hell meaning the unseen world of departed spirits.

Matthew 11: 23 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.

This word Hades is a Greek word for hell and it definitely does not refer to a place of burning outside of Jerusalem but a place where departed spirits dwell.

Another mention of hell talked of by Jesus himself:

Matthew 16: 18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

The gates of hell were not to prevail against the true church. These are true believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. The apostles and those that replace the apostles were given authority to bind and loose. They were to preach the gospel and those that receive the gospel through their preaching were saved and delivered from the power of darkness. They were to have authority to cast out devils, heal the sick and follow in the footsteps of Jesus. I don't believe this was given to Peter only but to all who preach the truth and are used of the Holy Spirit to bring souls into the Kingdom of God through faith in Jesus Christ. Peter was the pillar or the one who started the preaching on the day of Pentecost. After him there came many others. Jesus, I believe is the rock mentioned that is to be the foundation of the church. This gives us another example of the danger of hell and the way to escape hell through faith in Jesus Christ.

Matthew 18: 9 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.

Another comparison that it is better to suffer the loss of a part of the natural body than to enter into hell for eternity. Fire is mentioned. There is no fire in the natural grave that we put the body into to await the resurrection. Hell is a place of torment and fire.

Matthew 23:15 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.

This brings out the danger of hypocrisy and false religion. Many religious people are greater candidates for hell than the out and out sinners who claim no religion. Some religions are so full of prejudice and hate that you can't tell the difference between them and sinners. Proselytes are those who are converted from the Gentile nation into a Jewish convert. It could also mean to convert from one religion to another. To be safe our emphasis should be on Jesus Christ, a new creature in Jesus Christ and having our sins taken away rather than on a religion, denomination or a certain church creed. Churches are good and we need them for fellowship and worship but it is Jesus Christ and not the church itself that brings us our salvation. When we are saved we do not become a Baptist or a Methodist but a child of God.

Matthew 23: 33 Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?

Here again Jesus shows the reality of hell. Hell is eternal and once a person enters hell there is no escape and it is forever. He went to the cross and suffered agony that we might escape hell. We should take advantage to this free ticket out of hell and into eternal life but many ignore this free gift and prefer to live their own life in unbelief and temporary pleasure. Jesus offers life eternal and yet so many ignore that beautiful message. This life is so short and temporary. Why do we choose to follow our own ways and neglect our salvation thereby entering eternity without God and doomed to hell forever? Jesus came that we might receive life and then eternal life, which lasts forever. We have to make that choice now.

Mark 9:43 And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: 
44  Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.

Again and again we see the warning of eternal hell. The worm dies not means the soul of man never dies. The fire does not stop but continues forever. It is compared to Gehenna, which was a place where fire burned continually.

Men and women will be fully conscience in hell. They will suffer continually not only physical pain but pain from knowing that they might have escaped this torment if they only would have let Jesus save them from this place.

Luke 12: 5 But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.

We need for fear God and not man. Why try to please men when they die and do not live forever? They cannot do a thing about the salvation of your soul. Fear God who has the power to save your soul for eternity. We worry too much about opinions of people, about what our neighbors think and what is socially acceptable. Our concern should be, "What does God think?"

Luke 16: 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.

Hell - Hades - a place of torment. A place for departed spirits who do not know God and who die in their sins without receiving salvation provided by the death of Jesus Christ. His death for our sins replaced our death for our own sins since Jesus Christ could not have suffered death for his own sins since he did not sin.

This parable also reminds us as Christians that we are responsible for the help and needs of others. Good works only, apart from Jesus Christ does not save us but good works should always accompany our walk for Jesus Christ.

Acts 2: 27 Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

Here Hell is mentioned by David in the book of Psalm 16:10. The writer of Acts repeated this verse from the Old Testament. The Holy one here is Jesus Christ and this is a prophecy given to foretell the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Before the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ hell had two compartments. The souls of the righteous went to Abraham's bosom or Paradise and the souls of the wicked went to the part which were they were in torment. Jesus delivered the righteous dead when he went into hell at the point of death and before his physical resurrection and delivered the souls in that part of hell and took them to heaven. Now when we die in Christ we go straight to heaven and not to this place. The place of torment however remained there and awaits all those who sin. That is why we need Jesus to remove and forgive that sin. The soul never sleeps at physical death. Only the body decays. The soul is eternal. That is the part that needs the salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. That is the part that Jesus came to save.

James 3: 6 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.

Our tongues here are compared with the fires of hell. It brings forth such evil and iniquity. Yet it does not have to be. We can determine to use our tongues for good and for the spreading of the good news of the gospel.

Revelation 1: 18 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.

This is Jesus speaking after his resurrection. He is declaring his authority and power over death and life, heaven and hell. Only through him can one escape and inherit eternal life. The word hell here is Hades where the departed spirits go at physical death.

2 Peter 2: 4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;
5 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;

Another Greek word for hell meaning a place of punishment. Even angels were not spared the fate of hell because they rebelled and sinned against God corrupting mankind in the process. In the days of Noah also the Old World was not spared this judgment because of sin and rebellion. Yes God is a loving God and wants to save not destroy but he will not allow rebellion and sin to continue forever. It will stop. We can choose to let it stop with us as individuals by faith in Jesus Christ.

Revelation 6: 8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.

This death and hell refer to eternal death and hell for those that reject the way out through faith in Jesus Christ. The importance of receiving Jesus Christ is declared throughout the New Testament. Unless one receives the forgiveness and deliverance from sin that Jesus provides for us, they will have to enter hell at the time of physical death. Now is the time to receive him. Now.

Revelation 20: 13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

All both the evil and the righteous will be resurrected and judged. All will face judgment and enter into eternity either in heaven or hell. This is why Jesus came to deliver and save from hell. It is not the will of God that any of us should perish in this eternal hell. The thought of our deliverance from this awful place is what made our Lord Jesus Christ stay on the cross in agony and not come down when he could have called on the angels at any time to deliver him from that awful death. The lake of fire is the final eternal judgment and second death. There is no escape from this place.

A Hebrew word for hell meaning an unseen world of departing spirits. The word for grave is qeber so it is not referring to the grave where there is no fire. Hell is in the lower parts of the earth. Notice that even in the Old Testament the word hell is associated with burning.

2 Samuel 22: 6 The sorrows of hell compassed me about; the snares of death prevented me;

This shows that the word hell had a much more fearful meaning than only the physical grave. David wrote this when he was running for his life from King Saul. He compared his own sorrows with the sorrows of hell. We know that if there was nothing to look forward to but the physical grave and no life after that, there would be no sorrow in the grave. The sorrow is in hell not the grave. Hell is a place of continual torment and sorrow. I don't believe David actually feared death. What hurt David was that those that he thought were his friends had turned against him and were pursuing his life.

Job 11: 8 It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know?

The place of hell is referred to as a deep place.

Psalms 9: 17 The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.

Since all both wicked and good people go into the grave at the point of physical death, it is obvious that hell refers to another place made for the wicked. Nations that forget God are also turned into hell. This teaching of evolution and humanism is so dangerous to the spiritual state of nations. Nations that reject God and turn to these other explanations for the existence of man are subjecting themselves to an eternity in hell without the God whom they rejected.

Psalms 16: 10 For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

This is prophecy concerning Jesus Christ that when he died, his soul went into hell but he was resurrected and it did not remain there.

Psalms 55: 15 Let death seize upon them, and let them go down quick into hell: for wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them.

This seems to be a wish upon the wicked doers and enemies. This is the day of grace though and we need to pray that many receive salvation and escape hell.

Psalms 86: 13 For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell.

Showing different compartments in hell. Jesus Christ delivers us from hell through faith in Him.

Psalms 116: 3 The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow.

Sometimes troubles here on earth reminds one of hell. David had such troubles at times that it felt like he was suffering the torments of hell while he was still living.

Psalms 139: 8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.

There is no place where God does not see us and know of our welfare.

Proverbs 5: 3 For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil:
4 But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a twoedged sword.
5 Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell.

A warning to stay away from evil seducers for their ways lead to hell. This was a father's warning his son to avoid strange women but to seek a virtuous godly woman in marriage. There are so many good scriptures to lead us on the right path in this life and in life eternal.

Proverbs 7: 7 And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding,
8 Passing through the street near her corner; and he went the way to her house,
9 In the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night:
10 And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtle of heart.
11 (She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house:
12 Now is she without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner.)
13 So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him,
14 I have peace offerings with me; this day have I payed my vows.
15 Therefore came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee.
16 I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen of Egypt.
17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
18 Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves.
19 For the goodman is not at home, he is gone a long journey:
20 He hath taken a bag of money with him, and will come home at the day appointed.
21 With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him.
22 He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks;
23 Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life.
24 Hearken unto me now therefore, O ye children, and attend to the words of my mouth.
25 Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths.
26 For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her.
27 Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death

This is another example of the pathway to hell by falling into the wrong crowd or evil seducers. The wicked are used of Satan to lead us away from God. That is his whole purpose. Our dealings with the wicked are to lead them to Jesus Christ, not let them lead us astray. This is an example of a father pleading with his son to avoid strange women who sleep around like a harlot and even cheat on their own husbands. These passages emphasize the seriousness of adultery and fornication. It really destroys the soul in the long run and is not worth it. This type of sin can be forgiven and covered by the blood of Jesus but to continue in this lifestyle can not only destroy the body with disease but also destroy the soul.

Death and hell are associated. I believe this refers to eternal death and destruction of the soul. All of us face physical death whether or not we sin, so this type of death refers to eternal separation from God in hell. These passages show us the true state of people who continually sin and live ungodly lifestyles. They are actually walking a pathway to death and hell. How pleasant it is to turn to Jesus for a way out of all this. He reverses the curse of death and hell and brings us eternal life.

Hell is destruction and the final end is for those who hate reproof and correction. Since we all face physical death this refers to death eternally in hell where the soul does not ever face annihilation. This shows us why Jesus had to come and pay the penalty of death in hell for us.

Here is an Old Testament hint to the promise of salvation and escape from hell. How wise it is to choose life over death, to choose Jesus and his salvation over a life of sin and destruction.

Proverbs 23:
13 Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die.
14 Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.

To correct a child and teach him right from wrong may save his soul from hell. To correct children will actually save their souls from hell. To allow them to be disrespectful and disobedient will lead them to eternal hell.

Evil people outnumber the good so hell is never full. This is a comparison to the desires of mankind. They are never satisfied and always want more.

Evil doers increase in number so much that hell enlarges itself to accommodate them.

The place of hell moves and is stirred to enlarge itself when wicked nations descend into it. This is the prophecy of the destruction of Babylon. The same prophecy will apply to all wicked nations that forget God.

Satan once thought to exalt himself above the throne of God but he will be cast down and put into hell along with those that follow his ways. Lucifer is another name for Satan. He was once an angel with great beauty. He rebelled against God and tried to usurp his authority. He now tries to destroy all of God's creation and take them to the same place he is going.

Those that refuse repentance and follow evil continually is actually making a place in hell for themselves.

Evil doers shall not escape hell by making covenants and planning ways to escape. Jesus Christ is the only way to escape hell.

To make alliances and covenants with other wicked nations and following after their idolatry is bringing them down into hell.

Judgment upon all ungodly nations

Uncircumcised represents being without God and being outside of his law and covenants. To be without God even for one day is a dangerous way to live.

The end of all nations that do evil is eternity in hell. Though they were once great, mighty and terrible. All nations might have feared their power. Yet in the end they are destroyed in hell with no escape. Adolph Hitler once thought he would rule the world. He attained great influence and power yet we know what his end was.

NO man can escape the judgment of God

Inside the whale was compared to hell with no escape. Jonah escape though by the mercy and delivering power of God.

A proud person who does not recognize his need for God.

We see here many instances and words that mean hell and it is not the natural grave. Hell is for the wicked and those that forsake God. We know that everyone dies a natural death and most enter a temporary grave for the body. Both good and bad are put in graves. The word for hell in the Old and New Testament could not refer to the physical grave for then all of us would end up there. Instead hell is for the ones who are in SIN at the time of the physical death of the body. If they first receive Jesus Christ and allow him to remove those sins then at the point of physical death their souls will enter eternity in heaven with the Lord to await the resurrection of their bodies.