"HELL"

The Bible talks about a place of eternal punishment created for the evil angels and those of Mankind who refuse to obey and worship God, this place is called "Hell." The place of punishment after death for all those who refuse to repent. Many people, including Christians say that as God is a God of love He would not create a place called "Hell" because all people will one day turn to worship God and so would not be sent to hell. There are two major problems with these ideas:-
If ultimately all people would end up in heaven, then hell would not be needed. If this was the case, then why did God send His Son to die on the cross in place of Mankind, to give a way of forgiveness and so escape punishment in hell? It would not have been needed.
Secondly, God gave Mankind a complete free will so they can choose what, who they want to worship and obey, that means many people will still choose to reject God and must therefore end up in a place of punishment, the place called Hell.

Hell is therefore needed and must exist.

The Bible text of the Authorized Version normally translates three words of the original text as "Hell", they are Sheol, Hades and Gehenna.

Sheol

Sheol meaning "the grave" is found in the Old Testament and is referring to the place of the dead, normally considered to be under the earth.
Job 24:19; " Drought and heat consume the snow waters: So doth Sheol(grave) those that have sinned."
Job 11:7,8;" Canst thou by searching find out God? Canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? It is high as heaven; what canst thou do? Deeper than Sheol;(hell) what canst thou know?"
Psalm 16:10; "For thou wilt not leave my soul to Sheol;(hell) Neither wilt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption."
Isaiah 38:10; "I said, In the noontide of my days I shall go into the gates of Sheol:(grave) I am deprived of the residue of my years."

Hades

Hades is the Greek word for the underworld, the place of the dead. It is the word that is translated in the New Testament for Sheol.

Gehenna

Gehenna, or hell, was named after the Valley of Hinnom near Jerusalem, it was where children were sacrificed by fire to the pagan gods and later it became the rubbish dump for Jerusalem, so there was a permanent burning of the rubbish.
2 Kings 23:10; "And he defiled Topheth, which is in the valley of the children of Hinnom, that no man might make his son or his daughter to pass through the fire to Molech."
2 Chronicles 28:3; "Moreover he burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burnt his children in the fire, after the abominations of the heathen whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel."

Gehenna is the place of eternal fire which was prepared for the devil, his angels, and now for all those who do not believe in God and accept His gift of forgiveness through Jesus.
When Jesus warns against unbelief, he is trying to save us from agonizing punishment.
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, RacaRaca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire."
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."
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:"
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."
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."

This is the final and eternal state of the wicked after the resurrection and the Last Judgment.
Revelation 19:20; "And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone."
Revelation 20:9-10; "9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. 10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever."

Why does Hell exist

Read Romans 1:18-32.
Romans 1:18-25; "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath showed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four footed beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. "

The existance and punishment of hell is correct. In the above Bible reading Paul answers a question many people ask: "How could a loving God send anyone to hell, especially someone who has never heard about Christ? " Paul explains that God has revealed himself through his creation to all the world and the people. But all the people have done is to reject even this knowledge of God, they claim that there is no God!
In addition mankind seems to have a conscience of what is good and evil, yet most choose not to live according to this conscience. If people, knowing the truth, ignore and suppress this knowledge of God and his truth, so that they can live how they want, then they have no excuse if God insists that they suffer the consequences of their action.

What is the future for those in Hell?

Revelation 20:1-15;
The key verses are "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, Revelation 20:14,15.
There are no second chances for those who are in hell because Death and Hell are thrown into the lake of fire. God’s judgment is final and finished. The lake of fire is the final destination of anything which has rejected God, is evil and wicked, this includes Satan, the beast, the false prophet, the demons, death, Hades, and because they did not place their faith in Jesus Christ, all those whose names are not recorded in the book of life. If by faith we do not confess Jesus as Lord, then we have no hope, there is no second chance, no other appeal, there is no get out in God’s judgment.

Any person who ends up in hell will be going there as an intruder because Hell was originally created for the devil and his angelic followers, Matt. 25:41, "Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels." The Lord does not want any of Mankind to suffer eternity in Hell, 2 Peter 3:9, "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. " Punishment in hell is not desired by God for a single person. Note John 3:18, "He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." Whoever does not believe in Jesus the Son of God is already condemned. God does not send people into hell; they choose that place for themselves.

Some Bible references on the subject of Hell.