Discover Prophecy-18 The Good News About Hell by David Asscherick

let's begin with our paragraph right there at the top it says the word gospel means what everyone good news or good tidings the whole Bible is filled with good news if you believe that say Amen even the subject of what hell rightly understood is good news there have been down through the ages significant misunderstandings about the subject of hell in this lesson we will seek to cut through these misunderstandings and pre-programmed pictures in order to arrive at what kind of truth Bible truth if we let the Bible speak we will surely succeed let's go to the book of Revelation chapter 20 Revelation chapter 20 and in order to properly understand hell we're going to have to look at Hell in its chronological context and that is how it relates to the city the issue of the Millennium now how many of you have heard that term before the millennium and reference to the Bible okay it's a very simple word it comes from two words millet which is 1000 and annum which is years 1000 years run Revelation chapter 20 and I'm beginning in verse 1 what verse every one verse 1 John says then I saw an angel coming down from where heaven having the keys to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand and he laid a hold of the who dragon who's the dragon Saints in that serpent of old who is the devil and Satan and bound him for how long thousand years now the word Millennium does not actually occur in the Bible but it comes from this idea of 1,000 years milli a thousand an amuse 1000 years so he was bound for 1,000 years verse 3 and cast him into the bottomless pit and shut him up aren't you glad to know that Satan is going to be shut up someday amen shut him up and set a seal on him so that he should why deceive the nation's No More until the thousand years were what everyone finished but after these things he must be released for a little while verse 4 I saw Thrones John said and they that sat on them and judgment was committed to them then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God serious business to follow the Lord who had not worshiped the beast nor his image and who had not received the mark on their foreheads or in their hands and they lived and reigned with Christ for how long every one 1,000 years verse 5 but the rest of the Dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished this is the first resurrection six blessed and holy is he who has part in which resurrection the first resurrection over such the what second death has no power and they shall be priests of God and of Christ and shall reign with him for how long every one 1000 years so you see that time period coming up there several times 1000 years 1000 years 1000 years now you'll notice something the Bible here speaks of the second death of the what death the second death let me just be very plain with you right at the outset here the second death is hell that's what hell is hell is the second death now think about for just a moment if you have a second death what do you have by definition you have a first death and why does the Bible make the point of saying this is the first resurrection because there are in fact guess how many resurrections two resurrections look at your study guide there it says the clear teaching of Scripture is that there are how many resurrections two resurrections Jesus himself affirmed this in John chapter 5 verse 28 we've already quoted that verse for you in our last presentation when Jesus said do not marvel at this for the hour is coming into which all who are in the graves will hear his voice some will come forth to the resurrection of life and others to the resurrection of condemnation and so there are how many resurrections two resurrections and we get that right from Revelation chapter 20 where it says this is the first resurrection and so what we have here very simple the Millennium is a period of time 1,000 years that is bookended that is to say on this sand you have a bookend so to speak and on this end you have a book in and those two bookends are the resurrections the first resurrection takes place at the beginning of the millennium the second resurrection takes place at the end of the millennium now let's just cut right to the chase the first resurrection is the resurrection of the righteous the resurrection of the who everyone the righteous that's why it says blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection the second resurrection then would be the resurrection of the who the wicked okay now think about this for just a moment when Jesus returns there will be four groups of people now you might have heard me say before there will be two groups but I want to make it a little more complex and a little more accurate here in the past we've said there are two groups of people the wheat and the tares but we're going to further subdivide the wheat and the tares into the living and the dead and so there would be four groups of people you'd have the righteous living in the righteous dead and the wicked living and the wicked dead if that Sensei amen every single person that is living or has ever lived can fit into one of those four categories either the righteous living or the righteous dead or the wicked living or the wicked dead amen everyone so far so good so let's look at the five events that begin the Millennium we know that the Millennium takes place here at the time of the first resurrection then there's that period of 1,000 years where Satan is bound and then the second resurrection comes at the end of the 1,000 years let's try and put this together the Second Coming is the event the first event that commences or begins the Millennium what is it everyone the second coming of Christ there are many evidences that we could give to this but let's just look at 1st Thessalonians chapter 4 verses 15 to 17 for this we say to you by the word of the Lord that we who are what are these words alive and what remain until the why the coming of the Lord so as someone going to be alive when Jesus returns yes or no yes just like Elijah and just like Enoch they will go to heaven without seeing death that's the the theological term for that the technical term for that is they will be translated they will be what everyone translated that is they will be lifted from here to there without ever having to pass through that experience of death so notice what it says for this we say unto you by the word of the Lord that we who are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are alive asleep and someone tells me tell me please what does the word asleep mean in this context in the Bible those who are dead that's exactly right notice the next verse verse 16 for the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout with the voice of an archangel and with the trumpet of God and the dead in Christ will rise what first so that is to say that those who had fallen asleep with their faith in Jesus they will be resurrected first resurrected what first that's what we just read blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection on such the second death has no power and that's exactly what Paul says here the dead in Christ rise when everyone first not second but first notice verse 17 then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up what's the next word together that's a critical word with them in the clouds to meet the Lord we're in the air and thus we shall always be with the Lord can someone say and so when Jesus Christ returns the resurrection of the righteous takes place if that makes sense I want you to say Amen so those are the first two events that begin the Millennium all we're going to do very simple is we're going to look at five events that begin the Millennium and then five events that end the millennium and you'll be able to see that basically you have this period of 1,000 years here's the five events that commence the millennium here's the five events that end the millennium and in the meantime the Devils on a 1000 year vacation where he's shut up can someone say Amen okay so the resurrection of the righteous takes place as we have already said the next then is the translation of the living righteous let's go back to those four groups of people the righteous living and the righteous dead we've already dealt with those two groups of people what happens to the righteous living when Jesus returns the Bible says they are translated or caught up with God into heaven okay they are translated what's that word every one translated what happens to the righteous dead when Jesus returns resurrected okay so we've already dealt with two of our four groups okay four groups of people the righteous living and the righteous dead the wicked living and the wicked dead we've already dealt with two of them because those that had fallen asleep in Christ are raised from the dead and those who are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord are going to be translated to heaven without saying that seeing death and oh Lord when the saints go marching in I want to be in that number can someone say Amen okay so see we're just working our way through this in a methodical manner some will be alive when Jesus returns they will be translated without dying amen powerful so now we continue first Corinthians chapter 15 verse 51 this is exactly what the Apostle Paul says listen I tell you a wot mystery we will not all wha sleep what's that a reference to we will not all die but we will all be changed in a flash in the twinkling of an eye at the last what trumpet second time we've seen that tonight notice verse 52 for the trumpet will sound the dead will be raised imperishable and we will be changed for this perishable must put Kluth itself with the imperishable and this mortal must clothe itself with what immortality that's exactly right we've already talked about that so that takes place there at the last Trump he says we won't all sleep but we will all be changed can someone say Amen so second coming of Jesus the righteous are resurrected the translation of the living righteous the wicked living are slain that is to say the Bible says that they are destroyed with the brightness or the glory of its coming on one occasion Moses was on top on top of Mount Sinai and he said to God God I want to see what you look like and God said I'll show you what I look like on three conditions number one I'm gonna put you in the cleft of the rock number two I'm gonna put my hand over you and number three you have to see only my back parts because he said no man can see my face and what live okay the idea here is that if God just decided to make an appearance here tonight in this room in his unmuted glory every one of us would be immediately instantaneous because of the amazing consuming fire of the glory of God he say Amen very simple and so what happens to the wicked those who are alive when Jesus returns they are slain either by the Cataclysm of the events surrounding the second coming or by his glory notice this from first Thessalonians chapter 1 verses 7 and 8 very simple easy to understand and to give to you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is what revealed from where heaven with his mighty angels noticed this in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God I notice verses 89 on those who do not obey the what gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to this verse is it important that we obey the Lord Jesus Christ amen not in order to be saved but because we have been saved someone saying that verse 9 these shall be punished with everlasting what's that word destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power and so those who are alive and remain of the wicked now when Jesus returns in his resplendent glory they are destroyed with the brightness of his coming I could quote you another text second Thessalonians chapter 2 verse 8 but you can just write that down this is 1st Thessalonians chapter 1 verse 8 but 2nd Thessalonians chapter 2 verse 8 says the same thing and so we've dealt with three of the four groups in fact in a actually we've dealt with all four if you just think about it so what happens to the righteous living when Jesus returns righteous living they're caught up and what's that word translated what happens to the righteous dead when Jesus returns resurrected what happens the wicked living when Jesus returns destroyed by the brightness of his coming and what would happen to the wicked dead nothing they would just stay there that's exactly right we'll come back to that in a minute incidentally there's going to be a second resurrection who do you think will come up in the second resurrection now think about it if the righteous come up in the first resurrection who would come up in the second resurrection the wicked so there's no point in anything happening to the wicked dead at this point because they're gonna stay dead through the 1,000 years and at the close of the 1000 years they'll be raised from the dead if that makes sense say Amen fact let me just show you that very quickly go back to Revelation chapter 20 Revelation chapter 20 what I'm trying to do here instead of keeping you in suspense and then sort of saying aha drama aha drama I'm just giving you the whole picture right from the Bible so you can see it plain as the noonday Sun Revelation chapter 20 and let's it pick it up in verse 5 Revelation chapter 20 and verse 5 it says but the rest of the dead that would be the wicked did not live again until the thousand years were wha finished so there it is let's continue on here and so these are the five events that commence the Millennium the five events that begin the Millennium number one the second coming of Christ which results in the resurrection of the righteous number two number three the translation of the living righteous number for the wicked living are.what slain and Satan is bound for how long every one 1000 years so far so good see this is very simple now notice that it says that Satan is bound with a chain he's bound with a lot did you see that I'm reading now in verses 1 and 2 then I saw an angel coming down from heaven revelation 20 having a key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand and he laid hold on the dragon the serpent of old who was called the devil and Satan and he bound him for 1,000 years so we're going to ask a very legitimate question here is Satan bound with a literal chain what are these chains that bind Satan is it realistic to expect that a spiritual being would be bound with a literal chain I think the answer is no what we discover according to the Bible is that Satan is bound with a chain of Y circumstances in the same way that I might say oh I'd love to have lunch with you I'd love to be able to come over I'd love to be able to do such and such but my hands are tied on my hands really tied no what I'm saying is is that circumstances beyond my control are making it difficult for me to work you into my schedule or for you to wear me into your schedule so I say up my hands are tied but my hands aren't really tied and so when it says that Satan is bound it means he's bound by a chain of circumstances now think about that for just a moment Satan's job is to deceive and to destroy human beings if that makes sense say Amen oh but wait a minute where are all the human beings at this point well let's go down our four groups of people there where are the righteous living okay they've been caught up where were the righteous dead okay they've been caught up how about the wicked living okay they've been slain what about the wicked that may be okay so where is everyone their answer is they're gone at this point we're good guys that well where are they gone we're going to talk about that in just a moment but if no one's around for Satan to deceive and to destroy and to harass then he would be bound by a chain of circumstances because there's nothing he can do if that makes sense amen I mean the idea of binding Satan with a literal rope or a little chain is not exactly what the Revelator had in mind here so notice Revelation chapter 6 verse 15 describing the second coming it says and the kings of the earth and the great men and the rich men and the commanders the mighty men every slave and every free man hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains this is a horrific scene describing the second coming of Jesus for those who had not put their faith in the Lord and said to the mountains and rocks fall on us and what hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and look at this from the wrath of the what's that word notice it doesn't say the wrath of the lion gentlemen I dare say that if you were walking through the woods with your sweet friend perhaps your wife or maybe just a special friend and a lamb jumped out on the pathway and you said ah and Ranke you know a cowering in the opposite direction I don't think that things would ever be the same between you and your spouse again are we clear on that notice it says here from the wrath of the law the wrath of the Lamb I mean what's going on here they hadn't put their faith in Jesus as Messiah and so now when he returns they're afraid of him absolutely amazing verse 17 for the great day of his wot wrath has come and John the Revelator says who can stand the rocks are falling it's a great cataclysmic catastrophic cacophonous event the rocks are falling everywhere the Bible says in Peter that the rocks were melting with there's a great earthquake and the people are literally running to the rock saying hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb next verse here is Isaiah chapter 24 verses 19 and 20 the earth is what's that word violently broken the earth is split open the earth is shaken exceedingly this is describing the second coming the earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard and shall totter like a lot like a Hut notice that verses 20 and 21 its transgression shall be heavy upon it and it will fall and not what's the next word words rise again it shall come to pass in that day that the Lord will punish on high the hosts of the exalted ones and the earth the kings of the earth and so when Jesus returns it is a cataclysmic catastrophic event if that makes sense say Amen now this was described in many different ways in both the Old and New Testament says a great earthquake or is a mighty thundering it says that every island and mountain is disappearing it's going to be an absolutely amazing event they will be gathered verse 22 of Isaiah 24 together as prisoners are gathered in the pit and they will be shut up in the prison after many days they will be punished this is describing the Millennium event Jesus Christ returns the earth is put into a state of disrepair it is utterly shattered and destroyed the wicked go down into the grave for how many years every one 1,000 years but notice it says after many days they will be punished you're getting it that's exactly right and so you should be able to fill all of that in there look now at your study guide at the bottom of page 1 study guide bottom of page 1 it says the Bible describes the earth as being a bottomless pit a bottomless let everyone fit this phrase comes from the Greek word a Bustos let's see if we can find that it's right here this is the word the the Greek word here when it says that the earth is like a bottomless pit is that word right there a Bustos and what English word does that sound like the best that's what you'd write in right there what English word does this sound like abyss now this is very important not coincidentally the word abussos is used to translate the condition of the earth in Genesis chapter 1 verse 1 you know Genesis 1:1 where it says the earth was without form and void and darkness was on the face of the deep in the septuagint now the Septuagint is the Greek translation of the Old Testament okay so the Greeks they translated in the days of Jesus they didn't always read the Old Testament Hebrew they took the Old Testament which is originally written in Hebrew and they wrote it in Greek and when they translated that word those verses there in Genesis chapter 1 it says the earth was without form and void they used that word abussos the idea is of a great abyss without form and void we've given you several texts there at the bottom that corroborate that basically John the Revelator saw this earth absolutely thrashed and trashed after the second coming of Jesus to him it looked like a great bottomless pit mountains had been laid to waste islands had disappeared there was no man total destruction rain we've already seen the rocks and the mountains are falling etc etc this raises the question we've actually already answered is there anyone alive on earth during the Millennium what's the answer no now you might say yes someone is alive but who would that be Satan and his angels noticed the top of the second page of the study guide the earth is desolate following the second coming Satan and the fallen angels are left alone for 1,000 years to contemplate the woeful result of their rebellious experiment the righteous are aware in heaven but what are they doing there that's a good question we're going to see that in just a moment go back to Revelation chapter 20 Revelation chapter 20 Revelation chapter 20 and we'll pick it up in verse 4 Revelation chapter 20 and verse 4 and I saw Thrones and they that sat on them and judgment was committed to them then I saw the souls of them who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God that had not worshiped the beast or his image and that not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands and they lived and reigned with Christ for how long 1,000 years now notice it says that judgment was given to them what was given judgment very interesting look at this prophecy from Jeremiah chapter 4 verses 23 and 24 Jeremiah invision says I beheld the earth and indeed it was without form and what void that sounds like creation doesn't it the problem is he's not talking about creation at all and you'll discover that here in just a moment and the head they had no lights I beheld the mountains and indeed they trembled and the hills moved back and forth I beheld and indeed there was how many men there was no man and all the birds of the heavens had fled I beheld and indeed the fruitful land was a wilderness this is jeremiah seeing this in vision and all the cities were broken down at the presence of the lord by his fears what anger so is this talking about creation not at all this is talking about destruction but when jeremiah perceived it when isaiah perceived it when John the Revelator perceived the earth after the destruction that had commenced at the second coming of Jesus it looked to them like the earth probably looked in the beginning just a void vacuous mass he says in verse 27 for thus says the Lord the whole land shall be what's that word desolate notice he says but I will not make a full-length something is going to happen at the end of the what 1,000 years Jeremiah 25 33 and at that day the slain of the Lord shall be from one end of earth even to the other end of the earth they shall not be lamented that means no one's going to be crying for them no one's going to gather them or bury them they shall become as refuse on the ground I mean it's just a very ugly picture a terrible picture so these are the five events second coming of Christ resurrection of righteous translation of living righteous the wicked living are slain and Satan is bound if it makes sense up to this point say Amen so far so good we're doing great so there's our 1000 years here's the first part come all the way down and here's the second part with the second resurrection now we did ask the question the righteous are in heaven but what are they doing well we've seen they're in verse 4 of Revelation chapter 20 that they are looking at books they're looking at what now let me show you a very very interesting verse that many New Testament Christians are not even aware exists it found it's found in the little book of 1st Corinthians see if you can find that there in the New Testament 1st Corinthians chapter 6 in KCF Matthew Mark Luke John acts Romans and then 1st Corinthians chapter 6 very unusual verse an interesting verse Paul was writing to the church at Corinth and they were suing one another they were what everyone suing one another and Paul writes a letter of rebuke to them and he says something very interesting in 1st Corinthians chapter 6 and notice with me verse 1 dare any of you having a matter against another go to the law before the unrighteous and not before the Saints verse 2 do you not know that the Saints will judge though what is that next word now according to Paul are the Saints going to judge the world yes or no notice what he goes if you think that's amazing look at what he says next and if the world is going to be judged by you are you not unworthy to judge in the smallest matters in other words hey listen why are you taking one another to court you're gonna judge the whole world stop stop messing around with these trifling little silly matters and look at verse 3 this is absolutely out of this world do you not know that we will judge what's that next word angels how much more the things that pertain to this life now with the raising of hands here how many people knew that we would be judging angels how many people knew then that's going to be new information for a whole lot of people does Paul here say that the Saints will judge the world yes or no does Paul say here that the Saints will judge angels yes or no absolutely so here's what's happening all of the wicked dead okay slain or remained in the grave the righteous are in heaven they're where everyone in heaven because this earth is an absolute desolated wilderness and they're in heaven judging you say what they're in heaven judging that's exactly what the Bible says look at it there again in Revelation chapter 20 and verse 4 Revelation chapter 20 what verse everyone verse 4 John says I saw Thrones and they that sat upon them and judgment was committed to them what was committed to them judgment and so here the righteous are judging you say well and what sense are they judging very simple I'll give you the quick answer when you get to heaven there are going to be three surprises number one that you're there someone say Amen you're going to be and number two people that you are just sure we're gonna be there aren't going to be there I mean beloved it's not it's not uncommon I mean it's not something that you don't know I mean even just recently we have this very well-known White House Council enjoy list there in Colorado named Ted Haggard and you know there's these accusations against him and boom it turns up that he's probably using crystal meth and hiring male prostitutes now the jury's still out but those are the charges against him there's going to be a lot of people that everyone would have said oh yeah he's bound for heaven and I'm not making a judgement here on Ted Haggard what I'm showing is is that people may be living the religious life but you don't know what's going on behind the scenes someone say Amen I mean I can fool you but I can't fool the Lord someone say Amen but then there's going to be other people who you thought were absolute jerks your whole life and you thought no way I mean I'm just so glad I'm going to heaven I'm not gonna have to be with that guy and you're going to be walking down the golden streets where there you gonna look at crap no Johnny Staunton made it to heaven how what happened he's gonna tell you this powerful story of how he was converted and he's so sorry for all those times he beat you up on the playground and stole your lunch money whatever it was okay so they'll be three surprises when you get to heaven number one you're their number two people you thought should be there aren't going to be there and people here thought would never make it are going to be there and we're going to have questions in heaven we're gonna have what I have questions right now someone asked us the other night well what about all the aborted babies hey I don't know the answer to that question but God knows the answer someone say Amen before I became a Christian I had a job for three years taking care of people with the developmental disabilities Down syndrome autism and other things fetal alcohol syndrome and I had good friends but most of them had mental capacities of two three four five six seven years old and I I was friends with these people and I always wondered after I became a Christian how will God judge them we're going to have questions everyone can you say Amen so someone you just thought for sure was going to be in heaven turns up not there you're going to say well God what gives and he's going to say we'll come here and I'll show you what gives take a look in the books and we'll be going over the books and not to change any of God's judgments but to say just and true are your ways o king of saints can you say Amen and we're gonna say bad what we've always had this question and I know every person in this room has had this question what about the devil I mean you knew the devil is gonna fall why did you create the devil if you knew it of course God didn't create the devil he created Lucifer and Lucifer by his own choice created the devil but you know what I'm saying why did you allow that to happen there's not a person in this room who hasn't asked that question someone say Amen so here's the hey God what about that one is gonna say let me show you let me show you notice it said there in first Corinthians chapter 6 that we would judge angels we would judge what angels Lucifer was a lot fallen angel so we're to be looking at the decisions that God made and bother to say hey look at I didn't do everything in a corner I'm not trying to hide these things from you take a look at the decisions and the judgments that I've made and you tell me if you would have done anything different the Bible says Revelation chapter 15 at the end of all this we will cry out just and true are thy ways o king of saints can someone say Amen but this tells us something awesome about our God he is not going to administer a terminal judgment until he is totally satisfied that all of the citizens of his kingdom are satisfied that he has made just and true and loving judgment someone say Amen because if that wasn't the case sometime throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity we might wonder why God did this or this or this or this or this and if we don't have good answers we may be tempted to serve God out of fear how did what did I say fear but this is not a proper reason to serve God it's not a proper motivator God will only accept the service of love you've got it and so we will be in heaven going over the books and reviewing this is what's called a judicial review any attorney can tell you there's such a thing as a judicial review and that's what's going to be happening with the righteous in heaven now there are five events that close the millennium and you're right there in your study guide let's see how quickly we can do this five events so at the end of the millennium the wicked are raised the wicked are why we already read that Revelation chapter 20 and verse 5 I'll read it for you again very quickly the rest of the Dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished and so here comes the end of the millennium the wicked are raised number 2 Satan is set free now think about that that makes such good sense it's not as though Satan is bound with a literal chain what kind of a chain literal chain he was bound by a chain of circumstances because there was no one around to tempt but of all of the wicked are suddenly raised to life is he now released from those circumstances that bound him yes or no because there would be people to tempt and to that's right to harass notice number 3 the new jerusalem descends from heaven you picked that up in Revelation chapter 21 I'm reading quickly then I saw a new heaven and a new earth verse 1 for the first heaven in the first Earth were passed away and there was no more sea then I John saw the holy city New Jerusalem coming down from heaven a part of me for coming down out of heaven from God prepared as a bride for her husband so the New Jerusalem begins to descend all of the righteous are in the New Jerusalem powerful the New Jerusalem descending John saw it as a bride prepared and adorned for her husband and so the wicked are destroyed you say what the wicked I destroyed I missed that part go to Revelation chapter 20 you've got to see this this is absolutely fantastically powerful Revelation chapter 20 and I'm in verse 7 what verse am I in everyone 7 it says now when the thousand years have expired Satan will be released from his what prison question what releases him from his prison the resurrection of the wicked so now there are people to tempt and so the devil begins to marshal them all together and what does he do verse 8 he goes out to deceive he's right back to his old games he didn't repent he had a thousand years to think about his foolish and unwise decisions and the moment he's given another opportunity he's right back to the same old same old deceived deceived deception deception it says he goes out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth Gog and Magog to gather them together to the battle whose numbers as the sand of the sea think of it every single wicked person who has ever lived is alive at that moment every one of them is alive right then in there every person who hadn't put their faith in Jesus Christ verse 9 they went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the Saints in the beloved city and fire came down from God out of heaven and did what devoured them they're going to try and take the city by force Satan deceives me says hey we can take that City that's my city I mean who knows what he says to try and persuade them in this ludicrous ill-fated adventure he says we can take the city and when God looks down and sees that none of the wicked are repentant none of them are what repentant never forget this people never never never never forget this if anyone in this room is lost it will not be because God wouldn't accept you but because you chose not to accept God someone say Amen there's not going to be anybody that God says I didn't like him I didn't want her up there no no no if anyone is lost in this room or out of this room it'll be because they said I don't want to have anything to do with God God is a gentleman he will not twist your arm and make you do the right thing someone say Amen but like a rabid dog who knows he's gonna die anyway one last chance one last fix and they begin to surround the city to try and take by force what they wouldn't receive by grace mm the Bible says that fire comes down from God out of heaven and devoured them what does it do it devours them so the wicked are destroyed all the wicked who have ever lived try to take the city by force verse 9 they went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the Saints in the beloved city and fire came down from God out of heaven and what did it do every one it devoured them what is the word devour me and it means destroyed and then the earth is made waah new you're in Revelation chapter 20 look with me at verse 14 Revelation chapter 20 and I'm reading in verse 14 it says then death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire this is the second death so if you have a second death what do you know you have it smack it's a mathematical axia logical truth that if you have a second death you have a first death and then notice verse 15 anyone not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire what's the lake of fire it's that fire that descends from god out of heaven and devoured them then the very next thing that you see Revelation chapter 20 verse 1 John sees that news that holy city that wonderful city the New Jerusalem descending from God out of heaven prepared as a bride adorned for her husband boom right down there on the planet Earth and then God makes a new earth someone say Amen he said oh wait wait a minute God makes a new earth absolutely blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth absolutely powerful and I could give oh lord have mercy we could go on and on and on the meek shall inherit the earth there will be people who have put their trust in Jesus there will be no pain no death no sorrow no disease the Bible says the former things have passed away no war no terrorism no 911 no conspiracy theories no garbage no trash someone say Amen I'm tempted to say no Republicans and no Democrats either hallelujah all Christiane's the meek shall inherit the earth if you believe that say men praise God in heaven I'm tired of this old place everybody that's alive will be either inside of that city that's the righteous or outside of the city that's the wicked I'm looking at your study guide inside or outside inside or outside at the close of the millennium following the resurrection of the wicked everyone who has ever lived will be alive all at the same time what a sight that will be all of the righteous inside of the city the New Jerusalem all of the wicked will be outside of the city the New Jerusalem the Bible says that the walls of the New Jerusalem are what clear revelation 21 18 clear gold the righteous and the wicked will be able to see one another the wicked make an effort to overtake the city by force it is at this time the fires of the vengeance of the judgment of God descend upon them and what was that word everyone devour them now here I'm going to take something that's absolutely amazing from a biblical perspective that fire that devours them that brings about the second death that fire is hell that's what did I say everyone that's hell let me just make this as plain as can be hell is not burning right now I don't know what you believe before but I'm going to tell you biblically hell is not burning right now purgatory is not burning right now there's not one scintilla one iota of viable evidence that says anything about a purgatory that's a tradition that's a why a tradition also this idea that hell is right now and people are down in the hot place you know getting poked poked put by the devil and he's turning them over in skewers and throughout the sea I mean give me a break this is the most ridiculous thing you won't find anything in the Bible about that this fire that descends at the close of the millennium that devours the rebellious this is Hellfire now let's move now to the next part of our study this idea of Hell Jesus said why do you call me Lord Lord and don't do the things that I say that's a good question can you say Amen if we're going to call ourselves Christians then we should be obeying Jesus and not anyone else someone say Amen I love Jesus question he's able to cut right to the heart of the matter he says hey why you calling me Lord and don't do the things I say it's easy to put a little sticker on the back of your Honda Accord it's quite a different thing to obey the Lord of glory someone say Amen does that well you call yourself a Christian why do you call me Lord and don't do what I ask you the Lord Jesus gives us his plain explicit commands the ten commandments and we could talk about the simple things that God has made clear and he says hey if you're gonna call me Lord why don't you do what I say or what I come in very very simple so the word hell occurs 54 times in the Bible I'm gonna see if you can keep up with me here it's right there and your study guide the word hell occurred is how many times 54 times in the King James Version of the Bible in the Old Testament hell is translated 31 times from the Hebrew word shale that's right in your study guide which simply means grave or place of the departed now the reason I'm bringing that out is this if I say hell and I say what picture comes to your mind I can almost guarantee flames come to your mind love it comes to your mind fire and brimstone comes to your mind that is not what would have come to the mind to a Hebrew the word hell is from the word shale which simply means grave it had no connotation of burning whatsoever no connotation of what burning whatsoever and that's every use of hell in the Old Testament every use of hell in the Old Testament 31 times is the word shale which simply means grave what does it mean everyone great we come to the New Testament there are two greek words that are translated as hell Hades and Gehenna Hades and Gehenna you want to write those down and only one of those words has anything to do with burning and that's that word right there Gehenna Hades is just exactly like the Old Testament words shale it means grave or place of the departed okay so we're going to ask several questions here about Hell we're gonna ask when does hell take place where does hell take place which we've actually already answered and how long how what everyone how long so we're right there at the top of your study guide page 3 praise the Lord Jesus we're making good time okay here we go when is hell well first of all hell is not right now someone say Amen hell takes place at the end of the millennium when is hell hell takes place after the thousand years question number two where is Hell hell takes place right here on planet Earth hell is not some place underneath the ground if you dig down far enough through the various layers of you know to set you're gonna find a hot place down there with several barbeque pits no no hell takes place right here on planet earth when the fires that descend from God devour the wicked and actually is recreated anew the earth made new can he say Amen so that answers the question of wind that answers the question of where now look at this one what about the question of how long the question how long is an easily answered question it's a what everyone it's in what is it answered easily answer it okay hang on buckle your safety belts by the way do you have safety belts there in your seats you might want to buckle them as we have already learned human beings are not naturally immortal can you say Amen if that's true human beings are not naturally immortal immortality is a gift hallelujah you're already getting it is a gift from God that comes as a result of accepting Jesus Christ as your personal Savior let's all say it together for God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life so if you believe what do you get everlasting life but if you don't believe what do you get perishing notice it doesn't say for God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in should not have everlasting life in the eternal fires of hell but have everlasting life in heaven is that what the verse says the verse says that whoever believes in Him won't perish won't one perish but have the opposite of perishing which is everlasting life now this gets absolutely incredible you need to hone in here on these underlined sections it is absolutely critical to understand this simple point if man is not what's the next word immortal then there is no need for Hell to burn throughout the ceaseless eternal ages to put it another way the foundational reason that hell has been assumed to be eternal is that man has been assumed to be what immortal and thus indestructible it is essential that this be understood if man is not immortal then there is no need to insist that hell is what the turtle think of it this way okay here it is who's who the fires of hell right here just pretend on this stage and we're going to say that this clicker is a man and this man is naturally immortal right that's the pagan belief naturally what everyone more there's the fire flaming inferno barbecue pit of hell and so if we put man in there and man is immortal how long before is destroyed could he ever be destroyed so then by definition how long does this have to burn throughout the ceaseless eternal ages what wait a minute what if our assumption is wrong what if man is not naturally immortal what if as the Bible says the soul that sinneth it shall die what if the wages of sin is death what if God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not what perish what if that's true then you put this guy in there and how long does he burn until he's burned up if that makes sense say Amen whoo it's going to get even clearer though it's going to get even clearer I love the Bible can someone say Amen this is hell right here they went up on the breadth of the earth and they surrounded the camp of the Saints and the beloved city and fire came down from God out of heaven and why devour it what does it mean to devour it means it's gone right I used to have a dog and that dog would eat pancakes his name was banner and in the morning my mama baked pancake she always made way too many pancakes never could figure that out but she'd make like three times too many pancakes and then we get them all slathered up in butter and syrup and we our kids couldn't finish them and she'd put them over in the corner and banner our Siberian Husky would come in and those things would be devoured at about 20 seconds flat he licked the plate he licked the floor he licked the bottom side of the plate I mean you you could have sent a search team in there a forensics team in there a CSI team there you couldn't have found one little remaining bit of pancake or syrup or butter amen those things were devoured are we all together that's what the word means it means devoured it means it's gone it means game over verse 15 and anyone not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire where they ride throughout the speechless eternal ages because God put them there for what they did in 70 years oh come on beloved what kind of God is that that's like that's like sentencing some to the to the to the electrical chair for what they they jaywalked no no no the crime has the punishment has to fit though I crime so let's think about this God's going to punish you for millions upon billions upon trillions upon quadrillions of years for a mistake that you made over the 6070 40 year course of your life come on the devil has had a heyday with this one and people after I mean any intelligent person a my humble belief any intelligent person can look at that and can say that is not logical someone say Amen I mean before I became a Christian I thought you've got to be kidding your God of love is a god of hatred and vengeance to punish someone throughout the ceaseless eternal age it's what they've done in 60 or 70 years I mean I was I was like heathen and I knew that that was unreasonable hmm and then I came to the Bible and instead of taking what somebody had taught me what a church had taught me what what somebody had told me I said well let's just see what the Bible says and you know what I discovered the Bible doesn't teach that ridiculous doctrine the devil made it up someone saying that you say well what does the Bible teach then well let's see what it says first of all it says I saw a new heaven and a new one earth so if a new heaven and a new earth is going to be made and hell takes place on planet earth do you know what you know for sure hell can't burn forever amen how could it how could it does that make sense powerful it's going to get even better though Jude chapter will actually look at this am i right there in the middle of your study guide remember that it is the Greeks Babylonians Egyptians and others who believed this idea of the immortality of the soul it is not a biblical concept it is called as we've already discussed anthropological dualism that's a lot of syllables it basically means that man is twofold he has a temporal body that that goes away and he has an eternal soul but the Bible never teaches that man has an eternal soul what it does teach is that God will give you the gift of immortality if you accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Savior amen now I'm just giving you a few texts here I could have literally given you 10 times the number of texts that are on this sheet right here let's see what the Bible says about the wicked according to the Bible the fate of the wicked is as follows they will die they will want die so right there in chapter 6 verse 23 the wages of sin is death the soul that sinneth it shall die jesus said in Matthew chapter 10 verse 28 I'm quoting it for you there Matthew chapter 10 verse 28 he said do not fear those who are able to destroy the body but rather fear those who can destroy both body and soul in one hell that's exactly right according to the Bible the wicked will perish we already said that in John chapter 3 verse 16 they will be burnt up let's look at that when Malachi chapter 4 last book of the Old Testament see if you can beat me there last you're already there good for you Matthew Jim alaka'i chapter 4 Malachi chapter 4 last book of the Old Testament just before the book of Matthew so if you can find Matthew just go one book back and you got it to get to Zechariah found a little bit too far Malachi what chapter every one verse four it says for behold the day is coming the day is y coming so the day was an in Malachi's day the day is coming burning like a lot and of and all the proud yes all who do wickedly will be stubble the day that is coming that will burn them what's the next word burns then what's the next word up says the Lord of Hosts it will leave them neither root nor branch they're gone look at verse 3 you shall trample the wicked for they shall be what under your feet ashes under the soles of your feet on the day that I will do this says the Lord of hosts there burned to ashes they don't burn and burn and burn and burn and burn and burn and burn they burn till they burn up if someone can believe that same in absolutely powerful now look at this they will be devoured by the flames we already read that Revelation chapter 20 verse 9 the fires come down and devour them they will be utterly consumed Psalm chapter 30 37 verse 20 Isaiah 47 14 they will be turned to ashes Malachi 4:3 we saw that they will die the second death die the second one death well well that makes sense now doesn't it so the second death would be the second death that makes sense the second death would be the second death if that makes sense say Amen notice it doesn't say the second death is the Second Life those people that don't put their faith in Jesus do not get to live throughout the ceaseless eternal ages I mean think about what's the devil's favorite thing to do to deceive and to harass and to make your life miserable yes or no and so the picture that we have of Hell is here's the devil and he's got his little you know barbeque prod and and here's people just you know writhing in the hot brimstone lava and the devil throughout the ceaseless eternal of Ages is on God's divine payroll to poke you an eye down into the lava is that realistic no it's not only realistic it's an absolute caricature of the character of God someone say Amen you can't find that anywhere in scriptures I mean it's God going to keep the devil on the divine payroll to do the very thing he loves to do throughout the ceaseless eternal ages no the Bible says that the devil is going to be destroyed you say man hey man look at this they will die the second death they will suffer destruction we already read that 2nd Thessalonians chapter 1 verse 9 I think I've got Philippians 3:19 up here I'll come back to it if I do they will be as though they had not been over daya 16 and Satan himself will be totally destroyed can you say Amen that old rascal ain't going to stick around forever he's not only going to take a vation vacation he's going to take a one great big long vacation back page what about everlasting fire the bible does speak of eternal fire in Jude 7 but this is a fire that has the kernel what's the next word consequences it does not burn for eternity in fact in the context that speaks of Sodom and Gomorrah as what examples of this eternal fire we might rightly ask the question is Sodom and Gomorrah burning right now no absolutely not you can write that down Jude chapter 1 verse 7 as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them in similar manner to these having given themselves over to sexual immorality notice the rest and gone after strange flesh flesh are set forth as they were an example suffering the Vengeance of what kind of fire but are sodom and gomorrah still burning today no so an eternal fire is the fire that has eternal consequences it's not a fire that has to burn throughout the ceaseless eternal ages the only reason we believe that is that we were told that we were naturally immortal but if we're not naturally immortal then that does not have to mean at all in fact it's clear in the context here 2nd Peter chapter 2 verse 6 and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into a hey we just read that Malachi didn't we that the wicked will be turned to ashes condemned them with destruction making them and what example to those who afterward would live ungodly now is anyone unclear as to what happened to Sodom and Gomorrah the Bible says that God destroyed them with fire and brimstone God did why destroy them he did not allow them to be tortured for centuries and centuries and eons and millennia they were destroyed and Jude says and Peter says that's an example of eternal fire not fire that burns throughout the ceaseless eternal ages but fire that has eternal what's it word I'm going to say consequences that's exactly right let's go on here someone says eternal punishment look at that right there on your study guide the Bible also speaks of eternal punishment Matthew chapter 25 verse 46 this simply means punishment that has eternal consequences notice that that's why it's called the second death there's no resurrection from the second death notice the phrase is eternal punishment not eternal punished iing is there a difference yes or no huge difference you won't find the phrase eternal punishing anywhere in your Bible punishing is a verb right the the eternal punishing no no its eternal punishment that is punishment that has eternal ramifications that makes sense say Amen okay the difference is enormous the only reason that someone would insist that this phrase means eternal conscious torment is if they already believed in the non biblical teaching that man is naturally what immortal you've got it this teaching however as we have seen is not biblical someone says well the Bible says it's going to happen forever whoo good question I like Bible students by the way the people that don't ask questions make me more nervous than the people that do you got questions praise the Lord Jesus I like questions it makes me more nervous when you don't have questions amen means you're just taking what I say but don't take what I say take what the Bible says can you say amen to that now look at this this man by the way I'm passionate about this because I believe this is what the Bible teaches but I'm always really don't come up to me some oil you know that spirit told me that what you were preaching was that true don't tell me that don't tell me that it just doesn't feel right in my soul don't tell me that beloved because if I have to trust your indigestion or what the Bible says I'm gonna trust the Bible amen can you say Amen I mean I've had person after person after person after person come to these meetings and say well you know it just doesn't feel right and I look at them in the eye say listen sister I love you brother I love you but you you are forcing me to make a very easy decision here I have to trust the some feeling that's taking place in your guts or I have to trust what God says in his word and I'm always gonna take what God says in his word and you too amen I mean how many nights did you say father stood up said you know I just got this feeling in my stomach that this is what this prophecy means what you have kept coming so oh yeah we went down to this meeting and this fella told us how we felt no no no no you're coming because the Bible is being preached you're saying hey that makes sense can someone say Amen hallelujah so look at this someone says hey what about the word forever forever in the Bible can be translated until the end of the what the age look there at your study guide and this might seem like an unusual question how long is forever the Bible does use the word forever in the context of a final punishment but several things must be considered before arriving at unwarranted conclusions number one the word forever means as long as the things shall last number two forever in the New Testament can be translated an age or until the end of the age number three the word forever is used in the Bible to refer to things that lasted for a finite period of time for example Jonah was in the belly of the fish forever but how many days was Jonah in the belly of the fish three days but the Bible says he was in there forever first samuel chapter 1 says that samuel was given to the Lord forever but then it says in verse 28 he was given until he died given until he why died and Exodus chapter 21 verse 6 says that if someone becomes a slave you have to put an earring through his ear or it all through his ear and that's a sign that he's a slave forever but it goes on to say that after seven years he's released beloved the word forever modifies the thing that it's talking about so if we say god lives forever of course the nature of God defines forever as throughout the ceaseless eternal ages but if it says that someone the smoke of their torment ascends forever it would only mean throughout the ceaseless eternal ages if that thing was by nature immortal but if it's not by nature immortal it means it would burn and burn and burn and burn until there was nothing more to burn and if that makes sense say Amen very simple and by the way if you're riding in the flames of hell and being burned up it's going to feel like guess what forever you've got it Jesus endured hell and this is probably the single most powerful thing here we go all right yeah I better read that I better read that real quick John chapter john stott said as a committed evangelical Christian my question must be and is not what does my heart tell me but what does God's words say if you believe that say men and in order to answer this question we need to survey the biblical material afresh and open our minds he's not a member of my church he's just a conservative Thiel he's saying hey lookit we got a look at the Bible not just our hearts to the possibility that scripture points in the direction of what is that word annihilation and that the doctrine of eternal conscious torture has to yield to the supreme authority of why absolutely we've already been over that and John starts the one who said it cannot I think therefore be replied that it is impossible to destroy human beings because they are immortal for the immortality and therefore the web indestructibility of the soul is a Greek not a biblical concept where did they get that idea from they didn't get it from the Bible they got it from the Greeks so the first death is the death that we die as a natural result of living in a sinful world amen then all kinds of people die the first death but there's a resurrection from the first death can someone say Amen and I want to be in the first resurrection it says the second death is eternal death and is the result of personal rebellion against God and there is no resurrection from the second death if that makes sense say Amen okay so here we go Jesus said in Matthew chapter 10 verse 28 we already quoted this and do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body we're in hell so Jesus stumbles into the Garden of Gethsemane in Matthew chapter 26 and as he falls down to his face what does he say my soul is exceedingly sorrowful even to the point of what death let me rephrase that Jesus stumbles into the Garden of Gethsemane the sin of the world is being laid upon him and he says my soul is exceedingly sorrowful to the point of death in other words my soul is dying now beloved if your soul is dying you are going through what hell that's what we just read there in Matthew chapter 10 and verse 28 look at it again do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul rather fear Him who can it was able to destroy both the soul and the body where in hell so if Jesus soul was dying if he was saying off something is happening inside of me the weight of the world feels like it's upon me the sin of the world is rending me from my father he's going through the experience of hell look right there at the bottom of your study guide praise the Lord Jesus we made it Jesus said as he stumbled into the Garden of Gethsemane that his soul was exceedingly sorrowful even unto death compare this with Matthew 10:28 which we've already done Jesus endure this horrific experience the second death for you on the cross someone say Amen here's the good news about healthy loving Jesus would rather go to hell for you than live in heaven without you can someone say Amen Jesus would rather go to hell for you then live in heaven without you here's the good news about Hell number 1 no one is burning right now can someone say Amen I hope that's good news for that person who had a loved one or a son or a daughter or a friend who died and they didn't know how their case was with God no one is burning right now number two if you want to believe the Bible now if you want to believe your traditions and your ideas of all this Greek mythology you can believe it but if you want to believe what the Bible says no one is burning right now number two no one will burn eternally someone say Amen now again if you want to believe that if that's the picture of God that you want to create in your mind fine you are welcome to do that but that's not the biblical picture and don't confuse the God of the Bible with the God that would burn people throughout the ceaseless eternal ages for what they did in 50 60 or 70 years my Bible says God is love amen number three hell is fair number four you don't have to be there that's good news isn't it someone say Amen and number five Jesus would rather go to hell for you than live in heaven without you two questions as we close tonight number one is this clear yes or no beloved the Bible says that God is love and I hope that I've done my very best to convey to you tonight this great grand biblical truth of hell and of the Millennium it is not something that makes God out to be the greatest terror terrorists in the universe God is the greatest compassionate being of love in the universe yes he is just yes he is gracious yes he is mighty but his punishments and his judgments will always be consistent with the crime and the infraction that is what the Bible teaches amen as we close and I don't ask you two questions number one what's tonight's presentation clear that's all I want to know here's the second question are you willing I don't care if it's tonight subject or any subject are you willing and I mean this with every bit of sincerity and authenticity and transparency that I can muster are you willing to take any belief that you have did I say any belief that you have and surrender it if it's not consistent with what the Bible teaches yes or no that's all I want to know we love it you do that you do that I'll do that and by the grace of God we will arrive at biblical truth by studying his word someone say Amen you

Channel: hopemedia

Views: 23,642

Rating: 4.7419353 out of 5

Keywords: David Asscherick, hopevideo, Antichrist, Prophecy, Revelation, Christianity, The Devil, Satan, Hell, Discover Prophecy, Hope Media Ministry, hopemedia, end of the world, jesus christ, gospel, bible, preaching, pastor

Id: A4ol1mgSaBE

Length: 59min 22sec (3562 seconds)

Published: Mon Apr 18 2011