There is a large portion of our population who do not believe that hell is a reality. In a 1991 study 1, 80% of Americans conveyed a belief in the afterlife, but only 57% acknowledging the existence of hell. Among religious people who do not believe there is a hell, the most common argument questions how a loving God could send people to such a place of torment. Thus, they reject the existence of hell.

There are two Greek words which have been translated “hell” in the KJV, hades and gehenna. It is important to distinguish between these words. Hades refers to the abode of the dead, while gehenna is used to describe the eternal punishment of the wicked. Let us consider what the Bible reveals about hell.

Gehenna originated from the Hebrew Ge bene Hinnom. It was “...a deep, narrow glen to the south of Jerusalem, where the idolatrous Jews offered their children in sacrifice to Molech. This valley afterwards became the common receptacle for all the refuse of the city. Here the dead bodies of animals and criminals, and all kinds of filth, were cast and consumed by fire kept always burning.” (Easton Bible Dictionary, Online Bible). Jesus used this garbage dump as a vivid picture of what eternity without the Lord will be like. Consider Jesus’ use of the word:

• “If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell [gehenna]. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell [gehenna].” (Matthew 5:29-30, see Mark 9:43-49 for an interesting parallel).

• “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 in hell [gehenna].” (Matthew 10:28)

• “Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell [gehenna]?” (Matthew 23:33)

• “But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell [gehenna] fire.” (Matthew 5:22)

It would be foolish to assume that Jesus was threatening his hearers with the prospect of being thrown into the garbage pit southward from Jerusalem. To describe to us the glories of heaven, we read of walls that “...were adorned with all kinds of precious stones...the twelve gates were twelve pearls...and the street of the city was pure gold...” (Revelation 21:18-21). Are the foundations of heaven comprised of precious jewels? Is the street paved with gold? Are the gates made of pearls? No, but God uses these physical things which we understand to explain a spiritual place to us. In like manner, Jesus used this well-known and loathsome landmark to reveal the nature of hell. Consider the horror which would be quickened in the mind of the Jewish people. No man would want to spend even a few moments on the outskirts of Gehenna, and having used it to convey the abhorrent nature of eternal torment, no man should desire any part of hell.

Is hell a garbage dump, filled with the dead bodies of both humans and animals? Does hell have all manner of trash laying about it? Does hell have an odour that would cause your hair to curl? Is it a perpetually burning inferno? No, these are word pictures which have been employed to help us understand without doubt, that we do not want to go there. Both heaven and hell are spiritual places, neither possessing physical elements and characteristics, but are explained with the use of such for our benefit.

This eternal punishment of the wicked is otherwise described in the Bible:

• “...in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed.” (2 Thessalonians 1:7-10)

• “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels... And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” (Matthew 25:41, 46)

• “The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:10, 14-15)

Regarding the terror of hell, a brother in Christ has made the statement,
“I might suggest that the most horrific aspect of hell has got to be the fact that we are forever, eternally, never to be changed, separated from God. No light, no hope, no bright future or any possibility of it. The other images (fire, etc.) simply add to the horror of the place. To see the intensity of hell, consider how far God was willing to go in providing man a way of escape from the place through the offering of His son.” (Brian V. Sullivan)

Indeed, there is a hell. The Bible adequately warns us of this place of eternal damnation, and reveals to us God’s plan to save man, that none should go there. Notice from the quote of Matthew 25:41, hell was not prepared for man, but “...for the devil and his angels...” However, those who are not recorded in the Book of Life (Revelation 20:15) will also be cast into this place of everlasting torment. Therefore, let us prepare ourselves for heaven, knowing and obeying the Lord’s will.

Click here for this week's Answering The Atheist
Was Jesus’ trial before the Sanhedrin at night (Matthew 26:57-68; 27:1-2) or was it in the morning (Luke 22:66-71; 23:1)?