TUESDAY June 1, 2021
Eternal Judgment
(...He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)
Ephesians 4:10
Paul taught that Christ first descended into hell to preach to the captives––the spirits in prison. There were two compartments separated by a gulf. Jesus led the righteous to heaven, hell expanded, and the wicked remained there. The Apostle Peter confirmed hell is a real place:
For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison, who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water (1 Peter 3:18-20).
Peter mentioned the Old Testament time when billions of people perished in the flood. Imagine, Hell instantly became full, and only eight souls were saved! In the New Testament, those who accept Christ go to heaven. Those who reject Christ as Savior, when they die, will enter hell. People in hell wish they could have had another chance, but once they enter eternity, it is over––it is a done deal.
There is a Day of Judgment coming for the rich and poor. The moment a person dies they enter eternity and then the judgment (Hebrews 9:27). The body goes into the earth, but the soul and spirit continue on forever. People make fun of hell, but it is a real place where people are tormented forever. All five senses are active in hell:
And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books....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 20:12-15).
The dammed in hell may weep their eyes out of their heads, but they can never weep sin out of their souls.
~Thomas Brooks~
For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!
