Hell's Horror Scene

The first movie was made by Louis Le Prince in 1888. Comedy and action are people’s favorite genres. Movies are some of man’s favorite form of entertainment. One subset of the film franchise is horror movies. These are special movies that demand a special person because of its special effect. Some are so psychologically impacting that some have problems for days after observing it. Because of these effects, many choose to stay away from these films. God has His own horror scene which He created—its called Hell. 

Hell is not a movie, a book, or a picture to scare children. It is not a fairy tale, a religious tradition, nor a curse word. It is an actual scene of which many will experience. The Bible uses the word “hell” 54 times and the English word either refers to the grave, hades, or eternal punishment. The Greek word for Hell is geena. It is used twelve times in the Bible. Its Hebrew origin takes one back to valley of Hinnom, which was a place where dead things were burned. During Judah’s idolatrous period, children were burned there (cf. 2 Kings 23:10). The Bible speaks about Hell as a real place. Hell is not a friend to anyone; it is an enemy to everyone.    

Where is Hell? It has no location in the physical realm, only those in the spiritual realm have access. Some deny that Hell exists. According to an article in 2021 by Pew Research only 62% of Americans believe in Hell.[1] Bertrand Russell wrote in his essay Why I Am Not A Christian “I must say that I think all this doctrine, that hell-fire is a punishment for sin, is a doctrine of cruelty.” Religious groups like Jehovah’s Witnesses teach annihilation and others ascribe to Universalism. Catholics believe in Purgatory. Some believe in Hell, but deny its perpetuality, either claiming the wicked will eventually be annihilated or that eventually everyone will go to Heaven. Little do the scoffers know that Hell will be their only residence and they will stay there forever. God has created a scene in which the wicked will be tormented forever, this is a place you don’t want to go.

The Bible has much to say about Hell. It is God’s own scary scene and something we will not want to experience. What does the Bible say about this horrendous scene?             

The Director—Jesus (Matthew 10:28).

Famous movie directors are Christopher Nolan, Steven Spielberg, Peter Jackson, and James Cameron. Directors seek to organize and produce films that will be delightful and appealing to the audience. Jesus is the director of this scene, and it is no such exciting event. He controls the length, what will happen, and who comes inside. In fact, His directing is much different from mere mortals, seeing He allows anyone to enter, the running time is eternity, and the “plot” is torment. Jesus called upon His disciples to place their fear in the right direction—the Being who “is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10:28). 

God designed and created Hell (Matthew 25:41). While man chooses sin over God, based off that decision, Jesus casts man into the fires of Hell. He takes vengeance (2 Thessalonians 1:8-9). He is the one to divide (Matthew 25:31-33). He is the one to offer the eternal sentence (Matthew 7:23; Matthew 25:41). John spoke of people not casting themselves, but who were cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 19:20; 20:15[2]).

Ultimately, the Director will give man what he has always wanted—eternal separation from his God; Jesus Himself will sign the bill. 

No one can plead with the director; he has all power and authority to do as he pleases in running the film. Jesus has the same power and authority too (Matthew 28:18; John 5:22; Acts 17:31). He is ready to judge (1 Peter 4:5). The ultimate sentence will be given and sinners will have no where to stand (Psalm 1:5). His sentence of eternal destruction will be offered because He witnessed:

• Wicked deeds (Ecclesiastes 12:14; 2 Corinthians 5:10). 

• Secrets (Romans 2:16).

• Words (Matthew 12:36).

Nothing will pass the Director’s eye; He is watching the film of our lives (Job 34:21-22; Proverbs 5:21; 15:3; Hebrews 4:13).

Mysophobia is the fear of dirt. Hydrophobia is the fear of water. Nyclophobia is the fear of darkness. Acrophobia is fear of high places. Taxophobia is fear of being buried alive. Xenophobia is fear of strangers. Necrophobia is fear of the dead. Claustrophobia is fear of confined places. Stygiophobia is the fear of Hell. Jesus told His apostles to fear the right Person who had the ability to cast them into Hell, a fearful place. Sinners should live in fear (Ecclesiastes 8:12-13) seeing they live contradictory to the law which will judge them (John 12:48). Although Jesus is the Savior of all men now, at Judgement He will be every man’s judge. Hell’s horror is overseen by Jesus.     

The Cast—Satan, His Angels, and the Wicked (Matthew 25:41).

Casts make movies. Most movies are judged based on their cast, both good and bad. Hell’s horrendous scene will be bad enough with the cast alone. The population will exceed any demographic in existence. It will be a gathering unlike any other. While it was made for only two groups of individuals, a third will join their ranks.  

                Hell’s roll includes the following:  

                The Devil. Satan will be cast into Hell (Revelation 20:10); he will NOT cast. He will be tormented not the tormentor. He will suffer. He introduced sin in the world, so it is just for him to suffer for eternity apart from God. We must but wonder if God has increased the heat in his area in Hell.          

                Wicked angels. Satan was not alone when he fell from Heaven, he took others with him (Jude 6). These ones who defied God have only Hell as their destiny and will suffer with him.   

                The wicked (Jude 14-15; Psalm 1:6). Peter asked, “what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?” (1 Peter 4:17). The answer is simple: Hell. Originally, Hell was only created for the devil and his angels; sinful man changed that. Hell will be populated with souls who once roamed the earth, but who entered eternity in their sins. These will include:     

• The scoffer (Revelation 21:8).  

• The sincere (Matthew 7:21-23).

• The ignorant (2 Thessalonians 1:8).

• The procrastinator (Acts 24:25).

• The immoral (Proverbs 7:27).

• The church member who (1) fell away (2 Peter 2:20-22), (2) neglected his talents (Matthew 25:26-30), or (3) who failed to be charitable (Matthew 25:42-46).

Gender, nationality, and race will have no bearing on entrance into Hell. Anyone separated from God will enter its midst. Some may grow excited that at least souls will be there, but despite what many believe, Hell will produce no encouraging and delightful company.

Only God knows Hell’s demographics, but it will be many (Matthew 7:13). Everyone who enters will be cast alive into the fires of Hell (Revelation 19:20)—but you don’t have to be in the cast list.

The Plot.

Plots are powerful parts of productions. One may decide to turn off a film in the middle of it due to his disgust of the plot. The film industry has created horrific scenes, but none of them come close to the one in Hell. Hell’s plot is also disfavored and disliked by all who enter. What does the plot include?

                Infliction of the five senses. Hell’s plot seeks to hurt all who enter with the maximum sentence. One’s whole body (Matthew 5:29) and soul are tormented in this awful place. Spiritually, each sense is harmed:

• Eyes (Matthew 25:30).

• Taste (cf. Luke 16:24).

• Hear (Matthew 13:42). The word “wailing” denotes an audible cry.

• Smell (Revelation 21:8). Brimstone has a sulfurous smell.[3]

• Touch (Mark 9:44; Revelation 20:15). Marshall Keeble said that “man could build the hottest fire possible, remove the damned from hell and place them in this man-made fire, and in ten seconds they would freeze to death.”[4]

While not physical, these pictures show us how bad Hell will be. It will be sorer than any physical pain (cf. Hebrews 10:29). Hell will be so horrendous because pain will stretch from head to toe. One would be the first to sign up for the worst physical pain possible if it meant avoiding this awful place (cf. Matthew 5:29).[5]  

                Good memory. The rich man in hades was told to remember (Luke 16:25). Amnesia doesn’t exist in Hell. The scoffer will remember his arrogant words against the Messiah. The sincere denominationalist will remember that meeting he had when a Christian brought him the truth. The ignorant will remember all the times they refused to learn. The procrastinator will be reminded of every opportunity he had to respond to the Gospel. The immoral will regret having chosen impurity in times when they could have remained pure. The unfaithful Christian will remember all the times he could have repented but refused to do so. These sinful “worms” will not die (Mark 9:46). One commentator observed that memory of the past in Hell is perfect, all at once, and constant[6]—one of the chief torments, according to Albert Barnes. Hell will be so horrendous because it will be impossible to forget.  

                Eternal insomnia (Revelation 14:11). There are no beds in Hell. Those in Hell will never find rest. Hell will be like the man who has not slept for days, who seeks a pillow for a moment but will never find one. He will be weeping and thriving in pain too much for that. Sinners who sought no rest for their souls on earth will be rewarded with the same in Hell. Those who sought rest from laboring for God on earth, will find no rest from torment in Hell. Hell will be so horrendous because one will never find rest again.    

                Unending shame and contempt (Daniel 12:2). Shame refers to regret over something or embarrassment. Souls in Hell will live with eternal regret. They will be met with justice at judgement and understand why their sentence is so. They will feel abandoned, rejected, and have the words of Jesus play before them for eternity: “I never knew you.” Hell will be so horrendous because they have no hope of forgiveness. Mark Dunagan said, “Hell does not exist for the purpose of reforming the sinner.”[7] 

                Angry (Matthew 25:30). Perhaps the “gnashing of teeth” is a reference to sinners’ anger. Souls in Hell may be angry at God for placing them in this place, Satan for tempting man to sin, and themselves for succumbing to sin.[8] Hell will be so horrendous because anger will be a common emotion with no way to stop it.

Hell’s scene is too scary to go, much less to read. Hell is going to be so bad that Jesus said about a man who was going to go “good were it for that man if he had never been born” (Mark 14:21). Thankfully, we don’t have to attend.  

The Time—Forever

 The longest movie created has a run time of 857 hours. One survey concluded that 92 minutes is the perfect run time for a movie. Some scenes last longer than others, but Hell has topped them all. In fact, Hell doesn’t have a run time; it never ends. The Director will yell “action” but will never yell “cut.” The lost will enter eternity in Hell and literally stay there with no end.

Hopelessness may be the driving force of Hell. Dante in his poem Inferno wrote that the sign on Hell’s door should read “Thou who enter this door leave all hope behind.” John saw the souls in Hell as being there forever (Revelation 14:11). They were tormented both day and night without end (Revelation 20:10). Jesus described Hell as being everlasting (Matthew 25:46) and that its fire would never be quenched (Mark 9:43-48). Paul said the lost will be punished with “everlasting destruction” (2 Thessalonians 1:9). Earthly pain endures only for a season; there is always some sort of “silver lining.” Hell has no silver lining. William Secker said “If once you fall into hell, after millions of ages are elapsed, you will be as far from coming out as you were at going in.”

Some object to Hell’s eternality with the following arguments:

• “Hell is not eternal, it is just a limited amount of time, it is used figuratively.” If Hell is not eternal, neither is Heaven. Jesus used the same word to describe the two places (Matthew 25:46).

• “A loving God could not cast His creation into a tormenting place for one sin.” He can and in fact He must. Sin is separation from God. He must execute justice and it is just to suffer eternally when defying an eternal God. Someone observed that we do not judge the time of the offense but the type of offense. Because sin is a specific type of offense, it is just to suffer for eternity (Romans 6:23; Hebrews 2:2).

Ultimately, Hell’s time is what sinners have always wanted—separation from God and upon entrance, they will receive it for eternity. Jack McNiel rightly wrote: “The best thing about heaven is also the worst thing about hell: it lasts forever!” Thankfully, an alternative is available.

Hell is a prepared place for an unprepared people. Charles Spurgeon said “As the Lord liveth, sinner, thou standest on a single plank over the mouth of hell, and that plank is rotten. Thou hangest over the pit by a solitary rope, and the strands of that rope are breaking.” If you are headed for Hell change course today. Jesus Himself has said you can go to Hell, but not before walking over His dead body (Romans 5:6-9). God’s horror scene is scary, but you do not have to experience it. Why not obey today so as to behold God’s wondrous scene on the other side?

 Endnotes

[1]https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2021/11/23/views-on-the-afterlife/

[2]The verbs ballo are in their passive form, which shows that someone did this to them.

[3]W.E. Vine.

[4]Mark Bass, Hell: The Place of Eternal Punishment for Sin, Memphis School of Preaching Lectureship, “Sin and Salvation,” Volume 2, Sain Publications, 2004, p. 1156

[5]Ronnie Hayes, What Ever Happened To Heaven and Hell, “Time and Eternity,” 21^st Annual Standing in the Gap Lectures, 2020, p. 41.

[6]Preacher’s Homiletical Commentary.

[7]https://www.beavertonchurchofchrist.net/sermons/sermons/2002/02/10/why-does-hell-exist

[8]Article entitled “Hell—a Guided Tour.”