A metaphor is a figure of speech that describes an object or action in a way that isn’t literally true. Hell is a real place, created by a real God prepared for the devil and his angels.
When Jesus accepts those who believe in Him, at His right side and all who have rejected Christ, He says to, “…those on the left hand, “Depart from Me, you cursed, into everlasting fire PREPARED FOR the Devil and his angels.” (Matt. 25:41)
We see because of the great number of unbelievers, “…hell has ENLARGED ITSELF, and opened its mouth without measure; and their glory, and their multitude, and their pride, and he who rejoices in her, shall go down into it.” (Isa. 5:14)
So, who all is going there? “The wicked shall be turned INTO HELL, all the nations that forget God.” (Psa. 9:17) Less than 10% of sermons preached in Evangelical churches even mentioned Hell, Sin, Salvation, or Heaven. Pew Research Center, 2019. In March 2018, Pope Francis allegedly denied the existence of Hell and the endless suffering of the damned in a private talk with his friend Eugenio Scolari, a left-wing journalist, who published his account of their conversation in the Italian newspaper La Repubblica. Jesus has to talk about hell because it is the fate that awaits all people who have REJECTED HIM. Because of Adam’s sin, we’re all guilty and deserve God’s eternal punishment. Contrary to popular belief, hell is not a place where God sends those who have been especially bad; it’s, without Christ in our lives, our default destination. We need Jesus to rescue us by His death on the cross, or we stand condemned.
Let’s look at this actual event, not a parable, about a rich man and a beggar named Lazarus, “…it happened that the beggar died and was carried by the angels into ABRAHAM’S BOSOM (a place of rest until Jesus was resurrected).The rich man also died and was buried. And IN HELL he lifted up his eyes, being in torments, and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things. But now HE IS COMFORTED AND YOU ARE TORMENTED (because he accepted Jesus and you chose not to). And besides all this, there is a great chasm fixed between you and us; so that they desiring to pass from here to you cannot, nor can they pass over to us from there.” (Luke 16:22-26)
RECEIVE JESUS CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR, ASK HIM TO FORGIVE YOU AND INVITE HIM INTO YOUR LIFE, HEAVEN AWAITS THIS KIND OF DECISION!!!
-Bill Stockham