“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” –Jesus, Matthew 28:19-20

The reality of judgment and hell is foreign to our current culture; but it is mentioned often in the Bible as our future realty.  Most humans want to avoid hearing it, it’s too much for our minds to wrap our heads around.  Believers tend to soft pedal the words of impending judgement for our sins, whether obvious or hidden in our hearts, with softer, more accepting words of only God’s love, joy, and peace.  When we think of God, pray in Jesus Name, we want to keep our talk “light,” expecting only the good things of God.  Yes, God embodies all these traits but there’s so much more.  God so loved all people of all the earth that He sent His Son to explain and demonstrate His love in ways that lead to His best for our good and His glory.  Suffering to save us was/is also part of the Plan.

Jesus Christ, God’s Son, was not only given the task to redeem us by suffering torture and then dying on a cross; he also provided hope of eternal life for all who decide to believe Him.  Jesus was also assigned by God to be the final judge for unconfessed, relentless sins of ignoring God, rejecting Jesus, while going our own way, doing our own thing and hurting others around us with no remorse.  Those who live only to satisfy their known needs, while trying to flee from His Presence—which is impossible—will not fair well!   People curse using the word “hell” when our self-made circumstances with consequences get harder and harder to handle, but we don’t realize that hell is a real place.  One thing is for certain; the words that completely summarizes the horror of hell is “God isn’t there.” God cannot occupy the same space as sin. 

Max Lucado helps us think through this dilemma—

“Think for a moment about this question: What if God weren’t here on earth? You think people can be cruel now, imagine us without the presence of God. You think we are brutal to each other now, imagine the world without the Holy Spirit. You think there is loneliness and despair and guilt now, imagine life without the touch of Jesus. No forgiveness. No hope. No acts of kindness. No words of love. No more food given in his name. No more songs sung to his praise. No more deeds done in his honor. If God took away his angels, his grace, his promise of eternity, and his servants, what would the world be like?”

“In a word, hell. No one to comfort you and no music to soothe you. A world where poets don’t write of love and minstrels don’t sing of hope, for love and hope were passengers on the last ship. The final vessel has departed, and the anthem of hell has only two words: if only.

According to Jesus, hell knows only one sound, the “weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 22:13). From hell comes a woeful, unending moan as its inhabitants realize the opportunity they have missed. What they would give for one more chance. But that chance is gone (see Hebrews 9:27).

Can you see now why the angels rejoice when one sinner repents? Jesus knows what awaits the saved. He also knows what awaits the condemned. Can you see why we should rejoice as well? How can we? How can our hearts be changed so we rejoice like Jesus rejoices?

Ask God to help you have his eternal view of the world. His view of humanity is starkly simple. From his perspective every person is either:

• entering through the small gate or the wide gate (see Matthew 7:13–14)
• traveling the narrow road or the wide road (see Matthew 7:13–14)
• building on rock or sand (see Matthew 7:24–27)
• wise or foolish (see Matthew 25:2)
• prepared or unprepared (see Matthew 24:45–51)
• fruitful or fruitless (see Matthew 25:14–27)
• heaven-called or hell-bound (see Mark 16:15–16)

Are you prepared to die? If you are not a believer in Jesus Christ, you will be separated from God for all eternity. Don’t allow that to happen. Repent of your sins and turn to Jesus Christ for salvation today. If you are a believer, make yourself available to share the Good News of Jesus.”—Lucado, Encouraging Word Bible

Revelation 10, The Message

^1-4 I saw another powerful Angel coming down out of Heaven wrapped in a cloud. There was a rainbow over his head, his face was sun-radiant, his legs pillars of fire. He had a small book open in his hand. He placed his right foot on the sea and his left foot on land, then called out thunderously, a lion roar. When he called out, the Seven Thunders called back. When the Seven Thunders spoke, I started to write it all down, but a voice out of Heaven stopped me, saying, “Seal with silence the Seven Thunders; don’t write a word.”

^5-7 Then the Angel I saw astride sea and land lifted his right hand to Heaven and swore by the One Living Forever and Ever, who created Heaven and everything in it, earth and everything in it, sea and everything in it, that time was up—that when the seventh Angel blew his trumpet, which he was about to do, the Mystery of God, all the plans he had revealed to his servants, the prophets, would be completed.

^8-11 The voice out of Heaven spoke to me again: “Go, take the book held open in the hand of the Angel astride sea and earth.” I went up to the Angel and said, “Give me the little book.” He said, “Take it, then eat it. It will taste sweet like honey, but turn sour in your stomach.” I took the little book from the Angel’s hand and it was sweet honey in my mouth, but when I swallowed, my stomach curdled. Then I was told, “You must go back and prophesy again over many peoples and nations and languages and kings.”

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Two choices are presented to us daily:    

Heaven or Hell. 

With Jesus and the power of God’s Holy Spirit in us we can grow, move forward, forgiven completely and made new.  Or we follow the Deceiver and be tempted by distractions and lies while consistently tormented by the replays of our past sins and failures. 

Jesus sets us free.  The Deceiver binds in chains of guilt forever.

Eternal life or death forever. 

No more tears or forever wailing and groaning in pain.

Choose wisely.  Our lives, now and later, depend on our decision.

If you choose Jesus— “You must go back and prophesy again over many peoples and nations and languages and kings.”  It is NOT God’s desire that anyone perish in the abyss of hell. 

The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not willing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9

In times like these we need a Savior;
In times like these we need an anchor.
Be very sure, be very sure
Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!

This Rock is Jesus, yes, He’s the One.
This Rock is Jesus, the only One!
Be very sure, be very sure
Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!

Lord,

I believe.  I have decided to follow you.  No turning back.  I choose Life!  Thank you, thank you, thank you!

In Jesus Name, For Your Glory, Amen