What Will Happen to the Wicked in Hell Fire?

Your Bible Questions Answered On:

What Will Happen To The Wicked In Hellfire – Is There An Eternal Hell?

http://www.preparingforeternity.com/hellfire.htm

• Will there come a day of destruction for the wicked?
“That the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction? they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath.” Job 21:30.

• How will they be destroyed?
“Thou shalt make them as a fiery oven in the time of thine anger: the LORD shall swallow them up in his wrath, and the fire shall devour them.” Psalms 21:9.

• What will happen to evildoers?
“For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.” Psalms 37:9.

• What will happen to the wicked?
“For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be.” Psalms 37:10.

• Will the wicked go on living throughout eternity?
“But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the LORD shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away.” Psalms 37:20.

• So the wicked will be destroyed and not burn forever?
“But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off.” Psalms 37:38.

• But doesn’t “cut off” only mean they will be separated from God?
“As smoke is driven away, so drive them away: as wax melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God.” Psalms 68:2.

• So then this must mean that the wicked will be no more or consumed?
“Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless thou the LORD, O my soul. Praise ye the LORD.” Psalms 104:35.

• So there will be a final destruction of the wicked, they will not burn in hell for eternity?
“The LORD preserveth all them that love him: but all the wicked will he destroy.” Psalms 145:20.

• What method will God use to destroy the wicked?
“Behold, they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn them; they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame: there shall not be a coal to warm at, nor fire to sit before it.” Isaiah 47:14.

• But I thought the soul never dies?
“Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.” Ezekiel 18:4.

• Will the wicked be burned up completely?
“Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffic; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee.” Ezekiel 28:18.

• So they will cease to exist?
“All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more.” Ezekiel 28:19.

• How does God feel about the final destruction of the wicked?
“Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?” Ezekiel 33:11.

• So after the destruction of the wicked, sin will never rise up again?
“What do ye imagine against the LORD? he will make an utter end: affliction shall not rise up the second time. For while they be folden together as thorns, and while they are drunken as drunkards, they shall be devoured as stubble fully dry.” Nahum 1:9-10.

• How complete will the final destruction of the wicked be?
“For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.” Malachi 4:1.

• Does the New Testament talk about the destruction of the wicked?
“Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:” Matthew 7:13

• Does the New Testament speak about the soul dieing?
“And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Matthew 10:28.

• When will all of this take place?
“As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.” Matthew 13:40.

• Matthew 25:41 speaks of “everlasting fire” for the wicked.
Does it go out?
“Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:” Matthew 25:41.
?
NOTE: Yes, according to the Bible, it does. We must let the Bible explain itself. Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed with everlasting, or eternal, fire and that fire turned them “into ashes” as a warning to “those that after should live ungodly.
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“Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.” Jude 1:7.

“And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;” 2 Peter 2:6.

These cities are not burning today. The fire went out after everything was burned up. Likewise, everlasting fire will go out after it has turned the wicked to ashes.

“And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD of hosts.” Malachi 4:3.

The effects of the fire are everlasting, but not the burning itself.

• Doesn’t Matthew 25:46 say the wicked will receive “everlasting punishment”?
“And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.” Matthew 25:46.

NOTE: Notice the word is punishment, not punishing. Punishing would be continuous, while punishment is one act. The punishment of the wicked is death, and this death is everlasting. Nowhere in Scripture will you find that the wicked will receive eternal life, only the righteous.

• What will happen to the saved?
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16.

• What are the wages of sin according to the book of Romans?
“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23.

• What will happen to the devil, will he be destroyed also?
“Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;” Hebrews 2:14.

• Why is it impossible for sinners to be in the presence of God?
“For our God is a consuming fire.” Hebrews 12:29.

• What example does the Bible use to show that God will destroy the wicked by fire?
“And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;” 2 Peter 2:6.

• Where will this fire occur which destroys the wicked?
“But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.” 2 Peter 3:7.

• Doesn’t God want us to repent?
“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9.

• What will happen to the whole earth?
“But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.” 2 Peter 3:10.

• If we miss out on the first resurrection, will we have a “second chance”?
“Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.” Revelation 20:6.

• Where will the fire come from?
“And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.” Revelation 20:9.

• What is the second death?
“And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.” Revelation 20:14.

• Are there any more verses that talk about the second death?
“But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” Revelation 21:8.

• What about the verse in Revelation 20:10 where it talks about the devil, the beast and false prophet being tormented for ever and ever.
Doesn’t that show that hell fire is forever or eternal?
“And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” Revelation 20:10.

NOTE: The term “for ever,” as used in the Bible, means simply a period of time, limited or unlimited. It is used 56 times in the Bible in connection with things that have already ended.* It is like the word “tall,” which means something different in describing men, trees, or mountains. In Jonah 2:6, “for ever” means “three days and nights.
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“I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O LORD my God.” Jonah 2:6. (See also Jonah 1:17.
)
In Deuteronomy 23:3, this means “10 generations.” In the case of man, this means “as long as he lives” or “until death.” (See 1 Samuel 1:22,28; Exodus 21:6; Psalm 48:14.) So the wicked will burn in the fire as long as they live, or until death. This fiery punishment for sin will vary according to the degree of sins for each individual, but after the punishment, the fire will go out. The teaching of eternal torment has done more to drive people to atheism and insanity than any other invention of the devil. It is slander upon the loving character of a tender, gracious heavenly Father and has done untold harm to the Christian cause.

*To check in a concordance, look up the word “ever”.

All text from the King James Bible,
all emphasis supplied.

What Your Pastor ISN’T Telling You About HELL!

In churches today, Pastors use scare tactics on Hell to scare people to the alters. Most that go to church for the reason to stay out of hell, never receive truth nor salvation sadly. I found the following notes on hell and have done this study myself. More people should do this study for themselves then instead coming to God for fear, come to Him in love. God doesn’t want a bride that only wants Him to stay out of an eternal BBQ pit. You will see how silly the whole thing is once you do the study…

Please take time to read the following notes….

Thoughts on what Hell means
(http://tothebarley. com/ThoughtsonwhatHellmeans. html)

“Oh death, where is thy sting? Oh Grave (hades) where is thy victory?”
1 Corinthians 15:55

Many believe that there is no eternal Hell as is taught by the whole of Christianity. These are some of the thoughts and reasons why serious students of the Word, have come to believe just that.
If Hell is real, and God is going to burn people there eternally, then why didn’t Paul ever mention it to us? Surely he would have tried to warn us don’t you think? But, shockingly, Paul never mentioned hell!

The Apostle Paul is the Apostle to the Gentiles by his own admission (Acts 13:46). He wrote us 13-14 books depending on whether we believe that he wrote the book of Hebrews. In all of his books he never once mentions the word hell.

The only Greek words that are translated into the word hell are hades, geenna, and tartaroo. Paul mentions the Greek word hades once, but never uses the words geenna or tartaroo.

In 1 Corinthians 15:55 where Paul wrote, “Oh death, where is thy sting? Oh Grave (hades) where is thy victory?” The Greek word hades is translated into the English word grave, where every other time in the New Testament the Greek word hades is translated into the English word hell.

Why didn’t the Translators use the word “hell” in this verse? Why should there have been an exception?

In 1 Cor. 15:20 Paul is telling the people that Jesus was risen from the dead and was to become the first fruits that promised the rest of the Harvest. He says that the last enemy to be destroyed will be death. (1Cor. 15:26) Then he asks the people the rhetorical questions, “Oh death, where is thy sting? Oh Grave (hades) where is thy victory?” He is saying that death won’t have a sting because it will be destroyed or done away with. (“Oh death, where is thy sting?”) Then he is saying, “Oh Grave where is thy victory?” Oh grave, oh hades, oh hell where is thy victory??? None will have a victory because they will be destroyed or done away with also.

The translators could not have put the word hell into that verse because hell would have had no victory. This would have destroyed their Eternal Punishment doctrine. Hell would be destroyed, and if hell would be destroyed then how could it be an eternal kingdom where people will be tortured and burned forever and ever without end? Paul never taught Eternal Punishment. In fact he taught us that (hades) would not have a victory but that God would be completely victorious. Eph.
1:10

Why does our Apostle never mention the word hell in all of his 13-14 books? If hell were true as is being taught by the whole of Christianity shouldn’t our Apostle have taught it to us? Wouldn’t he have warned us about this place so that we would not be sent there? Paul instead prophesied that there would be a “falling away first.
” There is something strange here isn’t there? Could it be that the whole of Christianity has “fallen away” into believing untrue things about Our Father?
Old Testament

The word translated “hell,” in the Old Testament, is from the Hebrew word sheol. It is translated “Grave” 31 times, “Hell” 31 times, and “Pit” 3 times. Why should there be an exception? If a person reads these verses he will begin to see that there is nothing associated with endless punishment.

Examples where the Translators used the word Grave instead of the word Hell

By putting the word Hell in place of Grave you will begin to see that Sheol cannot mean Eternal Punishment.

Job 14:13, ” O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave (sheol), that thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me!”

If the Translators would have put the English word Hell here it would have created a hugh problem. Would Job want to be hid in hell until God’s wrath was past? He is speaking of the grave. Sheol cannot mean a place of endless punishment in this verse.

Job 17:13, “If I wait, the grave (sheol) is mine house: I have made my bed in the darkness.

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What would happen here if they Translated (sheol) with the English word hell?
Job did not wait in hell for God to resurrect him! He waited in the grave.

Sheol cannot mean a place of endless punishment here.

Psalm 30:3, “O Lord, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave (sheol): thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.
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If Sheol were translated “Hell” here then David would be saying that The Lord brought his soul up from Hell! Are we to believe that David’s soul was brought up from hell? It will be brought up from the grave at the resurrection. Sheol cannot mean a place of endless punishment here.

Psalm 49:14-15, “Like sheep they are laid in the grave (sheol); death shall feed on them; and the upright morning; and their beauty shall consume in the grave (sheol) from their dwelling. 15: But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave (sheol): for he shall receive me. Se’lah.
“

Install the word “Hell” for the word Sheol and you will see that sheol cannot mean Eternal Punishment. Sheep do not go to hell for eternal punishment! And most do not believe that God will redeem our souls from the power of hell. Sheol cannot mean a place of endless punishment here.

Why would the Hebrew word sheol be translated 31 times with the word grave?
Because the translators saw this problem and thought to translate the word Grave instead of Hell.

Examples where the Translators used the word Hell for Sheol instead of the word Grave

Psalm 16:10, “For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell (sheol); neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
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Acts 2:25-27, shows that this is a prophetic utterance that David spoke about the resurrection of our Lord Jesus. “For thou wilt not leave my (Jesus’) soul in hell.
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Assuming hell were a place of eternal torment, Jesus’ soul would not have been able to get out of hell because Luke 16 states that there is a great gulf. This word should have been translated grave because it shows that Jesus was brought out of the grave or Sepulcher and His body did not suffer the corruption of the flesh.

Jonah 2:1-3, “Then Jonah prayed unto the Lord his God out of the fish’s belly, (2) And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the Lord, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell (sheol) cried I, and thou heardest my voice. (3) For thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas; and the floods compassed me about: all thy billows and thy waves passed over me.
“

The translators used the word hell here when they should have used the word grave (unseen) because Jonah was not praying from hell. He was in the unseen place or the belly of the fish. He was in his “grave.
” He was not in an Eternal Hell!

Psalm 86:13, “For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell (sheol).

“

David wasn’t in hell, as it is being taught, but will be delivered from the grave. Again if this word Sheol were translated grave it would have made complete sense.

Ezekiel 31:15-17, “Thus sayeth the Lord God; In the day when he went down to the grave (sheol) I caused a morning: I covered the deep for him, and I restrained the floods thereof, and the great waters were stayed: and I caused Lebanon to mourn for him, and all the trees of the field fainted for him.

16 I made the nations to shake at the sound of his fall, when I cast him down to hell (sheol) with them that descend into the pit: and all the trees of eden…”
17 They also went down into hell (sheol) with him unto them that be slain with the sword…”

This is talking about Pharaoh going into the grave (sheol) along with all his hordes. Yet the translators used the word hell twice when grave would have been clearer. Sheol is what they called the grave or the unseen place. Nothing in this can mean endless torment as is being taught by the Churches in this day.

Let us look at some New Testament Verses that have the word Hell

There are Three Greek words translated into “hell” in the New Testament.

Hades which means “unseen,” Geenna which means “Valley of Hinnom, Gehinna,” and Tartaroo or Tartarus.

The Greek word hades is translated by the English word “hell” 10 times and by the English word “grave” once.

In 1 Corinthians 15:55 the word hades is translated “Grave.” Yet every other New Testament verse where hades is used it is translated “hell.” If the translators had used the word Hell here in this verse, then Hell would not have had a victory.
This would have blown the false doctrine of eternal burning out the door!

In Acts 2:27-31 the word hades is used twice. These verses are spoke by Peter to the crowd at the day of Pentecost. They come from Psalms 16:10.

The New International Version (NIV) has translated these verses using the word “grave” instead of the word “hell.” We all know that Jesus’ body was in the Grave or Sepulcher for three days before it was resurrected on Sunday morning. These verses come from the Old Testament where the word sheol is used. In the KJV it is translated “hell”, but in the NIV they have used the word “grave.

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Even though the KJV used the word “hell” there in Psalms 16:10, we know that it should have been translated “grave.
” No one would think that Jesus was in an eternal-burning kingdom called hell for Three Days!

Revelation 1:18 has Jesus saying that he has the keys of death and of hell (hades). Here again this would have been better to translate the word “grave” instead of “hell.” Jesus is telling us that we are Jointheirs with him and that he has conquered death and the grave. Just as the Translators used “grave” in 1 Cor. 15:55 for Hades, they could have used “grave” here also.

In Rev. 20:13-14 the word hades is translated by the English word “hell.
” In verse 13 it says,

“And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell (hades) delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
“

Notice that this says that those in hell (hades) were dead. Hades could not be a place of eternal torment because those people were DEAD not alive! The word hades would have made better sense to have been translated “grave” like in 1 Cor. 15:55.

In Rev. 20:14 it says, “And death and hell (hades) were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
“

Notice that Hell (hades) is cast into the lake of fire. Obviously hell is not a place of “eternal torment” because it is cast into a thing called the lake of fire, which is referred to as the second death. In 1 Cor. 15:55 Paul says that death won’t have a victory and hell (hades) won’t have a victory either. Then in verse 15:26 Paul says that the last enemy that will be destroyed is death. There will be no death. No first death or second death. Jesus will draw all unto him. He will have defeated death and the Grave.

In 1 Cor. 15:26 Paul says, “the last enemy to be destroyed is death.” The word destroyed is katargeo in Greek. It means “to make of none effect.” This is exactly what Jesus will do to death when he has the victory over it, he will make it of none effect upon the World.
There will be no more death!

Remember Jesus will destroy, “Him who had the Power of Death”, that is the Devil Heb. 2:14. The word “destroy” here is the same Greek word, katargeo,” which means, “To make of none effect.” So Jesus will “make of none effect” death and the Devil.

My prayer is that you will be brought to a decision point on this subject. There is much more that can be said on this subject. I have just put a few things down that should make any person think, and hopefully study about the word Hell.

God Bless you as you study the truth about Hell.