FUTURE PUNISHMENT ETERNAL
Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched (Mark
9:44).
It is very interesting to notice who they are
in the Bible that speak about hell. Now, some think that speaking about hell is not
preaching the gospel; and others think that simple men have no right to speak of it.
Now, to them who think it is not gospel preaching, I say it is the truth — the
Word of God; and to them who say it is not right to speak about it, I would have them to
notice who it is that speaks most about it. Let us consider:
(1) The persons in the Bible that speak most about hell.
(2) Why these persons speak so plainly of hell.
(3) The names given to hell.
(4) The hell spoken of in the Bible is not annihilation.
1. Let us consider the persons in the Bible that speak about
hell.
And the first I would mention is David. He was a man after God's
own heart, yet he speaks of hell. He who wrote many of the
Psalms, the sweet Psalmist of Israel; he who was filled with love
to men, and love to God; yet hear what he says about hell: 'The
sorrows of hell compassed me about' (Psalm 18:5). Again, 'The
sorrows of death compassed me about, and the pains of hell gat
hold upon me' (Psalm 116:3). And hear of his deliverance: 'And
thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell' (Psalm 86:13).
And he tells us also of the fate of the ungodly that will not
accept Christ: 'The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the
nations that forget God' (Psalm 9:17).
'Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire, and brimstone, and
an horrible tempest; this shall be the portion of their cup'
(Psalm 11:6). 'Let death seize upon them, and let them go down
quick into hell'(Psalm 55:15). Now, whatever you think of the
propriety of speaking about hell, David did not think it wrong,
for he sang about it.
The next person I would mention is Paul. He was filled with the
love of Christ, and he had great love to sinners. Surely that
love wherewith God loved Jesus was in Paul. He loved his enemies:
notice when he stood before Agrippa, what his feelings were: 'I
would to God that not only thou, but also all that hear me this
day, were both almost and altogether such as I am, except these
bonds'(Acts 26:29). He wished them to have the same love, the
same joy, the same peace, the same hope of glory. Now, Paul never
mentions the word, hell. It seemed as if it were too awful a word
for him to mention; yet hear what he says:
What if God willing to show his wrath, and to make his power
known, endured with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath
fitted to destruction (Romans 9:22).
For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell
you, even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of
Christ, whose end is destruction (Philippians 3:18).
For when they shall say peace and safety, then sudden destruction
cometh upon them (I Thessalonians 5:3).
The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven, with his
mighty angels, in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them
that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord
Jesus Christ, who shall be punished with everlasting
destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the
glory of his power (2 Thessalonians 1:7-9).
Do not these show you, brethren, that they that have most love in
their hearts speak most of hell?
The next person I would speak of is John, the beloved disciple.
He had leaned on Jesus' bosom at the last supper, and drawn love
out of his bosom. His character was love. You will notice how
affectionately his epistles are written. He addresses them
'beloved', 'little children'. Yet he speaks of hell; he calls it,
seven times over, 'the bottomless pit' - the pit where sinners
shall sink through all eternity. He calls it the great wine press
of the wrath of God (Revelation 14:19). But John has got another
name for hell, 'the lake of fire'(Revelation 20:14). It had often
been called 'hell', but it was left for John, the beloved
disciple, to call it 'the lake of fire'.
The next person I shall mention is the Lord Jesus himself.
Although he came from God, and 'God is love', though he came to
pluck brands from the burning, yet he speaks of hell. Though his
mouth was most sweet, and his lips like lilies, dropping sweet-smelling
myrrh — though 'the Lord Goo had given him the tongue of the learned,
that he should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary'
(Isaiah 50:4); though he spake as never man spake, yet he spoke of hell.
Hear what he says,'Whosoever shall say, thou fool, shall be in danger of
hell fire'(Matthew 5:22). But I think the most awful words that ever came
from his lips were, 'Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape
the damnation of hell' (Matthew 23:3 3). Again, 'Depart from me,
ye cursed, into everlasting fire'(Matthew 25:41). And he speaks
of it in some of his parables too: 'The angels shall come forth
and sever the wicked from among the just, and shall cast them
into the furnace of fire; there shall be wailing and gnashing of
teeth' (Matthew 13:49, 50). And he repeats the words of our text
three times over. And could anything be plainer than the words in
Mark: 'He that believeth not shall be damned'(Mark 16:16).
2. Let us consider, dear brethren, why these persons speak so
plainly of hell.
(1) Because it is all true. Christ is the faithful and true
witness. Once he said, 'If it were not so, I would have told you'
(John 14:2). Once he said to Pilate: 'Every one that is of the
truth heareth my voice' (John 18:37). He himself is 'the truth'
(John 14:6). 'It is impossible for God to lie' (Hebrews 6:18).
When Jesus appeared on earth, he came with love, he came to tell
sinners of hell, and of a Saviour to save from hell; and how
could he keep it back? He saw into hell, and how could he not
speak of it? He was the faithful witness; so it was with David,
Paul, and John. Paul said, he had kept nothing back - he had not
shunned to declare all the counsel of God. Now, how could he have
said that, if he had not spoken of hell as he did? So must
ministers. Suppose I never were to mention hell again, would that
make it less tolerable? Oh, it is true! it is all true! and we
cannot but mention it.
(2) Because they were full of love to sinners. They are the best
friends that do not flatter us. You know, beloved, Christ's bosom
flowed with love. Out of love he had not where to lay his head;
out of love he came to die; out of love, with tears he said: '0
Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest
them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered
thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under
her wings, and ye would not! (Matthew 23:37). And with the same
breath he said, 'How can ye escape the damnation of hell?'
(Matthew 23:33). So it was with Paul: 'Knowing, therefore, the
terror of the Lord, we persuade men' (2 Corinthians 5:11). Paul
would weep over sinners; he says, 'For many walk of whom I have
told you often, and now tell you, even weeping, that they are the
enemies of the cross of Christ' (Philippians 3:18). His tears
fell on the parchment as he wrote. Oh! if we had more love to
you, we would tell you more about hell. They do not love you that
do not warn you, poor hell-deserving sinners. Oh remember that
love warns!
(3) A third reason why they spoke so plainly of hell, was that
they might be free from blood-guiltiness. Jesus did not want your
blood laid at his door, therefore he spoke of the 'furnace of
fire' (Matthew 13:42), and of 'the worm that dieth not' (Mark
9:44). Ah! he says, 'How often would I have gathered you, but you
would not! 'God would not have blood-guiltiness laid to his
charge. He says, '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?' (Ezekiel 33:11). So it was with David: 'Deliver
me from blood-guiltiness, 0 God!' (Psalm 51:14). It was fear of
blood-guiltiness that made David speak so plainly. So it was with
Paul; he says, 'I take you to record this day, that I am pure
from the blood of all men' (Acts 20:26). So it is with ministers;
we must acquit our conscience, and if you go to the judgment-seat
unpardoned, unsaved, your blood will be upon your own heads. As I
was walking in the fields yesterday, that thought came with
overwhelming power into my mind, that every one I preached to
would soon stand before the judgment-seat, and be sent either to
heaven or hell. Therefore, brethren, I must warn you, I must tell
you about hell.
3. Let us consider the names given to hell in the Word of God.
And the first is fire; it is taken from an earthly element suited
to our capacity, as Christ takes to himself a name to suit us, as
a shepherd, a door, a way, a rock, an apple tree, the rose of
Sharon, etc. So when God speaks of heaven, he calls it Paradise,
a city which hath foundations, golden streets, pearly gates. Now,
one of these names will not describe it, nor any of them; for eye
hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the
heart of man to conceive the things God hath prepared for them
that love him. So when God speaks of hell he calls it 'a furnace
of fire', 'a bottomless pit', 'perdition'. Now, one of these
names will not do, but take them altogether, and you may conceive
something of what hell is.
The first name given to hell is fire. On the southern side of
Mount Zion there is a valley covered over with vines - it is the
valley of Hinnom, where Manasseh made his children pass through
the fire of Moloch. Now, this is the name by which Christ calls
it, 'a valley of fire'. And, again, he calls it 'a furnace of
fire', the walls will be fire; it will be fire above and below,
and fire all round about. Again it is called a 'lake of fire'.
The idea is something like a furnace of fire; it will be enclosed
with burning mountains of brass. There will be no breath of wind
to pass over their faces; it will be flames of fire for ever and
ever. It is called 'devouring fire'. 'Who among us shall dwell
with the devouring fire' (Isaiah 33:14). Compare this with
Hebrews 12:29: 'For our God is a consuming fire.'It is the nature
of fire to consume, so it is with the fire of hell; but it will
never annihilate the damned. Oh it is a fire that will never be
quenched; even the burning volcanoes will cease to bum, and that
sun now sweetly shining upon us will cease to bum, and that very
fire that is to bum up the elements will be quenched; but this
fire is never quenched.
Another name given to hell in the Word of God is the prison. So
we learn that the multitudes that perished at the flood are shut
up in this prison. Ah! sinner, if you are shut up in it you will
never come out till you have paid the uttermost farthing, and
that you will never do - the bars are the justice and holiness of
God.
Another name given to hell is the pit. Ah! it is the bottomless
pit, where you will sink for ever and ever; it will be a
continual sinking deeper and deeper every day. Ah! sinner, is it
not time to begin and cry, 'Deliver me out of the mire, and let
me not sink'? 'Let not the deep swallow me up, and let not the
pit shut her mouth upon me'? (Psalm 69:14, 15).
Another name given to hell in the Word of God is a falling into
the hands of God. 'It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands
of the living God' (Hebrews 10:31). 'Can thine heart endure, or
can thine hands be strong, in the days that I shall deal with
thee?' (Ezekiel 22:14). God will be your irreconcilable enemy,
sinner. God, who takes no pleasure in the death of the sinner,
but rather that he should live - that God, I say, will be your
eternal enemy if you die Christless - if you will not believe -
if you will not be saved. Oh what will you do, poor sinner, when
his wrath is kindled?
Another name given to hell is the second death. 'And death and
hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second
death'(Revelation 20:14). This is the meaning of God's threatening to Adam: 'In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt
surely die'(Genesis 2:17). Perhaps you may have stood by the bed
of a dying sinner, and you may have seen how he gasps for breath,
his teeth clenched, his hands clasp the bedclothes, his breath
turns fainter and fainter till it dies away. Ah! this is the
first death: and is like the second death. Ah! the man would try
to resist, but he finds it is in vain; he finds eternal hell
begun, and God dealing with him, and he sinks into gloom and dark
despair. This is the death sinners are to die, and yet never die.
Another name given to hell is outer darkness. Christ calls it
outer darkness. 'But the children of the kingdom shall be cast
out into outer darkness' (Matthew 8:12). 'Bind him hand and foot,
and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness' (Matthew
22:13). You will see it also in 2 Peter IA: 'God spared not the
angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered
them into chains of darkness.' Again, Jude, 13th verse:
'Wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness
for ever.'O my dear friends! this is hell - 'the blackness of
darkness', 'outer darkness', 'chains of darkness'.
4. I come now to show you that the hell spoken of in the Bible is
not annihilation.
Some people think that though they are not saved, they will be
annihilated. Oh it is a lie; I will show you that:
(1) First of all, by the cries of the damned. 'And he cried and
said, Father Abraham, have mercy upon me - for I am tormented in
this flame' (Luke 16:24). And, again, look at the words in
Matthew 22:13: 'There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'
Oh! these plainly show us that it is no annihilation. In hell the
multitudes will be bundled up together in the great harvest day.
'Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to
bum them'(Matthew 13:30). There will be bundles of sweaters,
bundles of Sabbath-breakers , bundles of drunkards, bundles of
hypocrites, bundles of parents and children; they will be
witnesses of each other's damnation.
(2) Hell will be no annihilation, when we consider that there
will be different degrees of suffering. 'It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment than for you'
(Matthew 11:22). And it is said, the Pharisees would receive
'greater damnation' (Matthew 23:14). Every man is to be judged
according to his works.
(3) It will be no annihilation, if we consider the fate of Judas.
'Woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed; it had
been good for that man if he had not been born' (Matthew 26:24).
Judas is wishing he had never been born. I have no doubt he
wishes to die, but will never be able to die. So it will be with
all here who shall go to hell - all unworthy communicants. Ah! I
tell you, if you die Christless, you will wish you had never been
born, you will wish you had never seen the green earth or the
blue sky. Ah! you will wish you had never been. O dear brethren!
better never to have had a being, than to be in hell. Ah! there
are many in hell today who are cursing the day they were born.
(4) It will be no annihilation, for it is an eternal hell. Some
weak and foolish men think and please their fancy with the
thought that hell will bum out, and they will come to some place
where they may bathe their weary soul. Ah! you try to make an
agreement with hell; but if ever there come a time when the flame
that torments your soul and body shall bum out, then Jesus will
be a liar, for three times he repeats the words of our text, and
says, it shall never be quenched.
It is eternal, for it is spoken of in words never used but to
denote eternity. 'And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for
ever and ever' (Revelation 14:11). Ah! you see it is for ever and
ever. Again, '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). Compare this with Revelation 4:9, 10: 'And
when those beasts gave glory and honour, and thanks to him that
sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever...' So you see
the torments of the damned are spoken of with the eternity of
God. Ah! if ever there come a time when God ceases to live, then
they may cease to suffer.
Again, the eternity of hell and the eternity of heaven are spoken
of in the very same language. 'And there shall be no night there;
and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord
God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever'
(Revelation 22:5). The same words that are used for the eternity
of the saints, are used for the eternity of the damned. 'They
shall be tormented for ever and ever.'O sinner! if ever there
come a time when the saints shall fall from their thrones, or the
immortal crowns fall from their heads, then you may think to
leave hell; but that will never, never be - it is an eternal
hell, 'for ever and ever'; eternity will be never-ending wrath;
always wrath to come. Oh that you were wise, that ye understood
this, that ye would consider your latter end.
I shall now apply this: First of all, to you that are believers.
Dear brothers and sisters, all this hell that I have described is
what you and I deserved. We were over the lake of fire, but it
was from this that Jesus saved us; he was in the prison for you
and me - he drank every drop out of the cup of God's wrath for
you and me; he died the just for the unjust. 0 beloved, how
should we prize, love, and adore Jesus for what he hath done for
us. Oh we will never, never know, till safe across Jordan, how
our hell has been suffered for us - how our iniquity has been
pardoned! But, 0 beloved! think of hell. Have you no unconverted
friends, who are treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath?
Oh, have you no prayerless parent, no sister, nor brother? Oh,
have you no compassion for them - no mercy's voice to warn them?
Secondly, to you that are seeking Christ anxiously. I know some
of you are. Dear soul, what a mercy in God to awaken you to flee
from this fiery furnace! Oh, what a mercy to be awakened to flee,
to be in earnest! Ah! your unconverted friends will tell you
there is no need of being so anxious. Oh, is there no need to
flee from the wrath to come? Oh learn, dear soul, how precious
Christ is; he is a hiding place from the wind, and covert from
the tempest. All the things in the world are like speck of dust,
all is lost for Jesus. He is all in all. He is free to you,
beloved; take no rest till you can say, 'He is mine.'
Thirdly, to you that are unconverted. Ah! you are fools and you
think you are wise; but oh I beseech you, search the Scriptures.
Do not take my word about an eternal hell; it is the testimony of
God, when he spoke about it. Oh if it be true - if there be a
furnace of fire, if there be a second death, if it is not
annihilation, but an eternal hell - oh is it reasonable to go on
living in sin? You think you are wise, that you are no fanatic,
that you are no hypocrite; but you will soon gnash your teeth in
pain; it will come; and the bitterest thought will be, that you
heard about hell, and yet rejected Christ. 0 then, turn ye, turn
ye, why will ye die? Amen.
