First of all, the Bible is clear that if anything exists, then God made it. To put it another way, if there is something that God didn’t make, then that thing doesn’t exist.
All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. (John 1:3, see also Eph. 3:9, Col. 1:17).
Hell is part of creation, and therefore God created it. According to the Bible, it is a place of suffering and torment (Matt. 13:40-42, John 5:29, Mark 9:43, Luke 16:23) that goes on forever and ever (Rev. 20:10). It is in vogue in some circles to minimize hell, or its duration as being eternal. How could a loving God create such a harsh place, or how could anything we do ever deserve an unending punishment? We cannot answer these questions in any way that satisfies our human senses. But we must ask, do we think we are greater than God, kinder, more reasonable, more compassionate than the One who created us? Are we wiser than He is? Of course not. So, hard as it is, we must face up to what God teaches about it in His word, for His ways and thoughts are higher than ours.
“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.” (Is 55:9)
The question that is answered in the Bible is why God created such a terrible place in the first place and why He would send someone there. The answer is spelled out clearly:
- God did not create hell to send men and women, boys and girls there. He made it a place to punish the devil (Satan) and the wicked angels that followed him (we call them demons). They knowingly and arrogantly rebelled against their creator. Jesus described it when talking about sinners going to hell—it was not created for them, but for the devil:
“Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels …” (Matt. 25:41)
- God doesn’t want any of His image-bearers to go there; that is not His intention, but it can be a reality for those who do not repent:
The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9)
- Because God doesn’t want anyone to go there, He took the drastic measure of sending His Son, Jesus Christ, to die in our place. The reality of people going to hell motivated God to provide an escape that required nothing less than sacrificing His beloved Son in the flesh on the cross. To God, hell is very real and required the ultimate sacrifice.
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)
- It is our choice. We can choose to reject Christ and His salvation, side with the devil and his angels and spend eternity with them in hell. Or we can believe in Christ, accept His salvation as a gift and spend eternity with God in heaven.
If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved… (Rom. 10:9)
Appreciate your thoughts. I have only been receiving for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Have you stopped on Monday and Friday or do you have a different distribution list for those days? I would like to continue receiving if available. Thanks