Last month I talked about heaven and some things that we wouldn't find there. I though it fitting that I point out the contrast of what won't be in the Lake of Fire, also known as Outer Darkness.
I guess I should explain that hell and the lake of fire are two separate places. Hell is a holding cell- literal place in the heart of the earth where those reject Christ's gift of salvation go to await for the final judgement. The Lake of Fire is the maximum security prison that those who went to hell will be sentenced to for eternity.
Revelation 20:11-15- And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
First, there'll be no comfort.
Luke 16:22-24- And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
That rich man begged for just a little comfort, but there was none. In hell, he could see his friends and family in torment. But, there was nothing he could do to get comfort from them or give comfort to them, and that's just hell.
Next, there'll be no laughter.
Luke 6:25- Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep.
I've heard people say that they were going to party in hell. There's no party there! Good times are gone. Joy has departed. Laughter will never again leave your mouth or fill your ears.
There'll be no light in the lake of fire.
Matthew 8:12- But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Exodus 10:21- And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt.
Job 10:21-22- Before I go whence I shall not return, even to the land of darkness and the shadow of death; A land of darkness, as darkness itself; and of the shadow of death, without any order, and where the light is as darkness.
Darkness is something that not many people enjoy, and no one enjoys for long periods of time. But, even in the darkest of places there can be a glimmer of light, but not in the lake of fire.
Some people say, "All my family will be there." That may be so, but you won't see them! It will be a solitary, painful loneliness that will last for eternity.
Which brings me to my last point. There'll be no end.
Revelation 14:11- And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
Revelation 20:10- 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.
Isaiah 34:4, 9-10- And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll: and all their host shall fall down, as the leaf falleth off from the vine, and as a falling fig from the fig tree. And the streams thereof shall be turned into pitch, and the dust thereof into brimstone, and the land thereof shall become burning pitch. It shall not be quenched night nor day; the smoke thereof shall go up for ever: from generation to generation it shall lie waste; none shall pass through it for ever and ever.
Forever is a long time to be wrong!
You ask why a loving God would send someone to a place this terrible? Because He paid the price to keep you from it and you rejected it thinking it was a myth or thinking that you could pay for it your own way. The real question you should ask is "Why would you risk going there when a way for you to evade it has already been established?".
God has given the most precious thing- His Son. His love was shown on Calvary's cross. Reject that love and all that is left if judgment and righteous indignation.
