Symbols of Hell

by Kevin Simpson

Overview

The book you are about to read has been a subject of debate for some time, a book written to shed light on the truth concerning the topic of hell, with an understanding taken from scripture and made clear throughout the Old and New Testament books of the Bible. It was written that we might have a clear understanding of God's love toward us, that we might know from what we were saved. It will give us a clear view of hell and what it will be like for those of us who I hope will not end up in its belly.

My hope in this series of books is that you will come to know the plan of God toward mankind and that you might see the cross of Jesus Christ for what it represents. Jesus came to save us from the judgment that is to come, which I hope to highlight in this series of books.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781477294451
Publisher:	AuthorHouse
Publication date:	12/12/2012
Pages:	166
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.38(d)

Read an Excerpt

Symbols of Hell

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By KEVIN SIMPSON

AuthorHouse

Copyright © 2012 Kevin Simpson
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4772-9445-1

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Chapter One

Hell

"There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, and desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.

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 sees Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 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. But Abraham said, son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receives thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us that would come from there.

Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house: For I have five brethren that he may testify unto them lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham said unto him, 'They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.' He said, 'Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead they will repent.' Abraham said unto him, if they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead." (Luke 16:19-31)

Around the world, we are not sure what to believe about heaven or hell; holding on to faith, we are divided over its reality, many of us taking a stand to believe in heaven rather than in hell. Although this is true, our opinion doesn't negate the fact that scripture is filled with all sorts of visions concerning hell, which we are ignoring both in the church and the world. In the church, we have heard preached the message and wonderful story concerning Christ's grace and mercy, and preachers are failing to show the other side of the coin, the other side of the sacrifice of the Lamb and of the cross; and for those of us in the world having no claim to religion, these truths revealed to us are but tales the ancients once held true. On the grounds of opinion, we claim they believed in God because they had no idea of how the universe works, but to the contrary, the ancients believed in God because of the overwhelming evidence they had received.

Having a close relationship to the past, our forefathers had a devoted understanding concerning the state of man; they knew there was a need for us to be redeemed from the power of death on account of Adam. In their minds, the events of the past were a fresh experience. "They were created inhibitors of the earth, but on account of one man death took rule over the earth a spirit of banishment from which we need to be saved" (Gen. 1:26-28).

Our forefathers did not see death as the end of life as we believe it to be; to our forefathers, death was seen as banishment, the beginning of a new life, cut off from the land of the living and presence of God. The languages they spoke seem to have been lost among us, and it is on account of this truth and loss that we are ignorant to the reality of death and hell. For this reason, we withdraw from the truth of the Bible. Its language is a strange one to understand, to the point where even the most educated are at war, trying to understand it all. But whether we choose to believe the Bible or not, spending time getting to learn the language is in our best interest.

According to the evidence left behind by our forefathers, man was created to be an eternal being, dwelling in the presence of the Creator, but on account of Adam, we were banished from the kingdom God had intended for us upon the earth. What came about as result of disobedience was a shadow, a curse that brings nothing but sorrow; however, God, in sending His son to die for the sins of the world, has, according to the Bible, entered into a covenant with us through His blood. This was a demonstration of His love that He might, through His death and resurrection, save us from our sins. Providing us with this great salvation, God commands us to abandon the lust of the flesh that we might follow after the Holy Spirit, that through the spirit of freedom, we might fulfill God's will for us on earth.

"Cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shall thou eat of it all the days of thy life." (Gen. 3:17)

Through this demonstration of love and the message of God passed down to us, we are instructed to follow after Christ, our shepherd. And should we walk after the lust of the flesh and after the world, denying Christ's gift of life after receiving His word passed down throughout the ages, we will die in our sins without hope of ever being restored. However, if we should we obey the Holy Spirit, the gift of God, through Jesus, will regenerate everlasting life in us.

Now for many of us, having the hope of everlasting life promised through Christ, the cross is a wonderful thing from the point of view of heaven, a point of view we hope to embrace at our passing; but even so, there is another view for us to discover as Christians concerning the cross, a view we have been avoiding on account of fear and a lack of knowledge. Heaven is a wonderful place prepared for humanity, and as a people needing comfort, knowing death is sure as birth, we are seeking security and a way to live forever. In our quest, we are quick to grab hold of the Bible's description of this wonderful paradise. But when it comes to the subject of hell, we are ignorant to its reality; nevertheless, on account of love, we have, through the view of the scripture, clues to what hell will be like for those of us who will end up in its jaws.

I believe that through the view of the cross, which we are eager and willing as Christians to accept, God has provided a safe way for us to explore hell. On account of this reality found in scripture, it is therefore important that we as Christians educate ourselves concerning its reality, that we might warn the nations of the impending danger awaiting those who would come to reject the love God demonstrated through His son. Understanding this subject will help us to understand the man Jesus and our heavenly Father. It is not a subject to scare man about God, for to know God is to be saved, and to be saved is to be close to God, beholding His face.

According to the Bible, hell is a reality. It's a claim many are ready to deny, a truth debated with different opinions; nevertheless, hell is a place described by Jesus, where the lost, those separated from Christ, will spend their eternity. It is often described by Jesus as a place of torment, a place of unforgivable terror. Although this is not a view held by many, the Bible is bold to report, "Jesus came to save His people from their sins." He came to save us from the judgment God will one day bring against the world on account of their rebellion against the throne of His son.

This is the objection of the world; they have refused the lordship of Christ over their lives. They wish for a world ruled by mortal men, a world cut off from the heavens, having nothing to do with God. In their pursuit, they work against the laws of the Holy One, and on account of these actions, they heap on their heads banishment.

However, according to the prophets, the wicked will be as the fat of lambs that were offered before the Lord on the altar and prepared for sacrifice, a shadowy picture of the future destruction awaiting the wicked. On the Day of Judgment, the smoke of the wicked, their torment, will ascend up to heaven, day and night, without ceasing. In hell, we are told, there is no rest, no water, pure darkness—nothing but the deafening cries of the tormented. It is a place prepared for the devil and his angels, a place Christ came to save us from, but on account of his rejection, man will share the flames.

As humans, we do not believe a loving God would submit us to such a place and such grievous punishment, and because of this view, we find ourselves saying, "God is evil to have created such a place as hell." But as humans, we have overlooked the reason for which hell was created, forgetting the Bible clearly teaches hell was not created for man. This was established throughout the Old Testament. Sacrifices were pointers and shadow pictures of Christ, our savior. God, through Christ, has provided a way of escape for His people until the appointed time when Christ will come to save us through His blood, becoming our substitute. This is a view we need to understand.

"And the LORD God said unto the serpent, because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shall thou go, and dust shall thou eat all the days of thy life." (Gen. 3:14)

The pictures painted for us of the sacrificed lambs in times past were shadow pictures of God's grace toward us, demonstrating it was through the life and death of one man that we have found peace. However, as long as we are living our lives without the covering of Christ—the one man who gave His life for us on the cross, through whom we have found peace—we are under the judgment of God that is to come upon the world, a judgment God has held in reserve for the devil and his angels. Yet through Christ, it is possible for us to escape the judgment that was prepared for the devil and those who rebelled against the throne of God. For it was for us God had provided a substitute, which was foreshadowed through the Old Testament sacrifices.

Christ came that He might save us from the wrath of God demonstrated through His death, declaring God is not at all angry at man. To the contrary, His anger and fury is directed at the devil, which is sure to be revealed on the day appointed. "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shall bruise his heel" (Gen. 3:15). God will one day bring down the head of the serpent to the flames in hell for an everlasting punishment, giving rest to His people as a result; it is up to us whether we will choose life or banishment.

As sons created in God's image, we are given the choice of escape through Christ Jesus; the cross is our covenant through which we have the view of God paying for the sins of mankind. The cross is the view of our escape from the punishment that was to be ours. Christ's death was the way in which we were to have been treated by God, but because of His love for us, He sent Christ as the atoning sacrifice for mankind.

The view of the cross on which Christ died—our symbol of salvation—is both a view of escape and salvation, and the punishment one will have to endure in hell for all eternity should one reject Christ dying in his sins. God's love is toward us that we should live in peace and rest entering the Shabbat, rejoicing always before Him. It is the pleasure of God for us to reign through His son forever; therefore, through His son, He has provided a way of escape.

The choices we make in our lives will determine where we spend our eternity; the choices we make will also determine how we live our lives before God. What we believe and how we view the cross will give us a healthy view of the covenant God has made with us; therefore, it is important we look closely at the message of the cross. Jesus is the only way and escape from the judgment that is to come upon the world and upon the wicked one. On the day of the Lord, His anger will burn like the coals of a fire in which many will be consumed on account of their rejection of Christ. God will bring judgment against the world; He had offered a sacrifice on their behalf, but suitable for their rejection of the only sacrifice that could have saved the world. The world will fall under the power of the Almighty God.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hates the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved." (John 3:16-20)

The purpose of Christ coming was to redeem His people, bringing judgment upon the head of the enemy. And at the end of the age, at the appointed time, He will fulfil His pleasure upon the heads of His enemies. Man's choice to enter the darkness and flames of hell is not to be blamed on the God of creation, for out of love, He has given us His son that through Him the world might find an escape.

The call to salvation is a free gift to every man on earth, yet some of us have hardened our hearts toward Christ. Many today are confessing another savior who has not given anything to save them; the world has denied Christ and the free gift He has imparted on us. It is because of this hardness of heart many will bear the judgment of the cross from which Christ came to save us.

The cross of Jesus is the provision of salvation for those who are ever yielding to him. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man comes unto the Father but by me." There is no other way to the Kingdom of God but through Jesus Christ, and having this truth, there is a need for us to take hold of Christ, our salvation.

Although the cross is a symbol of salvation to those who are yielding to Christ, to those who have denied His grace, it is a symbol of judgment, a view of the wrath of God against sin. We were born in sin appropriate to Adam's transgression, and as a result, we need to be saved from the judgment that was called out against sin. But that He might save us from the destruction to come, God sent Christ to be our substitute, and so it was; Christ came dying for us, bearing the curse and punishment of the cross.

"But he that doeth truth cometh to the light that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God." (John 3:21)

Should we reject this offer of salvation provided for us through Jesus Christ, we will bear the judgment that was poured out on Jesus on the cross; lost without the hope of the resurrection, forever in the flames we shall be. There is no escape in hell; death is the final stage for those who reject God's free gift of salvation, and as a result of their rejection, they will forever burn in the flames. In order to be saved from the wrath of God that is to be poured out against His enemies on the day appointed, we need to hold to the cross, accepting Christ, our shepherd, our life and breath.

If we have not yet made that choice for Christ, it is not too late for us to open our hearts to the living God by accepting His son, Jesus the king. It is not too late for us to turn around and accept the Lord Jesus, as each day is a gift, an opportunity for us to repent, turning from our sins that we might obtain the free gift of salvation. It can only be achieved through the covenant blood of Jesus Christ. Jesus was the one who came offering His life as a gift that He might redeem us from the wrath that is to come upon this world. He is the only way, the truth and the life; He is our God and salvation.

"Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices: my flesh also shall rest in hope. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore." (Psalms 16:9-11)

Don't be fooled: what we believe about hell will not change the reality of God's word; it is a place we are to avoid at all costs. There is nothing in this world worth more than your soul. God sent Christ to redeem us because He loves us; He sent Christ to save us from this terrible judgment to come. It is appointed, and the Lord will not turn from His fierce anger until His enemies are removed from the earth, even unto the root.

"Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it. For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine. And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogances of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible. I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir." (Isa. 13:9-12)

(Continues...)

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Excerpted from Symbols of Hell by KEVIN SIMPSON Copyright © 2012 by Kevin Simpson. Excerpted by permission of AuthorHouse. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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Table of Contents

Contents

Introduction....................vii
Hell....................1
The Fire....................18
The vision....................31
The pit....................41
Covenant....................52
The Judge....................62
eternal Fire....................72
Appointment....................83
Great Day....................93
God's Wrath....................102
I am Adam....................113
The Abyss....................129
Devil's end....................140