Lesson 10
Abraham knew that his nephew was making a big mistake when Lot chose to move his family to Sodom. The cities of the lower Jordan valley were beautiful and lush, but they were also very corrupt. "The men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the Lord exceedingly." Genesis 13:13. Finally, God decided to destroy these sinful cities for their abominations, but first He sent two angels to Sodom to rescue Lot and his family.
Before entering Sodom, these angels took on the appearance of two wayfaring men. Lot saw the two handsome strangers when they first entered the gates, and knowing that the streets of that wicked city were far from safe at night, he urged them to find refuge in his home. But wicked men were watching, and that evening they gathered about Lot's door and insisted that he bring out his guests so they might abuse them. Lot tried in vain to reason with the perverse mob gathered at his door. Their demonic obsession only intensified, and soon the crowd began to threaten Lot as well! At this point, the angels could no longer conceal their true identity. They pulled Lot inside the house to safety and struck the maddened mob at the door with blindness.
Early the next morning, the angels told Lot and his family, "Escape for your life! Do not look behind you. ... Escape to the mountains, lest you be destroyed." Genesis 19:17, NKJV.* "Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven." Genesis 19:24. Only Lot and his two unmarried daughters were spared, for his wife looked back to Sodom with longing and was turned into a pillar of salt. God's Word tells us that in the last days, world conditions will resemble that of Sodom-and so will the punishment!
* The Holy Bible, New King James Version, (c) 1979, 1980, 1982, by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission.
1. What two cities are given as an example for the destruction of the wicked?
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NOTE: God destroyed those two cities with eternal fire--the same kind of fire that will destroy the wicked in hell.2. When will the wicked be destroyed in hellfire?
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NOTE: In the above texts, the Bible clearly states that the wicked will be cast into the fire in the day of judgment at the end of the world--not when they die. This obviously means that no one is in hell now. It is only fair that no one should be punished until his case has been decided in the judgment. People are rewarded or punished at the second coming, and not before (Revelation 22:12).3. If the wicked who have died are not in hell yet, where are they?
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NOTE: The Bible assures us that the wicked who have died are reserved in the grave until the resurrection at the end of the world. They will hear Jesus' voice calling them and will come forth from the grave, not from hellfire.4. What is the reward, or punishment, of sin?
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NOTE: The punishment for sin is not everlasting life in hellfire, but the exact opposite--death. We all die the first death (Hebrews 9:27), but the Bible says that the death the wicked will die in hell is the second death (Revelation 21:8). From the first death, all are raised for punishment or reward; but there is no resurrection from the second death. It is final. In addition, if the punishment for sin is everlasting torment in hellfire, then Jesus did not pay the penalty.5. What are the only two choices for all men?
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NOTE: The concepts of limbo and purgatory are not found in Scripture. The Bible teaches only two choices--eternal life or eternal death (Deuteronomy 30:15).6. What will happen to the wicked in hellfire?
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NOTE: The wicked in hell will go up in smoke. Only ashes will remain.7. Where will hellfire be located?
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NOTE: Hellfire will be here on earth, because it will be the earth on fire.8. Will the devil be in charge of hellfire?
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NOTE: No! Far from being in charge of hellfire, the devil will be cast into the fire. It will finally turn him to "ashes upon the earth," and God says of Satan, "Never shalt thou be any more." Ezekiel 28:18, 19.9. Will the fires of hell ever go out?
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NOTE: After sin, sinners, and everything on earth is destroyed, the fire will go out. It will not burn throughout the ages. An eternal hell of torment would make it impossible to ever get rid of sin. God's plan is to isolate sin and destroy it, not perpetuate it. Revelation 21:5 says, "Behold, I make all things new."10. Are both soul and body destroyed in hell?
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NOTE: Many believe that the soul never dies, but twice God says, "The soul that sinneth, it shall die." Ezekiel 18:4, 20. So according to Scripture, the wicked will be destroyed in hellfire--both soul and body.11. For whom will hellfire be kindled?
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NOTE: The purpose of the fire is to destroy Satan, his evil angels, and sin. If I refuse to turn loose of the plague of sin, I will have to be destroyed with it, because if sin is not destroyed, it would again contaminate the universe.12. How does the Bible refer to God's destruction of the wicked?
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NOTE: God can't stand the thought of destroying those He loves. "The Lord is not ... willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." 2 Peter 3:9. He is constantly saying to them, "Turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die?" Ezekiel 33:11. Destroying people is so foreign to God's ways that hellfire is called His "strange act." God leaves nothing out in His desire to save people. Before they are destroyed, every wicked person will admit that God has been fair (Romans 14:11).13. Doesn't the Bible phrase "unquenchable fire" indicate that the fire never goes out?
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NOTE: No! Unquenchable fire cannot be put out. However, when it has burned everything up, it goes out. For example, Jeremiah 17:27 warns that if God's people were not faithful, He would kindle a fire in Jerusalem that "shall not be quenched." And the Scriptures declare that this prophecy has already been fulfilled. "They burnt the house of God, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem, and burnt all the palaces thereof with fire. ... To fulfil the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah." 2 Chronicles 36:19, 21. That fire could not be put out until it had consumed everything; then it went out. It is not burning today, even though the Bible calls it "unquenchable."14. Doesn't the phrase "everlasting fire" mean "unending"?
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NOTE: We must let the Bible explain itself. We can see in this verse that Sodom and Gomorrha were destroyed with everlasting fire as an example of hell, but those cities are not still burning. They were turned into ashes (2 Peter 2:6), which is what eternal fire does. It is eternal in its consequences. (See supplement entitled "The Rich Man and Lazarus.")15. When Revelation 20:10 states that the wicked will be tormented "for ever and ever," doesn't that indicate endless time?
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NOTE: No. Jonah was in the belly of the great fish for three days and three nights (Jonah 1:17), yet he said "for ever." I'm sure that it felt like forever! The Greek word translated "for ever" in Revelation 20:10 is "aion," from which we get our word "eon." It often represents an unspecified period of time, limited or unlimited. The words "for ever" are used 56 times in the Bible referring to something already ended. In one instance, "for ever" describes the life of a faithful slave (Exodus 21:6), and in another place "for ever" means 10 generations (Deuteronomy 23:3). With man, "for ever" often means "as long as he liveth" (1 Samuel 1:22, 28).16. After sin and sinners are destroyed, what will Jesus do for His people?
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NOTE: On the ashes of this purified world, God will create new heavens and a new earth. He promises joy, peace, and indescribable happiness for all living creatures throughout eternity.17. Will the sin problem ever rise again?
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NOTE: No! The promise is specific. Sin will never rise again.
Isaiah 65:17 For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.18. What penetrating question does Job ask?
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NOTE: If your son became a hardened murderer, would you feel that he should be punished? You probably would. But would you want him to burn alive in a fire, in terrible agony, for even one day? Of course not. You could not stand that. Neither could the loving Lord stand to see His children so tortured. That would be worse than the very worst of all war atrocities. Is God like that? No indeed! An eternal hell of torment would be unbearable for God and diametrically against His character of love and justice.19. More than anything, Jesus wants you to dwell in His glorious new kingdom. He longs for you to occupy the mansion He has prepared for you. Will you decide now to accept His offer?
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