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IsTheDevilInChargeOfHell?
Lesson #11 Well?DoesGodreallykeepthedevilonHispayrollishethechief superintendent of hell measuring out the punishment of the lost? Nearly the entire world holds a very unbiblical view about hell, and you owe it to yourself to know what the Bible really says about it. Don't be fooled, because what you think about hell certainly affects whatyouthinkaboutGod'scharacter!Takeafewmomentstogetthe amazingfactsyouneedtoknowtoday!

1.Howmanylostsoulsarebeing punishedinhelltoday? "TheLordknowethhowtodeliverthegodlyoutoftemptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished."2Peter2:9.

Thewickedwillnotbepunisheduntil afterthejudgment.

Answer: There is not one single soul in hellfire today. The Bible says that God reserves, or holds back, the wicked until the day of judgment to be punished.

2.Whenwillsinnersbecastintohellfire? "Soshallitbeintheendofthisworld.TheSonofmanshallsend forthhisangels,andtheyshallgatheroutofhiskingdomallthings thatoffend,andthemwhichdoiniquityAndshallcastthemintoa furnaceoffire."Matthew13:4042."ThewordthatIhavespoken, thesameshalljudgehiminthelastday."John12:48.

Sinnerswillbecastintohellfireat theendoftheworldnotwhen theydie.

Answer: Sinners will be cast into hellfire at the great judgment dayattheendoftheworldnotwhentheydie.Godwouldnotpunishapersoninfireuntilhis casewastriedanddecidedincourtattheendoftheworld.NorwouldGodburnamurderer whodied5,000yearsago5,000yearslongerthanonewhodiesanddeservespunishmentfor thesamesintoday.

3.Wherearesinners(whohavedied)now? "The hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shallhearhisvoice,Andshallcomeforththeythathavedone good, unto the resurrection of life and they that have done evil,untotheresurrectionofdamnation."John5:28, 29. "The www.amazingfacts.org/media-library/study-guide/e/4988/t/Print Page

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evil,untotheresurrectionofdamnation."John5:28, 29. "The wickedisreservedtothedayofdestruction.""Yetshallhebe broughttothegrave,andshallremaininthetomb."Job21:30, 32. Answer: The Bible is specific. Both the wicked and the righteouswhohavediedareintheirgraves"sleeping"untilthe resurrectionday.
Allwhohavedied,bothgoodandevil, areintheirgravesawaitingthe resurrection.

4.Whatistheendresultofsin? "The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23. "Sin, when it is finished,bringethforthdeath."James1:15."God...gavehisonly begottenSon,thatwhosoeverbelievethinhimshouldnotperish, buthaveeverlastinglife."John3:16. Answer: The wages (or punishment) for sin is death, not everlastinglifeinhellfire.Thewicked"perish,"orreceive"death." Therighteousreceive"everlastinglife."

Jesusdiedtosaveusfromour sins.ThosewhodonotacceptHis giftofsalvationwillreceivedeath.

5.Whatwillhappentothewickedinhellfire? "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, andallliars,shallhavetheirpartinthelakewhichburnethwith fireandbrimstone:whichistheseconddeath."Revelation21:8.

Thewickedarenotimmortal.The

Answer: The wicked die the second death in hellfire. If the Biblesaystheywill"perish","burn up"and"bedestroyed". wicked lived forever being tortured in hell, they would be immortal. But this is impossible, because the Bible says God "onlyhathimmortality."1Timothy6:16.WhenAdamandEveweredrivenfromtheGardenof Eden,anangelwaspostedtoguardthetreeoflifesothatsinnerswouldnoteatofthetreeand "liveforever."Genesis3:2224. The teaching that sinners are immortal in hell originated with Satanandiscompletelyuntrue.Godpreventedthiswhensinenteredthisearthbyguardingthe treeoflife.

BibleClearWickedObliterated TheBiblesaysthewickedsuffer"death"(Romans6:23), will suffer "destruction" (Job 21:30), "shallperish"(Psalms37:20),will"burn"up(Malachi4:1),"shallbedestroyedtogether"(Psalms 37:38), will "consume away" (Psalms37:20), "shall be cut off" (Psalms 37:9), "shall be slain" (Psalms62:3).Godwill"destroy"them(Psalms145:20),and"fireshalldevourthem"(Psalms 21:9). Note that all of these references make it clear that the wicked die and are destroyed. Theydonotliveforeverinmisery.
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Theydonotliveforeverinmisery.

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6.Whenandhowwillhellfirebekindled? "Soshallitbeintheendofthisworld.TheSonofman...shall castthemintoafurnaceoffire."Matthew13:4042. "They went uponthebreadthoftheearth,andcompassedthecampofthe saintsabout,andthebelovedcity:andfirecamedownfromGod out of heaven, and devoured them." Revelation 20:9. "The righteous shall be recompensed in the earth: much more the wickedandthesinner."Proverbs11:31.

Attheendoftheworld,firewillfall fromheavenuponthewickedand devourthem.

Answer:Attheendoftheworld,GodHimselfwillkindlehellfire.Astheholycitycomesdown fromGodoutofheaven(Revelation21:2),thewickedattempttocaptureit.Atthattime,Godwill raindownfirefromheavenupontheearth,anditwilldevourthewicked.ThisfireisBiblehellfire.

7.Howbigandhowhotwillhellfirebe? "ThedayoftheLordwillcomeasathiefinthenightinthewhichthe heavensshallpassawaywithagreatnoise,andtheelementsshall meltwithferventheat,theearthalsoandtheworksthataretherein shallbeburnedup."2Peter3:10. Answer:Hellfirewillbejustasbigasthisearthbecauseitwillbe theearthonfire.Thisfirewillbesohotastomelttheearthandburn up all "the works that are therein." The atmospheric heavens will explodeand"passawaywithagreatnoise."
Hellwillbetheentireworldon fire.Itwillbe25,000milesin circumferenceitsheatso greatthateverythingonearth willbe"burnedup".

8.Howlongwillthewickedsufferinthefire? "And,behold,Icomequicklyandmyrewardiswithme,togive every man according as his work shall be." Revelation 22:12. "And then he shall reward every man according to his works." Matthew16:27."Thatservant,whichknewhislord'swill,and... neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.Buthethatknewnot,anddidcommitthingsworthyof stripes,shallbebeatenwithfewstripes."Luke12:47,48. Answer: The Bible does not tell how long the wicked will be punished before receiving death in the fire. God does specificallystate,however,thatallwillbepunishedaccordingto their deeds. This means some will receive greater punishment thanothers,basedupontheirworks.
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Jesuswillinsistuponjusttreatment forthewicked.Theirdegreeof punishmentwillbefairand

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accordingtotheirworks,asHe promised.

9.Willthefireeventuallygo out? "Behold, they shall be as stubble the fire shall burn them theyshallnotdeliverthemselvesfromthepoweroftheflame: thereshallnotbeacoaltowarmat,norfiretositbeforeit." Godwillrecreateanewworldwhere notraceoftheformerevilsofthis Isaiah 47:14. "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth." worldwillbeseen. "AndGodshallwipeawayalltearsfromtheireyesandthere shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shalltherebeanymorepain:fortheformerthingsarepassedaway."Revelation21:1,4. Answer:Yes,indeed,theBiblespecificallyteachesthathellfirewillgooutandthattherewill notbeleft"acoaltowarmat,norfiretositbeforeit."TheBiblealsoteachesthatinGod'snew kingdom all "former things" will be passed away. Hell, being one of the former things, is included,sowehaveGod'spromisethatitwillbeabolished. IsGodaTorturer? If God tortured His enemies in a fiery horror chamber throughout eternity, He would be more viciousandheartlessthanmenhaveeverbeenintheworstofwaratrocities.Aneternalhellof tormentwouldbehellforGodalso,wholoveseventhevilestsinner.

10.Whatwillbeleftwhenthefiregoesout? "For,behold,thedaycometh,thatshallburnasanovenandallthe proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day thatcomethshallburnthemup,saiththeLordofhosts,thatitshall leave them neither root nor branch." "And ye shall tread down the wicked for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the daythatIshalldothis,saiththeLordofhosts."Malachi4:1,3. Answer: Notice the verse does not say the wicked will burn like asbestos,asmanytodaybelieve,butratherlikestubble,whichwill willbecompletelygone. be burned up. The little word "up" denotes completion. Nothing but ashes will be left when the fire goes out. In Psalms 37:10, 20, the Biblesaysthewickedwillgoupinsmokeandbecompletelydestroyed.
Thefireswillburnuntilonly ashesareleft.Eventhebones

11. Will the wicked enter hell in bodily form and be destroyed bothsoulandbody? "Itisprofitablefortheethatoneofthymembersshouldperish,and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell." Matthew 5:30. "Ratherfearhimwhichisabletodestroybothsoulandbodyinhell." Matthew10:28."Thesoulthatsinneth,itshalldie."Ezekiel18:20. www.amazingfacts.org/media-library/study-guide/e/4988/t/Print Page

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Matthew10:28."Thesoulthatsinneth,itshalldie."Ezekiel18:20. Answer: Yes. Real, live people enter hell in bodily form and are destroyedbothsoulandbody.ThefirefromGodoutofheavenwill falluponrealpeopleandblotthemoutofexistence.
Thefirefromheavenwillfall uponthewickedanddestroy them,bothbodyandsoul.

12.Willthedevilbeinchargeofhellfire? "And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire." Revelation 20:10. "I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee. ... And never shall thou be any more."Ezekiel28:18,19.
Thedevilwillbecompletely destroyedbyfire.

Answer:Absolutelynot!Thedevilwillbecastintothefire,andit willturnhimintoashes.

13. Does the word "hell" as used in the Bible always refer to a place of burning or punishment? Answer:No,theword"hell"isused54timesintheBible,andinonly12casesdoesitreferto "aplaceofburning." The word "hell" is translated from several different words with various meanings, as indicatedbelow:

INTHEOLDTESTAMENT 31timesfrom"Sheol,"whichmeansthe grave." INTHENEWTESTAMENT 10timesfrom"Hades,"whichmeans"the grave." 12timesfrom"Gehenna,"whichmeans "theplaceofburning." 1timefrom"Tartarus,"whichmeans"a placeofdarkness." 54TIMESTOTAL

Note: The Greek word "Gehenna" (mentioned above) is a transliteration of the Hebrew "Ge Hinnom," which means the "Valley of Hinnom." This valley, which lies immediately south and westofJerusalem,wasaplacewheredeadanimals,garbage,andotherrefuseweredumped. Fireburnedconstantly,asitdoesatmodernsanitationdumpsites.TheBibleuses"Gehenna" orthe"ValleyofHinnom"asasymbolofthefirethatwilldestroythelostattheendoftime.The fireofGehennawasnotunending.OtherwiseitwouldbestillburningsouthwestofJerusalem www.amazingfacts.org/media-library/study-guide/e/4988/t/Print Page

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fireofGehennawasnotunending.OtherwiseitwouldbestillburningsouthwestofJerusalem today.Neitherwillthefireofhellbeunending.

14.WhatisGod'srealpurposeinhellfire? "Departfromme,yecursed,intoeverlastingfire,preparedforthe devil and his angels." Matthew 25:41. "And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." Revelation20:15."Foryetalittlewhile,andthewickedshallnot be.""TheenemiesoftheLord...shallconsumeintosmokeshall theyconsumeaway."Psalms37:10,20.

Destroyingsin,sinners,and Satanistheonlywaytomakethe universesafeforeternity.

Answer:God'spurposeisthathellwilldestroythedevilandall sinandsinnersandmaketheworldsafeforeternity.Onesinner, ifleftonthisplanet,wouldbeadeadlyvirusforeverthreateningtheuniverse.ItisGod'splanto isolatesinandblotitoutofexistenceforalltime. EternalHellWouldPerpetuateSin Aneternalhelloftormentwouldperpetuatesinandmakeitseradicationimpossible.Aneternal helloftormentisnotpartofGod'sgreatplanatall.Suchahorribletheoryisslanderagainstthe holy name of a loving God. The devil delights to see our loving Creator pictured as such a monstroustyrant,andhealonecanbenefitfromsuchteachings. EternalHellaManmadeTheory The"eternalhelloftorment"theoryoriginatednotfromtheBible,butfrommisguidedpeoplewho were(perhapsinadvertently)ledofthedevil.And,incidentally,noonewillbeinheavenbecause hefearedhell.PeoplearesavedbecausetheyloveandobeyChrist.

15. Isn't the work of destroying sinners foreign to God's nature? "AsIlive,saiththeLordGod,Ihavenopleasureinthedeathof thewickedbutthatthewickedturnfromhiswayandlive:turnye, turn ye from your evil ways for why will ye die?" Ezekiel 33:11. "For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to savethem."Luke9:56."FortheLordshallriseup...thathemay do his work, his strange work and bring to pass his act, his strangeact."Isaiah28:21. Answer:Yes,theworkofGodhasalwaysbeentosaverather Jesuswillbedeeplysaddened whenHemustdestroythose than destroy. The work of destroying the wicked in hellfire is so whomHediedtosave. foreign to God's nature that the Bible calls it His "strange act." God's great heart will ache at the destruction of the wicked. Oh, howdiligentlyHeworkstosaveeverysoul!ButifonespurnsHisloveandclingstosin,God www.amazingfacts.org/media-library/study-guide/e/4988/t/Print Page

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howdiligentlyHeworkstosaveeverysoul!ButifonespurnsHisloveandclingstosin,God will have no choice but to destroy the sinner with his sin when He rids the universe of that horrible,malignantgrowthcalled"sin"inthefiresofthelastday.

16. What are God's posthell plans for the earth and His people? "Hewillmakeanutterend:afflictionshallnotriseupthesecond time."Nahum1:9."For,behold,Icreatenewheavensandanew earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind."Isaiah65:17."Behold,thetabernacleofGodiswithmen, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and Godhimselfshallbewiththem,andbetheirGod.AndGodshall wipeawayalltearsfromtheireyesandthereshallbenomore death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any morepain."Revelation21:3,4.

Aftersinnersaredestroyed,God willcreateafantasticnewearthfor Hispeople,wheretheywilllivein peace,joy,andloveforever.Sinwill neverriseagain.

Answer:Afterhellfiregoesout,GodwillcreateanewearthandrestoreittoHispeoplewithall the beauties and glories of Eden before sin entered. The horrors of sin and the past will be forgotten.Pain,death,tragedy,woe,tears,sickness,disappointment,sorrow,andallsinwillbe banishedforever. SinWillNotRiseAgain Godpromisesthatsinwillneverriseagain.Hispeoplewillbefilledwithperfectpeace,love,joy, andcontentment.Theirlivesofcompletehappinesswillbefarmoregloriousandthrillingthan merewordscouldeverdescribe.Therealtragedyofhellisinmissingheaven.Apersonwho failstoenterthismagnificentkingdomhasmadethesaddestchoiceofalifetime.

17. I am thankful to learn that God does not punish the wicked throughout eternity in hellfire. Answer:

ThoughtQuestions
1.Doesn'ttheBiblespeakof"eternaltorment"? No,thephrase"eternaltorment"doesnotappearintheBible. 2. Then why does the Bible say that the wicked will be destroyed with unquenchable fire? Unquenchable fire is fire that cannot be put out, but which goes out when it has turned everythingtoashes.Jeremiah17:27saysJerusalemwastobedestroyedwithunquenchable fire,andin2Chronicles36:1921theBiblesaysthisfireburnedthecity"tofulfillthewordofthe

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fire,andin2Chronicles36:1921theBiblesaysthisfireburnedthecity"tofulfillthewordofthe Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah" and left it desolate. Yet we know this fire went out, because Jerusalemisnotburningtoday. 3.Doesn'tMatthew25:46saythewickedwillreceive"everlastingpunishment"? Noticethewordispunishment,notpunishing.Punishingwouldbecontinuous,whilepunishment isoneact.Thepunishmentofthewickedisdeath,andthisdeathiseverlasting. 4.CanyouexplainMatthew10:28:"Fearnotthemwhichkillthebody,butarenotableto killthesoul"? Theword"soul"hasthreemeaningsintheBible:(1)alivingbeingGenesis2:7,(2)themind Psalms 139:14, and (3) life1 Samuel 18:1, which here refers to eternal life that God guarantees all who reach His kingdom. No one can take this away. The last part of Matthew 10:28saysbothsoulandbodywillbedestroyedinhell. 5.Matthew25:41speaksof"everlastingfire"forthewicked.Doesitgoout? Yes,accordingtotheBible,itdoes.WemustlettheBibleexplainitself.SodomandGomorrah weredestroyedwitheverlasting,oreternal,fire(Jude7),andthatfireturnedthem"intoashes" asawarningto"thosethataftershouldliveungodly."2Peter2:6.Thesecitiesarenotburning today. The fire went out after everything was burned up. Likewise, everlasting fire will go out afterithasturnedthewickedtoashes(Malachi4:3).Theeffectsofthefireareeverlasting,but nottheburningitself. 6.Doesn'tthestoryoftherichmanandLazarusinLuke16:1931teachaneternalhellof torment? No,indeed!Itissimplyaparableusedtoemphasizeapoint.Manyfactsmakeitclearthatthis isaparable.Afewareasfollows: A.Abraham'sbosomisnotheaven(Hebrews11:810,16). B.Peopleinhellcan'ttalktothoseinheaven(Isaiah65:17). C.Thedeadareintheirgraves(Job17:13John5:28,29).Therichmanwasinbodilyformwith eyes,atongue,etc.,yetweknowthatthebodydoesnotgotohellatdeath.Itisveryobvious thatthebodyremainsinthegrave,astheBiblesays. D.MenarerewardedatChrist'ssecondcoming,notatdeath(Revelation22:11,12). E.Thelostarepunishedinhellattheendoftheworld,notwhentheydie(Matthew13:4042). Thepointofthestoryisfoundinverse31ofLuke16.Parablescannotbetakenliterally.Ifwe tookparablesliterally,thenwemustbelievethattreestalk!(SeethisparableinJudges9:815.)

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7.ButtheBiblespeaksofthewickedbeingtormented"forever,"doesn'tit? Theterm"forever,"asusedintheBible,meanssimplyaperiodoftime,limitedorunlimited.Itis used 56 times in the Bible in connection with things that have already ended. (To check in a concordance,lookuptheword"ever.")Itisliketheword"tall,"whichmeanssomethingdifferent indescribingmen,trees,ormountains.InJonah2:6,"forever"means"threedaysandnights." (SeealsoJonah1:17.)InDeuteronomy23:3,thismeans"10generations."Inthecaseofman, www.amazingfacts.org/media-library/study-guide/e/4988/t/Print Page

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(SeealsoJonah1:17.)InDeuteronomy23:3,thismeans"10generations."Inthecaseofman, thismeans"aslongashelives"or"untildeath."(See1Samuel1:22,28Exodus21:6Psalms 48:14.) So the wicked will burn in the fire as long as they live, or until death. This fiery punishment for sin will vary according to the degree of sins for each individual, but after the punishment,thefirewillgoout.Theteachingofeternaltormenthasdonemoretodrivepeopleto atheismandinsanitythananyotherinventionofthedevil.Itisslanderuponthelovingcharacter ofatender,graciousheavenlyFatherandhasdoneuntoldharmtotheChristiancause.

QuizQuestions
1.Sinnersarecastintohellfire(1) _____Whentheydie. _____Attheendoftheworld. _____Bythedevil. 2.Therewardthatsinnerswillreceiveinhellfireis(1) _____Death. _____Eternaltorment. _____Beingtorturedbythedevil,whoisincharge. 3.Hellfire(1) _____WillbethewholeworldsetonfirebyGod. _____Isburningnow. _____Burnsthroughouttheendlessagesofeternity. 4.Sinnerswhohavediedarein(1) _____Purgatory. _____Hellfire. _____Theirgraves. 5.Thepopulationofhelltoday(1) _____Isexactlyzero. _____Numbersinthemillions. _____Cannotbedetermined. 6.Hellfire(1) _____Destroysonlythebodyofthewicked. _____Torturesthesoulofthewickedthroughouteternity. _____Destroyssinnersbothsoulandbodyturningthemtoashes,thengoesout. 7.Aneternalhelloftorment(1) _____IsaveryimportantpartofGod'sgreatplan. _____Isthedevil'sdoctrineandisslanderupontheholy,lovingnameofGod,whoabhors seeingpeoplesuffer. _____GivesSatanajobthroughouteternity. 8."Hell"intheBible(1)
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Print Page 8."Hell"intheBible(1) _____Alwaysreferstoaplaceofburning. _____Hasseveralmeanings,oneofthembeingthegrave. _____ReferstoSatan'ssubterraneantorturechambers.

9.Thepurposeforhellisto(1) _____PaybackandtortureGod'senemies. _____Frightenpeopleintobeinggood. _____ Completely blot out sin and evil from the universe and make the righteous safe for eternity. 10.Destroyingpeopleinhell(1) _____WillbeadelighttothegreatGodofheaven. _____IscalledGod's'strangeact',becauseitissoforeigntoHislovingplanofsavingpeople. _____Willbethedevil'sjob,incooperationwithGod'splan. 11.Afterhellfiregoesout(1) _____GodwillbanishSatantofarouterspace. _____Godwillmakeaperfectnewearth,wheresinwillneverriseagain,andgiveittoHis people. _____Therighteouswillliveinfearofsin'srisingagain. 12.ThestoryoftherichmanandLazarus(1) _____Isaparableandshouldnotbetakenliterally. _____IsBibleprooffortheteachingofeternaltorment. _____Provesthatsoulsinhellcanconversewithsoulsinheaven. 13.Theterm"forever"asusedintheBibleinreferencetoaman'slife(1) _____Means'timewithoutend'. _____Ismysteriousandcannotbeunderstood. _____Usuallymeans'aman'slifetime',or'untilhedies'.

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