As Christians we will not experience His wrath (1 Thessalonians 1:10, 1 Thessalonians 5:9). So now, being saved and born again we learn from His Son–we see Him as a Father and through that relationship. For example, hell. As His children we do not see hell as a place “where God sends people”; rather, through study and relationship – knowing God, we see hell as a place where people go after a choice of their own that rejects God (love). Knowing that heaven is God’s perfect will, we see what God intended for His family (thy will be done., Matthew 6:5-15). Yes, hell was prepared for Satan and his demons (Matthew 25:41); notice scripture did not say, “prepared” for people? Through study and leading(s) of the Holy Spirit we learn that God does not want anyone to perish (2 Peter 3:9}, God wants us to have eternal life (John 3:16, John 17:3). There will be no evil in heaven therefor there had to be a place for evil to go. The truth is, a place totally separated from God will not be a good place since all good things come from Him (James 1:17, 2 Thessalonians 1:9–10). Thankfully, there is a place He prepared for mankind and that place is with Him and it is called heaven (John 14:1-4, Revelation 21:2–5).
John 14:1–4 (NKJV)1 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And where I go you know, and the way you know.”
God Note: In hell, Satan will be tormented, demons will be tormented, and people will be tormented. We know God does not torment, His Son was sent to give life, peace, and rest (1 John 4:17–18, 1 John 3:8, Jeremiah 6:16, Matthew 11:29,); however, there are many references where demons torment people and people who are possessed torment (Mark 5:5, Luke 13:11, Luke 9:39-42, Matthew 17:15, Matthew 15:22,). Some of the early church and church leaders have called demons “tormenting spirits.” You ever have one of those days where it seems like someone is after you at work? Rather than bless you, they want to curse you—torment you—for no apparent reason? Yup, they were not led by the Holy Spirit, that much is certain. Hell will be full of people who do not know love– God– and would rather curse or torment; a few examples of places, not nearly as bad as hell, but an example of this nonetheless would be a maximum-security prison or insane asylum. (Satan will be chained in a similar fashion in hell, evil had to go somewhere). Worse than that, Satan and demons who are tormented and do the tormenting will bring a supernatural element to pain and suffering (God will not be present to stop them or hold them back like He does in a fallen world). Satan and demons are the essence (father} of evil and they will reign in hell (John 8: 44, 1 Peter 5:8, Revelation 12:9, Revelation 21:8, Acts 13:10, Revelation 20:10, James 4:7, Revelation 22:15, 1 John 5:19,) Imagine, a place totally opposite of heaven and without any good? A place totally absent from God and His love (2 Thessalonians 1:9–10). Who does the tormenting in hell? Satan, demons, and fallen people; they will torment each other for eternity (reveals a deeper meaning for “judge them by their works”). On the bright side, if we take Jesus as our Lord, we do not have to worry about such an evil place because Jesus prepared a place just for us–heaven (John 14:3-10). Thank you, Jesus.
Side Note: As leaders, I am not saying we should not teach or preach about God’s judgment. God is just and righteous and will do what He must to protect His people (Revelation 6:11, Revelation 20:9–10); however, right now–as Christians, we see Him as a loving Father who wants to forgive the sins of the world rather than condemn people to hell (John 3:16).
Clip from the movie Halloween (2018): The reason we included this clip here is so we are able to get a sense of what it might be like in an evil environment (they did a pretty good job with this scene, but one can YouTube real footage of such places). We probably all had that sense of darkness or a very dark atmosphere around us at one time or another that we could not explain. The prison system, psychiatric hospital system, and systems like these are needed to house criminals and those who would want to hurt themselves or others. Heaven was prepared for God’s children and no evil will be there (Revelation 21:4). On the other hand, hell was prepared for Satan and His demons. It is our choice (Deuteronomy 30:19). What we believe does not change truth; we call it “saving” the world for a reason. There is no other way. Jesus is the way that leads to truth that gives life (John 14:6).
John 3:15–17 (NKJV)15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
2 Peter 3:9 (NKJV)9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
Matthew 25:46 (NKJV)46 And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
John 17:3 (NKJV) 3 And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.
2 Thessalonians 1:9–10 (NKJV)9 These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, 10 when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed.
Revelation 20:9–10 (NKJV)9 They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. 10 The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
Revelation 21:2–5 (NKJV)2 Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. 4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” 5 Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”
1 John 4:17–18 (NKJV)17 Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.