Psalms 88's Portrait of Hell
Part Two
Continuing on from where we left off in Part One...
Some will not see death coming, whereas for others, It will be a long process. For most of us it will be somewhere between these two extremes. How, when, and where each one of us will depart this world was known to God before we took our first breath of natural life. Our individual time of departure could be scores, decades, years, months, weeks, days, minutes, or seconds away. Whatever it turns out to be, our physical death is as much a part of the plan that God has in mind for us as any other event. Many Christians frequently pray for Thy will to be done, but fail to realize that the timing and circumstances of anyone's departure IS, WAS, or WILL BE, a manifestation of God's (direct or permissive) will!
The unadulterated Gospel Message speaks about the reality of Heaven, Hades (Hell), and the lake of fire. It makes clear the way to find oneself in Heaven (John 3: 16), with the alternative of finding oneself in the the torments of Hades (Luke 16: 24) upon departing this world, and then permanently finding oneself in the lake of fire for all of eternity after the Rev. 20: 13, 15 event takes place.
In this presentation, we will focus on the reality of Hell and the Lake of Fire by using an often overlooked analogy found in Psalms 88.
The good news and the bad news of the unadulterated Gospel Message is too important to sugar-coat or to dispense with a protective coating in fear of upsetting someone. In this life there are some things that must be said (Eccl. 3: 7b/Romans 10: 17) and done (John 3: 5, 7).
On the surface, Psalms 88 is speaking about issues relating to physical illness and death, evidenced by the psalmist's desire to live on here on Earth. But in every passage of Scripture, there is always spiritual principles being conveyed behind the Earthly events or activities recorded in the passage. Spiritual issues always has eternity in view.
To teach these principles, Scripture records actual events in many cases, but also uses symbolism and language of accommodation so that the spiritual principles could be learned, conveyed, and understood throughout the course of human history regardless of how much secular education an individual has.
If the wording of Hebrews 10: 25, for example, spoke of "gathering together" simultaneously with people around the world by way of the Internet, it would have made no sense to believers of the Church Age for more than the first 1950 years of Church History. The only way Heb. 10: 25 could be obeyed WAS to physically gather together, although there were different gathering places, including private homes. The principle of gathering together has not changed, but modern technology has afforded us opportunities and means to do so that were never even thought of in the first century when Heb. 10: 25 was composed.
The kingdom of darkness is certainly using modern means of communication to promote it's (1Pet. 5:8) agenda. The Church that God commissioned (Matt. 28: 19, 20) would be wise to do the same as long as this window opportunity remains open.
When I began to develop my spiritual gift of writing, I was pounding away on an very old manuel Royal typewriter, with a readership that subscribed ato local newspaper. Years later, my readership expanded to websites, my own and others, with readers from all over the world.
In 2008, I was ordained to do the work of a pastor-teacher, studying and teaching the Word of God. Unlike most ordained pastor-teachers who have a traditional, in person, pulpit and congregation, God led me to establish my "pulpit" on the Internet at BATMQ.NET, with my "congregation" being those He brings to my website from all around the world.
I would have never imagined back in the 1980's, seated at home before my manuel typewriter, that I would be used of God to evangelize and edify souls on a global level.
In EVERY event in our life here on Earth, there is a divine purpose for God sending it, God allowing it, or God choosing not to intervene.
It is easy to see God's hand in events that go our way, but not so when our faith is put to the test by events that seem to be working against us. This is especially true when we cannot see any point or reason for what God does or allows to take place.
If not the result of our own negative decisions, the reason behind the adversity we face becomes clearer when we acknowledge that the devil (1Pet. 5: 8) and his Eph. 6: 12 forces of evil prowl around seeking to destroy us, and to counteract the plan that God has in mind for us. The more we are conformed to the likeness of Christ (Romans 8: 29 ), and the further we progress with the individual plan that God has in mind for us, the bigger and greater target we become in the eyes of the enemy (Ephesians 6: 12).
If the enemy is not taking any shots at us, it is because our individual post salvation spiritual life poses no threat to Satan's agenda.
In the worst case scenario, one may unwittingly be promoting the devil's apostate (1Tim. 4: 1) agenda! In this scenario, why would the devil want to see any changes made? Why would he not promote it?
These shots can come in the form of prosperity (Luke 4: 6) or adversity (2Tim. 3: 12). Either one is fine with the devil, so long as he achieves his objectives.
Some of the greatest believers that I have ever known or heard of were people who have been put through every imaginable and unimaginable forms of adversity, only to come out stronger in the process.
Psalms 88 not only addresses the isolation, separation, and hopelessness (short of divine intervention) that potentially fatal disease can generate while here on Earth, but paints a portrait of the never-ending isolation, separation, and hopelessness that will be the experience of unbelievers who find themselves in the lake of fire for which there will never be a means of relief or release. Now that's what is truly hopelessness!
The Gal. 6: 7 principle of reaping what one sows applies to everyone. One may not "get caught" and or punished in the way one might expect or fear, but at the end of the day (life), no gets away with anything.
Divine forgiveness is always available (1John 1: 9), and salvation is always secure (Romans 8: 1). But that doesn't mean that there aren't both earthly (Heb. 12: 6) and heavenly (1Cor. 3: 15) consequences for the negative decisions we make.
Without the ability to perceive the spiritual significance behind the overt activities recorded in Scripture, Biblical "stories" are seen as having no special interest or significance to an unbeliever. Many unbelievers see the blessings and warnings recorded in Scripture as "foolishness (1Cor. 2: 14 NASB)," that only generate needless fear, putting a damper on what little happiness they can muster here on Earth.
Many people presently living in (making a lifestyle of) various forms of sin have no fear of God.
"Living in sin" is by no means limited to fornication or other sexually-related activities and lifestyles that God labels as sin. We are all sinners (Romans 3: 11). We do not all engage in the same type of sin, as we all have our own set of strengths and weaknesses. Never the less, by entertaining ANY one sin (James 2: 10), it places all of us in the same boat as ever one else.
Edification is to build each other up, not to tear each other down!
Having no fear of God and or having no respect for the things of God WILL change. Sadly, for many (Matt. 7: 13, 14) it will come at a time when it is too late to do anything about it.
Even some of the most godly individuaIs on Earth experienced great fear when coming face to face with angelic beings in their divine form, let alone coming face to face with God. Many such encounters began by the angel calming fear, telling those involved to "fear not."
If the respect for God does not take place throughout one's lifetime here on Earth, or when their death is immanent (Luke 23: 40), unbelievers will acknowledge God and the things that they did not believe in while here on Earth when they are called up from the Torments of Hades (Luke 16: 24) and come face to face with God in the Court of Heaven (Rev. 20: 13) before being tossed into the lake of fire with no hope of release or escape (Rev. 20: 15).
In the meantime, earthly prosperity of the wicked can be a source of ungodly bitterness in the souls of believers who are not content with what they (the believers) have in life.
Earthly prosperity WITH God is a blessing. Earthly prosperity without God can be a curse and the means of great deception.
Great prosperity experienced in all the days in the earthly life of an unbeliever does not change the end result (Rev. 13: 15) awaiting all unbelievers.
Sometimes I wonder if God, in His grace and mercy, allows unbelievers that He loves (John 3: 16) some degree of Earthly prosperity knowing the never-ending sad and dismal eternity awaiting them when their relatively short life span on Earth ends.
Be it in rags or riches, God will meet you where you are right now.
Many people seek God when they come to the end of their rope in a desperate scenario. But there are some who acknowledge the true source of their great, but eternally worthlessness (Eccl. 1: 1 - 4) prosperity, leading them to desire a relationship with God that will be there when they leave their earthly prosperity behind.
Even the cold arm of Man's law allows the condemned a last meal, the opportunity to speak with clergy, to make a confession or last statement, before execution.
Judgement Day IS coming, but not before God provided us with the means to be delivered from the coming wrath of God, and the means to receive eternal life.
" If anyone hears My sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. He who rejects Me and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day (John 12: 7, 8 NASB)."
Before one allows such bitterness to grow roots in one's own soul structure over the "undeserved" prosperity others, one should consider where he or she would be if God were to withdraw or suspend the mercy and grace that He has shown to each one of us.
If it had not been for the (undeserved) grace of God, we would ALL be sitting on Death Row in the spiritual realm.
The assurance of eternal security for born again believers spoken of in Romans 8: 1 would not be there if the world's sin debt had not already been PAID IN FULL on the cross (1John 2: 2).
The Psalms 88 portrait (isolation, separation, hopelessness) of Hell need not be anyone's future experience.
As (if) one spiritually matures, his or her interests in the things of this world WILL diminish. The born again believers will still enjoy the good things of this life, but they will not have the same importance (priority) that they once did.
One will know that he or she has reached a higher level of spiritual maturity when he or she can join in with the psalmist and say, " Whom have I in heaven but You? And besides You, I desire n-o-t-h-i-n-g on earth (Psalms 73: 25).
The Church Age, born again believers in Laodicea not only failed to diagnose their true spiritual condition (Rev. 3: 17), but actually believed all was well. This sounds hauntingly familiar.
No Church Age believer will ever suffer the environment of the lake of fire (Romans 8: 1), but this does not mean that Church Age believers will not experience divine discipline (Heb. 12: 6) and other consequences (1Cor. 3: 15) that sin can bring.
The Biblical (Galatians 6: 7) principle of what goes around comes around (Psalms 7: 15) and reaping what one sows ( Galatians 6: 7) applies to everyone.
End of Part Two...
Part Two
Continuing on from where we left off in Part One...
Some will not see death coming, whereas for others, It will be a long process. For most of us it will be somewhere between these two extremes. How, when, and where each one of us will depart this world was known to God before we took our first breath of natural life. Our individual time of departure could be scores, decades, years, months, weeks, days, minutes, or seconds away. Whatever it turns out to be, our physical death is as much a part of the plan that God has in mind for us as any other event. Many Christians frequently pray for Thy will to be done, but fail to realize that the timing and circumstances of anyone's departure IS, WAS, or WILL BE, a manifestation of God's (direct or permissive) will!
The unadulterated Gospel Message speaks about the reality of Heaven, Hades (Hell), and the lake of fire. It makes clear the way to find oneself in Heaven (John 3: 16), with the alternative of finding oneself in the the torments of Hades (Luke 16: 24) upon departing this world, and then permanently finding oneself in the lake of fire for all of eternity after the Rev. 20: 13, 15 event takes place.
In this presentation, we will focus on the reality of Hell and the Lake of Fire by using an often overlooked analogy found in Psalms 88.
The good news and the bad news of the unadulterated Gospel Message is too important to sugar-coat or to dispense with a protective coating in fear of upsetting someone. In this life there are some things that must be said (Eccl. 3: 7b/Romans 10: 17) and done (John 3: 5, 7).
On the surface, Psalms 88 is speaking about issues relating to physical illness and death, evidenced by the psalmist's desire to live on here on Earth. But in every passage of Scripture, there is always spiritual principles being conveyed behind the Earthly events or activities recorded in the passage. Spiritual issues always has eternity in view.
To teach these principles, Scripture records actual events in many cases, but also uses symbolism and language of accommodation so that the spiritual principles could be learned, conveyed, and understood throughout the course of human history regardless of how much secular education an individual has.
If the wording of Hebrews 10: 25, for example, spoke of "gathering together" simultaneously with people around the world by way of the Internet, it would have made no sense to believers of the Church Age for more than the first 1950 years of Church History. The only way Heb. 10: 25 could be obeyed WAS to physically gather together, although there were different gathering places, including private homes. The principle of gathering together has not changed, but modern technology has afforded us opportunities and means to do so that were never even thought of in the first century when Heb. 10: 25 was composed.
The kingdom of darkness is certainly using modern means of communication to promote it's (1Pet. 5:8) agenda. The Church that God commissioned (Matt. 28: 19, 20) would be wise to do the same as long as this window opportunity remains open.
When I began to develop my spiritual gift of writing, I was pounding away on an very old manuel Royal typewriter, with a readership that subscribed ato local newspaper. Years later, my readership expanded to websites, my own and others, with readers from all over the world.
In 2008, I was ordained to do the work of a pastor-teacher, studying and teaching the Word of God. Unlike most ordained pastor-teachers who have a traditional, in person, pulpit and congregation, God led me to establish my "pulpit" on the Internet at BATMQ.NET, with my "congregation" being those He brings to my website from all around the world.
I would have never imagined back in the 1980's, seated at home before my manuel typewriter, that I would be used of God to evangelize and edify souls on a global level.
In EVERY event in our life here on Earth, there is a divine purpose for God sending it, God allowing it, or God choosing not to intervene.
It is easy to see God's hand in events that go our way, but not so when our faith is put to the test by events that seem to be working against us. This is especially true when we cannot see any point or reason for what God does or allows to take place.
If not the result of our own negative decisions, the reason behind the adversity we face becomes clearer when we acknowledge that the devil (1Pet. 5: 8) and his Eph. 6: 12 forces of evil prowl around seeking to destroy us, and to counteract the plan that God has in mind for us. The more we are conformed to the likeness of Christ (Romans 8: 29 ), and the further we progress with the individual plan that God has in mind for us, the bigger and greater target we become in the eyes of the enemy (Ephesians 6: 12).
If the enemy is not taking any shots at us, it is because our individual post salvation spiritual life poses no threat to Satan's agenda.
In the worst case scenario, one may unwittingly be promoting the devil's apostate (1Tim. 4: 1) agenda! In this scenario, why would the devil want to see any changes made? Why would he not promote it?
These shots can come in the form of prosperity (Luke 4: 6) or adversity (2Tim. 3: 12). Either one is fine with the devil, so long as he achieves his objectives.
Some of the greatest believers that I have ever known or heard of were people who have been put through every imaginable and unimaginable forms of adversity, only to come out stronger in the process.
Psalms 88 not only addresses the isolation, separation, and hopelessness (short of divine intervention) that potentially fatal disease can generate while here on Earth, but paints a portrait of the never-ending isolation, separation, and hopelessness that will be the experience of unbelievers who find themselves in the lake of fire for which there will never be a means of relief or release. Now that's what is truly hopelessness!
The Gal. 6: 7 principle of reaping what one sows applies to everyone. One may not "get caught" and or punished in the way one might expect or fear, but at the end of the day (life), no gets away with anything.
Divine forgiveness is always available (1John 1: 9), and salvation is always secure (Romans 8: 1). But that doesn't mean that there aren't both earthly (Heb. 12: 6) and heavenly (1Cor. 3: 15) consequences for the negative decisions we make.
Without the ability to perceive the spiritual significance behind the overt activities recorded in Scripture, Biblical "stories" are seen as having no special interest or significance to an unbeliever. Many unbelievers see the blessings and warnings recorded in Scripture as "foolishness (1Cor. 2: 14 NASB)," that only generate needless fear, putting a damper on what little happiness they can muster here on Earth.
Many people presently living in (making a lifestyle of) various forms of sin have no fear of God.
"Living in sin" is by no means limited to fornication or other sexually-related activities and lifestyles that God labels as sin. We are all sinners (Romans 3: 11). We do not all engage in the same type of sin, as we all have our own set of strengths and weaknesses. Never the less, by entertaining ANY one sin (James 2: 10), it places all of us in the same boat as ever one else.
Edification is to build each other up, not to tear each other down!
Having no fear of God and or having no respect for the things of God WILL change. Sadly, for many (Matt. 7: 13, 14) it will come at a time when it is too late to do anything about it.
Even some of the most godly individuaIs on Earth experienced great fear when coming face to face with angelic beings in their divine form, let alone coming face to face with God. Many such encounters began by the angel calming fear, telling those involved to "fear not."
If the respect for God does not take place throughout one's lifetime here on Earth, or when their death is immanent (Luke 23: 40), unbelievers will acknowledge God and the things that they did not believe in while here on Earth when they are called up from the Torments of Hades (Luke 16: 24) and come face to face with God in the Court of Heaven (Rev. 20: 13) before being tossed into the lake of fire with no hope of release or escape (Rev. 20: 15).
In the meantime, earthly prosperity of the wicked can be a source of ungodly bitterness in the souls of believers who are not content with what they (the believers) have in life.
Earthly prosperity WITH God is a blessing. Earthly prosperity without God can be a curse and the means of great deception.
Great prosperity experienced in all the days in the earthly life of an unbeliever does not change the end result (Rev. 13: 15) awaiting all unbelievers.
Sometimes I wonder if God, in His grace and mercy, allows unbelievers that He loves (John 3: 16) some degree of Earthly prosperity knowing the never-ending sad and dismal eternity awaiting them when their relatively short life span on Earth ends.
Be it in rags or riches, God will meet you where you are right now.
Many people seek God when they come to the end of their rope in a desperate scenario. But there are some who acknowledge the true source of their great, but eternally worthlessness (Eccl. 1: 1 - 4) prosperity, leading them to desire a relationship with God that will be there when they leave their earthly prosperity behind.
Even the cold arm of Man's law allows the condemned a last meal, the opportunity to speak with clergy, to make a confession or last statement, before execution.
Judgement Day IS coming, but not before God provided us with the means to be delivered from the coming wrath of God, and the means to receive eternal life.
" If anyone hears My sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. He who rejects Me and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day (John 12: 7, 8 NASB)."
Before one allows such bitterness to grow roots in one's own soul structure over the "undeserved" prosperity others, one should consider where he or she would be if God were to withdraw or suspend the mercy and grace that He has shown to each one of us.
If it had not been for the (undeserved) grace of God, we would ALL be sitting on Death Row in the spiritual realm.
The assurance of eternal security for born again believers spoken of in Romans 8: 1 would not be there if the world's sin debt had not already been PAID IN FULL on the cross (1John 2: 2).
The Psalms 88 portrait (isolation, separation, hopelessness) of Hell need not be anyone's future experience.
As (if) one spiritually matures, his or her interests in the things of this world WILL diminish. The born again believers will still enjoy the good things of this life, but they will not have the same importance (priority) that they once did.
One will know that he or she has reached a higher level of spiritual maturity when he or she can join in with the psalmist and say, " Whom have I in heaven but You? And besides You, I desire n-o-t-h-i-n-g on earth (Psalms 73: 25).
The Church Age, born again believers in Laodicea not only failed to diagnose their true spiritual condition (Rev. 3: 17), but actually believed all was well. This sounds hauntingly familiar.
No Church Age believer will ever suffer the environment of the lake of fire (Romans 8: 1), but this does not mean that Church Age believers will not experience divine discipline (Heb. 12: 6) and other consequences (1Cor. 3: 15) that sin can bring.
The Biblical (Galatians 6: 7) principle of what goes around comes around (Psalms 7: 15) and reaping what one sows ( Galatians 6: 7) applies to everyone.
End of Part Two...