Creator, Father, King #44

The King will turn to those on the left and say, “Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons.”

PARADISE WAS LOST.

Among the many curses that followed Adam and Eve’s rebellious choice to eat the forbidden fruit was a new horrible reality: separation from God. Because of their sin, the couple had to leave God’s immediate presence in the Garden of Eden. The beautiful fellowship they had once enjoyed with him was fractured.

Because of Adam’s disobedience, every person is guilty before God and begins life spiritually “dead because of your disobedience and your many sins” (Ephesians 2:1). Apart from God’s saving grace, people are not only separated from God spiritually in this life, but they are also in danger of being cast away into a place of eternal punishment once they die.

The Bible calls this place hell.

What’s It Mean?

Why are we talking about hell as we discuss Genesis 3? Because it’s extremely important to understand everything the Bible teaches about the effects and outcome of our sin. Left to our wickedness—without divine intervention—each of us would be headed toward an eternity separated from God in hell.

Hell is mysterious and misunderstood, but it’s not make-believe. The Bible always refers to it as a real place.

Hell is where God’s enemies (anyone who doesn’t repent of their sins and trust in Jesus as their Savior) will be punished forever after death. This is the final destination for Satan and his demons too.

The Bible describes hell in the following ways:

• a fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 13:42)
• the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons (Matthew 25:41)
• gloomy pits of darkness (2 Peter 2:4)
• a place where the smoke of their torment will rise forever and ever, and they will have no relief day or night (Revelation 14:11)
• a lake of fire and the second death (Revelation 20:14)

Hell is a horrific place.

Thankfully, the Lord has mercifully provided a way for us to avoid such a terrible fate. Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.”

God sent his Son to die for our sins so that we wouldn’t have to experience eternal separation from him. Through Jesus, we can be forgiven and restored to our Creator’s presence forever!

Now What?

Jesus told a parable about heaven and hell. Read it in Luke 16:19-31.

Did You Know?

Jesus mentioned hell more than anyone else did in Scripture.