“Hell is hot. Hell is real.” This is what I was told again and again by my very pious mother growing up. Not just to me, but to all my brothers and sisters. We heard her say this again and again, to a point that it’s become a byword with us. But really, how can a loving God create a place called hell and put people in there? How can He say He is a God of love and create such a horrible place? As I grew up and got married and moved out of the house, hell became less and less menacing. It became less and less real and more like a make believe story created by someone like Dante. But really, it’s a fantasy. It’s not real.
Or so I thought, until I came closer and closer to God and He became more real and intimate in my life. I started to question God in my heart about hell. Is it real or not? I was afraid to ask out loud. I don’t want to believe it’s true, but then something in me wanted to really know: Is it true?
God surely knows the thoughts and desires in our hearts even when we’re afraid to ask Him flat out. One morning, still very early and dark, I felt the Lord’s presence by my bed rousing me to get up and get to my morning prayer. I heard Him sweetly call my name “Chin”, my pet name growing up. I was tired and didn’t want to get up, so I gave the Lord an attitude problem and actually grunted and told Him basically to leave me alone. He did leave me alone, and I went back to sleep and started to dream. I dreamt I was on vacation and went into an old hotel and took the elevator. I got out of the elevator and realized it was the wrong floor. I couldn’t find my room. So I went back into the elevator again and started to go down. I continued to go down and down and down. I tried to look for the button that will make the elevator stop but couldn’t find it. Next thing I know the elevator has become a one-person elevator. It only had room for me and I’m going down into the basement, past the basement, into somewhere deep inside the earth, into a complete darkness. The door of the elevator was gone and the elevator was tilted downward to a point where I had to hold on to the sides of it for fear I might fall out. I could feel the darkness as if it was a thick blanket. I kept going down and down into the abyss, towards the bottom of the earth. This must be what they call the bottomless pit.
I opened my eyes and I could see myself lying on my bed. My eyes were wide open and yet I was still going down, down, down, down, and holding on for dear life for fear of falling out. I couldn’t shake it. I couldn’t rouse myself out of this horrible nightmare. I was awake but yet I was there in that horrible pit. I would close my eyes and I was in it. I would open my eyes and I was in it. It was horrid. I tried searching for God and He was not even there. I was in hell and He was nowhere to be found. No, there was no fire. There was no one screaming of being burned alive. There was not even a light around, it was pitch black. I did notice however in my mind I saw that there was an elevator the same size as mine down below me, and one above me and there were people in there too. They were both in the same predicament as I was. As a matter of fact, there were many of us down there. There was one below the one that was beneath me, and one above the one above me. It was endless. On and on and on like an endless train we were there suspended in the air of this bottomless pit, going down to nowhere. I knew there was no bottom and that it’ll just get deeper and deeper. Far away I could hear the world going on above us as if it’s business as usual. I started to think, “No one knows we’re here. No one knows this thing exists. No one knows we’re buried alive here. They go on living as if no one is suffering here.” The worst part of it is that God couldn’t be felt, and couldn’t be thought of, and couldn’t be found. You couldn’t feel His presence, not one iota. I tried to reach out for Him in my heart but it was as if someone would push the thought out of me. I couldn’t reach out for Him. It felt like I was in a coma.
I knew right away why I was in there, and why I was going through what I was going through. As soon as I wondered about it I remembered the scene of the Lord coming to me to tell me it was time for prayer. But instead of happily saying, “Thank You Father, for waking me up” I spurned Him. I knew I was in deep trouble. I also knew what I needed to do. I needed to repent and ask for His mercy and forgiveness. And I did. Even though I couldn’t feel Him and I felt numb, I let my mind talk to Him. I repented. I repented some more, and more. But still I couldn’t feel Him. I lay there awake for what seemed like hours. I couldn’t really tell how long. The Lord had told me in my mind that He had forgiven me, and yet for days afterwards whenever I would close my eyes I saw myself in hell. I went about my business during the day and yet still I was in it. It wasn’t until finally the third day that God released me from this trance. A light shone in that pit and I could see the floor. Thick double doors opened up and I saw my husband waiting outside by the door. I felt myself slowly being brought down to the ground where he was, and I walked out of the elevator. It was as if I had been in some kind of horrible amusement ride. God was gracious to my soul. He didn’t keep my soul in hell. He released me. He even comforted me by having my husband by the door waiting for me.
The Bible talks about hell. Some people that have had near death experiences talk about hell. Google: Near Death Experience, Hell and you will see hundreds of testimonies out there. God also showed me a very clear vision one night of the hell fire my mother and the scripture talked about. If you have any questions about what God says in His word, you don’t need to go searching anywhere to find out if it’s true or not, just ask Him. He will show you.
You may wonder why a loving God would send someone in hell. Why would He even create such a thing? Hell wasn’t created for mankind. Hell was created for Satan and the angels that rejected God, and wanted nothing to do with God. The Bible tells us,
Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels. {Matthew 25:41}
When Lucifer, who is Satan, spurned God and wanted nothing to do with God, the Lord created a place of punishment for him and the angels who left their station in heaven and followed Lucifer. God essentially was granting Satan’s heart’s desire to live in a kingdom where God doesn’t exist. God is light, life, and love. Hell is everything opposite of God. No light (except the fire of torment), death, and hatred. And anyone who doesn’t want to do what God wants them to do, may also join Satan in a world where God doesn’t exist. It’s really simple. God was showing me what it is like to live without Him. I spurned Him. I didn’t want Him telling me what to do and basically told Him to leave me alone. He won’t force His will on anybody. He’s given me my own free will. So I got what I wanted, a place where God was not around anymore telling me what to do: total darkness and total misery.
It all comes down to having a relationship with God. Avoiding hell has nothing to do with being good. You can say you are good and do good things and all (and you should), but if you don’t have a relationship with God, it’s useless. You will be separated from Him. Having God has nothing to do with us being good and holy and perfect. It’s everything to do with us wanting Him in our lives and having a relationship with Him. Imagine going up to a stranger’s big beautiful house and knocking on their door, but you have no relationship with the owner of the house, you are a complete stranger. Do you expect to be let in to live there? Of course not. Well it’s the same thing with God. You can’t expect to go up to heaven and say to Him, “Let me in” when He doesn’t know you. You can’t expect someone to let you in their house just because you told them you are nice and good. You have to have a relationship with them.
Jesus has made a way for us to enter heaven and get out of hell completely. He has made a way for us to have a relationship with Him. He told us to believe in Him, repent and get baptized in His name and receive His Spirit. {See Acts 2.} He has made a way for us at the cross so that we can be saved. The Bible tells us today is the day of salvation. It tells us if we hear His voice not to harden our hearts towards Him. {Hebrews 3:15} He has shown us the way. The only way is to humble ourselves before the Lord and confess to Him our sins and find forgiveness. He’s also given us the Bible to show us how to live for Him. The Bible tells us,
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. {2 Peter 3:9}
You might not believe in hell, but I sure do. Don’t wait to experience it as some have done. Just believe the scriptures and what is said about it. But, if you still want to see it for yourself, then why not ask the Lord to show you as He did to me? You don’t have to take my word for it. Just ask Him sincerely from your heart and I promise you this, He will show you.
“And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.” {Luke 16:19-31}
“And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” {Revelation 20:13-15}
Prayer
Lord Jesus, our Father God in heaven, I thank You because You never change. Your word said that You are the same yesterday, today, and forever. I thank You for Your great sacrifice for us at the cross so that today we can find salvation in You. You love us so much and You do not desire for us to perish, but have eternal life with You.
Father, I pray that You will help us to believe in Your word. Help us to come to You and have faith in Your love for us. You don’t want anyone to go to hell. But if we don’t want you, it’s there for us. If we don’t want you dictating us how to love You in return and have a relationship with You, we are welcome to go there. But surely You don’t want that for us. You want us to love You in return. Besides, You promised that Your yoke is easy and Your burden is light. All we need to do is talk to You. If we have any issue at all about Your word we don’t have to be afraid to have a discussion with You about it. You will gladly enlighten us, (as You enlightened me and I thank You so much for it because experience is the best teacher). I ask and pray for the sake of those who desire to know the truth for faith in Your word and for Your revelation in their hearts today. I pray Father, In Your most wonderful name, Jesus. Thank You, Father. Amen.
Related Post: How I Came To Believe in Hell, Part 2
