What is Hell?

This sounds like a ridiculous question. Most people have been told that hell is where all the bad people go when they die. But what exactly is hell?

The Bible often speaks of hell as being below the earth. But our knowledge of the earth's core shows that there's nothing there but molten iron. Its spinning creates the magnetic field which protects us from solar flares and charged particles from space.

Hell is a quarantine dimension from which their is no escape. In the parable of Lazarus and the rich man, we notice that there is no possible interaction between heaven and hell. Luke 16:26 (BBE) shows this to be the case. "And in addition, there is a deep division fixed between us and you, so that those who might go from here to you are not able to do so, and no one may come from you to us."

Hell was originally meant for the Devil and his angels. Jude 1:6 (BBE) says of those rebellious demons, "And the angels who did not keep to their kingdom but went out from the place which was theirs, he has put in eternal chains and in dark night till the great day of the judging."

But this place of eternal punishment was repurposed by the Father to punish those who refused Christ's magnanimous offer of imputed righteousness. As we read in 2 Peter 2:9 (BBE), in regard to the power of God to keep the saints safe, "The Lord is able to keep the upright safe in the time of testing, and to keep evil-doers under punishment till the day of judging;"

And lest people think that hell is only for ungodly sinners, Matthew 23:33 (BBE) shows that religious people also go there. As Christ said of the Pharisees, "You snakes, offspring of snakes, how will you be kept from the punishment of hell?"

In future posts, I'll explore more aspects of this place where final justice is achieved. But on Saturday, I'll post about a song regarding travel and the greatest journey we can ever take.