Terms like, “Go to hell!” or “Hope you rot in hell!” have become common remarks used in confrontational situations. These derogatory comments are usually used to give a sense of personal gratification in an angry exchange. We suspect that if anyone understood the full extent of what ‘hell’ was actually like, it would not be something we should wish on our worst enemies, let alone as a flippant spiteful comment!
History teaches and current news reports confirm that the world we live in has a story of war, conflict and numerous forms of injustice. There are endless examples of the appalling ways that people treat others for one reason or another. Many victims of these crimes are innocent of wrongdoing or were caught “in the wrong place at the wrong time”! The presence of evil is abundantly evident in the world and it is only getting worse and we all have instincts that cause us to cry out for justice. It can be very tempting to wish that God would hold those responsible to account and send them to hell!
Our emotions can have a huge influence our thoughts and actions, often resulting in rash comments when our emotions get the better of us. We have a natural desire for justice if we feel mistreated in any way. While no excuse can be made for the perpetrators of many crimes, can we honestly wish that anyone would go to hell?
Comparing what we can go through in this life is a barely worthy of comparison to hell. Hell is not only infinitely worse but also lasts for an eternity! We examine how the Bible describes hell in our Judgment Day article, but these verses give us a glimpse:
Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; (2 Thessalonians 1:9 emphasis added)
But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. (Revelation 21:8 emphasis added)
It goes without saying that we should never wish “hell” on anyone – those that use phrases with references to hell usually have no idea what this actually is. There is more than enough internal evidence in the Bible to show that the Bible is a reliable source of information and it’s descriptions of hell are therefore very accurate and real.
It is an unfortunate human trait that we usually spend more time dwelling on the justice someone else should be subject to than ourselves. Ironically, while wishing “hell” on someone else, this could be your own destiny if you do not know Jesus Christ as your Saviour. Jesus died upon the cross to save you from this terrible fate. Look into Jesus’ claims for yourself – they should not be ignored as the consequences of gambling on your eternity could be unimaginable, but…it is YOUR choice!
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