Biblical Worldview - Part 12- What are Heaven and Hell Like?
By Ben Quine
****The way we act is shaped by the way we look at the world. Our lives are shaped by our basic assumptions and convictions. These Worldview Articles will explore what a “worldview” is. Each person has a worldview, whether they know it or not, and it determines every decision and choice a person makes. Do you have a Biblical Worldview or are factors other than the Bible informing your choices and decisions. In this series of articles, we will take an in-depth look at 7 Vital Worldview Questions, as the starting place for building a Biblical Worldview. (These articles are adapted from David Quine’s Answers for Difficult Days “Seven Vital Worldview Questions.” David is Ben’s father and the founder of Cornerstone Curriculum a Biblically based Homeschool Curriculum.)
As a child I used to love going on road trips with my grandparents. Whenever we entered the lobby of a new hotel, I’d collect the little travel brochures for all the local sights. They didn’t cover every detail of the attraction, but they would usually give a pretty good feel for what it was like. What happens to people when they die? God’s Word provides a brief brochure-taste of eternity, to spur us here on earth.
The LORD looks down from heaven; he sees all the children of man; from where he sits enthroned he looks out on all the inhabitants of the earth, (Psalm 33:13-14)
Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. (Matthew 6:9)
We know that God the Father is enthroned in heaven as the King of the universe.
5 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed. 24 Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. (John 17:5, 24)
Jesus’ desire is that we should be with him forever in the presence of the Father and that we would see his glory.
Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. (John 14:1-3)
For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. (I Thessalonians 4:16-17)
Like a bridegroom in ancient Israel, Jesus has gone to prepare a home for his bride. Then he will return to take all who are redeemed to be with him forever! This life is temporary and it is not our true home. Christians are bound for heaven!
But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him” (I Corinthians 2:9)
He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. (Revelation 21:4)
You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. (Psalm 16:11)
In that moment, the beauty of our holy, triune God will take our breath away. Heaven will be the most wonderful place — we cannot begin to describe it or imagine it; it is beyond our ability to comprehend. We will be with God, and that will be awesome.
But what about hell?…
So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 13:49-50)
Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ (Matthew 22:13)
And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ (Matthew 25:30)
You might be surprised to learn that Jesus Christ taught more about hell than anyone else in the Bible. Scripture doesn’t give us a super clear blueprint of hell. For instance, Jesus doesn’t say where the place of outer darkness is, just that it is a place of suffering, removed from God, and that the unrighteous will be sent to that outer region.
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” (Matthew 25:41-46)
Heaven surpasses our comprehension because it is so wonderful, but hell is too awful to imagine. This picture is devastating, as those who are cursed are sent into eternal fire and punishment.
And the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. (Revelation 20:10)
They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, (II Thessalonians 1:9)
Sin is rebellion against God. It says, “I don’t need God in my life. I don’t want God in my life.” That’s why the “wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23) — because separation from God is separation from life itself, from light, and from everything that is good (John 1:4, 1 John 1:5, James 1:17). God is the only one that can bring ultimate fulfillment and meaning to life.
Separation from Him is death.
Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:11-15)
One day everyone who has ever lived, great and small, powerful and powerless, will stand before the judgement seat of Christ, to be dealt with according to His justice.
But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me. Selah (Psalm 49:15)
For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. (John 6:40)
As believers in Christ Jesus, we don’t have to be afraid of the grave (“Sheol”) or Death. We know that we will experience resurrection (II Corinthians 4:14). Death no longer has power over us, and we can rest assured that Jesus’ blood has taken away our guilt, and our names are now written in his book of life (I John 1:7-9, 5:13).
On eternity, the overall message of Scripture is clear: life in God’s presence for the redeemed will be wonderful beyond our imagination; and those who face separation from God will experience eternal agony.
Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. (Revelation 3:20)
Now is the time to choose. If you have not been “born again,” then I urge you to repent of your sins, thank Jesus for dying in your place, and make him the Lord and King of your life.
If you have already become a redeemed child of God, what should you do now? We’ll look at that in our next two articles…
Ben Quine is Vice President of Christians Engaged and is the Director of Curriculum Development and Strategic Ministry Partnerships.
Learn more about Ben on our website: christiansengaged.org/leadership
Find Ben’s corresponding “Answers for Difficult Days” books in our Christians Engaged Store