B. W. wrote:Hi all, thank you for the review. I’ll try to answer some of your questions as best as I can. I have been on the road for the past 8 days on a ministry trip and radio interview at several Churches in South Dakota and returned late Monday night at home. Saw many come to know the Lord, amen.
In regards to the people I saw in the Pit receiving just recompense in fair degrees according to the principles found in the bible regarding reaping what one has sown, I tried to convey the truth about their eternal state. First, it is eternal and by this I mean the following...
God will not deny himself. He gave a gift from his own being to humanity, called life (Gen 2:7c). The gifts and callings of God are irrevocable (Romans 11:29c principle). The Lord placed eternity in our hearts Eccl 3:11 and Eccl 3:14 verifies. The wise woman spoke in 2 Sam 14:14c a central truth – though we die (our mortalness dies) God will not take away life; and yes, God through Christ Jesus makes the only way that a banished one can return back to God, thru the grace of the cross. There is no other way.
So, we do continue on after we die, not in soul sleep, or rest, but as the Hebrew words in the OT imply as shades – our spiritual essence of who we are continues. Though God can certainly annihilate life into non-existence as Job 34:14, 15c states but as 2 Sam 14:14 states, God will not take away life he gave. Fore, if he did so, he would in essence deny himself and prove himself a lair and not really God almighty. He would be forced to go against his own life giving character/nature – hence deny himself.
God did not annihilate the devil for his rebellion, did he? Why? God will not take away life. The devil knowing this rebelled and tempts God to unjustly destroy in order to be able to exalt his own throne above God’s. Sin entered the universe in a limited degree through the Devil and his minions and God designed the current pit of hell for them as Matt 25:41 states. God does not take away life – his gifts and callings are irrevocable. God keeps and performs his word.
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This brings us to the reason why fallen human beings will suffer just recompense in Hell. We were designed as eternal moral beings. Fallen humanity lost the eternal life with God and face eternal condemnation banished forever away from the eternal life of God. What God does is forever.
People complain that everlasting punishment for finite sins is unjust. However, such fail to realize that since human beings share a gift of life breathed into us by God who placed eternity in our hearts, a fallen human being’s sin is NOT FINITE it is eternal (Job 34:11, 12c) because they were fashioned by God to be eternal. For God to annihilate into non-being would in essence be unjust for HIM to do as it goes against his own character and nature (Job 34:10c).
Billy Grahams’ daughter, Anne Graham-Lotz mentioned in the History Channel TV show, Hell the Devils Domain, that in hell are just levels of recompense. Jesus stated this concept as well in Luke 10:13, 14, 15, 16c. Theologians mention this as well – just degrees of recompense. This is precisely what I saw, and what people do not understand regarding this instead dare/demand God to act contrary to who He is (Deut 32:4, Psalms 97:2). Thus, they unknowingly fall right into the devil’s ploy to demand God to act contrary to the foundations of God’s throne (note Psalms 97:2c again) and thus overturn God’s rule (Isaiah 14:13, 14, 15c). So reader, which side are you on?
There is no such thing as Finite Sins due to our spiritual nature fashioned to live eternally. Therefore. The principle of what one sows they reap mentioned throughout the bible is true. That is what I saw happening in hell to the people there: their personal sin nature was slowly being uncovered much like how you peal layers off an onion, until the real spiteful being is revealed totally committed to sin and rebellion. The slow pealing of an onion takes time and thus helps understand why there are just degrees of recompense.
People also say God is a torturer, yet, the bible clearly states God is not the one who tortures. Do you see God in the account of Richman and Lazarus in Luke 16:20-31c? Also Rev 14:11 states its one’s own torment that torments. Now note the principle found in Psalms 9:16. God’s wrath is poured out and whatever God does (regarding context of justice/life/judgment/promises/gifts) endures forever.
His wrath uncovers the real person who and what they really are, beings who after entering the eternal gain understanding of what this means, would always seek to abuse and manipulate/pit God’s own Goodness against itself so they remain in sin. That is what I saw and tried to convey in my book. Those in hell would make the only perfect upright land, Heaven, into a corrupt place, like it is on earth now just as Isaiah 26:10. So, the current hell was designed as a temporary holding center as Isaiah 24:21, 22 helps to reveal and Jesus mentions in Matt 25:41c: For the Love of God will banish those that reject him, justly and fairly, with no violation of trust, gifts, etc, to them or to God’s own nature/character.
Parts of Hell are described as a bottomless pit (Rev 20:3 KJV) or as a pit. Other parts of the current hell are also described as to be avoided at all cost (Deut 32:22. Nahum 1:2, 3, 6c, of fire and darkness and place of no rest Isaiah 48:22c).
However the current Pit of Hell is described in Ezekiel 26:20, Ezekiel 31:16, 17, 18 and Ezekiel 32:21,23, 24, 25-31 NKJV. As being round, with Hebrew word – qeber - imbedded in the pits’ walls and the Hebrew word qeber means a grave, tomb, a sepulcher, chamber, or small cell of living cognizant grief, sorrow, travail. Proverbs 7:27 speaks of chambers, rooms, enclosures in the current Hell as well to be avoided at all cost.
What is going on inside these cells/graves, tombs, chambers, is what Job 26:5-6 is conveying, "The departed spirits tremble under the waters and their inhabitants. 6 "Naked is Sheol before Him, And Abaddon has no covering" NASB
The Hebrew word tremble describes living cognizance of trembling whirling, shaking, fearing, to writhe, to grieving etc… The idea of water is the great pressure one feels when underground. For those who have toured the Hoover D-m understand the pressure one feels at the bottom and those who scuba dive understand what pressure is felt in 45 to 100 feet of water. This is being describe in the text – great pressure that is doing something.
This something is mentioned in verse 6 as being naked before God in the current Hell (sheol) because the ruin there uncovers a person’s real them. Much like pealing the union I spoke of earlier. This is done because God’s Love leaves no stone unturned in meting out the reason for banishment away from the presence of God to a person. They are made aware of their damage done in mortal life will not be tolerated in Heaven. God is not mocked.
What one sows, they reap. There is not one perfect good person on this planet. All have sinned and abandoned God’s Loving ways and tempt God, and manipulate, and try God’s goodness and love as evidenced by how we live our mortal lives. Only in this mortal life, now, we can return to God’s Love and goodness and learn how not to abuse it for our own gain. God demonstrates his goodness, love, by calling out to a fallen world in order to allow morally reasoning beings to morally reason themselves in all impartial fairness to decide to return to God who loves so much that He sent Jesus Christ to bear our sins upon the cross and expose our sins in us so we can return to a greater paradise God had planned before the foundation of the world.
God’s love let us beat and whip him, to mock him, put him on trial, spit upon him, plot against him, and crucify him. What do we do to goodness on earth? How have we in various symbolic ways beat and whip others, to mock people, put God or others on trial, spit upon, plot against, crucify in our hearts? Jesus did say, you done these to the least of these my brethren, you done so to me.
For that, Reader, you think for a moment you can waltz into heaven because God Loves without accepting His grace and changed by his great love? That is why there is a hell – it separates the wheat from the tares. From those that tear each other apart, manipulate God’s goodness, grace, and love for their own gainful entertainment, from those justly and fairly reconciled thru Christ Jesus’ work on the cross/resurrection. God will not allow sin to run amuck in heaven without end, he will contain it justly and fairly. So, reader where do you stand – wheat or as a tare?
If you wish to be restored, forgiven for how you treated God’s gift of life and grace – demonstrated by how you really are in the treatment of others. How you robbed, slain, brought ruin to the hearts of others. How such self justifying attitudes steal from your life – then you need to realize that the Lord loved you so much to offer to you an offer, an exchange. This old life of ruin for His life of reconciliation, peace, love, joy, endurance, new moxie of real eternal life from God – his Spirit blown inside you – a new birth!
Jesus said you must become born again by His Spirit to enter into heaven. If you are being honest with yourself, now, you know, you do not deserve heaven for you own life testifies against you in your treatment of love and goodness for own self gain in this life. Whom have you mentally crucified, put on trial, mocked, spat upon?
God does not desire that to continue in heaven. He desires you to be saved – reconciled willingly through your choice not his force as He is that Just. If that is you, Reader, all I can do is to get you started on your way by praying a simple heartfelt prayer and from it, you add to it. Then I pray that the Lord will lead you to a good bible based group near you and constantly renewed in your spirit – new life. So please begin by praying:
God, dear Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth, have mercy upon me a sinner, forgive, make me Born again by your Holy Spirit. Place me into the Father’s kingdom, Place me into your care, place me in empowerment to Love by your Holy Spirit! Hold me now, forgive me…
…my ugly ways I have inside…and outside…I have done…
…have mercy upon me a sinner…I have acted…
…lead me a guide me forever toward you, never let me go…
…If I stray, give me a good swift kick to return me to your way… Amen…
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I have been watching vids of you on youtube and I'm looking forward to reading your book.
But some questions in the mean time...
1. If there is no salvation after you are dead, how come you were able to be saved?
2. Does everyone who goes to hell get the same chance?
3. What about people sinning because they are insane or mental illness?
4. You suggested for me to find a prayer closet and ask God to hold me. If God is a good father he should not need me to ask. He should already be doing it.
Will let you know if I have anymore.