Revelation 20:15 (KJV)
“And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”
The Scriptural Foundation of Hell
Hell is not a metaphor, nor a temporary correctional state. According to Scripture, it is a literal place of eternal torment prepared originally for the devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41). Jesus Christ spoke of hell more than any other biblical figure, warning mankind of its terror and urging all to seek salvation through Him. The King James Bible presents hell as a realm of conscious suffering, divine judgment, and eternal separation from the presence of God’s favor.
Hell is described with three primary terms in the KJV:
- Sheol/Hades — the abode of the dead, where the unrighteous experience conscious torment (Luke 16:23).
- Gehenna — the final place of punishment, symbolized by the valley of Hinnom, marked by fire and destruction (Matthew 10:28).
- The Lake of Fire — the eternal destination of Satan, fallen angels, and unredeemed humanity (Revelation 20:14–15).
Each term moves progressively toward the final, eternal judgment of the wicked.
The Nature of Hell: What It May Be Like
A Place of Eternal Fire
Jesus spoke repeatedly of “everlasting fire” (Matthew 25:41), “unquenchable fire” (Mark 9:43), and a place “where their worm dieth not” (Mark 9:48). Fire is not symbolic; it is descriptive. The fire of hell is:
- Unending — not quenched by time or divine mercy.
- Personal — experienced consciously by those condemned.
- Judicial — God’s righteous response to sin.
The lake of fire is the ultimate and final expression of this judgment. Revelation 14:11 declares, “And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever.”
A Place of Darkness
Though filled with fire, hell is also described as “outer darkness” (Matthew 8:12). This darkness is spiritual as well as physical—a total absence of God’s comforting presence, joy, hope, or peace. The fire reveals judgment, but the darkness reveals separation.
A Place of Weeping and Gnashing of Teeth
Repeatedly Christ warns that hell is marked by “weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 25:30). This expresses:
- Unrelieved sorrow
- Unending regret
- Fury against God’s righteousness
- Conscious awareness of eternal loss
This is not annihilation. It is perpetual existence in torment.
A Place of No Rest
Revelation 14:11 states plainly, “They have no rest day nor night.”
Hell is a place without relief, without refreshment, without intermission. Every moment is fullness of suffering.
A Place of Memory and Awareness
Jesus’ account of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19–31) reveals that the damned retain:
- Memory
- Recognition
- Desire
- Sorrow
- Understanding of their condition
They are not reduced to shadows but remain fully conscious beings under the full weight of judgment.
Why Hell Exists: The Justice of God
Hell exists because God is holy, righteous, and just. His law was broken, His glory despised, and His Son rejected. Sin is not a small thing; it is cosmic rebellion. Therefore, the penalty is not momentary but eternal.
Romans 6:23 declares, “For the wages of sin is death.”
This death is not merely physical but spiritual and eternal.
Hell vindicates God’s holiness. It demonstrates that the Creator of the universe does not overlook wickedness. Every sin will be judged—either at the cross of Christ or in the fires of hell.
Who Will Be Condemned to Hell?
Those Who Reject Jesus Christ
The greatest sin is the rejection of God’s Son. John 3:18 makes this unmistakably clear:
“He that believeth not is condemned already.”
Christ is the only way of salvation (John 14:6). To refuse Him is to choose eternal condemnation.
The Unrepentant and the Unbelieving
Revelation 21:8 provides a solemn list of those destined for the lake of fire:
“the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars”
This list does not exhaust every sin; rather, it represents all who remain unwashed by the blood of Christ.
The Self-Righteous
Many religious individuals will enter hell because they trusted in their own righteousness (Matthew 7:21–23). Hell is filled with those who believed themselves good but rejected the righteousness of Christ.
The Rebellious and the Wicked
Psalm 9:17 states,
“The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.”
Hell is the destiny of both individuals and nations who cast off God’s authority.
The Devil and His Angels
Hell was prepared originally for them (Matthew 25:41).
Humanity enters only when it chooses the same rebellion.
The Eternal Finality of Hell
There is no escape, no purgatory, no second chance, no annihilation. The judgment is eternal because the offense—sin against an eternal God—is eternal. Jesus said in Matthew 25:46,
“And these shall go away into everlasting punishment.”
The same word “everlasting” used for heaven’s life is used for hell’s punishment. If one is temporary, both are temporary.
But Scripture affirms both to be eternal.
Conclusion
Hell is the final, fearful, and righteous judgment of God upon all who reject His Son and refuse His salvation. It is a place of fire, darkness, sorrow, memory, and eternal separation from God’s mercy. Though terrifying, the doctrine of hell reveals the holiness of God, the seriousness of sin, and the urgency of the gospel.
Yet in the midst of this warning shines the hope of Christ. No man need enter hell. Jesus bore the wrath of God on the cross so that all who believe might be saved from this eternal fate.
As Scripture declares,
“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:13)
Hell is real, but so is salvation. And today, salvation is offered freely to all who will come to Christ.