SCRIPTURE: Matthew 25:31-46 (Page 1177); Isaiah 66:7-24 (Page 894)
SERMON: Flee from the Wrath to Come!					28 January 2001

INTRODUCTION: THE ETERNAL, CONSCIOUS TORMENT OF THE UNREPENTANT 

  I.  THE TEACHING OF THE BIBLE ON HELL

A. WORDS: THE PROGRESS OF REVELATION
1. Sheol(OT); Hades(LXX, NT): the place of the dead (Job 10:21; 17;16; Ps.86:13; 94:17; see Ps.139:8; 16:10=Acts 2:27,31; see Mt.16:18; Rev.1:18; 6:8; 20:13,14; see Ps.49:13,14)

2. Hell; Gehenna: the place of the punishment of the wicked after death (Mt.5:22,29,30; 10:28; 18:9; 23:15,33; Lk.16:19f(Hades); see 2Kngs.23:10; Jer.7:31; 32:35; see Jms.3:6; Rev.9:1f; 11:7)

B. PRESENT, FUTURE & FINAL (Lk.16:19-31; 2Pt.2:9; Mt.25:31,41; Rev.20:10)

C. AT THE COMING OF THE SON OF MAN (Mt.25:31f (Dan.7:9f); Lk.12:5; Jn.5:28,29; Rom.2:5f,16; 2Thes.1:7,8; Ps.2:9,12; 110:1f; the Lamb of God; Rev.6:16,17; 14:10; see 1:18; 20:10,15)

D. DESCRIPTIONS OF THE EXPERIENCE OF HELL
1. punishment (Mt.25:46; Jn.5:27-29; 2Th.1:5-9; Jude 7(Gen.19:24,25); see Rev.14:8,10; 16:6)

2. darkness (Mt.8:12; 22:13; 25:30; Jude 13)

3. death and destruction (Rev.2:11; 20:6,14; 21:8/ Lk.16:23f; 2Pt.2:4; Jude 6 and Rom.2:12; Rev.19:20; 20:7,10,14,15)

4. separation (Mt.8:12; 22:13; see Lk.13:28; 16:26; 2Th.1:9; Rev.22:14,15; see Mt.24:51(Dt.32:41; Heb.11:37))

5. fire (Mt.5:22,29,30; 13:30,50; 18:8,9; 25:41; Mk.9:48; Lk.16:23-28; Jude 7; Rev.14:10,11; 19:20; 20:10,14; 21:8)

6. agony (Mt.8:12; 13:42,50; 22:13; 24:51; 25:30; Lk.13:28; 16:24)

7. torment (Mt.8:29(25:41); Mk.5:7; Lk.8:28; 16:23,28; Rev.14:10,11; 18:7,10,15; 20:10)

E. DURATION (Is.66:22-24; Dan.12:1,2; Mt.18:8,9; Mk.9:44,48; 25:41,46; Jn.5:29; Rom.2:7,8; 9:22,23; 2Th.1:9; Jude 7,13; Rev.14:10,11,13; 20:10

F. DEGREES (Mt.11:21-24; Lk.12:42-48; Rom.2:5; Jms.3:1; see Mt.16:27; Rom.2:6; 2Cor.5:10; Rev.2:23; 18:6; 20:12,13)

G. DWELLERS (Mt.25:41; 2Th.1:8; Rev.20:10; 21:8; 22:15; see Mt.8:29; 2Pt.2:4; Jude 6)

(completed on reverse)

SERMON: Flee from the Wrath to Come!						28 January 2001

II. OBJECTIONS TO THE HISTORIC INTERPRETATION OF THE BIBLE ON HELL

A. ORIGINATE IN EMOTIONAL REACTION AGAINST PLAIN MEANING (see Jer.23:16f,26; 2Tim.4:3)

B. UNJUST: TEMPORAL SIN & ETERNAL PUNISHMENT 
1. God is Just in Punishment (see 2Th.1:5-9; Rev.16:6,7)

2. the Weight of Glory (Rom.1:18f,23f; 3:5,6; Is.6:1f; Ps.51:4; see Eph.2:3; 5:6; Col.3:6)

3. the Divine Sanctions (Mt.25:41,46; see Gen.2:17; 3:13f; Rom.5:12f; 9:22,23)

4. the Merciful Warnings (Mt.3:7=Lk.3:7; see Gen.2:17; 2Chr.36:15; Jer.25:3,4; 26:5; 29:19; 32:33; 35:14,15; 44:4; Lk.11:49f; 2Cor.5:10,11,20,21)

5. the Gracious Provision (Jn.3:16-18,36; 1Jn.4:9,10)

C. UNLOVING: THE SANCTITY OF HIS CREATURES (Jn.3:16-18; 1Jn.4:10; Rom.3:25,26; see Ex.34:6,7; see Mt.25:41; Rev.20:10; 21:8)

III. FLEE FROM THE WRATH TO COME! (see Mt.3:7=Lk.3:7; 2Cor.5:20,21)

A. WATCH YOUR MOUTH (Ps.141:3; Jms.3:2f; see Ex.20:7; see Mt.25:41,46)

B. DO NOT IMAGINE WISHFUL THINKING BUT BELIEVE THE TESTIMONY OF THE SCRIPTURES (Jer.23:16f,26; 2Tim.4:3; see Jn.3:16-18,36; Mt.25:41,46; etc. above; Heb.6:1-3)
1. believe the good news of the gospel (Rom.5:9,6f; 1Jn.4:9,10; see 1Th.1:10; 5:9,10; Eph.2:3f; see Ps.22:1=Mt.27:46; 25:30)

2. believe the bad news of the gospel (Jn.3:36,18f; see Rev.9:20,21; 16:9,11; see Rom.1:18f; 2:4f; Eph.5:6; Col.3:5)

C. FLEE FROM THE WRATH TO COME!  REPENT AND BELIEVE IN THE GOSPEL! (1Th.1:9,10; Rom.5:6-11; Acts 2:37f; 16:31f; Mt.3:7; contrast 2Th.1:5-9; Rev.16:6,7)

D. BE A FAITHFUL WATCHMAN AND AN EARNEST AMBASSADOR! (Ezk.3:17f; 33:2f; 2Cor.5:20,21)