Have you ever wondered if the images of hell we’ve seen in popular culture actually reflect what Scripture teaches? The concept of hell has become clouded with medieval imagery and fire-and-brimstone preaching that may distort biblical teaching. When we examine Scripture’s complete testimony, we discover something profound: the lake of fire was never intended for humans at all, but for “the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41).
Yet separation from God isn’t just a future reality—it’s a progressive condition that begins in this life when we reject Him, creating what can truly be called “hell on earth.” Just as believers experience increasing glory even now, those rejecting God experience increasing darkness and separation. As we dig deeper into understanding hell, Gehenna, and the lake of fire, we’ll uncover how these concepts reveal God’s ultimate purposes and the tragic reality of choosing life without Him.
Biblical Insight
Jesus provides a crucial insight into the original purpose of eternal punishment in Matthew 25:41, where He says to those at His left hand: “Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” This remarkable statement reveals that hell wasn’t created for humanity—it was prepared specifically for Satan and demonic forces. Humans only go there by tragically choosing the way of the enemy over the way of God. This aligns with God’s character as revealed throughout Scripture—He is “not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). People who end up experiencing eternal separation have, in essence, chosen the wrong kingdom and receive the judgment prepared for its ruler.
When Jesus spoke about Gehenna (the burning rubbish dump outside Jerusalem) and Hades, He was revealing different dimensions of separation from God. In the parable of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16:19-31, the rich man is “in Hades, where he was in torment.” His suffering isn’t just physical pain but centers on separation—he can see Abraham and Lazarus “far away” but cannot cross the “great chasm” between them. This illustrates the heart of hell’s torment: the unbearable awareness of complete separation from God’s goodness. As Psalm 16:11 reveals, “in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” The opposite—absence from God’s presence—means absence of all true goodness, joy, love, and life itself.
Scripture reveals that separation from God is progressive, beginning in this life and culminating in final judgment. This progression is evident in Romans 1:21-32, where Paul describes people who suppress the truth: “their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.” This leads to a downward spiral where “God gave them over” to increasingly destructive desires and behaviors. Similarly, Ephesians 4:18-19 describes those separated from God as “darkened in their understanding…because of the hardening of their hearts.” This increasing darkness parallels the believer’s journey of increasing light—as 2 Corinthians 3:18 says, we “are being transformed into His image with ever-increasing glory.” The trajectories of glory and separation both begin in this life and find their fulfillment in eternity.
Practical Wisdom
Understanding that hell was never God’s intention for humanity should dramatically shape our view of His character and our approach to evangelism. God is not standing ready to condemn—He’s actively working to rescue every person, having provided salvation through His Son at tremendous cost. As John 3:17 declares, “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.” Our evangelism should reflect this heart of God—we share the gospel not primarily as a warning about hell but as an invitation to experience the life and relationship humans were created for. We speak truth about judgment with tears in our eyes, not with condemnation in our hearts.
The progressive nature of separation from God provides urgent motivation for both evangelism and personal holiness. When we recognize that people are experiencing “hell on earth” right now through their separation from God, we understand the present-tense importance of the gospel message. Every person we encounter is on a trajectory—either toward increasing glory through relationship with God or increasing darkness through separation from Him. As James 5:20 reminds us, “whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.” Our compassionate outreach isn’t just about future destinies but present realities.
For believers, understanding the progressive nature of both glory and separation should inspire profound gratitude and intentional living. We can recognize that every good thing we experience—from the air we breathe to the capacity for love and joy—comes from God as James 1:17 affirms: “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights.” By contrast, increasing separation from God means increasing distance from the source of all goodness. This understanding should motivate us to “taste and see that Yahweh is good” (Psalm 34:8) in deeper ways, cultivating spiritual practices that draw us closer to Him and experiencing more of His glory in our daily lives rather than taking His presence for granted.
Clearing up misunderstandings
One critical misunderstanding is viewing hell primarily as God’s vindictive punishment rather than the natural consequence of choosing separation from Him—the source of all life and goodness. Jesus’ statement that the eternal fire was “prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41) reveals that God never intended humans to experience this separation. The tragedy is that people choose the kingdom of darkness over the kingdom of light, as Jesus said: “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil” (John 3:19). God honors human freedom to such an extent that He allows people to choose against Him, even when that choice is the worst choice imaginable.
Another misunderstanding is failing to recognize the present reality of separation from God. Many think of hell only as a future destination rather than a progressive condition that begins now. Jesus taught that everlasting life isn’t just a future reality but begins in the present: “Now this is eternal life: that they know You, the only true God, and Jesus the Messiah, whom You have sent” (John 17:3). Similarly, separation from God begins now through rejection of His love and truth. This is why Paul could describe some as “dead in your transgressions and sins” (Ephesians 2:1) even while physically alive. The final judgment represents the culmination of a trajectory that begins in this life—people who consistently choose against God ultimately receive the full consequences of that choice.
Many also misunderstand the relationship between God’s love and His justice. Some portray God as loving in the New Testament but wrathful in the Old Testament, creating a false dichotomy. In reality, Scripture consistently portrays God as both perfectly loving and perfectly just throughout. His justice flows from His love—because He loves humanity, He cannot ignore the destructive power of sin. When we recognize that all goodness comes from God, we understand that separation from Him means separation from everything good. As C.S. Lewis insightfully observed, the doors of hell are locked from the inside—people choose separation from God despite His persistent love drawing them to Himself. Even Jesus’ warnings about judgment reflect His love, as a doctor who warns a patient about a deadly disease does so not to frighten but to save.
Conclusion
The biblical teaching about hell, Gehenna, and the lake of fire reveals a God whose heart breaks over human suffering and separation. Scripture consistently shows that eternal separation was never God’s intention for humanity but the tragic consequence of human choices. Just as believers experience increasing glory through relationship with God—beginning now and culminating in eternity—those rejecting God experience increasing separation, creating “hell on earth” that ultimately leads to final judgment. Every breath, every moment of joy, every experience of love in this life testifies to God’s goodness, making everlasting separation from Him truly the ultimate loss.
As we contemplate these realities, let’s remember that Jesus wept over Jerusalem’s rejection (Luke 19:41-44) and declared His desire to gather people under His wings like a mother hen protects her chicks (Matthew 23:37). God’s heart is always toward restoration. Our response should be to embrace His offer of relationship, growing in ever-increasing glory as we know Him more deeply, and compassionately sharing the good news that no one needs to continue on the path of separation. The message of Scripture isn’t primarily about avoiding punishment but about entering into the life and relationship for which we were created.
Did you know?
In ancient Jewish understanding, the concept of “olam ha-ba” (the world to come) developed from a vague notion of Sheol into a more detailed belief in resurrection and judgment during the intertestamental period (between the Old and New Testaments). This evolution in understanding helps explain why the Old Testament contains fewer explicit references to afterlife judgment than the New Testament. By Jesus’ time, various Jewish groups had developed different perspectives—the Sadducees denied resurrection entirely, while the Pharisees affirmed it. This context helps us understand why Jesus’ teachings about judgment and the afterlife were often presented in contrast to existing beliefs, clarifying the true nature of divine justice and reconciliation rather than introducing entirely new concepts. His emphasis that the eternal fire was “prepared for the devil and his angels” would have been a striking revelation in this theological landscape.
