The Bible declares that Hell is a horrible place. In fact, words cannot properly describe the horror and pain that exists there. It is beyond human comprehension. We read in Revelation 20:10 that those who are lost in Hell will be “cast into the lake of fire and brimstone….and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” In this same book, we also read, “And the smoke of their [those who are lost] torment ascends up forever and ever and they shall have no rest day or night” (Revelation 14:11). Consider this, have you ever burned the tip of your finger? Do you remember the excruciating pain? Try to imagine what it would be like to be burning over every square inch of your body. Try to imagine you are also burning all on the inside and even your soul is eternally on fire, always burning, but never consumed. You are screaming and pleading for just "one drop of water on the tip of your tongue" (Luke 16:24), but there is none. This goes on forever and ever. In Hell there will be no relief; there will be no hope. Hell is a hopeless and a helpless place.
It would be bearable if you knew that in a million years it would end. But after one has been in Hell a million years, Hell will have just begun. There is no way out of this horrible place. There is no escape. The excruciating agony there will never end. Notice, there will be “weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth” in that place (Matthew 13:42). Notice there will be people constantly screaming because of the intense pain in Hell. They will be cast into outer darkness, away from the presence of the Lord, who is the source of all light and love (1 John 1:5; 2 Thessalonians 1:9). Our Lord says in Matthew 25:46, “And these shall go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” Everlasting punishment will last as long as eternal life in Heaven. The comparison is: Hell is ugly and horrible; Heaven is wonderful and beautiful. What Heaven is on one hand, Hell is the direct opposite.
Everyone in Hell will be constantly screaming and begging for mercy, but there will be none. Jesus says those who are lost “will be cast out into outer darkness: there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 8:12). With all of the weeping, screaming, wailing, and gnashing of teeth, there will be no hope that the continued pain and suffering will ever end. In Mark 9:47-48 Jesus says the lost will be, “thrown into Hell, where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched” (ESV). The worm is a flesh-eating maggot that does not die, but will continuously feed forever and ever on the lost in Hell. The fires of Hell will never go out. Sadly, some members of the Lord’s church will be lost in Hell. Jesus says, “But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 8:12).
Dear reader, “now is the accepted time” (2 Corinthians 6:2) to be concerned about the eternal fires of Hell – not when one arrives there. Folks in Hell will learn too late that God really meant what He said in His word about this horrible place. If one goes to Hell, he or she will only have themselves to blame. The picture of Hell is so frighteningly, horribly, and terribly unimaginable, that our Lord boldly challenges all mankind to make whatever sacrifice necessary to escape its horrors (Matthew 5:29-30; Matthew 6:19-25,33; Matthew 10:28; Matthew 10:37-39; Matthew 16:24-26). Let’s make certain that we are preparing ourselves to enter into that Heavenly abode that is reserved for God’s faithful children (1 Peter 1:4; Revelation 2:10).
—Mike Riley, Gospel Snippets
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