It has been several years, but I still remember the conversation. While driving home one night, I was bouncing from one radio station to another in an attempt to avoid commercials. After several attempts, I heard a woman commenting that the general consensus of those at that particular radio station was that they were all going to hell. The man talking with her then responded that he did not want to be in hell with a bunch of terrorists, and thought that hell would probably have at least 6 levels. His meaning was that the higher the number, the worse the offenders, so he thought that level 6 was an appropriate level for terrorists and the penalty associated with their actions. He went on to say that he might end up in level 3, since he had been working at getting his act together by being a better husband and father to his children. He also brought up Prince, the singer/performer who had passed away in 2016. His thought was that Prince had gotten a bit closer to God during his last few years, so Prince might be able to take a shuttle between say level 1 and heaven.
What is scary about this discussion is that I was not the only one listening to this radio program. It makes me wonder how many listeners may have thought that these comments made sense. Based on my understanding, I do not see where hell is multilevel nor does God provide a shuttle service for those who are sort of okay.
Luke 16:19 – 26 (NKJV)
19 “There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. 20 But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, 21 desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 24 Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’ 25 But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented.
26 And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’
I think this multilevel concept of hell reminds us that there are various speculations on what hell is or is not, but let me make it very clear, I do not want to end up in hell, nor do I want any of you to spend your eternity there either.
Matthew 25:31 – 46 (NKJV)
31 “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. 33 And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’ 41 Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:
42 for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink;
43 I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’ 44 Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ 45 Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ 46 And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
Unlike those of that radio station, our general consensus should be that we are all going to heaven. Hell is certainly not a pleasant place to spend eternity!
Written by Tony Bohannon