Q&A: “What is the difference between Sheol, Hades, and Hell?” - DJ Dickerson - 5/24/26

This evening we

visit our asking for a friend Q&A series

by addressing a question that many

people wonder about. And again, that's

the whole point of the Q&A's that we do

once a month. You see, I believe we

missed it last month due to me being out

doing a gospel meeting

effort, but

jumping right back into it, this lesson

for this Sunday evening.

This question that many people wonder,

but may not always ask

openly. It's a question

connected to funerals, cemeteries,

grief, eternity.

And even our own understanding of Jesus

himself.

And so the question is, what do the

words Sheol, Gehenna, Hades, and hell

mean?

It's a very interesting question. You

know, we see these used throughout the

Old and New Testament even. And with

these with this very question that we're

going to be looking at considering this

evening, it naturally reaches into

additional questions such as, are they

all the same place? Where did Jesus go

after he died? And what happens after we

die? So it's a pretty interesting

question. And I would submit to you that

those are not merely theological

questions.

Uh

these are eternal questions.

And so

and because they are eternal questions,

we must approach them carefully and

biblically.

We don't want tradition to define these

terms. We don't want movies.

A lot of times that's that's one of the

big ones. Hollywood uses a lot of

different ideas out there.

We don't want movies. We don't want

culture. We don't want speculation to

define these words. We want scripture to

define what? Scripture. Okay? So, one

reason confusion exists

also is because our English Bible

sometimes translate

several different Hebrew and Greek words

with the same English word hell. Now,

>> [clears throat]

>> but the original biblical words carry,

if we may say, different shades of

meaning and different contexts. And when

we understand those particular

distinctions that are made, many

difficult passages suddenly become much

clearer. Okay? So, for this evening, I

want us to walk carefully and again,

there's a lot of information that you

can truly deep dive when you do word

studies. All right? Word studies are

always very interesting to me.

And and again, when we're looking at

context and all of these all of these

studies are

important for us as well to understand

um

these biblical terms.

So, with that being said, we're going to

look at the first one. Let's Let's go to

Let's talk about Sheol. All right? This

is one that

we find throughout

scriptures. Sheol is a Hebrew word found

throughout the Old Testament scriptures.

Generally speaking, Sheol refers to the

realm of the dead, the unseen world, or

the place of departed spirits.

Now,

sometimes our English Bibles will

translate it as grave. You'll see the

word as grave, sometimes pit, sometimes

hell, but the Hebrew word behind those

translations is often Sheol. And again,

in your Bibles, you may have a little

place that will have a reference to it.

Might have little letter A or B or

something like that and you'll look at

the bottom and you'll see that it says

may may say hell but also at the bottom

may say Sheol, right? And giving you

that that Hebrew word.

Now, immediately we must clear away a

misunderstanding.

When modern readers hear the word hell,

they usually think of the final place of

eternal punishment. But that is not

always what Sheol means. For example, in

Genesis chapter 37, look at Genesis

Genesis 37 · chapter mention Genesis 37 · chapter mention

chapter 37, look at verse 35. Sometimes

we might miss this when we're talking

about that of Joseph because there's a

lot that goes into the study of Joseph

in the Old Testament. But here in

chapter 37 verse 35, we see where this

word grave is actually used here. But it

says "And all his sons and all his

daughters arose to comfort him but he

refused to be comforted and he said,

'For I shall go down to the grave to my

son in mourning.' Thus his father wept

for him." Now, the word translated grave

actually in this passage is

Sheol.

Again, you might have a little notation

there in your Bibles.

Jacob was not saying that he expected

eternal torment. And again, referencing

what's going on here is Jacob believes

that his son Joseph has been killed.

Remember? And so in his grief, these are

the words that he said there in verse 35

of Genesis chapter 37. Now, again,

Genesis 37 · chapter mention

Jacob was not saying he expected eternal

torment. He was speaking about what? He

was speaking about death itself and

entering the realm of the departed.

Now, and again, you'll see this

throughout numerous scriptures. Like,

let me give you another one. Psalm 89 in

verse 48. Psalm 89 and verse 48 says,

"What man can live and not see death?

Can he deliver his life from the power

of the grave? Selah."

Well, again, the word you're going to

find if you have little notation there

in your Bibles, you're going to find

that referencing back to the Hebrew word

Sheol. Okay?

How about another one?

Ecclesiastes 9 and verse 10 is another

passage you'll see this very thought.

"Whatever your hand finds do do it with

all your do it with your might for there

is no work or device or knowledge or

wisdom in the grave where you are

going." Again,

the word for grave is Sheol.

Now,

the Old Testament often use uses this

term broadly

to refer to the unseen realm of the

dead. As I mentioned at the very

beginning here with this one, it was

associated with darkness or silence or

separation from earthly life and even

the end of earthly labor, just like

Ecclesiastes 9 is doing here in verse

10.

And what I say when we look at these

words and think about the context and

thinking about the importance in this

study is righteous people are also said

to go to Sheol.

Again, Jacob expected to go there. David

spoke about Sheol.

So, when you think about it that way,

Sheol itself was not automatically

describing eternal punishment, was it?

It generally referred to death and the

realm beyond earthly existence.

And honestly, I would tell you that that

there's something humbling about that

truth.

Because everyone here this evening,

all people for that matter, are moving

toward eternity.

Uh Hebrews 9 and verse 27 is a passage

that, I think, you know, it spells out

pretty simply. And as is appointed for

man to die once, but after this

the judgment.

Now,

the world, our society tries its best, I

would say even desperately, to ignore

death.

Uh people distract themselves with all

sorts of different things like

entertainment and and uh careers, money,

busyness, because deep down they know

something. Deep down they know death is

unavoidable.

But scripture continually reminds us

that life is temporary and eternity is

real. And there's another aspect to this

I'll I'll get into here in just a

moment, but let's keep going with our

word study, as well.

So, when you think about the word Sheol,

I kept thinking, "Well, how do I want to

transition to the next word?"

Uh well, the next word is Hades, okay?

Uh

now, this takes us from the Old

Testament to the New Testament.

Uh

this uh word Hades is the Greek

equivalent of Sheol.

Okay?

And

the translators,

when the Hebrew Old Testament was

translated into Greek, the translators

commonly used the Greek word Hades to

translate the Hebrew word Sheol. And

again, understanding there's different

languages here, Hebrew and Greek, that

we're talking about. So, Hades refers to

you guessed it, the unseen realm of

departed spirits.

And one of the I would say clearest

passages that that uh I believe we find

concerning Hades

uh is found in Luke chapter 16.

Luke 16 · chapter mention

Uh uh, in the account that's given about

the rich man and Lazarus.

Uh, you know, in Luke chapter 16, Jesus

Luke 16 · chapter mention

describes two men who died. And

in that, uh,

we have the the rich man. We don't have

a name for it for the rich man. We just

know he was a rich man. But, however, we

do have the specific name of Lazarus

that was used. And, uh, it's it's as

Luke chapter 16, when you go on down

Luke 16 · chapter mention

through that passage, it begins in verse

19. If you're turning over there,

there's a few things that you'll notice

about about these individuals and and,

uh, Lazarus, uh, who died was carried by

angels into Abraham's bosom. And then,

of course, uh, that would be considered

a place of comfort is what you see

there. The rich man, he also died, but

however, he was in torment.

Now, Luke chapter 16 and verse 23 says,

Luke 16 · chapter mention

"And being in torments in Hades,

he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham

afar off and Lazarus in his bosom."

It's pretty interesting.

Really, if you notice carefully,

uh, what Jesus reveals here.

Because in verses 24 through 27,

we we find the text where Jesus goes on

to talk about what's going on there. It

says, "Then he cried and said," now this

is talking about the rich man, "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. 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. 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.'"

So, what is one thing that you

automatically kind of jumps out to you

when you read verses 24 through 27.

I think the first thing is that both men

are consciously aware. Y'all see that?

They're consciously aware of what's

going on. They're conscious after death.

Now, the rich man, what does he do in

his conscious awareness? Well, he

remembers his brothers is one of the

things noted. Uh he remembers his life.

He he he's he experiences suffering. But

on the other hand, Lazarus is

experiencing comfort.

Here's the point. Death

did not end their existence, did it?

No.

Second of all,

there is mention of a separation between

the righteous and the wicked. Abraham

explained something. He explained to the

rich man. He says that there is a great

gulf

fixed so that none may cross from one

side to the other. Y'all see? Now,

that's another thing. What's the third

thing? The third thing is this scene is

not the final judgment because

resurrection and eternal sentencing have

not yet occurred.

So, when you think about Hades, the

temporary state,

in in the way it's described in in even

what you see in Revelation, I'll bring

those passages up as well, of of those

awaiting resurrection and final

judgment. And Revelation 20 and verses

13 through 15, you know, we were

studying this not too long ago and it's

pretty interesting how you see the word

Hades is mentioned here also.

Says, "The sea gave up the dead who were

in it and death and Hades delivered up

the dead who were in them." All right?

And they were what? What's the next

word?

Judged each one according to his works.

Then death and Hades were cast into the

lake of fire. This is the second death.

And anyone not found written in the book

of life was cast

into the lake of fire.

Now,

again,

think about this carefully.

A- If Hades itself

is cast into the lake of fire, then

Hades cannot be the final eternal state.

Now, if we're logically reasoning this,

you know,

and and this again, think about how

Hades is temporary.

The final judgment eternal comes later.

And and this reminds us of again another

sobering truth.

Death does not end existence.

Now, the point that I keep going back to

that is because if you have any

If you have taken any time to study with

others, and a lot of times I love these

questions that come up because again,

these are questions that not only, you

know, Christians may have uh regarding

regarding these topics, but even if we

may be well versed in some of this, it's

a great reminder for us because we're

going to have conversations with folks.

Because, you know what? There's folks

that don't understand those words like

Sheol and Hades and Gehenna and hell.

They don't understand those types of

words. And and and they're going to come

across those and and even the context

may have some confusion as to Wait a

second, it says this over here, but you

know, how does that work between the

Hebrew and the Greek? So, understanding

these things are very important for us

to take the time to to take this because

again, what the world is doing and what

the world has said, if you studied with

anybody at any time regarding in our

modern world, they often treat death as

complete annihilation, extinction, or

nonexistence.

That's that's that is a big thing that's

being taught.

But Jesus is teaching what? Conscious

existence beyond the grave. He's saying,

"Look, the soul continues.

Eternity continues." And that truth

really ought to shake us to the very

core and

spiritually shake up awaken us.

Because I I I would submit to you that

every funeral really is a reminder

that eternity is not a theory.

It's not a theory.

It is reality.

And these words

show us some very interesting things.

Well,

there's a lot more I could even say on

that one. But

let's talk about the word Gehenna.

Gehenna.

Gehenna

is the word most directly associated

with final eternal punishment.

Now, and again, if you

and maybe never heard that word used

before,

uh

you'll find it when you're you're

looking at these words like the word

Gehenna and where it comes from or

derives from is actually the Valley of

Hinnom that was outside Jerusalem.

Historically, it became associated with

terrible wickedness,

uh with with idolatry and and even child

sacrifice, okay?

During period of of Israel's rebellion.

Uh later it became associated with

uncleanness and and and burning refuse.

Now, Jesus uses this word Gehenna

to really I would say horrifying imagery

to describe eternal judgment.

When you go to Matthew chapter 10 and

Matthew 10 · chapter mention

you look at verse 28.

Verse 28. Matthew 10 verse 28. Look at

Matthew 10:28

it. Jesus said, "And do not fear those

who kill the body but cannot kill the

soul, but rather fear him who is able to

destroy both soul and body in hell."

Now,

you're saying, "Well, D.J., that don't

say Gehenna."

Right? That says hell. Now,

of course it does and as I said at the

very beginning, you're going to see that

word in the English here that's being

used.

But, you might have a notation.

If you do, you know what you're going to

find?

The bottom of your Bibles, you're going

to find the word Gehenna because that's

the Greek word that's being used.

So, this is not merely the realm of the

dead.

This is not simply an unseen world. This

is final eternal punishment that's being

discussed. So, Jesus actually repeatedly

warned about Gehenna because sin is

serious and judgment is real.

One again, the tragedies of modern our

modern world even is that many people

want a savior without wanting

submission.

They want heaven without holiness. They

want comfort without conviction. But,

Jesus in all these teachings and how

much he loves souls so much that he

would die on the cross of Calvary for

our sins,

he was

he loved us too much to remain silent

about eternal judgment. If you back up a

chapter or rather go go to Mark, the

book of Mark chapter 9.

Mark 9 · chapter mention

Mark chapter 9, look at verses 47 and

Mark 9 · chapter mention

verse 48.

Mark chapter 9 47 and 48.

Mark 9 · chapter mention

And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck

it out. It is better for you to enter

the kingdom of God with one eye rather

than having two eyes to be cast into

hellfire,

where their worm does not die and the

fire is not quenched.

Now, again,

you're looking at that word

hell and

which one is he talking about here? What

is he talking about when he used that

word? He's describing Gehenna.

Gehenna is the Greek word there.

And again, these are sobering words,

right?

Uh

honestly, we we should not ever

apologize for biblical truth simply

because modern culture dislikes it.

We don't apologize for

because just as Jesus made it clear even

in passages such as these that are that

are that are

has some pretty heavy imagery here

that hell is real,

judgment is real, eternity is real.

And Jesus spoke about these realities

because he wanted people to

repent of their sins. He wanted them to

follow him.

Now,

at this point in in really briefly we

went over these these terms and again I

tell you there's there's a lot that when

you

again deep dive into these studies.

But when you're

taking all of this and kind of

summarizing the these this terminology,

I I think the way that we can do that is

pretty simple from what we've seen so

far briefly.

Sheol is the Old Testament term

generally referring to the realm of the

dead.

Hades, as we noted, is the New Testament

Greek equivalent referring to the unseen

realm of departed spirits.

Gehenna

refers to the final place of eternal

punishment.

And the English word that we saw

several times already translated this,

hell,

has sometimes again been used

and sometimes translated for all these

words,

which again is why sometimes questions

like this come up because

you know, again, understanding the

difference and what's being discussed

and and I want to

bring that up in this next point as to

as to how this confusion has happened.

Because some people will naturally look

at certain passages

and say, "Well, wait a second.

Uh when I read Acts chapter 2 or I'm

Acts 2 · chapter mention

reading uh Psalm,

where did Jesus go?

Where did he go

after he died?

He was crucified and he died. He was

buried. Okay? Where did Jesus go?"

Well,

when you're

looking at this and and again, if you've

had any discussions with folks, this is

this has been

a pretty big topic at times when you're

studying.

Because some people have mistakenly

imagined that Jesus descended into

eternal hellfire after his death.

Does scripture teach that?

Well, when you look at Acts chapter 2

Acts 2:27

verse 27, what is Peter doing there?

He's quoting.

He's quoting from an Old Testament

passage of Psalm chapter 16.

Psalms 16 · chapter mention

How do we answer that? Well, Acts 2

Acts 2:27

verse 27 says, "For you will not leave

my soul in Hades,

Hades,

nor will you allow your holy one to see

what?

Corruption. Okay. Now,

interestingly, when you when you go and

you you look at that passage and again,

there's context there and and even when

you're considering who was talking, who

was being referred to, and so forth and

so on. It's very important to note this

because it it as it goes on

and and what Peter is is talking about

in Acts chapter 2,

Acts 2 · chapter mention

this is quoting Psalm 16, right? And

your reference will show verses 8

through 11.

Now, what even Peter goes on to make

mention of that this in this Psalm 16

was David that was talking here, okay?

And if you go on down a little bit,

verse 29, what's it say in Acts 2 and

verse 29? Men and brethren, let me speak

freely to you of the patriarch David

that he is both dead and buried and his

tomb is with us to this day.

Now, therefore being a prophet and

knowing that God had sworn with an oath

to him that of the fruit of his body,

according to the flesh, he would raise

up the Christ to sit on his throne. He

foresaw He foreseeing this spoke

concerning the resurrection of the

Christ that his soul was not left in

What's that next word?

Hades.

Nor did his flesh see corruption. This

Jesus God has raised up, of which we are

all witnesses. Now,

here here's here's points that that's

being made.

Jesus died, okay? He truly did. He died.

His body was placed in tomb. His spirit,

okay?

Where did it go?

Where was he?

Not leave my soul in Hades. What do we

say about Hades?

That's not eternal hell, is it?

That's not That's not the word Gehenna.

Okay?

Although he went to Some of you use the

word Hades and realm, although he went

to Hades,

he was not abandoned in Hades. Death

could not hold him.

All right?

Look at this even.

What what is the meaning when you look

at Luke 23 and verse 43?

There's There's I mean I could I could

go so much Luke 23 and verse 43. And

Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to

you, today you'll be with me in

paradise."

Who's Jesus talking to there in that

passage?

Thief on the cross, right?

Interestingly, that Jesus told the thief

on the cross this.

So, what what does that mean? What

What's happening here? Well, Jesus

entered the realm of the departed, but

he did not enter Gehenna

as one suffering eternal punishment.

See, and again, we have to understand

terminology. It's really that important.

It's really important because again,

this is a confusing thing for people

uh

on on many levels. The point that's even

being made is he conquered death itself,

and the victory changes everything.

Look at what is stated in Revelation

Revelation 1 · chapter mention

chapter 1 and verse 18.

Revelation 1 and verse 18.

I would I would say this is one of the

most triumphant declarations. All right?

Verse 18, Revelation 1. "I am he who

lives and was dead, and behold, I am

alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the

keys of

Hades and of death."

That is a glorious statement, especially

when you understand who he's talking

about.

On those words,

death does not hold the keys anymore.

The grave does not reign supreme anymore

cuz Jesus conquered death.

And that's why when you even go to 1

1 Corinthians 15 · chapter mention

Corinthians chapter 15,

Paul could triumphantly declare these

words, verses 54 and 55.

"So, when this corruptible has put on

incorruption and this mortal has put on

immortality, then shall be brought to

pass the saying that is written, 'Death

is swallowed up in victory. O death,

where is your sting? O Hades, where is

your

victory?"

You see, for the faithful Christian,

death is no longer the hopeless end. It

becomes the doorway into eternal

fellowship with God.

Understanding

uh these terms and and and again, uh

from my knowledge and and what I've

gained over time and studying God's word

and looking at at these at these terms,

I think it's comforting, isn't it?

As a Christian, we think about what that

means. Those who had fallen asleep.

Remember how that's referred to in 1

1 Thessalonians 4 · chapter mention

Thessalonians chapter 4.

And what Jesus had has has taught on

this very subject himself to give us

uh the the very uh again, information.

There's a lot of things that I I

don't know and we may not completely

know everything, obviously.

Uh but this is the grasp that that I'm

I'm seeing when I look at these verses.

And the next question that will will end

with is again,

what happens after we die?

I think that's one of the greatest

questions that has echoed throughout the

history of humanity.

What happens after we die?

Every funeral asks this question,

basically. I mean, maybe something

that's said out loud.

Uh

every cemetery, I I would say, whispers

it.

I would say that every grieving heart

feels it.

Uh and despite all of man's

technological advancements and

scientific achievements,

no human philosophy has ever been able

to remove the reality of death or answer

eternity apart from God's revelation.

It's not that they just can't do it

apart from God's revelation.

Because the Bible consistently teaches

that death is not the extinction.

Again, whether you know this or not,

this is taught, this is believed on

levels that in your colleges, people

there's people on the grounds that will

speak on these types of things, you

know, that once you're dead, you're dead

like Rover, you're dead all over, kind

of thing, okay? That's what That's what

they do with this.

That's kind of the terminology that

they've been used.

But human beings are more than flesh and

blood.

We possess an eternal spirit created by

God. I mean, I could go all the way back

to Genesis and think about how God

breathed, right, into man. Think about

that, the significance of of that

description.

And so, with this eternal spirit that's

created by God and is is described much,

obviously, throughout the scriptures,

when physical death occurs,

consciousness it's does not cease.

You know?

And as we noted earlier in the lesson,

the Hebrew writer declares about men

once to die, and after this, the

judgment. That That if you'll ever

notice that the scriptures does not

describe death as the end.

As the end all of everything, you know,

you're just gone. You don't exist

anymore.

But what is pronounced here, as we see

in Revelation chapter 20 even, is death

Revelation 20 · chapter mention

is followed by judgment.

That means existence continues beyond

the grave. Jesus himself taught this,

yet again, repeatedly you'll find it.

Prime example, John chapter 5, verses 28

John 5:28

and 29.

Do not marvel at this, for the hour is

coming which all who are in the grave

will hear his voice and come forth.

Those who have done good to the

resurrection of life, and those who have

done evil to the resurrection of

condemnation. See, we can get all talk

about

resurrection as well. Much of what Paul

even discussed in

in many passages of in Corinthians as

well as

Thessalonians.

Because Paul

again reinforced this truth of what the

Bible speaks and teaches about

resurrection and accountability.

One day

all who has ever lived will stand before

God.

Paul reinforced this truth, didn't he?

In 2 Corinthians 5 and verse 10. For we

must all appear before the judgment seat

of Christ. That each one may receive the

things done in the body according to

what he has done whether good or bad.

Now, it's interesting

that when you go through the scriptures

you

again, this is not a new issue. Okay,

this is not a new issue that we're

seeing. You go throughout history, some

have denied conscious existence after

death. Ancient groups like the

Sadducees. Y'all remember them? The

Sadducees, they rejected the spirit

realm all together and denied the

continued existence of the soul. Didn't

they deny resurrection? Yeah, sure did.

Yet Jesus exposed the error of that

belief when you look at Luke chapter 20

Luke 20 · chapter mention

and verses 37 and 38 when he reminded

them that God declared himself to be the

God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob long

after those patriarchs had physically

died.

Look at that. Verse 37 38 of Luke

Luke 20 · chapter mention

chapter 20. But even Moses showed in the

burning bush passage that the dead are

raised when he called the Lord the God

of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the

God of Jacob for he is not the God of

the dead but of the living for all live

to him.

You see, that's what Jesus was

concluding from that with the Sadducees.

He is not the God of the dead, but of

the living.

Though their bodies have long been

buried,

Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob still existed

before God.

And the Bible repeatedly teaches this

very thought. We saw in Luke chapter 16

Luke 16 · chapter mention

and what Jesus was teaching about the

rich man and Lazarus.

One experienced comfort while the other

experienced torment. The rich man

remembered his life and his brother's.

Lazarus was comforted Abraham's bosom.

Death, interestingly, what I glean from

that,

had not erased awareness.

Revelation 6,

another passage.

Remember the soul of martyrs in

Revelation chapter 6?

Revelation 6 · chapter mention

How are they pictured?

They're pictured as conscious,

crying out before God.

That's what you find in Revelation

Revelation 6 · chapter mention

chapter 6.

What does Hebrews 12 speak of regarding

the spirits?

The spirits of just men made perfect.

It's interesting. And again, this this

is a whole

You you can take all of this, and I

mean, go home and and study and look at

all of this. So much so much information

that I'm not able to get into uh

tonight.

But even Stephen, I I thought about him

as he was dying, what did he pray? Lord

Jesus, receive my what? Spirit.

Interesting.

What I'm What I'm showing is the

consistent testimony of scripture is

that the spirit continues

after physical death.

But the Bible also teaches that the

present state is not the final state.

One day Christ will return.

The dead will be raised.

See, that's again, you look at 1

Thessalonians speaks about this. Paul

has a lot to say about that. 1

Corinthians 15 There's There's a lot,

okay?

And all will stand before God in

judgment.

For the faithful child of God, that day

is one of hope. It's one of victory.

But for those who reject God, those who

reject scripture,

those who reject his will repeatedly

warned.

The word repeatedly warns of eternal

separation and punishment.

Because that's how Jesus described

Gehenna

as everlasting fire.

Revelation describes the lake of fire

where punishment continues forever and

ever.

And while some attempt to explain away

these warnings that are given in the

scripture as mere extinction or or mere

annihilation,

the language of scripture points instead

to conscious eternal consequences.

The Bible describes

punishment, judgment, separation, and

everlasting destruction. Not Not the

disappearance

of existence itself.

That reality, again, at the very core

should sober every single heart.

Every.

Because life is not random.

And death is not

an unforeseen accident. It's It's not

the end.

And eternity is not imaginary, friends.

And I submit to you

that

everyone

of us

here this evening

is preparing for forever.

Let that sink in. I know that's a hard

thing for us to to kind of

in our minds cuz forever

cuz we're accustomed to things that have

a beginning and that have an ending,

don't we?

That story begins

in a land far, far away and then it

ends. All right.

This this is where we have to really

takes that self-examination and really

look deep because what we're doing is

we're preparing for forever.

Whether we realize it or not because the

question is not whether eternity exist,

the question is where will we spend it?

That's the question.

And that's why the gospel

matters so deeply.

Jesus Christ entered death and conquered

it.

We saw that in scriptures.

Many more I can give you for that. He

walked in the grave, he rose victorious.

And because he lives, those who belong

to him do not face death without hope.

Thinking about what Peter

stated in 2 Peter 3:10-14.

2 Peter 3:10–14

Look at this description about the day

of the Lord. There's a whole lot I could

say on that one, too.

2 Peter chapter 3:10-14, but the day of

the Lord will come as a thief in the

night in which the heavens will pass

away with a great noise and the elements

will melt with fervent heat. Both the

earth and the works that are in it will

be burned up. Therefore, since all these

things will be dissolved, what manner of

persons ought you to be

in holy conduct and godliness.

Looking for and hastening the coming of

the day of God because of which the

heavens will dissolve being on fire and

the elements will melt with fervent

heat. Nevertheless, we according to his

promise look for new heavens and a new

earth in which righteousness dwells.

Therefore, beloved looking forward to

these things, be diligent to be found by

him in peace without spot and blameless.

In other words,

eternity should shape how we live right

now.

Every decision matters. Every soul

matters. Every opportunity to obey the

gospel matters.

Cuz after death comes eternity.

No matter what's taught, even some

people say, "Well, you can have this

chance and and someone can pay you out

of this, you know, on this side. They

can pay so much money to a priest and

get you out of

That is nowhere

in this word, okay?

It's not there.

It's not.

Now, that might give people some

I don't know, some kind of sense of

well, security of well, you know, if I

didn't do it right this first go around,

then I'll have a second chance or

somebody might care for me on the other

side, you know, living still and they'll

be like, "You know what? I'm going to

I'm going to take care of things." That

is not what the Bible teaches.

And I know how That sounds kind of weird

to us. You never heard that That's

what's That's what's taught. That's

taught.

And people believe that.

Flies in the very face of what scripture

speaks and tells.

For instance, after death,

that's it.

Physically,

the choices have been made. It's done.

Cuz then eternity.

But the most important question this

evening is not merely, you know, what do

these words mean? And I'm glad I I

appreciate so much that looking at these

words has helped remind me of a lot in

the study.

But the most important question tonight

as we end is am I ready to meet God?

Cuz everyone

will step beyond this life. And when

that moment comes, only one thing will

matter.

Whether we have been found faithful to

the word of God.

So this evening, the Lord offers offers

salvation to all who will come to him in

obedient faith. The invitation is

extended. The one who holds the keys of

death and Hades invites you to come

while there is still time on this side

of eternity. Don't wait until eternity

to think seriously about yourself. I I

spent you could spend a lot thinking

about that about the rich man and all

the things. They had Moses and the

prophets is what Abraham told him.

Let them hear them.

We don't wait

to think seriously about ourselves. We

think about it right now.

We think about it right now. If you

haven't put on the body of Christ in

baptism, you can do that tonight.

Repenting of your sins, confessing Jesus

that he is the son of living God and

you're baptized for the remission of

your sins to rise and walk in this life.

You have to do something with that

belief and it's got to move past a mere

acceptance that there is a God and that

there is Jesus.

You got to do something with it.

We'd love to help you with that. As a

disciple of Christ, something that's a

mission in your life,

need prayers on your behalf, whatever

your spiritual need.

And all that we've talked about with

Hades and and death,

we talked about Gehenna,

about hellfire.

All those kind of are kind of sad, you

know, things in a sense. But to the

Christian death, you know what that

means?

That means glory. That means victory.

That means

to be with the Lord one day.