The ID Card Doesn’t Matter

(Pro 7:27 KJV)  Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death.

If you read through this narrative of a young man being seduced into adultery you probably don’t stop to think about how both he and the woman were members of God’s chosen people.  They were part of Israel. They had the promise of God in their heritage. They were descendants of Abraham.  All of that is wonderful.  It is awesome.  The problem is not whether you have a Platinum card but does the scanner refuse to honor it.

You have all been there.  You have your purchases rung up and even bagged.  You put your card in the slot or tap your phone and the computer says, “No.”  Usually, if you are paid up, the second try works and you go your way but it isn’t the plastic that says you are chosen.

So?  You are not more spiritual because you are not a part of a liberal denomination.  You are not on the road to heaven because you are too in touch with God to find a church to attend.  The “way to hell” is real and is on the wide gate that Jesus said is so easy to find.  Find the narrow gate.   

Details, Details

Proverbs 27:20 (KJV) Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.

I was listening to a podcast where a Bible teacher named Stephen Gregg was talking about the different historical views of hell.  Evidently before Augustine there were various views that are still around today, but are not quite as popular.  It was interesting.  Here though we get some insight into what hell would be like.

The keyword here that I’m looking at is the word “satisfied”.  What doesn’t come through in the KJV, but is there in the NASB, is that the word “full” is the same word in Hebrew as "satisfied".  This is giving me an insight into what hell will be like.  Excepting the lake of fire and the torment this would give an explanation of a part of the torment.

Just as we as human beings in this life seem to be never satisfied, we always want more, so it will be if we spend an eternity in hell.  In addition to the torment, there will be this unremitting sense of incompleteness.

So?  Anyway you look at it, eternity without Jesus is going to be utter misery.  This just makes it a little worse.  Of course the alternative is to trust in Him and have eternal life.  It seems an easy choice to me  

A Word for the Afterlife

Psalms 6:5 (KJV) For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks?

(Proverbs 16 also read)

One of the books I have been reading had a discussion about hell.  It was rather interesting, even if the topic is one that I do not enjoy.  One of the topics looked at was the word that is used here for “grave”.  Many of the more modern translations transliterate the word as Sheol.

Some Bible scholars are of the belief that the ancient Hebrews did not have a concept of heaven and hell like we do.  The opinion was they went along with the general pagan idea of Hades, where the dead go to live in darkness and gloom.  Often they say there is no difference between the resting place of the righteous or the wicked.

This verse would seem to go along with that if it were the only witness we have in the Bible.  This would seem to say that once you’re buried, there’s no awareness or way that you can be praising or thanking God.  If this was the only place we had we could make that conclusion.  Fortunately, there are many other places where a different view is given, including the place where Jesus told the thief on the cross that he would be in paradise with Him that day.

So?  Be careful who’s opinion you listen to.  Do some reading on your own.  You’d be surprised at what you can find. 

Timing

(Isa 55:6 KJV)  Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:

(Proverbs 18 also read)

I don’t know anything about the tenses of the Hebrew verbs.  I have some rudimentary knowledge of Greek but Hebrew has these qualifiers that are beyond me.  That being said, both translations I consult on a regular basis have this word “may” in regard to God being “found” (4672).  That should remind us that there are times when things can happen and times when they are impossible.

We get into thinking about God’s love and Jesus’ sacrifice in terms of God waiting patiently.  That is true but we also need to realize that there comes an end to God’s patience.  This is not the only place that seems to say this.  God knows our hearts and He can see that there is a place where we will have crossed a line and will never turn to Him.

So?  If you have any sensitivity to the call of God may I ask that you not put off responding.  Don’t let the calluses of your heart build up to where He says, “You had your chance.”

Christmas Blood

 (Act 20:26 KJV)  Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men.
 

(Proverbs 18 also read)

When I read this a certain bit of prophecy came to mind.  I could not find it in any of the cross references which is a good reason to keep your own mind awake.  I felt like Paul was referring back to the words of Ezekiel,

(Eze 3:18 KJV)  When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.

Paul had preached.  He had taught.  He had talked endlessly.  During that time he did not pull punches on truth.  I wish I could say the same and I am afraid that it is a common failure in Christian circles.  

We don’t want to offend.  We want to be liked.  We don’t feel we have the right words.  We still are the ones with the truth.  This should be a bit easier at Christmas time because we know what it is all about.

So?  If you love, share.  For many you may be the only Bible they get near. 

Grave Considerations

(Pro 1:12 KJV)  Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit:

The NASB talks about “Sheol” (7585) instead of the “grave”.  Sheol is a transliteration of the Hebrew.  This deals with something that we don’t like to discuss, Hell.  When you look at these Hebrew terms you need to understand that there is a lot of disagreement on whether the ancient Jews believed in an afterlife and a resurrection.  There is evidence on both sides.  In fact the two prominent parties of the Gospels, the Pharisees and Sadducees, took opposite positions on the resurrection.

What we need to understand is that Hell is real and the resurrection is a promise.  We can avoid Hell but no one can avoid the resurrection.  For some it will be a blessing and for nonbelievers it will simply be another disaster.

So?  God’s promises involve the strength to deal with issues today and the assurance of the final outcome.  Both are important.  That is a good thought for the day after Halloween which is All Hallows Day, or All Saints Day. 

Team Dues

(Pro 19:9 KJV)  A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall perish.

There is a serious threat in this verse.  It says liars will “perish” (6).  There are many different translations for this word and none of them are pretty if you are the object of the verb.  One of the reasons I give for believing someone I know to be a Christian over someone I know is not has to do with this verse.  If Jim Dobson lies to me he knows it could send him to hell.  If Richard Dawkins lies to me it is just another day at the office because he does not believe in hell.  It makes a difference in how reliable people are.

So?  Stick with the truth.  We serve a holy God.  One of the words Jesus used to describe Himself was “truth”.  You are either on the team or you are not. 

Passive or Active

(Pro 7:27 LB)  If you want to find the road to hell, look for her house.

The Living Bible stood out to me this morning.  It always amazes me how casually some people take the concept of Hell.  What is even more unsettling is that some seem to be actively seeking it.  That is what this verse is about.

For some reason I was thinking about Hell a few days ago.  I think I was on the topic of literal versus figurative and the conflicting images of a lake of fire and a dark place came to me.  One of my theories is that God’s curses are passive, not necessarily active.  That means that we face tragedy when He withdraws His protection.  Think about the disasters that might have struck your life if you guardian angel was off on vacation.

So?  Even if the pictures are figuratively, Hell is a place of great misery because the presence of God has been withdrawn.  Mark it as a place to avoid. 

Choice Ignorance

(Pro 7:7 KJV)  And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding,

Two kinds of people are commented on in this chapter.  The first, who gets the least attention, is the son who is being told to listen to the commandments and wisdom.  The one mentioned here, and by extension the woman he has an affair with, are rejecting that advice.

Two descriptions are given.  First, he is “simple” (naive NASB) (6612a) and second he is “lacking” (2638) “sense” (3820) or “void of understanding.  If you follow to the end of the chapter you find out that this guy is bound for hell.  That is a significant difference but it is caused by the real difference.  The reason he is bound for hell is he refuses to engage with the truth that is offered to him.  He probably thinks he is smart enough to avoid the pitfalls.  He would have to play all kind of mind games to say he didn’t know anything about it, after all, he lived during the time period when Solomon was building the temple.  It was not a time of ignorance about the law and God’s expectations.

So?  We all have opportunities.  We all have the necessary knowledge for how things go for us in eternity.  Some people, no matter how much they are talked to, will refuse to listen.  They don’t want to hear it so they don’t.  I trust we will make better choices. 

Hell Is Real

(Pro 15:24 KJV)  The way of life is above to the wise, that he may depart from hell beneath.

I don’t spend a lot of time focused on “hell” (7585).  The NASB “Sheol” is a transliteration of the Hebrew.  I don’t brood about Sheol either.  I tend to focus on the first part of the verse.  I don’t understand hell but I believe in it.  If there was no other reason to embrace faith in Christ this would be enough.  It always amazes me how many people seem to be choosing eternal damnation.  They will even joke about it.

So?  It might do us some good to remind ourselves that Hell is a reality and that people we care about will be going there if they don’t repent.  I think we would get more serious about our witness if we kept it in mind. 

Up’s and Down’s

(Pro 15:24 KJV) The way of life is above to the wise, that he may depart from hell beneath.

The path of the righteous leads “upward” (4605).  Notice the implication that Heaven is up and Hell is “below” (4295).  We tend to be taught that is literal but I am not so sure.  Take “heaven” for instance.  Its frequent meaning is sky.  It also refers to the abode of God but is usually not a reference to a place we spend eternity.  Hell, or Sheol, is the underworld but I don’t think there has been any evidence in mining or drilling that there is a vast cavern under the earth holding Satan and his minions.  Yet we still see the designation of high and low.

One point we need to understand is we are expected to take what is called the high road.  We see this every day in politics.  People who reject the God of the Bible are quite free to change the rules and lie.  Christians are not.  We are to take the path that leads upward.  That is true for our personal fate.  It is also true for our nation because that is the only way we will survive and prosper.

So?  Live upright and righteous.  It is the minimum standard, not just a fuzzy goal. 

Making Reservations

(Pro 9:18 KJV) But he knoweth not that the dead are there; and that her guests are in the depths of hell.

Would you get on an airplane if you knew it was going to crash?  I know, dumb question.  We ignore the reality that some airplanes crash because the numbers are so low that we assume we can beat them.  Think about all the things you do that kill people every day.  Obvious ones would be driving a car and crossing a street.  Ones we don’t think about would be taking a bath and swallowing our pills. 

Then you have the people who go out knowing that they will be drunk when they drive home.  You have people who start down the drug road knowing the dangers.  You have people with very flexible sexual practices that know all about STD’s and VD.  The churches are full of people who know the standards that God has established and ignore them on a regular basis.

So?  Hell is going to be full.  That may be one of the conditions that will make it so miserable.  Make sure you are not on the guest list. 

Endings

(Pro 15:11 KJV) Hell and destruction are before the LORD: how much more then the hearts of the children of men?

How can a loving God send people to Hell?  It is a good question and has answers but before you can be concerned about such answers you need to wrap your acceptance around something:  Hell exists.  There are graphic pictures throughout scripture.  It isn’t important to me if you want to call the lake of fire a literary devise or a literal description.  What is vital is that you wrap your mind around the teaching that after death most people will end up in Hell. 

If you can’t accept that jump from Proverbs then listen to the words of Jesus,

(Mat 7:13-14 KJV) Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:  Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

So?  You don’t need to dwell on it all the time but be aware that the people around you do not live stories that have happy endings.  Be sensitive to chances to share the hope that is in you. 

Sheol Street

(Proverbs 7:27 KJV)  Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death.

We used to sing a chorus that had the phrase “highway to heaven”.  The NASB has a phrase that I have always like, “Highway of Holiness”. 

(Isaiah 35:8 NAS77)  And a highway will be there, a roadway, And it will be called the Highway of Holiness. The unclean will not travel on it, But it will be for him who walks that way, And fools will not wander on it.

In this verse we are warned about Sheol Street.  If we look at the KJV we could come up with “highway to Hell”. 

Sheol Street is in the wrong part of town.  It may be in the ritzy part.  It may be rural.  The point is that rebellion and sin are the guiding principles.

So?  Just as you can decide what route you take on a vacation, you decide which way your day goes.  Check the Map and plan accordingly. 

The Dead Are Recruiting

(Proverbs 9:18 KJV)  But he knoweth not that the dead are there; and that her guests are in the depths of hell.

Have you ever had someone say, “God would not expect that of me”?  Or perhaps you have had someone ask, “How could a loving God do that?”  Both are based on a view of God that has been molded by our culture instead of the Bible.  Our idea of love is Hollywood lite.  The older generation’s understanding of the holiness of God is based on Father Knows Best and Leave It to Beaver.  I am not sure where the youth of today get their understanding, maybe Spongebob Squarepants.

God is holy.  He is in this for keeps and for eternity.  Since He is holy He has an understanding of evil that we cannot grasp.  That means there are consequences for our decisions.  “Hell” (7585) (KJV) or “Sheol” (7585) (NASB) is very real.

So?  God is very patient.  Think of Him as a modern steel radial tire.  There is a lot of redundancy built in and a genuine tolerance but eventually it blows or just goes flat.  The warning is clear.  Don’t ignore it. 

Getting What You Want

(Proverbs 4:19 KJV)  The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.

Many people who practice evil do so deliberately.  Many do so without thinking.  Many don’t have a clue.  All are doing what they want to do.  The difference is in understanding what is really going on.  If you are old enough to remember the TV program “The Twilight Zone” you may remember the one in which the criminal was shot and thought he had ended up in heaven by mistake.  He was delighted that every wish he had was granted.  After a while he got tired of winning every time he played the roulette wheel.  He begged his escort to send him to the other place because he did not deserve to be in heaven.  The “angel” burst into laughter and said, “This is the ‘other place’.”  The criminal got what he wanted and it wasn’t what he wanted.

So?  Part of living the righteous life involves trusting God to know what is best for us and obeying even when we don’t understand.  We often don’t “know” (3045) what the reasons or long term results will be but we can understand that God does.

Playing for Keeps

(Proverbs 27:20 KJV)  Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.

What will Hell be like?  We have images of fire and brimstone.  We think of eternal torment.  It will definitely be a place where it is impossible to be aware of the presence of God or the comfort of the Holy Spirit.  How much is literal in the word pictures?  I don’t know.  Just to be safe I am going to assume they are literal.  I hope to never find out personally. 

Here we have a characteristic of Hell that I had not thought of that goes along with the idea of eternal torment.  The KJV version uses two different English words for the same Hebrew term.  Both “full” (7646) and “satisfied” are the same in the original language.  However you want to portray Hell it will never be finished taking the life out of us.  It is a characteristic of evil.  Evil causes pain and suffering because it is its nature.

So?  Be aware.  We are not living in a video game that we can reset every time we start losing.  This is for keeps.  

Sheol Is Real

(Proverbs 1:12 KJV)  Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit:

A theme in horror tales that I find makes me uncomfortable is being buried “alive” (2416a).  My imagination can really take some leaps when it gets in my mind.  I think others are the same, but this is not talking about that.  This is talking about after death.  The KJV “grave” (7585) is sheol, which is transliterated in the NASB.  This is the Hades of the NT.  The Bible assumes that physical death is not the end and that there are two different destinations.

It always amazes me how people are willing to believe in heaven but have a hard time with hell.  The Bible teaches both concepts but too many want to pick and choose what they believe. 

So?  I am not sure how useful scare tactics are in getting people genuinely converted.  After all, people still go down into dark cellars after all the bad ends that leads to in movies.  It doesn’t hurt to be honest.  Maybe it will wake someone up. 

Wake Up Reminder

(Proverbs 9:18 KJV)  But he knoweth not that the dead are there; and that her guests are in the depths of hell.

“Sheol” (7585), or as the KJV calls it “hell”, is a reality.  I don’t like it.  Many reject it.  We use it as a cuss word rather than a place to avoid.  There are people who attend church, preach in pulpits and call themselves Christians who reject the idea.  How you can reject anything just because you don’t like it and still call yourself a Christian is a puzzle to me.

Hell is a place to avoid.  It is enough of a reason to turn to Jesus.

So?  Maybe we should pick a day each year to stop and remind ourselves about what Jesus has saved us from.  Maybe Halloween would be a good day.  Or perhaps April Fools day would do the job.  Don’t ignore the consequences of rejection. 

Threats That Need Not Apply

(Proverbs 15:10 KJV)  Correction is grievous unto him that forsaketh the way: and he that hateth reproof shall die.

Is this “grievous” (stern NASB) (7451a) “correction” (discipline NASB) (4148) referring to this life or eternity?  If it is in this life, does it come when you are still a believer or after you have left the fold?  This is an interesting phrase because in the Updated NASB it is translated differently than the 1977 edition.  The KJV says “correction is grievous”, the NAS77 says “stern discipline” and the Updated NASB has “grievous punishment”. 

The noun is an interesting word.  The most frequent translation in both versions is “instruction”.  Evidently students were no more thrilled with the prospects of learning in ancient Israel than they are today.  The adjective is a standard word but instead of the choices here the common translation in both KJV and NASB is “evil”.  Put it together and you could easily make it “evil punishment”.

So?  Take it for now or for then, the results of wicked living will be nasty.  I would hope that it is as far away from your reality as bread lines.  For those walking in obedience it is nothing to worry about.  For most it is a real danger.