Why is Hell Just That... Hell?

How many people really have ever wondered why the place that Christianity has traditionally called Hell is just that... Hell? It's not something that I've ever particularly desired to spend much time thinking in depth upon and I think most people would echo similar sentiments. Hell is something that is not very pleasant to dwell upon and as a result, we don't spend much time focusing on it. However, if we would take a moment to examine why Hell is a place of torment, we might be surprised with what we learn.

I take as my starting point 2 Corinthians 3:18 and 4:6. "And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is spirit." "For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." Paul makes it explicitly clear that the transformation in the life of a believer comes as a result of SEEING GOD! As we look through scripture this truth is confirmed as we examine the lives of various people who had encounters with God. Moses, Isaiah, Ezekiel, the Apostle Peter and the Apostle John are all examples of this. Their lives were transformed as they gazed upon the beauty and glory of the Lord such that they were drawn to him and transformed. This transformation is ultimately God's work but the means he uses is the delight and satisfaction that come from seeing God as He truly is. Therefore, although much more could be said of this by way of proof, we understand that seeing God truly with spiritual eyes is to delight in him. The very joy of eternal life comes not in living forever without dying but living forever without dying in a state of sheer, ever increasing bliss because of the presence of our Father God!

There will come a day when all men will be resurrected and stand before God in judgment and worship. As Paul tells us in Philippians 2:10-11, all men, not just Christians, will worship God at the last day. I take this to mean that all men, Jew or Gentile, Christian or Non-Christian will come to see the full-glory of God in all its delightful, satisfying radiance. Now, imagine catching a true glimpse of that which you finally realize is the true satisfaction of your soul. For a moment you are able to worship it and bask in its glory and then, you are suddenly whisked away and completely shut out from that which you finally realized is your satisfaction. I think that would be the greatest torment for any human being to endure! The Bible describes Hell as a place of "weeping and gnashing of teeth". What better the cause of this weeping and gnashing of teeth than for a soul to realize that it had done the greatest offence of scoring the Glory of the God of the Universe. It's likely Biblically that this is not the only torment of Hell. It's very possible that there may be literal, physical torment of flames. It's very possible that a soul may be embittered and tormented by it's own darkness as every last shred of Common Grace is removed from it. But I believe that greater than anything else man can come up with, the greatest torment is to be totally shut out from the glory, light and benevolence of God.

The thought of this eternal torment of a human soul is not a very encouraging or delightful subject to spend much time thinking about. However, it does highlight something very precious that we have as believers. The extent of the miseries of a soul suffering for eternity in Hell is the exact opposite of the extent to which we will delight and grow in delight in God for all eternity! While the absence of the glory and presence of God is the greatest torment a human soul can experience the presence of God's glory is the supreme and most sublime delight that we will experience. At the moment, we experience God's glory and presence in a way that can not even come close to the extent we will enjoy God in the New Creation. Praise be to God for this!!