JOB 11:7-12
Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know? The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea.
10 If he cut off, and shut up, or gather together, then who can hinder him?
11 For he knoweth vain men: he seeth wickedness also; will he not then consider it?
12 For vain man would be wise, though man be born like a wild ass's colt.
The translation of one word can alter the interpretation of one ideology. The New King James version of Job 11:8 uses the term ‘sheol’ instead of hell. “Deeper than the realm of the dead,” is how The Voice translates the word. The Message Bible omits references to heaven and hell: “God is far higher than you can imagine, far deeper than you can comprehend, stretching farther than earth’s horizons, far wider than the endless ocean. The New International Version of the Bible translates Job 11:8 as follows: They are higher than the heavens above—what can you do? They are deeper than the depths below—what can you know?” The word hell is a very important word because the place hell is very real.
There are people who do not believe in an eternal hell thus negating the idea of heaven. Have you ever heard a person talk about “hell on earth”? Heaven and hell are very real places, they are eternal places with no beginning and no end.
Man is a spirit housed in a phyisical body, though our flesh may return to the dirt our soul and spirit never dies. If I am wrong- when I die I will be dead but if I am right those who do not believe will spend eternity in hell.
Jesus told stories, called parables, to teach the people important lessons. Luke 16:19-31 is the parable of The Rich Man and Lazarus a lesson about heaven and hell. (written in full below)
The Rich Man (we will refer to as RM) lived a good life; sitting at his gate was a beggar named Lazarus. Lazarus was ill and had needs. In the parable, Jesus does not mention RM’s church attendance record or how much he gave he could have been the biggest giver in the temple. It is clear that RM could have helped Lazarus but chose not to.
Lazarus,the beggar, died “and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom.” Then RM died “and was buried.” If there was no heaven why would Abraham come and carry Lazarus and not RM?
RM just knew he was in right standing with God. Verse 23 tells it all: “And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.” RM went straight to hell, but had an awareness of a better place.
You do not have to believe in hell to go there.
If you read the rest of the story you will discover that RM, whose body was burried but his soul still very much alive, wanted to save his brothers from the same fate but he could not (verse 27-31).
LUKE 16:31
But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’
Scripture speaks of eternity, most people do not want to talk about it. Yes, God is full of grace and mercy. True God is love. God is not a man nor is His ways the ways of man thus it is important that every believer know what the Word states about eternity.
DURING THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY 2018 I am raising money for a school that is in the Miami Florida prisons. The school is called: Miami International Seminary in Prison. One of the graduates of this program is serving a life sentence- he is now teaching the gospel to his fellow inmates. Not all the students have a life sentence, would it not be great to have these men leave filled with the knowledge of God’s word? There are lot’s of prison ministries that preach but very few that teach- we are called to teach. PLEASE GO ON FACEBOOK AND SUPPORT THIS SCHOOL @ Marsha's fundraiser for Miami International Seminary in Prison
When a person states he does not believe in hell it is based on what they see here on earth. We are spirit beings living in a physical body, what happens to our body on earth has nothing to do with our eternal existence. Study Scripture and discover what it teaches you about eternity- heaven and hell are real. written by Marsha L F Randolph
A MATTER OF FAITH reflects the opinions and property of the author MARSHA L F RANDOLPH. All rights reserved- do not use without permission. All Scriptures quoted are from the New King James Version of the Bible unless otherwise stated. Don’t miss weekly faith based post FOLLOW THIS BLOG and receive notifications when a new article is posted.
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LUKE 16:19-31
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[a] 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.’
27 “Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, 28 for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’ 29 Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ 30 And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 31 But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’
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