Participants: Mark Fox
Series Code: AMP
Program Code: AMP000012A
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00:04 We are racing towards the global crisis at the close.
00:09 God is going to set up His kingdom on earth. 00:14 Preparation for the tribulation and the translation 00:18 is to develop a character like Jesus Christ. 00:21 To reach every hamlet, every village, 00:23 every man, every child, every person in India, 00:27 every person in South America 00:28 must hear these three angels' messages. 00:34 These are stories that illustrate 00:37 the kind of fabric of character and perseverance 00:39 that we need to go through the tribulation 00:42 just as certainly as they did. 00:44 The Bible makes it very clear 00:45 we are living in an unusual hour, 00:48 the last grains of sand are trickling 00:50 through the hourglass of time 00:52 and the door of probation is about to swing shut. 01:01 We are going to focus tonight on a subject that is very hot. 01:07 It's a hot topic. 01:08 "God's love in the fires of hell." 01:11 "God's love in the fires of hell." 01:13 Now you might immediately ask, 01:15 "Well, Mark, what does hell 01:19 have to do with Bible prophecy?" 01:22 You might be wondering that. 01:24 Well, guess what? 01:25 I am gonna answer that question right away. 01:28 Go to the Book of Revelation and I will show you 01:30 how this has everything to do with Bible Prophecy. 01:34 All right. Revelation Chapter 14. 01:37 Revelation 14, the heart, 01:40 the centre of the Book of Revelation 01:43 that consists or composed 01:44 of 22 inspired chapters, 404 verses. 01:49 This prophetic book, a book, this prophetic book 01:53 has something very significant in the center of it, 01:58 in the heart of it. 01:59 Go with me to Revelation 14:9. 02:04 "Then a third angel followed them saying with a loud voice." 02:07 Now, God uses the symbolism of three angels 02:12 doing a flyover planet earth 02:14 and each of them in succession 02:17 are yelling out their final urgent warning messages, 02:21 God's last call, God's last messages of mercy 02:25 with a what kind of voice? 02:27 A thunderous voice, a loud voice, 02:29 the compelling voice to a planet 02:33 that is wrapped in rebellion to a planet riddled with sin, 02:37 to a generation that are preoccupied 02:40 with a pursued of pleasure. 02:41 Would you agree? 02:43 Our generation has attention deficit disorder 02:46 when it comes to God's voice. 02:48 Is that true, yes or no? 02:49 So God is trying to grip men and women's attention 02:52 in the last moments of earth's history. 02:54 And so this, this Third Angel's Message says, 02:58 "If anyone worships the beast and its image 03:03 and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, 03:07 he himself shall also drink of the wine or the wrath of God 03:12 which is poured out full strength 03:14 into the cup of his indignation." 03:17 Those were the seven last plagues 03:18 according to Revelation 15 and 16. 03:21 "He shall be tormented..." with what? 03:24 "With fire." 03:25 What would you call that fire? 03:27 Hell fire. That's what this is. 03:29 "Hell fire and brimstone 03:30 in the presence of the holy angels, 03:32 in the presence of the Lamb: 03:34 And the smoke of their torment ascends for ever and ever. 03:36 And they have no rest day nor night, 03:38 who worship the beast and his image, 03:40 and whoever receives the mark of his name." 03:43 Is the mark of the beast, Bible prophecy, yes or no? 03:47 It is. 03:49 What will happen to those 03:50 who received the mark of the beast? 03:51 They will go where? 03:53 To hell fire. 03:55 What book of the Bible tells us that? 03:57 The Book of Revelation. The Book of Revelation. 03:59 I want to show you something else 04:01 that's very, very powerful. 04:03 Look here at Revelation 20:10. 04:09 Revelation 20:10. 04:11 What does hell fire have to do 04:14 with end-time Bible prophecy? 04:17 Revelation 20:10, the Bible says, 04:22 "The devil who deceived them 04:25 was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, 04:29 where the beast and the false prophet are, 04:34 and they shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever." 04:38 What does the Bible say is the fate of the devil, 04:43 the beast and the false prophet? 04:46 What is their fate? 04:48 To be thrown into what? 04:50 Hell fire. 04:51 What does the Bible say about hell fire? 04:56 Because the people who received the mark of the beast, 04:59 which will be the far vast majority, 05:01 earth's masses with the exception of those 05:04 who resist it and refuse it. 05:06 How many want to be among them? 05:08 And so the Bible makes it very clear, 05:10 otherwise, if you cower under the pressure, 05:12 if you cave-in or buckle 05:14 under the peer pressure of the masses, 05:16 if you go along with 05:18 what the government tells you to do 05:20 and receive this mark of the beast, 05:22 then you incur the wrath of God, 05:24 you get the seven last plagues 05:25 and ultimately go to hell, this is what the Bible says. 05:28 So we must understand the subject of hell fire. 05:32 Now, we must understand it 05:35 in the light of God's character. 05:38 Would you agree the Bible is all about God 05:43 and His dealings with man? 05:47 It's all about His character. 05:49 It's God's word. 05:52 How many agree this is God's word? 05:54 So it's all about what God says. 05:56 Amen. 05:58 We are interested in what God says, 05:59 what God thinks, God's hearts, 06:01 God's ways, as He relates to us. 06:05 So this Bible is all about His character. 06:10 His character has been maligned, 06:14 distorted, ridiculed, grossly misunderstood. 06:19 Would you agree 06:21 God down the centuries has gotten a bad rap? 06:25 Would you agree there's been a sinister campaign or smears 06:29 against the character of God? 06:33 Many people tonight do not have a clear understanding 06:38 about God's character. 06:41 And so tonight, we want to set the record straight 06:44 and do it in the context of the subject of Hell Fire. 06:49 You know, down through the centuries, 06:52 preachers, prominent preachers, popular preachers 06:56 have notoriously tried 06:59 to preach hell fire and brimstone 07:02 so graphically that, 07:05 that the congregations would be just riveted 07:09 by their word pictures. 07:11 I think about Dr Samuel Hopkins, 07:15 a lay preacher of the late 19th century. 07:19 Very powerful preacher as many would esteem him 07:23 and it is said that 07:24 he had a reputation of being able to preach fire, 07:28 hell fire so powerfully 07:31 and the word pictures he would use were so graphic 07:34 that it was as if his congregation 07:36 and those in his audience were able to actually feel 07:40 the flames of hell licking about their feet. 07:43 Matter of fact, here is what he said. 07:44 "The smoke of their torment shall ascend up forever 07:48 in the sight of the blessed before their eyes. 07:51 This display of divine character..." 07:53 Oh, so he's saying something about God's character 07:57 and I sit up and I take notice. 07:59 Oh, you're talking about my Father in heaven, 08:01 you're talking about my Savior, 08:03 you're talking about God, Jesus. 08:05 This display of divine character and glory 08:08 will be in favor of the redeemed as we see it. 08:12 And most entertaining 08:16 and give the highest pleasure to those who love God. 08:19 We're talking about a prominent preacher and he is not alone, 08:24 he's not a solo voice. 08:27 "Should the eternal torment..." 08:28 By the way, the Bible does not use that term eternal torment. 08:31 Does it use a torment? It absolutely does. 08:34 "Should the eternal torment and fires be extinguished, 08:38 it would in a great measure... 08:39 put an end to the happiness and glory of the blessed." 08:42 Works of Samuel Hopkins. 08:44 Is this prominent preacher of the past, was he right? 08:48 Was he on to something that 08:50 when we see the wicked roasting, 08:53 toasting, and torment, and shrieks, 08:56 and horror and we look at them suffering. 09:00 We'll actually find that a little entertaining, 09:02 and we'll actually take pleasure in that, 09:04 we'll have satisfaction in that. 09:07 And that's within the purview, 09:09 within the context of God's divine character. 09:15 "One preacher said the fires of hell are so hot 09:17 that if a sinner were suddenly taken out 09:19 and plunged into the hottest fire on the earth, 09:21 he would freeze to death!" 09:22 I mean, I am telling you 09:24 preachers had a hay day with this one. 09:25 And so the Bible says, 09:28 Peter said this in the New Testament. 09:30 1 Peter 4:17. 09:32 What "What will be the end of those 09:35 who do not obey the gospel of God? 09:39 In other words, he was asking, what is the destiny? 09:42 What is the fate? 09:44 What is the future of the wicked? 09:48 Well, the Bible answers that. 09:50 But I've got a question. 09:53 Are millions of babies burning in hell 09:57 as I am preaching here tonight? 10:00 You know that millions and millions and millions of people 10:05 have been taught that. 10:07 But what does the Bible say? 10:09 What kind of God do we serve? 10:11 1 John 4:8 says, "God is love." 10:17 Deuteronomy 32:4, "God is just." 10:21 Is God's love and God's justice on collision course 10:26 or is it in harmony within God's character? 10:30 How many think that whatever is in God's heart, 10:33 it all harmonizes? 10:35 Now God is not willing that any should perish. 10:40 That's not what He wants, 10:42 but then all should come to repentance. 10:44 2 Peter 3:9 and it's very long suffering, 10:47 but He will never force anyone through the pearly gates. 10:51 He will never ever use force. 10:54 God is love. God is just. 10:57 He does not force. 10:59 And so many have a distorted picture of God. 11:04 Now, how many of you-- 11:06 If I was to visit you in your home, 11:08 how many of you have family pictures 11:10 hanging up in your house? 11:12 How many? How many? Okay. 11:14 How many of you have pictures on your, 11:18 I was gonna say in your wallet, forget the wallet. 11:20 How many of you have pictures on your cell phone? 11:24 Okay, I get my phone out here. All right. 11:26 How many of you got, 11:27 how many got pictures in your wallet, 11:29 in your purse? 11:30 All right, that dates you. All right. 11:32 Anyway, how many got it on your cell phone? 11:34 Anybody? Okay. 11:35 I got my daughter Jordan. 11:37 When I look at my daughter Jordan here in my cell phone, 11:41 and I look at her, 11:42 I see more than just a picture. 11:45 I see, I see spunk, I see personality, 11:49 I see, I see memories, I see, I hear her voice, 11:54 I think of her character and so forth. 11:56 And, what kind of picture do you have of God on you? 12:02 Every one of us is caring in their heart, 12:06 they can look at it every now and then a picture of God. 12:11 Now think about it. 12:14 Many preachers are confused on this subject. 12:18 Revelation 13:6, here is Bible prophecy. 12:23 "The antichrist, one of the dark deeds, 12:26 would blaspheme his name." 12:30 Name denotes character. 12:33 Remember when Jacob's name was changed from Jacob 12:38 which meant deceiver or supplanter to Israel, 12:41 one who is prevailed with God would overcome. 12:43 Genesis 32, it meant a character change. 12:47 The Bible makes it very clear that God's name is holy, 12:51 His character is holy 12:52 and the antichrist has distorted 12:55 the character of God by twisting truth 12:59 about the character of God. 13:00 That's why you shall know the truth of God's character 13:04 and it will set you free 13:06 from the sinister lies of the antichrist, 13:09 the dragon and the false prophet. 13:11 Amen. John 8:32. 13:13 So the Bible says 13:14 the antichrist would cast truth down to the ground, 13:19 according to Daniel 8:12. 13:22 So, "Who knows how many are skeptics, scoffers, 13:27 infidels, agnostics, atheists, unbelievers..." 13:30 I am trying to be thorough. 13:32 "Antagonists, unsaved, depressed, discouraged 13:35 because they were taught lies about hell fire!" 13:38 And I know that's a big hefty question. 13:42 But you think about it. 13:43 How many people right now are in jail 13:45 because they are bitter against God? 13:49 How many are out in the bar right now 13:52 because they have a negative view about God? 13:56 How many people out there 13:57 would never set a foot in their church 13:59 because they want nothing to do with this God 14:02 who would burn people for zillions of years 14:07 and just keep it right on going? 14:10 Do you see how many have been turn off? 14:14 So the Bible teaches hell fire, but let's be clear about this. 14:19 Jesus is our Redeemer. 14:22 That's a main focal point tonight. 14:24 Let's say it together. 14:25 Jesus is our Redeemer. 14:28 There are so many different names, 14:31 titles that are given to Jesus. 14:33 Lamb of God, Light of the world, Alpha, Omega, 14:37 chiefest among 10,000, all together lovely, 14:40 and some of these are descriptions and so forth. 14:43 Savior, right, Michael 14:45 and a host of other names are given to the Lord Himself. 14:49 And so He wept over Jerusalem. 14:55 I want you to think about that. 14:57 Jesus has feelings. 15:00 The Bible says in Isaiah 63:9. 15:04 The Bible says, 15:05 "In all their affliction, He was afflicted." 15:09 How many of you have feelings? 15:12 And let me ask you this. 15:13 When you have a loved one that is suffering, 15:16 does it affect you? 15:18 Think about our loving Father in heaven 15:21 and his Son Jesus and the Holy Spirit. 15:23 Do you know the Bible says you can read the Holy Spirit? 15:26 What does that mean? You can rule the Holy Spirit. 15:29 The Holy Spirit is not an it, 15:32 but a person that has personality and feelings. 15:36 If you are going through a personal crises in your life, 15:39 if you are facing financial challenges, 15:41 if you are suffering from health problem, 15:43 if your marriage is needing a miracle, 15:46 if you have a special concern for your children? 15:48 Whatever your need maybe 15:50 give us a call and we will pray with you. 15:52 For your prayer requests, call us at 1-855-336-FREE. 15:57 "If the Son sets you free, you are free indeed." 16:01 John 8:36. 16:03 Jesus wept over the imminent destruction of Jerusalem. 16:07 Luke 19:31. 16:09 Jesus wept over Jerusalem. 16:13 So would you agree, He doesn't find 16:15 entertaining the prospect of the unsaved 16:19 being in hell fire? 16:20 That's not something that He looks forward to 16:24 or would find that entertaining 16:25 or be within His divine character 16:27 to celebrate that. 16:28 It's rather what the Bible teaches 16:31 is the wicked will be thrust in a hell fire, then what? 16:35 We'll get to that in a moment. 16:37 "The Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives..." 16:41 but to do what? 16:42 Why did He come here? 16:44 Luke 9:56, "To save people." 16:47 What does it say in John 3:16? 16:49 You know that verse, but let's go to the next verse. 16:52 "For God did not send his Son into the world 16:55 to condemn the world, 16:56 but that the world through Him might be saved." 17:00 That's why Jesus came down here and that's John 3:17. 17:04 And then Phillip said, "Show us the Father," 17:07 and Jesus said, "If you see me, 17:11 you see the character of the Father 17:14 and besides Jesus was God in the flesh, John 1:14. 17:21 The Word became flesh and dwelt among us 17:23 and the word was God and the word was with God. 17:25 Now that's John 1. 17:28 So Jesus came to set the record straight 17:31 about the character of God 17:33 and that truth is what liberates us. 17:36 Whatever your view is of your Father in heaven, 17:40 it impacts every dimension, every facet, 17:44 every fiber of being is impacted 17:48 by your perspective 17:49 and your view of your Father in heaven. 17:52 That's why Jesus loved to talk about his Father 17:55 and that's why He said, 17:57 "When you pray, say our Father." 17:59 That's what when He was gonna-- 18:01 when He was about to ascend to heaven, 18:04 you remember He told Thomas and He told His disciples, 18:07 "I am gonna go to my God and your God 18:09 to my Father and your Father. 18:12 My God and your God. 18:14 That's why Jesus prayed to the Father and He says, 18:17 "Use My name and pray to the Father." 18:19 You have a loving Father. 18:22 He is just. 18:25 So what does the Bible say? 18:27 Well, can I take a little excursion, 18:30 "Out of the mouth of babes, thou hast ordained praise?" 18:35 Can I translate that? 18:37 Listen to the children 18:39 because sometimes they have more truth 18:41 than the adults have. 18:43 Did you know 18:44 that research tells us that children laugh-- 18:48 I think it's been told, 18:49 may be Pastor Rester knows this. 18:52 Children laugh over 200 times a day. 18:57 If you have kids, you know, it's probably that 18:58 and then some, depending on the day. 19:02 Guess, how many times the adults laugh? 19:06 About 12 or 13 times. 19:08 So would you agree, you better hang around kids, 19:10 otherwise-- 19:12 All right. Anyway. 19:13 My daughter, once in a while, she'll come to me at my desk 19:17 and I am there with my computer 19:19 and sometimes I am getting my PowerPoint presentations 19:21 together and so forth 19:23 and she will say, "Daddy, daddy, 19:24 I want to make some PowerPoints, 19:26 I want to make some PowerPoints. 19:27 So I'll say, all right. 19:29 And so we get together 19:30 and she picks what pictures she wants 19:32 and then she tells me, she dictates to me 19:35 what she wants to say with each of these pictures. 19:38 And I just want to share with you 19:40 a few of the pictures 19:41 that she picked for the most part 19:44 and things that she said 19:46 and only just a small little adjustments, 19:48 some other times just so it could make sense, 19:50 but about 85% of it it's just, just her, 19:54 whatever the grammar is 19:56 and I just want to read this to you 19:57 and I want you to be armed with this 20:00 as we continue in this topic. 20:02 "God will come soon. 20:04 You have to pray every time you have trouble." 20:06 And she's five, almost six. 20:08 "All week Jesus wants to take care of you. 20:12 God will love you and God is love. 20:14 You want to take care of your daddy." 20:16 I love that one. 20:18 "The Faithful God is loving you. 20:22 Okay. We'll move on. 20:24 'The Bible is special for you. 20:25 Jesus made the sun and the stars. 20:27 The Bible is always good for you 20:29 and it will keep you safe. 20:30 You will be in heaven with God. 20:33 You are God's child. 20:34 I am the Son of God of heaven. 20:36 I give you my special gifts that I have 20:39 and you are my Creation of the world. 20:41 The butterflies come to eat from the flowers. 20:44 God made them. God has His power. 20:46 He keeps it. He made the butterfly fly. 20:49 Love is for God. And God loves you. 20:51 He takes care of you. 20:52 And He loves you very much and gives you kisses.' 20:55 Now you got to keep in mind, 20:57 there seems to be a repetition of a theme. 20:59 It's like, they all relate. 21:01 And ''Jesus loves me for the Bible tells me so." 21:05 Matter of fact, on one occasion as I was driving along, 21:07 she was at the back seat in her car seat. 21:10 This was maybe a year or so ago, 21:12 maybe year and half. 21:13 And she had a little Bible there, 21:15 and she had it open and I said, 21:17 "Oh, What are you doing?" "I am reading the Bible." 21:19 "Yeah, what are you reading there?" 21:20 "It says--" "What does it says?" 21:22 "It says Jesus loves you." 21:25 Okay. All right. Here it is. 21:26 "Jesus loves to take care of us. 21:28 Don't worry God is with us. 21:30 God is the spirit of the Lord. 21:31 You know God is with you. 21:33 We love God. We like to be with God. 21:35 It's so much to talk about of Jesus. 21:38 Jesus is a beautiful man. 21:40 Jesus died for your sins. 21:42 And Jesus loves you very much. 21:44 Jesus wants to take care of you. 21:46 He always watches over you. 21:50 Love is a great love. 21:51 You are God's creation. And you love God. 21:53 God knows you love Him. And we love Him too. 21:56 God made everything in this country. 21:58 You know God loves you. 22:00 God loves you always." 22:01 I am sorry. I am not getting tired of this. 22:03 Anyway, "He watches over you. 22:04 And He watches over you when you're sleeping. 22:07 He takes care of us. 22:08 You don't need to worry because God is here with us." 22:10 How many of you agree, we just got to listen to this 22:12 a few hours and then it will sink in. 22:14 You know what? You don't have to worry. 22:16 You can sleep like a child sleeps. 22:18 "Jesus loves you. 22:20 He likes children. 22:21 He loves you very much. 22:22 We have to do what He tells us to do. 22:26 What does the Bible really teach about 22:27 the fate of the lost? 22:30 When is hell fire? 22:31 We know there is a hell fire. When is it? 22:33 Jesus gave a parable 22:35 and he made this very, very crystal clear. 22:38 "As therefore the tares are gathered 22:40 and burned in the fire, 22:41 so shall it be in the end of this world. 22:44 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, 22:46 and they shall gather out of his kingdom 22:47 all things that offend, 22:49 and them which do iniquity. 22:50 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire, 22:53 there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth." 22:55 Will there be a hell fire? When? 22:58 At the end of this world. 23:01 Jesus said in John 12:48. 23:03 Read it together with me. 23:05 "He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, 23:08 hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, 23:11 the same shall judge him..." 23:13 when? "On the Last Day." 23:15 That's the executive phase of judgment. 23:18 John 12:48. 23:20 Now I got a question for you. 23:21 Are the wicked being punished 23:24 in hell right now? 23:28 What does the Bible say? 23:30 It's gonna be at the end of this world. 23:31 And what did Peter say in 2 Peter 2:9? 23:34 Let's read it together. Let's go. 23:36 "The Lord knoweth how to deliver 23:38 the godly out of temptations, 23:40 and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment 23:43 to be punished." 23:45 Will the wicked be punished? They will. 23:47 Their days are numbered. It will happen. 23:50 They will be thrust into hell fire. 23:52 They will suffer excruciating pain. 23:55 According to the Bible, it will be like torment. 23:57 But the Bible says here that right now 24:00 they are being reserved somewhere 24:03 until the day of judgment. 24:05 The question is, where are they being reserved? 24:09 Where are the dead now? 24:11 Take your Bible and let's go to the Book of John, 24:13 my favorite book in the Bible. 24:14 By the way, who wrote the Book of Revelation? 24:17 John, that's right. 24:19 And also he wrote, three little epistles, 24:22 1, 2 and 3 John. 24:23 Okay. 24:25 So John-- we're going here to John 5:28. 24:29 We read words are in red who is speaking. 24:32 "Jesus, do not marvel at this: for the hour is coming, 24:35 in the which all who are..." 24:37 Where are the dead, 24:38 both righteous and the unrighteous, 24:40 where are the dead? 24:41 "In the graves will hear His voice." 24:45 The Bible says, Jesus says, 24:47 "Come forth those who have done good, 24:50 to the resurrection of life." 24:51 That's when Jesus comes again. 24:54 "And those who have done evil, 24:56 to the resurrection of condemnation." 24:58 That is at the end of the millennium 25:01 and we'll get into that in our subsequent message. 25:03 But the Bible makes it clear. 25:05 There are two distinct resurrections. 25:08 There's a pleasant awakening and a rude awakening. 25:11 Would you agree, there is a vast difference? 25:13 And according to Jesus, the Bible says, 25:16 Both the righteous, I repeat, and the unrighteous are where? 25:19 Where are they? They're in the graves. 25:21 That's where they are being reserved. 25:23 And that is what Job said as well. 25:26 "Where are the wicked dead?" 25:27 Job 21:30, 32. 25:30 "The wicked are brought to the grave 25:32 and shall remain..." 25:34 where? 25:35 "In the tomb." The Bible says. 25:37 So therefore, are you ready, can I have a drum roll please? 25:41 No one is in hell now! 25:47 Say that with me. 25:49 No one is in hell now! 25:51 You say, "Mark, this is conjuring up some questions." 25:54 Good. 25:55 It's good to question what you believe 25:57 because truth can handle questions and scrutiny. 26:01 Can you say amen? 26:02 So what does the Bible teach about what happens 26:06 when a man dies? 26:08 You say, " Mark, I thought if a person is wicked, 26:10 they're gonna go right to hell." 26:12 They will go to hell, 26:13 but the Bible says at the end of this world. 26:16 The Bible says, first they go to the grave 26:19 and then ultimately they will go to hell fire. 26:22 So we need to have a snapshot review 26:25 about the state of the dead that we covered last night. 26:29 What happens when a man dies? 26:32 So therefore, how did God create man 26:35 which is the reverse of death? 26:39 Genesis 2:7. Let's go there together. 26:41 Genesis 2:7. 26:43 I give you a moment to locate that. 26:45 Genesis 2:7. 26:46 I bet you're being able to navigate 26:48 through scriptures with the greater ease 26:50 as we've been together for what, one and half weeks or so. 26:55 Genesis 2:7. 27:00 "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, 27:03 and breathed into his nostrils the breath of..." 27:06 what? 27:07 The breath of life, and man became a living soul." 27:12 So the Bible makes it very clear. 27:14 Dust + Breath = Living Soul, 27:19 Body + Breath = a Living Soul. 27:25 So what is another word for this "Breath of Life"? 27:28 We compare scripture with scripture, line upon line, 27:32 precept upon precept, 27:33 in order to arrive to a safe conclusion 27:36 of what is truth. 27:38 "All the while my breath is in me 27:41 and the spirit of God is in my nostrils." 27:44 What's in your nostrils? 27:45 The Spirit of God equals breath. 27:48 The Breath of Life. Job 27:3. 27:50 So what happens when a man dies? 27:54 Ecclesiastes 12:7. 27:57 Ecclesiastes 12:7. 27:59 We've looked this up last night. 28:00 Let's look at it again. 28:02 Ecclesiastes 12:7. 28:09 The Bible says, 28:11 "Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, 28:14 and the spirit will return to God who gave it." 28:17 So what goes back to God when you die, 28:20 a soul or a spirit? 28:24 Spirit, that's right. Very good. 28:25 The spirit goes back to God who gave it. 28:29 What is that spirit? It's in your nostrils. 28:31 It's the what? The breath of life. 28:34 How many-- I think I can hear the wheels turning there 28:37 and see the lights going on here now. 28:40 So the Bible makes it clear, I repeat. 28:43 "Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was, 28:47 and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it." 28:49 I repeat the question. 28:51 What goes back to God when you die, 28:54 the soul or the spirit? 28:56 The spirit, rather you are a living soul. 28:59 Ecclesiastes 12:7. 29:01 So "His breath goeth forth, he returneth to the earth, 29:05 and in that very day his thoughts 29:07 what, they cease, they perish." 29:08 Psalms 146:4. 29:11 So what returns to God at death? 29:14 Everybody say it, "The spirit!" Very good. 29:17 So Dust + Spirit = a Living soul. 29:22 Now how did Jesus view death? 29:25 You remember His friend Lazarus died, 29:28 and you remember He said, 29:29 "Our friend Lazarus sleepeth," but then He had to clarify. 29:33 "Lazarus is dead." 29:35 Now, that's not what they wanted to hear 29:37 as many people who lose their loved one, 29:38 they don't want to hear that, but it's the truth. 29:41 It's the truth. 29:42 But the good news is that He told them, 29:46 "I am the resurrection and the life." 29:48 And He said, "Lazarus, come down." 29:52 No, that's not what He said. 29:55 He said, "Lazarus, come forth." 29:57 Now there's two things about that. 30:00 Number one, number one, 30:04 He raised a dead man. 30:08 And if He could raise the dead man, 30:10 you have no fear, 30:12 He has conquered the grave. 30:13 Can you say amen? 30:15 Number two, 30:16 He had-- His word is so authoritative 30:20 and so powerful and so penetrating 30:24 that the dead would hear the voice 30:25 even though they're dead when He speaks. 30:28 If he didn't specify, "Lazarus, come forth." 30:31 He just said, "Come forth," 30:33 all the dead would have come forth and say, 30:35 "Ho, hey, here I am. 30:38 You say I never thought about that, well, now you know. 30:40 All right. 30:41 Let's think about it. 30:43 "The dead know not anything." 30:47 Now what part of that don't we understand? 30:50 Ecclesiastes 9:5. 30:51 You say, "Mark, this is new," but it's in the Bible 30:53 and if it's in the Bible, we want it 30:55 and if it's not in the Bible, we don't want it. 30:56 Ecclesiastes 9:5. 30:57 You say, but I thought the righteous dead 31:00 are in heaven praising the Lord. 31:02 No, "The dead praise not the Lord," 31:04 Psalms115:17. 31:07 If anyone would be in heaven praising the Lord 31:10 and strumming his heart, 31:12 it would be David, if indeed a righteous man. 31:15 When he dies 31:16 goes right immediately to be with the Lord, 31:19 certainly David, who was known for praising the Lord 31:23 would be in heaven praising the Lord, 31:25 but the Bible says on the day of Pentecost, 31:27 Peter declared, 31:29 "David is not ascended into the heavens," Acts 2:34. 31:35 So say this with me, all right. Let's have another drum roll. 31:38 "The dead are dead." 31:41 Now a child can understand that. 31:44 You see, but can we find a hope that goes beyond the grave? 31:49 Oh, yes. We can. 31:51 But we first must understand 31:53 there is no such thing as an immortal soul. 31:55 That would be a false hope. 31:58 You see, the Bible makes it very clear. 32:00 The soul is used in the Bible 1600 times 32:03 and it's always talking about a real person 32:06 and it's never talking about something that exists 32:09 apart from the body. 32:11 There is no such thing as disembodied soul 32:14 or immortal soul. 32:16 This is terminology that is foreign to scripture. 32:19 And so in Acts 2:41, 32:22 there were 3,000 souls that joined the church. 32:26 Indeed, what happens when a man dies? 32:29 You can think of the body being a light bulb 32:31 and the breath being electricity 32:34 and you connect the two and you have illumination, 32:37 you connect the two and you have a living person. 32:40 Disconnect the light bulb from the electricity 32:44 and the lights go out. 32:46 So what happens when a person dies? 32:48 The lights go out. 32:49 The body is still there? 32:51 Let's say the electricity goes back to God, so to speak, 32:54 the breath goes back to God. 32:55 But how many are thankful 32:57 that He is gonna call you forth from the dusty grave 32:59 and you're gonna come bursting forth 33:01 and you're gonna go to be with the Lord 33:03 when Jesus comes again. 33:04 Can you say amen? 33:06 Now the Bible never says, 33:07 the soul returns to God at death. 33:09 You won't find that in the scriptures. 33:11 Matter of fact, the concept of a disembodied soul 33:15 and the immortality of the soul was a belief of the Greeks, 33:19 taught by Plato. 33:21 And so there is silence of the grave, 33:24 all through scripture there's the silence of the grave. 33:28 These different individuals here on the screen 33:30 are individuals that were resurrected 33:33 and had nothing to say 33:34 about what happened after they die. 33:36 Widow's son was resurrected by Elijah, 33:39 Shunammite's son resurrected by Elisha, 33:42 Jairus' daughter resurrected by Jesus, 33:44 widow's son resurrected by Jesus, 33:46 Lazarus resurrected by Jesus, special resurrection 33:50 there when Jesus was resurrected, 33:53 there was a resurrection at that time, 33:55 Dorcus resurrected by Peter, 33:57 Eutychus resurrected by Paul and guess what? 34:01 They had nothing to say about what happened after they died. 34:04 What happened when Jesus died? 34:06 "And the graves were opened, and many bodies of the saints 34:09 who had fallen asleep were raised 34:12 when Jesus was raised." 34:14 So no glowing dramatic testimony 34:18 of the glories and bliss of heaven 34:21 or the agonies or torment of hell after dying. 34:23 You won't see that in the scriptures. 34:26 So the righteous dead, 34:29 the righteous dead are not in heaven right now, 34:31 but sleeping in the arms of Jesus 34:34 as it were 34:36 in their graves. 34:38 And so what about the thief on the cross? 34:42 The Bible says, "Verily verily I say unto thee, 34:45 Today you shall be with me in paradise." 34:48 But the comma should go after the word, 'today'. 34:51 So it says, "Verily, verily I say to you today, 34:55 you will be with me in paradise." 34:57 You say but how do you know 34:59 the comma is in the wrong place? 35:00 Because punctuation came in after a long time, 35:04 after the Bible was written 35:05 and this is the only case 35:07 that I am aware of that makes any difference 35:10 where there is a misplace comma. 35:12 You say, well, Mark, 35:13 how can you be absolutely sure it's in the wrong place?" 35:16 Because in John 20:17, 35:19 "Did Jesus go to paradise that day on Friday?" 35:21 No. 35:23 On Sunday morning He told Mary, 35:25 "I have not yet ascended to My Father." 35:28 So let me tell you something. 35:29 He told the thief on the cross 35:31 that eventually He is telling him, 35:32 "Today, as I'm dying here, I'm telling you, 35:35 I'm gonna give you assurance 35:36 that you will be with me in paradise." 35:39 How many agree He says that to us? 35:41 You will be with Him in paradise. When? 35:43 "Let not your heart be troubled, 35:46 you believe in God, believe also in me. 35:48 In my Father's house, are many mansions: 35:50 if it were not so, I would have told you. 35:52 I go to prepare a place for you. 35:54 And if I go and prepare a place for you, 35:55 I will come again, 35:57 and receive you unto myself, 36:00 that where I am, there ye may be also." 36:02 John 14:1-3. 36:04 So what is Jesus saying? 36:06 He's saying, "I will receive you, 36:08 when I come again." 36:09 Is this making sense? 36:11 And so the Bible makes that crystal clear. 36:13 So when are we going to be present with the Lord 36:16 and absent from this body? 36:17 When Jesus comes 36:19 we'll be absent from this corruptible mortal body 36:23 and be present with the Lord 36:24 with the brand new glorified immortal, incorruptible body. 36:29 How many are looking forward to getting a new model? 36:32 Amen. All right. 36:33 2 Corinthians 5, 6 and 8. 36:35 And so in what condition 36:37 will we be present with the Lord? 36:39 Philippians 3:21. 36:40 "Who will transform our lowly body 36:42 that it will be conformed to his glorious body." 36:45 Elijah, Enoch, Moses and Jesus 36:48 ascended into heaven bodily. 36:52 Not in dis... some disembodied soul. 36:55 Now, here is the clue. 36:56 "Where did the false teaching of Limbo come from? 37:00 Came from the Roman papal system. 37:03 Where did the false teaching of purgatory come from? 37:07 Came from the Roman papal system. 37:10 Where did the distortion of hell fire come from? 37:14 Well, that actually came from mythology, Greek mythology 37:17 and so forth, but it was embraced by 37:21 and Christianized in the Roman papal apostasy. 37:24 So what will happen to the wicked in hellfire? 37:28 Eternal death. 37:30 "For God so loved the world, 37:32 that He gave His only begotten Son 37:33 that whoever believes in Him 37:35 shall not perish 37:39 but have everlasting life." 37:41 So the opposite of everlasting life 37:44 is not everlasting life in hell. 37:47 The opposite of everlasting life 37:49 according to the most familiar scripture 37:50 in all of the Bible 37:53 is the wicked are gonna perish, 37:56 put out of existence, 37:58 obliterated, reduced to ashes. 38:01 That is the second death. 38:02 Look at Revelation 21:8. 38:04 It says, "What does the Bible call," 38:06 this is the Book of Revelation. 38:07 You want Bible prophecy? 38:09 Here is some Bible prophecy. 38:10 "What does the Bible call 38:12 the destruction of the wicked in hellfire?" 38:13 The Book of Revelation 21:8 says, 38:17 "The second death from which there will be no resurrection." 38:22 You see, everybody is gonna die unless Jesus comes very soon. 38:26 How many want to be alive when Jesus comes? 38:28 Amen. 38:29 Now one way or the other, if you're righteous, 38:32 you will be alive when Jesus comes. 38:34 You might have been laid to rest, 38:36 but you will be getting up when He comes. 38:38 Amen? You won't miss it. 38:40 But listen, 38:41 every person is gonna die at least once 38:44 unless you are alive when Jesus comes, 38:47 but the wicked are gonna die twice. 38:50 How many agree, there's many wicked people in the grave? 38:51 They are gonna come forth 38:53 at the great white throne of judgment. 38:54 Bible makes that clear. 38:56 They're gonna be judged and caste in hell fire. 38:57 That's the second death. 38:59 But the wicked are not, 39:00 are the righteous are not gonna go to hell fire. 39:02 Can you say amen? 39:04 Sudden changes are about to catch the world by surprise. 39:08 Amazing Bible prophecies are fast fulfilling. 39:11 Do ancient prophecies predict the sudden economic collapse? 39:15 Will the Middle East crisis erupt into World War III? 39:19 Are we living on the eve of Armageddon? 39:21 How will the final moves of the antichrist affect you? 39:25 What is the future of the United States of America? 39:28 How will natural disasters usher in the mark of the beast? 39:32 Now you can watch the entire Amazing Prophecy series 39:36 of 32 hope filled messages on DVD. 39:40 Don't guess about the future, know the future. 39:43 The complete set of DVDs is available for a gift 39:46 of $60 or more. 39:48 Call us at 1-855-336-FREE 39:52 or you can send a check or money order 39:54 to Forever Free Ministries, 39:56 2001 Munro Park, Corinth, Texas, 76208. 40:01 You can also visit us online at foreverfreeministries.org. 40:07 The Bible makes it very crystal clear. 40:09 What is the end result of sin? 40:11 Read it together with me. 40:13 "The wages of sin is eternal life in hell." 40:19 Let's read it again. "The wages of sin is death." 40:23 What kind of death, 40:24 do you think this is talking about? 40:26 It's eternal death. 40:28 "But the gift of God," 40:29 I mean that's the ultimate death. 40:31 "The gift of God 40:33 is eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord." 40:36 So if you don't get eternal life, 40:37 you get eternal-- not eternal dying, 40:40 not eternal suffering but eternal death. 40:43 Oh, yes. 40:44 Suffering up to the point of annihilation. 40:47 Roman 6:23. 40:49 Now listen carefully. 40:51 The wicked do not receive eternal life in hell fire! 40:57 They don't get that. 40:58 You know this has made of the news, this argument, 41:02 this no pun intended, heated debate 41:05 about hell fire in an article, 41:08 front cover story used, 41:10 U.S. News & World Report a number of years ago. 41:12 "The Second Death. 41:14 Some theologians say that the end of the wicked 41:16 is destruction, not eternal suffering." 41:18 U.S. News & World Report, Jan 31, 2000. 41:22 In another words there is some disagreement 41:24 going back and forth, 41:26 but I subscribe 41:27 to what many theologians believe as well, 41:31 that the fate of the wicked is utter destruction 41:34 because that is biblical. 41:36 Now, Jesus tasted the second death, didn't He? 41:40 He said, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" 41:42 He was tasting that second death. 41:44 Jesus suffered in torment. 41:46 How many agree, on the cross it was torment for Him? 41:49 He was getting a little taste 41:50 of the separation 41:52 that the wicked are gonna feel 41:53 when they are separated from God. 41:55 How many agree, the wicked, 41:56 when they are thrust in the hell fire, 41:58 they have been completely separated from God? 42:01 And would you agree there is no life 42:03 being separated from God, 42:05 right? 42:06 And so Jesus suffered in torment on the cross, 42:08 but then He died. 42:10 So the wicked will suffer, 42:11 but then ultimately they will die. 42:13 So do we have an immortal soul? The answer is no. 42:17 God ''only hath immortality.'' 42:19 Man is "mortal." 42:21 We ''seek for immortality.'' 42:22 "The soul that sinneth, it shall die." 42:25 Ezekiel 18:20. 42:27 So the good news is, 42:28 we receive immortality not when we die, 42:32 but when Jesus comes again. 42:35 Otherwise it's very anticlimactic. 42:38 If it's true, if it was true, the righteous-- 42:40 When they die, 42:41 they go immediately to be with the Lord, 42:43 I've got two problems with that. 42:45 Number one, would you want your loved ones up in heaven 42:48 watching you make mistakes? 42:52 You're supposed to say no. 42:56 Secondly, if they are up in heaven 43:00 and there comes the second coming of Christ. 43:03 All right, go down now 43:05 and there's gonna be the resurrection of the bodies. 43:07 All right. Time to go down there and get your body. 43:10 Isn't that like a little anticlimactic? 43:13 No, the Bible makes it very, very crystal clear 43:15 that you receive an immortal body 43:18 and you receive immortality when Jesus comes 43:21 with His rewards at His soon return. 43:23 'The soul that sinneth," 43:24 that includes everyone except Jesus, 43:27 "the soul that sinneth, it shall die." 43:29 But remember Jesus took all of His sin upon us, didn't He? 43:33 And He tasted the second death, He died, 43:34 but because He was holy, He was resurrected. 43:37 No such thing as an undying soul. 43:41 Now here is positive proof that when a wicked person dies, 43:46 they are not thrust into hell right away. 43:49 Jesus said "When a person goes to hell, 43:52 'thy whole body cast into hell.' " 43:55 Now if you want to have one major singular verse 43:59 that leaps from the Bible, 44:01 that helps to refute the argument 44:03 that the wicked are just gonna roast and toast 44:05 for zillions of years in some disembodied soul form. 44:09 I am here to tell you, this scripture puts it to rest. 44:13 This scripture refutes those false teachings. 44:16 "Thy whole body cast into hell." 44:19 Well, if that is true 44:21 then I've got a question for you. 44:22 Are the wicked then, 44:25 who have died, are they in hell now? 44:27 No because when they do go there, 44:29 their whole body is going. 44:31 Is that clear, yes or no? All right. 44:33 So therefore, no one is in hell now. 44:38 No one, because when they do go there, 44:40 their whole body is going there. 44:42 And preachers who are teaching 44:44 that the wicked are in hell right now, 44:46 they are not saying their bodies are there, 44:48 they are saying their disembodied souls are there. 44:51 That's Greek mythology. 44:52 That's false teachings that come from the papal power. 44:56 So the Bible never says 44:58 that the soul exists apart from the body. 45:01 No. 45:02 The Bible never says that the soul returns to God. 45:05 What returns to God? 45:07 The spirit, very good, which is the breath. 45:10 So will the fire eventually go out? 45:12 The meek are going to inherit the earth. 45:16 We're not going to inherit a planet that's on fire. 45:19 We're gonna inherit the earth. 45:22 The meek shall inherit the earth, 45:24 but it's gonna be the earth made new 45:26 according to 2 Peter 3, Matthew 5:5. 45:30 Now think about it. 45:31 Are you ready to do some thinking? 45:33 I know it's dangerous to think. 45:36 Who is the only one 45:38 who could keep a man burning in hell fire 45:41 for zillion's of years and infinity beyond? 45:43 Who is the only one that can do that? 45:45 God. 45:47 So, another words, 45:49 if God was to keep their life going, 45:53 there must be something in the character of God 45:56 that finds that, that is necessary to do that. 46:01 Because the devil can't keep their life going, 46:03 they can't keep their own life going, 46:06 it would have to be God that is keeping them going 46:09 suffering for zillion's of years 46:11 and that it must be within the heart of God 46:13 that, that is necessary to do that. 46:17 So we're just-- Would you agree 46:19 it has everything to do with the character of God 46:20 and that has to do 46:21 with the antichrist versus the true Christ? 46:24 Christ came to set the record straight 46:26 about the character of God. 46:27 And the antichrist, 46:28 this is prophecy distorts the character of God. 46:32 And it has everything to do with the mark of the beast 46:35 because those who receive the mark of the beast 46:36 will go to hell fire. 46:38 And so listen, 46:40 would it be just for God to keep an unsaved person 46:45 burning, suffering in hell endlessly. 46:49 Let's say there's a 17 year old, 46:50 you know, haven't accepted Christ quite yet. 46:53 He was thinking about it. 46:55 He gets in a car accident, he dies. 46:59 And the Lord says, sorry. 47:01 I have to keep you, I am gonna keep you suffering." 47:05 You say God keeping him-- 47:07 God would have to be the one keeping it going. 47:09 I am sorry. I've got to do this to you. 47:11 I got to keep it going. 47:14 Would not God want to put an end 47:16 to sin and suffering once and for all? 47:18 Don't you think that God's interest 47:20 is to put an end to it all? 47:26 "Would heaven be heaven 47:29 if you knew that somewhere in the vast universe 47:32 or worse yet somewhere in the center of the earth, 47:34 your unsaved loved ones were agonizing and suffering 47:37 beyond words in hell fire?" 47:39 For zillions of years, 47:40 fast forward zillions of years, 47:42 some of your loved ones, they are still burning. 47:44 And you always had that in the back of your head 47:46 that they're still, they're just burning 47:48 they are there. 47:49 I don't know about you, but that would really 47:50 cause me to lose my appetite in heaven. 47:54 Now I get a question for you. 47:56 Would you want to see a serial killer tortured 48:00 for a week in the electrical chair 48:02 to receive the reward of the-- 48:03 or receive the reward of the death sentence? 48:07 I think that most people 48:09 would never want to watch somebody, 48:13 you know, being jolted for a week 48:15 in the electric chair, 48:17 we would agree, 48:18 "Put him out of existence, just let him get the sentence." 48:23 Are you more just than God? 48:25 Where is eternal torment in the Bible? 48:28 It's not there. 48:30 It's not there. 48:31 So when and how will hell fire be kindled? 48:34 "The rest of the dead--" 48:35 referring to the wicked who died, 48:37 "lived not again 48:38 until the thousand years were finished." 48:40 So they will be resurrected after the millennium. 48:41 Revelation 20:5. 48:43 So the Bible makes that clear. 48:44 The wicked are resurrected after the millennium. 48:46 "So shall it be in the end of this world. 48:48 The Son of man shall cast them into a furnace of fire." 48:50 Matthew 13. 48:51 It's, when everyone thundered out, 48:54 the end of this world. 48:55 Yell it out with me. 48:57 The end of this world. 48:59 So take your Bible and turn with me 49:01 to the book of-- What book are we going to? 49:03 The Book of Revelation. 49:04 What book everybody? 49:06 Revelation. 49:07 In this Bible prophecy seminar, 49:09 we're going to the Book of Revelation. 49:11 All right. Revelation 20:9. 49:13 In the context of the millennium, 49:16 we got a whole message coming up 49:18 that deals with the millennium in detail. 49:20 Revelation 20:9. 49:22 The Bible says that after the millennium, 49:25 after the thousand years when the wicked are resurrected 49:28 in the resurrection of condemnation, 49:30 the second resurrection specified in John 5:28-29. 49:34 "Then they," the wicked, 49:36 "went up on the breath of the earth 49:38 and surrounded the camp of the saints 49:39 and of the beloved city--" 49:41 That's New Jerusalem. 49:42 "And fire came down from God out of heaven--" 49:45 And what did it do? 49:46 "And devoured them." 49:47 Now when something is devoured-- 49:49 Let's say, how many of you have a pet dog? 49:52 All right. 49:53 Let's say you're really hungry. 49:55 You come home from work, you're famous, 49:57 you get a sandwich and some soup together 50:00 and some chips or whatever and let's throw in a carrot. 50:03 All right. Anyway. 50:05 You're sitting down there and you're eating 50:07 and you see your dog's pleading eyes 50:11 but you are famous, you devour your food. 50:14 What do you leave for the dog? 50:17 Nothing this time. 50:18 You're gonna have to go to your dog food. 50:20 Devour means nothing left. 50:23 Devour. 50:25 When I come over your house and we eat together 50:29 and you devour your food. 50:31 How much did you leave on the plate? 50:34 Nothing. 50:36 What's gonna happen to the wicked? 50:38 They're devoured. 50:39 That's what the scriptures teach. 50:40 So where is hell fire? 50:43 Right here on planet earth. 50:45 So it must go out 50:46 because the meek are going to inherit the earth. 50:48 "If the righteous will be recompensed 50:51 on the earth, 50:52 How much more the wicked and the sinner." 50:56 Proverbs 11:31. 50:58 So how big and how hot will hell fire be? 51:01 "The day of the Lord 51:03 will come as a thief in the night, 51:05 in the which the heavens shall pass away 51:06 with a great noise, 51:08 and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, 51:10 the earth also 51:12 and the works that are therein shall be burned up." 51:15 2 Peter 3:10. 51:16 So what will be left when the fire goes out? 51:21 "Ashes." 51:22 "Everything reduced to ashes on the face of the earth." 51:26 Malachi 4:1-3. 51:27 You say, "But Mark, what about unquenchable fire?" 51:30 No problem there. 51:32 What is unquenchable fire mean? 51:34 It means, it's a fire that you can't put out 51:38 until it puts you out if you're among the wicked, 51:41 which you will not be by the grace of God. 51:43 "But if you will not hearken unto me 51:45 to hallow the Sabbath day, 51:46 and not to bear a burden, 51:48 even entering in at the gates of Jerusalem 51:49 on the Sabbath day, 51:51 then will I kindle a fire in the gates thereof, 51:53 and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem, 51:55 and it shall not be quenched." 51:57 I've been over to Jerusalem. 51:58 Guess what? 52:00 I know it's a hot spot, but Jerusalem is not on fire. 52:03 So what does that mean? 52:05 Jeremiah 17:27. 52:06 It means Jerusalem was destroyed 52:08 by an unquenchable fire. 52:09 They couldn't put it out 52:11 until they did what God wanted it to do. 52:16 And so it is the fate of the wicked. 52:18 The fire must go out 52:19 because God is going to make the earth brand new. 52:23 And so mark, the Bible says everlasting punishment. 52:27 The punishment of the wicked is death, 52:30 not everlasting punishing. 52:33 It's punishment. 52:34 It's an eternal punishment. 52:36 What's the eternal punishment? 52:37 Put out of existence. 52:39 How long? Eternally. 52:40 Eternal punishment. 52:41 And so eternal punishment equals eternal death, 52:48 not eternal dying, meaning eternal punishing. 52:51 Oh, there is a big difference. 52:53 So what about eternal fire? 52:54 "Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, 52:56 and the cities about them in like manner, 52:57 giving themselves over to fornication, 52:59 and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, 53:03 suffering the vengeance of eternal fire." 53:06 Jude 7. 53:07 Now, you remember 53:09 Sodom and Gomorrha went up in flames. 53:11 It was an eternal fire. 53:13 I've been over to The Dead Sea. 53:16 They believe that 53:17 Sodom and Gomorrha is underneath that. 53:19 It's not on fire. 53:21 So what does it mean, eternal fire? 53:22 What is eternal about the fire? 53:24 2 Peter 2:6 makes it very clear. 53:27 It's not literal but figuratively, 53:31 it talks about eternal fire. 53:33 "And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha--" 53:35 into What? 53:37 "Ashes, condemned them to destruction, 53:40 making them an example to those 53:42 who afterward would live ungodly." 53:45 2 Peter 2:6. 53:46 So eternal fire equals eternal results. 53:52 Very plain and clear from scripture. 53:55 And so what about the term forever and ever? 53:58 "And the devil that deceived them 54:00 was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, 54:02 where the beast and the false prophet are, 54:04 and shall be tormented day and night 54:06 for ever and ever." 54:07 Revelation 20:10. 54:09 Did you know that forever can mean 54:10 a definite period of time? 54:12 The term forever can mean a period of time 54:15 limited or unlimited. 54:17 It is used 56 times 54:19 in connection with things that have already ended. 54:21 For example, Hannah devoted Samuel 54:24 to serve the Lord forever or as long as He shall live. 54:28 It's synonymous there. 54:29 Jonah said that he was in the whale 54:32 three days and three nights. 54:34 But he also said, he went into the water there 54:37 and he was in there forever. 54:39 Another words, as long as is it lasted. 54:41 Well, you use the same terminology. 54:43 I was in that Walmart line forever. 54:45 I see you made it out. 54:49 So there are some things 54:51 that are figurative and not literal. 54:54 For example, "The trees went forth on a time 54:56 to anoint a king over them, 54:58 and they said unto them 55:00 under the olive tree, Reign over us. 55:01 But the olive tree said," tree is talking. 55:04 "Unto them that Should I leave my fatness, 55:07 wherewith by me they honor God and man, 55:09 and go to be promoted over the trees?" 55:11 And the tree said-- Do you hear that? 55:13 The Bile says trees talk. 55:15 Take it literally, leave here and let me tell you something. 55:18 Those that are green will love you. 55:21 You can go around preaching, 55:23 you know, I learned in the prophecy seminar 55:24 that trees talk. 55:25 No, this is figurative. 55:27 "And the trees said to the fig tree, 55:28 Come now, and reign over us. 55:29 But the fig tree said unto them--" 55:31 So in another words 55:32 there are some parables in the Bible 55:35 that are figurative and not literal. 55:39 So would you agree whatever the Bible says? 55:41 Whatever the Bible says, like the rich man and Lazarus, 55:44 and you can look at material on that as well. 55:47 It's to be taken figuratively. 55:49 Figuratively. 55:51 "The Bible makes it very clear. 55:52 Abraham's bosom is symbolic of heaven 55:54 but is not literally heaven. 55:56 People in hell can't talk to those in heaven. 56:00 The dead are in their grave. 56:02 "The rich man was in bodily form, 56:04 yet we know that at death the body doesn't go anywhere." 56:08 "Men are rewarded at the Second Coming, 56:11 not at death." 56:13 The lost are punished in hell. 56:15 At the end of the world, not when they die. 56:19 The point of the story. 56:20 There the rich man and Lazarus 56:22 is that parables cannot be taken literally, 56:24 but like the wedding garment parable 56:27 and the talking trees parable. 56:29 So in conclusion-- 56:31 Would you like some overwhelming evidence 56:34 that the wicked are obliterated? 56:36 Here on the screen you see. 56:37 Oh, just a handful of scriptures 56:40 to make it clear the wicked are obliterate. 56:43 So therefore in closing, 56:45 what is God's real purpose in hellfire? 56:50 To put an end of sin 56:52 and those who want to hold on to it. 56:54 That's why. 56:57 They would destroy themselves anyway 57:00 The wicked will not be happy in heaven. 57:02 The eternal hell 57:04 would perpetuate sin and suffering. 57:06 Affliction will not rise up the second time. 57:10 When we go to heaven, 57:13 there will be no more death anywhere, 57:16 nor no sorrow anywhere. 57:19 No crying from some place in there, nowhere. 57:22 How many agree, 57:24 heaven and eternity will be perfect? 57:29 Although sudden and alarming changes 57:32 are sweeping across the globe, 57:34 you and your family can be prepared 57:36 to face the future with confidence. 57:38 The complete set of Amazing Prophecies on DVD 57:42 are available for a gift of $60 or more. 57:45 Call us at 1-855-336-FREE. 57:50 Or send your check or money order 57:51 to Forever Free Ministries, 57:53 2001 Munro Park, Corinth, Texas, 76208. 58:00 If you would like to have 58:02 Mark Fox hold an Amazing Prophecies seminar, 58:04 or a marriage seminar weekend in your church, 58:07 contact us today, 58:08 markfox@forever freeministries.org |
Revised 2016-01-21