Hell Has Different Levels
- Michael E.B. Maher
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
Romans 2:16 “in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel.”
Based on what is recorded in the books that are opened, each unbeliever will receive differing degrees of punishment, for each one will be judged with righteous judgement. In other words each life will be judged in absolute detail and with complete impartiality. The above quoted passage of scripture declares that we will judge the secrets of men’s hearts on that day, for their secrets will be revealed in the books that are opened. And so nothing will be overlooked, for every thought, word and deed will be judged on that day. This is why the apostle Paul states that we can clearly see the sins of some of men in this life, but then there are those who look good on the outside, but nevertheless inwardly they are just as sinful (1 Timothy 5:24). And so there are no sins that will remain hidden on that day, for all will be revealed.
Psalms 88:6-7 “You have laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the depths. (7) Your wrath lies heavy upon me, and You have afflicted me with all Your waves.”
Hell is made up of many different levels, and the lower down one is placed there, the greater the degree of punishment that is incurred. Our Lord Jesus was laid in the lowest pit of hell to suffer the wrath of God for the sins of the world. In the passage of scripture quoted above, the Holy Spirit reveals this truth to us through the psalmist prophesying the words of our Lord Jesus when He was in the depths of the earth for three days and nights. And so because Jesus had to pay the price for every sin committed by mankind, He had to be taken down into the lowest pit to suffer the full punishment of God for the sin of mankind, including the most wicked among them.
Isaiah 14:12-15 “How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations! (13) For you have said in your heart: 'I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; (14) I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.' (15) Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, to the lowest depths of the Pit.”
Someone else that we know will be cast into the lowest pit of hell is the devil. The Holy Spirit reveals that truth to us in the above quoted passage of scripture when He tells us that Satan will taken down into the lowest depths of the pit. This passage of scripture refers to the period of time when Satan will be locked up in the lowest pit of hell during the thousand-year reign of Christ on the earth. Obviously as the one who is undoubtedly the most wicked one of all, it is only appropriate that he be cast into the lowest pit to suffer the fullness of God’s wrath.
Matthew 25:41 “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.”
We have seen in an earlier passage of scripture that all unbelievers on their day of judgement will be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone which is called the second death. In the passage of scripture quoted above, our Lord Jesus reveals to us that the lake of fire was always intended for Satan and his angels. God never intended that mankind should end up going there, but sadly most of mankind have chosen to follow after the prince of the power of the air and become sons of disobedience. And so they too will be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone on that day to suffer for all eternity. Just like hell, the lake of fire has many different levels and therefore the same principle applies, in that the lower one is cast into the lake, the greater degree of torment that one will incur. And so we see that when the saints judge the unbelievers and Satan’s angels on that day, they will determine which level each one will be cast down to.
Luke 10:10-12 “But whatever city you enter, and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say, (11) ‘The very dust of your city which clings to us we wipe off against you. Nevertheless, know this that the kingdom of God has come near you.' (12) But I say to you that it will be more tolerable in that Day for Sodom than for that city.”
As I have already mentioned, the lake of fire and brimstone will be similar to Hades from the point of view of having different levels to it and the lower the level in that lake the higher the degree of eternal punishment that will be incurred there. Our Lord Jesus confirmed this truth to us in the passage of scripture quoted above, when He taught on the punishment that the unbelievers will incur on that day. In this passage our Lord taught us that for example, it will be more tolerable for the citizens of Sodom on their day of judgement than the citizens of Capernaum. The reason for that is because the citizens of Sodom will not be cast down to the same depth in the lake as the citizens of Capernaum. Clearly heaven views the rejection of the gospel as being more wicked than even the sins practiced by the citizens of Sodom, and thus those who reject the gospel will be deserving of the greater punishment.
Michael E.B. Maher
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