“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Romans 10:13
Consciousness came and went in short spurts. For a brief second, bright surgical lights came in sight, and then sleep came over me. Again, for a brief glimpse, I saw doctors and nurses scurrying about me. Some were adjusting electrodes on my chest.
Another nurse was quickly putting a needle into my arm, then I slept again. I don’t know how long it was, but again I was vaguely aware of my mother talking to me. She was crying. There was urgency in her sobbing voice. Again, doctors were shouting orders to those nearby. The beeping of a monitor increased. Some were running for more equipment, and then silence.
Darkness surrounded me, but I was quite conscious. No longer were there bright lights; no doctors’ voices; no mother’s sobs. It wasn’t like the previous in’s and out’s of consciousness.
I was totally aware with all my senses. There was a sense of my moving, but not one of my body parts was at all involved. It was as if I were drifting somewhere. I could feel it getting warmer, and warmer, and it wasn’t long until the heat was unbearable.
Where was I? What was happening to me? I knew my eyes were wide open, but all around me was darkness. Was this … was this … was this Hell? Oh no, that must be where I was. I’ve died! Fear like I never experienced before forced screams out of my mouth. Hell! Oh, no. What have I done?
Then, through all the fear, the intense heat, and now an increasing pain in what seemed every pore of my body, I remembered some things from my past. I remembered Mrs. Corner’s Sunday school lesson and the parts of the verses she read about Hell. I remembered my snide remarks mocking what she said.
Distant shrieks in the tormenting darkness told me I was not alone in my imprisonment.
Memories continued to flood my mind. I recalled the times my friend Gary and I mocked Hell and proudly boasted that we would be together in Hell and would have a party together. This was no party. Perhaps one of the screams in the distance was his, but we certainly were not together.
A horrible series of blood-curdling shouts told another was not able to bear the torments they were facing, but there was no way out. There was no escape; for anyone! Another cry hollered, “Not forever”. All hope was gone from that voice. His “oh-nooooo” seemed to be a whisper as he realized the hopelessness of our situation.
A brief memory of my brother’s coming back from church one day, reminded me how I reacted when he told me he had just gotten saved, and said he had God’s promise of going to Heaven when he died. I thought I was so smart when I retorted that, “No one can know for sure that they’re going to Heaven. How can you believe that Bible? It’s just an ol’ book that some men wrote.”
I was so wrong. If I had only listened to him. If I only had taken him up on his invitations to go to church, I may have gotten what he had. I may not have been in the place I am now. How wrong I was. How foolish my opinions were, and if my memory of what I heard in church serves me well, it is going to get worse; a judgment before God; the Lake of Fire — forever. Uh-oh, what have I done?
This story, of course, is a fictitious account of what may be happening to billions of unsaved dead right this very second. It is based on many Scriptures and may be very close to reality. If you have never trusted Christ as your payment for your sin, it may very well describe what you may experience one day. Do not be foolish. While God has allowed you the opportunity, make the decision to be saved from Hell today, before it is eternally too late!
“Everyone who finds himself in Heaven will have to thank God for it; and everyone who finds himself in Hell will have to thank himself.” — C. H. MacKinosh
To learn more of what the Bible teaches about Hell, please read: http://www.openthoumineeyes.com/lessons/hell.html.
otme 6/16
Sadly, as well as you have written this, Bro Brinkworth, as descriptive as you have been, despite the authenticity, the truth is that you probably missed the mark way wide of what the misery will be. Our words just cannot describe it. However, it does not take much imagination to empathize and feel the tragedy of the lost around us. Watching that shooter in Vegas torment those people this week makes me feel awful for them. I don’t mean to belittle their experience, but that torment isn’t even in the same league as Hell; they can die, a soul cannot. The Bible and the accounts therein indicate the torment of hell is intense and it is for eternity. A sobering thought. Let’s be determined to throw those facing that a life preserver every chance we get!
Some have died and gone down or gone up and came back and lived to tell about it with another chance to do the right thing here on earth . So yes God wants us all and gives us second chances and when we die we will know who of our loved ones went down . I pray all get saved and go up instead of down as even though some are not likeable as they are today I don’t wish them to go down to hell .
So they say……..
I personally have a hard time believing those that claim they’ve died, went to heaven, and came back to tell about it! The apostle Paul was caught up into the third heaven and was shown things he couldn’t speak of!
Lazarus, Jarius’ daughter, and Tabitha in Acts died, went to heaven and none of them shared what they saw! I believe most of these books about going to heaven is another way for someone to make money! And I certainly don’t believe anyone has went to Hell and came back to tell about it!
Thank you Bro. Bill for warning us about the reality of Hell! People can laugh Hell off all they want, but it’s real cause the Bible says it’s real!
We need pastors with courage and boldness to preach about Hell whether people want to hear about it or not! God told Ezekiel that it was his responsibility to warn the people about the consequences of their iniquities (Ezekiel 2:16-21), and it’s our responsibility as believers to do the same!
It breaks my heart… for the risk I took as a sinner, fully aware of hell, for the loved ones who are on this path that are Gospel hardened and mock and curse God, For my poor Mom who has gone on to this torment.
As bleak as this picture is that Bro Bill has painted of hell, there is a stark contrast with Heaven.
I wonder if we will mourn our lost family while in Heaven?
I appreciate you Bro Bill.
I wrote this with my unsaved, deceased brother in mind. As far as I know that is where he is spending eternity right now. It breaks my heart, and I think about it most days. It should make everyone of us better soul-winners. If we don’t tell them who will, and if they don’t hear the Gospel, Hell will be the destination of too many!
I have loved ones too that have died that I know beyond a shadow of doubt are in Hell! My grandfather was one of them!
My father is lost! I pray for his salvation!