Every human being on the earth will have to face eternity one day. When a person dies, he is not dead like a dog or like some kind of animal. No, when a person dies, he faces eternity: The righteous enter into "life eternal" (Matt. 25:46), and the unrighteous are cast into hell or the lake of fire (Rev. 20:15). The lake of fire is the final dwelling place for the unrighteous, for those whose names are not written in the Lamb's Book of Life (Rev. 20:15).

We should thank God for the revelation His Word gives us concerning Heaven because those of us who have accepted Jesus Christ as Savior and have been born again are going there one day. We're Heaven-bound if we're in Christ!

The revelation concerning Heaven is good news. But we should also thank God for the revelation His Word gives us concerning hell. Those who don't know Jesus are not Heaven-bound. And we as Christians need to reach these people with the gospel and let them know there is a Heaven to gain and a hell to shun, because when people who are unsaved die and leave this world, they go to hell.

The Bible gives us some detail about hell in the Gospel of Mark: "And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched. Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched" (Mark 9:43-44).

We see here that hell is a place of unquenchable fire. Notice that verse 43 says, "...if thy hand offend thee, cut it off...." We know, of course, this verse is not talking about cutting off your natural hand. It simply means there are some things in life that a person needs to "cut off" or give up.

For instance, it would be better for a person to accept Jesus Christ and give up his life of sin and go to Heaven, than it would be for him to reject Jesus, hold on to his sin, and go to hell, where the worm dies not and the fire is not quenched.

We also know that hell is a place of everlasting punishment: "And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal. In many places in the Bible we can read about what hell is like. But the Bible also gives us some detail about the kinds of people who go there" (Matt. 25:46).

"The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God" (Ps. 9:17).

Notice this verse says, "The wicked shall be turned into hell...." Most people would agree that there ought to be an eternal dwelling place for those who are wicked and mean. And there is. I'm sorry to say that there have been many wicked and mean people who have lived on this earth, whose eternal dwelling place is hell.

The Bible says the wicked or the unredeemed go to hell (Ps. 9:17). You see, unless a person is born again, whether he acts wickedly on this earth or not, he cannot see the Kingdom of God (John 3:3).

So we know from the Bible that the wicked go to hell. But the rest of Psalm 9:17 says, "...and all the nations that forget God." You see, you don't have to be wicked to miss Heaven and go to hell. All you have to do is fail to accept Jesus Christ as Savior and forget Him! All you have to do is leave God out of your life.

Just leave God out and neglect to accept Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord, and you'll go to hell just as quickly as the worst wretch that ever walked the streets of your city! On the other hand, by accepting Jesus Christ, even the worst sinner can be born again and miss hell and make Heaven his home.

There's a book which lists people in the English-speaking world who have achieved a certain degree of prominence in the arts and sciences, in business, and in the professions. Sometimes it's interesting to know "who's who" in this life. But the Bible also gives us a "who's who" in hell, so to speak. For instance, it lists some of the unredeemed who will spend eternity in hell.

"But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcrers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death" (Rev. 21:8).

This scripture gives us a list of the kinds of unsaved people who will go to hell. We know that those who practice sin do not know the Lord (1 John 3:6-8), and the Bible says without knowing Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, no man can see God (John 3:3; 14:6).

But a person need never go to hell if he will just do what the Bible says and accept Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. The Bible says those who accept Jesus Christ go to Heaven or into "life eternal," but those who do not accept Jesus Christ will go into eternal torments and punishment (Matt. 25:46; Luke 16:23).

So we can learn from the Bible about some of the kinds of people who go to hell.

There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.

And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he [the rich man] lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
(Luke 16:19-23)

The rich man in this passage of Scripture didn't go to hell because he was rich. He went to hell because He was not rich toward God. He left God out of his life and didn't acknowledge Him as the Author of eternal life.

We read in Luke 16:19-21 that the rich man "...was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day...," while the beggar, Lazarus, "...was laid at his gate, full of sores... desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table...." The Bible says Lazarus went to Abraham's bosom (Paradise) where he was comforted.

But the rich man went to hell, where the Bible says he "...lift up his eyes, being in torments...." So we know from the Bible that there are those people like this rich man who are tormented in hell today because they did not acknowledge God in their lives.

Then there's another kind of person who the Bible says will spend eternity in hell.

Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.

And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.

Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.

But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.
(Matt. 25:1-13)

Many people have read this parable and have tried to build a doctrine out of it. But you can't build a doctrine on a parable. Usually in a parable there is one main truth the Lord is trying to get over to us. In this passage, it's found in verse 10: "...and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage...." The main truth the Lord wants us to get out of these verses is to be ready for Heaven as our eternal destination!

This passage of Scripture is simply talking about being ready. Ready for what? Ready to meet the Master! In this parable there were ten virgins—five were wise and five were foolish. The five foolish virgins weren't bad people. No, they were virgins. They were clean and wholesome, but they just weren't ready to meet the bridegroom. And the Bible says, "...he [the bridegroom] answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not" (v. 12).

We know that there are people in hell today who were good people, but who just weren't ready to meet the Master. They never accepted Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Then there are people in hell like the rich man in Luke 16 who behaved wickedly and left God out of their lives.

The Bible also says the fool will be cast into hell.

And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?

And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided.
(Luke 12:16-20)

Source: Classic Sermons by Kenneth E. Hagin.
Excerpt permission granted by Faith Library Publications