At this point, the angelic guardians of the throne, seize him and cast him into what looks like the crater of an active volcano.[1] Once again, he is greeted by the pain of a thousands flames which inflict his newly acquired body.[2] His new body experiences all of the pain of the fire as it blisters and burns, yet is never consumed.
During his life on earth, his body suffered through the aging process replete with muscle aches, arthritis, and a spotty memory. He sought medical help to maintain its health so that it might deteriorate at a slower rate. Ironically in hell, his wish has been granted. Though the burning fire inflicts agony upon every nerve ending in his body, each nerve still functions perfectly allowing his brain to feel the full weight of the pain.
He anticipates his body falling into a state of shock, so that he might slip into a state of unconsciousness. Yet, this new body does not seem to have the capability. In fact, all of the features of the human body which God designed to restrict pain seem to be missing. As the pain overwhelms him, he ponders suicide. He strikes himself repeatedly with lethal force and though he feels the full force of burning fist striking a burning face, it does not kill him. After what seemed like years of pummeling, poking, and scratching himself, he realizes that hell does not afford the relief of suicide since he is already dead. To his dismay he concludes, “This pain will remain with me forever.”
Though the pain is horrendous, he begins to notice his other senses. His eyes see nothing but black.[3] Darkness engulfs the condemned man, clinging to him like ink. He remembers his childhood and the panicked feeling as being lost in a super market, separated from his mom. The thought of being left alone in a strange and foreboding place would lead him to cry out in desperation until his mom rescued him. Hell presents a similar situation.
Fear overcomes him as he seems to be trapped in an inescapable blanket of blackness. He frantically tries to escape, but can find no door let alone any wall to orient him or another person to rescue him. But then his heart skips a beat as he hears a sound. In elation he reasons, that if his eyes cannot lead him out of darkness perhaps his ears can.
Concentrating upon this striking noise his ears hear the howl of what sounds like a thousand voices, wailing.[4] When a child stubs his toe he weeps, but when a mother holds her dead child she wails. The frightening shrill of a voice which sends shivers down everyone’s spine. Searching for the sound-bearer of this voice, he seeks to find someone to share in his present misery. One thinker notes, that he would rather be in Hell than Heaven, because all of the interesting people were there. Yet, this man could not find an interesting person. In fact he could find no one; no friend, no companion, and no company for his misery. Then, this frightening thought strikes him; the source of this wailing comes from none other than himself.
As he persists in the dark flame, he begins to think. He accesses his mental hard-drive reminiscing all of the missed opportunities he had in his life, how many times he watched football instead of going to church. How often he told his Christian friends to keep their religion to themselves. Filled with remorse he weeps dry tears of regret.
Then his mind turns to the person who sent him here. The one he holds responsible for this torment. “God, Jesus, whatever you call him” he recites in rage, “That is the one who put me here.” Infuriated, he begins to cry out, “I hate you” over and over and over again.[5] Yet, the release which anger gave him on earth, that slight tinge of power, never comes.
Crestfallen, at the futility of his rage, he weeps again in hopeless agony.
Wondering if there will ever be relief from this agony, one more horrifying thought enters his mind, “Forever.”[6] Even the Jews in the Holocaust had hope that the pain would end, whether by escape, liberation, or death. They had hope. But the word, “Forever” robs him of even that simple element of common grace. “Forever,” he whispers to himself again, “Forever,” he howls in disbelief. And for eternity, he dwells in Hell, tormented by his conscience, his hatred for God, and the agony of the flame without hope of reprieve.
In the words of Thomas Watson:
The loss of the soul is an eternal loss; for the soul once lost, is lost for ever; the sinner and the furnace shall never be parted (Isaiah 33:14). As the sinner's heart will never be emptied of sin, so God's vial shall never be emptied of wrath: it is an eternal loss. - Thomas Watson
Dave Hintz
[1] Rev. 21:8
[2] Mrk. 9:44 Note that the body never completely disintegrates as the worm never dies
[3] Mat. 8:12
[4] Mat. 8:12
[5] Though a sinner might realize that Jesus is Lord, no one can truly love Jesus apart from the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit. Mat. 22:37 and Ezek. 36:25–27.
[6] Mat. 3:12; Rev. 20:10
