Posted on 02/06/2013 4:34:44 PM PST by GiovannaNicoletta
The Bible tells us that it is the Lord Jesus Christ Who is the Creator of all things, including the heavens, the earth, and even hell. This mystery is revealed in the first chapter of the Book of John.
John takes us back to creation, saying,
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (1:1)
In John's Gospel, the 'Word' (logos) is capitalized as a proper noun, since it is used in the sense of a title.
"The same was in the beginning with God." John also reveals that, "All things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that was made." (John 1:2-3)
That John is referring to Jesus is made clear when he writes,
"He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not. He came unto his own, and His own received Him not." (10-11)
That can only be describing Jesus Christ, Who came first to the Jews, as Jesus told the 'woman of Caanan'. (Matthew 15:24-28)
So, following the logic that Jesus is the Creator of all things, we must also conclude that He created Hell. This presents what appears to be an impossible theological conundrum.
Jesus describes hell as a place of eternal torment, describing it three times as the place;
"Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched." (Mark 9:44,46,48)
The conundrum arises when one tries to solve the apparent contradiction between a compassionate Christ Who shed His Blood to provide a way for me to avoid the horrors of hell and the Creator of Hell Who knew at the time He was creating it that there would be some who would go there.
Jesus says that it would be better not to have ever been born than to end up in hell. So, why create man in the first place, then? The Bible answers that question, but, to the skeptic, the answer only prompts more questions.
According to Revelation 4:11, we were created for God's pleasure.
"Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created."
So, if man was created for God's pleasure, but a significant majority of mankind is destined to go to hell, does that mean God takes pleasure in sending people there? The Scriptures say no.
"For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye." (Ezekiel 33:11)
"Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?" (Ezekiel 33:11)
Jesus says in Matthew 25:41 that hell wasn't created for man, but rather was "prepared for the devil and his angels."
But that still doesn't fully address the question. IF the place of 'everlasting fire' Jesus is referring to was 'prepared for the devil and his angels', and if man was created for God's pleasure, AND, if God is all-knowing, then He knew some of His creation would end up there.
AND, if it would be better for man to never have been born than to end up in hell, then WHY create us in the first place?
The universe is considerably more than just man, and while the salvation of man is an integral part of God's program, we are not the only part of God's program.
Eons before man was created, God's anointed angel, Lucifer, rebelled against a decision of God's (most likely over the creation of man himself).
In describing Jesus' decision to take on human form, the writer of Hebrews says that Jesus "was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death." (2:9)
Psalms 91:11 tells us that,
"He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways."
But Paul writes to the Corinthians,
"Know ye not that we shall judge angels?" (1st Corinthians 6:3)
One can imagine Satan rebelling against the concept of the creation of a new, puny, human spiritual being, made 'lower than the angels', that God decreed angels (including Satan and his followers) would serve in this life, and then be judged by in the next.
Isaiah outlines Satan's rebellion as a series of five "I wills".
"For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit." (Isaiah 14:13-15)
When God cast the rebels out, it was incumbent upon Him to prove Himself just in His decision to those angels who remained loyal. After all, eternity is a long time, and hell is a terrible place. Wasn't God being a bit hard on them?
So, in a sense, humanity serves as a kind of living courtroom in which angels can observe the consequences of unchecked sin on the natural order of the universe.
Hebrews 12:1 tells us we are "compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses." (the angelic hosts).
God created man initially with only one rule: avoid the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge. To the astonishment of the angels, man broke that rule, introducing sin into the world. Then God allowed man to ruled by his conscience.
(That worked out so well that it took a world-wide flood to repair the damage.)
So God went to Abraham and spoke with him directly. The angels must have been dumbfounded to witness Abraham's sin with Hagar, knowing that Abraham KNEW better. God told him so directly. They also saw the consequences of sin beginning to pile up, embodied by the ongoing conflict between Abraham's descendants, Ishmael and Isaac.
To further prove God's judgement of sin was just and fair, God set aside a Chosen Nation, gave them ten little rules to follow, and allowed the scenario to play out before the heavenly jury.
What began as ten rules for living in harmony for God resulted in the development of a religious system so corrupt that Jesus came to earth Personally to replace it with an even easier method of reconciliation with God -- trusting in the shed Blood of Christ alone for salvation.
Remember, the angels who are witnessing all this have seen sin go from a bite of fruit to the horrors of Adolph Hitler, Josef Stalin and Saddam Hussein. Knowing first-hand what an unimaginable Gift was extended mankind from the Cross, can you imagine their astonishment when that Gift was almost universally rejected by what is now a sin-sodden world.
Finally, the Bible says, Jesus Christ returns at the end of the Tribulation Period, binds Satan for a thousand years, sets up a physical Kingdom in Jerusalem from which He personally rules the earth.
During that time, Scripture says, man will live in perfect harmony with nature, as God had originally intended in the Garden of Eden. Isaiah says that a person who dies during the Millennial Kingdom at age 100 would be mourned as one who died in his youth.
Lions will lay down with lambs, little kids will be able to play with deadly snakes, men will beat their swords into plowshares and war will be abolished.
Scripture then says that, when the thousand years are finished, Satan will be loosed for 'a season' to tempt those human beings who KNOW Jesus, have lived a THOUSAND YEARS under His Personal governance, and are perfectly certain of His Power and Authority.
"And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog, and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea." (Revelation 20:7-8)
At this point, the angelic jury is convinced, and the prosecution rests.
"And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them." (Revelation 20:9)
Then comes the judgment.
"And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever." (20:10)
Why did God create man if He knew that some would choose hell? Because He also knew that some would choose Heaven.
And in any case, it is man's choice to make. As declared the citizens in the parable of the nobleman in Luke 19:14,
"We will not have Him to reign over us."
When such people are cast in hell, it is literally what they asked for.
God has a purpose for every detail of our creation.
"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts." (Isaiah 55:8-9)
God created mankind to prove His justice. He created mankind for His pleasure. And He created mankind so He could save them.
But He also created mankind so we could CHOOSE to love Him. There cannot be a choice without an alternative.
"I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:" (Deuteronomy 30:19)
Ping!
Since He has no needs and man is so incredibly slapstick, maybe we’re just a passing amusement for Him? Sort of like a giant Benny Hill program for His evening entertainment?
Awesome! What an interesting article. Thanks, GiovannaNicoletta!
Awesome......
Considering the depths of depravity to which man can descend, I would rather think that He’s not laughing much.
Although I’m sure He gets a chuckle out of us at times.
Other times, it’s like when Jesus sighed deeply in His spirit, from exasperation it seems.
I thought Asians were supposed to be smart!
God created man in His own image. Man turns around and creates God in his own image.
Yes, well let’s hope we amuse Him enough to keep forestalling His well-deserved wrath or justice. I just put this entertainment theory out there as an amusement, too, ha. Other than the official Judeo-Christian “love” explanation, this approach does seem to have something going for it maybe? At any event, it adds a little something and I haven’t heard a 3rd theory that does.
Well, if you’re really convinced that hell is real, it’s a no brainer.
Problem is, deception has told them that it’s all make believe.
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Verse |
Scripture Reference |
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1 |
GOD made man in His image and likeness, That he might know the love of the Highest. |
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2 |
A spirit, soul, and body gave He, That man might show forth, GOD's Glory. |
1Ths.5:23; |
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3 |
But he that can love must be able to choose, GOD's word to keep, or His fellowship to lose. |
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4 |
The Serpent, so subtle, came up to Adam's Eve, casting doubt, speaking lies, he worked to deceive. |
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5 |
She believed him, yielded to sin, and gave Adam to eat: Their eyes were then opened, and they fell in defeat. |
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6 |
GOD called for Adam, as he hid in the Garden; sin finds you out, and we all must seek pardon. |
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7 |
Cherubims of GOD kept man out, from the tree of life they must be; Till One greater than angels would come down, to die on a Tree. |
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8 |
JESUS CHRIST was His Name, the SON of GOD from above: Mighty in deed, righteous in heart, and perfect in love. |
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9 |
Casting out demons, and healing the sick, full of GOD's SPIRIT & power; But only the humble and contrite could know Him, and this was their hour. |
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10 |
Speaking the Truth by the SPIRIT, JESUS said He must do more; For it is sin which damns souls, that must be atoned for. |
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11 |
"Without shedding of blood, there is no remission;" To save fallen man, from his sinful condition. |
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12 |
GOD's prophets of old showed how the Messiah would come; To die on the cross and rise, our redemption be done! |
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13 |
So CHRIST faced the cross, and all that it meant; To become sin for us, to spend and be spent. |
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14 |
Having done all, He gave up the ghost, and now reigns in Glory – but the Devil will roast! |
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15 |
Now if GOD did all this, both for you and for me, you must needs repent, if Heaven you'll see. |
Jn.3:16; Rm.8:32; 1Jn.4:10; Lk.13:3; Acts 2:38: 17:42; Heb.2:3 |
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He alone knows all your heart, for His eyesight is pure; To die in your sins means damnation for sure! |
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17 |
The time then is now, while God's SPIRIT still draws; Believe CHRIST to save you, for you've broken GOD's laws. |
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18 |
You can't save yourself by your works and your deeds; It's CHRIST blood that saves us, and thus did He bleed. |
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So give Him your sins, your life and your will, And receive Him in heart, for His SPIRIT to fill. |
Acts 8:37; 10:44-46;15:7-9; 2Cor.8:5;1Ths.1:8,9; Eph.1:13; 3:18 |
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20 |
If you'll believe God's truth, a new creation you'll be; Be buried & risen with Christ in baptism, and walk in victory! |
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21 |
You'll go on your way rejoicing, that CHRIST by His blood doth save; Following the Son of GOD, Whom the Father sacrificially gave. |
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22 |
Now if you have this free gift, you'll want to be serving Him, be thankful in prayer, love GOD's Word, and the brethren. |
Rm.12; 2Co.5:14; 1Ths.1; Acts 2:41-17; 1Pt.1:22 More |
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God created Heaven on Earth. Mankind is turning Heaven into Hell. Is there still time for mankind to face God before we perish?
With possibly 24 inches covering part of the NE in snow, some think Miami is a taste of Heaven on earth, but even Eden came short of Heaven. And yet there is time for man to repent.
John 3:16 says differently. “For God so loved the World, that he gave his only Son, that whosoever should believe in him would not perish, but have everlasting life.”
Jesus is God in Flesh. He and the Father are one, so is their joy and so was their suffering. To the extent that the Godhead could ever have perished, it did so on the cross that day. God the father did not turn away from his Son, they were one in Christ’s anguish and one in Christ’s Resurrection, in the Spirit and in truth!
Rest assured, we weren’t “passing” amusement. Deadly serious conflicts and realities were being plaid out in ways we men could never have imagined or be privy to! Rest assured, mankind is loved, severely and completely!
Thanks. Keep the faith. (My suggestion was meant largely as a means of saying that we can be thankful to God that He so patiently abides all our follies, which obviously do little for Him...). Blessings, fhc
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