FromNowUntilForeverBook8.5x5.5 REV.indd

FROM NOW TILL FOREVER

TODD GADDIS

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Table of Contents 1. Famine in the Land ........................................... 1 2. Degenerate Love............................................... 9 3. What HappersWhen I Die (Part 1) ............................19 4. What HappersWhen I Die (Part 2) ............................27 5. The UnholyTrinity...........................................35 6. Hell on Earth (Part 1)........................................43 7. Hell on Earth (Part 2)........................................51 8. Armageddon (AKA: Santan’sWaterloo) .......................59 9. The Midnight Cry .............................................69 10. I shall Return ..................................................77 11. The Judgement Seat of Christ..........................85 12. Your Table isWaiting ...............................................95 13. When Heaven Invades Earth (Part 1).......................103 14. When Heaven Invades Earth (Part 2).......................113 15. The GreatWhiteThrone Judgment...........................123 16. New Heaven, New Earth .........................................133 17. Occupy till I Come..........................................143 Appendix 1 ...........................................................153 Endnotes...............................................................158

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1 Famine in the Land

“Behold, days are coming,” declares the Lord, “When I will send a famine on the land” (Amos 8:11). ******

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hether brought about by natural disaster or political incompetency, nothing can compare to the devasta-

tion and death caused by famine. The worst such occurrence in his-tory, the Great Chinese Famine, spanned five years (1958- 1962). As a part of their “Great Leap Forward,” owning private land was outlawed in China in 1958. Communal farming and workers who were forcibly moved from fields to factories triggered the prob- lem. Add to these issues a flood in 1959 and drought in 1960, and the entire Chinese nation was affected. By 1962, 43 million peopledied from the famine. 1 Yet, as horrific as this and similar tragedies have been throughout history, they pale in comparison to the ongoing spiritual famine involving theWord of God, one that continues to

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worsen. We learn of this impending disaster from the prophet Amos, whose name means “burden.” A herdsman by trade, he hailed fromTekoa, just a few miles down the road from Jerusalem. The first prophet to predict Israel’s captivity, Amos served during the reign of Uzziah king of Judah, and Jeroboam II, king of Israel (786-746 BC). In our central text for this chapter, he records: “‘Behold, days are coming,’ declares the Lord God ,‘When I will send a famine on the land, Not a famine for bread or a thirst for water, But rather for hearing the words of the Lord’ ” (Amos 8:11, emphasis added). The word in Hebrew used for hearing is shama, which means “to listen with interest, giving heed. “The problem described is not with the proclamation of God’sWord but rather with the reception of it. Think of the times you have spoken to someone who may be hearing your words, yet not really listening to what you have to say. Such was the case with the Israelites in Amos’ day. It wasn’t a case of the Lord withholding His revelation but rather people being in such a condition that they weren’t listening. As we examine what these words meant then, let’s look first at the reasons for the famine . God’s people were at a low point during the time in which Amos prophesied. Spirituality ran shallow and social illness abounded. In addition to God’s name being profaned and the poor being mistreated, incestuous relationswere taking place (Amos 2:6-8). “Woe to those who are at ease in Zion,” writes Amos, “Those who recline on beds of ivory and sprawl on their couches . . .Who drink wine from sacrificial bowls while they anoint themselves with the finest oils” (Amos 6:1,4,6). It was eat, drink, and be merry for the Israelites of that day, particularly among the rich. God is loving, yet also just. A price would be paid for the people continuing to ignore His commands, as we learn from the

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results of the famine. “People will stagger from sea to sea . . .They willgo to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, But they will not find it . . .In that day the beautiful virgins and the young men will faint from thirst . . .They will fall and not rise again” (Amos 8:12-14).They had pushed away from God’s Word for so long that when they realized they needed it, it wasn’t to be found. As a result, spiritual malnourish- ment soon took its toll. Interestingly, a time of prolonged silence ensued three cen- turies later, a 400+ year stretch between the Old and NewTesta- ments, from Malachi to Jesus, when God raised up no prophets, nor was any prophesy revealed. As another minor prophet, who came along just after Amos (737-696 BC), writes, “They will cry out to the Lord, But He will not answer them. Instead, He will hide Hisface from them . . .Therefore it will be right for you, without vision, and darkness for you, without divination” (Micah 3:4,6). Even when Jesus came on the scene, most Jews still missed the redemptive message of God. As Jesus stated, quoting Isaiah’s prophecy being fulfilled, “FOR THE HEART OF THIS PEOPLE HAS BECOME DULL, WITH THEIR EARS THEY SCARCELY HEAR, ANDTHEY HAVE CLOSED THEIR EYES, OTHERWISE THEY WOULD SEEWITH THEIR EYES, HEARWITH THEIR EARS, AND UNDER- STANDWITH THEIR HEARTS AND RETURN, AND I WOULD HEALTHEM” (Matthew 13:15). Undoubtedly, this describes each successive generation since Jesus spoke the words, though the problem is clearly worse than ever. It’s been said ours is the most biblically illiterate generation since the church was established 2000 years ago. With that in mind, let’s examine what Amos’ prophecy means for today , by first addressing evidence of the decline. I read that during a pastor search interview, the chairman of the committee asked the candidate “Do you know your Bible?”

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“Yes sir,” came the reply. “Which part do you like the best?” “I believe I like the New Testament the best.” “Would you tell us the story of the prodigal son?” “Sure,” said the preacher, as he began: “There was a man with the Pharisees named Nicodemus, who went down to Jericho by night and there he fell upon stony ground and the thorns choked him half to death.The next morning Solomon and his wife, Gomorrah, came by, picked him up, carried him into the ark through the eastern gates of pearl; but on the way into the ark, he hung his hair on a limb, and he hung there 40 days and 40 nights; and after- wards he hungered. And the ravens came and fed him five thou- sand loaves of bread and two fish.The next morning he followed a strange star in the east, caught a ship for Nineveh, where he found Lot’s wife, a pillar of salt by day and a ball of fire by night. And there was Delilah sitting upon a wall, and he said, ‘toss her down boys!’ And they said,‘How many times shall we toss her down, seven times?’‘No, seventy times seven.’ So they tossed her down 490 times. She burst asunder in their midst.They picked up 12 basketsful of the fragments thereof and in the resurrection, whose wife will she be?”At that point, he sat down. After several moments of silence, the chairman stood to his feet. Choking back the tears, he said, “Committee, I believe we ought to call this man as our pastor. I know he’s young, but he re- ally knows his Bible!”We chuckle over such an account, yet it’s not completely outlandish. For proof of a burgeoning biblical illiteracy crisis, consider these results from various surveys… • Fewer than half of all adults can name the four gospels. • Many professing Christians cannot identify more than two or three of the disciples.

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• 60 percent ofAmericanscan’t evenname fiveof theTenCommandments. • 12 percent of adults believe that Joan of Arc was Noah’s wife. • A survey of graduating high school seniors revealed that over 50 percent thought that Sodom and Gomorrah were husband and wife. 2 How did we get ourselves into such a situation? Is it because there are not enough churches? I don’t think so. It seems like a new church pops up every week on the western edge of metro Atlanta where I live. Is it because we’re not getting the word out? Again, I say no. With the onslaught of conventional and social media, we’re inundated with faith based programming. Rarely a day goes by that I don’t receive notification of an upcoming conferenceor seminar. Add to that countless books, blogs, and podcasts. So, if the reason for this crisis is none of the above, then what is? Obviously, it’s the famine of “hearing” the Word Amos prophesied and it manifests itself particularly in three areas. Dissention— During the ministry of the prophet Jeremiah, his words of God’s impending judgment on Judah were read be- fore King Jehoiakim. Displeased with what he heard, the rebellious ruler started cutting pieces of the scroll on which the message was written and threw them in the fire to burn. (Jeremiah 36: 23). Figuratively speaking, this is how most people respond to God’s word in our society today. Not liking what they hear, they simply close their ears to the message. Distraction— Those who comprise this group carry no particular animosity toward the Bible. In fact, they probably have three or four copies around their homes; maybe even an app on their phone. They’re simply too consumed with worldly matters to receive the message. The shear amount of things to do, places to go, and programs to watch, much of which has been brought about by prosperity, compounds the pr

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In His parable of the sower, Jesus describes this by “The seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who are heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with worries and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to maturity” (Luke 8:14). I remember coming home from school as a kid and heading immediately for the cookie cabinet. “Don’t eat too many of those,” my mom would say, “or you’ll spoil your supper.” Focusing and feasting on what our carnal world has to offer, the masses have “spoiled their supper,” possessing little hunger and desire for the eternal things of God. Distortion— These are the ones who abuse and interpret Scripture to fit their own agenda. Addressing this issue propheti- cally, Paul warnedTimothy that a “Time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away from the truth and turn aside to myths” (2 Timothy 4:3- 4). Paul’s prediction is being played out on numerous fronts today. Prosperity gospel promises health and wealth in this life, as long as one has the faith and is willing to give. The self-help enterprise, with its strong emphasis on leadership development, continues to flourish. Add to that the “Emergent Church” that has skyrocketed in popularity since the late 20 th Century. Though cer- tainly not all, many of these congregations present a product heavy on entertainment but light on doctrine. With these things in mind, let’s conclude this chapter by examining what Amos’ prophecy means for the future. Is it possible that this famine for hearing the Word of God we are ex- periencing will digress into a famine of finding theWord of God? As churches continue to water down their message in an attempt to keep people in the pews and dollars in the plate, will it become

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harder to find one where the full counsel of the Bible is unasham- edly preached and taught? In the politically correct culture we live in, is there the distinct possibility the government will place restrictions on Scripture? Consider that “North Korea punishes any possession of religious literature by death or imprisonment.” 3 Though it hasn’t reached that point in America, we’re seeing the beginnings through restrictions on prayer and removal of the Ten Command- ments in public places. Worsening suppression of distribution andproclamation of God’sWord certainly looms on the horizon. Surely you must be asking yourself at this point, “What can I do about this?” Jesus gave the answer when He said, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Revelation 3:6). The word He uses for “hear” in the original means to consider, learn, comprehend, and understand. Paul certainly got it, writing, “Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God” (Colossians 3:16). W.C. Fields, famous actor and comic from the early 20 th Century, was a lifelong agnostic. So it came somewhat as a surprise when someone discovered his reading Scripture on his deathbed. “Why are you reading the Bible?” they inquired. “I am looking for loopholes,” he replied. Scripture contains no loopholes. And while the famine of its hearing is here, and will worsen, God’sWord will stand the test of time and remain throughout eternity.

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2 Degenerate Love “In the last days . . . people will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money . . . lovers of pleasure (2 Timothy 3:1-3). ******

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ne of my fond memories of childhood is staying up late on Friday nights and watching scary movies.

I can remember lying in bed, with covers pulled up, mesmer- ized by such classics as Frankenstein,The Mummy, and Wolf Man. One flick from this era and genre that left an indelible mark is Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, based on an 1886 novella by Robert Louis Stevenson.The main character, Dr. Henry Jekyll, is a normal, respectable guy until he starts delving into the duality of human nature and man’s conflict between good and evil. As the story unfolds, Jekyll develops a potion that, when consumed, transforms him into the dark and murderous Mr. Hyde. He manages for a while by drinking a mixture that turns

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him back into his old self.Tragically, the evil side usurps con- trol and Mr. Hyde ends up getting killed. For sake of analogy, let’s compare ourselves as believ- ers to Dr. Jekyll. Although periodically battling our personal demons, we basically consider ourselves decent people. Over time, however, Satan’s lies and deception begin to take their toll.We observe the tantalizing behavior going on around us and yearn to partake. Far too often, figuratively speaking, some choose to consume a devilish brew that gives free rein to their dark side. If you find you’ve swallowed an elixir that’s releasing your dark side, you’re not alone. The Bible warns that as theend of time approaches, an increasing number of Dr. Jekyllswill morph into Mr. Hydes. In our central text for this chapter, Paul warned Timothy of this spiritual blight two millennia ago by saying, “But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come” (2 Timothy 3:1). In a general sense, “last days” refers to the whole messianic age, that specific period of time between the first and second comings of Christ. Peter confirms this in his sermon at Pente- cost, which took place 40 days after the resurrection of Jesus. Quoting from the prophet Joel, he declared, “‘INTHE LAST DAYS,’ God says,‘THAT IWILL POUR FORTH OF MY SPIRIT ON ALL MANKIND’” (Acts 2:17). The marvelous, miraculous activities that took place in Jerusalem on that day fulfilled these words. Yet, I firmly believe Paul refers here to a specific period of growing degradation that will occur as Jesus’ return draws closer. Scripture says, “In the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts” (2 Peter 3:3). Certainly, these defamers have spewed their poison consistently through- out the last two thousand years. Yet, who can deny the increas- ing intensity and extensiveness of such behavior that takes place

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with each passing generation.

With that in mind, let’s dig deeper into Paul’s words, ones in which he pens a list of 18 vices, three that reveal ex- amples of degenerate love. “In the last days . . . men will be lovers of self, lovers of money . . . lovers of pleasure, rather than lovers of God” (2 Timothy 3:1, 2, 4). Amazingly, Paul nails these three isms that are permeating our current culture and often cripple the church in the process. Narcissism (lovers of themselves)—This condition takesits name from the Greek mythological character Narcissus, who fell in love with his own reflection in a pool and then changed into the flower that bears his name, the narcissus. A narcissist, one who suffers from excessive self-love, self-cen- teredness, and self-admiration, exhibits many of the following traits. • Has a grandiose sense of self-importance • Is preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love • Believes that he or she is “special” and can only be under stood by, or should associate with, other special or high-

status people (or institutions) • Requires excessive admiration

• Has a sense of entitlement, i.e., unreasonable expectations of especially favorable treatment or automatic compliance with his or her expectations • Is personally exploitive, i.e., takes advantage of others to achieve his or her own ends

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• Lacks empathy and is unwilling to recognize or identify with the feelings and needs of others • Is often envious of others or believes that others are envious of him or her •Shows arrogant, haughty behaviors or attitudes 4 We’ve come to expect these traits in the realms of pol- itics, business, sports, and entertainment. Unfortunately, it’s now rampant in the ministry.Too many pastors have become builders of their own kingdoms, rather than the Kingdom of God, preying on others rather than praying for them. A desire to be liked, successful and in control, coupled with intense insecurity, creates the perfect storm. Unfortunately, aided by uncommitted and uninformed parishioners, this condition will worsen as the EndTimes approach. Materialism (lovers of money)—A 62-year-old man, suffering from a rare disease that makes a person want to eat money, recently walked into the emergency room of the Cho- let General Hospital in western France. “French doctors were taken aback when they discovered the reason for the patient’s sore and swollen belly: He had swallowed around 350 coins: $650 worth.”The man had a history of psychiatric illness and his family warned physicians that he sometimes swallowed coins. A few had been taken from his stomach in past hospital visits. Nevertheless, doctors were amazed at what they saw on the x-ray. An enormous opaque mass, found to weigh twelve pounds, showed up in the patient’s stomach. It was so heavy that it forced the man’s stomach down between his hips. Five days after the man’s arrival, doctors removed his stomach and its contents. Sadly, the patient died within days. 5

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While most people would never think of eating money, they’re doing their best to attain and accumulate all they can, storing up for themselves “Treasures on earth where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal” (Matthew 6:19). An indicator that Paul’s prophetic words are spot on is the fact that the percentage of what Americans give to their churches has declined steadily over the years, despite the fact the economy has experienced great heights during that same period. Statistics show that giving as a percent of income has dropped from 3.02% in 1968 to 2.21% in 2012. 6 Compare that to the Great Depression when church goers put 3.3% into the plate.What’s more alarming is the fact that as many as half of all church members reported giving nothing at all. 7 Never has there been a time when we’ve had more yet enjoyed it less. “Show me the money” has become the mantra of the day. Hedonism (lovers of pleasure)—According toWebster, hedonism is “the doctrine that pleasure or happiness is the sole or chief good in life.”This philosophy takes its name from the Greek word hedone, which means “delight.” I can’t help but reflect on Disney’s The Adventures of Pinoc- chio, based on the book by Carlo Collodi, when considering this condition. In the movie, Pinocchio and a group are taken to Pleasure Island, where they are encouraged to drink beer, gam- ble, smoke cigars, etc. –all the things that young boys shouldn’t do. Soon, their laughter is replaced by braying and they eventu- ally turn into donkeys. I sometimes tell our congregation we live in the U.S.A., the United States of Amusement. Far too many, even church goers, have become spiritual donkeys.When the weekend rolls around, they escape to Pleasure Island, participating in worldly

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amusements and mimicking the behavior of unbelievers. Before long, symbolically speaking, their laughter turns to braying, their ears get pointed, they sprout tails, and an extra pair of legs. Scripture instructs us to “Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy into gloom” (James 4:9). Don’t misunderstand. God doesn’t want us to mope through life, sour and downcast. True laughter is a gift from God and medicine for the soul. However, when it stems from a flippant and haughty spirit, God it not honored. The Lord certainly desires that we enjoy fun and lighthearted mo- ments. On the other hand, we’re at war with Satan and must enter into battle in earnest. Building on the above, let’s examine the following re- sults of degenerate love. As Paul writes, the three isms , as well as the 15 additional vices listed, lead to transgressors “Holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power . . . always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” (2 Timothy3:5,7). Observe first, the problem, “godliness without power .” This is the person that embraces religion but displays little, if any, evidence of a personal relationship with Christ. Ironically,they might very well be faithful in their church attendance. However, they shun spiritual excitement and really don’t ex- pect God to do anything unexplainable or out of the ordinary. The Pharisees of Jesus’ day are a perfect example.They carefully adhered to the Law and considered themselves very religious.Yet, the Lord called them a “brood of vipers” (Matthew 23:33). As Jesus said, they conducted their religion for men to see and didn’t practice what they preached. He compared them to a cup that was clean on the outside but dirty on the inside.When Jesus healed a demon-possessed man, the Phari-

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sees denied that it was from God, saying, “It is only by Beelzebub, the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons” (Matthew 12:24). The second result of degenerate love is learning without truth, or what I like to call worldly information without divine inspiration. Countless Christians have sat through thousands of lessons and sermons, yet still don’t know what they believe and show no evidence of it.They are like theYoshino cherry trees that beautified my front yard for years – bearing wonderful leaves and blooms, but no fruit. People are packing arenas and consuming all forms of media to hear a message that “tickles their ears” – one center- ing on self-fulfillment rather than self-denial. One dare not preach the offense of the Cross and the reality of Hell, other- wise folks might not come back next week. Unfortunately, there’s no stopping this train. We can’t reverse the flow of the stream, yet we can plug the holes in the dike. Let’s close the chapter detailing the following ways to combat degenerate love: Avoid those who malign the faith— the ones who havea warped view of love and exhibit such characteristics as slander, conceit, rashness, treacherousness, brutality, etc. (2 Tim-othy 3:2-4). Paul very frankly warns, “Avoid such men as these” (2 Timothy 3:5). Certainly, we should try to build bridges with the lost and backslidden in an attempt to draw them into the fold. We must be careful, however, not to engage in their follies. In fact, God promises to honor those who separate themselves from evil doers and cling to what is right. As the Psalmist says, “How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the way of sinners nor sit in the seat of scoffers!” (Psalm 1:1).

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Embrace those willing to join the faith— Spiritually speaking, the Titanic has rammed an iceberg and is taking on water. Thankfully, lifeboats are available to rescue the perishing.Even in a society in which hearts are hardening and love is waning, people remain reachable. There are still those hungry for the word, yearning to love and be loved. “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few” (Luke 10:2). “He who is wise wins souls” (Proverbs 11:30). Stephen Olford, a great preacher from a previous genera- tion, tells a story from his teenage years that illustrates a viable alternative to the love decline in modern society. Growing up on the mission field, he often sailed from the coast of Africa to Britain and back. On one of the journeys, a sailor became seriously ill with an infectious and deadly disease. The captain ordered that the sick man be placed on a mat at the stern of the ship, with the idea that when no one was looking, somebody would push him overboard. When Olford’s mother found out about the situation, she went to the captain and said, “I’m a missionary. I demand, in the name of my God and the Lord Jesus Christ whom I serve, that nothing be done to that man until I finish with him. If you act otherwise, I will report you.” She then cleaned the man, administered medication and prayed for him. As the days ticked by, the man got better.The sores began to heal and his eyes brightened. By the time the ship reached Portugal, he could stand on his own. Olford recalls the man hugging his moth- saying “She’s the only one in the world who loved me! ” That man became a believer and stayed in touch with the family for years. 8 Like fighting fire with fire, the only way to battle the love decline is with love. As Jesus said, “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35).

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You may not change the world but you can certainly help change a life.

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3 What Happens When I Die? (Part 1: The Agony of Hell?) “I am in agony in this flame”

(Luke 16:24). ******

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oody Allen once said: “It’s not that I’m afraid to die. I just don’t want to be around when it

happens.” The fact is, Allen, along with everyone who has ever lived, is going to be around when it happens.The big question is, “Then what?” Many subscribe to what I call the doctrine of protraction, commonly known as purgatory. According to Roman Catholic beliefs, this intermediate state allows for atonement after death, therefore making a person suitable for heaven, a second chance if you will. There’s also the doctrine of annihilation, the belief that unbelievers will be extinguished immediately upon death, or what I call the “lights out” theory. While both may sound appealing, no scriptural base exists for either.

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The Bible teaches what I call the doctrine of destination. Immediately upon death, the spirit exits the body. The lifeless body remains on earth while the living spirit goes to heaven or hell. Whether you like it or not, you’ll still be “alive” a hun- dred millions years from now. The question is: Where will you be? This is such a serious issue, it’s going to take two chapters to address. Let’s start with hell, and then move on to a much more pleasant subject—heaven. Actually, three different Greek words in the New Testa- ment translate into the English word hell. Tartaros, which ap- pears only once in the NewTestament (2 Peter 2:4), “is a place of confinement for the rebellious angels until the time of their judgment.” 91 Geena , or Gehenna is rendered “hell” twelve times, eleven of which come from the lips of Jesus Himself. 102 This is a permanent place of punishment, the eternal lake of fire or “second death,” which we will consider later. For now, let’s focus on the word used for hell in our cen- tral text for this chapter (Luke 16:19-31), Hades, which appears ten times in the New Testament. “It is not the final destiny of those who die having rejected Christ, but a place of torment until they are resurrected to stand before the great white throne of judgment.” 113 Understand, this does not suggest a period of purgatory, or an opportunity for second chance, but rather a place where lost souls suffer in torment until perma- nent judgment (to be explained later) is carried out following the millennial reign of Christ. As we delve into this parable told by Jesus to the Pharisees, note these sobering truths about Hades—realities that no doubt will carry over into Gehenna. First, those in hell will retain their memory of things that happened on earth, as indicated by Abraham’s words to the rich man: “Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things” (Luke

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16:25).What else did the rich man have to do but reflect upon how foolish he had been, becoming so enamored with his wealth yet failing to acknowledge the One who had blessed him with it. Forever, he would replay in his mind the times he had walked by Lazarus, refusing to provide assistance. He also remembered his five brothers that were headed for the same dreadful destination he found himself in. (Luke 16:28). This teaching confirms that those now in hell are re- membering the multiple opportunities they had to repent of their sins and submit to Christ. Millions upon millions are recalling the times they felt the conviction of the Holy Spirit but would not humble themselves before God. Hard-hearted husbands regretfully reflect upon the times they turned a deaf ear to their wives’ pleas to attend church with them and their children. Those who encountered death unexpectedly, some perhaps in their younger years, replay repeatedly opportunities they had to get saved. The person who said, “I’m not ready now but maybe someday” will be constantly reminded that someday never came. Likewise, the rich man has eternity to remember his spiritual failures. Next, note that hell is a place of perpetual agony. In a pitiful appeal to Abraham, the rich man said, “Have mercy on me . . . I am in agony in this flame” (Luke 16:24). Is Jesus referring to literal flames? We can’t say for sure. Certainly, He described hell as such on multiple occasions. He warned of “the fiery hell, the furnace of fire,” and “hell . . . the unquenchable fire” (Matthew 5:22, 13:42, Mark 9:44). John writes of death and Hades as being thrown into “the lake of fire” after the millennial reign of Christ (Revelation 20:14). A scoffer might say, “It couldn’t be actual fire because those present would be burned up in a matter of minutes.” Remember the burning bush that Moses saw in the desert.The

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Bible says that, “the bush was burning with fire, yet the bush was not consumed” (Exodus 3:2). If God performed such a phenomenon with a plant on this earth, He could certainly do it with people in hell. Even if the flames aren’t literally there, the physical misery will be. And yet, it pales in comparison to the mental and emotional anguish that hell’s occupants endure. As Jesus hung dying on the cross, He cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46). The physical pain of being nailed to the cross meant little to Him compared to the agony of being separated from the Father and taking on sin. The spiritual agony in hell overshadows anything physically endured. Observe also that hell means eternal separation, as described by the following: Separation from God — Between us and you there is a great chasm fixed,” said Abraham, “so that those who wish to come over from here to you will not be able, and that none may cross over from there to us” (Luke 16:26). Thankfully, for those still alive on earth, there is a way to cross the chasm.Yet it can’t happen as a result of our own efforts. Rather it’s the sacrifice of Christ that allows sinful man to connect with a perfect God. If you’ve not done so, make the connection now by receiving His offer of salvation and forgive- ness. Otherwise, you’re doomed to an eternity of separation after you die. . Separation from people— Lazarus was carried by angels to Abraham’s side after his death.We learn of no such welcome for the rich man. I’ve heard it said about some degen-erate unbelievers that they don’t dread the prospects of hell, as long as they can socialize with their like-minded friends. Nothing could be further from the truth.While Christians can

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anticipate joyous fellowship with Jesus, angels and other saints in their afterlife, the unsaved can expect nothing but loneliness and isolation. Touring a prison recently, I was shown the tiny, solitary confinement cells reserved for unruly inmates. For extended periods of time, they remain isolated, without media, inmate interaction, and family visits. Obviously, this is viewed as ex- treme punishment, otherwise, why would it serve to deter bad behavior? Likewise, banishment and separation are part of the extreme sentence that awaits unbelievers. Hell is characterized by unending hopelessness. What beyond hope keeps us going on this fallen, sin-soaked planet? As the rain pours down, we anticipate sunny days. As the winter winds blow and trees stand gray and bare, we can anticipate the warmth and growth to come. We struggle through the fever and pain of the flu, knowing that recovery is just days away. The loneliness of time spent apart from those we love gets quickly pushed aside by the thought of reuniting. We toil away at difficult and demanding jobs day after day, week after week, month after month, eagerly anticipating a much-needed vacation or well-deserved retirement. While still alive on earth, nearly everything can be taken from us but hope. In hell, however, even that gets stripped away. In 1927 the Coast Guard cutter USS Paulding rammed a Navy S-4 submarine off the coast of Massachusetts.The crew of the vessel became trapped in an underwater prison of death. Great lengths were taken to rescue those on board, but ultimately, they all failed. Near the end of the tragedy, a diver heard tapping on the steel wall of the vessel. He placed his helmet next to the side of the sunken sub and recognized Morse code. One of the doomed sailors repeatedly spelled out the question, “Is . . . there . . . any . . . hope?” 124

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For the rich man, there was no hope, and he knew it. He asks for water and requests that Lazarus be allowed to go warn his brothers, yet we never hear a plea for release or a second chance. He had nothing else to do but remember, agonize, and suffer through separation, smothering in hopelessness. Take a moment to ponder these truths before continuing your reading.If you are not certain of your eternal destination in heaven, go through the Steps to Salvation in Appendix 1. According to the Bible, eternal life in heaven is something of which you can be certain (1 John 5:13). Finally, possession of worldly wealth increases a person’s chance of going to hell. The rich man in our story “habitually dressed in purple and fine linen, joyously living in splendor every day” (Luke 16:19). Obviously, his possessions did not automatically seal his dreadful fate. His prosperity, howev- er, created a false sense of security.Why depend on God when he had everything a person could want at his disposal? Accu- mulation and the distractions that go along with it prohibited his necessary preparation for the future. As theWord says, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven” (Mark 10:25). Jesus made this comment at the end of an encounter with a rich young ruler when the man approached Him and asked the way to eternal life. After they discussed keeping the commandments, Jesus said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.Then come, follow me” (Luke 18:22). Certainly, the Lord wasn’t suggesting that entrance into heaven could be earned. Rather, He probed for a willing spirit, exposing the barrier that stood between the man and eternal life. Unfortunately, the young man rejected the Lord’s offer and headed down a path toward hell because of his love affair

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with worldly wealth.

Another parable from Jesus illustrates this claim. The ground of a certain rich man produced such a bountiful harvest that he ran out of room to store his crops. Pondering his good fortune, he said, “This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I’ll say to myself,‘You have plenty of good things laid up for many years.Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry’” (Luke 12:18,19). Upon hearing the man’s plan, God responded, “You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you” (Luke 12:20). Earli- er in the Lord’s ministry He proclaimed ,“Woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort.Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry” (Luke 6:24,25). Years ago a policeman issued a citation to a woman in NewYork.When the officer handed the ticket through the lady’s window, she snapped it out of his hand and said, “You can go straight to hell!” As a result, the policeman took her to court.When the case went up for review, the judge dismissed the complaint about the woman’s language, saying, “It wasn’t a command, or a wish, but a statement of fact, for going to hell is a possibility.” 135 I don’t condone the woman’s vulgarity and also have concerns about the ruling. However, the statement is 100 per- cent on target. Going to hell is a possibility . For the rich man, it was a reality. However, it’s certainly not a necessity. Heaven, which we move on to learn more about now, is a much better alternative.

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T 4 What Happens When I Die? (Part 2: The Ecstasy of Heaven) “We have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens” (2 Corinthians 5:1). ****** he Associated Press named Pepper Martin athlete of the year in 1931. The Oklahoma native and right-handed center fielder batted .500, stole five bases, scored five runs, and played excellent defense to lead his St. Louis Cardinals to a World Series victory over the Philadelphia Ath- letics. After the seventh and decisive game, the press cornered him for an interview. In the midst of celebration, a reporter asked, “Pepper, now that you have won the World Series sin- gle-handedly, what do you want more than anything else in the world?” Following a pondering pause, he startled them with his answer: “Above everything else in the world I want to go to

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heaven.”As the group of reporters laughed, a serious Martin peered into their eyes and said, “What’s so funny about that? I do want above everything else to go to heaven.” 141 And who wouldn’t, based on everything the Bible tells us about how wonderful this “paradise” is going to be? Those commended for their faith in Hebrews 11 did not receive fulfillment of God’s promise to them while still alive because He “had provided something better for us, so that apartfrom us they would not be made perfect” (Hebrews 11:40, emphasisadded). That “something better” is heaven, which can first be described as a created place. Focusing on the word “created,” realize that there has never been a time that God wasn’t. He was, is, and always will be.TheWord says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1), which clearly indicates that God was around before heaven ever came into being. Consider, too, the term “place.” Heaven is anything but some mist floating around in the clouds or among the stars. Just hours before His crucifixion, the Lord comforted His disciples by assuring them He was going to prepare a place for them (John 14:2). According to the Bible, special saints had the opportunity to gaze upon a portion of its mystery. Isaiah caught a vision of the Lord encircled by angels while being commissioned into prophetic service. Stephen saw heaven open and Jesus at the Father’s right hand just moments before his death. John the Revelator viewed and recorded evidence of a literal, observ- able, tangible location, as we’ll soon explore further. These and other Scriptures indicate also that heaven is the current home of God, His son Jesus, angels, and all believers who have died up to this point . God is spirit and does not need a specific place to dwell.Yet, accord-

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ing to HisWord, He’s there. Solomon prayed to God, “Hear in heavenYour dwelling place” (1 Kings 8:30). And, not only does God reside there, but Jesus as well. After His death, burial and resurrection, Christ entered “into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us” (Hebrews 9:24). Regarding the presence of angels in heaven, Paul writes about that point in the future, “When the Lord will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire” (2 Thessalonians 1:7). Reporting on his vision from Patmos, John tells of “Myr- iads of myriads, and thousands of thousands” of elders and angels gathered around the throne . . . “A great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the Lamb,” just a couple of such references too numerous to mention here (Revelation 5:11, 7:9). Take comfort in knowing that family and friends who have died in the Lord are among that group.They wouldn’t come back to this fallen world even if they could.Yet you will see them again one day if you have received Christ as Savior. Next, heaven hosts peerless, perpetual praise. So much of our worship on earth is watered down, often too pre- dictable, scripted, and brief.We honor God with our lips but our hearts are far from Him. (Isaiah 29:13).We come to Him in praise, despite unconfessed sin in our lives. Our minds are prone to wander. Such is not the case in heaven. In His vision from the isle of Patmos, John saw living creatures, or angels, at God’s throne saying: “HOLY, HOLY, HOLY is THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTY, WHO WAS ANDWHO IS ANDWHO IS TO COME” (Revelation 4:8). Later , the beloved disciple saw a countless multitude standing at the throne before the Lamb crying out, “Salvation to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb” (Revelation 7:10). The book Psalms of the Heart contains the story of mis-

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sionaries who traveled to southern Mexico to work among the Chol Indians. Among other ministries, they labored 25 years to translate the New Testament into the local language.Today, more than 12,000 make up the Chol Christian Community— which, by the way, is financially self-supporting. What’s most amazing is that when the missionaries arrived, the locals didn’t even know how to sing. Upon their conversion, however, the Christians in the tribe became known as “the singers.” “They love to sing now,” said author George Sweeting, “because they have something to sing about.” 152 If you know Jesus as Savior, you too, have something to sing about. Looking out over the congregation, I notice lots of people not singing. I realize some don’t know the songs, while oth- ers think they can’t sing. Among them are those who prefer a different style of worship. Praise God these won’t be issues in heaven. Instead of feeling self-conscious and looking around at others, we’ll focus on the One worthy of our honor and wor- ship, making a joyful noise unto Him. In addition to its praise, heaven is a place of unprec- edented beauty. A little girl and her father were out for a walk in the country after dark.There were no streetlights, auto headlights, bright signs, etc.—nothing but a deep, blue, velvet sky studded with an array of shining stars. Gazing upward, the daughter said, “Daddy, if the wrong side of heaven is so beauti- ful, what do you think the right side will be like?” Jesus assured the repentant thief on the cross beside Him, “Today you shall be with Me in Paradise” (Luke 23:43). “This Persian word meaning ‘garden’ is used in the Old Testament of a number of gardens. Specifically important is its use for the Garden of Eden.” 163 Obviously, Christ was pointing to the beautiful surroundings they would soon enjoy. In his view of

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heaven, John saw beautiful stone, a rainbow like an emerald in appearance, a sea of glass like crystal and elders with golden crowns on their heads (Revelation 4:3-6). Having traveled through several western states, my wife and I have seen many breathtaking views, my favorites being the Teton Mountains in Wyoming and the Grand Canyon in Arizona. I’ve stood before those sights, transfixed, marveling over God’s handiwork.Yet, even the most beautiful places on this sin-stained planet pale in comparison to what heaven has in store. I’m especially excited to think that the millions that didn’t get the opportunity to see such sights in this life will be able to do see much more beautiful sights in heaven. Adding to the bliss is the rest we’ll experience in heaven . Since the Fall, man has had to obtain food by the sweat of his brow. (Genesis 3:19). I believe this curse extends and applies, in general, to survival/making a living. Every- where I go, I see people burning the candle at both ends. Fam- ily activities, job responsibilities, and health concerns, just to name a few, take a tremendous toll on us. I know many people who’ve literally worn themselves out by taking care of others. Church, too, will exhaust us if we let it. Thankfully, heaven provides relief from such toil. In the midst of one of John’s visions, a voice said, “Write,‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on!’”‘Yes,’ says the Spirit,‘so that they my rest from their labors’” (Revelation 14:13, emphasis added).This is not to say that saints will spend eternity loung- ing among the clouds on heavenly hassocks, strumming harps. There will be lots to “do” in heaven. Fortunately, we won’t grow tired in the process. Finally, heaven is a temporary place . This might raise a few eyebrows, since we’re used to thinking of heaven as end- less and eternal.Yet, as bestselling author Randy Alcorn states

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and Scripture affirms, “The intermediate Heaven is not our final destination.Though it will be a wonderful place, the intermedi- ate Heaven is not the place we were made for—the place God promises to refashion for us to live in forever.” 174 For the believer, intermediate heaven serves as a stopping over point between death and Christ’s return to the earth. This is called the disembodied state. When we die, our spirits depart our temporal earth suits, and are transported immediately into the presence of the Lord. Before Jesus died on the cross He called out: “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit” (Luke 23:46). Why did He not say, “Father, into your hands I commit my body?” The reason is, His body was taken down from the cross and placed in the tomb. It was three days later, when He came forth from the grave, that He possessed a glorified, resur- rection body. As Christians, we’ll receive glorified bodies when Jesus comes to the earth a second time, along with the angels and saints. After the forces of evil are defeated and Satan is bound, Christ’s millennial reign will commence. It’s after that thou- sand year period of peace, Satan’s ultimate destruction and the final judgment of the unsaved that the old heaven and earth are destroyed by fire and the new heaven and new earth are estab- lished (2 Peter 3:12, Revelation 21:1). Fret not if this seems overwhelming. It will be explained in more detail in later chap- ters. For now, let’s conclude by addressing two frequently asked questions. First, with our earthly bodies buried in or spread upon the earth, what will our soul and spirit consist of during the intermediate state? Although the Bible doesn’t address this inquiry directly, answers are implied. When, in one of Jesus’ parables (Luke 16:19-31), the poor man Lazarus died, he was carried to Abraham’s side. From hell, the rich man asked if

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Lazarus’ finger could be dipped in water. Obviously, “side” and “finger” allude to some type of physical presence. In John’s vi- sion, he witnessed martyrs underneath the altar in white robes (Revelation 6:11). They could not be wearing robes unless their spirits had some time of material consistency. Also, will we recognize one another in intermediate heaven, during our disembodied state? Although we still won’t have glori- fied, resurrected bodies, I believe God has provided a means for us to know one another. At theTransfiguration, Moses and Elijah appeared in recognizable, physical form to Jesus, Peter, James, and John. Perhaps one could argue that this Old Tes- tament pair was given temporary bodies for their return to earth. It’s more likely, however, that they possessed some type of incarnate presence, one that they maintain to this day. Billy Graham tells the story of his grandmother’s final moments on earth. While in her dying state, “She sat up in her bed, smiled and said, ‘I see Jesus, and He has His hand out- stretched to me. And there’s Ben and he has both of his eyes and both of his legs.’ My grandfather had lost a leg and an eye at Gettysburg.” 185 In Valladolid, Spain, where Christopher Columbus died in 1506, stands a monument commemorating the great dis- coverer. Perhaps the most fascinating feature of the memorial is a statue of a lion destroying one of the Latin words that helped make up Spain’s motto for centuries. Before Colum- bus launched out, the Spaniards thought they had reached the earth’s outer limits. Thus, their motto proclaimed “Ne Plus Ul-tra,” which means “No More Beyond.”The word being strippedaway by the lion is “ne” or “no,” making it read “Plus Ultra.” Columbus proved that there was indeed “more beyond.” 196 Life on this fallen planet is but a mere dot on the radar screen of eternity. “Plus Ultra,” something better, a paradise of

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