Hell Hath Enlarged Herself (Isa.5:14) Intro; Here in the opening verses (v.1-7) we see a Parable from the Lord informing us of a Plain and Purpose He had for the nation of Israel and Judah. I believe an application can be made to the individual sinner as well. The Lord has a Plain and Purpose for every life but if there has been no New Birth all that will be produced is Awild grapes@ and Hell will be the end result! 1. Notice what is said in (v.4 & 6) let me ask the same question this morning What more could God do to get you to be saved? Friend I=ll tell you He has done all He can and if you don=t respond Judgment is coming!! 2. I am afraid the truth of Hell is a Forgotten Fact in our day forgotten by many preachers, by many people. Hell is a Frightening Future if you re here this morning lost you should be afraid very afraid. But let me say hell is a Fool=s Finish (Mt 16:26) For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? 3. With that in mind let=s consider the text: I. Consider The Indisputable Grief of Hell. 1. Now, I know that the very idea of Hell is mocked and ridiculed by many people in our modern world. However, I still believe the Bible, and the Bible is clear in its teaching that there is a place called Hell. Even though the Bible has much to say about Hell, the doctrine is still ridiculed by many. The idea of Hell is usually attacked along three lines of thought. A. Notice The Declaration of Hell. (The word is used 54 Times in the word of God) 1. Jesus believed in Hell's reality. (Mk.9:43-48) 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: 44 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. 45 And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: 46 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. 47 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire: 48 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. Jesus Christ took hell so serious He could say without the slightest hesitation to remove your eye, cut off your hand or foot, if that would keep you out of hell! If hell is not real Jesus Christ was the most deceived man that ever lived! I=ll challenge anyone to read the words of Jesus Christ and tell me they are the words of a deceived man! Jesus Christ knew exactly what He was talking about! 2. The Bible continually warns of a place called hell. There are over 162 references in the New Testament alone which warns of hell. And over 72 of these references were uttered by the Lord Jesus Christ! B. Notice the Dimensions of Hell. 1. Its Measureless. (Isa. 5:14) 1
2. Its Bottomless. (Rev. 20:3) And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. 3. Its Insatiableness. (Pro. 27:20) Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied. C. Notice The Disbeliefs of Hell. 1. Rationalism: The rationalist says, "There is no God, therefore there can be no Hell." Charles Darwin said, "This (referring to Hell) is a damnable doctrine." But I say, "Let God be true and every man a liar!" 2. Ridicule: those who ridicule the doctrine of Hell say, "There may be a God, but it is silly to speculate about millions of disembodied spirits frying in a lake of fire somewhere." Or, "This is the twenty-first century! Wake up!" Robert Ingersoll, a famous atheist of the early part of the twentieth century said, "The idea of Hell was born of revenge and brutality on the one side, and cowardice on the other. I have no respect for any man who preaches it! I dislike the doctrine, I hate it, I despise it, I defy this doctrine!" But I say, "Let God be true and every man a liar!" 3. Religion: The religionist says, "There is a God, but He is a God of love and therefore He would not or could not send anyone to Hell." This is the position of all the cults and of the liberals. Christian Science: "Hell is an error of the mortal mind." Jehovah's Witnesses: "The wicked will be annihilated." Mormonism: "All will eventually be saved, and will not suffer eternal punishment." Seventh-Day Adventist: "God will someday blot out all sin and sinners, and establish a clean universe once again. The lost will burn up like a broom sage field." Again, I say, "Let God be true and every man a liar!" 4. Reality; Hell is a real Place, real People are going there, real Punishment is there. Much of what we know of Hell, we learn from the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. He was the greatest hellfire and brimstone preacher in the Bible. Of the 162 references to Hell and eternal judgment in the New Testament, 72 were spoken by the Lord Jesus! Why did Jesus speak so much on this subject? D. Notice the Description of Hell. a. For time sake, I will not read the references of the descriptive list I have on this subject of Hell and the Lake of Fire. I will tell you this, I am glad that I have been redeemed by the Blood of Jesus Christ. 1. A lake of fire (Rev. 20:15), 2. A bottomless pit (Rev. 20:1), 3. A horrible tempest (Psa. 11:6), 4. A place of everlasting burning (Isa. 33:14), 5. A furnace of fire (Mt. 13:41, 42), 6. A devouring fire (Isa. 33:14), 7. A place of torments (Luke 16:23) 8. A place of everlasting punishments (Mt. 25:46) 9. A place where people pray (Luke 16:27) 10. A place where they cry for mercy (Luke 16:24) 11. A place where they wail (Mt. 13:42) 12. A place where they curse God (Rev. 16:11) 13. A place where they never repent (Mt. 12:32) 14. A place of filthiness (Rev. 22:10,11) 15. A place of weeping (Mt. 8:12) 16. A place of sorrow (Psa. 18:5) 17. A place of outer darkness(mt. 8:12) 18. A place of where they have no rest (Rev. 14:11) 2
19. A place where they gnaw their tongues (Rev. 16:10) 20. A place of blackness and darkness forever (Jude 13) 21. A place where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched (Mark 9:48) 22. A place where they are tormented with brimstone (Rev. 14:10) 23. A place from which the smoke of their torments ascendeth up forever (Rev. 14:11) 24. A place where they do not want their loved ones to come (Luke 16:28) b. This description of Hell and the Lake of Fire ought to scare some people in wanting to be saved. If you are lost today, this is the very best you will have it. And this is the closest to heaven you will ever get. E. Notice the Duration of Hell. 1. Its Forever. If it was for a few days, a few months, a few years or even a million years, but to be tormented FOREVER! You will despair of ever having any deliverance! You will beg for death itself to come and take you away! You will curse the day you were born! Revelation 14:11 says, "The smoke of their TORMENT ascendeth up for EVER AND EVER: and they have NO REST DAY NOR NIGHT. 2. Three people die every second, 180 every minute,10,800 people an hour. An automobile accident... A heart attack.., A stroke...one thing is CERTAIN you will DIE today... tomorrow... a week... a month... a year... 5 years... 10 years... 20 years... 50 years ONE THING IS CERTAIN"...it is appointed unto man once TO DIE. A II. Consider The Insufferable Unwelcome Greetings of Hell. (V.15-24) 1. (Isa.14:9-11) Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming: it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations. 10 All they shall speak and say unto thee, Art thou also become weak as we? art thou become like unto us? 11 Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols: the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee. A. Notice The Awful Applause of Hell. 1. The Demonic hoard in hell applaud every time a sinner dies and their soul enter hell! There will be a greeting comity will be there though unwelcome still none the less there! B. Notice The Absolute Authority of Hell. 1. The Heat in Hell. The man in (Lk.16:24) cries: "...I am tormented in this FLAME." In Matthew 13:42, Jesus says: "And shall cast them into a FURNACE OF FIRE: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth." In (Mt.25:41), Jesus says: "Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting FIRE,..." (Rev.20:15) says, " And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the LAKE OF FIRE." 2. The Horror of Hell. Jesus says of the man in Luke 16: 23 "And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in TORMENTS.@ 24 "... for I am TORMENTED in this FLAME." 28 "...PLACE OF TORMENT." 3
3. The Hopelessness in Hell. Rev. 14:11: "The smoke of their TORMENT ascendeth up for EVER AND EVER: and they have NO REST DAY NOR NIGHT." C. Notice The Addled Addition of Hell. III. Consider The Important Group of Hell. (V.8-24) 1. In this portion of scripture we find 6 Awoes pronounced@ each one given the people involved and then the purpose of the pronounced woe. 2. I believe these woes cover every type of person on earth it doesn=t matter our color, country, culture, or creed we are all sinners (Rom.3:23) and must be Aborn again@ (Joh.3:3) if we are to stay out of hell! A. Notice the Prosperous. (V.8-10) B. Notice the Partying crowd. (V.11-13) C. Notice the Pompous crowd. (V.14-16) D. Notice the Popular crowd.(v.18-19) E. Notice the Pernicious crowd. (V.20) F. Notice the Prudent crowd.(v.21) G. Notice the Perverted crowd (V.22-24) 1. There will be two groups in hell friend I hope none here will be there! a. Notice the Expected Group 1. The Wicked. (Ps 9:17) The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God. 2. The Warned. (2Pet.2:21) For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. 3. The Waiting. (Pr 27:1) Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth. b. Notice the Unexpected Group. 1. The Unsaved Church Crowd 2. The Unsaved Clean Crowd 3. The Bible says in ((Mt.7:21-23) Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. IV. Consider The Incomprehensible Grief of Hell 1. It is humanly impossible to comprehend the Bible description of hell. Nothing on earth can compare with it. No nightmare could produce a terror to match that of hell. No horror movie could describe its fright. No crime scene with all its blood and gore could begin to match its horror. 2. You'll see HELL! You'll smell HELL! You'll breathe HELL! You'll hear HELL! You'll feel HELL! It'll be beyond anything humanly imaginable! The Bible describes it as weeping (Matt 8:12), wailing (Matt 13:42), gnashing of teeth (Matt 13:50), darkness (Matt 25:30), flames (Luke 16:24), burning (Isa 4
33:14), torments (Luke 16:23), everlasting punishment! Jesus Christ says in Matthew 25:41, "Depart from me, ye cursed, into EVERLASTING FIRE, prepared for the devil and his angels." In Matthew 13:42, Jesus says: "And shall cast them into a FURNACE OF FIRE :there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth." A. Notice Physical Grief. 1. (Lk.16:24) And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. B. Notice Personal Grief. 1. (Lk.16:25) But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. C. Notice Eternal Grief. 1. (Mt.25:46) And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal. V. Consider The Impassable Gulf of Hell. 1. Some say that if hell is in the heart of the earth and so many are going there surely it would fill up. And because of that kind of thinking there has been given the ideal that there is possibly a way out, or an end of hell. But let me say there is no such hope! 2. I remind you of the story of the rich man and Lazarus. (Lk.16:26) And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. VI. Consider The Intolerable Groans of Hell. 1. (Mt.13:49-50) So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, 50 And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. VIII. Consider The Insane Indecisive Gamble of Hell. 1. (Pr. 27:1) Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth. (2Cor. 6:2) (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.) A. Notice The Suddenness of their Slip. 1. (Lk.12:15-21) And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man=s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.16 And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:17 And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? 18 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. 19 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. 20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy 5
soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? 21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God. B. Notice The Seriousness of their Slip. 1. (Heb.9:27) And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: (2Co. 5:11) Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men... 6