When it comes to the subjects of Heaven and Hell, most people are interested and will give their attention. As a pastor for nineteen years, I had numerous opportunities to visit seriously ill and dying people in the hospital. Many times, I visited with families during viewing times at funeral parlors, and later conducted funeral services for their departed loved ones. One thing that seemed to be on the minds of those left behind, more than anything else, was the hereafter. Not only did I hear it in their discussions, I could see it in their faces. This was especially obvious when they walked by the coffin of one they had personally known, but now that one had gone “the way of all the Earth.”
Given the fact that life here is temporary at best, it is only logical that life after death must be a matter of great concern. Job is a good illustration; he realized that his life was short, and made reference to the brevity of it many times. No doubt, because of this, Job had prepared for the inevitable day of his departure.
Depending entirely on our knowledge or lack thereof of God’s Word on the subjects of Heaven and Hell and our response to it, the hereafter can be a terror to us or it can be a comfort and consolation. It is my desire that the information in this book will enable the reader to find scriptural answers to the many questions and concerns regarding these subjects
Several reasons could be submitted for writing such a book as this, but I will limit myself to the following:
First, there is the fact that Heaven and Hell are real places, and we need to know as much as possible about them.
Second, there is the fact that every living, breathing individual on Earth knows in his heart that Heaven and Hell are real, and he must deal with this fact. I realize there are many who profess to be atheists or agnostics, and even boast about the idea that there is no God, no Heaven, and no Hell. However, God has made it clear in His Word that they know but are obviously rebelling against this knowledge. (Romans 1:19-20)
Good examples of this truth are the testimonies of three prominent infidels of yesteryear; Thomas Paine, Bob Ingersol, and Sir Frances Newport. These men spent a great deal of their lives trying to convince large audiences that there is no God, there is no hereafter, and man is accountable only to himself. However, when it came time to look into the dark corridor of death, these men, without exception, recanted and acknowledged there is a God, that the Bible is true after all, and then hysterically screamed their way into a Christless eternity. This was also true of the French infidel, Voltaire. It was reported that when he felt the stroke that he knew would end his life, he immediately sent for the priest so that he could be reconciled to the church. Even though his infidel flatterers rushed to his bedside to encourage him, he would not be comforted. He cursed them, ran them from his room, and accused them of bringing him to his present condition. He even went so far as to make a written recantation of his foolish infidelity and sign it in the presence of witnesses, hoping it would comfort his heart. For the last two months of his life, he was tortured with such agony, that he would gnash his teeth in rage against God and man. Then he would soften and cry out, “O Christ! O Lord Jesus!” He would find no peace, and then he would cry out, “I must die-abandoned of God and of men!” His associates would not come near his bed, but carefully guarded the door lest anyone hear the agony of a dying infidel. His nurse repeatedly announced that for all the wealth of Europe she would never see another infidel die.
Third, even though we do not know all there is to know about Heaven and Hell, it is a fact that God has left us with much information on these subjects in the only reliable document there is—His infallible Word. All we can ever know about these subjects, while in this life, is contained in the pages of God’s Holy Word.
In this book, I have tried to pull together the fundamental Bible truths about Heaven, so that the believer can be encouraged concerning his final home, as well as be comforted about his loved ones who have already gone to the other side. And, as unpleasant as the subject is, I have also endeavored to pull together Bible truths that reveal what Hell is going to be like for those who reject Christ and end up there. No doubt, many readers will be surprised to find that our Bible has volumes of information concerning both places.
142 pages.
