R I P

When a person dies, it's common to hear the expression R.I.P., which is a way to say goodbye to their memory and a hope for their good eternity by saying, rest in peace. When I was in college, I had a friend whose father died and he was upset and I tried to encourage him. I said, well, at least he's not suffering anymore.

He's at peace. And my friend grew upset. He said, no, his father wasn't at peace.

His father was in hell. When I read my Bible, I see several vivid descriptions for hell, mostly from the lips of Jesus. In Mark 9.36, Jesus says hell is a place where the worm doth not and the fire is not quenched, suggesting that hell is a region of unending duration.

It is as everlasting as heaven is, and that in hell there is torment for a fire that is never quenched. That means God's judgment and punishment upon sin and rebellion is a constant pouring out of his wrath and hell, like the burning of Sodom and Gomorrah. Also, Jesus speaks of hell as a terrifying region.

He says it is a bottomless pit for in Revelation 21 declares, and I saw an angel come down from heaven having the key of the bottomless pit in a great chain in his hand. The reference to bottomless suggests a very large place that can never be completely filled. It's been estimated that 83 people a minute die apart from Christ.

Do the math, friend. That comes to almost 5,000 an hour every day. 120,000 people fall into hell.

Why, that's over 800,000 a week. Every month, that adds up to 3 million souls cast into the terrors of hell. Throughout the course of a year, 40 million new arrivals populate the region of hell.

Let 10 years go by and another 400 million souls are shut up in that prison to scream and agony. Now, think back in your minds of all the generations since Adam and add all the hordes and hordes of people who have died apart from Christ in every generation and occupy hell right at this moment, and you will surely agree that hell is a very crowded place. No wonder it has no bottom.

There is always room for one more. The mention of a chain, a great chain in his hand, speaks of hell as a prison of which there is no escape, no freedom of movement, a prisoner in chains. This again is emphasized by the apostle Peter where he describes hell in the following terms.

In 2 Peter chapter 2 and verse 4 we read, And spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment. To be chained up in the prison of hell is a horrible thought. Also, the mention of chains of darkness, he says it's a dark place.

This is verified by Jesus who described hell as a region of outer darkness. We read his words in Matthew 22 13. Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness.

There should be weeping and gnashing of teeth. So not only is hell so pitch black dark you can't see your hand in front of your face. It's also a place of misery where there's weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Weeping speaks of great loss and grief and gnashing of teeth signifies great anger and regret. But often Hollywood entertainers and celebrities take a very flippant view of hell. I remember watching a TV interview with Freddie Mercury, the lead singer for the rock group Queen.

And the TV host asked the rock singer a question. He said, Do you think when you die, you're going to go to heaven? And Freddie Mercury sneered and said, I don't want to go to heaven. I would much rather go to hell.

Hell would be much more fun than that. Well, I'm sure he's changed his opinion now. A vivid illustration of hell is found in the book of Revelation, where it speaks of a final judgment and a lake of fire.

In Revelation chapter 20, in verses 14 and 15, we read, And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Imagine, friends, the turmoil of that burning and churning lake of fire, boiling and spitting flames, that imagery brings me to our text today, friends. It can be found in the book of Isaiah, where I believe is the most disturbing description, the most disturbing aspect of hell ever mentioned in my Bible. For over in Isaiah chapter 57 and verses 20 and 21 is the most horrible scene described of hell that one could ever imagine.

We read in God's word, But the wicked are like the troubled sea when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. Let me pause here to say, friends, I live in the hurricane capital of the world, in the state of Florida. And in hurricane season, when a big one is approaching, we residents have to line up and evacuate and get out of town.

I'll never forget one time as I was driving over the causeway on the way out of the city, I looked at that raging sea beneath me. It was rising and falling and spraying water and making the sound of wailing from the violent wind. It was terrifying.

That indeed was the troubled sea. Hell is like that troubled sea. In our last verse reads, There is no peace, saith my God to the wicked.

No peace, no rest in hell, no R.I.P., no rest in peace, but rather upending and unending turmoil and conflict, just like a churning troubled sea. Don't go to hell, friend. I beg you.

It's a terrible place. It's worse than your worst nightmare.