JESUS in HELL

                  Did you see the INTRODUCTION to this A to Z series? Check it out here.

I didn't see that title coming either. "Jesus? In HELL?" Well there is a Biblical suggestion that, at the time of his resurrection, Jesus "descended into hell" for the purpose of setting prisoners free. In the sense that there probably were, in hell (or, Sheol--"the place of the dead" which is different from hell), some number of people who would have desired, and would have accepted the Good work of salvation accomplished on the cross, if only they had the option before death, then yes, Jesus would have made it possible for them. The "whosoever" offer of salvation referred to in John 3:16 is not just for you today but is a universal truth that covers every generation of mankind. (I quickly add that I am not suggesting people who decide they do not like hell can simply opt out! Only that the ones who God knows would have chosen repentance and belief in Jesus, do get delivered from the future eternity in HELL.)

But I am not writing about that mysterious episode. In fact, a more accurate title to this post would be "NO JESUS in HELL." If you are prone to resist JESUS; if you are sick of hearing the name; or if you would rather societies everywhere act to banish his memory, his followers, and even his spirit; then you will finally get your wish, in HELL.

Now before you start celebrating this fact and declare that at least HELL has one redeeming factor, remember the warning from the guy rescued from Dark Island in "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader:"



“Fly! Fly! About with your ship and fly! Row, row, row for your lives away from this accursed shore. This is the Island where Dreams come true.”

“That’s the island I’ve been looking for this long time,” said one of the sailors. “I reckon I’d find I was married to Nancy if we landed here.”

“And I’d find Tom alive again,” said another.

“Fools!” said the man, stamping his foot with rage. “That is the sort of talk that brought me here, and I’d better have been drowned or never born. Do you hear what I say? This is where dreams–dreams, do you understand–come to life, come real. Not daydreams: dreams.”

There was about half a minute’s silence and then, with a great clatter of armor, the whole crew were tumbling down the main hatch as quick as they could and flinging themselves on the oars to row as they had never rowed before; and Drinian was swinging round the tiller, and the boatswain was giving out the quickest stroke that had ever been heard at sea. For it had taken everyone just that half-minute to remember certain dreams they had had–dreams that make you afraid of going to sleep again–and to realize what it would mean to land on a country where dreams come true."*

Considering that all things good, that any possible positive, that each joy and every delight was conceived, created and given by Him, then HELL is the strikingly opposite of JESUS. It's one thing for me to list off the excruciations of hell and warn of its perpetual active scourges, but the open question today is "Which is worse?" Perhaps the absence of all things simple and sweet, soft and kind, lit and lovely, gentle and good; (of all things JESUS) will be the heavier anguish to bear.

Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.  John 1:3-5

*Read more: http://www.quotesquotations.com/narnia/the-voyage-of-the-dawn-treader-quotes.htm#ixzz4epTbQYWZ




By the way...MILLERWRITES copy is COPYRIGHTED. Why cut and paste when you can simply copy the link?