Jaw-dropping Jewels about Jesus
Rarely does Jesus, God the Son, do exactly what we expect of Him. It seems odd that He so frequently surprises us, given that He never changes. Hebrews 13:8 makes this absolute statement: “Jesus the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” Still, though He is blessedly consistent in His goodness, Jesus does unforeseen things. Even when He does what is expected, He does not always do it in the way that we anticipate. Let us join with Jesus on a jaw-dropping journey. (I will be using this opening paragraph for each of the brief messages in this series. The following material will change daily.)
Before we move to Mark 10, we must consider carefully the fact that in Mark 9:42-50 Jesus spoke clearly about the reality of hell. Verses 42 and 44 speak of unbelievers going “into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched,” indicating that hell is everlasting (see also Matthew 25:46). Verses 44, 46, and 48 (quoting Isaiah 66:24) also point to the unending nature of hell: “Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.” The completeness of punishment is also revealed here: the “worm” references internal torment, whereas “the fire” speaks of external suffering. Verse 47 uses the expression “hell fire” to describe this continuing judgment. All of these details point to separation from the Savior for all eternity for those who choose to refuse a relationship with Him. The mention of “the bottomless pit”: in Revelation 20:1 is haunting, for it explains why there is separation not only from God and believers but also from other unbelievers in hell. Hell is lonelier than solitary confinement in prison; for in a prison cell there is some limited human interaction, even if it is a tray slid under a solid steel door. The everlasting separation of hell is unnecessary, absolutely unnecessary, for Jesus offers His salvation to all, to anyone. May each one of us be certain that we have responded to His great grace and received His gift of eternal life.