23 Minutes in Hell
Pastor Bill Wiese had an out of body experience, or what can be called a vision, of hell on November 23rd 1998. Recently I stumbled across a YouTube video of Pastor Bill sharing that vision with a church in Florida based on his book, “23 Minutes in Hell.” I had never heard of Bill until I came across this video a week ago so I came into it with quite a bit of skepticism. However, after listening to Bill I appreciated his approach especially when he said early on;
“It doesn’t matter if you believe my experience. What matters is that you check out what God has to say about hell and avoid it just the same”
Bill delivered on his quote by referencing numerous bible verses as he told about his vision. He referenced so many scriptures speaking about hell that God prompted me to put this blog post together that summarized some of those scriptures. So, take some time and read through these verses and just try to imagine what hell is truly like. If you haven’t given your life to Christ these passages are what you have coming for all of eternity, unless you give your life over to Christ (more on that later). If you have given your life to Christ and are going to heaven rejoice and thank God that you will never have to experience hell. Thankfully Christ took our punishment of hell and we should never take that for granted!
Related Content: What Does the Bible Tell Us About Eternity?
Scriptures Referencing Hell
They will be gathered together like prisoners thrown into a dungeon; they will be shut up in prison. After much time they will be punished. - Isaiah 24:22 (NCV)I am counted among those who go down to the pit; I am like one without strength. - Psalm 88:4 (NIV)Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. - Matthew 10:28 (NIV)“The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’ - Luke 16:22-26 (NIV)As for you, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will free your prisoners from the waterless pit. - Zechariah 9:11 (NIV)In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire. - Jude 7 (NIV)Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward the sky so that darkness spreads over Egypt—darkness that can be felt.” - Exodus 10:21 (NIV)On the wicked he will rain fiery coals and burning sulfur; a scorching wind will be their lot. - Psalm 11:6 (NIV)This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. - Matthew 13:49-50 (NIV)“There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.” - Isaiah 57:21 (NIV)then I will bring you down with those who go down to the pit, to the people of long ago. I will make you dwell in the earth below, as in ancient ruins, with those who go down to the pit, and you will not return or take your place in the land of the living. - Ezekiel 26:20 (NIV)They went down alive into the realm of the dead, with everything they owned; the earth closed over them, and they perished and were gone from the community. - Numbers 16:33 (NIV)How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? - Hebrews 10:29 (NIV)Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the realm of the dead, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom. - Ecclesiastes 9:10 (NIV)As a cloud vanishes and is gone, so one who goes down to the grave does not return. - Job 7:9 (NIV)And the smoke of their torment will rise for ever and ever. There will be no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and its image, or for anyone who receives the mark of its name.” - Revelation 14:11 (NIV)All your pomp has been brought down to the grave, along with the noise of your harps; maggots are spread out beneath you and worms cover you. - Isaiah 14:11 (NIV)The womb forgets them, the worm feasts on them; the wicked are no longer remembered but are broken like a tree. - Job 24:20 (NIV)Surely you place them on slippery ground; you cast them down to ruin. How suddenly are they destroyed, completely swept away by terrors! - Psalm 73:18-19 (NIV)“Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” - Matthew 25:46 (NIV)“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. - Matthew 25:41 (NIV)For the grave cannot praise you, death cannot sing your praise; those who go down to the pit cannot hope for your faithfulness. - Isaiah 38:18 (NIV)But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” - Revelation 21:8 (NIV)
If you haven’t given your life to Christ yet I urge you to seriously consider it. For the bible tells us that we will not know the time of his return. If he does return and you haven’t given your life to him the verdict will be an eternity in hell. Not the Hollywood version of hell either, but literally spending an eternity in a pit of fire. If you are ready to take the step of faith please read the prayer below;Dear heavenly Father, I want to take this moment to submit my life to you. I ask that you forgive me of my sins, which such a gracious gift is given only through your anointed blood on the cross. You died for me and I accept your gift of love, mercy, grace, peace, and eternal life. With faith, I declare that Jesus Christ now lives in me forever and ever. Amen!Welcome to the team friend! The next step is crucial to your salvation; Tell someone the decision you just made. Feel free to leave a comment at the bottom of this post. Or you can e-mail us here at Paradigm Shift or call/text your family and friends.
If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. - Romans 10:9-10 (NIV)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKniy8CCKgs