Why did God create Hell? Did you ever wonder? Was it because of Adam’s sin? We could make assumptions or philosophy about it, or we could go to the source, the Word of God, the Bible, to find out. Let’s study and find out WHY?
Look at this statement in Matthew 25:41: “Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.” Verse 46 clearly indicates that this verse is referring to a place of “everlasting punishment,” HELL, and it was prepared for the Devil and his angels.
How did this happen? When did this happen? God’s Word reveals this for us. Before we go on, lets understand something. Satan is effectively in control of the world and heavenly places TODAY. Just look around if you are in doubt. The newspaper, the television,… this is not my Father’s world! It is not the way he has designed it. Look what Ephesians 6:12 says about today. “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” And in Ephesians 2:2 God says: “Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:” In Luke 4:5-8, the devil offers Jesus Christ the kingdoms of this world. Christ does not deny that Satan has these kingdoms. You see this world and even the heavens are a mess because they are in the hands of the deceiver, the Devil. He effectively is in control of heaven and earth.
Well how is it that Satan gained control? Let’s see what happened. Read Ezekial 28:12 –15. This is a picture of Lucifer, Satan before the fall. It says that he was the “anointed cherub that covereth … perfect in beauty … full of wisdom.” He was the sum of God’s creation, the bottom line, an angelic creature with built in musical capacity and creativity, with the God ordained ministry of leading all of creation in the honor and worship of God. He was perfect in his ways, till iniquity was found in him. What was that sin? I Timothy 3:16 informs us that it was pride! Ezekial 28:16-19 clues us in on what happened. He was lifted up because of his beauty, his wisdom became corrupted as he looked at himself. Lucifer began to think that his leading of creation in the worship of God should really be focused on him. So he crafted a devious plan, a revolt, and he sold that plan amongst the angelic creation. Verses 16 and 18 state that he merchandised and trafficked his plan. In Isaiah 14:12-15 God reveals the actual thought processes that Lucifer went through and his desire, the 5 ‘I will’s” of Satan. While each has a specific meaning, the last one is particularly insightful. In Isaiah 14:15 Lucifer states: “…I will be like the most High.” This is a name of God and has special meaning. Genesis 14:19 says that this name means “Possessor of Heaven and Earth.” And that is exactly what Satan did. He led a rebellion, a revolt, a coup and literally took possession of Heaven and Earth. The book of Revelation indicates that 1/3 of the angelic host followed Satan in that revolt ( Revelation 12: 4, 7-9) to usurp the authority of God. Daniel 10:21 says that only 2 of the top angels in God’s government stayed with God. The rest followed Satan.
So what did God do? Did God get caught off guard? No! God is never surprised. He never reacts. He didn’t cause Satan to sin. That was his choice. But God had a remedy already in place. First God reveals to Satan and his angels Hell. God states in Ezekial 28:18 that He will ” bring forth a fire from the midst of thee…” (Satan). Hell. It stopped the rebellion in its tracks and the angelic defection ceased. In Isaiah 14:15 the Lord states that Satan would be “brought down to Hell, to the sides of the pit.” You see, Hell was prepared for the Devil and his angels, for their rebellion, and not for mankind.
So how did man get involved in this awful place? God created man with a two fold purpose. First with the purpose of bringing the Earth back under His control. He tells Adam in the garden to “subdue” the Earth and have “dominion.” (Genesis 1:28) This purpose is followed through scripture and culminates with the nation Israel through which Christ will set up His Kingdom on the Earth with Israel as an holy nation, a royal priesthood. (Exodus 19:5,6) This is God’s prophetic or revealed purpose, “spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began” ( Acts 3:21). The second purpose is God’s secret purpose, the Mystery, which involves His reclaiming the heavenly places. A purpose that God had planned in His heart in eternity past, “..kept secret since the world began” (Romans 16:25), until He revealed it through the Apostle Paul. This purpose centers in the Body of Christ, (Ephesians 3:1- 6) which has an heavenly calling and purpose. This is our purpose. We are a new creation, a heavenly people. Notice Ephesians 1:10 which states that we now know God’s secret will, “That in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him.”
But what did mankind do? Adam sinned and plunged all of mankind into sin (Romans 5:12) and into the same payment for sin, Hell (Romans 6:23). But God had a plan for mankind, Calvary. This was the second part of the remedy. And God planned this in eternity past (Titus 1:2), but kept it secret (I Corinthians 2:6-9). The Lord Jesus Christ in going to the cross and paying for the sins of all mankind is the culmination of God’s purpose. It provides for the salvation of mankind and it spells the defeat of Satan. The King and the Head of the Body LIVES. Satan has been defeated. In Colossians 2:14,15 it says that through the work of the cross that the Lord Jesus Christ “spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.” All that awaits is the Lord Jesus Christ taking up the reigns of power as King on the Earth and as Head of the Body in Heaven.
But why is He waiting if Satan is already defeated? In II Peter 3:15, Peters tells us what Paul says, “Account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation.” You see each day that the Lord waits, He suffers long with the deeds of Satan, with the deeds of fallen man, yet His waiting is an opportunity for individuals to come to salvation through Jesus Christ. Maybe He is waiting for you. Do you know for certain that you are a child of God? Are you going to Heaven?
Christ shed his blood and died, was buried and rose again that you might have eternal life and spend eternity with Him rejoicing in love (I Corinthians 15:3,4, Romans 3:23-26). By faith you can become a child of God. Otherwise, as a sinner by nature, you will participate in something that God never intended for mankind, Hell (Revelation 20:11-15, 21:8) Man’s rebellion has caused him to fall under the same condemnation. Whose side are you on?
Why not accept Christ as your Saviour today? Trust Him.
By John Harris, Bible teacher