“And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.” (Matt. 13:50)
Wailing means more than excessive sorrow, it is more than even the tears and loss expressed at the burial of a loved one. It is the realization of truth and the knowledge that no form of joy, no expression of happiness or contentment will ever be known again. It is the heart broken that can never, and will never, be repaired.
Gnashing of teeth is anger exemplified far beyond any expression of it ever known on this planet, hatred beyond compare, revenge continuously contemplated with no outlet for the desired retribution.
Hell is complete and total hopelessness.
“And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?” (Matt. 8:29)
Though I have no Scriptural proof in either direction, I personally do not believe that devils go down to hell to torment those there, those who will remain there until they are cast into the Lake of Fire, I see no purpose in it, save for what could best be described as vindictiveness, adding suffering upon suffering simply for the sake of doing so. There are plenty of numerous unrepentant souls yet living on this planet and the need, the desire to dissuade them from the salvation offered through the Lord Jesus Christ is of the utmost importance to them.
“Before the time” suggests the knowledge that once there, for them also, there will be no escape.
There is sin in hell, but the action of it is mitigated, forever unrealized, save for in the mind and with the voice, no desire to sin in hell is realized outside of these two options.
Again, only conjecture, but the statement appears logical, for desires of the flesh met would not make hell hellish.
Here, in this life, every sin conceivable is available to mankind, nothing is withheld from those who pursue the lust of the flesh, initiative and perseverance will gain you almost anything that you want. Those in hell do not have that option any longer, and so the war waged by our adversary against mankind would be here, in the land of the living.
“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” (Romans 8:1)
But there is still temptation, there is still chastisement, there is still just as many opportunities for us who have been hid in Christ to sin as there is for those who deny Him. Removing that initial seed, doing all that is possible to make sure it stays in shallow ground amongst the rocks, growing as many weeds around it as possible, that is the course of our adversary. But to entice those who are born-again to seek moments, even seasons of sin, is his main purpose, for then the heathen will have an opportunity to blaspheme the name of the Most Holy One, the congregation will then doubt the salvation of the one who has fallen, and the child of God will begin to doubt the assurance of his salvation, and in all likelihood, lose whatever ground he may have gained for the glory of God.
Hell is not our concern, even those in heaven should not be the focal point of our thoughts. Our own walk and those who yet live on this planet should be.
There is no hope in hell, and there is no need for hope in heaven. Concentrate your efforts on remaining unspotted from the world, on assisting your brothers and sisters in Christ, on reaching out to the lost.
“Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” (1st Cor. 10:31)
