There is nothing for sale in hell, there are no wares offered, no fine jewelry, no nice houses and furniture, there is not one stick of gum for sale, or ever to be had in hades. No one receives praise in hell, no accolades, no rewards, no one is lifted up or admired, no one gives or receives love in the pit. “And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.” (Matt. 13:42)
There are no leaders and no followers, and no one there is ever going to make any plans for the future ever again.
Men are placed in positions of authority here on earth, for very short periods of time, relatively speaking of course, and many times that power is sorely abused, for there is an extended feeling of pride when men have power to control the actions of another man. From the one who has this power over only one, to those who control, as it were, the destiny of entire nations, once power in this area is achieved, pride is not far behind. This power usually, but not always, comes with the procuring of much financial gain, and it is the lust of those who desire those items that enables many times those who are in these positions of authority to remain there.
A man with a pocketful of diamonds has many friends.
But there are others, more evil in their intent, and it is by those who have determined to rule, as it were, from the shadows. Leading without being seen. Satan rules in this way, influencing men who are easily persuaded by not only the power they seek, but those who would live narcissistically through them. “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.” (1 John 2:16) These are his weapons, his tools, his advantages, as it were, for men lust after these things, and he savors the things of man. (Matt. 16:23)
The key is to make these men believe that their power is real, that it will last forever, the key is to make them believe that their power cannot be taken away from them, and here is where that power corrupts absolutely.
Solomon was shown these truths as he contemplated the reason for life, and he came to the conclusion, rightfully so, that all under the sun is vanity and vexation of Spirit, all that a man has will be in the hands of another when that man goes to the grave, and most of them will go to the pit, where not one drop of water is ever available. The length of a man’s life cannot be compared to eternity, and so great deception must be enabled, and mankind is quite easily deceived, the truth of death must not be allowed to be debated, nor the fact that they never have, and never will have any true power.
I have often wondered how Satan felt, what his thoughts were on the day that he came to the realization that his statement of “I will,” (Isaiah 14:14) was not going to come to pass, that he was not going to be allowed to fulfill all that he said in those passages recorded for us in the Word of God.
The ultimate futility of a man’s life is realized in hell, those who had much, the items of the world at their disposal, the pride of authority over others, the desires of their eyes fulfilled at their whim, by those at their beck and call, and at times by the father of lies, now search for eternity for a single drop of water. The saddest part for those of us that realize these truths is that when we attempt to speak to them about their final destination if they will not repent, if they continue to rebel, is that they will not listen.
You, my friends, may comfort yourself with these words, with this great promise. “Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” (Psalm 16:11)
