Amazingly, we still do not hear much about hell. Most preachers still do not preach about it. Yet, there was a time when men did preach about it. It is said by most theologians that Jesus preached much about hell. How wonderful it is that the only One who can save from this horrible place would spend much time preaching, warning men that heaven or hell just like death awaits us all.
I am going to include a portion of a couple of sermons by Samuel Rutherford (1600 - 1661). Which is from a collections of sermons Rutherford preached on the healing of the Canaan woman's daughter (Matt. 15:21-28). I think Rutherford makes the point very well and it is a good study for us on hell.
To preach on hell correctly, it takes a pastor's heart, someone who cares about the souls he is preaching to, so say, when this subject is preached it should be done so with tears, with prayer that all who hear, will indeed, hear. I think Rutherford does this well.
Why do we not hear and see Christ revealing Himself in His ways and works? Reason would say, if hell and judgment were before our eyes, we should hear, and come to Christ. Suppose we saw with our eyes, for twenty or thirty years together, a great furnace of fire, of the quantity of the whole earth, and saw there, Cain, Judas, Ahithophel, Saul, and all the damned, as lumps of red fire, and they boiling, and leaping for pain, in a dungeon of ever-lasting brimstone; and the terrible devils, with long and sharp-toothed whips of scorpions, lashing out scourges on them: and if we saw there our neighbors, brethren, sisters, yea, our dear children, wives, fathers and mothers, swimming and sinking in that black lake; and heard the yelling, shouting, crying of our young ones and fathers, blaspheming the spotless justice of God; if we saw this, while we are living here on earth, we should not dare to offend the majesty of God; but should hear, come to Christ, and believe, and be saved. But the truth is, if we believe not Moses and the Prophets, neither should we believe for this; because we see with our eyes, and hear with our ears, even while we are in this life, daily, some tumbling in their blood, thousands cut down of our brethren, children, fathers; malefactors hanged and quartered, death in every house. These these be little hells, and little coals and sparkles of the great fire of hell, and certain documents to us, that there is a hell; yet we neither hear, not come to Christ.
The following is from another sermon in the same collection.
There is no iron sinew in Christ's will, it was easily broken; the tip of God's finger, with one touch, broke Christ's will: "Lo, I come to do thy will, O God" (Heb. 10:9) "O my Father, if it be possible, remove this cup; nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt." (Matt. 26:39). O, but there is a hard stone in our will: the stony heart is the stony will; hell cannot break the rock and the adamant, and the flint in our will: "Nay, but we will have a king" (1 Sam. 8:19), whether God will or no. God's will stands in the people's way, bidding them return. They answer, "There is no hope" but we will walk after our own devices" (Jer. 18:12). Hell, vengeance, omnipotence, crossed Pharaoh's will, but it would neither bow nor break.
Rutherford makes some profound points for us to consider. The examples of little hells that surround us every day. Only by the grace of God have we not been consumed in some of these things that happen all around us, violence, etc.
Secondly, the hardness of our hearts, or wills. To see these little hells and be startled for a moment but then to continue on as if nothing happened. From ancient times there has been God's warning about hell, Christ came down from heaven to warn and to provide salvation from the awesome wrath of God. Each day of our life, that warning has been there. Each day of our life, the hand of salvation has been offered. This will continue until the One who now saves, will save no more, salvation will come to an end. The one who once saved will come with legion of angels to Judge. Examine our hearts/wills are they hard against the warnings of God? Have they seen much, and are not moved? Be not like Pharaoh, who although a great king, was still a man as you and I are before the Almighty. Little man do not continue to raise up in defiance against God, though all may seem good now, the one who has your life, breath, and being in His hand is not One to be trifled with.
Let us hear, and come to Christ, Lord, we pray, make it so.
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