“For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment.”
but cast them down to hell
“But” is a term of strong contrast in Greek. Instead of abstaining from judgment, God executed judgment on these angels. He had to judge them. He could not overlook their rebellion.
There are several terms for Hell in the Bible. Hades and Sheol are temporary hells. Gehenna (12 times in the Bible) is the “Lake of Fire” found in Revelation 20 (five times). The “Second Death” is another term for Hell and occurs four times in Revelation. Revelation tells us of the “bottomless pit” seven times.
We now come to yet another word for “Hell” — Tartarus. The usual term for Hell is Gehenna. Gehenna is what we usually think of as Hell and is the permanent Hell for those who do not believe in the death of Christ for their sins. Tartarus is a temporary place of torture or torment for angels (Jude 6). It is a provisional Hell. The Greeks considered Tartarus a subterranean place where divine judgment was meted out. It was the nether world. Biblically, this place was a provisional place of punishment for fallen angels.
Tartarus is not Sheol or Hades, where humans go at death for eternal punishment. It is not the place where God will place lost souls permanently, which is permanent Hell (Gehenna). Tartarus is a temporary place of punishment for fallen angels.
PRINCIPLE:
God’s character demands that there be a Hell.
APPLICATION:
The important thing about a highway is the destination. The Bible tells of two routes, one to Heaven and the other to Hell. “I am on a great road, but where does it lead me? I am on an interstate, but it is not taking me in the right direction.” The road to Hell appears smooth and excellent, but it takes me in the wrong direction. The road to Hell is all downhill, the broad way leading to eternal destruction.
Where do you want to go? Biblically, there are only two roads, one to Heaven and the other to Hell. You do not have to go to Heaven. That is your choice.
Mt 7:13-14, “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 “Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.”
To find the road to Heaven, go to this page: http://versebyversecommentary.com/articles/how-to-become-a-christian-2/
