Hell fire (part two)

 I wanted to see into the Kilauea caldera so off we went. We walked for miles across the old caldera floor that was completely void of all plant life. It was like walking on new earth in a primordial time when God was first creating. We found ourselves having to jump over large cracks, bubbles and broken lava tubes. This desolate landscape was leading to a new erupting vent that was now only a fraction of the size of the Kilauea caldera that we were walking across. 

We observed how lava had bunched up creating folds like frosting on a cake. Ripple after ripple  lined up one after another as evidence that lava had begun to slow down as it came upon cooler material or some unknown obstacle. In other places round symmetrical holes were left behind dotting the edge of the flow giving a negative of where trees once grew.

We reached the bottom of the new active lava shield and began to walk up towards the top. With each step the lave crust cracked underneath our footing making a very distinct crunching sound. It was vital for us to find the right path up to the top of the volcano rim. All around us steam and toxic gases continually vented from cracks that had randomly formed around the cinder cone. 

In some areas, where a river of lava once flowed, an underground tube was formed some fifteen to twenty feet high and of the same width.  Some of these tubes’ roofs had collapsed forming deep chasms. The thought of breaking through an unforeseen area of thin crust and plummeting down into one of these pits added to our anxiety with each step.

 

Nearing the summit you could feel the heat rolling over in waves hot enough to burn skin. The stench of sulfur was stifling, burning our lungs as the wind wafted an occasional cloud of gases in our direction. Though we weren’t at the top, and couldn’t actually see into the crater, we could hear tremendous sounds as the lava was in a continuous state of flux.  The lake of fire ebbs and flows much like the sea as it goes through a change in tides sometimes falling fifty feet or more. 

Inside the crater lava was in constant motion where large liquid waves of lava splash up onto the throat of the crater. At night these waves create brilliant orange and yellow streaks of light that illuminate the gas cloud that continually rises from the volcano. As giant gas bubbles explode on the surface they create dazzling shooting fountains of fire some reaching hundreds of feet into the air. 

The bible mentions a lake of fire that was created for Lucifer, the beast, false prophet and the fallen angels.  These destructive beings were not born sons of Adam but direct creations of God. Their punishment for their rebellion will be an eternity confined to and tormented forever in the lake of fire. Many sermons have been written using this fearful imagery to cause sinners to repent.  

We are sons of Adam and have been given a choice to receive forgiveness for our rebellion against God. Out of love the Father has provided forgiveness to all sons of Adam who would just come to Him and believe. The person who chooses Christ’s forgiveness receives everlasting life. However, the person who rejects this free gift of salvation will find themselves standing at the Great White Throne judgment.

The bible teaches not to fear man who can destroy the body but instead to fear God who can destroy both body and soul. Our final destination is our choice either spiritual life with God or a second spiritual death by being cast into the lake of fire. The question whether our fate in the lake of fire will be eternal or will our spirits be destroyed is not a question of salvation. 

“Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them.  And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.  The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.”

Are you in the Book of Life?