Because we have been so bombarded with images of flames and devils with pitchforks, we fail to see that the essence of hell is relational. The apostle Paul, who was well tutored in the Hebrew Scriptures and a careful student of Jesus’ teachings, taught that hell is a place where people:
“pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power.” (2 Thess. 1:7)
Hell is the absence of relationship with our creator. It is utter darkness and where the silence of God will be absolute (a truly horrifying thought).
This brings us to a very common misconception about heaven in our culture. Leaving aside images of chubby cherubs, many have this idea that heaven is an eternal pleasure factory in the sky where people get everything they want. This is deeply flawed and incorrect. Heaven is where God is. So if we don’t like living in God’s limited presence now, then we really won’t like it later!
Think of it this way. Imagine that heaven were an eternal Opera. While I recognize the talent and skill of Opera singers, an eternal Opera would be hell for me if I really don’t like opera! In the same way, heaven would be hell for someone who does not want life with God. Moreover, the pleasure that we enjoy in heaven flows out of our relationship with God; enjoying his creative goodness and joy forever and ever without end.
Tim Keller observes that thinking of hell in relational terms is foreign to most people:
“Modern people inevitably think hell works like this: God gives us time, but if we haven’t made the right choices by the end of our lives, he casts our souls into hell for all eternity. As the poor souls fall through space, they cry out for mercy, but God says “Too late! You had your chance! Now you will suffer!” This caricature misunderstands the very nature of evil. The Biblical picture is that sin separates us from the presence of God, which is the source of all joy and indeed of all love, wisdom, or good things of any sort. Since we were originally created for God’s immediate presence, only before his face will we thrive, flourish, and achieve our highest potential….To lose his presence totally, that would be hell—the loss of our capability for giving or receiving love or joy.”
So the most important thing we need to know about heaven and hell is this: The essence of heaven and hell is relational because heaven (i.e., eternal life) is primarily defined as life with God and hell as life without God.
“Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” – John 17:3
**If you are interested in exploring these questions further, I have written more here.