The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Revelation 20:2, “And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years.”

Revelation 20:14-15, “And death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”

It’s not unusual for me to encounter men that are bigger than I am. When I do, I often greet them saying, “I never mess with guys who are bigger than I.” It rarely fails to get a laugh. Big men like being big and they like for others to notice it, too.

God is like that. There’s no one bigger than He! And it’s His right not only to be bigger, but to want His creation to know and acknowledge it. At the same time, the LORD is a loving God. He is “not wishing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance” (2 Pet. 3:9b).

Subsequent to the sins of Adam and Even in the Garden of Eden, the LORD unfolded His clearly developed plan for man’s redemption. He then tapped and enlisted men throughout the ages to carry His Message of Salvation to everyone in the world-at-large. Pastors, evangelists, missionaries, teachers, and multiplied others have been called by the LORD to spread His Word of hope and salvation. You and I are among that “multiplied others.” It is an urgent message for all time, especially as we come nearer and nearer to Christ’s Return!

Lucifer was once the Chief Angel of God! Yet, he was so lifted up with pride over his appearance and position that he thought himself greater than God (Ezk. 28:1ff). As strange as it seems, there was a war in Heaven (Rev. 12:7ff), and while Lucifer (a/k/a Satan) was soundly defeated, he enlisted one-third of the angels to follow him. They are multiple and are today the demons, who assist Satan in his ongoing war with the saved on Earth. Yet, those who are not saved, but neglect and stubbornly refuse to give heed to the LORD’s salvation, will find their way into the abyss called Hell!

In His Second Coming (subsequent to the Rapture), the LORD will war against Satan and win! Satan will then be bound and cast into Hell, along with the Antichrist and the False Prophet, counterparts to Christ and the Holy Spirit. The LORD created Hell for Satan and his cohorts. Yet, those of mankind, who either refuse or neglect His salvation, will themselves be cast into the abyss.

Matthew 25:41, “Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal (??????? aionios) fire (??? pur) which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; (Matt. 25:41 NAS)

Luke 16:23-26, “And in Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment (??????? (basanos, torture), and saw Abraham far away, and Lazarus in his bosom. 24 “And he cried out and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue; for I am in agony in this flame.’ 25 “But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony (?????? odunao, suffering pain). 26 ‘And besides all this, between us and you there is a great chasm fixed (??????? (sterizo, made fast), in order that those who wish to come over from here to you may not be able, and that none may cross over from there to us.’”

A few brief word study will help us better understand the meaning and urgency of these passages.

Sheol ?????? is a Hebrew word meaning underworld. It was the place of all dead, both righteous and unrighteous. The Old Testament does not give us the developed meaning of the afterlife that the New Testament does. Sheol, therefore, includes both Heaven and Hell. Only the context of the Scripture tells us which is intended.

Hades (????) is the New Testament equivalent of Sheol. It encompasses both Paradise and Hell, but is separated by a great, impenetrable gulf, so that neither group can cross over or mingle with the other. At the same time, conversation is apparently available between the two groups. Hell, nevertheless, is —

1) A place of separation – from God and His People

2) A place of agony – a place of extreme pain and discomfort

3) A place eternal – without remission! There is No Way Out!

No one wants to go to Hell. Yet, the only escape is through repentance and faith in the LORD Jesus Christ. If you have yet to trust His, let me urge you to do it now! If you have already trusted Him, but have family and friends who have not, let me urge you to witness to them earnestly and lovingly while there is time. Remember the Hour Glass… Time has a way of running out….

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

NOTE: Please fee free to share these Letters with others! Time has a way of –

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”