PARTMENT OF TORMENT IS VERY REAL AND YOU HAD MANY CHANCES TO ACCEPT CHRIST, BUT EACH TIME YOU PUT IT OFF UNTIL YOU REACHED THE POINT WHERE YOU WOULD NEVER ACCEPT. WHEN THAT TIME CAME, YOUR LIFE WAS REQUIRED,” I heard in my mind.
The trip seemed to last for only a few seconds, but I know it lasted longer than that because we traveled a very great distance. Off in the distance, I saw something that was very bright and I saw steam coming up. The closer we came to the bright light, the more I thought I could hear a strange sound. The sound continued to get louder and louder. I began trying to pull back. He continued to propel me, against my will.
When we finally were close enough to the bright light, I realized what the bright light was and what the sound was. The bright light was the fire coming up from the compartment of torment and the sound was the sound of people, billions and billions of people. The people in the compartment of torment were crying and begging to the Lord to let them out of the pit. The people were not only crying, but they were gnashing their teeth and biting their tongues from the pain. Most of them were also begging for just a drop of water for their tongues.
I thought about the rich man begging for a drop of water for his tongue, also. I wondered to myself if the story was true after all or if it was just a story. That same voice sounded in my mind once again.
“THE STORY OF THE RICH MAN AND LAZARUS IS TRUE.”
The closer we came to the pit, the more anxiety I began to feel. I again tried to pull back to no avail. This angel was about to drop me into the pit. I had never been so scared in all of my life. I was sweating and breathing so heavily, I thought I was going to have another heart attack or I was on the verge of bursting my lungs. I wish I could have been that lucky and ceased to exist.
When we finally reached the pit, I looked inside and saw the flames, but I could not see any of the people that were screaming. I know those sounds of screaming and crying will be with me for eternity. I just wish I had accepted before it was eternally too late. The blood curdling screams made me realize that I was about to do the same thing. Looking into the pit, I was holding on to the angel as tightly as I could and I was praying that he would not let me go. But let me go he must, for he had another trip to make to bring another person to this place of torment.
Once he released me, I watched as the flames grew closer and closer. Then, I could feel the heat from the flames getting warmer and warmer. The closer I came to the flame, the warmer and warmer I was getting until the flames were completely around me. The heat was so hot, I thought I could now hear and feel everyone screaming, but the screaming was coming from me. I never thought I could scream that loud, but the longer I was in this pit of hell, the louder I screamed. It was hard to believe the fire was so hot. It was hotter than anything any person could possibly imagine in a million years. I reached up and put my hands to my ears to stop the sounds caused by the terrible screams of the billions of people that had arrived before me. However, no matter how hard I tried to stop the sounds of this place, they continued to ring in my ears.
I started to think about this place called the Compartment of Torment. If this terrible place is the holding compartment before a person is cast into Hell, then Hell must be even worse than this place. Now, I am really starting to panic. Hell, I remember Sam telling me, is worse than this place and this place is the worse place I have ever seen or I have ever been. I have to find a way out of this place. I just have to.
Thinking back to what I had experienced in past years, I started thinking about how it would be with my family. Back on Earth, my family and friends would be starting to call my home and ask about the funeral and all of the details. My wife would say she was going to leave everything up to our oldest son, Gene, Jr. Gene, Jr. is just like his father, she would say. He did not believe there was life after death. He believes exactly what I have told him, “When you die, you cease to exist. “
Gene Jr. will decide the best thing to do is to show his father honor and have the funeral at the local church. It is really the only place that is big enough to hold all the people. Gene Jr. is probably talking to the new preacher and saying, “Dad would want a small, short funeral, and he does not want anything said about Heaven or Hell.”
The preacher will tell Gene, Jr. that it may be better if he asks one of the other churches, further down the road, about having the funeral services in their church instead of this one. The pastor will state that in all the funerals he preaches, he tells about Heaven and Hell. He will, also, let everyone know that anyone can come and talk to him about accepting Christ as their personal Savior, even after the services. Gene, Jr. will decide he will let the preacher have his way, and allow him to tell about Christ dying on the cross for the sins of the world. It will not matter to him what anyone else thinks or does.
The next two days, the house will be full of family and friends. People in the community are probably bringing over food and all kinds of drinks for the crowds that are expected. Many that come in are saying they were sorry and that I am in a better place.
“If they could come and see this place, they would change their minds very quickly.” Just maybe, I thought, the preacher will preach a really strong message and all of my relatives will accept. I hate to think that my wife, my sons, my daughters and all the rest of my relatives and friends will come to this place of torment, because they never accepted.
Today is Gene’s funeral. At the church, the pews are packed. His body is lying in the coffin at the front of the church so everyone can see him. The preacher is beginning the service by saying that the Bible says we will all die, if the rapture of the church does not occur first. “We brought nothing into the world and we will take nothing out of this world. There is one of two places a person will go after death, either Heaven or Hell. I never met Gene, so I don’t know if he ever accepted Jesus as his personal Savior or not. I don’t want to dwell on the place where Gene is now, because it would only be speculation. What I want to concentrate on is the realization that each and every one of you will die one of these days.
“Do you know where you are going to spend eternity? If you do not know, then I would like to tell you. Jesus said that He is the way, the truth and the life, and that no man cometh to the Father but by Me. In another passage in the Bible, Jesus said, ‘For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.’ Those of you here today must ask yourselves that question. Are you saved? Have you accepted Christ? Do you know beyond a shadow of a doubt that you are going to Heaven?
“There are many, many people that believe that being good is all that is required to get into Heaven. However, the Bible says you must accept His free gift. There are also people that believe that their good works will get them in to heaven. And, there are people that believe that being a member of a church or being baptized will get them in to heaven. As I stated before, you must accept Jesus Christ as your Savior. Those other things are good to have, but if you think that those things will get you into Heaven, you are sadly mistaken. Accept what Christ did on the cross for you and become a Christian today, before it is too late.”
Looking at all of the people in the church, the preacher asked a number of simple questions. “Are you saved? Do you know where you are going to spend eternity? Do you want to accept? Do you believe you are a sinner? Do you believe that Jesus died on the cross to take your sins away?”
Thinking of those questions that I heard at a funeral once, I wished I was not dead. I wish I was at someone else’s funeral, because I would stand up and shout out as loud as I can that I want to accept.
The preacher is asking question after question and the funeral is close to ending. Everyone is crying. Some of the people are getting saved, but the majority seems to think the pastor is long winded. Gene is thinking of that part of funerals and wishing he could sit up in his casket and tell the mourners about this place. Begging a
nd pleading is something he had never done before, but he would do anything if he could convince them to accept and stop rejecting.
Now they are at the grave site, the pastor is saying a few words and then there are hugs by everyone. Next, they are placing his earthly body in the grave and, as everyone walks off to their cars, their thoughts go back to the things of life on earth once again, without any thought about their eternal souls.
The next day, things are the way they were before he died. There is one less person in the world, but the world will never notice that one person, GENE, is gone.
Thinking about all the times I had an opportunity to accept and all the times I rejected, makes me wish for a second chance. I’m thinking about cold ice cream and a cold drink of water. The more I think, the more I know I have to find a way to get out of this place. People have been coming here from the very beginning of the world and no one has ever escaped as of yet, that I know of, but I have to change that! I have to get out of here! A thought is coming into my mind, “Why don’t you just start praying to the Lord for a second chance. If he is a loving God, he will give me a second chance.” Now I’m beginning my prayer even though I’ve not done this very often. I am not stopping until He answers my prayer.
I don’t know how long I have been praying. It could have been days or years because, you see, there is no way to tell time down here. There is only eternity, whatever that means. I know, you say eternity is forever. However, if my prayer is answered, I will not be here forever. I feel like I have already been here forever!
With every prayer, I expect an answer, but there is no answer. WAIT. I hear a voice! The voice is God speaking to me, I’m sure of it!
“CHILD I HAVE HEARD YOUR PRAYER AND YOU KNOW THAT NO ONE EVER GETS A SECOND CHANCE. YOU CHOSE ETERNAL DEATH RATHER THAN ETERNAL LIFE. YOU CHOSE TO REJECT RATHER THAN TO ACCEPT.”
“Lord, if I had a second chance, I know I would accept YOU as my personal Savior. Please, give me a second chance!” I begged.
“WHAT I WILL DO IS TO LET YOU LIVE YOUR LIFE ALL OVER AGAIN AND I WILL SHOW YOU EACH AND EVERY BAD DECISION YOU MADE. I WILL THEN LET YOU LIVE YOUR LIFE FOR A THIRD TIME, BUT THIS TIME, YOU WILL MAKE ALL THE RIGHT DECISIONS.”
“When will I be able to start living my life all over again?”
“YOU WILL START TO LIVE YOUR LIFE ALL OVER AGAIN IN WHAT WILL SEEM LIKE SECONDS.”
“Oh, thank you Lord, thank you.”
“JUST REMEMBER WHAT I SAID. NO ONE EVER GETS A SECOND CHANCE.”
“I won’t forget, I promise I will not forget.”
“LISTEN CLOSELY WHILE PROFESSOR WILSON TELLS ABOUT YOUR LIFE.”