Author: Dave Dishman (Page 279 of 475)

Have you ever read Dante’s Inferno? I picked it up a couple of years ago, always hearing it referenced yet never taking the time to read it. Written in the 14th century, it describes Dante’s journey through the nine layers of hell. If you thought that tedious, nit-picking zoom meeting felt like hell, you should pick up Dante.

In writing to the Thessalonians Paul spoke of a hellish afterlife: He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and the glory of his might.

Dante didn’t just make up all this stuff about hell. Although we ignore distasteful theological notions today, like a drunk uncle at the holidays this idea of rejecting the Lord and reaping eternal destruction raises its voice all through scripture.

Paul’s description feels especially chilling—shut out from the presence of the Lord. To me this smacks of suspended animation, floating in never-ending, pitch-black nothingness. No taste or smell or sound or touch. Nothing solid and no companions. Totally alone.

The reward of rejecting God and choosing yourself? An eternity with only yourself.

Even those who hate the Lord experience his goodness in some form every day. The sun shines, relationships present themselves, they dip their hand and bring food to their mouths. They live in the glory of creation. Imagine every whisper of that gone, forever. I cannot imagine that, which is why it appears so terrible.

Paul felt that the presence of the Lord was so amazing that to be forever out of his presence was hell itself. And it very will may be.

Better to turn to the Lord as Paul implores and for eternity marvel among those who believe.

2 Thessalonians 1 in reading the Bible cover to cover in 2022

Illustration of the Fifth Circle of Hell (representing wrath), by Stradanus from 1587

As I write this morning, my wife is in surgery to repair a mess of torn ligaments in her ankle, one she had surgically repaired years ago. A recent twist and fall undid all that previous work, so she’s back under the knife.

She has a wonderful surgeon, one of the best, and a great team around her. She will have an average nurse at home (me), but that’s how it goes.

If you would, will you take a minute to pray for Dawn? Pray for her immediate recovery and the next couple of weeks at home with her foot up. Also pray for long-term healing and a refreshed ankle that allows her to hike and ski and get outdoors. She has more trips on the Camino de Santiago planned—her boots are waiting.

Thanks for praying as we remain grateful for the Great Physician who heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds (Psalm 147:3).

Photo by Joanna Nix-Walkup

We pulled up late in the evening with a carload of tired kids. My wife carried our sleeping daughter inside, then turned and in a low voice said, something’s wrong! What was wrong? We drove up on a robbery in progress. When our garage door when up, the thieves fled out the back.

I never saw it coming. A dark house on a holiday night presented the opportunity. The wretches broke in a door, took several items along with some cash, and eluded the police. I dozed by that broken door for the next several nights, baseball bat in hand, worried because the police mentioned that thieves often return.

When Paul writes you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night, I understand the metaphor. Thieves arrive unexpected. They surprise and create havoc. Yet every day, all over the world, thieves ply their trade.

The day of the Lord will eventually arrive. We don’t talk about this idea that seems anachronistic and outdated. I think most people feel like the plan has timed out. Two thousand years and nothing, so the idea is moot. But remember that a thousand years is like a day to the Lord (1 Peter 3:8), so it’s been less than two God-days since Paul’s warning. Not much time at all.

I also remember that the Lord wants no one to perish but all to come to repentance (1 Peter 3:9), so he delays way longer than you or I ever would. For that we remain grateful.

What am I to do in the meantime? Maintain my faith, love and serve others, and make the way of salvation known to those around me. Do the work and avoid the lullabies of the world.

The day may be distant, but the day is coming.

1 Thessalonians 5 in reading the Bible cover to cover in 2022

Photo by Rémi Thorel