“Do you not know that if you yield yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness.” (Rom 6:16 – RSV) Those who wind up in Paradise got there by their own free-will choices to follow Jesus. Those who wind up in the darker realms of Second Hades and on down into Third Hades got there by choosing to follow Satan and his evil ways. No one is, or even can be, forced.

Isn’t Earth a little like that? After all, we can live in a “heaven” or “hell” of our own making by our life choices, right here on Earth. As I said, the realms overlap. I personally have seen people dwelling in hell, right here, with my own two eyes. And I discovered that I could not help them, for they were there by their own choice! And I have seen others who, even through difficulties, pain, and heartache, have chosen to dwell in heaven, even in the most holy place on high – my eyes could hardly endure the glory nor my heart the longing to join them.

Just as Third Heaven, God’s dwelling place, is inherently different from the other heavens, so is Third Hades inherently different. For one thing, Satan is lord there, though he is a usurper and will soon get his comeuppance. Just as Third Heaven is protected by a veil of absolute holiness, so Third Hades is protected by a barrier of sin; no one who is holy may enter therein. It is surrounded by a great chasm; angels cannot cross it without falling into sin.

And both are protected by locked doors, for which Jesus won the keys by His sacrificial death and resurrection. (Rev 1:18) He has now opened the door to the Father, “which no man can shut.” (Rev 3:7-8) One day He (though His many-membered Bride) will open the gates of hell, too, for so He promises. (Matt 16:18-19)

But there is something else about Hades that almost nobody understands. It will dramatically change at Judgment Day. Up until then it was all about choices. But on Judgment Day, everything changes. Choices are made, fixed, based on full knowledge of the consequences. Those who chose life through faith in Jesus are taken by Him through the open door to the Father in Highest Heaven. Those who deliberately chose to reject Him and serve their master, Satan, stand condemned by their own choices. They are sent through the gates of hell into Gehenna.

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