by Isaack Kilimba | 8 October 2025 08:46 am10
Man was created with two parts: body and spirit. Each side has its own way of being sustained, and its own way of perishing. Each has a way to receive life, and a way to die. For example, the physical body is sustained by physical food and water; and likewise it can be destroyed by physical means — if it lacks food or water, it dies; if it is burned by fire, it perishes.
In the same way, the spirit also exists in such a mode: to live it needs spiritual food, and spiritual water. If it lacks them, that spirit will die; likewise, if the spirit is consumed by spiritual fire, it dies too. But the fire of the body cannot destroy the spirit, because God created the nature of the body differently from that of the spirit.
If we return to Scripture, Christ came to redeem both: our bodies and our spirits, so that they might obtain eternal life. Because He came to redeem our spirits, He cannot use physical means to give our spirit eternal life. We must be given spiritual nourishment and spiritual water if our spirits are to live eternally. This is why He clearly said in:
John 6:35 “Then Jesus declared, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.’”
You see, the food and water spoken of there are not physical but spiritual.
Now, people who die today without being saved — immediately their spirits descend to a place called Hades (or Sheol), or “Hell” (Jehannem). That is the place where a person is kept temporarily, awaiting the final judgment of the Lamb.
We could say in modern language that it is like a prison or a lock-up, where someone waits to be brought to court, to hear the charges, and then serve a sentence of 10 years, 20 years, or life imprisonment. And that is how it is with Hell. That place is different from the lake of fire. The lake of fire comes only after the judgment of the Lamb, when each sinner will suffer according to the measure of his rebellion on Earth.
Consider also:
Remember, when the Lord stood in the midst of multitudes and raised His voice forcefully, telling people to come and drink the Water of Life, He was not joking or speaking trivial things. No, my brother, He fully knew there would come times when people’s spirits would cry and suffer, unable even to ask for a drop of that water. Listen to how Jesus cried out vigorously among the crowds at the feast:
John 7:37-38 “On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, ‘If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’’”
Now remember, the benefit of that water is not just to give life to your spirit here on earth; no — it continues even after death. But those who refuse to drink that water now — when it is abundantly available and free — will one day, near death or after death, realize its value and frantically seek it. As their spirits go dying from lack of water, they will suffer indescribably in trying to obtain that Water of Life — and fail.
That is why Jesus told the parable of Lazarus:
Luke 16:19-31 (especially vv. 22-26)
“The poor man died and was carried by angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, he lifted up his eyes, being in torment…”
“…Between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, so that those who would pass from here to you cannot…”
From this account we clearly see that when a person dies, their spirit continues to live somewhere. The body remains in the grave, but the spirit lives onwards. And since the spirit cannot be consumed by ordinary fire, there is another fire — a spiritual fire — that the person senses in torment. Imagine that you are about to be hanged, and you know you have only minutes left — internally a fire burns within you, terrible and unexplainable, because you sense the punishment that consumes your life. That sensation is the spiritual fire, except in an extreme, indescribable degree, which comes after death. Eventually, after a brief time, you are cast into the lake of fire in eternal destruction. How will you feel that day? That spirit will suffer immensely, dear one. That is the fire which that rich man felt in Hades when he was bound in darkness.
Another thing we see tormenting that rich man in Hades was thirst. He had no longing for the water of this world — because his body was not there — but he longed for the Water of Life for his spirit. He wanted even a drop of that water to revive his spirit, but he could not get it. He desired a second chance to repent, to find life, but it was too late. He wished he could repent that very day he would be judged, or to join Christians, but the door was shut.
On earth, he had suppressed the thirst for life, because of his wealth. He believed that money and possessions could give him life instead of Jesus Christ. He was deceived by the wealth of his health, thinking his robust health would last, relying on good nutrition and many doctors — not seeking the One who gives life. He placed his hope in pleasures, comfort, wealth, friends, family, security — none of which can quench the spiritual thirst after death. He would only awaken to that in death, and cry out: “Give me a drop of the Water of Life!” You see how precious that water becomes after death… you will cry out for one drop, but fail.
You see people who after being told they have only one month to live — if they are not Christians — will suddenly frantically seek God. But during their full life, they rejected salvation. That is when the true thirst begins within them. Then you see them calling pastors, asking sermons, seeking prayers. But once death comes while they remain in sin, that thirst intensifies beyond description, and remorse will overtake them.
In Hell, Jesus also taught that there is a Worm — as we read in:
Mark 9:43-48
“If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off… where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched. … And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out…”
— about that place “where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.”
If you examine those verses, you see that the “worm” is singular — meaning that all who are there will be tormented by that same one; the distress and anguish they endure will be alike. Who is that worm? We understand that worm to be the Remorse of Regret (i.e. the memory of one’s sins), which will gnaw continuously on every soul in Hell. These memories, each person will face: every person will remember the day they heard the gospel and rejected it; the day they scorned God’s work; the day they lived in sin while the Holy Spirit warned them. They will remember sermons they ignored, time they delayed repentance until death overtook them. They will say: “How could I have come to this place while time was still available? What use is my pride now? What good are my possessions that they cannot defend me? My friends and pleasures deceived me…” These regrets will torment them beyond description. You will realize you are of the offspring of the serpent, deceived by Satan, and your spirit will be consumed by these thoughts — devoured by remorse, as the worm feasts on the carcass.
Those regrets will reach a level where even your worst enemy would be unworthy to come to your place and commit the sins you did. That is why the rich man asked that his brothers might be warned, but was told: “They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.” (Luke 16:29-31) Today, some in Hell yearn that you never come there. Dear one, that place is not a destination you ever want to reach.
After a long time under that worm and fire, all the dead will be resurrected in their former bodies, and stand before the great white throne of judgment — the judgment of the Lamb, Jesus Christ. (Revelation 20:11-15) Jesus said:
John 5:28-29 “Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come forth — those who did good to the resurrection of life, and those who did evil to the resurrection of judgment.”
All who were in Hades will be resurrected, wearing again their bodies they had on earth, so they can be judged and receive the due recompense for their deeds. Each person will be judged according to his works and the abundance of his sins. Scripture says each will have their own portion in the lake of fire. Because the lake is vast, each will suffer in his own place, burning both body and spirit with a fire fiercer than Hell itself. Knowing this, brothers, let us not be proud of being rich or scorn the Water of Life, because good health, wealth, family, or protection will one day depart. But thirst will remain — if you do not quench it now, you will never quench it later. Do not be deceived by this passing world; pride in your wealth or strength does not benefit without Christ.
And these are the words with which Lord Jesus ends in the Bible:
Revelation 22:16-17 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the bright Morning Star. **And the Spirit and the Bride say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who hears say, ‘Come.’ Let the one who is thirsty come; and whoever desires, let him take the water of life without price.”
Repent, be baptized in water (in the proper name of Jesus Christ), and pursue holiness while time remains. May you be blessed.
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