You’ve indicated that the book of Zachariah said that when Jesus returns he will cleave to the Mount of Olives and, as a result, there will be a 40-mile-long opening that will go to the center of the earth. And, the lost souls will be placed in the Hell portion of the center of the earth. I assume this will be during the thousand-year reign of Christ.
What are the biblical references to the 40-mile-long opening and the placing of lost souls in the Hell portion of the center of the earth?
The context of the passage in Zechariah 14 is dealing with the city of Jerusalem, and the physical effect that the Lord's return will have on it. His return to Mount of Olives will cleave the mountain, but also it will trigger a tremendous earthquake, and will create a great valley in the midst of the city of Jerusalem where his enemies have gathered (also, called the "valley of Jehoshaphat" and the "valley of decision" in the bible)! The geography of the city is approximately 40 square miles, that's why I said that it will be 40 miles long.
Zechariah 14:1-5
Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south. And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the LORD my God shall come, and all the saints with thee.
Notice how the prophet makes the city of Jerusalem, and the Lord's return from the east of the city—the Mount of Olives—the issue. The earthquake in the days of Uzziah can be studied out more in the book of Amos. In short, that earthquake is a result of the Lord's anger against Israel and those gentiles around her who also rebel against Him. But it will also open a way for the little flock of believers to "flee," as well.
Notice that the passage in Zechariah 14 says that they shall "flee" to the valley of the mountain, and that the mountain will be "removed." This is also what the Lord says to his disciples during his earthly ministry.
The members of the little flock that are still left in Jerusalem at that time will have the opportunity to "get out" at the last minute (like Lot and his family in Genesis as the Lord is pouring out his wrath on Sodom and Gomorrah...which is all a type of this great day).
Luke 21:20-23
And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto. For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people.
Those members of the little flock who are fleeing the city may even actually tell the mountains to "move," so that they may escape (their normal path out of the city gates is blocked by the gentile armies led by the Antichrist) and the Lord says that it will! How? By him touching the mountain, as written in Zechariah 14.
Mark 11:23
For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.
That's why he goes on to tell them that when all this is going on, he will be there...
Luke 21:27-28,
And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
So the Lord's return will affect everyone in and around the city of Jerusalem—especially, in its 40-square-mile radius: some for the good, and others for the worse!
Look at how Isaiah describes it to Israel (aka, Ariel)…
Isaiah 29:1-6
Woe to Ariel, to Ariel, the city where David dwelt! add ye year to year; let them kill sacrifices. Yet I will distress Ariel, and there shall be heaviness and sorrow: and it shall be unto me as Ariel. And I will camp against thee round about, and will lay siege against thee with a mount, and I will raise forts against thee. And thou shalt be brought down, and shalt speak out of the ground, and thy speech shall be low out of the dust, and thy voice shall be, as of one that hath a familiar spirit, out of the ground, and thy speech shall whisper out of the dust. Moreover the multitude of thy strangers shall be like small dust, and the multitude of the terrible ones shall be as chaff that passeth away: yea, it shall be at an instant suddenly. Thou shalt be visited of the LORD of hosts with thunder, and with earthquake, and great noise, with storm and tempest, and the flame of devouring fire.
Look at how John describes it to Israel…
Revelation 11:13-15; 16:18-20
And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven. The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly. And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.
Here again is this great earthquake in the city of Jerusalem when the Lord returns to set up his kingdom.
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Regarding the lost souls that will be placed in the hell-portion of the center of the earth, there will be a shaft created when the Lord returns that goes right down into hell.
Moses and Micah tell Israel that when the Lord returns, he will burn a path thru the earth's crust all the way down to the center of the earth where hell is...
Deuteronomy 32:21-23
They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not God; they have provoked me to anger with their vanities: and I will move them to jealousy with those which are not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation. For a fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell, and shall consume the earth with her increase, and set on fire the foundations of the mountains. I will heap mischiefs upon them; I will spend mine arrows upon them.
Micah 1:3-4
For, behold, the LORD cometh forth out of his place, and will come down, and tread upon the high places of the earth. And the mountains shall be molten under him, and the valleys shall be cleft [from the earthquake], as wax before the fire, and as the waters that are poured down a steep place.
This will happen at his return and will be here throughout his reign.
Look at what Zechariah says regarding what will happen in the Kingdom...
Zechariah 14:16-21
And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain. And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith the LORD will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles. This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles. In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD; and the pots in the LORD'S house shall be like the bowls before the altar. Yea, every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holiness unto the LORD of hosts: and all they that sacrifice shall come and take of them, and seethe therein: and in that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the LORD of hosts.
Here, in the kingdom, the gentiles will come up during the Feast Days according to the Law and sacrifice!
But, where does the ‘shaft down to hell’ come into play?
Look at Isaiah's commentary on the same thing...
Isaiah 66:22-24
For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain. And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD. And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.
Notice that part of the worship of the Nations is that when they come up to Jerusalem, they will look upon the "worm" (souls in hell that look like maggots) of all the rebellious.
The Lord mentions this also...
Mark 9:43-49
And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt.
Here the Lord shows that in the kingdom, people will actually see the worms of the people in hell when they come to Jerusalem. It is the shaft that burned down to hell when He returned that will expose it to everyone!
All this happens at Christ’s return to the Mount of Olives, and Hell is then opened for all to see!
Hopefully this
helps
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