Why was the place of torment enlarged?
According to the Old Testament, the place of torment was enlarged after paradise was removed from that region. With paradise relocated to the presence of the Lord, the entire area became exclusively the place of torment, and unbelievers now go there immediately upon death.
Les explains that the Old Testament tells us the place of torment was enlarged. This happened after paradise was removed. As Les puts it, we don't go down into the innermost parts of the earth; we go immediately up into the presence of the Lord, because that's where paradise is now located. Once paradise was removed, that whole area became totally the place of torment. So when a person dies today, that unbeliever still goes immediately to the place of torment. Les also notes that at the great white throne, the unjust are brought bodily before Christ as judge, not Savior, and there will be degrees of punishment, as Jesus said Capernaum would suffer more than Sodom and Gomorrah.