Second Death - The Lake of Fire
“And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever… And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire…And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death...” (Revelation 20:10, 14,15)
The phrase “the lake of fire” is an obvious metaphor. But what is it to consume?
It will consume our enemies which are the the adversary (devil), the governments of men (beast) and the religions of men (false prophet), death and the grave (hell -grave). They will all experience "the lake of fire".
What about those not found in the book of life?
Two things to remember, first, both the "righteous and the wicked" are to be resurrected, and second, death, including "the second death", is to be "destroyed".
"...there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked. In this hope, I strive always to maintain a clear conscience before God and man...The last enemy to be destroyed is death...that God may be all in all. (Acts 24:15-16; 1 Corinthians 15:26,28)
So how does "fire and brimstone", "tormented" and "forever and ever" fit into the picture?
Note that “fire", "brimstone” and "tormented" are translations into English of Greek words. What those words represent can be good things, not evil! They test what is cast into them to destroy the bad in those things. The word "brimstone” is the Greek word "theion" which is essentially sulfur which has the power to purify. The word “tormented” is the Greek word “basanizo” and has to do with examining and testing by a touchstone. It exposes what is fake or lacking in what is being tested. When the disciples were “tossed with waves” (same Greek word “basanizo”) on the lake, their "faith" was being tested.
“But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed (basanizo) with waves…You of little faith, He said, why did you doubt?” (Matthew 14:24,31)
Only a man-made religion trying to scare people into it would translate the word “basanizo” as “tormented” it seems to me.
So the Lake of Fire and its torment is to test that cast into it. It will destroy what is false, and purify and refine what remains. The devil, the beast, the false prophet, death and hell are destroyed. Those of mankind not found in the book of life are cast there for purifying and refining - this is the second death where works of mankind are tested - the works of "wood, grass and straw" are destroyed and the works of "gold and silver, precious stones" will be purified and refined...
"For other foundation can no man lay beside that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone is building on this foundation gold and silver, precious stones, wood, grass, straw, each man's work will become apparent, for the day will make it evident, for it is being revealed by fire. And the fire, it will be testing each one's work - what kind it is. If anyone's work will be remaining which he builds on it, he will get wages. If anyone's work shall be burned up, he will forfeit it, yet he shall be saved, yet thus, as through fire..." (1 Corinthians 3:11-15)
All those people cast into it also come out of it saved and declaring "The LORD is our God"!
"the third I will put into the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on my name and I will answer them; I will say, they are my people, and they will say, The LORD is our God.” (Zechariah 13:9)
Lastly, “forever and ever” is translated from the Greek phrase “aionas ton aionon” and should be translated “ages of the ages”.
Part of God's plan included creating evil. Evil was necessary to reveal the difference between good and evil, and to display God’s love. It is God who “has imprisoned all in disobedience, so that He may have mercy on all”, not just a few religious folks.
“I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things…For God has imprisoned all in disobedience, so that He may have mercy on all.” (Isaiah 45:7; Romans 11:32)
The ages of the ages had a beginning and will have an end when "the corruptible puts on incorruption and the mortal puts on immortality".
"For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal put on immortality. Now, whenever this corruptible should be putting on incorruption and this mortal should be putting on immortality, then shall come to pass the word which is written, Swallowed up was Death by Victory..." (1 Corinthians 15:53-55)
The ages were made by God to demonstrate His love, grace and “mercy”. All mankind have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God by His design. There would be no need for "grace" or "mercy" unless mankind had become sinners. Even though God's plan included mankind becoming sinners and suffer the resulting evil and the punishment of death, God also “predestined” that all sinners be saved through Christ Jesus bringing “unity to all things in heaven and on earth” when “according to His good pleasure” the ages reach “their fulfillment”.
“Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners...This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who will have all men to be saved...we trust in the living God who is the Savior of all mankind, especially believers. Command and teach these things..." "In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will— to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the One He loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that He lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, He made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.” (1 Timothy 1:15, 2:3-4, 4:9-11;Ephesians 1:4-10)
The lake of fire will destroy all of mankind's enemies, and will test, purify and refine all mankind cast into it during the "ages of the ages". Out of the ash heap of the failures of mortal humans will be born a new, immortal and victorious spiritual creation...praising and loving it gracious God, without sin which has made humanity in this present evil age into a race of cowards, unbelievers, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and liars...
"So it is with the resurrection of the dead. Sown in corruption, raised in incorruption; sown in dishonor, raised in glory; sown in weakness, raised in power; sown a natural body, raided a spiritual body...Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea no longer existed...Then I heard a loud voice from the throne: Look! God’s dwelling is with humanity, and He will live with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will no longer exist; grief, crying, and pain will exist no longer, because the previous things have passed away...The victor will inherit these things, and I will be his God, and he will be My son. But the cowards, unbelievers, vile, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars—their share will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.” (1 Corinthians 15:42-44; Revelation 21:1-8)
When Scripture is viewed from the standpoint of God's love and justice, all its difficult passages are easily harmonized with His goal of saving and reconciling all of His groaning "creation" to Himself. We who are able to comprehend this good news are to wait for it in faith with "patience"...
"For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience." (Romans 8:22-25)
The phrase “the lake of fire” is an obvious metaphor. But what is it to consume?
It will consume our enemies which are the the adversary (devil), the governments of men (beast) and the religions of men (false prophet), death and the grave (hell -grave). They will all experience "the lake of fire".
What about those not found in the book of life?
Two things to remember, first, both the "righteous and the wicked" are to be resurrected, and second, death, including "the second death", is to be "destroyed".
"...there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked. In this hope, I strive always to maintain a clear conscience before God and man...The last enemy to be destroyed is death...that God may be all in all. (Acts 24:15-16; 1 Corinthians 15:26,28)
So how does "fire and brimstone", "tormented" and "forever and ever" fit into the picture?
Note that “fire", "brimstone” and "tormented" are translations into English of Greek words. What those words represent can be good things, not evil! They test what is cast into them to destroy the bad in those things. The word "brimstone” is the Greek word "theion" which is essentially sulfur which has the power to purify. The word “tormented” is the Greek word “basanizo” and has to do with examining and testing by a touchstone. It exposes what is fake or lacking in what is being tested. When the disciples were “tossed with waves” (same Greek word “basanizo”) on the lake, their "faith" was being tested.
“But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed (basanizo) with waves…You of little faith, He said, why did you doubt?” (Matthew 14:24,31)
Only a man-made religion trying to scare people into it would translate the word “basanizo” as “tormented” it seems to me.
So the Lake of Fire and its torment is to test that cast into it. It will destroy what is false, and purify and refine what remains. The devil, the beast, the false prophet, death and hell are destroyed. Those of mankind not found in the book of life are cast there for purifying and refining - this is the second death where works of mankind are tested - the works of "wood, grass and straw" are destroyed and the works of "gold and silver, precious stones" will be purified and refined...
"For other foundation can no man lay beside that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone is building on this foundation gold and silver, precious stones, wood, grass, straw, each man's work will become apparent, for the day will make it evident, for it is being revealed by fire. And the fire, it will be testing each one's work - what kind it is. If anyone's work will be remaining which he builds on it, he will get wages. If anyone's work shall be burned up, he will forfeit it, yet he shall be saved, yet thus, as through fire..." (1 Corinthians 3:11-15)
All those people cast into it also come out of it saved and declaring "The LORD is our God"!
"the third I will put into the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on my name and I will answer them; I will say, they are my people, and they will say, The LORD is our God.” (Zechariah 13:9)
Lastly, “forever and ever” is translated from the Greek phrase “aionas ton aionon” and should be translated “ages of the ages”.
Part of God's plan included creating evil. Evil was necessary to reveal the difference between good and evil, and to display God’s love. It is God who “has imprisoned all in disobedience, so that He may have mercy on all”, not just a few religious folks.
“I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things…For God has imprisoned all in disobedience, so that He may have mercy on all.” (Isaiah 45:7; Romans 11:32)
The ages of the ages had a beginning and will have an end when "the corruptible puts on incorruption and the mortal puts on immortality".
"For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal put on immortality. Now, whenever this corruptible should be putting on incorruption and this mortal should be putting on immortality, then shall come to pass the word which is written, Swallowed up was Death by Victory..." (1 Corinthians 15:53-55)
The ages were made by God to demonstrate His love, grace and “mercy”. All mankind have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God by His design. There would be no need for "grace" or "mercy" unless mankind had become sinners. Even though God's plan included mankind becoming sinners and suffer the resulting evil and the punishment of death, God also “predestined” that all sinners be saved through Christ Jesus bringing “unity to all things in heaven and on earth” when “according to His good pleasure” the ages reach “their fulfillment”.
“Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners...This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who will have all men to be saved...we trust in the living God who is the Savior of all mankind, especially believers. Command and teach these things..." "In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will— to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the One He loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that He lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, He made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.” (1 Timothy 1:15, 2:3-4, 4:9-11;Ephesians 1:4-10)
The lake of fire will destroy all of mankind's enemies, and will test, purify and refine all mankind cast into it during the "ages of the ages". Out of the ash heap of the failures of mortal humans will be born a new, immortal and victorious spiritual creation...praising and loving it gracious God, without sin which has made humanity in this present evil age into a race of cowards, unbelievers, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and liars...
"So it is with the resurrection of the dead. Sown in corruption, raised in incorruption; sown in dishonor, raised in glory; sown in weakness, raised in power; sown a natural body, raided a spiritual body...Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea no longer existed...Then I heard a loud voice from the throne: Look! God’s dwelling is with humanity, and He will live with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will no longer exist; grief, crying, and pain will exist no longer, because the previous things have passed away...The victor will inherit these things, and I will be his God, and he will be My son. But the cowards, unbelievers, vile, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars—their share will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.” (1 Corinthians 15:42-44; Revelation 21:1-8)
When Scripture is viewed from the standpoint of God's love and justice, all its difficult passages are easily harmonized with His goal of saving and reconciling all of His groaning "creation" to Himself. We who are able to comprehend this good news are to wait for it in faith with "patience"...
"For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience." (Romans 8:22-25)