Judgement: 6 Lake of Fire
By Mark Farquharson
The Unbeliever Sleeps after the Judgement?
Some people who believe that all mankind will be saved, think unbelievers will sleep after the Great White Throne Judgement. That is they will be resurrected for the judgement, and then they will go back to sleep. The unbelievers will awaken at the consummation at the end of the eons and then go into the kingdom. This is because it states in the bible that: This is the second death-the lake of fire {Revelation 20:14}.
They assume that because it says death, that the people in the lake of fire are asleep. This is because when someone dies they sleep until they are resurrected. Thus they think that it is the same as when someone dies. For more on physical death refer to my article: “What is Death”
However just because it says death, it does not mean that these people are physically dead. There is another type of death, people can be dead in another way, other than physical death. This is figurative death, it is being dead spiritually.
The people in the lake are chasten and torment, this can not happen if they are asleep. There cannot be weeping and gnashing of teeth if they sleep.
Revelation 20:12 And I perceived the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne. {CLV}
How can the dead stand before the throne if they are asleep? This is just after the dead have been physically resurrected. That is they are no longer asleep, but are actually standing before the throne. They are figuratively dead, but not actually dead. These are the ones who are the unbelievers and the religious hypocrites, they are count as being dead.
Death Does Not Always Mean Physical Death.
Matthew 8:22 Yet Jesus is saying to him, "Be following Me, and leave the dead to entomb their own dead." {CLV}
Luke 9:59-60 Now He said to a different one, "Follow Me! Yet he said, "Lord, permit me first to come away to entomb my father." Yet He said to him, "Let the dead entomb their own dead. Yet you, coming away, publish the kingdom of God." {CLV}
Here in Matthew & Luke, Jesus said, “leave the dead to entomb their own dead.” How can a physically dead person entomb someone who is dead? Clearly he was talking about another sort of death.
1 John 3:14 "We are aware that we have proceeded out of death into life, for we are loving our brethren. He who is not loving is remaining in death." {CLV}
Here in John the brethren have proceeded out of death into life. However they have not had a physical resurrection. They had not physically died yet, which means it can not be talking about a physical resurrection. They have had a spiritual resurrection, there is more than one form of resurrection. People think there is only one form of resurrection, but there is actually more than one form. Those who are not loving are remaining in death, even thou they are physically alive. Unbelievers while they are still alive are counted as being figuratively dead, they have not proceeded into life.
The former resurrection mention in Revelation 20:5, is a spiritual resurrection, the chosen proceeding out of death into life. All the chosen do not have their spiritual resurrection at the same time, meaning that when the scripture says “resurrection” it does not always mean the people being resurrected are being resurrected at the same time. The resurrection could happen over many centuries, as the former spiritual resurrection has be going on for almost 2000 years. For more on the millennium refer to my article: “When is the Millennium”
Do Evil Spirits Sleep?
Do demons/evil spirits and the devil sleep? You may wonder why I ask such a question, why is it relevant? It is relevant because they go to the Lake of Fire as well.
Matthew 25:41 "Then shall He be declaring to those also at His left, 'Go from Me, you cursed, into the fire eonian, made ready for the Adversary and his messengers. {CLV}
Revelation 20:10 And the Adversary who is deceiving them was cast into the lake of fire and sulphur, {CLV}
Those on the left go into the fire that was made ready for the Adversary and his messengers. That is the people on the left go to the same place. Which means the Adversary and his messengers go to the Lake of Fire. However spirit beings do not have physical bodies, which means they can not die physically like people can. Thus the lake of fire is not physical death for them.
Why do people believe that the second death is like the first death for people when it is different for spirit beings. Why should it be physical death for one and not the other? Actually it is not physical death for either one, both people and spirits will be alive physically. However both will be dead figuratively, people and spirits, to start with.
The lake of fire is the second death for them as well, because they are separated from God, and they are consider to be dead. While they missed out on the first death, they don’t miss out on the second death. The first death is physical the second death is spiritual. Spirit beings in the lake will be resurrected spiritual from this death.
The End of the First Death & the End of the Unseen
Revelation 20:14 And death and the unseen were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death-the lake of fire. {CLV}
All the dead are resurrected to stand before the White Throne. The first death and the unseen are cast into the lake of fire. When someone dies their spirit goes back to God, and their body is usually burnt or buried. The sole, what the person feels is said in scripture to go to the unseen. This is because when someone is dead they can not feel anything, their spirit has been separated from their body. They can not do anything when they are dead, as their spirit is with God. The spirit by it’s self can’t do anything, note it still does exist, thus the person is unconscious in this state, or asleep. Thus when someone dies their sensations cease all together, thus the sensations are refer in scripture as having gone to the unseen, as they are no longer seen.
What then does it mean that the death and the unseen are case into the lake of fire? Clearly the unseen is no actually place, that actually exists. Symbolically it means that it is the end of the unseen and the end of physical death, as the fire burns them up. No longer will anyone be in the state of physical death. With the unseen and the first death burnt up, no one will cease to exist. However it does not mean those in the Lake have new immortal bodies, like those in the kingdom do.
Understanding the Complete Resurrection
People also misunderstand 1 Corinthians 15:21-24. They think that there is a physical resurrection from death at the consummation at the end of the eons because they misunderstand these verses.
“vivifies us together” comes from the Greek word suzoopoieo. Meaning to reanimate conjointly with (figuratively): - quicken together with {from Strong numbers}.
“vivified” comes from the Greek word zoopoieo. Meaning to (re-) vitalize (literally or figuratively): - make alive, give life, quicken {from Strong numbers}.
That is vivified, or vivify, means make alive, which can be figurate or literally.
“vivifies us together” as used in Colossians 2:12-15 & Ephesians 2:4-7 is referring to someone’s spiritual resurrection. Those who do not know Christ, those who are not in Christ are spiritually dead, even if they are physically alive.
1 John 3:14 "We are aware that we have proceeded out of death into life, for we are loving our brethren. He who is not loving is remaining in death." {CLV}
The brethren have proceeded out of death into life. That is the brethren have had a spiritual resurrection. They were dead spiritually, but now they are alive spiritually. Those who are not loving are remaining in death, even if they are physically alive. Unbelievers while they are still alive are counted as being figuratively dead, they have not proceeded into life.
However “vivified” used in other places in the scriptures refers to what I call a Full Resurrection or Complete Resurrection, when a person gains their immortality. At this point a person will have a new celestial body. However the person does not have to be physically dead, asleep, to have a complete resurrection.
1 Corinthians 15:21-24 For since, in fact, through a man came death, through a Man, also, comes the resurrection of the dead. For even as, in Adam, all are dying, thus also, in Christ, shall all be vivified. Yet each in his own class: the Firstfruit, Christ; thereupon those who are Christ's in His presence; thereafter the consummation, whenever He may be giving up the kingdom to His God and Father, whenever He should be nullifying all sovereignty and all authority and power. {CLV}
Jesus did not need a spiritual resurrection, but he is the Firstfruit, the first out of the resurrection of the dead. He was physically dead and need to be physically resurrected, and at that point he the gained immortality, having been vivified. At Christ’s presence the chosen, the body of Christ will be vivified, gaining immortality, they will have already been vivified spiritually in the past before this. A number of the chosen will be physically dead, but they will all not be dead physically when He returns. However they will all gain there immortality at that time, having a complete resurrection. The rest of mankind will also gain immortally, they will also be vivified, having a complete resurrection.
However the rest of mankind will not be physically dead when they gain immortality, they will be alive, in the nations, on the new Earth, in restored cities. More on the restore cities later.
They who misunderstand think that when it states “thereafter the consummation” it means that the rest of mankind will be vivified at the consummation. However that is not the case at all, while vivification here is to do with gaining immortality, the next sentence is not to do with this resurrection at all. It is not stating when the rest of mankind will be vivified at all.
Read it carefully, “Yet each in his own class: the Firstfruit, Christ; thereupon those who are Christ's in His presence;” First Christ is resurrected then those “in His presence” that is those who are spiritually in Christ when He returns.
Then it states “thereafter the consummation, whenever He may be giving up the kingdom to His God and Father.” It does not mean that at the consummation there is a physical resurrection, or a spiritual resurrection. Read it again “thereafter the consummation”, there is no mention of any resurrection here. It is stating that after the resurrection of those who are Christ’s, there is the consummation. Not straight after is the consummation, but sometime after. It goes on to state what happens at the consummation, not mentioning any resurrection. What happens, Christ gives over the kingdom. In fact those in the Lake get into the kingdom, before the consummation. For more on the resurrection of the dead, refer to my article: “How Many Resurrections”
There is one eon after the judgement eon, all mankind will be in the kingdom at the end of the last eon. However they do not all move into the kingdom at the consummation, they move into the kingdom during the last eon at different times.
As I stated earlier a resurrection can happen over a long period of time, and this complete resurrection of all the rest of mankind will happen over a long time. It will be going on over the whole of the last eon as different people gain their immortality at different times.
Great White Throne Judgement:
Revelation 20:11-15 And I perceived a great white throne, and Him Who is sitting upon it, from Whose face earth and heaven fled, and no place was found for them." And I perceived the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne. And the scrolls were opened. And another scroll was opened which is the scroll of life. And the dead were judged by that which is written in the scrolls in accord with their acts." And the sea gives up the dead in it, and death and the unseen give up the dead in them. And they were condemned {Judged}, each in accord with their acts." And death and the unseen were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death-the lake of fire. And if anyone was not found written in the scroll of life, he was cast into the lake of fire." {CLV}
The white colour of the throne represents purity.
Those on the scroll at that point go into the kingdom, which is in heaven. It does not say that no names can be added to the scroll. The spiritual kingdom is inside of the chosen, but there is also an actual kingdom, kept in the heavens. Later the kingdom descends to the new earth.
Those not on the scroll are cast alive into the Lake of Fire. That is they are physically alive, but they are still considered dead. This is why it is called the second death, because those in the lake are spiritually dead. It is not the same as the first death, when they where actually physically dead. However as explained they did not stay in their death state. This scroll is the scroll of life and those in the lake of fire come to spiritual life, that means their names will be added to the scroll at some point.
Daniel 12:1-4 In that era shall stand up Michael, the great chief, standing over the sons of your people. Then comes to be an era of distress such as has not occurred since there came to be a nation on the earth, till that era. Now in that era your people shall escape--all those found written in the scroll." From those sleeping in the soil of the ground many shall awake, these to eonian life and these to reproach for eonian repulsion." The intelligent shall warn as the warning of the atmosphere, and those justifying many are as the stars for the eon and further." Now you Daniel, stop up the words and seal the scroll till the era of the end, when many will swerve as evil will increase." {CLV}
Escape: It does not mean escape from the coming tribulation. There is no coming tribulation of seven years or three and half years. They will escape from the coming destruction to the earth. However it more refers to the escape from the lake of fire. It says all those find on the scroll, that is the scroll of life.
Daniel 12:1 ….all those found written in the scroll."
Revelation 20:15 And if anyone was not found written in the scroll of life,
Those on the scroll get eonian life, all those not on the scroll get reproach for eonian repulsion. Reproach is to criticize somebody or to criticize yourself, to feel ashamed because of what you have done wrong. Repulsion is a feeling of disgust.
Those on the scroll escape having to spend time in lake of fire at and after the judgement. However spiritually those on the scroll have gone through the lake of fire while they were alive before their physical death or before they were snatch away. When someone becomes a believer they enter the lake of fire, and are spiritually cleansed {water}, purified {fire} and their faith is tested by fire.
However the unbelievers time in the lake of fire is different to start with because they do not have faith in God. A believer has been spiritually resurrected when they enter the lake spiritually, however when an unbeliever enters the lake they have not been spiritual resurrected, they are in a death state. That is when the unbeliever enters, however at some point in their time in the Lake of Fire, they do have a spiritual resurrection, they proceeded from a state of death to a state of life. This will be covered more in the part 7, were it will be shown that they do come to life.
Lake of Fire
The fire here is very real, but it is not a physical fire that burns the body. That teaching is horrible and definitely NOT TRUE. The fire is spiritual, and purifies, burning away all spiritual uncleanness. The lake of fire is not the end for unbelievers, all mankind will get into the kingdom. Other passages in the book of Revelation reveal the fact that the people outside the kingdom come into the kingdom.
Fire Eonian
A lot of people are taught that the Lake of Fire is everlasting, that it never ends. One of the reasons for this is due to incorrect translations. The commonly used King James is one such translation that is incorrect. This is because the Greek words aion and aionios are mistranslated. Aion correctly means eon, which is a long period of time. Aionios means pertaining to the eons or age-abiding or lasts for the eons or ages of time, usually until God’s Plan is finished.
In what is commonly know as the Sheep and Goat Judgement {Matthew 25:31-46}, there is this passage:
Matthew 25:41 "Then shall He be declaring to those also at His left, 'Go from Me, you cursed, into the fire eonian {aionios}, made ready for the Adversary and his messengers. CLV
In the King James vision it states “everlasting fire,” however this is incorrect, the fire is NOT everlasting, it is eonian. The Greek word here is aionios, which means pertaining to the eons. The fire that has been made ready for the “Adversary and his messengers”, pertains to the eons, but it is NOT everlasting.
The unbelievers and the unfaithful go into the Lake of Fire, for two eons, but not the whole time of the two eons. For in the last eon a number of them will be on the new earth and eventually will move into the kingdom. While the Adversary and his messengers, are in the Lake of Fire also for two eons. At the end of these two eons the fire will be no more, because it will have done it’s job and be no long needed.
Refer to the later section on “Parables” for more on this parable.
Fire & Sulphur
Revelation 21:8 Yet the timid, and unbelievers, and the abominable, and murderers, and paramours, and enchanters, and idolaters, and all the false-their part is in the lake burning with fire and sulphur{brimstone (theion)}, which is the second death." {CLV}
Fire: The fire in the lake of fire does not burn the person, for fire does not always damage the item that is in the fire. Take gold, when it is heated in fire it melts, but cool it down and it is still gold. The word fire is translated from the Greek word pur. English words such as purge and purify come from this word. The passage below tells of a people brought into a fire, this fire did not destroy them, it refined them, and tested them, so that they would be God’s people.
Zechariah 13:9 And I will bring the third into the fire. And I will refine them as silver is refined. And I will test them as gold is tested. It shall call in My name, and I will answer it. I will say, My people is it. And it will say, Yahweh is my Elohim." {CLV}
Metals like gold and silver are refined, purified, by melting them to get rid of the contaminants, such as the impure alloys and the dross. The elements gold and silver do not change when they are heated, they stay as gold and silver. The fire in the Lake of Fire, gets rid of the contaminants in the people in the lake. That is the impurities in the individuals. When the impurities are destroyed by the fire, the individual is made pure, they are no longer contaminated by impurities.
Mark 9:49-50 For everyone will be salted with fire, and every sacrifice will be salted with salt. " Ideal is the salt, yet if the salt should be becoming savorless, with what will you be seasoning it? Have salt in yourselves and be at peace with one another." {CLV}
Everyone, all mankind will be salted with fire. The chosen, true believers in Christ are to have salt in themselves. Before the White Throne Judgement, the chosen will have been salt with fire. Every sacrifice here is not talking about animal sacrifices. There will be no more animal sacrifices.
Hebrews 13:15-16 Through Him, then, we may be offering up the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of lips avowing His name." Now of well doing and contributing be not forgetful, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased." {CLV}
Everyone will be offering up the sacrifice of praise to God in the future, and they will all be salt with fire.
Matthew 3:10-12 "Yet already the ax is lying at the root of the trees. Every tree, then, which is not producing ideal fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire. For I, indeed, am baptizing you in water for repentance, yet He Who is coming after me is stronger than I, Whose sandals I am not competent to bear. He will be baptizing you in holy spirit and fire, Whose winnowing shovel is in His hand, and He will be scouring His threshing floor, and will be gathering His grain into His barn, yet the chaff will He be burning up with unextinguished fire." {CLV} Also Luke 3:16-17
Every tree, that is every person who is not producing ideal fruit will be cast into the fire. He who was coming after John the Baptist was Jesus Christ. He Who is coming, Jesus would be baptizing them in holy spirit and fire. Clearly not a fire that would physically burn a member of the body of Christ. The grain will be gathered into the barn as Jesus Christ cleans His threshing floor. Unbelievers are the chaff that Christ will be burning up with unextinguished fire. Not literally burning up their bodies. The fire will end when it has done it’s job, it does not mean that the fire will never go out. It means that it will not be extinguished, not go out until it has finished it’s purpose.
Those in the lake of fire will also be baptized in holy spirit and fire. For they will become part of the body of Christ. This will happen when they become spiritually alive. They will be separate from those inside the kingdom however until they enter the kingdom. More on the baptizing in the holy spirit in part 7.
Impurities: Those in the Lake are impure, the fire consumes all the impurities, which separate the individuals from God. These are the things of the carnal mind, their lust, lies, deceit, arrogance, pride, defiance, hostility and the rebellion of the flesh.
Sulphur:
Sulphur is a translation of the word theion, which is translated as brimstone in some translations. The Strong’s dictionary states that it is Probably the neuter of Theios which means divine, and comes from theos which means God or a god.
The ancient Greeks used sulphur in incense, for the purpose of sanctifying to their deity. They also used it for purification, cleansing and to fumigate. Theion then means divine sanctification, purification and cleansing.
The sulphur and the fire purify the individual spiritually. Sulphur is also for healing the individual. Thus the sulphur, and later the leaves of the wood, that is the Chosen, both work to heal the individual. More on the leaves of the wood later in the series.
The Fire is Not Quenched:
Some point to passages that state the fire is Not Quenched, as proof that the fire never goes out and that this means that the individuals stay their forever. The process of transformation does not take forever, if it did the individual would never be transformed. The view that the fire does not end is held by those people who did not believe that the individuals in the Lake will be transformed, and saved.
Mark 9:48 to be cast into gehenna, Where, their worm, dieth not, and, the fire, is not quenched, {Rotherham}
You have to understand what is meant, when Jesus used the words. To gain understanding lets look at another time when God stated more than 2500 years ago that if the people of Jerusalem did not hearken to him, he would kindled a fire at the gates of Jerusalem that would not be quenched.
Jeremiah 17:27 And if you do not hearken unto me to sanctify the day of rest, And so as not to bear a burden, And to come in at the gates of Jerusalem on the day of rest, Then I have kindled a fire in its gates, And it has consumed the high places of Jerusalem, And it is not quenched!'" {CLV}
All the houses of Jerusalem were destroyed a few years later by fire {Jeremiah 52:13}. Did not God state that it would never be quenched, does that mean the fire would never go out? The fire is not still burning today, having long ago gone out. Once the fire had completed the work, the fire went out. Having accomplished it’s purpose, there was no need for it to continue burning. Thus a fire that is not quenched is a fire that does not go out until it has finished it’s purpose. Once it has finished the task at hand, it goes out. Once all the individuals and the evil spirits have been purified, and there is nothing left to burn the fire will go out.
Indignation and Fury, Affliction and Distress
Romans 2:6-10 Who will be paying each one in accord with his acts: to those, indeed, who by endurance in good acts are seeking glory and honor and incorruption, life eonian;" yet to those of faction and stubborn, indeed, as to the truth, yet persuaded to injustice, indignation and fury, affliction and distress, on every human soul which is effecting evil, both of the Jew first and of the Greek, yet glory and honor and peace to every worker of good, both to the Jew first, and to the Greek." {CLV}
Those in the Lake will suffer indignation and fury, affliction and distress. The cleansing and purifying is no walk in the park, those in the lake will suffer greatly. This does not mean they will be punished physically, all these can be suffered without physical punishment. Indignation: They will be angry at what they feel is their unfair treatment. When they are in the presence of the lamb, Christ, they will be distressed.
Chastening:
2Peter 2:9 the Lord is acquainted with the rescue of the devout out of trial, yet is keeping the unjust for chastening in the day of judging, {CLV}
Chastening: That is discipline, these people in the Lake of fire get disciplined. They get taught proper behaviour. This is corrective, those in the lake needed to be corrected. This chastening is eonian, that is it is for a period of time. The chastening does not go on indefinitely forever, there is no point in that. The chastening only needs to go on as long as is need for each person. No one will needed on going chastening. If there was on going chastening, it would mean that they would not gain accesses to the city, and that they would never be saved. This would mean Jesus Christ is not the saviour of all mankind. Since Christ is the saviour of all mankind, there can not be on going chastening.
Tormented In the Presence of the Lamb
Revelation 14:9 And another, a third messenger, follows them, saying with a loud voice, "If anyone is worshiping the wild beast and its image, and is getting an emblem on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he, also, is drinking of the wine of the fury of God, blended undiluted in the cup of His indignation, and he shall be tormented (basanizo) in fire and sulphur in the sight of the holy messengers and in the sight of the Lambkin." 11 And the fumes of their torment are ascending for the eons of the eons. And they are having no rest day and night, those worshiping the wild beast and its image, and if anyone is getting the emblem of its name." {CLV}
basanizo is “to test (metals) by the touchstone, which is a black siliceous stone used to test the purity of gold or silver by the colour of the streak produced on it by rubbing it with either metal”. Those who are impure will be tested in the fire and the sulphur. As already stated the fire and the sulphur purify the individual. When the individuals are tested in the fire the impurities will show, and the impurities will be taken out by the fire and the sulphur.
Lambkin: The lambkin in this case is Jesus Christ. Holy messengers are the angels, thus the torment is happening in the presence of Christ and his holy angels. However the word lamb is used here. Jesus is not torturing them, no one is being tortured. Christ is the lamb, he is not a torturer. Thus picture a lamb in your mind, what can a lamb do to torture anyone. A lamb can torture no one, this informs us that there is no torture here. The lamb does not want to hurt any one.
Sight: Is the lamb tormenting them? The lamb is not the one who is tormenting them. It states that it is happening in his sight, it does not say that he is the one tormenting them. Can a lamb torment anyone? It is happening in the sight of the lamb, but the lamb is not the one who is tormenting them.
Tormented: Who is the one who is tormenting them if it is not the lamb? Why does someone have to torment them, for them to be tormented? No one is tormenting them, for it is not someone who is tormenting them, it is them who are tormenting themselves. They are not torturing themselves, far from it. The problem comes from with in, it is their consciences. For they are corrupt, immoral, wicked, selfish and impure. When they stand in the presence of the holy lamb, this is torment for them. The sight of the pure and holy lamb is torment for them who are not holy, who are not pure. In the sight of the lambkin who is love, life, peace, and truth, they are torment by this sight. The lamb will conquer them, not by torture, not by force, but by love, by love he will conquer them all, in time. The love of the lambkin, the love of Christ will conquer all mankind, with love.
They will not be torment forever, but each one will be conquer in their own time. In time all will DELIGHT in Christ. They will delight in his sight. In time all mankind will delight in Christ, and they will all be in the kingdom. They will be in the lake for the eons of the eons, not forever. For they will be in their for the next eon and part of the last eon, depending on when they get out.
Saints Judge the World:
Luke 22:28 Now you are those who have continued with Me in My trials." And I am covenanting a covenant with you, according as My Father covenanted a kingdom to Me, that you may be eating and drinking at My table in My kingdom. And you will be seated on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." {CLV}
Here Jesus assigned some of the judges on the night of his betrayal, arrest and trail.
Daniel 7:21-2 Perceiving am I and the same horn is making an attack on the saints and is prevailing against them, till the Transferrer of Days arrives, and adjudication is granted to the saints of the supremacies, and the stated time is reached, and the kingdom is safeguarded by the saints." {CLV}
Adjudication is grant to the saints, that is judging is granted to the saints.
1Corinthians 6:2-3 Or are you not aware that the saints shall judge the world? And if the world is being judged by you, are you unworthy of the least tribunals? Are you not aware that we shall be judging messengers {angels}, not to mention life's affairs? {CLV}
The saints shall judge the world. That is the saints will be judging all the rest of mankind who will have been resurrected. At the start of the Judgement eon there will be a separation. Those on the scroll of life will get into the kingdom, those not on the scroll get cast into the lake of fire. Then the saints will start judging them. As well as judging all the rest of mankind, the saints will also be judging messengers, that is angels. The angels here are the ones that followed Satan. These angels will need to be judged, and it is the saints who will be doing the judging. After this judging the rest of mankind will be moved into cities on the new each, which the saints will rule over.
Copyright © Mark J Farquharson 2010-2011 & 2021
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