LAKE OF FIRE (A Primer)
This is meant to be a primer for those who want to dig deeper into this very misunderstood portion of scripture. I first came to believe the Lake of Fire was figurative when I realized that hell was not in the scriptures, which happened immediately after I was shown that God will reconcile all to Himself. I saw no where from reading writings from others (who believed in the reconciliation of all) the location where God would subject His enemies to Himself after their resurrection. Only in a few verses from the New Testament in the epistle to the Corinthians (15:20-28) and in Hebrews (10: 12-14) do we read of His enemies being subjected to Him.
Where was this to happen?
John gave the answer in the Unveiling of Jesus Christ (Revelation).
Paul showed me the how and Who, John showed me who and where.
Later as I searched for more on this truth, I found short articles by believers in the reconciliation of all. A.P.Adams wrote an article titled: "The Second Death" in a compilation "More Light" compiled by Alfreda Fiebiger. Another author: Stephen Jones wrote briefly on this in his book "Creations Jubilee." About twenty years later I read a book by Philip Scranton: "Journey to and through the Second Death."
So although this teaching is opposed by all who believe in the literalness of the Lake of Fire, both from those who believe in the reconciliation of all, and those who believe it will be the final destiny of an unbelieving portion of mankind, there are those who do not see it as a literal place of annihilation, either temporary or eternal, or a place of eternal tormenting. Many do not talk or write of it for fear of disfellowship, but those who are seeking truth have no fear of those who no longer wish to "include" them in their camp. They move forward gathering and discarding growing and waiting in all things concerning knowing God and His ways. Some of what you will read is from a believer in Holland (Wim Janse) who shared some of his thoughts with me, others from searching the scriptures to see if they have it so. As was said, this is meant as a primer for deeper study. I would highly recommend that you read the above authors on this subject, and seek out these things from the scriptures.
LAKE OF FIRE; A BRIEF LOOK INTO A MISUNDERSTOOD DOCTRINE
WHEN WILL IT BE ABOLISHED?
"The last enemy is being abolished: death."
(1 Corinthians 15:26)
When is this last enemy going to be abolished?
Many believe it already has been abolished, and unknowingly also believe it was never an enemy, as many believe death is the gateway to life at the point of the body dying, as the soul will continue to live on without the body. This is not a scriptural teaching, but, there is a scriptural teaching concerning the abolition of death, and it is found in the Unveiling of Jesus Christ (Revelation).
"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."
(20:14)
This verse gives us the end of death. And it also gives us the beginning of life, a life that is free from death. The believer will experience life free from death at their resurrection and vivification, but even at that time there will still be death, and people who are dead will remain dead for at least a thousand years:
"The rest of the dead do not live until the thousand years should be finished."
(20:5)
But after this thousand year period, at the Great White Throne, the remaining dead will be raised, and death and the grave will be cast into the Lake of Fire. This Lake of Fire is not a literal lake of fire, that God has created (or will create), but it is the consuming fire of God (Hebrews 12:29)
To the Israelites, the glory of God was to their view as a consuming fire, we read this in Exodus 24:17:
"And to the eyes of the sons of Israel the appearance of the glory of the LORD was like a consuming fire on the mountain top."
A consuming fire is a fire that will consume everything. God is the consuming fire, not some cauldron or lake of burning sulphur that many believe the Lake of Fire is.
From the scriptures there are several verses that reveal to us that the Lake of Fire is not literal. We can soon realize this from what this fire does.
No one, or anything, can literally pick up death and literally cast death into a literal lake of fire, but God can destroy it by consuming all signs of it with Life and immortality, by His Fire, His glory. As well you cannot pick up the grave (place of the dead, the unseen), and death, and literally cast them into a literal lake of fire. So just with that we have to reason that the Lake of Fire is not a literal lake of fire, that is sometime in the future going to be created, or as many believe is already in existence just called by another name; hell.
The Lake of Fire is God's consuming Fire, His glory, and He will bring glory out of everyone who is to be cast into His Lake of Fire.
There are several views believed about the lake of fire.
Some believe that the lake of fire is the place where humans who did not believe will be annihilated in.
There are many who believe it is the final destiny of unbelieving mankind, where they will be in torments for eternity in.
Some (among those who believe in the reconciliation of all) also reason that it is a place where death and the dead will be kept until the consummation, and at the end of time God will then abolish death, and everyone in this lake of fire (which literally burns on until the end of time) will be made alive and will go into the eternity with God.
The first group believes that God will raise people up from either death or hell, judge them and cast them into a literal lake of fire where they will simply vanish.
This group who believes that the lake of fire is a literal fire to annihilate all who did not believe, believe that death will never be abolished, it is an enemy that will reign in some capacity through out eternity, denying the words of Paul:
"The last enemy is being abolished, death."
(1 Corinthians 15:26)
The second group believes that sin is eternal, because sinners are left alive to be tormented for their sins, denying the truth that:
"But now once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself."
(Hebrews 9:26)
The other group, that also sees the lake of fire as a literal lake of fire, where death and the grave (unseen) are literally thrown into it, have to come to grips with the simple fact that intangibles (death and the unseen) cannot be thrown anywhere literally, and especially a literal lake of fire. Also, those who believe this do not believe in hell, so they must believe that God has, or will in the future create a literal lake of fire to throw humans into at the end of the Great White Throne Judgment. They believe God (or Jesus and the angels) will literally throw these people, who are not found written in the Lambs Book of Life, into this literal lake of fire, where they will eventually die, and after an unknown period of time called the eon of the eons, the last great eon, they will be raised out of this literal lake of fire, and be with God, and Christ. Death according to them will still be (for lack of better phrasing) alive and well during this last great eon, even though we are told that on the New Earth (during the eon of the eons) death will be no more (Revelation 21:4).
These three groups have yet to have a revelation of the power of God's consuming fire, a fire that will abolish death (1 Corinthians 15:26) and the sting of death; sin (actions contraire to God's righteousness) (1 Corinthians 15:56).
When we will look a little deeper into this Lake of Fire, and see the power of God as He brings His creation into subjection, not annihilation, or eternal torment, or as some also believe; a place where they lay in ashes surrounded by fire, with death and the unseen, until the consummation, we will begin to see the truth concerning the Lake of Fire.
LOCATION, LOCATION
It has been said (and I assume believed) that the lake of fire will be located where the Dead Sea now is. At the time of the New Earth (actually just before it) those not found written in the Lambs Book of Life will be cast into this literal lake of fire, where the Dead Sea is now located, and they will continue to be in that location for the remainder of time, or until the end of time.
We read from Ezekiel that the Dead Sea will be restored to a sea filled with an abundance of fish, and men will fish along its banks during the time that the land has been restored, the water is said to flow from the temple and heal the waters of the Dead Sea; Ezekiel 47:1-12:
"Then he [my guide] brought me back to the door of the house [the temple of the LORD]; and behold, water was flowing from under the threshold of the house (temple) toward the east, for the front of the temple was facing east. And the water was flowing down from under, from the right side of the house, from south of the altar......And he said to me, "Son of man, have you seen this?" Then he brought me back to the bank of the river. 7 Now when I had returned, behold, on the bank of the river were very many trees on the one side and on the other. 8 Then he said to me, "These waters go out toward the eastern region and go down into the Arabah (the Jordan Valley); then they go toward the sea, being made to flow into the sea, and the waters of the Dead Sea shall be healed and become fresh. 9 It will come about that every living creature which swarms in every place where the river goes, will live. And there will be a very great number of fish, because these waters go there so that the waters of the sea are healed and become fresh; so everything will live wherever the river goes. 10 And it will come about that fishermen will stand beside it [at the banks of the Dead Sea]; from Engedi to Eneglaim there will be dry places to spread nets. Their fish will be of very many kinds, like the fish of the Great [Mediterranean] Sea. 11 But its swamps and marshes will not become fresh [and wholesome for animal life]; they will [as the river subsides] be left encrusted with salt. 12 By the river on its bank, on one side and on the other, will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither and their fruit will not fail. They shall bear every month because their water flows from the sanctuary, and their fruit will be for food and their leaves for healing."
(Amplified Bible)
We can see from these verses in Ezekiel that the Dead Sea will not be the location of the lake of fire, the reason being: there is no location of the lake of fire.
We read in the scriptures that all will be salted with fire (Mark 9:49), is this a literal salting with fire?
Will God actually use literal fire to salt anyone?
Of course the answer is no, He won't.
The fire of God only destroys those things which hinder our knowing Him. The believer' life is constantly being salted with the fire of God as we grow in the knowledge of Him, we read about this in Luke:
"Yet coming is One stronger than I, the thong of Whose sandals I am not competent to loose. 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 be gathering the grain into His barn, yet the chaff shall He burn up with unextinguished fire."
(Luke 3:16-17)
A fire that cannot be extinguished can only be the consuming fire of God. It is the fire that the coming of holy spirit ignites in all who are His. As we grow in Him, He burns away all that is false concerning our understanding of Him (chaff), leaving only truth (wheat), every believer knows this to be true.
His fire is not set in one location, it is global, and it burns in everyone who names Christ as their Lord. It brings us to the place where we can know Him for Who He really is. That will be the purpose and the location of the Lake of Fire in the coming eons for those who do not know Him. The Fire will be no different than now, only in the fact that it will probably be more severe, and place restrictions on those who are in His Lake of Fire, as they will not be allowed access into the New Jerusalem during that final eon while they are still going through their purging:
"And under no circumstances may anything contaminating, or one who is making an abomination and a lie be entering into it, except those written in the Lambkin's scroll of life."
(Revelation 21:27)
We also read that they will all have a "part" in the Lake of Fire, in other words they will be a part of the lake of fire, they will be the location of the lake of fire. John gives us the list of those who qualify for their part in it:
"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, which is the second death."
(21:8)
Many believe because of the elements fire and sulphur this makes it literal. In ancient times both were used to purge contaminants, and in some places still are. The Greeks and Hebrews who read these words knew that they were being used in a figurative sense; they knew God would never burn anyone literally, and they knew He would purge individuals (humans) with His all consuming fire.
It is only human theology and tradition that has made this lake of fire a literal place and a literal fire, and have placed this stigma on God, by way of human sin, telling all that those who are being literally burned in a literal fire deserve what they get.
That teaching is not from the heart of any believer who has been baptized with holy spirit and fire. That is from the mind of tradition, and false understanding of God’s consuming fire.
Those who believe that the fire in the lake of fire is literal, in a set location, believe that this literal fire was created by God for only one purpose; to literally burn people, whether for eternity, or for ever how long it takes for them to die.
Those who believe the fire is figurative, also believe this fire is from God, actually they believe it is God's fire, purging away all the false that humans (believers) harbor in their hearts concerning God during their lives now, as well as the day they stand before Him at a future time. We are not as yet complete in our knowledge of Him, we will still experience the fire of God when we stand before the dais, we read of this in 1 Corinthians:
"For other foundation can no one 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 one'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."
(3:11-15)
Does anyone who is a believer, believe that this fire is literal?
In the future this fire will do the same for all those who do not find their names written in the Lambs Book of Life, as its purpose is to make them fit to enter into the eternity with all.
The location of the Lake of Fire is not some literal great lake filled with fire and brimstone, created by God to annihilate, or torture humans. It is located in all who will have their part in it, as God in His way consumes the chaff from their lives.
WHAT IS THE SECOND DEATH?
There are those among who believe that the second death is exactly the same as the first death, only the second death is final. It is God killing those humans who were not found written in the Lambs' Book of Life, in a literal lake of fire. The dying process is hastened with a shove by the hand of God into the lake of fire.
There are those among who believe the second death is not really the same as the first death, it is torture in the lake of fire. Same hand of God casting them in, but with a morbid twist, no one dies in this second death, they scream, and writhe, and gnash their teeth for ever and ever.
There are also among those who believe in the reconciliation of all to God who teach the same as those who believe in the annihilation of humans by God's hand in this second death. The difference, they believe that humans are raised from death, judged at the Great White Throne, where they are subjected to God, confess Christ as their Saviour, and then are cast into a literal lake of fire where they eventually die a second time, and at the consummation of time they are resurrected from this second death, then vivified (given life beyond the reach of death), and granted access into the eternity with all others who have enjoyed the final eon. Subjection and confession of Christ as their Saviour is the gateway to the literal lake of fire and a second death, not forgiveness and reconciliation at that time of subjection and confession.
There are several verses that speak of a death that is not literal death. In Luke we have a couple examples:
"Now He (Jesus) 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."
(9:59-60)
We know that Jesus was not telling this man that dead humans can bury his father. Those he was speaking of where those who were dead to the truths of God, and the coming kingdom that this man was willing to follow Jesus and proclaim. The whole section has to do with those who are called to proclaim, and believe God, and His kingdom, and of those who would not (read Luke 9: 51-62).
Here is another portion of scripture that speaks of someone who is dead, but alive, in the account of the prodigal in Luke chapter 15.
When the father tells his servants of his son’s return home he says:
"For this my son was dead and revives; he was lost and was found."
(Luke 15:24)
There is also a death that the believer experiences that is not literal death:
"Now if we died together with Christ, we believe that we shall be living together with Him also."
(Romans 6:8)
"Thus you also, be reckoning yourselves to be dead, indeed, to Sin, yet living to God in Christ Jesus, our Lord."
(Romans 6:11)
This should give us some light as to the meaning of a death that is not literal. In some instances it is when someone does not see what is before them concerning righteousness in Christ; they do not recognize God in their lives. In others, it is as if our former self is dead, it died with Christ on the cross, and we are more alive in Christ than we are in the life we now live in flesh.
The Lake of Fire, which is the Second Death, is the process that eliminates the death in those that resists the life of God in them, their self.
We see from scripture that both death and the unseen (some versions hades, or grave) are cast into the Lake of Fire. Both of these have to do with mortality. Death lives in every living thing, and when we die we enter the unseen, we are no more. For the believer in Christ (and eventually for all), Christ has conquered death, and at our resurrection we will be vivified (given life beyond the reach of death).
Our belief has placed us in the Lambs Book of Life; Paul calls it the scroll of life in (Philippians 4:3). Those not found in the Book of Life, will find themselves going through the second death after their resurrection from the dead, not another literal death, they have already experienced that, and have been resurrected to stand before The Great White Throne. They will be going through a death that eliminates the death that has already been eliminated in/from those who believe now, making us alive in Christ.
In Revelation 2:8-11 we read of the reward granted to those of the ecclesia of Smyrna who conquer during their affliction from the Adversary:
"The one who is conquering may under no circumstances be injured by the second death."
(2:11)
Literal death would be said to be more than being injured.
The second death is not the same as the death we all experience at the end of our lives. It is the death of self which can only be achieved by the consuming fire of God.
The first death is abolished at the final resurrection recorded in Revelation at the Great White Throne, and it is cast into the Lake of Fire, it is no more a hindrance to those who will now experience the Lake of Fire, God’s consuming fire, which is the second death.
TIME RESTRICTION
The one thing that many miss when it comes to the Lake of Fire is the time element. Those who believe it is a literal lake of fire believe it will go on for ever and ever, when the scriptures tell us that is not the case, it ends.
Here, in verse 11 of Revelation chapter 14 we see this:
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 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."
(Revelation 14:9-11)
First there is no what is now called day or night in the eternity, there will only be permanent Light, and there will be no night in the eon before the eternity. We read this in several portions of scripture; here are three:
"And the city has no need of the sun nor of the moon, that they should be appearing in it, for the glory of God illuminates it, and its lamp is the Lambkin."
(21:23)
"And night shall be no more, and they have no need of lamplight and sunlight, for the Lord God shall be illuminating them."
(22:5)
"Sounds of violence will no longer be heard in your land, or the sounds of destruction and devastation within your borders. You will name your walls, ‘Deliverance,’ and your gates, ‘Praise.’ The sun will no longer supply light for you by day, nor will the moon’s brightness shine on you; the Lord will be your permanent source of light – the splendor of your God will shine upon you. Your sun will no longer set; your moon will not disappear; the Lord will be your permanent source of light; your time of sorrow will be over."
(Isaiah 60:18-20)
So we can see that the time in the Lake of Fire is limited, to a time when there will be no more day or night, and that has to be during the final eon, the eon of the eons, or the age of the ages, the new heavens and new Earth.
Another verse from Revelation that tells us the same concerning the time in the Lake of Fire is 20:10:
"And the Adversary who is deceiving them was cast into the lake of fire and sulphur, where the wild beast and where the false prophet are also. And they shall be tormented day and night for the eons of the eons."
There are some who believe that these three (if two are literal people) will also be purged of there ways in the Lake of Fire, as they too have a restriction on the time they will be in it.
One thing we do know from the above verses is the Lake of Fire will be limit in duration of time, it will not go on for ever, and once that time is over, God's consuming fire will have accomplished what it has accomplished for all in the past. His Fire will purge out the chaff in the hearts of all, and leave only complete reverence of Him.
IN HIS PRESENSE
"If anyone is worshiping the wild beast and its image, and is getting an emblem on his forehead or on his hand, 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 in fire and sulphur in the sight of the holy messengers and in the sight of the Lambkin. 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."
(Revelation 14:9-11)
There are several different views concerning the identity of the wild beast. Some say it is a literal man that is given power by the Adversary, others believe it is a system that has been on going for as long as humans have gathered, and some believe the wild beast are rebellious humans. Whatever this wild beast is, it opposes God, and those who worship it, or the system, or themselves, are tormented in the presence of the Lamb and His messengers.
Messengers can either be angels, or humans. The Concordant Greek-English Keyword Concordance says: messenger; one who carries a message, whether human… or celestial couriers.
Some believe these messengers are humans, and they site Paul’s words to the Corinthians:
"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, not to mention life's affairs?
(1 Corinthians 6:2-3)
Others believe these messengers are angels, as they are used to bring humans to the judgment fire of God:
"Now He, answering, said, "He Who is sowing the ideal seed is the Son of Mankind.
Now the field is the world. Now the ideal seed, these are the sons of the kingdom. Now the darnel are the sons of the wicked one. Now the enemy who sows them is the Adversary. Now the harvest is the conclusion of the eon. Now the reapers are messengers. Even as the darnel, then, are being culled and burned up with fire, thus shall it be in the conclusion of the eon. The Son of Mankind shall be dispatching His messengers, and they shall be culling out of His kingdom all the snares and those doing lawlessness, and they shall be casting them into a furnace of fire. There shall be lamentation and gnashing of teeth."
(Matthew 13:37-42)
"Now, whenever the Son of Mankind may be coming in His glory, and all the holy messengers with Him, then shall He be seated on the throne of His glory, and in front of Him shall be gathered all the nations. And He shall be severing them from one another even as a shepherd is severing the sheep from the kids."
(Matthew 25:31-32)
One thought is that the angels are used to gather and prepare, and the saints are used to judge along with the Lamb. Either way, those who are in the fire are in the presence of the Lamb and His messengers, and not what is commonly taught; they are annihilated, or being tortured in literal fire.
These three terms: sulphur and fire, fire, and furnace of fire, are more than likely synonymous with the Lake of Fire.
We know who the Lamb is whose presence they are in:
"Jesus ... the Lamb of God Which is taking away the sin of the world!"
(John 1:29)
THE SUBJECTION
The Apostle Paul, in First Corinthians chapter 15:20-28, gives us the procedure God will use to bring all to Him. It is when we compare these scriptures with the scriptures in Revelation that we see just how the Lake of Fire (God's consuming fire) will bring all into subjection.
This has been totally lost because of certain religious traditions, both from those who believe in a literal lake of fire that is prepared for all unbelievers to torture them forever, and by those who believe that a literal lake of fire is the location God will resurrect these ashes and bring them into eternity to be with Him forever. The later group believes they are correctly cutting the word of God by relegating these portions of scripture from Revelation to the Circumcision teachings, when both portions (Corinthians and Revelation) have to do with God's bringing all into subjection to Him.
In 1 Corinthians 15 we read:
"For even as, in Adam, all are dying, thus also, in Christ, shall all be vivified.
23 Yet each in his own class: the Firstfruit, Christ; thereupon those who are Christ's in His presence;
24 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.
25 For He must be reigning until He should be placing all His enemies under His feet.
26 The last enemy is being abolished: death.
27 For He subjects all under His feet. Now whenever He may be saying that all is subject, it is evident that it is outside of Him Who subjects all to Him.
28 Now, whenever all may be subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also shall be subjected to Him Who subjects all to Him, that God may be All in all.)"
This to me is the most conclusive proof of the reconciliation of all, and that God will be All in all. I cannot see how anyone could see anything other than that truth in these verses. These verses show us the how and Who.
Christ will be reigning until all are subject to Him (except God). We read here of the time when all will be finally subject to Him; at the consummation. At that time He will hand over the kingdom to His God and Father.
The question that is asked is: "who are being subjected?"
Revelation gives us the answer; (Note; once again we read of another intangible that will have part in the Lake of Fire: "all the false." In other words; all that is not truth):
"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, which is the second death."
(21:8)
Paul in Corinthians tells us how this can be: "The last enemy is being abolished: death."
Once death has been abolished only then can those who are in the Lake of Fire be subjected. Death is not abolished after the Lake of Fire at the consummation; it is abolished in the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:14).
John tells us on the New Earth death will be no more in Revelation 21:1-5:
"And I perceived a new heaven and a new earth, for the former heaven and the former earth pass away, and the sea is no more. And I perceived the holy city, New Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I hear a loud voice out of the throne saying, "Lo! The tabernacle of God is with mankind, and He will be tabernacling with them, and they will be His peoples, and God Himself will be with them. And He will be brushing away every tear from their eyes. And death will be no more, nor mourning, nor clamor, nor misery; they will be no more, for the former things passed away. And He Who is sitting on the throne said, "Lo! New am I making all!"
During the new heaven and earth we read that the Lake of Fire (God's consuming fire) is operating:
"And He said to me, "I have become the Alpha and the Omega, the Origin and the Consummation. To him who is thirsting I shall be giving of the spring of the water of life gratuitously. He who is conquering shall be enjoying this allotment, and I shall be a God to him and he shall be a son to Me. 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, which is the second death."
(Revelation 21:6-8)
As was said, these are those who will be being subjected to God through Christ, by the consuming fire of God.
They are alive in the final eon, death has been abolished at their resurrection before the Great White Throne Judgment (Revelation 20: 11-14):
"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 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, each in accord with their acts. And death and the unseen were cast into the lake of fire."
Here once again we read of a death that is not literal: "And I perceived the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne."
These dead (who stand before Him) will eventually be made alive in Christ, as we who were once dead have been made alive in Christ:
"And you, being dead to your offenses and sins, in which once you walked, in accord with the eon of this world, in accord with the chief of the jurisdiction of the air, the spirit now operating in the sons of stubbornness, (among whom we also all behaved ourselves once in the lusts of our flesh, doing the will of the flesh and of the comprehension, and were, in our nature, children of indignation, even as the rest), yet God, being rich in mercy, because of His vast love with which He loves us
(we also being dead to the offenses and the lusts), vivifies us together in Christ (in grace are you saved!)"
(Ephesians 2:1-5)
That spirit of stubbornness has to be removed from them, as it was removed in us. That is subjection, that is God's consuming fire, that is what He accomplishes in those who have their part in the Lake of Fire, and they will be the last to be brought into subjection to God, and when they finally are, God will indeed be All in all.
Rick
Continued.
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