-------Lake Of Fire-------

The only place we can find the term "Lake of Fire" in the Bible is in the book of Revelation but that doesn't mean this fiery lake has no other references in scripture. Matthew 25:41 states the lake of fire was prepared for the devil and his angels.41 "Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed , into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:" This brings home a truth that many earth inhabitants just don't get. Spirits cannot die.

When sin was found in the angel Lucifer and the angels he led in a rebellion against God, God had to cast them out of heaven because sin cannot abide there. This also means that heaven was tainted with sin at one point in history. It is interesting to note that the devil and his angels were not immediately cast into the lake of fire. Instead they have been allowed to roam this planet "seeking whom they may devour". Scripture also suggests that these evil spirit beings also roam the area we see when look at the night sky.

During the tribulation period, a remarkable event occurs. The devil and his angels are cast down to earth. Some believe that this event occurred at some point in history based on the words Jesus said, 18 And He said to them, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Luke Chapter 10. However, in Revelation 12 the woman (Israel) is fleeing into the wilderness as a safe haven from Satanic attack. The context of Chapter 12 occurs during the tribulation period according to many Bible scholars and it is in Chapter 12 that we read 7 And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, 8 but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. 9 So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

I find it interesting that so many people find dragons to be so fascinating since Satan is referred to as a dragon.

From my own studies of scripture and commentaries on scripture, I believe that Satan and his angels were cast out of what is known as the third heaven or the place where God dwells a long time ago. They have been allowed to roam everywhere else but the place where God dwells. During the tribulation, Satan and his angels can no longer roam the universe. They are confined to earth and they are full of wrath against God. All hell will break out on planet earth as these evil spirits gather the world's armies together to fight against Jesus when he returns. They lose.

The two demonically possessed men known as the Antichrist and the false prophet will have the dubious honor of being the first two occupants of the lake of fire (which shows how evil these men were in the eyes of God). Revelation 19:20 Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone.

Does this lake of fire destroy the false prophet and the beast (Antichrist)? Jesus said in Mark Chapter 9 that It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched-- 44 where 'Their worm does not die, And the fire is not quenched. The worm is a reference to a person's spirit and soul. Note: the worm does not die. The lake of fire does not and cannot kill what cannot be killed.

When Christ returns, He casts Satan into a bottomless pit (not the lake of fire) for a thousand years. What happens then? 7 Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea. 9 They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. 10 The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. Revelation 20

Note the Antichrist (beast) and false prophet have been in the lake of fire for 1,000 years and are still there when Satan joins them.

Is this fire a fire that puts out heat and light? I don't believe that the torment this lake of fire produces is due to nerve endings being exposed to extreme heat. I believe it is because they are now separated from God permanently. This lake of fire does not produce light because Jesus said, "11 And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. 12 But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Matthew Chapter 8

The sons of the kingdom referred to in the above verse is the Jewish people who rejected Christ. Salvation then went out to the Gentiles. Anyone who rejects Christ will be "cast into outer darkness" or the "lake of fire". So we know the lake of fire is a dark place. What do the occupants do in the lake of fire? They weep or cry because it was their choice to be there. They curse God (gnashing of teeth) for putting them there. The reality, however, is they put themselves there by their own choices.

The false prophet and the Antichrist are occupants number one and number two in the permanent hell. Satan and his angels join them a thousand years later. So who does that leave? And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire. Rev. 20:15 Anyone who rejects the gift of the sin pardon Christ freely offers to all through His sacrifice, has his or her name removed from the Book of Life because there is no other way into heaven.

Why has Satan been allowed to roam freely all these years? It is because man must make a choice. Man must exercise the gift of free will that God gave him. He must choose evil or death or Satan or he must choose good or life or Christ. God does not send anyone to the lake of fire. The occupants chose to be there.

Where are you going?

Copyright 2006 by Gary Goodworth