The eternality of death and hell

[APuritanMindset]

And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:13-15 ESV Emphasis mine)

We often understand hell and death as being eternal things. Once you're dead, you're dead and once someone goes to hell, they stay there forever. According to this verse, something very different happens in the end.

"Death...[is] thrown into...the second death". This would mean that death dies. Death is done away with. And wouldn't this hold the same for hell? Hell dies. And then, those not written in the book are thrown into this second death as well, and, if death is done away with and hell too, wouldn't these people be done away with as well?

If this is the case, then doesn't that mean that hell and death are not eternal?

 

[Humblesmith]

Well, I don't claim to have perfect understanding of this passage. But I do know that often we have a different definition of "death" than the scriptures do.....

In the bible, death means "separation," not "cease to exist" or "annihilation." When Adam and Eve sinned, they died....meaning they were separated from Life (God). When we die physically, we are separated from our bodies, but we still exist....we don't stop existing.

So I think that in this passage, the first and second deaths speak of separation from life, not that anything ceases to exist. You can have a first and second separation. But after you've stopped existing, you're not there to stop again. The bible does not teach annihilation.

 

[donnA]

I think it means eternal seperation apart from any influnes or presence of God, including HIs people.

 

[Crusader]

I agree. Hell, the greatest suffering known, is eternal and complete separation from God, which we cannot fully understand in this life.

Hades (or Sheol) is believed to be the temporary place where the unsaved go to wait for judgment.

The lake of fire (or Gehenna) is the eternal place prepared for Satan and his angels. If you reject God, then you choose the devil (Satan). Whoever you choose to follow in this life, you will follow into eternity.

As many before me have explained: God doesn't send people to hell. He gives them exactly what they want; what they've asked for and deserve...separation from Him.

 

[AresMan]

Revelation 14:10-11:
10. The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
11. And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.

 

[just-want-peace]

If this is the case, then doesn't that mean that hell and death are not eternal?

I've thought about this before when I would feebly attempt to get a grasp on "ETERNITY"!

I would think of those lost souls in Hell and wish that my understanding of eternity did NOT include the lost in Hell for eternity.

I guess that my hope was that somehow, someway, I was mis-understanding the scripture and that there would be a "cease to exist" ending to the lost.

As of now, I see no such scenario, but I sure would love to be proven wrong.

I've had some mighty ill feelings toward others in my nearly 70 years, but never to the extent that I would wish an eternal Hell on any them.

 

[Trotter]

Man was created to live forever. Once this present life ceases, man continues to live as God had designed him to, but not on earth.

The saved go to be with the Lord. The unsaved pass to hell.

After the resurrection, all the saved will have their new heavenmly bodies, without sickness or pain. The lost will be judged and cast into the lake, to burn in torment for eternity.

So, in the end, man lives forever. The question is, where... heaven with the Lord, or the eventual lake of fire?

 

[Humblesmith]

Ressurected bodies........the bodies we get will be our bodies that have been resurrected and glorified.

 

[Plain Old Bill]

I've always associated annihilation with JW's.I don't find any orthodox teachers or commentators who teach this.

 

[Marcia]

Originally posted by Plain Old Bill:
I've always associated annihilation with JW's.I don't find any orthodox teachers or commentators who teach this.

The SDA also teaches it.

So does Clark Pinnock, who apparently at one time was considered a sound evangelical. Pinnock is now one of the advocates of Open Theism.

 

[Grasshopper]

In the bible, death means "separation," not "cease to exist" or "annihilation."

Does "perish" fit the definition?

Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

I guess that my hope was that somehow, someway, I was mis-understanding the scripture and that there would be a "cease to exist" ending to the lost.

Was does "perish" and "destroy" mean?

As of now, I see no such scenario, but I sure would love to be proven wrong.

How and when does the lost man gain immortality? Is immortality obtained outside of Christ?

What is immortality?

Man was created to live forever.

Prove that from scripture. Start in Genesis and the Tree of Life.

I don't find any orthodox teachers or commentators who teach this.

I believe John Stott does.

 

[APuritanMindset]

Originally posted by Trotter:
Man was created to live forever...

But God refers to Himself as "the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last." How can He be the last if people are there too?

 

[Marcia]

Originally posted by APuritanMindset:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Trotter:
Man was created to live forever...

But God refers to Himself as "the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last." How can He be the last if people are there too? </font>[/QUOTE]Maybe the "first and the last" is an expression to express his eternal nature?

 

[jshurley04]

When we die, we then recieve our eternal bodies. Both the saved and the damned. If we are saved then we await our glorified body at the time of the rapture. Those who know not Christ recieve their eternal body and a spot in hell. At the final judgement, hell is emptied before the Throne of God and final Judgment is pronounced on all who have rejected God's salvation. At the end of the appointed time of judgment (appointed by God) all who have not recieved Christ as their savior are sent to the Lake of Fire, which is the actual place of eternal torment. This is the place that is created for the devil and his angels to spend eternity.