There’s two major questions in mind when considering eternal judgment, whether an unbeliever will burn and suffer in hell forever? And secondly, if there will be any opportunities to fix our sins, to be forgiven our mistakes after our current worldly life ends?
And as Paul tells us something about this a foundational understanding that we need, and there is so much confusion in our modern thinking around this.
Hebrews 6:1b-2
let us be carried forward, not again the laying of the foundation of repentance from dead works and faith towards God,
of instruction in baptisms, laying on of hands, resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.
My translation of the Greek.
Why is Understanding Eternal Judgment so Important?
It’s very common for believers to not take the verses around eternal judgment that seriously, you read your Bible, you have salvation, why should you worry? Sure, we’re trying to help others but they aren’t worried about eternal judgment from the Bible if they don’t believe the Bible is true.
But as Paul and the Word say, it is important. So let’s try and dig out why it is important. And first, how does God talk about eternal judgment?
Hebrews 9:27-28
And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
This verse seems simple at first, but it’s profound beyond the surface reading. Let’s pull in one more verse to get us thinking what it might mean.
Revelation 20:11-15
And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened,
which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
Let’s start breaking it down.
“It is appointed unto men once to die”
You might read this and say to yourself, got it, everyone dies once. But there’s a problem with that, in the Revelation verse we see dead people being resurrected to life and going into the lake of fire.
So let’s start sorting it out, just because you have been appointed something (in the Greek the sense is laid up, or reserved) doesn’t mean you will receive it. This is evident if you investigate the other verses with this same Greek word.
And don’t forget the verse that comes right after.
So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many
This is talking about something in the manner of a legal process, you are a convicted sinner, the punishment for this is death. This means, you, a guilty sinner, are appointed to die. But wait! Jesus (יהושוע) comes in and pays for your punishment by dying for you.
We see this possibility in another verse using the same Greek word where the servant “reserves” his master’s money and then returns it to him when his master returns (Luke 19:20, G606). If there had been a thief that stole the money, would the master have received that which was “reserved” for him? No, he would not have received that which was “laid up” for up.
And that’s not it, this gets a whole lot more interesting when we start to understand what it means for a believer to die.
When Does a Believer “Die”?
Matthew 22:31-32
But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying,
I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.
So these men, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are definitely what we would typically refer to as “dead”, but our Bible doesn’t agree with that logic. These men are apparently alive!
Romans 6:3-4, 7-8
Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death:
that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life…
For he that is dead is freed from sin.
Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:
And that is true, you are freed from sin (Romans 6:6) and if you are walking in faith, you have died to your old ways, your old life. If you are a believer baptized into Jesus (יהושוע), you have already died. But what happens to the believers who aren’t with us anymore?
Luke 8:52-54
And all wept, and bewailed her: but he said, Weep not; she is not dead, but sleepeth.
And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead.
And he put them all out, and took her by the hand, and called, saying, Maid, arise.
Now I’m not saying you will not have to go through what we would call a physical death, just that the way it’s taught biblically, it’s often referred to as sleep.
Another verse perfectly outlines this way of thinking of death as “sleep” and shows us that some of us will not need to die a physical, worldly death (aka in one of the raptures).
1 Thessalonians 4:13-17
But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
The Second Death
So you are appointed to die once, that is when you are baptized in Jesus’s (יהושוע) death. But if you read carefully in our Revelation 20:11-15 verses, it said there was a second death. Why if men are appointed to die once, why is there a second death?
Revelation 20:6
Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power,
but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
I think this makes things much more clear, men are appointed to die once due to their sins and it is fulfilled in their baptism into Jesus’s (יהושוע) death. But again, that doesn’t mean that you will receive what you are appointed.
Some men, most people that are alive now, will suffer from not just one but two deaths.
Not what God wants for them, not what God intends for them but we all get to choose which path we want.
Ezekial 33:11
Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked;
but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
How Do We Get Judged?
So we as believers, we are dying when we’re alive, and we will be walking around still doing things after our “death”. But when do we get judged?
1 Corinthians 3:10-15
According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon.
But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.
For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.
If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
Once you have faith in Jesus (יהושוע) you have a foundation upon which you can build, after your baptism into the death on the cross, you get a chance to build works, that then will be tested.
In your judgment.
Revelation 22:10-12
And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand.
He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.
And, behold, I come [with speed]; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work [will] be.
The Greek word is “tacho” (G3035) as in “tachometer” which measures how fast something is moving, not when it arrives. When He comes, He’s moving fast, but it doesn’t have to happen quickly like most English translations convey.
He is coming to reward peoples’ works in judgment. That’s very different from what many Christian churches will teach you that you cannot work, it is true that you cannot work to earn your salvation, but you absolutely want to have good Godly works.
Revelation 20:12
which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
There is a judgment of the dead, remember how God is the God of the living? And Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are considered alive? You don’t want to be part of this judgment, but they also will be judged by what they did.
2 Peter 3:10-12, 14
But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.
Do you get the sense that God is really trying to get you to think about what you’re doing? We’re talking about the very foundations of our world changing one day, that thing that you think is important in your life, that you need, one day it’s going away. We need to focus on what’s important, that which is coming, judgment day, eternal life and loving God. The things in this world that feel so stable and indestructible, like a mountain or a world power like the US. One day soon, they will not exist.
And Peter’s talking about everyone getting judged, everyone getting to receive the just results of what they did and the care we should be giving to our works. God’s people have suffered in this world, a world that doesn’t value God’s things, that oppresses those who love God and are proclaiming Him, evangelizing Him, as He instructed us to do.
But one day that is coming rapidly, one day that many will be surprised by, like a thief in the night; this will all change.
2 Corinthians 5:10-11
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body,
according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men;
but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.
Fear of the Lord, in direct connection to your judgment and receiving what you have done in your body. I think it’s clear God is trying to get you to take what you are doing right now seriously. The problem is not that this is not clear (despite there being many mysterious things going on), it’s that we struggle to hear God and take Him at His Word about what’s coming.
Matthew 7:21-23
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven;
but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name?
and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
There are going to be people that think they are doing God’s will, that they have salvation ready to go, but in reality they have nothing to do with Jesus (יהושוע).
Think about that carefully, that could be your or me. We’re just men, it’s not that hard to make a mistake, we all sin (1 John 1:8). What we learn about Paul in the New Testament epistles to me is an amazing example of faith, understanding, discipline and diligence (as well as many other things). Listen to what he has to say about his own salvation.
Phillipians 3:9-13
And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended:
but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
Paul is talking about faith in exactly the way the Bible teaches it, actions. Paul is pushing hard for God’s kingdom. In Paul’s time after his repentance, he seems to be the most diligent, blessed, disciplined with all the gifts of God, and he doesn’t consider himself as having achieved salvation already, that means you and I should not either.
1 Peter 4:17-18
For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God:
and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
God wants you to take your salvation seriously, it’s more precious than anything else you think you have. And there is a moment coming when this is set, when this is final. And He’s telling us over and over again, we need to focus on that day.
John 9:4
I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.
Daniel 12:1-3
And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people:
and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time:
and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
And [multitudes] of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.
Maybe you feel like I do that things are deteriorating, that people are becoming less Godly, less righteous. Here we clearly see that there is a time of trouble coming and that it should signal to us that judgment is coming.
Jeremiah 16:19
O LORD, my strength, and my fortress, and my refuge in the day of affliction,
the Gentiles shall come unto thee from the ends of the earth, and shall say,
Surely our fathers have inherited lies, vanity, and things wherein there is no profit.
There is a day of affliction coming, but you can be protected by God. What is God’s judgment for? Does God lose control of His emotions? No, it’s to teach us to repent.
And the final wrath is to reward His believers, His children, the people who loved Him with everything they have. To enjoy life eternal with those who are worthy.
Nahum 1:2-3
God is jealous, and the LORD revengeth; the LORD revengeth, and is furious;
the LORD will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies.
The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked:
the LORD hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.
God is incredibly patient with us, once I started to understand the righteous teachings of my Bible it became hard for me to believe that God had carried me all these years in my sin, in my dysfunctional ways. And that the things I was now seeing people do that were also so contrary to His will, He is also waiting on them. His long-suffering for us is an astounding mercy.
But there is a moment coming when the judgment is set, when the waiting is over. We are not to take advantage of this patience to do whatever we want, to assume we will get mercy for whatever worldly thing or desire that we want to do. The people who are blessed with eternal life in this judgment are God’s obedient children. There’s only two categories.
Hebrews 6:4-8 (from the same chapter that we started with):
For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God:
But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.
This verse (and others) show that it has happened to people when they are still alive (Luke 22:3, Exodus 7:13), they get so used to their sinful lives they cannot see and think clearly anymore. You ultimately do not know when your judgment is set, when you have no more opportunity to work. It could be today for any one of us.
The Judgment is Eternal but It is Not Eternal Torture
As we move forward, I will note that I do my best to be exact and precise with the great responsibility that comes with teaching God’s Word. That said, even in the seriousness of this it is an activity done by faith.
We’re about to deal with some parables, and parable-like Hebraic pictures and also I think mysteries (noting that, God does make certain things hard to understand intentionally).
These do not necessarily give exact details but rather teach us principles of God in a different manner. As a man it is always possible that I will give you incorrect details despite my best efforts. I encourage you to verify everything that I say in your Bible (1 Thessalonians 5:21). Your ideal source of teaching is in heaven, I’m ultimately just pointing you to Jesus (יהושוע), who is the Word.
We’re about to read some verses that might sound like eternal suffering for people. But you have to ask yourself, is a loving God who created all this, who is responsible for everything, is it His plan to burn people forever? Read carefully, look for the details and precepts that are being used.
Jude 1:5-7
I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this,
how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.
And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation,
he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.
Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh,
are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
Look at how the themes we’ve been seeing in the other verses are brought out, just because God is acting in your life, blessing you, showing you miracles even, does not mean that you are exempt from judgment. Just like Paul didn’t consider himself exempt from judgment and nor were the many Israelites who died in judgments while Israel walked in the desert behind the Tabernacle of God and cloud in the day and fire by night (Exodus 13:21-22).
Are the angels in everlasting chains forever? In the Greek it seems to be so, but why? They are being brought to the judgment. If the chains were the judgment, there would be no need for the judgment to come.
Next, Sodom and Gomorra being an example of eternal fire (and fire is almost always judgment in your Bible, see Isaiah 66:16 and 1 Cor 3:15) to me actually makes it very clear.
These cities from what I’ve seen, we do know where they are. They are just the charred remains of a small village, and if we don’t know where they are, well that also supports the point. They don’t exist anymore.
This is starting to show us an important theme, being destroyed permanently, separated from God forever, would almost certainly be considered an eternal punishment.
2 Thessalonians 1:7-10
And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,
In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.
Eternal Memorials
A lot of these eternal moments are memorials, that the people who missed out on eternal life with God, they will never be forgotten.
Isaiah 66:22-24
For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain.
And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD.
And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me:
for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.
And remember, we just learned that fire is judgment. An unquenched fire can just be a judgment that never ends, that is to say everlasting destruction and separation from God.
People have interpreted this to mean “their worm” is an inner being (or soul) but I can tell you the Hebrew word here “tolah” (H8438) can simply just mean worm, maggots, things like that. My interpretation would just be, yes the corpse is there permanently as a memorial, as evidenced by the maggots continually eating it. And also note, we’re talking about a carcase, those aren’t alive or feeling.
It is weird, and that’s to me almost always an indication to think Hebraically (and less literallistically), a carcase is in a way a monument. Strong’s lists this for the word used here in the Hebrew “pawgar” (H6296) and I see that in the verses using the same word word (example, Isaiah 14:19).
But the point of this verse that we see is that in this eternal life, it doesn’t we aren’t going to forget what happened to people. Those of us living eternally will see the evidence of the past, the deeds that were done one way or another, for praise in eternal life or failures that will be memorized and unchanged forever.
Revelation 14:9-11
And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,
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:
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.
Again, our gut instinct might jump to eternal suffering, but smoke can exist after the fire has gone out. Furthermore, “who worship the beast” is an active participle, that means an ongoing action. Connecting it to our verse before, carcases don’t worship anyone thus at some point that worship would stop as well as the lack of rest.
Now, am I trying to say this isn’t bad? Absolutely not. I strongly recommend you take your salvation through Jesus (יהושוע) extremely seriously and dedicate your life to seeking God, doing what you can while you have time to work. You should have a strong fear of God but I need to outline what eternal suffering for unbelievers would mean for God’s character.
A Punishment of Eternal Suffering Undermines Who God Is
You have to put this into perspective, God is very serious about His plan for a good creation yes, and God does absolutely have wrath. God asked His Son to suffer and die a brutal death. This is certainly extremely intense, we should have a strong fear of the Almighty God.
But why does God want us to fear Him?
Proverbs 14:27
The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.
God is not trying to scare you into obeying Him, God wants you to love Him right? He’s trying to get you to listen to the things that are hard to hear, to turn your eyes away from the things happening in your life, the pleasant and desirable things that you want and read your Bible seriously, to learn about Him.
He is not trying to threaten you to love Him. And that’s what eternal suffering would be, God gives us the crucifixion as an example of unmerciful brutality (Psalms chapter 22) and you have to understand how much worse an eternal suffering in fire would be. You’re talking about something unimaginably bad, forever.
There would be no choice, no thought of love if this were real, you would just avoid that punishment at all costs. This is not who God is and this is not how he operates. It would also seem to me to be a rather unjust and ineffective way to motivate an unbeliever. An unbeliever doesn’t believe that God is real or what the Bible says will happen; so how would it bother an unbeliever what punishment God has for him in the Bible?
1 John 4:18
And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love;
and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
This is a doctrine that really just doesn’t make much sense to me. Especially that so many believers will promote it aggressively, it seems to be a great demonstration of how spiritual many of our beliefs are, even among those who seem to be intellectually and logically oriented.
This is probably one of Satan’s favorite doctrines to promote as it undermines God’s loving nature. Who is going to join up with an unjust and brutal God? Our Bible is asking us to think and understand God, but I have seen people that have lots of knowledge about the Bible run with this doctrine recklessly.
We don’t want to run off into a doctrine just because it seems like a verse, or even a group verses say something. We are here to love the truth, and figure it out, we want to be careful with how we present God and the Bible to others. Every instruction and doctrine has to be congruent with your entire Bible, be careful and diligent.
From what I can tell, God is actually proving whether people genuinely understand him with these verses. Do you think your God is this severe?
John 10:27
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
Lazarus and the Rich Man
But there’s another major eternal suffering section we should look at.
Luke 16:19-31
There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:
And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,
And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.
Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house:
For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.
Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.
And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.
This verse really does seem like what we stereotypically think of hell like, but read it carefully. Nothing in here implies this is permanent. Am I saying an unbeliever won’t suffer after they die? The Antichrist and False Prophet as best as I can tell are people and will suffer like this (Rev 20:10, but likely not forever, skip to that section of this post). But God is just, it will always be in measure, functional and for purpose.
Isaiah 27:7-9b
Hath he smitten him, as he smote those that smote him?
or is he slain according to the slaughter of them that are slain by him?
In measure, when it shooteth forth, thou wilt debate with it: he stayeth his rough wind in the day of the east wind.
By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged; and this is all the fruit to take away his sin;
So why is this Luke 16 section written like this? Well your Bible is always based in Hebrew, and Hebrew frequently uses imagery that you perceive concretely to understand how something is; especially hard to understand divine things.
And that is how I understand this, being separate from a loving God who has all power and an incomprehensibly amazing plan for His those of us that chooses to love Him back; I think we can understand how it will feel when someone comes to the realization of their eternal failure, just like we see the rich man doing here.
Torment seems rather appropriate.
Just like this rich man who did what he pleased and didn’t even want to mildly inconvenience himself to help someone, there are people in this world who are very invested in the way it is. The oppression, the problems, they’re ok with it as long as they get to keep things the way they like it.
And prophecy tells us they aren’t going to repent just because Jesus (יהושוע) gets revealed in heaven, just because angels are going around preaching the gospel and mighty divine events and wraths are happening.
Think how stubborn you would have to be to be like that? When everything is revealed and known and God’s true power comes out this stubborn group is going to be absolutely devastated that they lost, that they missed out on the true power, blessing and goodness. As it is written, there shall be “weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 25:30)”.
Revelation 9:5-6, 20-21
And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man.
And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them…
And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands,
that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk:
Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.
Psalms 2:1-3
Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?
The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying,
Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.
These people don’t seem very confused about whether God exists do they? They just don’t like Him.
But Won’t the Antichrist, False Prophet and Satan Suffer for Ever?
Revelation 20:10
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.
I mean plainly stated right there right? Even here, I don’t think we are looking at an eternal suffering in hell, perhaps for Satan (not everything has to be told to us). Words have multiple meanings. Here the Greek word “aeon” (G165) does absolutely mean forever most of the time. But sometimes it just means “age / period of time”.
Colossians 1:26
Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages G165
and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
Same Greek word “aeon”. And while I believe the book of Revelation was originally written in Hebrew, this is also true in Hebrew for a typical word for “ever” in “olam”.
For this evil group that has caused an unbelievable amount of suffering, I think we’ll just have to see what God’s perfect justice amounts to when it happens or when more things are revealed.
Isaiah 14:18-20 (speaking of Lucifer, Satan)
All the kings of the nations, even all of them, lie in glory, every one in his own house.
But thou art cast out of thy grave like an abominable branch, and as the raiment of those that are slain, thrust through with a sword, that go down to the stones of the pit; as a carcase trodden under feet.
Thou shalt not be joined with them in burial, because thou hast destroyed thy land, and slain thy people: the seed of evildoers shall never be renowned.
I’ll leave you with just one extra piece, Satan is first mentioned in Genesis chapter 3 as the serpent or “nahhash” in Hebrew. The makeup of these Hebrew letters typically mean:
- Nun = seed
- Hhet = a fence or wall, signifying separation
- Shin = teeth, signifying consumption
Interpreted, Satan is the “seed separated for destruction” and it’s a highly relevant interpretation to the whole chapter prophesying in Hebrew.
Think About Your Eternity
And that’s it, I don’t believe that God is trying to threaten anyone into obedience, He’s a fair and just judge that wants our genuine love. If He wants to force you to do something He already has the power to do it, this is your choice but you should be thinking about your eternal judgment day.
This is a fundamental instruction that God has given us to consider how to invest our time, money, energy and resources that we have. Your judgment, at some point, will be eternal, it will stand, for blessing and salvation, or for a destruction that will never be undone.
There are not any second chances after your judgment begins, you can’t assume you will get more information or time to make a better decision in the future. You have to gather up what you can right now, and give it all to God in faith. I recommend you do not wait.
God’s Ways are Sometimes Not Stated Clearly
This doctrine is also an exceptionally important reminder for us to be diligent in our own reading. I think it’s evident reading the verses I shared about eternal suffering why some people read them the way that they do. I also don’t think God was confused in how those verses are written.
It’s an opportunity to prove yourself, to read carefully and patiently. To think before you start teaching and sharing things of God that maybe you don’t fully understand.
I would not want to be the person standing before Jesus (יהושוע) on judgment day explaining to Him how I told everyone He was going to do this unimaginably brutal act of an eternal burning in hell without end, misrepresenting who He is and His love.
I think it probably appeals to some people for all the suffering they have had to endure at the behest of unbelievers, but we don’t make decisions based on what we think or feel but based on what the Bible says (to the best of our ability).
We need to make sure our ideas are congruent with our whole Bible and operate with the fear of God and the love of the Truth, because one day, we will stand in judgment. A judgment that will stand forever.
And we should be thinking about that.
Daniel 7:9-10
I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.
A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him:
the judgment was set, and the books were opened.