LAKE OF FIRE
- OUTER DARKNESS -
- TORMENT -

- FINAL REWARDS OF THE WICKED -

• THEN HE SHALL SAY TO THOSE ON HIS LEFT, DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO ARE CURSED, INTO EVERLASTING FIRE PREPARED FOR THE DEVIL AND HIS ANGELS. Matthew 25:41

At the beginning of the Millennium Kingdom, those who were found to be faithful, were welcomed in to inherit the Kingdom prepared from the Foundation of the earth. Those who were not found so, were cast into Everlasting Fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

John the Baptist introduced the statement "the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand," as he said:

• Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!" Matt 3:2 NKJV

He went on to say:

• The ax is already laid into the root of the trees. Any tree that does not bring forth good fruit will be cut down and cast into the fire. Matthew 3:10

• Speaking to them all, John answered and said: I baptize you with water, but One Who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of Whose sandals I am not worthy to loosen. He shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His fan and winnowing fork is in His hand, He will thoroughly purge (clean) His threshing floor and will gather the wheat into His barn; but He will burn the chaff with unquenchable fire. Luke 3:16-17

Meanwhile, the resting place of the wicked, who were not thrown into the Lake of Fire at the time of the Purge, has not been a pleasant experience. Jesus described their place when He told of the Rich Man and Lazarus:

• There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen, who fared extravagantly every day. There was a certain beggar named Lazarus who was full of sores, and was laid at the gate of the rich man, desiring to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man's table. The dogs came and licked his sores.

It happened that the beggar died and was carried by the angels into the presence of Abraham.

The rich man also died and was buried. In Hell he raised his eyes, being in torment. Far away he saw Abraham, and Lazarus was with him. He cried out, Father Abraham, have mercy on me. Send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, I am in torment in this flame.

Abraham said, Son, remember that you received your good things in your life time, and Lazarus received evil things. Now he is comforted and you are in torment. Besides all that, there is a great gulf fixed between us and you so that anyone who wants to pass from here to you can not do it, nor can anyone pass to us from where you are.

Then he said, I beg you father, send Lazarus to my father's house, for I have five brothers. Let him testify to them and warn them lest they also come to this place of torment.

Abraham said to him, They have Moses and the prophets, let them hear them.

He said, No father Abraham! But if some one went to them from the dead, they will repent.

Abraham said to him, If they will not hear Moses and the prophets, they would certainly not be persuaded even though someone rose from the dead. Luke 16:19-31

The eternal state of the fire and continuing torment is confirmed by Jesus and Isaiah, the punishment is as eternal as the life. Both are called eternal and the same Greek word is used in both cases in the Matthew text.

• The wicked will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life. Matthew 25:46
• And they shall go out and look at the carcasses of the men that have sinned against Me, for their worm shall not die, nor shall their fire be quenched. They shall be loathsome to all flesh. Isaiah 66:24

The same fate was described by the angel who gave the warning to those who lived on the earth during the Great Tribulation:

• A Third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, "If any one worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, that same person shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured unmixed 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 ascends up forever and ever, and they have no rest day or night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name." Revelation 14:9-11

After the Millennium Kingdom has ended, we find that Hell and Death were only temporary states, and there is a final eternal state for those who occupied them:

• Death and Hell were cast into the Lake of Fire. This is the second death. Anyone whose name was not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the Lake of Fire. Revelation 20:14-15
• The fearful, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, whoremongers, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in THE LAKE THAT BURNS WITH FIRE AND BRIMSTONE, WHICH IS THE SECOND DEATH. Revelation 21:8

Excluded from the Glory of the Eternal New Heaven and New Earth, are those who God will not accept:

• Dogs, sorcerers, whoremongers, idolaters, and whoever loves and makes a lie are excluded.
  Revelation 22:15

- DAMNATION or CONDEMNATION -

• Do not marvel at this, for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth; those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation (damnation). John 5:28-29

It will include enemies of the cross of Christ:

• Brethren, join together and follow my example, take note of those who live according to our example. For there are many who walk opposing our example of whom I have told you often before; and I tell you again now even with tears, they are enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is to come to destruction. Their god is their own stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their minds are set on earthly things. Philippians 3:17-1

- LAKE OF FIRE FACTS -

• Fall of Lucifer:
• How you have fallen from heaven, O Lucifer (Shining One, Morning Star, Light Bringer, Day Star) Son of the Morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart, "I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God. I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the sides of the north (on the summit of Zaphon, the abode of the gods, the utmost heights of the sacred mountain), I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High."
  
  Yet you shall be brought down to Hell, to the bottom of the pit. Those who see you will stare at you, they will consider you, saying, "Is this the man that made the earth tremble and shook the kingdoms? The one who made the world like a wilderness, destroyed the cities of the earth, and would not release his prisoners?" Isaiah 14:12-17

NO PEACE FOR THE WICKED:

• My God says, There is no peace for the wicked. Isaiah 57:21

MAN IS THE WORM THAT DOES NOT DIE

Their worm will not die, their fire will not be quenched:
Mark 9:44, Mark 9:46, Mark 9:48

Man is called a worm in a number of Scripture texts:

• Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said, Dominion and fear are with God, He makes peace in His high places. Is there any limit to the number of His armies? Upon whom does His light not arise? How then can man be justified with God? How can he that is born of a woman be clean? Look even at the moon and it does not shine. Even the stars are not pure in His sight. How much less is man that is a worm, or the son of man that is a worm? Job 25:1-6

• But I am a worm, and not a man. I am a disgrace of men, and despised by the people. Psalm 22:6

• Fear not you worm Jacob, and you men of Israel. I will help you, says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel. Isaiah 41:14

• Their worm shall not die and their fire shall not be quenched. Mark 9:44, 9:46, 9:48

DESCRIPTION OF TOPHET

• Tophet (Hell) was prepared of old. Yes, for the king it is prepared. He has made it deep and large, it is supplied with an abundance of fire and wood. The breath of the Lord kindles it like a stream of brimstone. Isaiah 30:33

[Tophet is defined in the Britannica dictionary as: A place for burning city refuse.... the valley of Hinnom near Jerusalem where the Jews sacrificed children to Moloch......... ENDLESS PERDITION........ HELL........THE LAKE OF FIRE]......

According to the above scriptures, it is quite obvious that the Bible clearly teaches the reality of the LAKE OF FIRE where the wicked of all ages will spend eternity IN TORMENT. To say otherwise is to call God a liar and to reject the clear teachings of Scripture.

I don't know what anyone hopes to gain by setting himself up as judge over what God has revealed in order to deny that it is so. It would be wiser to accept what the Bible teaches at face value and align our lives to be what God requires so He can take us to be His people when that time comes.

Remember, we all answer to God, not the other way around.

God bless you as you seek the truth.