The Second Death

THE FINAL DESTINATION OF REJECTING CHRIST

Josef Cherreguine

Cherreguine Bible Doctrine Ministries 2003

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Second death

In the eternity past, long before God created our universe and the

human race, He created the heavenly beings called angels (Job 38:7). In

most cases, the term angels denote heavenly created beings. The Greek

term “aggelos” and Hebrew “malakh” both mean messenger, an order

of created beings, superior to man, belonging to heaven and engaged in

the service of God. Angels are spiritual supernatural, eternal, and

celestial beings with no material bodies but may assume human form

when necessary (Heb. 1:14, Luke 24:4, Acts 10:3).

The doctrinal study about the Second death begins from the angelic

history, from eternity past, long before God created man (see the last

page). The term chosen by Scripture to denote angels gives us the clue

to the function by which they are primarily to be known and

understood. They are God's messengers or ambassadors.

They belong to His heavenly court and service. Their mission in heaven

is to praise God (Rev. 4:5). They devote themselves to doing God’s

perfect will (Ps. 103:20) and by this activity they behold His face (Matt.

18:10).

In the eternity past, they accompanied God in His work of creation (Job

38:7), though they themselves are also creatures (Psalm 148:2, 5). They

also assist in God's providential ordering of human historical affairs

(Daniel 12:1).

Above all they are active in the divine work of reconciliation (from

Genesis 19:1-2 onwards). In fulfillment of their mission, they declare

God's will or decree (Luke 1:26-27) and do His work (Matt. 28:2). In the

eternity future, regenerated people and angels will coexist in perfect

harmony and purpose.

There seems to be some ordering in their ranks; some are referred to as

archangels, as over against those who are referred to simply as angels (1

Thess. 4:16, Jude 9).

Angels have various ranks and functions that glorify God. The function

of angels (Neh. 9:6, Job 38:4-7, Ps. 103:20) may be seen clearly from

their part in the saving mission of Jesus Christ. They are naturally

present when this both begins with the nativity (Luke 1-3) and ends with

the resurrection (Matt. 28:2) including in the ascension (Acts 1:10). They

also assisted the church in its early ministry (Acts 5:19; 10:3).

Finally, they will come with Christ when He returns in glory (Matt.

24:31) and separate the righteous and the wicked. They will play an

important role in the events of the end times (Rev. 7:1-11). The

countless angelic beings (Dan. 7:10, Luke 2:13, Heb. 12:12, Rev. 5:11)

were created to live and serve in the Third Heaven.

Angels accompanied Christ in the work of redemption and the

declaration of His work of salvation, praising the God of grace and glory

and summoning men and women to participate in their worship (Luke

1:46). There seems to be only two angelic appearances recorded

between Christ's birth and resurrection: at the beginning of His way to

the cross in the temptation and then before the crucifixion itself at

Gethsemane.

This is perhaps because Christ had to tread His way of atoning self-

giving alone, and in His humiliation He was made a little lower than the

angels (Heb. 2:9), though exalted far above them by nature. They

rejoice at sinners repenting (Luke 15:10) and will hear the Son of man

confess those who will confess Him (Luke 12:8).

Angels observe the Church Age believers as they execute the protocol

plan of God. The Bible offers only a few hints about the nature of

angels.

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Belonging to the heavenly sphere, they cannot be properly conceived of

in earthly terms. Angels are mostly described in relation to God, as

God’s angels (Ps. 104:4). The two archangels Michael and Gabriel

emphasize this relationship with the “el” suffix attached to Hebrew

name of God. It is as God's angels, that they are called "elect" (1 Tim.

5:21. Heb. 1:14) which, described them as "ministering spirits" (Ps.

104:4) who assist the suffering believers under evidence testing. Angels

were created for the glory of God (Col. 1:16).

Among the heavenly beings mentioned were that of the seraphim

(Isaiah 6:2) and the cherubim. Cherubim guarded Eden after the

expulsion of Adam and Eve (Gen. 3:24). They form God's chariot at His

descent (Ps. 18:10). Figures of cherubim adorned the Ark (Ex. 25:17) and

Solomon's temple (I Kings 6:23), so that Yahweh is enthroned above the

cherubim (I Sam. 4:4; Psalm 80:1).

Ezekiel offers an elaborate visionary description (Ezek. 1:10; 9:3; 10:15-

22) in which they appeared in a form of human being but in essence is

(1:5) symbolical of the traits stressing their glory and spiritual

excellence.

Of the angels named, Michael is called "the great prince" (Dan. 12:1)

and the other angels seem to be led by Him (Rev. 12:7), though God

Himself, of course, is the Lord of hosts and Prince of the host (Dan.

8:11). The man who appeared to Joshua was an angel, the commander

of the Army of the Lord, (Hos.12:4). Gabriel, is the angel of the

annunciation (Luke 1:26). The apocryphal archangels (Raphael, Uriel,

Jemeil, and Tob) are all fictitious.

The error in so much angelology was to deal with angels apart from the

biblical doctrines. Even regarding their functions there was a tendency

to rationalize or to focus interest on the idea of the guardian angel

(Matt. 18:10, Ps. 91:11-12, Dan. 6:22).

Though they come in human form, the angels are essentially non-

corporeal. Even if they were present at the time of creation, they are

still creatures (Ps. 148:2, 5). They form an ordered unity, yet their

plurality entails the existence of individuals within the totality, with a

possible gradation in function and limitation in power.

As compared to humans they have the advantage of being in God's

immediate presence while serving as His direct messengers, and seem

to play some role in or over the nations (Dan. 10). But when men and

women respond to God's saving work in Christ they are raised above

angels (Heb. I: 14), and will finally judge them (I Cor. 6:3), for even

angels are not faultless in God's eyes (Job 4:18; 15:15).

Angels of God are majestic and glorious beings (Ps. 148:2-5, Col. 1:16).

They are superior in power, strength and intelligence than men (2 Pet.

2:11). Although they are endowed with superior intellect and wisdom (2

Sam. 14:17, 20), but they are not omnipotent (Ps. 103:20) and not

omniscient (1 Pet. 1:21).

The Bible clearly warns us not to worship them (Col. 2:18, Rev. 19:20).

Angels were created with a volition freedom and capacity for making

free will decision (Jude 6, Gen. 1:31). Believer are equal to them after

resurrection to eternal life (Luke 20:34-36).

They are to be judged by mature believers of the Church Age (1 Cor.

6:3). The elect angels of God in no way will speak or act contrary to

God's will and purpose (Gal. 1:8).

Angels are not sexual beings so they do not marry. Angels appeared in

human form but never appeared in sub-human form or in the form of

animals (Acts 10:3, 30). They always appeared as men, never as women

and never as infant without wings (Gen. 18:2, 19:1, Heb. 13:2, Jos. 5:13).

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They appeared fully clothed not naked. There is no recorded

appearance of angels in the Bible to unbelievers (Matt. 24:37-39. Luke

24:4, Dan. 10:5-6, 18). When angels appeared to men they did not have

wigs contrary to popular notion. There are numerous terms for angels

like the sons of Gods (Job 38:7), a phrase prior to angelic rebellion was

applied generally to all angels of lower rank, but became exclusively

designated for demons after the angelic revolt (Gen. 6:2-4, Job 1:6).

Angels of God are also called heavenly beings referring to all ranks (Ps.

29:1, 89:61) or Holy Ones (Ps. 89:5-7) or Heavenly Hosts (Luke 2:13), or

Hosts of Armies (1 Samuel 1:11) and Holy Myriads (Jude 14). They are

called Holy Angels or Angels of God (Luke 9:26, 12:8) or God's Angels

(Heb. 1:6, Ps. 103:20). Some angels announced beforehand the birth of

some of God's select servants (Gen. 18:9-15, Judges 13:2-24, Luke 1:13,

2:8-15).

Certain angels on some occasions forewarned the righteous of

imminent danger or threatening disaster, destruction or calamity (Gen.

18:16-19, Matt. 2:13, Dan. 8:1). Certain angels guided and instructed

the righteous believers while completing the Canon of the Scripture

(Acts 7:38, 8:26, Gal. 3:19). Certain angels interpreted dreams and

visions for some select servants of God (Zech. 1:9, Dan. 7:16, Rev. 17:7).

Angels destroyed the enemies of God's people and in some occasion

defended them (Ex. 12:23, 29). Angels are sentry guards over believers,

client nation and local spiritual churches (Ps. 34:7, 91:11, Matt. 18:10).

They are watchers over the universal Church of Christ (Rev. 1:20).

They are the ministering Spirits to the Church Age believers under the

undeserved sufferings. They assist in the divine judgment of unbelievers

and divine discipline of the reversionistic believers (Rev. 18; 1, Mark

13:27). They praise God continually in the past, present, and future

(Rev. 19:1-3). They are always praising God with authentic praises.

The Fallen Angels: Satan, (the Hebrew term for adversary) also known

as the devil, is a high ranking angelic creature who, before the creation

of the human race, rebelled against the Creator and became the chief

antagonist of God and man.

The following passages describes Satan's past career as "Lucifer" and as

"the Anointed Cherub" in his pre-fall splendor (see Tract No. 69: Angels,

No. 86: Satan, the god of this world).

"How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, son of the

dawn! You have been cut down to the earth, You who have weakened

the nations! "But you said in your heart, `I will ascend to heaven; I will

raise my throne above the stars of God, and I will sit on the mount of

assembly in the recesses of the north. `I will ascend above the heights of

the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High." (Isaiah 14:12-14).

From this context, five times, Satan claimed superiority above God. The

phrase "you have been cut down to the earth" denotes the demotion of

Satan from his heavenly pedestal of arrogance. "Son of man, takes up a

lamentation over the king of Tyre, and says to him, `Thus says the Lord

God, "You had the seal of perfection, Full of wisdom and perfect in

beauty.*You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was

your covering: The ruby, the topaz, and the diamond; the beryl, the

onyx, and the jasper; the lapis lazuli, the turquoise, and the emerald;

and the gold, the workmanship of your settings and sockets, Was in you.

On the day that you were created they were prepared. "You were the

anointed cherub who covers and I placed you there. You were on the

holy mountain of God; you walked in the midst of the stones of fire.

"You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created, until

unrighteousness was found in you. (Ezekiel 28:12-15)

But many of the modern theologians refused to apply the prophecies of

Isaiah 14:12-14 and Ezekiel 28:12-15 to Satan for several reasons: Under

the argument that is addressed solely to the kings of Babylon and Tyre.

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Their interpretation is totally unwarranted since the prophecies fail to

take into account some essential issues. It ignores the close connection

Satan has in the Scripture with the government of the satanic world

system. Those theologians missed the doctrinal point of view. In their

full scope these passages paint Satan's past career as "Lucifer" and as

"the Anointed Cherub" in his pre-fall splendor. Lucifer was the most

beautiful creature that God has ever created. If he will appear today in

his natural beauty, human beings will be attracted and magnetized to

him.

Only the Bible has the accurate information about angels, Satan,

demons and hell. The Bible is the sole authority not the theologians who

made teachings out of their fallacies and hypothesis. He does not need

to sing to captivate creatures because he was music himself. He was the

most intelligent creature that God has ever created. Whoever painted

the image of the ugly looking Satan with horns and sharp pointed tail

had insulted his Creator.

God clothed Lucifer with majesty, glory and honor. Though he was not

omniscient, omnipotent and omnipresent, he is still the most powerful

creature that God has ever created. As the highest ranking honor guard,

he was responsible to guard the throne of God. He was created perfect

(holy and without sin) until he used his freewill and chose to become

evil. As the high ranking archangel assigned to guard the throne of God,

Lucifer was a showcase of God’s grace and glory which was denied by

his arrogance and ambition to dethrone God.

Satan is the author of rebellion, insurrection, uprising and became the

originator of sin (John 8:44). These passages also portrays Lucifer’s

apostasy in drawing with him a great multitude of lesser celestial

creatures (Rev. 12:4), making him "the Evil One" or "the Tempter."

Lucifer wanted the power and authority of God (Isaiah 14:14b) but not

the responsibility since he cannot function as God.

Satan is the author of rebellion against all legitimate authority. These

fallen angels (demons) are classified into two classes.

The free fallen angels roam the universe with their prince-leader Satan

(Matt. 12:24) and as his emissaries they are so numerous as to make

Satan's power practically ubiquitous. Those at the courtroom of God

(Job 1:6, 2:1, Zech. 3:1) Those who are on earth (1 Tim. 4:1) The fallen

angels (demons) that are bound are evidently guilty of more heinous

wickedness and are incarcerated in Tartarus (2 Pet. 2:4; Jude 6, Gen.

6:1-4). ).

Satan is instrumentation in the fall of the human race. Satan disguised

as "the Serpent" (the deceiver). His judgment was predicted in Eden

(Gen. 3:15), and was accomplished at the cross (John 12:13-33). As

created, his power was secondary only to God (Ezek. 28:11-16). He is

limited by himself, and restricted by the divine sovereignty.

Satan is never omniscient or omnipotent in any way, and he cannot be

in two places at the time, for he is not omnipresent. His actions toward

the children of God is limited and restricted by the sovereignty of God

(Job 1:12, 2:6). He has no power to take their lives. Satan attempted to

block the First Advent of Christ by infiltrating the human race (Gen. 6:1-

4), extermination of the Jewish race (Ex. 1:1-15), inspiring evil men to

kill Christ (Luke 22:3-6).

Satan's present work is widespread and destructive. God permits his evil

activity for the time being. Demons must do Satan's bidding. The

unsaved are largely under Satan's authority, and he rules them through

the evil world system over which he is the head and of which the

unregenerate are a part (Isaiah. 14:12-17; Eph. 2:2; Col. 1:13). Satan

became the god of this world (2 Cor. 4:4) after Adam deliberately

surrendered his dominion in the world when he sinned and died

spiritually (Gen. 3:3).

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God assigned Adam as the legitimate ruler of the world, of which

privileges and responsibility he rejected when he chose the satanic will

instead of the divine will. Adam deliberately surrendered to Satan his

authority and dominion over the created things.

God exiled Satan to planet earth because of the angelic conflict. The

angelic conflict involved the rebellion of Lucifer against God where he

was found guilty and sentenced to the Lake of Fire but demanded an

appeal trial. Satan accused God of injustice for sentencing him to the

Lake of Fire. God accepted his appeal to prove the perfection of his

work and character. The entire human history is part of the angelic

conflict, as an evidence of divine righteousness and justice.

Christians are the proof of God’s grace. Although Satan lost after Christ

won His strategic victory at the cross (Col. 2:15), he continues to reign

as a usurper (2 Cor. 4:4), and works in tempting and accusing men (Rev.

12:10), he is to be ousted from the heaven (vss. 7-12) as well as an earth

(5:1-19:16), and is to be confined to the abyss for a thousand years

(20:1-3).

When released from the abyss at the end of the thousand years, he will

make one last mad attempt to lead his armies against God (Rev. 20:8-9).

This will result in his final doom when he is cast into the Lake of Fire (vs.

10), which has been prepared for him and his wicked angelic

accomplices (Matt. 25:41).

Satan is a defeated enemy, condemned and doomed. He is a real enemy

that you cannot just ignore around since he desires nothing but your

destruction and spiritual defeat. Our God's given weapon against the

devil is the Bible doctrine stored and resident in the souls of the believer

(Eph. 6:17). Nobody is capable of fighting the devil with human power,

resources, power or man-made weapons (Eph. 6:12).

We can only destroy speculations (2 Cor. 10:5) with Bible doctrine.

Speculations are human viewpoint expressed in myths, superstitions,

human philosophy, man-made religious teachings, and demonic

doctrines circulated in the world by various satanic advocates. Bible

doctrine must replace this garbage long dumped into our souls.

This will be the one place where evil angels and unsaved men will be

kept and quarantined so that the rest of God's sinless universe will not

be corrupted in the eternal state. The present activities of Satan are:

• Possession of unbelievers

• Obsession (demonic influence) of believers

• Stealing the Word of God (Matt. 13:19)

• Blinding people's mind (2 Cor. 4:4)

• Disguising or masquerading the truth (2 Cor. 11:14)

• Fighting the saints (Eph. 6:12)

• Accusing the believers in the court of heaven (Rev. 12:10)

The Lake of Fire: One of the most misunderstood doctrines in the Bible

is the doctrine of hell. There are several words for hell. From the Old

Testament, the Hebrew word “Sheol” is 31 times translated as hell in

the English Bible. In the New Testament, the Greek word “Hades” is 10

times translated as hell, “Gehenna” 11 times and *Tartarus* (2 Pet. 2:4),

once. The biblical knowledge of hell comes almost exclusively from the

teachings of Christ who spoke emphatically on the subject on several

occasions.

According to the Lord Jesus Christ, the punishment of hell is so severe

than any punishment known to man. The punishment of hell is greater

than death (spiritual death of man) itself (Matt. 5:22, 29-30, 18:5). The

Lord used figurative language to describe hell, but the figure stands for

the most terrible reality beyond comparison.

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And fear not them, which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul:

but rather fear him, which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell

(Matthew 10:28).

The human soul is immortal, eternal and indestructible on earth. In hell,

the soul of the unregenerate will suffer the most severe punishment,

which includes separation from God, torture of the soul with

unquenchable fire, undying worms and memory of the past. The soul

will not die in hell but will remain alive forever in pain and agony. The

fire of hell is spiritual and unique; it is something not of this world. We

cannot compare it with any human created fire or with any kind of fire

we know in this world. (Mark 9:43, 45).

It is better to suffer the pains of divine discipline and rebound than to

suffer the pains of hell. Satan is not the lord or master of hell, he will be

its most notorious and forgotten prisoner. The Lord Jesus Christ is the

Lord of hell. Satan will not hurt or punish anyone in hell, but he will be

the subject of the most severe punishment (Luke 12:5). Nobody is in-

charge of hell or heaven except the Lord Jesus Christ. I am he that liveth,

and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have

the keys of hell and of death (Rev. 1:18).

Hell is originally created for fallen angels (Satan and his demons), not for

human beings, but since men through Adam decided to follow Satan’s

rebellion, God assigned hell as the place of punishment for all who

rejected the free gift of salvation. “And death” (the spiritually dead

people of all generation) and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is

the second death (Rev. 20:14).

Contrary to popular belief, hell is the place of punishment for all self-

righteous people not for the “wicked” or evil people. In the New

Testament, the term wicked or unrighteous refers to those who have

rejected the free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ.

Religious people are more self-righteous than anyone else in the world,

they are the genuine evil and wicked people, and they are not serving

God but Satan. They are working for the kingdom of the world.

And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought

miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received

the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both

were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone (Rev. 19:20).

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 forever and ever (Rev. 20:10).

Another misconception about hell is its locality. The concept that hell is

a place located in the bottom of the earth originated from the rabbinical

and ancient cults teachings. The Lord Jesus Christ or the apostles did not

teach that hell is under the planet earth. Indeed, there is fire in the

middle of the earth, but that is not Hell. The Lake of Fire is not

geographical but spiritual yet it is a real place. The question is, what is

Hell?

Hell is a place of perpetual burning with unquenchable, supernatural,

eternal fire (Matt. 5:22, 29-30, 9:44-45) that will torture the souls of the

unbelievers forever.

Hell is a Lake of Fire (Rev. 19:20, 20:10, 19:15, which describes the

vastness of its suffering where all the prisoners have no possible escape.

Hell is also called the Second Death because the first death is the

spiritual death of Adam which was imputed to every human being (Rev.

2:21, 20:14-15, 21:8).

Hell is eternal separation from God, meaning, God will “delete”

everything about him, and no memory will remain in His mind as if he

did not come to existence.

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He is absolutely forgotten forever. Hell is totally the opposite of heaven

where the believers will enjoy the presence of God, fabulous

inheritance, marvelous spiritual rewards and tremendous blessings.

Hell is the released wrath of God against human rejection of the Gospel

and Bible doctrines. God cannot be angry with the sins of His people, for

which He sent Christ to die and reconciled them back to Himself (Col.

3:6, 1 Thess. 1:10, Rom. 2:5-8),

Hell is a place of eternal darkness (Matt. 8:12, 22:13, 2 Peter 2:17). Its

darkness is beyond comparison because we do not have anything like it

in this world. It is darkness produced by human and angelic total

negative volition toward God and His Word.

Hell is a place of destruction (Matt. 7:13, Rom. 9:22, Phil. 3:19, 2 Peter

2:1). The human soul is indestructible and created with a purpose to

return back to God, and the soul that rejects Christ has lost that

purpose. It served Satan, the world and its lusts. God has no use for that

soul but it must be destroyed. Destruction in this context means to

leave out since it has no other purpose.

Hell is a place of eternal pains and sufferings (1 Cor. 1:18, 2 Tim. 2:10).

At the resurrection, God will provide all regenerate people with glorious

bodies designed for eternal fellowship with Christ in heaven. All

unbelievers will also receive their resurrection bodies designed for

eternal suffering in hell. The suffering unbelievers may wish to die

because of the severity of pains but death will not come.

Hell is a place of permanent imprisonment (Matt. 11:21) where there is

no escape, no parole, no pardon, and without release for those who

have rejected Christ during their lifetime.

Hell is a place of woes (Matt. 11:21) and sorrows. The memory of the

wasted life spent for the world and the things of the world bring much

agony to the suffering souls in hell. Memory of past opportunities to

believe and accept the free gift of eternal life will torture the soul of the

unbelievers forever.

Hell is a place of torment (Luke 16:23, Rev. 14:10, 20:10). Torment

refers to severe bodily tortures inflicted upon the victims. The Roman

Empire was an expert of physical tortures, but the tortures of hell is

much more severe and horrible beyond compare.

Hell is a place of weeping and wailing (Matt. 8:12, 13:42, Luke 13:28).

The Jews were famous for their weeping and wailing during death of

their loved ones, disaster, and calamity. The Lord Jesus Christ used

these analogies to describe the sufferings of hell. The Jews mourned for

the dead for several days but hell will be a place where people will weep

and wail forever.

Hell is a place where worms do not die (Mark 9:43-48). The worms of

hell are eternal and unique because their habitat is darkness and fire.

The worms are associated with death and futility. The people in hell are

in terrible futility; they are good for nothing except destruction.

Hell is a place of everlasting fire (Matt. 5:22, Mark 9:43-49, 2 Peter 3:7,

Rev. 20:10, 14-15). Only in the Bible we find supernatural and spiritual

fire like in the burning bush and at Elijah’s sacrifice. The fire of hell is a

real fire, but it is superior to any kind of fire we know on earth because

it is an everlasting fire.

Hell is a place for judgment of all human good works of unbelievers

(Heb. 9:27, Matt. 10:15, Mark 11:22). Hell is the venue for the judgment

of all human good of unbelievers for which reason man rejected the

grace gift of salvation. Actually, hell will be full of good and righteous

people of the world. People who tried to earn salvation by their good

works and religious activities, rejecting the free gift of salvation,

rejecting the works of Christ on the Cross on behalf of men.

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Hell is the end of human rejection of Christ; it will terminate human

rejection of Christ and Bible doctrines. Nobody else in the eternity

future will ever again reject Christ. Hell is the ultimate testimony that

God is sovereign Lord of all.

Hell was specially created for Satan and his demons who rebelled

against God by challenging His sovereignty. The Bible is silent about the

time of creation of hell. When and how it was created is not important

to believers.

The exact location of hell is second in importance to knowing the Lord

Jesus Christ, but some Christians were distracted by this non-essential

issue. God created hell for Satan outside space. The location of hell

becomes the center of various theological speculations and illogical

assumptions. Some Christians support the ancient pagan view that hell

is located in the center of the planet earth. Recently, some pseudo-

Christians released a publication of their latest discovery utilizing

modern technology. Their super microphones claimed that they were

able to gather noises and voices from the bottom of earth.

Hell is an escape proof prison created and especially designed for the

supernatural, superpower and super-intelligent angelic being, formerly

known as Lucifer. The phrase bottomless pit described the infinite depth

of Abyss, which will be the prison of Satan for 1000 years. Satan and

the demons will need more than a thousand years to reach the top of

the bottomless pit. The most powerful angel (Satan) is totally incapable

of breaking away from hell. There are several biblical terms for hell.

Hell has several subdivisions there are likewise numerous popular and

widely accepted false doctrines about hell.

We must be familiar with the original terms (Sheol, Hades, Gehenna,

Tophet, Abyss, Tartarus, and others) used by the Scriptures for hell

because the English Bible translations are misleading.

We must be familiar with the biblical concepts of hell to refute the idle,

weak and struggling believers. Understanding the terms used by the

original text for hell is of extreme importance to avoid the subtle

infiltration of human viewpoint.

The translators of the English Bible have created confusion for

understanding the concept of hell, which they rendered several

different Hebrews and Greek words simply as "hell," when they actually

refer to different places. Sheol is the general designation for the abode

of the dead for both unbelievers and believers in the Old Testament.

Hades is also the general designation for the abode of the dead both

believers and unbelievers in the New Testament before the resurrection

and ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Hades or Sheol has four compartments:

• Paradise or Abraham's Bosom

• Torments

• Tartarus

• Great Gulf fixed

Paradise (a Persian word, meaning Garden of the king) also called

Abraham's Bosom was the designation of the souls of all Old Testament

believers (Luke 16:23-25). No human being entered heaven until Christ

entered into the presence of the God the Father and was accepted as a

true humanity the only perfect man. The acceptance of Jesus in His

humanity means the acceptance of the Father of his sacrifice for the

sins of all humanity. His sacrifice was approved and served as the only

access to heaven.

Only under these conditions could believers be admitted into the abode

of God (Psalms 110:1, Heb. 1:13, 8:1, 10:12-20). Christ in His ascension

transferred the souls of all believers who have died (from Abel to the

last believer who died before Christ's ascension) from Paradise

(Abraham's Bosom) to the New Paradise or Third Heaven (Eph. 4:8-9).

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Paradise remains empty from the time the souls of the OT believers

were transferred to heaven. Today, believers who died go directly to the

presence of the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8). At the Second Coming of

Christ, we will return with Him to glorify Him in His millennial kingdom.

Torments is a temporary place of fire for the souls of unbelievers from

Cain to the last person of the millennial kingdom who will reject the

grace of Christ (Luke 16:23-25). Torments are the temporary

punishment for all unbelievers before the opening of the Lake of Fire

(see the last page). Those in Torments do not have resurrection bodies

designed for eternal punishment of the Lake of Fire. They have

temporary bodies (different from natural physical body), fully conscious,

designed to suffer the torments, but still awaiting the resurrection

bodies designed for the punishment of the Lake of Fire. In the same

manner, the souls of believers in the New Paradise or Third Heaven are

provided with temporary bodies without old sin nature, fully conscious

and with supernatural abilities.

Hades and Torments are synonymous, but the rendering of both term as

hell creates confusion because there is yet a final hell designated as

Tophet, Gehenna, the Lake of Fire or the Second Death. The first two

occupants of the Lake of Fire will be the beast and the false prophet of

the Great Tribulation (Rev. 20:10), who will be thrown into this prison

just before the start of the millennial kingdom. At the second

resurrection, at the end of the 1000 years reign of Christ, all unbelievers

will be judged and sent to the Lake of Fire for their final punishment

(Rev. 20:11-15).

Tartarus is the prison for the fallen angels who conspired against God by

co-habiting with the daughters of men (Gen. 6:2). They were the only

angels who had not seen the activities of the Son of God on earth and

the defeat of Satan. They still entertained the hope that their leader

would emerge victorious in his battle and keep Christ from going to the

Cross and to free them (2 Peter 2:4).

The Lord Jesus Christ visited Tartarus in His glorious resurrection body

to announce the defeat of Satan and their hopeless situation. "Now this

expression, "He ascended," what does it mean except that He also had

descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is

Himself also He who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might

fill all things (Eph. 4:9-10)

"In which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in

prison, who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept

waiting in the days of Noah..." (1 Peter 3:19). The captive followers of

Satan received the bad news from the victorious Christ who defeated

their leader. From Tartarus they will be transferred to the Lake of Fire

after the Great White Throne judgment. Demons will go to hell not

because they rebelled against God but because they rejected the offer

of the Son of God for redemption.

In the same way, those who will go to hell are the unforgiven sinners,

because they refused and rejected the free gift of salvation. They will be

in hell not because of sins they have committed but because they have

rejected the Gospel of Christ and His plan of grace.

At the end of Satan's appeal trial, the original verdict of God against the

devil will be finally executed. The "Satanic Trinity" will be the first to

enter the Lake of Fire. They will be thrown alive (Rev. 19:20), which

denotes the designed and purpose of hell. The Lake of Fire burns with

brimstone (an inflammable mineral substance found in quantities on

the shores of the Dead Sea).

This word figuratively denotes destruction or punishment (Job 18:15;

Isa. 30:33; 34:9; Ps. 11:6; Ezek. 38:22). It is used to express the idea of

excruciating torment (Rev. 14:10; 19:20; 20:10). The writer of the Book

of Revelation was familiar with brimstone, possible the only known

material that burned with intense heat during his time.

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The purpose of the Lake of Fire is to torment the "Satanic Trinity" (the

Devil, the Beast, and the False Prophet) day and night throughout

eternity. The Lake of Fire is the Second Death, which denotes the kind of

death that those in hell will experience forever and ever. Death (Sheol)

and Hades (Torments and Tartarus) will be thrown into the Lake of Fire

(Rev. 20:10, 14-15).

Take note also, that the justice of God will meticulously deal with every

person. Although the omniscience of God eternally knows the names of

every unregenerated person, and yet He will search their names in the

Book of Life. The Book of Life is the divine evidence against human

rejection of the free gift of salvation in Christ, while the Book of Works

is the divine evidence against human self-righteousness which they (all

unbelievers) used to gain divine approbation and acceptance.

"And I saw a Great White Throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose

presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them.

And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne,

and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the

book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were

written in the books, according to their deeds. And the sea gave up the

dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which

were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to

their deeds" (Rev. 20:11-13).

The last resurrection refers to all unbelievers of the entire human

history (from Cain to the last person to reject Christ at the end of the

Millennial Kingdom) to face the Great White Throne Judgment (GWT).

The issue in the GWT is not sin but the rejection of the free gift of

salvation. "The sea (entire human race) gave up the dead which were in

it (all the unbelievers from all dispensations)". Every person who will

stand before the GWT is guilty of the unpardonable sin of rejection of

Christ. Nobody will ever reason out or question the verdict of the Lord

Jesus Christ.

The GWT is the only court where every defendant is guilty and bound

for the punishment. There is no reconsideration or lesser punishment

but every defendant will face the full penalty. The Lake of Fire is the

implementation of the spiritual death, in which the unbeliever will

suffer the Second death. Spiritual death is separation from God during

the individual's life in time while the Second death is eternal separation

from God. God will set aside every unbeliever away outside space.

Second death will be a forgotten place including everyone in it.

Satan has succeeded in making a fool out of hell. Because of too many

deviating viewpoints majority of people thought of hell quite differently

from its reality. Hell is not fictional but a reality because the Bible

speaks about it more plainly than Heaven. To say that God will not send

anyone to Hell is contrary to what He has declared in the Scripture. The

Scripture is the basis, the standard and the authority in any spiritual

matter not human beings no matter how exalted they are. The Scripture

has provided more details about Hell more than the facts of Heaven.

The pains of Hell are clearly described more than the blessings of the

believers in Heaven. The Lord Jesus Christ spoke of Hell in more

occasions more than He spoke about Heaven.

Hell is not a tool that God uses to scare the little rascal to behave well.

God created Hell not for people but for Satan and his demons. When

God created Hell God was thinking about the super ability, super power

and super arrogance of Satan. The power, beauty, talents and arrogance

of Satan will find their final resting place in the Lake of Fire where they

will be forgotten by everyone else especially God. Nobody will ever

remember or think of Satan again. History is something that previously

exists and something you can recall back in your memory, but Satan and

all those in Hell will become somebody that never has existed in

eternity past, in time or in space. God will totally delete everything

about Satan and everything about everyone in Hell. When the Bible says

that the Second death is eternal separation with God, it means

separation outside of His reach.

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God will put Hell "outside space", and "outside His reach" which is the

exact opposite of Heaven, where the believers dwells in fellowship with

God.