The Second Death – Revelation 20
‘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.’ — Revelation 20:14–15
After the thousand-year reign of Christ and a final battle with those who do not truly believe on Christ during the millennial reign, the wicked dead will all stand before the throne of God.
There they will be judged out of the books and according to their works. Every single person who dies without believing on God will be there. This judgment will not decide where they will go; instead, it will affirm the fact that God is just in His final judgment of them.
Then we read those sad verses which describe the second death and the casting into the lake of fire of all who are not written in the book of life! This is a place of torment that goes on and on forever. Revelation 20:10 talked of torment day and night forever and ever. Even after the thousand-year reign of Christ, the beast and the false prophet are still there.
The doctrine of an eternal hell is hard to comprehend and accept, but anyone who takes the Bible literally must accept that it clearly teaches a real place of fire and torment that never ends.
The question is not whether hell is real but whether we will believe it and act accordingly. Will we believe on Christ before it is too late? Will we tell our friends? Will we do all in our power to get the gospel to those who have never heard?