Tag: eternal smoke
The Devil’s Lake of Fire
Scripture reading for December 26: Revelation 20
“And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison and will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle; their number is like the sand of the sea. And they marched up over the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, but fire came down from heaven and consumed them, and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.”” Revelation 20:7-10
Every story has a villain and Satan, also known as the devil, is the ultimate villain in God’s Story. The villain was allowed to deceive the nations and blind those who refuse salvation through God’s Son. The devil provided people with a clear choice between God and eternal life or the devil and eternal torment. But he was apprehended and imprisoned in the pit for a thousand years while the saints ruled the earth under Jesus Christ. Jesus’ throne was in the ‘beloved city’ of Jerusalem. He was released from his prison and again was allowed to deceive the nations and those born during the thousand-year reign of Christ. Satan gathers the unbelievers for battle and surrounds the camp of the saints and Jerusalem confident of victory.
But Jesus Christ sends fire from heaven and consumes them. The devil was then thrown into his final place of judgment and eternal torment, the lake of fire and sulfur. The beast or antichrist, and the false prophet were also thrown there to suffer eternal torment. John was shown the ‘Great White Throne”, the place of final judgment by Jesus Christ for those people who had refused the Gospel of grace through faith. Books were opened and each person was judged by his deeds. (Revelation 20:12-15) Those not found in the “Book of Life” were cast into the lake of fire to suffer eternal torment with the devil and his cohorts. This vision of eternal justice and judgment is meant to warn us of the need to choose today.
Have you ever thought of the devil as just a cartoon character who was created just to scare us? Has anyone ever told you they wanted you to go to hell? If these descriptions of hell and those who will go there are true, do you need to make some changes in your life?
Prayer: Father God, thank You that You have stated that You desire none to go to hell or the lake of fire. I have received Jesus Christ as Lord and trust His promise of eternal life in His blessed kingdom. I look forward to the thousand year reign with Jesus in peace on earth. Use me to share the Good News! Amen.