Tag: lake of fire
The thousand years of peace
Scripture reading for December 29th: Revelation 20
Key Scriptures: Revelation 20:1-5 “Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released for a little while. Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the Word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.”
The events that John saw next are commonly referred to as the millennial (thousand year) reign of Christ and refer to a period of time where Christ comes back to earth and Satan is bound and locked away. Christ brings with Him His Bride and they also rule with Him on earth and exercise authority on His behalf. This ‘Bride” is the composed of people of faith who have repented of their sins and died in faith, some through martyrdom. They are resurrected to rule and reign with Christ. At the end of the thousand years, Satan is released for a very short time before the final judgment and sentencing of him, his angels, and all who followed them to eternal torment in the Lake of Fire.
Revelation 20:7-10 “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, God and Magog, to gather them for battle; their number is like the sand of the sea. . . .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.”
Faith confession and prayer: Father God, thank You for Your righteous judgment on Satan, the deceiver and accuser of Your people. I look forward to the thousand years of peace on earth under Your righteous rulership. Do whatever is necessary in my life to prepare me to be with You and enjoy that peace. Use me to help others to find a place in Your bridal company through faith in Jesus Christ and have their names written in Your heavenly register, the Book of Life.
Revelation 20:11-12,15 “Then I saw a great white throne and Him Who was seated on it. From His presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. . . . .And if anyone’s name was not found written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”
The water of Life eternal!
Scripture reading for December 29th: Job 37-39, Psalm 103, Revelation 21
Key Scriptures: Revelation 21:4-8 “”He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And He Who was seated on the throne said, “Behold I am making all things new.” Also He said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be My son. But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.””
Eternal life is a choice made clear throughout Scripture. God clearly spoke from His throne to John about His plans. Those enjoying eternal life would enjoy eternity in His presence. There would be a newness of this full life that would totally eliminate death, suffering, mourning and pain. There would be the water of Life freely available for refreshing and quenching of thirst. John was instructed to “Write this down”! God’s Word is trustworthy and true for all time and eternity. But those who persisted in their sins: murderers, liars, sorcerers, sexually immoral and idolaters; their eternal lot would be the Lake of Fire, which is the second death. No thirst would be quenched there for ever and ever. The choice is laid out. Now we choose!
Psalm 103:1-4 “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy Name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits, Who forgives all your iniquity, Who heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from the pit, Who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, . . .”
Faith confession and prayer: Lord Jesus, my “River of Life”, I choose life eternal and abundant! I will proclaim all Your benefits to those lost and in the darkness of sin. Fill me with Your love and mercy and power to witness afresh today.
Job 37:5 “God thunders wondrously with His voice; He does great things that we cannot comprehend.”
Never turn back!
Scripture reading for October 21st: Hebrews 6, Psalm 60, Proverbs 25
Key Scriptures: Hebrews 6:4-8 “For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the Word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding Him up to contempt. For land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned.”
The writer of Hebrews addressed the subject of apostasy, the turning away of a believer in Jesus from a relationship with Him. There were Jews who had been saved by putting faith in Jesus Christ as Messiah. They had received the Holy Spirit and been taught the Word of God, understanding the gift of eternal life and the coming age of Christ’s eternal rule. Because of persecution, family pressure, or the lure of this world, they had fallen away from a relationship. The end result of apostasy is the Lake of Fire.
Faith Confession: I believe in Jesus Christ and have placed my faith in Him, never to turn back. I have been filled with the Holy Spirit and now know God as my Father. Lord help me to stand firm and receive my eternal inheritance.
Proverbs 25:26 “Like a muddied spring or a polluted fountain is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked.”
Thankful to escape the Lake of Fire
Scripture reading for August 17th: Isaiah 66, Jeremiah 1-4
Key Scriptures: Isaiah 66:22-24 “As the new heavens and the new earth that I make will endure before Me,” declares the Lord, “so will your name and descendants endure. From one New Moon to another and from one Sabbath to another, all mankind will come and bow down before Me,” says the Lord. And they will go out and look upon the dead bodies of those who rebelled against Me; their worm will not die, nor will their fire be quenched, and they will be loathsome to all mankind.”
Isaiah ends his book with God’s promise of the new heavens and the new earth that would endure for ever and ever. It would be the abode of all of God’s redeemed people. Every month and every week, all mankind would come and bow before their Creator and Redeemer in worship and adoration. The redeemed would also look upon those who had died in sin and rebellion against God. Their bodies would be under eternal attack from worms and unquenchable fire! The Lake of Fire is real!
Thankful for escape: “And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the Lake of Fire. The Lake of Fire is the second death.” (Revelation 20:12-14)
Thankful God knows our name!
Scripture reading for April 14th: 2nd Kings 25, 1st Chronicles 1-4
Key Scriptures: 1st Chronicles 1:1-4 “Adam, Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared, Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech, Noah. The sons of Noah; Shem, Ham and Japheth.”
Chronicles 1:1-4 opens with a list of names beginning with Adam and going through the sons of Noah, which began the history of the world after the flood. God uses each person’s unique name and records them in His books! Some are written down here in the Bible and referred to in other passages according to their stories. Others are written in the Book of Life as they put their faith in God’s Son, Jesus Christ! He knows each name and each name has a story known by God!
Thankful that God knows our name: Our name may or may not be recorded in the Bible, God’s holy book. But we can be sure that He records all those who are His children in the Book of Life! “And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. . . .If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:12, 15)
Rejoicing in our enemies defeat!
Scripture reading for March 2nd: Joshua 9-13
Key Scriptures: Joshua 10:25-27 “Joshua said to them, “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Be strong and courageous. This is what the Lord will do to all the enemies you are going to fight.” Then Joshua struck and killed the kings and hung them on five trees, and they were left hanging until evening. At sunset, Joshua gave the order and they took them down from the trees and threw them into the cave where they had been hiding. At the mouth of the cave they placed large rocks, . .”
After the victory over five Amorite kings, Joshua brought them out and had his leaders put their feet on their necks. He then spoke prophetically about the Lord bringing God’s people victory over all their enemies! The king’s bodies were thrown into the cave and it was sealed over!
Rejoice in God’s victory: Jesus Christ, our Joshua, will defeat all our enemies! “They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God’s people, the city He loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” “(Revelation 20:9-10)
The Over-comers Inheritance!
Scripture reading for December 28th: Revelation 21
Key Scriptures for over-comers: Revelation 21:1, 5-8 “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away,. . .He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then He said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. He who over-comes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be My son. But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars–their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
The over-comer’s inheritance is the new heaven and new earth renovated by our Lord Jesus through the fires of His wrath! It is a gift of grace to those who faithfully followed and believed on Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior! Liars, cowards, sexually immoral, idolaters, and unbelievers have only a fiery lake as their place of eternal torment!
Observations for over-comers: If you are born twice by faith in Jesus you totally escape the second death! “And the new heavens and the new earth that I make will endure before Me,” declares the Lord, “so will your name and descendants endure. . . . .”And they will go out and look upon the dead bodies of those who rebelled against Me, their worm will not die, nor will their fire be quenched, and they will be loathe-some to all mankind.” (Isaiah 66:22-24)
New Heavens, Earth and Jerusalem!
Scripture reading for December 30th: Revelation 21
“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her Husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and He will live with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death, or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Revelation 21:1-4)
God had promised through Isaiah to bring a new heaven and new earth. (Isaiah 65:17-19, 25) 66:22) This would come after the time of judgment after the millennial reign of Christ. God’s kingdom would fully come. God would dwell with His people as a husband with His Bride and fulfill the prophesy of “Emmanuel”, “God with us”! He would comfort His people, wiping away their tears and removing their need to mourn! The former things would not even be remembered, because God would make everything new! The earth would not be subject to decay and the animal kingdom would live in harmony with mankind in peace known before only in the Garden of Eden before the fall!
The new Jerusalem would be home of the Bride of Christ–Jerusalem would be made new and become a city of peace and joy with God in it’s center and it’s very light! It would have streets of pure gold and would be adorned with jewels and 12 giant pearls as it’s gates! “Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.” (Revelation 21:27) The kingdom would indeed be beyond what we, the saints, could hope for, think about or imagine!
Justice is served!
Scripture reading for December 29th: Revelation 20
“And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time.” (Revelation 20:1-3) The Abyss is the jail for Satan during the millennial reign. The “jailer” is an angel with a special chain that is able to bind a spirit being!
“I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years.” (Revelation 20:4) The faithful and martyred saints are rewarded with resurrection and the kingdom that was promised them! They rule with Christ for a thousand years!
Satan is released for a short time and a final battle after the thousand years. Fire comes from heaven and devours those opposing Jesus! “And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” (Revelation 20:10) God is just and true in all His judgments!
Finally, the wicked dead are raised to life and stand before the great white throne with Jesus seated on it. Books are opened and the Book of Life is checked. Each person is judged for their deeds as recorded in God’s perfect books. None written in the Book of Life will be judged here. “Then Death and Hades were thrown into the Lake of Fire.” Revelation 20:14) The final and eternal sentence is passed on those who have died in their sins! This is a warning!