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Hell, The Truth About The Fate of The Lost, What is God Like?

Did Jesus Really Teach More About Hell Than Heaven?

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Introduction

Have you ever heard someone say:

“Jesus taught more about hell than heaven.”

Here in the southern United States, I hear it often.  I have always wondered if it was true or not.

Did Jesus teach more about hell than Heaven?  The implication by those who make this statement is:  Jesus considered “hell” a more important topic than Heaven or the Kingdom of God.

But, let’s consider the truthfulness of the statement regarding the number of times Jesus taught on Heaven compared to “hell.”

Resources Used in My Research

Shouldn’t we be like the noble Christians from Berea who searched the scriptures to see if what Paul and Barnabas were telling them was true or not?

These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.”  

Acts 17:11

I put the often-used statement to the test. In today’s computer world, it is relatively easy for anyone to determine if this assertion is true or not.

All that is needed are a few simple search tools to help with this topic or any topic in the Bible for that matter.  Of course, you need a Bible.   Bibles are plentiful in today’s world.  They are in many different translations and paraphrases, not to mention the many other languages.

For this study, I stayed with the translation of King James and New King James. Translations are generally more accurate with the original languages and the precept being communicated by the writer.

If you want to do it the hard way,  you can use paper Lexicons and exhaustive concordances.

There are good exhaustive concordances, which contain every word of the Bible.  They will be thick and intimidating until you learn how to use them.  I prefer either Strong’s or Young’s Analytical Concordance.   You could go to a Christian Book store and purchase a copy.  But, they can be expensive.  A better choice is to find them and use them online for free!  Anyway, automation makes the process of research much easier.   One of my favorite tools is called the Blue Bible.

http://www.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm

Please think of how far we have come since the days of the reformers.  Men like Martin Luther (part of the 15th and 16th centuries) were forced to go to a Latin Bible chained to a monastery wall to read God’s word! Those reformers who lived before and after Luther, such as Jerome, Huss, Wycliffe, Calvin, Knox, Zwingli, and many others, spent years struggling under the threat of death from a mighty and corrupt political church to translate, print, and distribute God’s word to the ordinary person. They would never have dreamed of a day when the common non-cleric person would be able to slice and dice every sentence of God’s word in multiple languages and various translations from their own home. With some elementary instructions, anyone can easily look up the original Hebrew or Greek word from a Lexicon that is included with Strong’s, Young’s, and Blue Bible Search concordances online for free!

For this  “little” project, I used a handy and simple website called Bible Gateway (www.biblegateway.com)and Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Lexicon online (www.eliyah.com/lexicon.html.)

Bible Gateway is like having a computerized Bible and allows me to search the scripture quickly based on a phrase, passage, or even a word or two.  For example, I might want to find the phrase, “Jesus wept.”  I simply type in the words and press “Enter.”  This phrase is quickly found in John 11:35

To start, I went to  www.biblegateway.com and simply typed in the English word “hell” and limited the search to the gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) since this is where Jesus’ teachings are recorded. I did the same with “Heaven” and used the King James Version for each word. I kept up with my findings on an Excel Spreadsheet.  I soon learned that the English word “hell” is also expressed using “Fire” in some places. Here are a few examples:

“And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.”

Matthew 3:10 KJV

“As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.”

Matthew 13:40 “But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.”

Luke 17:29, 30

These verses are obviously an indirect reference to the fate of the lost and a description of “hell” with its fire. So I used that word in my search as well.

On the other hand, there are many more references to the simple word of “Heaven,” but as with the English word “hell,” there are indirect references to terms like “Kingdom of God,” “Kingdom of Heaven,” or simply “Kingdom” Here are a few examples:

 “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

Matthew 5:3

 “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

John 3:3

“That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”

Luke 22:30

Following are the unfiltered results:

Unfiltered Conclusion: In the gospels, Heaven/Kingdom is used about seven times more than hell/Fire.

Let’s Get Technical

To be fair, I had to start trimming the count (notably Heaven) because sometimes gospel writers write about the same teaching, so you have duplication. Also, the word “Heaven” is often used to refer to the “sky” (atmosphere) where the birds fly or (outer space) where the sun, the moon, and stars reside.  Further, the word “Heaven” may be used by someone other than Jesus, so technically, He is not teaching about it. Those references are also pulled out. So, let’s filter a bit before we move on.

Filtered Results:

Elimination Summary:

  • Mark has three (3) “hell” verses that repeat what Matthew had already described.
    • The verses regarding “Heaven” had many repeats among all the gospel writers. Matthew is the most prolific in writing about “Heaven,” particularly the kingdom of “Heaven.” Forty-five verses had to be pulled out.
  • It is interesting that John (Gospel) does not show any usage of the word “hell.”

Following are the revised results:

Revised Results Conclusion:

Jesus taught 5.39 times more about Heaven/Kingdom than hell/Fire.

The same consideration was given for indirect references to hell, i.e., “Fire.” Example:

“And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.”

Matthew 3:10

Interesting Notes: Only Mathew uses the term “Kingdom of Heaven.” But the other gospel writers (Mostly Luke) use the word “Kingdom of God” to refer to the same thing.
Note: John The Baptist’s message was

“Repent ye for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.”

Matthew 3:2

After Jesus was baptized, his primary message was the same thing!

“And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.”

Mark 1:15.

See how Matthew and Mark use Kingdom of Heaven or Kingdom of God, respectively?

Conclusion:

Jesus teaches more about Heaven than hell!!!

It is the opposite of what we have been told!

From my study, it seems Jesus especially liked to teach “The Kingdom of Heaven” or “Kingdom of God.” He speaks about the Kingdom of Heaven 35 times in Matthew alone! The other gospel writers recorded 54 verses of His teachings about the “Kingdom of God” (basically the same precept.) This is 89 times in the Gospels just on these two phrases (2.78 times more than hell)!

Overall, Jesus taught on Heaven or some form of it at least 167 times compared to 32 times for hell. This is a significant variance. What is the implication? There is much more Jesus wants us to know about His Kingdom, the Kingdom of Heaven/God.  His warnings have more to do with losing life or the Kingdom than going to hell.

There is one beautiful verse spoken by Jesus that we all know. He never uses the word “Heaven,” but we know He is talking about it because it is in the context of His 2nd Coming:

“In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.” 

John 14:22

Whatever Jesus uses words to describe Heaven (e.g.. Heaven, Kingdom of Heaven, Kingdom of God, Father’s house, or simply the Kingdom.), it is obvious Jesus wants us to know more about it than the other place. This was a large part of his preaching and teaching. Could it be we don’t know enough about this vital topic?

I learned so much by simply reading the 250-plus verses. What exactly does God want us to know about the Kingdom? More importantly,  how does it affect our knowledge of God and his character?  Do we come to him because we fear hell or because we are drawn by what He has done for us on the cross and what He does for us every day? Here is a hint:

“And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.”

John 12:32

When the sacrifice of the cross is understood, it will draw people to Jesus.

“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace,that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

Hebrews 4:16

 Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.

Jeremiah 31:3

The way to salvation is not through horror but the drawing power of the love of God and the cross.  It is the work of the Holy Spirit to bring conviction of sin so that a person will repent and turn, in faith, to Jesus.

I have heard preachers say that if I don’t have a hot hell to preach, people will not come to Jesus.  How wrong! Do people make friends by scaring you or loving you and doing things for you?

What I Learned About Hell

Many preachers use our English word for “hell” in only one way, i.e., the place of eternal torment, but among the Greek and Hebrew words, hell can mean different things, such as the grave.  In the following writing, I will share what I have found.

I discovered there is a “hell” with fire.  But it is hotter than anyone imagined before.  Its work is eternal, but its duration is but for a moment.  It is not a place of torture but a place that does the job of cleansing the universe of sin and its effects.

Of this, I am sure:   God is merciful and longsuffering.  He is not willing that any should “perish” but that all would come to repentance.  Repentance is essential in the response of the lost. Repentance is the work of the Holy Spirit upon the heart bringing conviction of sin and a view of Jesus paying for those sins.  It is a critical step toward Jesus and away from death.  This is why He waits regarding the 2nd coming.  This part of God’s character helps us understand the doctrine concerning the fate of the lost and the home of the saved.

“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”  

2 Peter 3:9

Notice Peter did not say he is not willing that any should live in hell forever.  He used the word “perish.” The second coming of Christ is both a liberating and a destructive event, as we will see in future studies.

The most famous verse of all time warns that unbelief results in “perishing.”  It tells us that eternal life is reserved only for believers.  The lost perish.

“ For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

John 3:16

“He that hath the Son hath life, and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.”

1 John 5:12

Eternal life is reserved only for the saved, not the lost.

Next time, we will study more about God’s plan to bring an end to the last enemy called death.  Let’s ask God to teach us about hell.  Click here for the following study on hell:

Lord Teach Me About Hell-Part 1-Rich Man and Lazarus

This topic affects how we view the great Creator and His claim to love so much that He gives rather than tortures.

Until then, may the Lord bless you and your family as you consider the truth of the Bible and not the word of man.

What says the Bible?

The Blessed Bible

This my only question be.

Men’s teachings so often mislead us.

What says the Bible to me?

What is God Like?

Everlasting-Effect VS Duration

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“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”

Revelation 21:4.

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During this series on life and death confusion, we have read many passages from different inspired writers of the Bible, including  Jesus, about the end of all things.  It does not include life for the wicked and torturous flames.

Recently, a Jordanian pilot was burned alive by the evil ISIS.  The man with a family suffered and died within minutes.  The world abhorred the act.  This act of torture was inconceivable and demonstrated merciless cruelty. It brought intense anger to people regardless of nationality or belief.

Yet, many of these same angry people will preach from the pulpit and in Bible classes that God’s flames of torture called “hell” will be even more tortuous.  The flames of God according to them, will be non-stop!  Just as the flames begin to consume the flesh and blood and begin to melt, God will miraculously bring the flesh back so the flames will have more fuel for the torture of every nerve ending in their body.

According to them, this happens to all who reject Jesus.  70 years of life by those who did not have a choice for the time or place of their birth will be exchanged for trillions of years of torture by a God that so loved the world..  All this non-ending suffering because they did not accept Jesus and chose to live their own life.  They may have   belonged to another religion and were taught to not believe in Jesus.

The hardworking young man with a wife in China who did not believe in  Christ and instead worship the philosophy of Buddha is condemned to non-ending torture just like Hitler or the animals of ISIS.  Is that the type of God Jesus came to reveal?  Jesus told Philip,

“He who has seen Me has seen the Father”

John 14:9

Did Jesus promise to torture those who rejected them?  As we have seen in previous studies, the wages of sin is death…eternal death….the second death….

Jesus came to give life

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Many point to passages in the Bible that appear to contradict the plain words we have studied thus far.  If you have been introduced to Answers From Scripture Online and this is your first blog to read.  Stop and read the following blogs first.

Life and Death Confusion Part 1

Life and Death Confusion Part 2

Life and Death Confusion-The End and The Beginning

Did Jesus teach more on hell than heaven?

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To be fair, we will look at the passages that seem to indicate the fires of hell never go out.

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Unquenchable Fire

 And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:

Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.

Mark 9: 42-44

Here is the supposed proof text about a never ending place of torture.  But, lets start with a simple question:  “Does a fire that is “not quenched” never go out?

Ask a fireman if he (or she) has ever seen an fire that can’t be quenched.  Of course they have.  Is it still burning?  No!  It must burn itself out after there is no more substance to burn.  Unquenchable fire is a fire that can’t be put out (extinguished) rather than one that keeps on burning non-stop.  

 Isaiah gives us a picture of an unquenchable fire that goes out:

“Behold, they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn them; they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame: there shall not be a coal to warm at, nor a fire to sit before it.”

Isaiah 47:14.

After the fire has accomplished its work of destruction, that fire will go out. No one can deliver themselves from its flame by putting it out, but finally not a coal will be left.

Jeremiah prophesied that Jerusalem would burn with a fire that could not be quenched

The Prophecy

“…then will I kindle a fire in the gates thereof, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem, and it shall not be quenched.”

Jeremiah 17:27

But, it burned down and was destroyed.

Then they burned the house of God, broke down the wall of Jerusalem, burned all its palaces with fire, and destroyed all its precious possessions.

2 Chronicles 36:19

Effect not Duration….

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But, how about the expression of “where the worm never dies.”

Some believe that Jesus refers to sinners as worms and says that those people would never die but would live on in agonizing torment. Those who say this fail to notice that Jesus does not call wicked people “worms,” but speaks of “their worm.” The original Greek word for worm means “grub” or “maggot.”

Jesus refers to a local method of garbage disposal to emphasize the permanent consequences of unrepented sins. The margins of some Bibles show that the words “hell fire” in Mark 9:47 should be translated “Gehenna fire.” Gehenna, or the valley of Hinnom, is located outside Jerusalem. Trash, refuse, animal carcasses, and even the dead bodies of despised criminals were thrown there to be destroyed by the fires that burned perpetually on the valley floor. If some animal or vegetable matter fell on one of the ledges below the rim, escaping the fire, it would instead be devoured by maggots.

Jesus’ point is that whatever was thrown into the valley never came out again; it was totally consumed, either by fire or by worms or maggots. In other words, just as nothing and no one exterminated the maggots or extinguished the flames in the valley of Gehenna, so there will be no escape from the certain fate that God has decreed for all unrepentant sinners—death in the “lake of fire” (Revelation 22:14).

Some of these same principles apply to Isaiah 66:24.

“And they shall go forth and look
Upon the corpses of the men
Who have transgressed against Me.
For their worm does not die,
And their fire is not quenched.
They shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.”

Isaiah 66:24

The meaning is not that unrepentant sinners or worms live forever. In fact, the opposite is the point of the passage. If the worms that infest a dead body are not killed, the rotting flesh will be consumed until none remains. Maggots, which are simply larval flies, go through a process known as pupation and turn into adult flies. These, in turn, deposit additional eggs, and the process is repeated until nothing is left for maggots to feed on. Similarly, any fire which is not quenched—not deliberately put out—will last only as long as there is fuel to keep it burning and then go out. The whole point is that, when a person does not repent of sin, the results are absolute and permanent—eternal oblivion!

Again, effect not duration.

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And what can we say about the expressions “eternal” “everlasting” which are used to describe the fires of hell? There is absolutely no confusion or contradiction when we allow the Bible to supply its own definition of terms. Many make the mistake of applying modern definitions to those biblical words without reference to their an- cient contextual usage. This violates one of the most fundamental rules of interpretation.

The fact is that eternal fire does not mean a fire that will never go out. The same expression is used in Jude 7 concerning the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrha.

“Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.”

Jude 7

It is quite obvious that Sodom is not still burning today. The Dead Sea rolls over the place where those ancient cities once stood. Yet they burned with “eternal fire,” and we are told that it was an example of something. What is it an example of?

“And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly.” 

2 Peter 2:6.

There it is! That eternal fire which brought Sodom to ashes is an example of what will finally happen to the wicked. If this text is true, the same kind of fire that destroyed Sodom and Gomorrha will also burn the wicked in the lake of fire. It will have to be eternal fire.

Does that mean it will also burn the wicked to ashes? The Bible says Yes.

“For behold, the day cometh that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch ... And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the Lord of hosts.”

Malachi 4:1, 3.

No words of any language could make it more forceful or clear. This eternal fire burns up eternally. Even Satan, the root, is finally consumed. How consistent the whole picture appears as we let the Bible explain its own terms. What devious manipulation of words would be required to evade the obvious meaning of these words. Yet those who have been prejudiced by a lifetime of tradition can read those words “burn them up … they shall be ashes” and still insist that the wicked are alive and suffering. Admittedly, there are some ambiguous verses on this subject, but we are finding that they all harmonize when the context is considered, and the Bible is allowed to be its own commentary.

Even Christ’s words in Matthew 25:46 are not confusing when we the obvious meaning.

“And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.”

Matthew 25:46

Many are troubled over the expression, “everlasting punishment,” but notice that it does not say “everlasting punishing.” Whatever the punishment is, it will last eternally. Does the Bible tell us what the punishment is? Of course. “

The wages of sin is death.

Romans 6:23

So Jesus was simply saying that the death would be everlasting. It would never end. It would never be broken by a resurrection.

Paul simplifies it further with these words:

“In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished … “

2 Thessalonians 1:8

Now, listen, Paul is going to tell us what the punishment is.

“Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.”

2 Thessalonians 1:8, 9.

So the punishment is everlasting destruction – a destruction that is everlasting. From it there will be no resurrection or hope of life.

The destruction is everlasting in its effect not in its duration.

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Perhaps the most easily misconstrued text about hell is John’s allusion to the smoke ascending “for ever and ever.” For those who are unfamiliar with other uses of this phrase in the Bible, it can be very confusing indeed. But a comparison of verses in both Old and New Testaments reveal that the words “for ever” are used 57 times in the Bible in reference to something that has already come to an end. In other words, “for ever” does not always mean “without end.”

Many notable examples could be cited, but two or three are noteworthy. In Exodus 21, the conditions are laid down concerning the law of servitude. If a servant chose to continue serving the master he loved rather than his freedom when it came due, then his ear was to be pierced with an awl and the Scripture declares, “He shall serve him for ever.” Verse 6. But how long would that servant serve his human master? Only as long as he lived, of course. So the words “for ever” did not mean without end.

Hannah took her son Samuel to God’s temple, where he would “there abide for ever.” 1 Samuel 1:22. Yet in verse 28 we are plainly told, “As long as he liveth he shall be lent to the Lord.” The original meaning of the term “for ever” indicates an indefinite period of time. Generally it defines the period of time in which something can continue to exist under the circumstances prevailing. Even Jonah’s stay in the whale’s belly is described by him as “for ever.” Jonah 2:6.

Someone may object that this could also limit the life of the righteous in heaven, because they are described as glorifying God forever. The terms are the same for both the saved and the lost. But there is one tremendous difference in the circumstances involved.

The saints have received the gift of immortality when Jesus returns (and not before).

Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—  in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

1 Corinthians 15: 51-53

Note: immortality is not “put on” until the last trumpet when Jesus will come with shout and the trumpet of God.  See 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18

Their life (those who died in Christ and are resurrected) now measures with the life of God. Immortality means “not subject to death.” The words “for ever” used in reference to them could only mean “without end,” because they are immortal subjects already. But when “for ever” is used to describe the wicked, we are talking about mortal creatures who can die and must die. Their “for ever” is only as long as their mortal nature can survive in the fire which punishes them according to their works.

Forever, must be taken in its context.

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Soul and Body Destroyed

This brings us to the final fact concerning the fate of the wicked. After the unsaved are punished according to their sins, they will be wiped out of existence, both body and soul. Jesus states it very simply,

“And fear not them which kill the body … but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”

Matthew 10:28.

In the light of this statement, how can anyone continue to claim immortality for the wicked? Jesus, the only One who can bestow the gift of life, rejects the possibility that those in hell can continue to live in any form whatsoever. The life will be snuffed out for eternity, and the body will be annihilated in the flames.

The psalmist wrote:

“But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the Lord shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away.”

Psalm 37:20.

“For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be.”

Verse 10

The most powerful, definitive words in human language are used to describe the destruction in hell, but people still insist that the writers do not really mean what their words express. “Destroy,” “consume,” “burn up,” “devour,” “death”-do these words have some mysterious, opposite meaning in the Bible than they have in other books? We have no reason to think so.

The fact is that theology has made an ogre out of our great God of love. He has been portrayed as more cruel than Hitler. Even though Hitler tortured people and experimented with them, finally he allowed them to die. But God will keep these deathless souls alive for the purpose of seeing them writhe and scream throughout eternity, so the theologians claim.

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God’s Justice Vindicated

Not only is such a picture  a misrepresentation of God’s love, it also distorts His justice. Think for a moment about the implications of a doctrine that would consign every lost soul to an immediate, never-ending hell at the time of death. Suppose a man died 5,000 years ago with one cherished sin in his life. His soul would go instantly into the fire to be tormented for eternity. Then picture another death; that of Adolph Hitler, who supervised the deaths of millions of people. According to the popular doctrine, his soul also would immediately enter hell to suffer eternally. But the man who was lost because of only one sin, will burn 5,000 years longer than Hitler. How could that be just? Would God deal in such a manner? It would contradict the Bible statement that each one must be punished according to his works.

There are two extreme views in current circulation concerning the punishment of the wicked. One is Universalism, which contends that God is too good to allow anyone to be lost. The other is the awful doctrine of endless torment which would perpetuate for all eternity a dark abyss of anguish and suffering. Both are wrong. The truth lies in between. God will punish the wicked according to their works, but He will not immortalize evil in the process.

I truly believe that many honest souls have been turned away from God because of their revulsion at this misrepresentation of His character. They can’t love someone who would arbitrarily keep evil people in endless torment with no purpose in view. No rehabilitation is possible. Only a vindictive spirit of revenge could be served by such an unspeakable arrangement. Is God like that?

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No More Pain Or Death

Someday soon God will have a clean universe. All the effects of sin will be banished forever. There will be no sin, no sinners and no devil to tempt. It will be just exactly like God planned it in the beginning.

John described that future home in these words,

“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”

Revelation 21:4.

Can you find any room in those precious words for any suffering on the part of anybody in the whole recreated universe? God said crying and pain would be no more. Do you believe His Word or do you choose to believe man’s surmising? Just four verses before writing this promise, John described how the wicked would be cast into the lake of fire.

“And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away.”

Revelation 20:15; 21:1.

That lake of fire is right here on planet earth according to Revelation 20:9. But please notice that this place where the wicked burn will pass away, and God will re-create the new earth in its stead. The new Jerusalem descends before that fire devours the wicked, and afterwards, according to verse 4, there will be no more sorrow, pain, crying, or death. In order for no more pain to exist, there can be no eternal hell existing either. The two things are mutually exclusive of each other. We should thank God every day that His plan will finally bring an end to suffering. Satan will not be here to cause pain, and God promises that His new kingdom will not even contain a shadow of a pain.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

John 3:16.

Much thanks to Doug Batchelor (Amazing Facts) for his contribution on this topic.

What is God Like?

Life and Death Confusion-Part 1

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Elements of Confusion

The things we see and do every day incorporates our God-given ability to be logical.  He made us logical beings. But, what we see in movies and hear from some people is often not logical.  It is entertainment and may even have an agenda to express beliefs of the writer.  But, it is  God who invites us to “reason” with Him.

“’Come now, and let us reason together,’ Says the Lord”

Isaiah 1:18

Logic and good reason will come to those who seek it.  On the other hand, things like church tradition can overtake reason and dismiss plain scripture on the truths God wants to reveal.  Our great Creator brings light to things requiring deeper thought through the many writers of the Bible and His apostles and prophets.

“When you read this, you’ll see that I understand the mystery about Christ.  In the past, this mystery was not known by people as it is now. The Spirit has now revealed it to his holy apostles and prophets.”

Ephesians 3: 4-5 (GW)

 Things such as church tradition about death, founded on something other than the word of God, has led many away from a true knowledge of God’s character.  It has hurt the ability of believers to present a true picture of the plan of God for those who may be seeking truth.

We might ask ourselves: “How do we present the story of sin and the solution as found in Jesus to a world so that they are drawn to him on their own free will?”

The short answer and the one that is the bed rock for the ideas set forth here is  beautifully summarized below:

“And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”

John 12:32 (New International Version)

The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.

Jeremiah 31:3 (King James Version)

It is the story of a giving  Creator God who greatly loved that He gave His Son to this world  condemned to die because of the law He initiated and cannot be changed i.e., “The wages of sin is  death.”  God demonstrated His great grace and compassion by paying the penalty of sin so that we would not perish.

Look carefully at John 3:16 and you will see something you might have missed.  It is the word perish.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

John 3:16

What is the reward of the believer?  It is eternal life or  “not perish(ing).” So if this is true, the unbeliever perishes.  Notice it does not say the unbeliever has eternal life in hell or anywhere else.  It says the reason God gave His only begotten son is that we might escape dying (perishing) forever.  Death passed upon everyone, but God made an escape through the death of His son His power to resurrect people.  When Jesus was around on earth, no one died in his presence.  He IS Life and Resurrection!  Eternal death (Perish) is escaped through Jesus only!  True, you may die once as a believer, but you will be resurrected at the end of time to live forever.  The unbeliever’s reward is here on earth.  There is no life for them…only eternal death.

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When Jesus died for us, he could not see through the “portals of the tomb.” (Desire of Ages, P. 753)  He believed He was dying this eternal death.  When the depth of the message about the death of Jesus comes clear in the mind of the sinner, it draws that person to Jesus and a decision.    Paul understood the power of the cross when he said.

“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”

1 Corinthians 1:18 (New King James Version)

There is that word again (perishing).  The unbelievers or those who think the cross is foolishness will perish (die) forever.  It does not say they will live forever in hell.

Why is the message of the cross power to one and foolishness to another?

The answer may come in the choice of a person to study the message and respond. It is foolishness to the one who will not use his/her God-given gift of intelligence and scriptural logic. Those who are serious about finding truth and power will go forward looking for the “pearl of great price.” Matthew 13:46

And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.

Jeremiah 29:13

Once truth is found, the journey does not end.  There is more! Jesus gave to the disciples just enough truth for them to bear at that point in their relationship.  He said to them,

“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.“

John 16:12 (NKJ)

Did you catch that?  Jesus purposely did not tell them some things because they were not able to “bear it” or as some versions suggest, “not ready to receive it.“

Paul repeated this idea when he said,

I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.

1 Corinthians 3:2 (KJV)

Only those who come to Jesus like children; wanting to learn and follow Him will understand and move from truth to truth.

There is an passage in Isaiah that illustrates this beautifully.  This truth is revealed in a question and an immediate answer:

“Whom will he teach knowledge? And whom will he make to understand the message? Those just weaned from milk? Those just drawn from the breasts?

Isaiah 28:9

Children grow on a simple diet of  on milk, but as they get older, they must be drawn away from the milk to more substantial food or they will cease to grow.  A child would never grow if fed on milk all their lives.  While it was important to the baby at the start, it is the solid food that will lead to growth and maturity.

It is the food (God’s word) and the willingness to do what is taught that will set the stage for God to reveal even more truth.

Those who want to follow the will of God will know if what I teach is from God or if I teach my own thoughts.

John 7:17

Has your experience with church, with Jesus, and with God become routine?  Are you content with what you know?  Is your faith in Jesus not producing any type of peace?  Is your experience lukewarm? What can you do with your doubts?

If you are still searching and are having difficulty believing Jesus was all He and the prophets claimed Him to be, I invite you to learn more about Him as we study this topic of life and death.  For this is what the whole story is about.  Eternal life versus eternal death.

“Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. “For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Matthew 11:29

It is understanding the truth about the experience of death, as the Bible teaches it, that will help us deal with the doubts  and provide “rest for (our) souls.”

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Life and Death Confusion

Probably the number one reason people (including Christians) become discouraged and doubt God is the death of a loved one.  Some even come to hate God because of the death of a mother, father, son or daughter.  Doubters and Atheists have always asked this question,

“If there is a God, then why is there death and suffering?”  

As I write this, I have learned ISIS has beheaded 21 Coptic Christians. There are 21 families grieving in an intense way right now.  But there are many more who die every day.  Almost 7.2 million people died  in 2015. A dramatic clock showing  the population growth and the number of people who die can be found at this link:

World Population Growth and Decline

Why doesn’t God stop all the death and dying?   My prayer is that we will find some answers about death you may have not considered.  I believe that knowing the truth about death will bring more comfort than any made-up scene described by  well-meaning people.

Truth is always better!

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I have been to many funerals.  The last one was the funeral of a young man, 21 years old college student,  who was killed saving his girlfriend from a wall about to fall on her during a tornado.  I know his mother and step-father well.  A few weeks earlier I attended another funeral.  Again, a 21 year-old who died suddenly from aneurysm.  He was the son of my cousin.

When I went to the  funeral of my cousin’s son,  this grieving father laid his head on my chest like a little child.  I wept with him.  His pain was strong and deep.  The same with the mother of the brave young man who laid her head on my chest and wept.  Much later, in a meeting where I work, she came up to me and laid her head on my chest, again, in a room of stuffy executives.  I knew she was still hurting a year after the event and will continue to hurt, until they meet again.

I personally experienced the sting of death when my own father died in a car wreck on the day he retired.  We had just started to connect with each other.  My pain was almost too much to bear!

Oh Lord, why!

It is OK to ask why, but it is not OK to not search for answers and begin to hate God.

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At almost every funeral I hear things that contradict the simple word of God.  Tradition and well-meaning people who desire to comfort family and friends will of often say things like this:

“He has gone to a better place.  He is up there enjoying the streets of gold.”

or

“My daughter is looking down on us and watching over me.”

or

“My brother is up there teaching Peter how to play golf.”

or

“God called Him home.  He wanted Him more” (The man had died of a massive heart attack)

Recently, I heard a pastor say this,

“Old Bob is up there drinking his favorite whisky and listening to his favorite country music.”

Is this how the scripture describes death and the life hereafter?  Some say that the soul is immortal and it never dies. Is this what scripture teaches?

I don’t know about you, but I want to know what God’s inspired writers know about death. I want to know what Jesus knows about death.  I want to know how I can have real comfort when a loved one dies.

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History of Death

When did death start?  According to Genesis, death passed upon all men when Adam sinned by disobedience.

“Sin came into the world through one man, and his sin brought death with it. As a result, death has spread to the whole human race because everyone has sinned.”

Romans 5:12

Adam and Eve were meant to live forever.  But the serpent (Satan) told them the first lie recorded in the Bible and it is about death.  Satan contradicted the plain words of God:

And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’”

Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

Genesis 3:2-5

Many today, even Christians, believe that no one ever really dies.  They live in either heaven or hell.

God says you will die, Satan says you won’t.  Adam and Eve did not die that very day, but they were banned from the Tree of Life which evidently helped perpetuate eternal life.  Eventually, they DID die.

“They must not be allowed to take fruit from the tree that gives life, eat it, and live forever.”

Genesis 3:22

The Tree of life is lost in the first book of the Bible (Genesis), but regained in the last book of the Bible (Revelation)

And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.On each side of the river was the tree of life, which bears fruit twelve times a year, once each month; and its leaves are for the healing of the nations.

Revelation 22:2

Here we get a sneak peak of heaven where the throne of God and Jesus (lamb) are located.  Could it be that God uses a very natural way to perpetuate eternal life and it is found in a steady diet of the tree of life and the water of life?  Could this be the place Jesus went away to prepare for us?

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The sin of Adam and Eve was not believing nor trusting the plain words from their Creator.  Although they sinned first, they were not the first to die.  The first death was Abel.  His brother (Cain) slew him because of uncontrollable anger and jealousy.

“Then the Lord asked Cain, “Why are you angry, and why do you look disappointed?  If you do well, won’t you be accepted? But if you don’t do well, sin is lying outside your door ready to attack. It wants to control you, but you must master it.”

 Cain talked to his brother Abel. Later, when they were in the fields, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.

Genesis 4:6-8 (GW)

How sad Adam and Eve must have felt knowing that it was their sin that led to the death of their son.  How much regret they must have had as they watched death begin to pop up all around them, even the death of plants and animals.

As a side note,  the Lord did not warn Adam and Eve, nor Cain that the cost of sin was living in hell.  If there was a place of eternal torment waiting for sinners, surely God would have warned them at the beginning.  His warning was about dying if they disobeyed His command. The wages of sin is death and always has been and the gift from God is eternal life where sin no longer raises its head a second time:

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Romans 6:23

Again, this verse does not say, the wages of sin is eternal life in hell.

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What is death? The answer can be found in understanding what is life as described in Genesis when God first made man:

“And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.”

Here is God’s simple formula for what makes up life:

Dust (Elements of the earth) + Breath of Life  (life giving element from God) = Living soul.

Notice that God did not breath into man a soul, but rather the breath of life.  Man does not have a soul, rather man IS a soul. (Another topic for another time.)

Whatever the “breath of life” is, we know that when combined with the elements of the earth, we are formed into a soul or a living being.  This is where life started  in the beginning and then God gave Man and woman the ability to “procreate.”  This breath of life is passed from generation to generation through “procreation.”  When it is taken away, death results and all knowledge and activity stops for that person:

“Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going.”

Ecclesiastes 9:10

 So if life is found in the Biblical formula of Living Soul = Dust + Breath of Life = living soul.  Then the formula for death should be the opposite.  We find it in this verse:

Then the dust will return to the earth as it was,
And the spirit will return to God who gave it.

Ecclesiastes 12:7

So now we see the Biblical formula for death:

Dead Soul = Dust -(minus) Breath of Life (aka spirit)

Now all this seems scary, but the Lord Jesus described death as a sleep that passes by very quickly,.  In fact the experience of death will pass like a flash for those who have died in Christ.  They will rise to see Jesus and all those they loved when they died. Here is where the comfort comes.  We are told to get our comfort from this thought, not the fanciful stories of well-meaning people.

“The Lord will come from heaven with a command, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the dead who believed in Christ will come back to life. Then, together with them, we who are still alive will be taken in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. In this way we will always be with the Lord. So then, comfort each other with these words!“

1 Thessalonians 4:16-18

What a reunion day that will be!  Those two young sons who were followers of Christ will meet their fathers, mothers, and friends who believe in the air before going to the place Jesus has prepared for those who believed Jesus when he said,

 “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me will live, even though they die;

John 11:25

Isn’t that comforting to know that the sleep of the saved is but for a second.

I remember being put to sleep when having surgery.  The two hours that passed were but a flash.  I was told to take a deep breath, then instantly I was asked to wake up.  So it will be for those who die in the Lord regardless of how long they have been dead.

But what about the lost?  Is God a cruel terrorist who will punish those who rejected Jesus to a life of non-stop frying?  Next time we will look at the topic of Heaven and the destiny of the lost.  How does the Bible describe the home of the saved and how He deals with those who have rebelled against Him?

Blessings and comfort as you consider God’s plan for life eternal.

What is God Like?

Life and Death Confusion-The End and The Beginning

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“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”

Revelation 21:4

Here is a well-known verse that most can recite from memory, but have you looked closely at the words and the context?

First, let’s consider the context.  We find it in verse 1:

Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away

Revelation 21:1

Did you catch that?  The earth we live on now is the first earth, but there is coming a time when God will create a new earth and a new heaven (the atmosphere)

This was prophesied from long ago, even before Jesus came to this earth the first time.

“For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth;
And the former shall not be remembered or come to mind.

Isaiah 65:17

“For as the new heavens and the new earth
Which I will make shall remain before Me,” says the Lord,
“So shall your descendants and your name remain.”

Isaiah 66:22

So, we can be certain that this earth we now stand on, will be destroyed and a new one created.  The tainted air we breath will also be changed.

As I look at the pollution of this world on the earth, in the air, and in the sea it is no wonder that God must use fire to melt all the filth and disease.  The fire is a cleansing act of God before creating a new heaven and earth.

Peter describes the day when the Lord will burn up this earth.

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.

2 Peter 3:10

Even the elements will melt! All the “works” man has created will come to an end and be reduced to ashes.  Malachi had a similar vision of this day when he said,

“For behold, the day is coming,
Burning like an oven,

Malachi 4:1 (Partial)

What all is burned up? If we continue on with this verse in Malachi, we will discover something about the fate of those who reject the appeal of a loving God to repent and turn from evil ways.

“For behold, the day is coming,
Burning like an oven,
And all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble.
And the day which is coming shall burn them up,”
Says the Lord of hosts,
“That will leave them neither root nor branch.“

Malachi 4: 1 (Complete)

The fate of this earth with its sin and rebellion come to ashes.  Continuing with Malachi, we read these words:

“You shall trample the wicked,
For they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet
On the day that I do this,”
Says the Lord of hosts.”

Malachi 4:3

Last night, my wife cleaned our oven by using the self-clean feature which sets the oven temperature very high.  This intense heat over a 4 hour period brings all the crud in the oven to ashes.  She then wiped out the ashes and the oven looked like new.  The fires God sends will cleanse the earth of all the “crud”

Peter saw  this “strange act” of God and used the example of the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah to illustrate the destiny of those who “live ungodly.”

“…turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly“

2 Peter 2:6

Look closely at these verses.  Just as Sodom and Gomorrah were reduced to ashes, so will be those who are lost.  Sodom and Gomorrah is the example!

Even Satan himself has a destiny with eternal destruction:

I brought fire from your midst;
It devoured you,
And I turned you to ashes upon the earth
In the sight of all who saw you.
 All who knew you among the peoples are astonished at you;
You have become a horror,
And shall be no more forever.”’

Ezekiel 28: 18-19

The fire God sends reduces all the “elements” and “works of earth to ashes.  This is a final work and not a continuous work of torture as many have tried to claim.

In the book of Revelation, a very literal depiction is given to help the reader understand that sin, death, and everything evil come to an end.

“They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them”

Revelation 20:9

Just as a hungry dog devours its food and leaves an empty bowl, so does the work of the fire.  This devouring fire is what destroys Satan as described in Ezekiel 28:18-19

This fire that is devouring the earth, the atmosphere, and all the elements is huge! It is world-wide and is described as a lake of fire in Revelation.

The fire is the end of everything we know, including the life and death struggle of this world.  Notice what is thrown into the lake of fire:

Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

Revelation 20:14

Here John uses the concept many do not understand.  It is the second death.

How can there be a second death caused by the lake of fire?

As we discussed last time.  All of us, saved or lost are destined to die.  This is the first death.  But, those who are lost die a second death that is eternal.  They “perish” and, like Satan, will never be anymore.

Like a brother of mine said, “If you have been born once, you will die twice and if you are born twice, you will die once.”

Life or eternal death is at the heart of the bad news/good news found in John 3:16

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

John 3:16

There is a simple truth in this powerful verse that is often missed:

Believe = eternal life

Don’t Believe = Perish

Here is a simple formula to understand and clear up the confusion about life and death.

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The first death, the one all must experience, is the opposite of life.  When God created life, he used to elements to produce the soul.  Here is the verse and the formula:

“And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

Genesis 2:7″

The formula:

Dust (elements) + breath of life (God’s spirit) = Living Soul

The first death is the opposite of life:

“Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.”

Ecclesiastes 12:7

The formula:

Dust – spirit (breath of life) = Dead Soul

Moses described it this way:

In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

Genesis 3:19

David also said about the living:

You take away their breath, they die and return to their dust.

Psalm 104:29

Now don’t let this upset you because even though we turn to dust, that time period is as fast as you can blink your eye.  For our Lord will raise us from the grave or wherever our dust may be.  As Job said, our flesh can be destroyed, but the next moment we will see our Redeemer:

For I know that my Redeemer lives,
And He shall stand at last on the earth;
And after my skin is destroyed, this I know,
That in my flesh I shall see God,
Whom I shall see for myself,
And my eyes shall behold, and not another.
How my heart yearns within me!

Job 19: 25-27

We saw last time that it is the resurrection that is to give us hope of receiving eternal life.  After we are dead, we brought back to life.  To the sleeping in Christ, this change is like the time it takes to blink or twinkle your eye.

Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

1 Corinthians 15: 51-53

How my heart yearns for the day Jesus will return and re-unite us as described by Paul,

 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope…

 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.  Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.  Therefore comfort one another with these words.

1 Corinthians 4: 16-18

What a great reunion day that will be! Those long separated by death will experience the creation of life all over again.  The dust will have God’s breath of life (Spirit) breathed back into their nostrils and we will become incorruptible living souls again!  Glory!

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But the lost will not have this experience.  Although they died once like all of us the will die a second time.  Let’s let the Bible explain it.

“Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power.” 

Revelation 20:6

The lost also have a resurrection, but it not the joyful one.

Let’s follow some simple logic.  If there is a first resurrection, there must be at least a 2nd one.  Right?  If there is a first death, there must be a 2nd one.  Right?

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.

John 5:28-29

That is right!  All who are in the grave will be resurrected and the lost will experience the 2nd resurrection and the 2nd death that is eternal.  How does this happen?

“They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them.”

Revelation 20:9

Those who are part of the 2nd resurrection go upon the breadth of the earth.  They are deceived by Satan. The “breadth” of the earth refers to the wide expanse.  There are literally millions! He convinces them that if they attack the city, they will have access to the tree of life which is located in the holy city (New Jerusalem) that has descended from heaven after the 1,000 years.  It is next to the river of life.  They certainly have a vast number of people for

“…wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.” Matthew 7:13

Then I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven,…Between the street of the city and the river there was a tree of life visible from both sides.

Revelation  21:2 and 22:2

Notice that Jesus talks about the “many” lost being destroyed in Matthew 7:13 .

This fire that the Lord uses to cleanse the earth and create a new one also destroys the disease of sin and death.  For it is also cast into the lake of fire.

And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.

Revelation 20:15

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The first and second resurrections and the 1st death and 2nd death are separated by 1,000 years.

“But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished.”

Revelation 20:5

Here is a summary of what we have learned in this series on Life and Death confusion:

1.)  Death is real. It is the end of life.

2.)  It is compared to sleep even by Jesus himself.

3.) The sleep of death is quick.  The dead don’t know anything and it passes quickly like a blink of the eye.

4.) Those who are in Christ are resurrected first and meet the Lord in the air with those who are alive at the second coming. All are taken where Jesus is now.

5.) The saved are in heaven for 1,000 years.  To learn more about this, see the post called, “Part 4-Second Coming Predictions-1,000 years?”)

6.) At the end of the 1,000 years, the lost are raised from the dead and face the White Throne judgment (Revelation 20).  They are then deceived by Satan to attack the holy city New Jerusalem.

7.)  God sends fire out of heaven and the disease of sin is destroyed.

8.)  God creates a new heaven and a new earth with the New Jerusalem as its capital.

The idea that the unsaved suffer non-ending suffering and torment in white hot fire for eternity does not make sense in the light of these many verses.

I have run out of time.  I had promised to talk about the verses that seem to indicate the unsaved suffer throughout eternity and that the flames never go out.  I have the material nearly ready and it is rather lengthy.  I hope you don’t mind if I save it for next time.

Blessings!  May you have a wonderful God day!