The Lake of Fire

I don't normally enjoy doom, but death is destroyed in the lake of fire and a world with no more death is a good thing.

I once thought of the lake of fire only as a place, but I'm not sure that's right. I think its possible the lake of fire is an event, judgment day, where the fire present is the very presence of God himself.

What started me thinking of this was Paul's description of Jesus destroying antichrist,

And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming 2Thes.2:8

But then I remembered how Rev.19:20 says the antichrist is "thrown into" the lake of fire. To me, these two descriptions are synonymous.

There are other scriptures which say in effect that God is surrounded by a storm of fire that burns up his enemies and Jesus comes in a fire that sounds like its all consuming. Like all purifying maybe.

No the lake of fire is an actual place I have seen it with my own eyes when I was in hell, not that I was sent there to be damned it was for a different reason. The lake of fire is literal it is huge and people are screaming and burning literally begging for death but they never die they have immortal bodies that never die yet feels pain and flesh burns just like a real body.

If you was in hell, you would still be there..... Rich man and lazarus. Once you're in hell, you aint getting out!

It's not a place rather all existence is within the mind or memory of God, the things that God chooses to forget are said to be passing away or expressed as being in the lake of fire.

Our universe is made up at the subatomic level with clusters of like charged particles, which science tells us should naturally repel each other. They call the unknown factor that keeps it all from exploding "the strong force". There are several theories as to the source of this ‘strong force’, including God’s claim that He holds it all together. Now, on that theory, God claims He spoke it all into being out of nothingness - while science says out of nothingness, kaboom there it is. Are those really 2 different stories?

And then there’s dark matter/energy. Scientific estimates vary, but they hover around the theory that 90% of what makes up the universe, we can’t see, except for how it affects the things we can see. God says there is another realm that we can’t see, other than how it affects what we can see. And He wants His 10% back. Again, are these really unrelated?

God also says that someday He will speak this universe out of existence. Paul describes that moment, saying the elements will melt with fervent heat (2 Peter 3:7, 10, 12). Think of what results when the atom is split – intense heat and fire.

Now, the interesting thing is, that we don’t see the lake of fire (hell) appear until right after this present earth and heavens are de-created.

Could it be that the de-creation of our world creates the lake of fire?

Could it be that God lets those who loved this world more than Him, have it in its natural state apart from Him?

The lake of fire brings to mind the Pacific Ocean, which is ringed by undersea volcanoes. I know the Bible says it will be a lake, but cant help thinking what a vast lake it would be. Certainly there will be huge disruptions of the earth in the end of days as shown in Revelation. Mountains will crumble and the seas will roar.

@Hevosmies
Where do you get the idea that Luke 16 (The rich man and Lazarus) is about the lake of fire?

"We didn't start the fire.
It was always burning,
Since the world's been turning.
We didn't start the fire.
No we didn't light it,
But we tried to fight it."

I don't believe God allows eternal torment.

I believe the perishable is ends in the presence of Jesus.

There's been endless speculation about what the lake of fire symbolizes - I believe it is tied to the destruction of Jerusalem in the war of 66-70 AD (ya, ya, I know, no big surprise with my views )

John's revelation is specific to the 1st century AD in my opinion, while I might not understand all the symbols John employed I'm 100% sure that the whore of Babylon is first century apostate Jerusalem.

Could the presence of God be described as a lake of fire?

Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fires hall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him. Psa.50:3

The hills melted like wax at the presence of the LORD, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth. Psa.97:5

Figurative language typically used in prophecy.

The "mother" of harlots precedes 1st century apostate Jerusalem by many years.

the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God 2Thes.1:7-8

I think the lake of fire is how the appearance of Jesus affects the ungodly.

John is calling apostate Jerusalem figuratively the "whore of Babylon" just as he called them "Sodom" and "Egypt" in Rev 11:8

Rev 11:8 And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which mystically is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified.

He's calling the true Jews to come out of her and equating the apostate temple cult and it's city with Egypt because like when in Egypt they were in bondage/slavery as Paul states:

Gal 4:25 Now this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children.

Rev 18:4 I heard another voice from heaven, saying, “Come out of her, my people, so that you will not participate in her sins and receive of her plagues;

Hello Diakonos,

I believe that Hevosmies was referring to Blain's claim of visiting Hell (Sheol/Hades) and not the lake of fire. Just as Lazarus nor the rich man could not go back up to the earth to warn the rich mans brothers, neither would anyone else who went to Hades be able to come back.

Hello Blain,

Just to be clear, there are three Greek words translated as "Hell":

Tartaroo/tartarus = Used once in 2 Peter 2:4 most likely referring to where those angels were sent who took human wives in an attempt to corrupt the Messiah's blood line.

Sheol/Hades = The realm of departed spirits located in the heart of the earth and who will remain there until after the thousand year reign of Christ where they will be resurrected out at the great white throne judgment where they will be judged for all of their sins.

Lake of fire/Gehenna, everlasting fire, the second death = Is the final place of punishment for all who are resurrected out of Sheol/Hades, whose names are not found written in the book.

That said, no one is currently in the lake of fire. Its first recipients will be the beast and the false prophet who will be captured and thrown in when the Lord returns to the earth to end the age - Rev.19:20.

I been researching a little bit of this and depending on the context, is the reference is to "valley of Hinnom "?