What Does the Bible Say about the 'Lake of Fire'?

Unlike Hades, Sheol and Hell, there is no mystery about the meaning of the words that make up the phrase lake of fire. Yet, what exactly is the lake of fire?

The exact phrase lake of fire occurs only five times in the Bible and only in the book of Revelation. It is described as eternal torment (20:10) and as the second death (20:14). It is a place of destruction into which the following were thrown:

• The evil beast and false prophet described in the vision of John (19:20);
• The devil (Satan) (20:10);
• Death and Hades (20:14);
• Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life (20:15).

The lake of fire is also said to burn with brimstone (19:20 & 20:10). The phrase is only slightly different in 21:8 where it is called “the lake that burns with fire and brimstone.” From that verse we can add the following to the list of those to be cast into the lake of fire: “The cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murders and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars….”

You might notice the similarity between the description of the lake of fire and the way Jesus described gehenna (Hell). While there is no verse that states that gehenna and the lake of fire are the same:

• Both describe God’s ultimate judgment;
• Both are described as places of fire;
• Both are places of destruction and torment;
• Both are unending (eternal).

So, there is little doubt but that gehenna (Hell) and the lake of fire refer to the same thing.

It is easy to look at these verses and conclude that evil beings and all evil things will be thrown into the lake of fire. While that is correct, it may be a little naïve.

• The Cowardly refers to those who at one time believed in Jesus, but later gave up due to external pressure such as persecution or hardship or family pressure. (See 1 Corinthians 15:58.)
• The Unbelieving refers to those who never believed in Jesus. Speaking of Himself Jesus said, “Unless you believe that I am He [the Christ], you will die in your sins.” (John 8:24)
• The Abominable refers to those who desecrate or pollute the holy things of God. They show aggression against Jesus by bringing into Christianity worldly things that God opposes.
• Murderers refers to those who have taken their aggression to the extreme: murder.
• Immoral persons refers specifically to sexual immorality, that is, any deviation from God’s design. It would include sex outside of marriage, adultery, homosexuality, lesbianism, and all other kinds of sexual perversion seen today.
• Sorcerers refers to those engaged in the use of magical arts. These would include fortunetellers, tarot card readers, astrologers, dream interpreters, those who claim to communicate with the dead, etc.
• Idolaters refers to those who set some other being or thing in place of God and bow, or submit, to that god.
• Liars deceive, mask reality and oppose truth.

The Apostle Paul warned about those who do not know God and do not make a faith response to the gospel of Jesus. He said:

These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power.

—2 Thessalonians 1:9

THAT is the lake of fire;

     THAT is gehenna;

         THAT is Hell.

Mark Stinnett

July 3, 2022