The Day of the Lord is coming to an end. This devotional reading looks at the punishment that is meted out.
Nuggets
- We know that death entered the world with the original sin.
- Hades is what we normally call hell.
- What hell is is a fire and sulfur.
- The second death is spiritual death.
- Sin – evil – will be conquered, but at the cost of those who do not follow God.
It has arrived. Everything has been done on the Day of the Lord — except one thing. Goats will finally get their judgment.
Let's Put It into Context
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Devotions in the The Day of the Lord series
Punishment Meted Out
“Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire” (Rev. 20: 14 ESV)
Who are God’s biggest enemies? Death and the grave.
Death
We know that death entered the world with the original sin.
There are two types of death. Not only did physical death rear its ugly head, but also spiritual death was now the norm for mankind.
Both would be eliminated on the Day of the Lord. “He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken” (Isa. 25: 8 ESV).
Hades
Hades is what we normally call hell.
We normally think of the lake of fire as hell. We normally don’t call it Hades.
Either way, it is an unseen world that is associated with death.
- “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell” (Mt. 10: 28 ESV).
- “And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You will be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day” (Mt. 11: 23 ESV)
- “The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side.The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side” (Lk. 16: 22-23 ESV).
- “For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption” (Ps. 16: 10 ESV).
- “Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, he [David] foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption” (Ac. 2: 30-31 ESV).
The last two bullets (because one is referencing the other) kind of transition us to the other definition. It said that Hades/Sheol was death itself.
- “For the waves of death encompassed me, the torrents of destruction assailed me; the cords of Sheol entangled me; the snares of death confronted me” (II Sam. 22: 5-6 ESV).
- “The dead tremble under the waters and their inhabitants. Sheol is naked before God, and Abaddon has no covering” (Job 26: 5-6 ESV).
- “For in death there is no remembrance of you; in Sheol who will give you praise?” (Ps. 6: 5 ESV).
- “What profit is there in my death, if I go down to the pit?” (Ps. 30: 9 ESV).
- “But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me. Selah” (Ps. 49: 15 ESV).
- “For great is your steadfast love toward me; you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol” (Ps. 86: 13 ESV).
It is because of the last definition that Gilfillan described Hades in the manner he did. He wrote,
“It [Hades] is probably divided into two compartments; the one containing, as in a prison, the souls of the wicked; the other, as in a place of safe keeping, preserving the spirits of the just.”
Resource
In Gilfillan’s opinion, this makes Hades different than hell. That makes sense.
It makes more sense in light of Psalm 16: 10. “For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption” (Ps. 16: 10 ESV emphasis added).
Jesus wasn’t going down to hell when He died. And He did descend.
“(In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.)” (Eph. 4: 9-10 ESV).
If Hades is a kind of holding place for us to go when we died, that place is no longer needed after Judgment Day.
The real hell is the lake of fire.
That makes sense if Death and Hades are cast into the lake of fire. Any saints hanging out in Hades would have left during the Rapture.
Gilfillan noted the belief of some that spirts — as we will be after death — would not be confined to a specific place. In other words, we would be able to pass through any barriers.
I don’t see that. How would we be able to remain in Heaven?
Anyway, God’s Word doesn’t tell us about either is creation or location. I read somewhere once that someone thought it was the same place as where the water came from to cause the flood.
That sounds real poetic. But where did the people between Adam and Noah go when they died?
Lake of Fire
What hell is is a fire and sulfur.
We’ve already learned that Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire. “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” (Rev. 20: 10 ESV).
Here and in verses to come, we are told this is a lake of fire and sulfur. “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” (Rev. 21: 8 ESV).
Make no mistake. This is going to be eternal punishment for those who have not accepted Jesus as their Savior and Redeemer and who do not submit to Sovereign God.
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels’” (Mt. 25: 41 ESV).
Did you catch that? Hell wasn’t made for mankind. It was made for Satan and his angels. Those who choose to follow Satan will suffer the same punishment.
Second Death
The second death is spiritual death.
Second death will be when we are cast from God’s presence for eternity. Paul told us that this was the consequences of sin. “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 6: 23 ESV).
The Sentence Itself
But is this destruction or eternal death? We’ll it depends on which verse we read in God’s Word.
- “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell” (Mt. 10: 28 ESV emphasis added).
- “And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt” (Dan. 12: 2 ESV emphasis added).
So, which is it? Let’s dig deeper.
“They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might” (II Thess. 1: 9 ESV)
First, let’s look at eternal destruction.
- “While people are saying, ‘There is peace and security,’ then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape” (I Thess. 5: 3 ESV emphasis added).
- “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many” (Mt. 7: 13 ESV emphasis added).
- “What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction” (Rom. 9: 22 ESV emphasis added).
- “Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things” (Phil. 3: 19 ESV emphasis added).
Sudden, leads to, prepared for, their end.
We know the Day of the Lord comes suddenly – even though it is prophesied. Non-believers won’t be ready for it.
Leads to and prepared for signifies our journey in which we choose not to follow God. It isn’t a sudden decision. It is a conscious decision to turn away from God.
Destruction can mean oblivion and annihilation, But it also can mean devastation, ruin, and damage.
Those definitions do not necessarily lead to oblivion and annihilation. Life goes on, but at a much harder and frightful existence.
A neat sermon I found explained what this means. He wrote, “… meaning thereby not an abolition of their being but of their well-being.”
Resource
That makes sense. We’ve said previously that the emphasis is not on the eternal part — the quantity part. The emphasis is on the life part — the quality part. So, eternal life is really addressing the wellbeing of our soul.
One way in which we are made in God’s image is that our soul is eternal – like His. There is no way it is ending.
The reward from sin may be physical and fleeting. The punishment of sin is spiritual and eternal.
Still, whatever torment the lake of fire holds, the punishment that is critical is that sinners are absent from God.
How do we escape that punishment? “Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out” (Ac. 3: 19 ESV).
God forsakes us when we forsake Him.
I love Garbett’s reason for this absence. He said it is because God is so wonderful and constantly presenting His children with good gifts.
Resource
Once eternity starts, God doesn’t want His blessings to benefit non-believers anymore. It was fine for when we had opportunity to turn back to Him.
God doesn’t want that for eternity. That isn’t punishment.
Garbett said that God would leave us to our own resources. Isn’t that what we want now?
We’ll get it. And won’t like it.
- We’ll be out of the familiar.
- We’ll be out of the comfortable.
- Nothing will be there to satisfy us.
- No one will be able to help us as all the godly will be in Heaven.
- Love and the Holy Spirit will be gone.
The Sentence for Non-Believers
“And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire” (Rev. 20: 15 ESV)
Sin – evil – will be conquered, but at the cost of those who do not follow God.
God does not choose who will spend eternity in hell. He didn’t even choose that for Satan.
If He did, God would be a dictator. There would be no free will.
We, on our own, choose to disobey God. We choose to not believe in Him or His promises.
We, on our own, choose to send ourselves to hell.
Matthew had an interesting observation. He wrote,
“It is called the day of judgment: but in Scripture a day is not always meant to express that particular portion of time which we affix to the term; but a season. But however long or however short a period the tremendous judgment of the world will occupy, we know assuredly that at its conclusion a solemn separation will be made of those who have served God, from those who have served Him not.”
Resource
We can’t always expect things to happen by our experience and knowledge. God’s ways are different from ours (Isa. 55: 8-9).
One of the differences is the definition of day. “But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day” (II Pet. 3: 8 ESV).
Judgment is going to occur for a long, long time.
It is going to be a painfully long time in the lake of fire. But it is called by other names.
- “For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble. The day that is coming shall set them ablaze, says the Lord of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch” (Mal. 4: 1 ESV).
- “How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low! You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’ But you are brought down to Sheol, to the far reaches of the pit” (Isa. 14: 12-15 ESV).
- “To you, O Lord, I call; my rock, be not deaf to me, lest, if you be silent to me, I become like those who go down to the pit” (Ps. 28: 1 ESV).
Yes, this will be a place of anguish and torment.
Think a God Who is love will not be a God of wrath? Wrong.
How much of that comes from their wanting to say what is sin and what isn’t? However, if we love something enough, we hate the opposite.
Matthew cautioned that those who believe that don’t take into consideration the effects of sin on the soul and their world. Therefore, it affects others.
Just because God’s tolerance of a sinful world ends, doesn’t mean He is not merciful. He allows us ample time to repent.
God could be unmerciful and not give us the time to repent.
Bottom line is there will only be those for Christ and against Christ. Those against Christ will go swimming in the fire.
Making the Connections #1
Is Hades and hell two different places? Do we go to Hades as a holding place until the Rapture/Day of the Lord?
Doesn’t Paul tell us that we will go straight to Heaven? “Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord” (II Cor. 5: 8 ESV).
But Jesus told the thief that he wild be with Him in Paradise, not Heaven. “And he said to him, ‘Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise’” (Lk. 23: 43 ESV).
So, what gives?
Could Paradise be the compartment in Hades for the souls of the just?
Well, we really can’t determine what’s the what on information God has given us. There are good arguments both ways.
Yes, we have our opinions, but they may be wrong.
If we go straight to Heaven — or to Paradise — isn’t that a type of judgement? Where will the goat’s masquerading as sheep go?
If we’ve already gone where we will spend eternity, why do we need to stand before the great white throne?
Gilfillan presented an argument that Paradise will be in Hades. He wrote, “And will there not, in Hades, be a revelation of Christ far brighter than the most [favored] of His people ever can enjoy upon earth, even though His personal presence be absent?”
Resource
We’ll just have to wait and see. This is a fine addition for the UNR book — understanding not required.
Making the Connections #2
What should our response be to all this? Well, if we haven’t ABCDed, we shouldn’t put our faith and comfort in the worldview.
We shouldn’t say we believe in Christ but not live like it.
We should ask Christ to deliver us.
Making the Connections #3
Yes, we all sin. Yes, we are going to continue to sin after conversion.
The focus is a genuine repentance of sin. Eternal punishment is only when we do not genuinely repent of our sins.
Once we have truly ABCDed and navigated the Sanctification Road, I don’t think that we will miss Heaven because we commit a sin right before we die and don’t get to ask forgiveness for it.
The sin we are talking about is the big S. Have we asked Jesus to be our Savior and Redeemer?
No, we are supposed to repent our sins as we know of them.
Eternity relies on the big Repentance.
Making the Connections #4
Spurgeon made a comment that I bet some would question. He wrote,
“They will be divided readily. It is not everybody that could divide sheep from goats. They are extremely like each other: the wool of some sheep in a warm climate becomes so like hair, and the hair of a kind of goat so like wool, that a traveller scarcely knows which is which; but a shepherd who has lived amongst them knows the difference well. The eye of fire will soon separate the sheep from the goats.”
Resource
We could see that goats masquerading as sheep would be hard to tell apart. But surely, goats themselves will be easy to see, won’t they?
They look alike. Only their Master – the Shepherd – can tell them apart. The Good Shepherd is the One Who will be separating them. He will know His own.
How Do We Apply This?
- Anticipate death.
- Be comforted in the fact we will be reunited with our loved ones.
- Witness to those who have not ABCDed.
- See Heaven as the meeting place of the saints.
- Begin forever now
Resource
Father God. We accept Jesus as our Savior and Redeemer and You as Sovereign God. We look forward to living with You for eternity. Amen
What do you think?
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