“And the devil that deceived them (the nations of earth) was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” (Revelation 20:10).
Surely that clinches it, doesn’t it? Hell is forever, in fact, for ever and ever! Many have no idea why some words in the King James Version of the bible are italicized. (An italicized word looks like this). Any word that is in italics in the KJV has been added to the text by the translators, hopefully to make the meaning of a verse a bit clearer and more understandable. In most instances they serve that purpose quite well, but in a few instances they cloud the meaning of the verse sometimes changing the meaning entirely. This is true regarding Revelation 20, verse 10. The italicized word are in that verse should have been the word were or were cast, causing that verse to read: “And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet were cast, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” Revelation 19:20 reveals that the beast and the false prophet had been cast into this lake of fire and brimstone one thousand years previously. “And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.” Verses 6 through 10 of Revelation 20 reveal that the one thousand year millennial reign of Jesus Christ begins after the beast and false prophet are cast in the lake of fire. It is at the conclusion of the thousand years that the devil is cast into the lake of fire where the beast and false prophet had been cast one thousand years previously. Like all other unredeemed Christ-rejecters the beast and false prophet were reduced to ashes in the lake of fire. “Then shall he (the Lord) say unto them on the left hand (the wicked unredeemed), ‘Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.'” (Matthew 25:41). Note well that this everlasting fire has been prepared for the devil and his angels, not for human beings. Those human beings that warrant the death penalty “shall go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into life eternal” (See Matthew 25:46). The everlasting punishment the wicked deserve is the second death, a death from which there will never be a resurrection. They will never live again! THAT is their everlasting punishment. The Greek term translated as “everlasting” can also mean “perpetual” or “age” and can be indeterminate as to duration.
“And there shall in no wise enter into it (the holy city) any thing that defiles, neither whatsoever works abomination, or MAKES A LIE, but they which are written in he Lamb’s book of life. (See Revelation 21:27). “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the (holy) city, for without are dogs, and sorcerors, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolators, and whosoever loves and makes a lie” (Revelation 22:14-15). A liar is as unlike God as ever he can be. To be untruthful is one of the surest proofs of a fallen state. (See Revelation 22:14-15). The name of no liar is penned in the Lamb’s book of life! (See Revelation 21:27). John wrote that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him (See i John 3:15). He said the same thing about liars. (See Revelation 21:8).
Be careful that you are not perpetuating a lie in what you believe and urge others to adopt as truth. You might find the Lord saying to you what He said to Job’s three friends: “You have not spoken of me the thing which is right!” (See Job 42:8). God help you to understand is my prayer.
Christ’s Faithful Servant (Galatians 1:10-12),
Donald Wiley