What the Bible says about Wicked, Fate of the
(From Forerunner Commentary)
The Bible shows that the dead know nothing, and even their very thoughts perish when they die. In other words, all mental and physical processes cease when an individual dies. Solomon's definition of death concurs with Webster's Dictionary: "a permanent cessation of all vital functions: the end of life."
Earl L. Henn
Basic Doctrines: The Fate of the WickedRelated Topics: Death | Death as Permanent Cessation of Life | Death, Contemplation of | Fate of the Wicked | Wicked, Fate of the
About 2600 years ago, God said that He would kindle a fire in Jerusalem's gates which would devour the palaces, "and it shall not be quenched"! From this example in Jeremiah, we see that an unquenchable fire is not a fire that burns forever. If that were so, Jerusalem would still be burning! When Jesus said that the fire would not be quenched (Mark 9:43), He meant that it would burn until everything flammable was consumed, and then it would go out. This is what happened in the Valley of Hinnom, which Jesus used as a type of the fire into which the wicked will be thrown. Once the residents of Jerusalem stopped throwing their garbage into that valley, the fire burned out.
Earl L. Henn
Basic Doctrines: The Fate of the WickedRelated Topics: Fate of the Wicked | Gehenna | Hell | Hinnom as a Type of the Final Fate of Wicked | Jeremiah's Prophecies | Unquenchable Fire | Valley of Hinnom | Wicked, Fate of the
To our modern sensibilities this presents a somewhat gruesome picture, but God says that the righteous will walk on the wicked. Just as if they were cremated, the only thing left of the wicked will be ashes; they will have been completely destroyed forever. From this time forward, only righteous people will be left alive, and they will live for eternity (John 10:28)!
Earl L. Henn
Basic Doctrines: The Fate of the WickedRelated Topics: Ashes under the Soles of your feet | Eternal Death | Eternal Punishment | Eternal Torment | Fate of the Wicked | Hell | Hell, Eternally Burning | Hellfire | Wicked, Fate of the
In the Parable of Lazarus and the Rich Man, the latter, a heartless person, speaks to Lazarus while being "tormented in this flame." This alludes to the wicked being cremated when God burns up the earth, turning it into the final Gehenna, called elsewhere "the Lake of Fire." The rich man is raised out of his grave at the end of God's plan for humanity on earth. Because the dead know nothing, he does not realize the passage of time, but he certainly realizes that he has failed to receive salvation. He sees "a great gulf fixed" between him and those who are with Abraham in the Kingdom of God. At this point, it is impossible for anyone to change his fate.
Martin G. Collins
Basic Doctrines: The Third ResurrectionRelated Topics: Death | Death and Hades | Death as Permanent Cessation of Life | Death as Wages of Sin | Death Penalty | Death, Second | Eternal Death | Eternal Torment | Fate of the Wicked | Gehenna | Hell | Hell, Eternally Burning | Hellfire | Lake of Fire | Lake of Fire | Lake of Fire and Brimstone | Lazarus and the Rich Man | Parable of Lazarus and the Rich Man | Resurrection, Third | Wicked, Fate of the
In Luke 16:19-31 appears the Parable of Lazarus and the Rich Man, which Jesus spoke to those who would not repent. Jesus uses it to help them understand His earlier words: "Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out" (Luke 13:27-28). In the parable, the rich man—representing all workers of iniquity, all sinners—illustrates what is to befall the unrepentant.
The wicked will be raised to physical life in their resurrection, and then, immediately knowing that they are doomed, they will be cast into the Lake of Fire designed by God to consume them. The Lake of Fire will burn them up completely and finally. Jesus pictures the rich man crying out for help because of his mental and physical anguish at this time, but he is not burning eternally in hell fire. He is soon consumed while Lazarus the beggar dwells safely in immortality.
Martin G. Collins
Parable of Lazarus and the Rich Man (Part One)Related Topics: Fate of the Wicked | Gehenna | Hell | Hell, Eternally Burning | Hellfire | Lake of Fire | Lake of Fire and Brimstone | Lazarus | Lazarus and the Rich Man | Parable of Lazarus and the Rich Man | Resurrection of Christ | Resurrection to Immortal Life | Resurrection, Second | Resurrection, Third | Reward of the Saved | Reward of the Wicked | Unquenchable Fire | Unrepentant | Wicked, Fate of the
In the Parable of Lazarus and the Rich Man (Luke 16:19-31), Jesus illustrates death—total unconsciousness—as being followed by a resurrection from the dead and a restoration to consciousness. Secondly, Jesus describes the second death, eternal death, in the Lake of Fire that will totally destroy the wicked. The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23), not endless torment.
Jesus shows that the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear the voice of God and come forth—those who have lived righteously to the resurrection of life, and those who have lived wickedly (including the rich man) to the resurrection of condemnation (John 5:28-29). We need to understand how vital it is to hear and submit to God's voice now.
Martin G. Collins
Parable of Lazarus and the Rich Man (Part Two)Related Topics: Death | Death as Permanent Cessation of Life | Death as Wages of Sin | Death Penalty | Death, Second | Eternal Death | Eternal Torment | Fate of the Wicked | Gehenna | Hell | Hell, Eternally Burning | Hellfire | Lake of Fire | Lake of Fire and Brimstone | Parable of Lazarus and the Rich Man | Resurrection | Resurrection, Third | Second Death | Wages of Sin | Wicked, Fate of the
The flame he sees and feels upon his resurrection is the ultimate fate of the wicked: being burned up'destroyed'in Gehenna fire, the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:14-15). The Lake of Fire represents the second death from which there is no return to life. This death is final and permanent; it is the absence of life for all eternity. It is eternal punishment, not eternal punishing.
When the rich man opens his eyes in the resurrection, he sees the flame of fire that is about to destroy him permanently, and it paralyzes him with terror, making his mouth go dry. He complains that the flame is tormenting him. In these verses, the Greek word translated "tormented," odunomai, means "to cause pain; to pain, distress; pain of body, but also pain of mind, grief, distress." This rich man, resurrected to physical life, sees this Lake of Fire and realizes the terrible doom he is about to face. Sobbing, he suffers mental anguish and despair and begs for a little water from the tip of Lazarus' finger to cool his tongue. Nevertheless, he must reap what he sowed'death!
Martin G. Collins
Parable of Lazarus and the Rich Man (Part Two)Related Topics: Distress | Eternal Punishment | Fate of the Wicked | Gehenna | Grief | Lake of Fire | Lake of Fire and Brimstone | Lazarus and the Rich Man | Pain | Resurrection, Third | Terror | Torment | Wicked, Fate of the
Jesus refers to the time of the resurrection when all men will be judged. At the resurrection, both the righteous and the wicked will be brought back to life to receive their reward or punishment.
Earl L. Henn
Basic Doctrines: The Fate of the WickedRelated Topics: Fate of the Wicked | Judgment | Judgment, God's | Judgment, Timing of | Resurrection | Resurrection, Second | Resurrection, Third | Wicked, Fate of the
The Bible describes the "hellfire" into which the wicked will be cast as a lake of burning fire and brimstone. Some have pictured this Lake of Fire to be like an active volcano spewing out molten rock. Into such a fiery liquid the incorrigible will be thrown. After having died once and been resurrected to judgment (Hebrews 9:27), they will die the "second death" by being burned up in the Lake of Fire.
Earl L. Henn
Basic Doctrines: The Fate of the WickedRelated Topics: Death | Death and Hades | Death as Permanent Cessation of Life | Death Penalty | Death, Second | Eternal Death | Eternal Judgment | Fate of the Wicked | Hell | Hellfire | Lake of Fire | Second Death | Wicked, Fate of the | Wicked, Incorrigibly