Revelation 2:11 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.”
In the passage of scripture quoted above the second reward that our Lord Jesus lists for the one who overcomes, is that they will not be hurt by the second death. On more than one occasion in scripture the Lord spoke of giving individuals their lives as a prize for serving Him (Jeremiah 39:18). In those passages the Lord was referring to the physical life of the individual as their prize. The saints however have received the prize of eternal life from the Lord, because of which they will escape the punishment of eternal death that all unbelievers will incur.
Revelation 20:10-15 “The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. … (13) The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. (14) Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. (15) And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.”
So what is the second death? The passage of scripture quoted above reveals to us that the second death is in fact a lake of fire and brimstone that burns for all eternity. This passage also reveals to us that all those whose names are not recorded in the Book of Life are destined to experience the second death. As God’s children, every man and woman born into the earth originally have their names recorded in the Book of Life, for it was never God’s intention that any man should experience the second death. But sadly those who choose to reject salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ eventually have their names blotted out of the Book of Life when they physically die, and are therefore destined to be cast into the lake of fire. As revealed in this passage, all of God’s enemies will be cast into that lake at the final judgment, even those who are currently being held in Hades will be taken out to receive their judgment before they are cast into that lake, and even Death and Hades itself will be cast into the lake of fire on that day. This passage also reveals to us that Satan, the Anti-Christ and the false prophet will be cast into that lake, and in fact those three will be the first to be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone.
Matthew 25:41 “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.”
In the above quoted passage of scripture our Lord Jesus has taught us that God prepared the lake of fire for Satan and his angels, thus implying that God never intended that men should have ended up going there. Regrettably however, because many have followed after Satan and rejected salvation through Jesus Christ, they too will be cast into the lake of fire along with the god of this world, where all will suffer torment for all eternity. Scripture also reveals to us that this lake of fire will be located just outside the city walls of the New Jerusalem, and that the saints will look upon the torment of those who have rebelled against God as the smoke of their torment rises from that lake for all eternity (Revelation 14:11). And so our Lord Jesus has revealed to us that our second reward is that the second death has no power over His saints.
Michael E.B. Maher
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