Lake of Fire
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International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
Lake of Fire

LAKE OF FIRE

(limne tou puros): Found in Revelation 19:20; Revelation 20:10, 14 (bis), 15. Revelation 21:8 has "the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone." The brimstone in connection with "the lake of fire" occurs also in Revelation 19:20 and 10, the latter being a backward reference to the former passage. In Revelation 20:14 the words, "This is the second death, even the lake of fire" are either a gloss originally intended to elucidate 20:15 through a reference to 20:6, or, if part of the text, formed originally the close of 20:15, whence they became displaced on account of the identity of the words once immediately preceding them in 20:15 with the words now preceding them in 20:14. The "lake of fire" can be called "the second death" only with reference to the lost among men (20:15), not with reference to death and Hades (20:14). In all the above references "the lake of fire" appears as a place of punishment, of perpetual torment, not of annihilation (20:10). The beast (19:20); the pseudo-prophet (19:20; 20:10); the devil (20:10); the wicked of varying description (20:15; 21:8), are cast into it. When the same is affirmed of death and Hades (20:14), it is doubtful whether this is meant as a mere figure for the cessation of these two evils personified, or has a more realistic background in the existence of two demon-powers so named (compare Isaiah 25:8 1 Corinthians 15:26, 54;; 2 Esdras 7:31). The Scriptural source for the conception of "the lake of fire" lies in Genesis 19:24, where already the fire and the brimstone occur together, while the locality of the catastrophe described is the neighborhood of the Dead Sea. The association of the Dead Sea with this fearful judgment of God, together with the desolate appearance of the place, rendered it a striking figure for the scene of eschatological retribution. The two other Old Testament passages which have "fire and brimstone" (Psalm 11:6 Ezekiel 38:22) are dependent on the Genesis passage, with which they have the figure of "raining" in common. In Revelation 21:8, "their part" seems to allude to Psalm 11:6, "the portion of their cup." In Enoch 67:4; the Dead Sea appears as the place of punishment for evil spirits. Of late it has been proposed to derive "the lake of fire" from "the stream of fire" which destroys the enemies of Ahura in the Zoroastrian eschatology; so Bousset, Die Offenbarung Johannis, 1906, 433, 434. But the figures of a stream and a lake are different; compare 2 Esdras 13:9-11, where a stream of fire proceeds from the mouth of the Messiah for the destruction of His enemies. Besides, the Persian fire is, in part, a fire of purification, and not of destruction only (Bousset, 442), and even in the apocalyptic Book of Enoch, the fires of purification and of punishment are not confounded (compare Enoch 67:4 with 90:20). The Old Testament fully explains the entire conception.

Geerhardus Vos

Greek
1067. geenna -- Gehenna, a valley W. and South of Jer., also a ...
... 1067 (a transliteration of the Hebrew term, , "the valley of Hinnom") -- ,
ie (also referred to as the "lake of fire" in ). ("hell ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1067.htm - 7k
Topical Bible Verses
Revelation 21:8
But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and fornicators, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
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Revelation 20:10
And the devil that deceived them 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.
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Revelation 20:14
And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
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Revelation 19:20
And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that worked 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.
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Matthew 25:41
Then shall he say also to them on the left hand, Depart from me, you cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
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Revelation 20:15
And whoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
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Library

The Wicked Raised, and Satan Loosed
... And the devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone,
where both the wild beast and the false prophet are, and will be tormented day ...
/.../bliss/a brief commentary on the apocalypse/the wicked raised and satan.htm

The Millennium in Relation to Sin.
... Satan himself is cast into the Lake of Fire where the Beast and the False Prophet
are, and all of the unsaved dead from Cain onwards will be raised from their ...
/.../pink/the redeemers return/7 the millennium in relation.htm

The Examination and Rewarding of the Believer's Works.
... and the goats;" that those whose names are found written in the book of life will
pass into Heaven, and that the wicked will be consigned to the Lake of Fire. ...
/.../pink/the redeemers return/5 the examination and rewarding.htm

Who the Dead are who are Given up to Judgment by the Sea, and by ...
... They were judged every man according to their works," he briefly added what the
judgment was: "Death and hell were cast into the lake of fire;" by these names ...
//christianbookshelf.org/augustine/city of god/chapter 15 who the dead are.htm

Appendix
... These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone." Now if the
"False Prophet" is the Anti-christ, then who is "the Beast" that is cast ...
//christianbookshelf.org/pink/the redeemers return/appendix.htm

Of the Thousand Years in which the Dragon or Satan is bound, with ...
... he had collected having been consumed by fire sent down from heaven, he himself
being taken as a deceiver, is said to be cast into a lake of fire and sulphur ...
/.../mede/a key to the apocalypse/synchronism iv of the thousand.htm

In the Thirteenth Chapter of Revelation Two Beasts are There ...
... in Rev.19:19, 20 we are told, "And the Beast was taken, and with him the False
Prophet[hellip]these both were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with ...
//christianbookshelf.org/pink/the antichrist/in the thirteenth chapter of.htm

The Fear which Terminates in the Second Death.
... with the powers of darkness""He that overcometh shall inherit all things:" But those
who are overcome, will have their part in the lake of fire"which is ...
/.../lee/sermons on various important subjects/sermon xx the fear which.htm

Objections from the Revelation and the First Epistle of St. John ...
... and murderers, and sorcerers, and idolaters," who have been guilty of any such crime
while professing the faith, to "the lake of fire," [937] without any ...
/.../tertullian/on modesty/chapter xix objections from the revelation.htm

From the Twentieth Chapter.
... of the kingdom of the hateful one, many, seduced by that love of earthly things,
shall be overthrown, and together with him shall enter the lake of fire. 8-10. ...
/.../commentary on the apocolypse of the blessed john/from the twentieth chapter.htm

Subtopics

Lake

Lake of Fire

Lake of Gennesaret

Lakes

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