⚠️ This blog isn’t about answers—it’s about awakening. Gospel Reclaimed is where I wrestle, wonder, and write about a gospel that’s far bigger, deeper, and more healing—a Father more faithful, a Savior more triumphant, and a Spirit more personal than religion ever taught me.
Despite popular belief, Revelation is not a timeline of the end of the world.
Before we dive into Revelation—a book rich in symbolism and metaphor—let me be clear:
I don’t claim to fully grasp every image and detail… dragons, horns, beasts, precise measurements, precious stones…? These belong to a symbolic world far removed from my 21st-century mind.
I leave room for mystery.
Translation choices haven’t helped either.
If “church” had been correctly translated as “community,” or “angel” as “messenger,” or “Satan” and “Devil” properly defined as forces of opposition and deception—not supernatural entities, we might have a very different view of this enigmatic Book.
One of the greatest mistruths passed down through Church tradition is the idea that the Lake of Fire is synonymous with “hell.”
With humility, I will explore this topic through the lens of Jesus and Paul’s message—one that may challenge the popular notion that the Lake of Fire is a torture chamber run by a pitchfork-wielding devil, and instead offer a glimpse into what it truly symbolizes.
This book is not a forecast of the apocalypse, which simply means “revelation.”
The very first verse says it all:
“The revelation (apokalypsis) of Jesus Christ…”
Revelation seems to be about the destructive path of sin and the unveiling of Jesus Christ, who is both the beginning and the end. And if He is the end, then all things will be summed up in Him, just as Paul affirmed:
“As a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.” — Ephesians 1:10
The End of ‘Hell’, Not Its Beginning
For centuries, Christians have been told that hell is a place of eternal separation, unending torment, and literal fire. Sermons, films, and medieval art burned this image into our imaginations.
But there’s a problem: The Bible doesn’t teach that. At least, not the way we’ve been told.
When we peel back layers of tradition and mistranslation, we discover something radically different, and beautifully hopeful.
Hell Is Thrown Into Hell
Say What?
Before we even talk about the Lake of Fire, we must note this key detail:
“Then death and Hell were thrown into the lake of fire…” — Revelation 20:14 (KJV)
Read that again.
Hades — wrongly translated as “hell” — is thrown into the Lake of Fire.
If Hades is hell… how can hell be thrown into hell?
Clearly, they are not the same thing.
Hades (the realm of the dead) is abolished in the Lake of Fire.
Want to go deeper into the word “hell” and its four different meanings?
Check out: Hell – The Real Story
Stick around now as we explore the connection between the lake of fire and Jesus’ own words, and Paul’s declaration that death has already been defeated.
The First Death: The Loss of Identity
“But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” — Revelation 21:8 (KJV)
To understand the second death, we must first look at the first.
“In the day you eat of it, you will surely die.” — Genesis 2:17
When God warned Adam, He wasn’t talking about physical death—Adam and Eve didn’t fall over dead. What died was their awareness of truth, life, and union with God.
The first death marked the entrance of deception, shame, fear, hiding, and mistrust led to the progression of what’s listed at the beginning of verse 8: “the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars”
They submitted to the voice of the diabolos — the slanderer, the accuser, the divider. That voice became their master.
Fun fact: In Hebrew, “serpent” (nachash) comes from a root meaning to whisper or hiss. Some Rabbinic sources suggest the serpent was not literal but metaphorical—the inner whisper of doubt that challenged God’s goodness. From that whisper, death entered the world.
Death as a State of Being, Not Literal Death
In Scripture, death is often described not as the end of physical life, but as a condition of the heart and mind, a way of being disconnected from truth, identity, and life in God.
Here are some examples:
- Old Testament
“There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.” — Proverbs 14:12
“I call heaven and earth to witness… I have set before you life and death… therefore choose life.” — Deuteronomy 30:19
“Life and death are in the power of the tongue…” — Proverbs 18:21
“One who wanders from the way of good sense will rest in the assembly of the dead.” —Proverbs 21:16
- New Testament
“To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.” — Romans 8:6
“The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life…” — Romans 6:23
“She who is self-indulgent is dead even while she lives.” — 1 Timothy 5:6
“You were dead in the trespasses and sins…” — Ephesians 2:1
“You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead.” — Revelation 3:1
Paul often refers to death as a condition or mindset.
“Just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin…” — Romans 5:12
Going back to the origin of sin… If sin means to miss the mark, then what exactly did Adam miss—since there was no law to break yet?
He missed the mark of his true identity and, in doing so, began to mistrust his Creator and Father.
Death, then, is not merely physical, it is to live in delusion, in alienation of mind, and in confusion about who we are and who God is.
Rewritten in that light, Romans 5:12 might say:
“Just as a loss of identity came through Adam,
* Paraphrase
and delusion through deception, and so confusion
and lies about God and ourselves spread to all mankind…”
And so Jesus says:
“Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom…” — John 3:3
“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself… for apart from me you can do nothing.” — John 15:4–5
Our lives must be renewed—born again—and we are called to abide in and live from the truth Christ came to reveal and free us to realize.
And Paul:
“I have been crucified with Christ… Christ lives in me.” — Galatians 2:20
“You have died, and your life is hidden with Christ…” — Colossians 3:3
“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation…” — 2 Corinthians 5:17
Paul proclaims the death of death itself and invites us to live from the new life — Christ Himself.
He urges us to put off the old, dead self:
“Put off your old self… Put on the new self…” — Ephesians 4:22–24
“Put on the new self… renewed in knowledge…” — Colossians 3:10–11
“Our old self was crucified with him…” — Romans 6:6
Unless we recognize that the lies and deceptions died with Christ, we’ll continue to walk in darkness, as if we were still dead.
The first death, therefore, cannot be the end of our earthly existence, but the beginning of our delusion—a false identity that Jesus came to undo.
The Second Death — Rethinking the Timeline
Most people misunderstand Revelation because they misunderstand its timing.
“And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.” — Revelation 20:14
The second death is the moment when death and Hades lose their grip on humanity.
Scripture gives strong and consistent evidence for when this occurred.
So when did death and Hades meet their match?
At the cross — and through the empty tomb.
Jesus Himself locates this moment:
“Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.” — John 12:31
Paul provides the broader theological frame:
“Death reigned from Adam to Moses.” — Romans 5:14 (Moses represents the age of the Law.)
But what follows is the undoing of death’s dominion.
Paul proclaims the victory clearly:
“He abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.” — 2 Timothy 1:10
“He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in Him.” — Colossians 2:15
“Death is swallowed up in victory.” — 1 Corinthians 15:54
The author of Hebrews seals this truth by identifying the real power behind death:
“That through death He might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil.” — Hebrews 2:14
The devil (diabolos) is not a rival deity, but the operative power of death itself: accusation, fear, condemnation, and deception embodied.
Throughout Scripture, death is consistently portrayed as the enemy that has been dethroned:
- Isaiah 25:8 prophesied — Death will be swallowed up in victory.
- Hosea 13:14 foretold — Death’s power will be ransomed and redeemed.
- 2 Timothy 1:10 proclaimed — Christ has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light.
- 1 Corinthians 15:26 declared — Death was the last enemy to be destroyed.
Paul explains how death ruled:
“The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.” — 1 Corinthians 15:56–57
Loss of identity leads to alienation of the mind. Within that alienation, sin finds its strength through the law’s accusatory power. But Christ has conquered all of it: sin, death, and the law that empowered their reign.
“And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind… he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death…”— Colossaians 1:21-22
This victory is already accomplished in the unseen realm—the finished work of God in Christ. Yet it is experienced in the visible realm as we awaken to what has always been true.
The truth that liberates us is not something we produce, but something we awake to and participate in.
So, what is the Second Death?
If the first death was submission to the lie… the second death must be the death of that lie.
This is exactly what Revelation 20:14 shows us:
“Death… cast into the lake of fire.”
The Lake of Fire—symbolic of God’s consuming love—is where every lie, fear, and false identity is burned away.
This is not the end of people.
It is the end of the lie about people.
The author of Hebrews explains that the power of death operates through accusation, fear, and condemnation—described as lifelong bondage rooted in the fear of death.
“Who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” — Hebrews 2:15
If death’s power is fear‑based bondage, then Christ’s death confronts and dismantles the very lie that sustains it.
On the cross, Jesus exposes the false narrative that has enslaved humanity from the beginning:
- That we are separated
- That we must hide
- That we are unworthy
- That God demands punishment
All of it is a diabolical illusion, the same deception whispered in Eden:
“You will not surely die… You will be like God…”
It suggested that God is not trustworthy and that we lacked something, so we were left striving to become what we already were: image-bearers of the divine.
That lie seeded shame, fear, and distrust into humanity’s consciousness. But Jesus entered that delusion, took it to the cross, and burned it out in the light of truth. God absorbed the lie into Himself—not to destroy us, but to consume the deception and reveal the beloved.
The Book of Life: Your True Identity in Christ
“And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” — Revelation 20:15
This is not a list of who gets “in” or “out.”
The Book of Life is a record of our true self in Christ—identity rooted in Him, not in Adam.
In Jewish culture, a name is far more than a label—it reflects one’s identity, essence, and destiny, often revealing the character, calling, or spiritual truth about a person.
Our false names—formed by fear, condemnation, and corruption—were never written there.
They are consumed, burned away in the Lake of Fire.
What remains is radiant, resurrected, and real.
Scripture promises:
“Behold, I make all things new.” — Revelation 21:5
“You will receive a new name.” — Revelation 2:17
“In Christ all will be made alive.” — 1 Corinthians 15:22
Revelation 20:10 – Sulfur and the Myth of Endless Torment
“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.”
Let’s begin by correcting common translation assumptions and placing Revelation 20:10 in its broader biblical context.
1. “Brimstone” (Sulfur): A Purifier, Not a Punisher
Brimstone—also known as sulfur—was widely used in the ancient world for cleansing, fumigation, and healing. It served as a medicinal disinfectant and bleaching agent.
Even God’s breath is likened to brimstone:
“The breath of Yahweh, like a stream of brimstone, kindles it.” — Isaiah 30:33
This imagery speaks of divine presence that cleanses and heals, not destroys.
The prophet Malachi mirrors this with another metaphor:
“He will sit as a smelter and purifier… and refine them like gold and silver, so that they may present offerings in righteousness.” — Malachi 3:2–3
2. “Tormented”: Testing, Not Torturing
The Greek word translated “tormented” is βασανίζω (basanizō), originally used to describe a touchstone—a tool for testing the purity of metals like gold and silver.
Rather than implying senseless pain, basanizō implies a process of revealing, proving, and refining, in line with ancient methods of verification and purification.
3. “Day and Night”: A Hebraic Expression of Duration
The phrase “day and night” is a Hebrew idiom denoting an uninterrupted process—not literally endless, but one that persists until its work is complete.
Importantly, Revelation 22:5 tells us that night itself will cease to exist. This tells us that the phrase has a built-in expiration—the process ends when deception ends.
4. “Forever and Ever”: A Misleading Translation
The phrase “forever and ever” comes from the Greek εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων (eis tous aiōnas tōn aiōnōn), which more literally means “unto the ages of the ages.”
In Hebrew and Greek, an aion is not infinite—it’s an age: a defined, though possibly long, period of time.
This phrase describes the full duration of a given age, not timelessness. And since Jesus is the Omega—the end, nothing can be truly eternal unless it ends in Him.
What Ends in the Lake of Fire:
- False prophets → false religions and narratives
- The devil → lies, deception, false identity
- The beast → oppressive spiritual powers and authorities
- Names not written in the Book of Life → the false self
Together, they represent everything false, oppressive, and misleading—and Scripture tells us they will be exposed, stripped of power, and brought to nothing.
The Nature of Divine Fire
We’ve been conditioned to see fire as purely destructive, but everything God does reflects who He is.
Discover how divine fire restores in my article, “God Is Love, But…”
“Our God is a consuming fire.” — Hebrews 12:29
“God is love.” — 1 John 4:8
If God is both consuming fire and perfect love, then His fire is love in action—purifying, healing, and transforming.
“I will put this third into the fire, and refine them as one refines silver…” — Zechariah 13:9
Throughout Scripture, God’s fire restores:
- Burning Bush (Exodus 3:2): Not consumed—illuminated
- Pillar of Fire (Exodus 13:21): Guidance and protection
- Tongues of Fire (Acts 2:3): Empowerment and indwelling
God’s fire refines what is false and reveals what is true.
It does not destroy us—it restores us.
“He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” — Matthew 3:11
“Each one’s work will be revealed by fire… though he himself will be saved.” — 1 Corinthians 3:13–15
“For everyone will be salted with fire.” — Mark 9:49
What About Sodom and Gomorrah?
Even Sodom’s story doesn’t end in flames:
“I will restore their fortunes… Sodom and her daughters shall return to their former state.” — Ezekiel 16:53, 55
Fire fell, yes—but it was not the final word — Restoration is.
God is not in the business of destroying His creation, but redeeming, healing, purifying, and restoring it.
This aligns perfectly with Jesus’ words:
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” — John 10:10
Love Wins
The Lake of Fire is not God’s rage—it is His relentless love.
Hell isn’t the final word; LOVE is.
Love that burns away death.
Love that burns away deception.
Love that burns away everything that stands between us and zōē—the life of God.
As Paul says, “In Christ all will be made alive.” — 1 Corinthians 15:22
Not abandoned.
Not roasted alive.
“Whom heaven must receive until the restoration of all things…” — Acts 3:21
So the next time someone tries to scare you with “hell” or the Lake of Fire, just smile and say:
Nah. That was God’s consuming love abolishing my alienation and restoring my identity as His child and heir of His Kingdom.
“From Him, and through Him, and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen” — Romans 11:36
Amen, indeed!
FAQs
Is the Lake of Fire the same as Hell?
No. Hell (Hades or Sheol) is consistently described as the realm of the dead, while the Lake of Fire is where death, Hades, and all false powers are ultimately ended. Revelation 20 shows ‘Hell’ itself being thrown into the Lake of Fire—proving they are not the same thing.
What does Revelation 20:10 mean?
Revelation 20:10 uses vivid symbolic language to describe the defeat of evil powers. The “devil,” “beast,” and “false prophet” represent deception, corrupt systems, and religious manipulation—not individual people. Being “tormented day and night forever and ever” reflects a process of exposure, testing, and ultimate removal—not eternal torture. The Greek word for “torment” (basanizō) originally referred to refining precious metals. The passage reveals not endless punishment but the end of deception and the triumph of truth in Christ.
What is brimstone (sulfur) and why is it in the Lake of Fire?
Brimstone was an ancient cleansing and healing agent, used to disinfect, purify, and refine. In Scripture, it symbolizes divine purification—not destruction. The Lake of Fire and brimstone represents a process where everything false, corrupt, and deceitful is removed, so only what is true and pure remains.
