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SERIES: THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST, WEEK 79

TITLE: THE DEVIL'S DOOM

TEXT: REVELATION 20:10

INTRODUCTION: (1) DANTE ALIGHIERI WAS BORN IN 1265 IN FLORENCE, ITALY.

* TO MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT, IN 1314 HE COMPLETED A BOOK CALLED “THE INFERNO” WHICH WAS A PART OF A GREATER WORK CALLED “THE DIVINE COMEDY” THAT CONSISTS OF 3 BOOKS.

** DANTE’S INFERNO DEPICTS AN ALLEGORICAL JOURNEY THROUGH HELL WHERE DEMONS TORMENT THE OCCUPANTS OF HELL.

*** NOW IN THE CENTER OF HELL IS SATAN WHO HAS 3 FACES, ONE RED, ONE BLACK AND ONE PALE YELLOW, EACH HAVING A MOUTH THAT CHEWS ON A PROMINENT TRAITOR.

*** IN SHORT, THE DEVIL IS THE TORMENTOR IN HELL.

(2) NOW THE PORTRAIT OF SATAN IN THE INFERNO WAS NOT BASED ON THE BIBLE, BUT POPULAR FOLKLORE AND MEDIEVAL THINKING.

* AND THAT FOLKLORE AND MYTHS ABOUT THE DEVIL EVEN TODAY COMMUNICATE THAT HE IS THE PROPRIETOR OF HELL IN A RED SUIT, RUNNING THINGS WITH HIS POWERFUL PITCH-FORK.

** BUT NOTHING IS FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH OF THAT KIND OF UNBIBLICAL THINKING.

*** THE DEVIL IS A DEFEATED FOE THAT WILL BE CAST INTO THE LAKE OF FIRE ONE DAY IN THE FUTURE, ACCORDING TO OUR TEXT.

**** BUT UNTIL THEN HE IS A ROARING LION WALKING ABOUT SEEKING WHOM HE MANY DEVOUR ACCORDING TO I PETER 5:8 (READ IT).

***** NOW HERE THE DEVIL IS CALLED OUR ADVERSARY, OUR ENEMY, OUR OPPONENT, AND HE IS A TERRIBLE ENEMY.

(3) YET, HIS DOOM IS COMING AND TODAY WE COME TO THE FINAL STAGE IN THE DEVIL’S DEMISE.

* FOR GOD CREATED A PLACE FOR THE DEVIL TO BE TORMENTED IN, FOR JESUS SAID IN MATTHEW 25:41 (READ IT).

** NOW UNDERSTAND THAT HELL OR THE ETERNAL LAKE OF FIRE IS A SPECIFIC PLACE CREATED FOR A SPECIFIC REASON.

*** AND CREATOR GOD RULES OVER WHATEVER HE CREATES.

**** I MEAN NOT EVEN IN THE LAKE OF FIRE DOES GOD ABANDON HIS SOVEREIGN RULE AND CONTROL.

(4) SO IF THE DEVIL IS GOD’S DEVIL AS MARTIN LUTHER SAID, THEN THE LAKE OF FIRE IS GOD’S LAKE OF FIRE.

* AS IRWIN LUTZER SAID IN HIS BOOK ABOUT THE DEVIL TITLE “THE SERPENT PARADISE,” “HELL IS GOD’S HELL.”

** AND THAT MEANS, GOD, NOT THE DEVIL RULES IN HELL.

*** GOD IS THE CREATOR OF HELL AND HE DOES NOT GIVE WHAT HE HAS CREATED AS A PART OF HIS KINGDOM AND RULE TO ANOTHER.

**** SO HELL IS NEITHER THE FIGMENT OF A LIVELY IMAGINATION LIKE DANTE’S INFERNO, NOR IS IT A PLACE WHERE SATAN RULES.

(5) IN FACT, I CAN MAKE THE STATEMENT, GOD’S WILL IS DONE IN HELL, NOT THE DEVIL’S. IT IS NOT THE DEVIL’S DOMAIN, BUT GOD’S!

* SO SATAN WILL NOT BE THE TORMENTOR IN THE LAKE OF FIRE, BUT THE TORMENTED.

** HE IS NOT THE KING OF HELL, GOD IS.

*** AND THE DEVIL WILL BE TORMENTED DAY AND NIGHT FOREVER AND EVER!

**** THUS IN OUR STUDY OF GOD’S WORD TODAY WE SEE THE DEVIL’S DOOM, WHICH IS THE TITLE OF MY SERMON TODAY.

(6) AND UNDER THE TITLE OF THE DEVIL’S DOOM, WE’LL LOOK AT 5 THINGS IN REVELATION 20:10 ABOUT THE DEVIL, FROM WHOM HE IS AND THE WAY HE WORKS TO HIS OWN JUDGMENT.

* NO. 1, HIS PERSON IN V. 10A; NO. 2 HIS PRACTICE, V. 10B; NO. 3 HIS PLACE, V. 10C; NO. 4 HIS PROTÉGÉS, V. 10D; AND NO. 5 HIS PUNISHMENT, V. 10E.

** SO WE’LL LOOK AT THE DEVIL’S PERSON, HIS PRACTICE, HIS PLACE, HIS PROTÉGÉS AND HIS PUNISHMENT.

*** AND WITH THAT OUTLINE TO FRAME OUR STUDY, LOOK AT REVELATION 20:10A PLEASE WHERE WE’LL SEE OUR FIRST POINT, HIS PERSON – 3 WORDS.

I. HIS PERSON, (READ V. 10A)

A. NOW WHO IS THE PERSON WHO IS OUR ENEMY? THE ANSWER IS THE DEVIL.

* AND THE GREEK WORD FOR DEVIL HERE IS DEE-AB-O-LOCE USED SOME 35 TIMES IN THE N.T. WHICH LIT. MEANS SLANDERER OR ACCUSER, WHICH IS ONE OF THE MOST COMMON TITLES OF SATAN IN SCRIPTURE.

** AND THE IDEA BEHIND THE WORD DEVIL IS THE ACTION OF “ONE WHO SLANDERS” OR “ONE WHO TRIPS UP.”

*** THUS THE DEVIL SEEKS TO UTTER FALSE CHARGES AND MISREPRESENTATIONS TO DAMAGE THE REPUTATION OF GOD AND CHRISTIANS.

**** AND THUS HE IS THE ACCUSER OF THE BRETHREN IN REVELATION 12:10 WHICH WE’VE ALREADY STUDIED.

1. BUT IN THAT SENSE, THE DEVIL POINTS OUT OUR FAULTS, OUR WEAKNESSES, OUR SIN, OUR UNWORTHINESS AND OUR FAILURES BEFORE GOD, IN A SENSE LIKE HE DID WITH JOB IN JOB CHAPTERS 1&2.

* BUT BROTHERS AND SISTERS – BRETHREN, I JOHN 2:1&2A SAYS: (READ THEM).

** NOW HERE WE HAVE A WONDERFUL TRUTH, OUR ADVOCATE, OUR DEFENSE ATTORNEY IN THE COURT OF GOD WHO PLEADS OUR CASE IS THE LORD JESUS AND HE TURNS TO SATAN AND SAYS “THEY ARE MINE.”

*** I’VE BOUGHT THEM, I PURCHASED THEIR SALVATION BY MY DEATH, AND I AM THE SATISFACTION FOR THEIR SINS, AND YES THEIR PRACTICE IS UNHOLY BUT I AM HOLY AND RIGHTEOUS AND I HAVE DECLARED THEM RIGHTEOUS THROUGH FAITH IN MY FINISHED WORK.

**** AND THAT’S ONE OF THE REASONS OUR SALVATION IS ABSOLUTELY SECURE ONCE WE ARE TRULY IN CHRIST.

2. FOR YOU KNOW WHAT, JESUS HAS NEVER LOST A CASE! HE IS OUR HOLY ADVOCATE TO THE ACCUSER OF THE BRETHREN, TO THE DEVIL, THE SLANDERER, THE ACCUSER.

* BUT ALSO THE WORD DEVIL IS USED IN OTHER WAYS TO TALK ABOUT OUR ULTIMATE ENEMY.

** FOR ANYONE WHO IS NOT IN CHRIST IS A CHILD OF THE DEVIL, FOR JOHN 8:44 (READ IT). ALSO HE IS A LIAR, AS A SLANDERER, AS AN ACCUSER.

*** IN EPHESIANS 4:26&27 IT SAYS: (READ THEM).

**** THEN IN EPHESIANS 6:11 WE ARE TOLD TO: (READ IT).

3. IN JAMES 4:7 IT SAYS:

* THEN IN I PETER 5:8, AND I MADE REFERENCE TO THIS EARLIER, IT SAYS: (READ IT).

** NOW CLEARLY WE SEE IN THIS TEXT THAT OUR ENEMY IS THE DEVIL AND WE MUST NOT BE IGNORANT OF HIS DEVICES, HIS SCHEMES, HIS DESIGNS, II CORINTHIANS 2:11, IN OTHER WORDS WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND HOW HE WORKS SO HE DOES NOT GET AN ADVANTAGE OF US.

*** II CORINTHIANS 2:11 – “SO THAT NO ADVANTAGE WOULD BE TAKEN OF US BY SATAN, FOR WE ARE NOT IGNORANT OF HIS SCHEMES.”

**** AND ONE OF HIS SCHEMES AND TRAPS IS DECEIT, WHICH IS HIS PRACTICE, OUR 2’D POINT TODAY. WE MOVE FROM HIS PERSON-THE DEVIL, TO HIS PRACTICE.

II. HIS PRACTICE, (READ V. 20:10)

A. NOW ONE OF THE PRACTICES OF THE DEVIL, ONE OF HIS GREAT TACTICS AND METHODS IS DECEIT, DECEIVING PEOPLE WHICH REVEALS HIS CHARACTER AS A LIAR.

* AND CONTEXTUALLY AND SPECIFICALLY, THE “THEM” IN V. 10 ARE THE CHILDREN OF TRIBULATION BELIEVERS WHO LIVED AND WENT INTO THE MILLENNIUM, THE KINGDOM OF CHRIST ON THE EARTH WITH UNRESURRECTED BODIES, WITH THEIR PHYSICAL BODIES.

** AND AS I TALKED ABOUT LAST WEEK, MANY OF THOSE CHILDREN WHO WILL OUTWARDLY CONFORM TO CHRIST RULING ON THE EARTH WILL BE REBELS ON THE INSIDE, NOW CONFORMING TO CHRIST’S RULE EXTERNALLY WHO HAVE NOT TURNED TO CHRIST FOR SALVATION.

*** AND WHEN SATAN IS RELEASED FROM HIS PRISON, THE PIT OF THE ABYSS WHERE HE WAS INCARCERATED BEFORE THE START OF THE MILLENNIUM, WHEN HE IS RELEASED HE WILL COME OUT TO DECEIVE THE NATIONS WHICH ARE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE REBELS OUTWARDLY CONFORMING TO CHRIST.

**** REVELATION 20:3 SAYS THIS: “AND HE THREW HIM INTO THE ABYSS, AND SHUT IT AND SEALED IT OVER HIM, SO THAT HE WOULD NOT DECEIVE THE NATIONS ANY LONGER, UNTIL THE THOUSAND YEARS WERE COMPLETED; AFTER THESE THINGS HE MUST BE RELEASED FOR A SHORT TIME.”

1. AND THEN REVELATION 20:7-9 SAYS:

V. 7 – WHEN THE THOUSAND YEARS ARE COMPLETED, SATAN WILL BE RELEASED FROM HIS PRISON,

V. 8 – AND WILL COME OUT TO DECEIVE THE NATIONS WHICH ARE IN THE FOUR CORNERS OF THE EARTH, GOG AND MAGOG, TO GATHER THEM TOGETHER FOR THE WAR; THE NUMBER OF THEM IS LIKE THE SAND OF THE SEASHORE.

V. 9 – AND THEY CAME UP ON THE BROAD PLAIN OF THE EARTH AND SURROUNDED THE CAMP OF THE SAINTS AND THE BELOVED CITY, AND FIRE CAME DOWN FROM HEAVEN AND DEVOURED THEM.

* NOW AS WE PUT THOSE VERSES TOGETHER, WE CLEARLY SEE WHO THE “THEM” ARE, THE PEOPLE WHO FOLLOW THE DEVIL AT THE END OF THE MILLENNIUM WHO MAKE UP HIS ARMY TO ATTACK JERUSALEM AND THAT ARE KILLED AND CONSUMED BY GOD’S JUDGMENT.

** SO THE DEVIL DECEIVES THEM AND THIS REMINDS US OF HIS GREAT PRACTICE, HE IS A MASTER DECEIVER.

*** AND HE IS PRESENTED THAT WAY IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION.

**** FOR REVELATION 12:9 SAYS: AND THE GREAT DRAGON WAS THROWN DOWN, THE SERPENT OF OLD WHO IS CALLED THE DEVIL AND SATAN, WHO DECEIVES THE WHOLE WORLD; HE WAS THROWN DOWN TO THE EARTH, AND HIS ANGELS WERE THROWN DOWN WITH HIM.

2. AND THEN IN REVELATION 13:14, WE SEE THAT THE FALSE PROPHET, THE FALSE RELIGIOUS LEADER OF THE TRIBULATION, WHO IS ENERGIZED BY SATAN USES THIS METHOD.

* FOR REVELATION 13:14 SAYS: AND HE DECEIVES THOSE WHO DWELL ON THE EARTH BECAUSE OF THE SIGNS WHICH IT WAS GIVEN HIM TO PERFORM IN THE PRESENCE OF THE BEAST, TELLING THOSE WHO DWELL ON THE EARTH TO MAKE AN IMAGE TO THE BEAST WHO HAD THE WOUND OF THE SWORD AND HAS COME TO LIFE.

** AND WE SEE THIS METHOD EMPLOYED BY THE FALSE PROPHET AND THE ANTICHRIST-THE POLITICAL LEADERS OF THE WORLD DURING THE TRIBULATION IN REVELATION 19:20 WHERE IT SAYS:

*** REVELATION 19:20 – AND THE BEAST WAS SEIZED, AND WITH HIM THE FALSE PROPHET WHO PERFORMED THE SIGNS IN HIS PRESENCE, BY WHICH HE DECEIVED THOSE WHO HAD RECEIVED THE MARK OF THE BEAST AND THOSE WHO WORSHIPED HIS IMAGE; THESE TWO WERE THROWN ALIVE INTO THE LAKE OF FIRE WHICH BURNS WITH BRIMSTONE.

**** NOW MY POINT IS, THE DEVIL IS THE GREAT DECEIVER AND THE POWER OF DECEIT IS, IT IS TRICKY, WE ARE SUCKED INTO BELIEVING A LIE.

3. AND WITHOUT THE TRUTH OF GOD’S WORD TO HELP US THINK RIGHT, WE BELIEVE THE LIE OF DECEPTION VERY EASILY, WHY? FOR JEREMIAH 17:9 SAYS: (READ IT).

* SO THE DEVIL WHO IS THE GREAT DECEIVER USES OUR DECEITFUL HEARTS TO LEAD US ASTRAY.

** AND THE PROBLEM IS, WE DON’T SEE UNLESS WE HAVE THE WORD OF GOD IN THE FOREFRONT OF OUR MINDS.

*** FOR REMEMBER, A PERSON WHO IS DECEIVED DOES NOT KNOW IT.

**** I MEAN IF YOU KNEW YOU WERE BEING DECEIVED, THE DECEPTION IS NOT GOOD AND WHEN YOU BELIEVE A LIE, IT BECOMES THE TRUTH FOR YOU.

4. AND BELOVED SATAN WILL USE HIS BAIT, HIS HOOK, HIS LURE, HIS DECOYS TO ENTICE AND TO ALLURE US, TO TEMPT US.

* AND THE DEVIL WILL LIE TO US SO THAT WE ARE NOT FOCUSING ON GOD BUT SELF, OUR LUSTS, OUR PASSIONS, SO THAT WE ARE FOCUSING ON THE TEMPORARY AND NOT THE ETERNAL, ON OUR PRESENT HAPPINESS OVER HOLINESS.

** AND WE ARE DECEIVED INTO THINKING THAT YIELDING TO THE BAIT WILL SATISFY US WHEN IN REALITY WE GET HOOKED LIKE A FISH AND REALLY GET HURT AND SOMETIMES DIE.

*** I MEAN THINK OF ANY KIND OF IMMORALITY, CONSEQUENCES AND THE RESULTS ARE NOT CONSIDERED WHEN WE ARE TEMPTED AND YIELD.

**** THINK OF BUYING SOMETHING YOU CANNOT AFFORD, BUT YOU THINK YOU HAVE TO HAVE IT AND RATIONALIZE WITH ALL THE REASONS IT WILL BE GOOD, EVEN TO QUOTE USING IT FOR THE LORD. (LIKE A CAR OR HOUSE YOU CANNOT AFFORD)

5. DO YOU REALIZE THE HOUSING AND SUB PRIME LOAN CRISIS WE HAVE TODAY WAS DRIVEN BY GREED TO MAKE MONEY AND BUY HOUSES PEOPLE CANNOT AFFORD. (OH BUT I CAN USE MY HOUSE FOR THE LORD). WELL, YOU CAN USE YOUR APARTMENT FOR THE LORD TOO!) OH HOW WE RATIONALIZE THINGS!

* THINK OF SPORTS AND HOW WE CAN ENJOY THEM, BUT HOW SOME PEOPLE GET OBSESSED AND LIVE FOR THEM AND CANNOT EVEN COME TO CHURCH BECAUSE THEY ARE TOO BUSY AND ALWAYS AWAY.

** THINK OF SMOKING AND ILLEGAL DRUGS AND HOW PEOPLE PAY MONEY TO KILL THEMSELVES TO SATISFY A CRAVING.

*** AND EVEN FOOD, A WONDERFUL GIFT FROM GOD TO ENJOY, BUT HOW THROUGH GLUTTONY AND ABUSE WE LIVE TO EAT RATHER THAN EAT TO LIVE.

**** AND FOLKS, BOTTOM LINE WE MUST HIDE THE WORD OF GOD IN OUR HEARTS AND SET THE LORD ALWAYS BEFORE US OR WE WILL BE DECEIVED BY OUR THREE ENEMIES, THE WORLD SYSTEM, OUR FLESH AND IN THE CONTEXT OF OUR STUDY TODAY, THE DEVIL, READ PSALM 119:11.

6. AND THEN PSALM 16:8 SAYS: I HAVE SET THE LORD CONTINUALLY BEFORE ME; BECAUSE HE IS AT MY RIGHT HAND, I WILL NOT BE SHAKEN.

* NOW WE MUST KEEP THE LORD AND HIS TRUTH ALWAYS BEFORE US SO THAT WE DON’T BELIEVE THE LIES OF THE DEVIL AND IN THE PROCESS BE DECEIVED.

** SO WHAT IS THE PRACTICE OF THE PERSON THE DEVIL? HE DECEIVES.

*** BUT ONE DAY, HE WILL DECEIVE NO MORE, FOR HIS DOOM IS COMING, AND HE HAS A PLACE RESERVED IN THE LAKE OF FIRE FOREVER ONE DAY, WHICH LEADS US TO OUR THIRD POINT TODAY, HIS PLACE. LOOK BACK AT REVELATION 20:10 AGAIN PLEASE.

III. HIS PLACE, (READ REVELATION 20:10 – FINISH WITH BRIMSTONE)

A. NOW AFTER THE DEVIL LEADS THE FINAL REBELLION OF MANKIND AGAINST GOD IN REVELATION 20:8&9, HE WILL BE FINALLY CAST, LIT. HURLED, THROWN, THRUST INTO THE LAKE OF FIRE.

* SO THE DEVIL WILL RECEIVE HIS RETRIBUTION IN A PLACE CALLED “THE LAKE OF FIRE AND BRIMSTONE”, INTO A LAKE OF BURNING SULFUR, A LAKE OF BURNING ROCK-BRIMSTONE.

** AND THIS IS THE PLACE OF ETERNAL FIRE WHICH HAS BEEN PREPARED FOR THE DEVIL AND HIS DEMONS, AND NOW OPENS TO EMBRACE HIM.

*** AND THIS IS THE DEVIL’S ULTIMATE DOOM, HIS PLACE OF DAMNATION, NEVER TO TEMPT OR DECEIVE AGAIN.

**** AND IMAGINE THAT THE ONE WHO IS THE GREAT DECEIVER HAS BEEN DECEIVED HIMSELF, PROBABLY THINKING THAT IT WOULD NEVER COME, BEING DERANGED, INSANE AND DECEIVED BY HIS OWN HATRED AND SIN.

1. AND HE WILL BURN IN THIS LAKE, IN THIS PLACE WHERE FIRE IS EVERYWHERE, FOR WHEN YOU JUMP INTO A LAKE OF WATER, WE FIND OUT THAT WATER SURROUNDS US AND WE GET IT IN OUR EARS, OUR EYES, AND IT COVERS OUR BODY.

* WELL, IN THE LAKE OF FIRE, FIRE WILL BE EVERYWHERE AND SATAN’S BEING WILL NOT BE CONSUMED, HE WILL NOT BURN UP, IT IS A FURNACE OF FIRE, READ MATTHEW 13:50.

** AND AS WE WILL SEE IN A FEW MINUTES, THIS PUNISHMENT, THIS FURNACE OF FIRE, THIS PUNISHMENT WILL LAST FOREVER.

*** BUT BEFORE I DEVELOP THAT, I WANT YOU TO SEE THAT THE DEVIL’S PROTÉGÉS ARE THERE, SO LOOK BACK PLEASE TO V. 10 WHERE WE’LL SEE OUR 4TH POINT TODAY, HIS PROTÉGÉS.

IV. HIS PROTÉGÉS, (READ V. 10 – END WITH ALSO)

A. NOW NOTICE THAT SATAN JOINS HIS TWO PROTÉGÉS, THE BEAST WHICH IS ANTICHRIST AND THE FALSE PROPHET, THE THREE OF THEM MAKING UP THE UNHOLY TRINITY IN THE TRIBULATION, THE SATANIC TRINITY.

* BUT THEY ARE REUNITED, BUT NOT FOR A GLORIOUS REUNION, BUT FOR JUDGMENT.

** AND NOTICE THE LANGUAGE HERE, “WHERE THE BEAST AND FALSE PROPHET ARE ALSO” OR ARE, IN THE NKJV.

*** AND MY POINT IS THE BEAST AND THE FALSE PROPHET WERE THROWN INTO THE LAKE OF FIRE AT THE END OF THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON WHEN CHRIST RETURNED TO THE EARTH IN REVELATION 19:20 WHICH SAYS:

**** REVELATION 19:20 – AND THE BEAST WAS SEIZED, AND WITH HIM THE FALSE PROPHET WHO PERFORMED THE SIGNS IN HIS PRESENCE, BY WHICH HE DECEIVED THOSE WHO HAD RECEIVED THE MARK OF THE BEAST AND THOSE WHO WORSHIPED HIS IMAGE; THESE TWO WERE THROWN ALIVE INTO THE LAKE OF FIRE WHICH BURNS WITH BRIMSTONE.

1. NOW WITH THAT FACT IN MIND, REMEMBER THE BEAST AND THE FALSE PROPHET ARE HUMAN BEINGS, ENERGIZED AND MAYBE EVEN POSSESSED AT TIMES BY THE DEVIL, YET THEY ARE STILL HUMAN BEINGS.

* AND HOW LONG HAVE THE BEAST AND THE FALSE PROPHET BEEN IN THE LAKE OF FIRE UP TO THIS TIME? THE ANSWER IS 1,000 YEARS.

*** THE TIME PERIOD FROM REVELATION 19:20 TO REVELATION 20:10 IS 1,000 YEARS, FOR REVELATION 20:7 SAYS WHEN THE THOUSAND YEARS WERE COMPLETED SATAN WILL BE RELEASED FROM HIS PRISON WHICH HE WAS THROWN INTO IN REVELATION 20:3.

*** SO FOR 1,000 YEARS THE BEAST AND THE FALSE PROPHET, TWO HUMAN BEINGS HAVE BEEN BURNING IN THE LAKE OF FIRE WITHOUT BEING CONSUMED.

**** WHICH CLEARLY COMMUNICATES AND REFUTES THE FALSE DOCTRINE OF ANNIHILATIONISM.

2. BELOVED, THE BEAST AND FALSE PROPHET’S PRESENCE IN THE LAKE OF FIRE AFTER SUCH A LENGTHY PERIOD PROVES THAT ANY THOUGHT OF ANNIHILATION IS WITHOUT SCRIPTURAL FOUNDATION.

* THE BEAST AND THE FALSE PROPHET ARE STILL THERE. THEY WILL BE PRESERVED IN JUDGMENT, NOT ANNIHILATED.

** AND ALTHOUGH ANNIHILATIONISM TAUGHT BY JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES AND OTHER CULTS AND EVEN BY SOME PROFESSING EVANGELICALS TODAY MAY QUOTE GET GOD OFF THE HOOK, THAT HE IN LOVE COULD NEVER PUNISH ANYONE FOREVER, THE SCRIPTURES DO NOT TEACH ANNIHILIATIONISM, THAT PEOPLE ARE THROWN IN THE LAKE OF FIRE AND ARE BURNED UP IMMEDIATELY AND CEASE TO EXIST.

*** AND BY THE WAY, GOD IS NEVER ON THE HOOK, WE DON’T HAVE TO APOLOGIZE FOR HIS ABSOLUTE HOLINESS AND JUSTICE AND WRATH.

**** ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS COMMUNICATE THAT ONE SIN IS A HEINOUS ACT OF REBELLION AGAINST THE HOLY LAWGIVER AND THAT SIN MUST BE PAID FOR.

3. AND HELL IS FOREVER FOR A PERSON WHO IS NOT FORGIVEN OF THEIR SINS THROUGH CHRIST, MUST PAY FOR THEIR COSMIC TREASON FOREVER AND WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO PAY OFF THE DEBT.

* AND THAT THE LAKE OF FIRE IS ETERNAL JUDGMENT IS BROUGHT OUT CLEARLY AND REINFORCED IN OUR LAST POINT TODAY, HIS PUNISHMENT. LOOK BACK AT REVELATION 20:10 ONE MORE TIME PLEASE.

V. HIS PUNISHMENT, (READ REVELATION 20:10)

A. NOW THE DEVIL’S PUNISHMENT AND THE BEAST AND FALSE PROPHET’S PUNISHMENT, “AND THEY” WILL BE FOREVER.

* FOR IT SAYS: “AND THEY WILL BE TORMENTED DAY AND NIGHT, FOREVER AND EVER.”

** AND THREE QUICK THINGS ABOUT THE DEVIL’S PUNISHMENT WITH HIS TWO PROTÉGÉS.

*** NO. 1 THEY WILL BE TORMENTED. AND THE WORD TORMENTED IN THE GREEK LIT. MEANS TO TORTURE, TO VEX WITH GRIEVOUS PAINS, TO BRING ABOUT SEVERE DISTRESS.

**** THERE WILL NOT BE A MOMENT’S RELIEF, NO PAUSE, NO TIMEOUT, NO LET UP AND NEVER AN INTERMISSION FROM TORMENT.

1. NO. 2 HOW LONG WILL THEIR TORMENT BE? THE FIRST ANSWER: “DAY AND NIGHT”

* AND THIS EXPRESSION COMMUNICATES SOMETHING THAT GOES ON ENDLESSLY OR CEASELESSLY.

** IN OTHER WORDS THE DURATION OF THEIR TORMENT WILL BE CONTINUAL AND WILL NOT BE INTERRUPTED BY MOMENTS OF REPRIEVE.

*** BUT THIRDLY, THE TORMENT WILL BE DAY AND NIGHT “FOREVER AND EVER.”

**** AND GREEK SCHOLAR ROBERT THOMAS WHO WAS ON THE TEAM THAT TRANSLATED THE NAS SAYS AT THIS POINT IN HIS COMMENTARY ON REVELATION AND I QUOTE:

2. “FOREVER AND EVER, LITERALLY MEANS TO THE AGES OF THE AGES” AND IS THE STRONGEST POSSIBLE EXPRESSION IN THE GREEK LANGUAGE TO EXPRESS EMPHATICALLY THAT THE PUNISHMENT LASTS ETERNALLY. CEASELESSLY AND ENDLESSLY UNTIL THE MIND REELS AT THE CONCEPT MUST THIS TORMENT BE THE PORTION OF THE DEVIL AND THOSE ASSOCIATED WITH HIM.” (END QUOTE)

* SO WE THAT HAVE UNENDING NATURE OF THE TORMENT, ETERNAL TORMENT.

** AND SOME OF YOU MIGHT BE THINKING, WELL, ETERNAL PUNISHMENT IS ONLY FOR THE DEVIL AND BEAST AND THE FALSE PROPHET, NOT ALL UNBELIEVERS, NOT ALL UNSAVED PEOPLE.

*** WELL, WHERE DO UNSAVED PEOPLE GO TO IN REVELATION 20:14&15 AFTER THE GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT?

**** THE ANSWER IS THE SAME LAKE OF FIRE. READ REVELATION 20:14&15.

3. SO ALL UNSAVED PEOPLE WILL BE DOOMED IN THE SAME LAKE OF FIRE.

* AND BIBLICALLY THE SCRIPTURES TEACH THAT THE LAKE OF FIRE IS FOREVER, READ MATTHEW 25:46.

** NOW HERE JESUS TAUGHT THAT THE PUNISHMENT OF THE WICKED IS AS ETERNAL AS THE ETERNAL LIFE OF THE RIGHTEOUS.

*** AND THEN II THESSALONIANS 1:7-9 TEACH THAT THE DESTRUCTION OF THE WICKED IN HELL STRETCHES THROUGHOUT ETERNITY. (READ THEM).

**** AND THEN FINALLY, IN REVELATION 14:11 THE UNSAVED’S TORMENT IS FOREVER AND EVER, FOR IT SAYS: “AND THE SMOKE OF THEIR TORMENT GOES UP FOREVER AND EVER; THEY HAVE NO REST DAY AND NIGHT, THOSE WHO WORSHIP THE BEAST AND HIS IMAGE, AND WHOEVER RECEIVES THE MARK OF HIS NAME.”

4. NOW THE ONLY BIBLICAL HONEST CONCLUSION IS, HELL IS FOREVER, THE LAKE OF FIRE IS FOREVER FOR ALL CHRIST REJECTERS. WHAT A TERRIBLE FUTURE FOR ALL THOSE NOT IN CHRIST.

IN WRAP UP: (1) THE THING ABOUT HELL, THAT IS SCARIEST TO ME OF ALL OF ITS TORMENTS IS, IT IS FOREVER.

* IMAGINE, A THOUSAND YEARS GO BY, A MILLION YEARS GO BY, A BILLION YEARS GO BY, A TRILLION YEARS GO BY AND YOU ARE NO CLOSER TO THE END THAN YOU WERE IN THE BEGINNING.

** THERE IS NO RELIEF, NO REST, NO VACATION, NO INTERMISSION, JUST TORMENT IN THE FIRE 24/7 FOREVER.

*** AND UNLESS YOU TURN FROM YOUR REBELLION AND SIN IN REPENTANT FAITH IN CHRIST, THAT WILL BE YOUR LOT.

**** YOUR BEST LIFE IS NOW! THIS IS AS GOOD AS IT GETS FOR YOU, FOR OUR SIN SEPARATES US FROM GOD. OUR SIN ALIENATES US FROM GOD, AND OUR SIN LEADS TO ETERNAL PUNISHMENT.

(2) AND SIN IS NEVER WORTH IT, IT ONLY BRINGS TEMPORARY FLEETING PLEASURE, BUT SIN BRINGS DEATH, THE 2’D DEATH, READ ROMANS 6:23 AND EZEKIEL 18:4.

* AND LUKE 5:32 SAYS: (READ IT). ALSO READ LUKE 19:10.

** AND THERE IS ONLY ONE WHO CAN SAVE YOU FROM GOD’S HOLY WRATH AND HIS NAME IS JESUS-SAVIOR, READ MATTHEW 1:21 AND LUKE 2:11.

*** AND JESUS CHRIST IS THE ONLY WAY OF SALVATION, READ ACTS 4:12.

**** SO SALVATION IS IN CHRIST ALONE THROUGH FAITH ALONE IN HIS FINISHED WORK AND SACRIFICIAL DEATH ON THE CROSS FOR SINNERS AND THROUGH HIS VICTORIOUS RESURRECTION FROM SIN.

(3) IF YOU ARE HERE TODAY WITHOUT CHRIST, REPENT AND TURN TO HIM ALONE FOR SALVATION.

* LASTLY, BELIEVER, CONTRARY TO THE THEME OF A VERY POPULAR BOOK TODAY, OUR BEST LIFE IS NOT NOW, IT IS TO COME.

** THE BIBLE PROMISES TRIBULATION AND TRIALS AND SUFFERING FOR TRUE BELIEVERS. JESUS SAID IN JOHN 16:33 – “THESE THINGS I HAVE SPOKEN TO YOU, SO THAT IN ME YOU MAY HAVE PEACE. IN THE WORLD YOU HAVE TRIBULATION, BUT TAKE COURAGE; I HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD.”

*** ALSO READ JAMES 1:2-4, ROMANS 5:3&4 AND I PETER 4:16&19.

**** NOW MY POINT IS, IF YOUR EXPECTATION AS A CHRISTIAN IS, EVERYTHING IS GOING TO WORK OUT NOW AND GO YOUR WAY, YOU ARE GOING TO BE DISAPPOINTED AND DEPRESSED.

(4) BUT IF YOU UNDERSTAND THAT WE CAN HAVE JOY NOW IN THE MIDST OF TRIALS AND THE BEST IS YET TO COME, YOU WILL NOT BE DISCOURAGED.

* BELOVED, OUR DESTINY IS ETERNITY-FOREVER WITH JESUS. VICTORY IS AHEAD. GLORY IS AHEAD. REST IS AHEAD. BUT AS I SAID LAST SUNDAY, NOW IS THE TIME OF THE CROSS. READ MATTHEW 16:24-26.

** BELIEVER, OUR BEST LIFE AND VICTORY IS COMING.

*** AND ONE LAST THOUGHT IN RESTING IN GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY.

**** THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTY DEMONSTRATES HIS SOVEREIGNTY OVER THE DEVIL AND THE AFFAIRS OF THIS WORLD GIVES US SURE HOPE THAT OUR GOD’S ULTIMATE VICTORY OVER EVIL IS ASSURED.

(5) SATAN MAY BE ALIVE AND ACTIVE ON PLANET EARTH, BUT HE IS NOT ALIVE AND WELL, FOR HIS FATE HAS BEEN DETERMINED AND IS QUICKLY DRAWING NEAR.

* THE BEST IS YET TO COME. LET US REJOICE IN JESUS CHRIST TODAY. READ REVELATION 20:10.