Revelation: The Lake of Fire is Death 2
“Grandpa, are you really in hell?”
That’s eleven year old Joshua’s question in a scene from the movie Troll 2.
“No,” says the ghostly head of Grandpa Seth seen in front of Joshua’s reflection in a mirror, “But I know a trick that a friend of mine who went there taught me!”
The Bible says the lake of fire is the second death. Death is the word chosen. And the second death is a sequel to the first. But defenders of endless torment don't think so because in their view those cast into the lake of fire never ultimately die. Traditionalists, like Grandpa Seth, know a trick.
Troll 2 is considered the “Best Worst Movie” of all time. A documentary about the cult classic makes the case that it’s so bad as a horror film that it’s hilariously fabulous as a comedy. A fanatical following attend quirky screening parties ensuring the farcical flick an enduring notoriety. But Troll 2 is not a sequel, and there aren’t any trolls. Produced in 1990 as Goblins, distributors doubtful of its prospects renamed it Troll 2 in a bizarre effort to market it as a sequel to a film with which it had absolutely no connection, 1986’s Troll.
A sequel is neither a remake nor a standalone- it has to be both similar and different enough to qualify as a sequel. Sequels must have something in common with their precursor. If there’s no resemblance or connection, it’s not a sequel.
Like undying worms, unquenchable fire, and ever-ascending smoke, the lake of fire is a prominent panel in the perpetual panorama. But the lake of fire is “the second death” (Revelation 20:14; 21:8), and the second death is a sequel. Saying “second” says it is not the first; saying “death” says it must be similar. It could not possibly be called “the second death” if it has no resemblance or connection to the first. This chapter will prove that, unlike Troll 2, the second death, Death 2, is indeed a sequel to the first.
But traditionalists know a trick. Notice the specific order of the description: “The lake of fire is the second death,” not “the second death is the lake of fire.” The lake of fire is defined as the second death, not the other way around. Does it matter? It probably shouldn’t, but here’s why it does. When I believed in endless torment, typical of other traditionalists I would always switch the order so I could explain that the second death is the lake of fire. Reversing the order supported our dogma that to die really means to burn. To say it in the Biblical order makes it sound like to burn actually means to die. And it does, actually.
So this is a vital question. Does die mean to burn, or does burn mean to die? Is the lake the death, or is death the lake?
John the Revelator says the lake of fire is the second death. Why would the lake of fire be called “the second death” if there is no death? How can it be death if no one dies? No trolls in Troll 2? Then it’s neither Troll nor 2. And a second death with no death would be just as loopy.
But not so to endless defenders. No death? No problem. Traditionalists have played so loose with the scriptural terminology that they have no problem redefining death until it means never dying- wresting an obvious end into no end at all. And reversing the order helps do so. “You see,” they say, “the second death means eternal separation from God in the lake of fire.” But nobody dies. How is that death? Scripture, however, gives indisputable evidence that the second death is verily a sequel, and that death means, yes, death.
Here’s the trailer to Death 2 (imagine a deep dark voice): Coming soon to theaters near you...
And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. Revelation 20:11-15.
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.
Proof that death means death is the contrast here of the second death to the book of life. “Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire… which is the second death.” It’s the “perish” or “everlasting life” of John 3:16. This is so very consistent with the multitude of times life and death are contrasted in the New Testament:
How is death understood in the rest of Revelation? Found thirty-five times, death and related words (dead, deadly, die, and died) are used in their plain and primary sense as a lack or loss of life. Creatures that “had life… died” (8:9); “every living soul died” (16:3). The expression “kill… with death” is found twice (2:23; 6:8). The sword, hunger, and famine brings death (6:8; 18:8). For the believer death is rest: “Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord... that they may rest from their labours” (14:13). Death is the obvious opposite of life: He who holds the keys to death is “alive for evermore” (1:18); those faithful unto death receive a crown of life” (2:10); and there are those who “loved not their lives unto the death” (12:11). This is not esoteric or obscure language. It is easily understood. Death means death.
And death is definitively differentiated from torment:
And to them (locusts) it was given that they should not kill them (men without the seal of God in their foreheads), but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man. And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them. Revelation 9:3-6.
Here we have “torment” and “death” as mutually exclusive. Not killed, they are tormented; tormented, they seek death to escape it. John’s language is that death would be the end, not the beginning, of their torment. If death would mean torment, then in an effort to flee temporal torment they would receive eternal torment. That would be jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire, a five month frying pan into an endless fire. That doesn't make sense, and that is not the sense.
Here’s a fatal flaw in the traditional twisting of death into torment. In the very same passage that calls the lake of fire the second death we learn “there shall be no more death” (21:4). Champions of ongoing agony deny this promise by contending that the second death is some kind of eternal death, a perpetual dying. That’s their edition of Death 2. But that would be more death, not no more death. And it's nonsensical to imagine a dying that never ends in death. Something is only dying if it finally dies.
The idea that somewhere in the far distant reaches of the universe billions are perpetually dying in ceaseless suffering is contradictory to the glorious assurance that "God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away" (21:4). According to traditionalists, tears, sorrow, crying, and pain only end for believers. In their view it is not a consummate victory but a real horror movie in which the vast majority of humankind will have endless tears and sorrow while continuously crying in nonstop pain.
"The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death" (1 Corinthians 15:56). This happens when "death and hell (are) cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life (is) cast into the lake of fire." This is the one and the same event in which the wicked are punished with everlasting destruction, perish by being burned up, die the second death, and death itself is destroyed and then... there is no more death. The orthodox idea that the second death is an eternal death would mean death is never destroyed.
Here's the good news: those who have experienced a second birth will not experience the second death. “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23), “death passed upon all men for all have sinned” (Romans 5:12), and “it is appointed unto men once to die” (Hebrews 9:27). That's the first death. But “He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death” (Revelation 2:11); and “Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power” (Revelation 20:6). They shall “not perish but have everlasting life.” It’s back to good ol’ John 3:16, life that ends or endless life. Two births, one death. One birth, two deaths.
Paul sums it up: “For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life” (2 Corinthians 2:15, 16). For the saved “life unto life” is this transient life unto everlasting life. For them that perish “death unto death” is the first death common to all unto the second and final death of those not in the book of life. It is Life 2 or Death 2.
“And who is sufficient for these things?” the apostle continues, “For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ” (2 Corinthians 2:16, 17). The lake of fire is Death 2. To say the second death is not a death and therefore not a "second" is an insincere corruption of God’s Word. Lamentably the traditionalist Death 2 resembles the ridiculous Troll 2, no sequel and no death. And incredibly both farces have a devoted cult following.
That sure is some kind of trick, Grandpa Seth.
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