“And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:15).
Some people may not believe in hell, but God makes it clear that all “the fearful, the 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” (Revelation 21:8).
Actually, Jesus Christ said more about hell than anyone else in the Bible. To the unsaved, He will say: “Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41).
The lake of fire is not here on the earth. The beast and the false prophet are to be cast into the lake of fire before the binding of Satan for a thousand years; then the present earth itself is to be removed, and finally Satan will be “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” (Revelation 20:10; see also 19:20; 20:2,7,10,11). Thus the lake of fire is in existence both before and after the removal of the present Earth, and will continue to exist forever.
Many argue that the lake of fire is symbolic, and should not be taken literally. If so, the reality must be so indescribable that it can only be symbolized by an eternal lake of fire. Perhaps it is some distant star, since stars are essentially lakes of fire, and those “that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ” are to be “punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord” (II Thessalonians 1:8,9).
Rather than questioning the reality of hell, which is the just destiny of all who reject or ignore the free gift of salvation, provided by the infinite love and sacrificial suffering of God Himself, in Christ, on their behalf, men and women should come to Christ in faith, and “be saved from wrath through Him” (Romans 5:9). HMM
