What if? (Personal Thoughts)

Originally posted by Nygdan

Revelation 20:15
If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

You are not in the book, you aren't sent to hell, you are tossed into the lake of fire, your resurrected body is destroyed, your personality is destroyed, you are completely and totally wiped out into oblivion.

The first 2 people thrown into the Lake of Fire are the antichrist and the false prophet. 1000 years later when the final judgement has come for those who reject Christ and they are put into the Lake of Fire, those two are still alive in the Lake of Fire. The Lake of Fire is permanent and those in it do not cease to exist. They are there for all eternity seperated from God. Death and hell are also thrown into the Lake of Fire(they will no longer be apart of eternity for those with God).

It is not Biblical to say that people who reject Christ cease to exist. The exact opposite is stated in the Bible.

Originally posted by Nygdan
And that 'shaitan' or satan doesn't 'run hell' like in 'folk' christianity?

satan doesn't run hell and neither is in hell right now. He roams the earth deceiving people and nations.

It is a bit confusing because of the 'Hollywood influence' and that of artists.
Let me take a shot at it and I am going to use generalizations and simplistic ideas

Sheol is down. The 'underworld changed at Christs resurrection.

Under the earth was divided into two regions.

1. Hell
2. Abrahams bosom a.k.a. Paradise

People could not goto heaven until Christ took away sins, so those that were 'good' went to Paradise. This is why Jesus told the theif on the cross that he would be with Christ in paradise.
Christ went there to 'preach to the spirits in prison'...and then...

Eph 4:7 But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift.
Eph 4:8 Therefore it says, "When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men."
Eph 4:9 (In saying, "He ascended," what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower parts of the earth?
Eph 4:10 He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.)

From that point on, when saints die, they go to heaven. The body is what stays behind and is later resurrected. Just as Jesus did not stay in the tomb, but was resurrected on the 3rd day...so then we do not stay with our body...and it is later resurrected..BUT CHANGED to an incorruptable form.

The hell that remains under the earth is a holding place until judgment.

At Christs second coming his followers will receive their crowns that Paul spoke of. Their rewards according to their works. Only those who love Christ are present at this time. Everyone else is still in hell...their bodies still in the earth.

After the 1000 year reign is the second resurrection. At this resurrection, the only verdict is guilty.

Then these folks are cast into the lake of fire with satan.
Hell is also cast into the lake.