biblesky.jpg

 

The Bible on the State of the Dead

 

 

Click to go to our Home Page


 

 

 

 


 

 

Dear Reader,

 

It seems that the professing Christian denominations along with Rome, their Mother, and even professing Seventh-day Adventists, usually give but little of the Biblical evidence for the state of the dead. The following listing of Bible verses on the state of the dead goes far in considering all the weight of evidence involving this serious issue:

 

God told Adam and Eve that the day they should eat of the forbidden fruit tree, they would begin to die. Satan told them they would not die. Nearly every professing “Christian” denomination in the world today teaches Satan’s lie rather than God’s Word, and of course that includes the mother of them all—Roman Catholicism.

 

God’s Warning

 

Gen 2:17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

 

Satan’s Contradiction of God’s Warning—Spiritualism says you will know more and survive death if you disobey God

 

Gen. 3:4, 5 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:

 

5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

 

Most of the non-Christian religions of the world teach Satan’s lie by teaching reincarnation. Satan is the father of religions that teach his lies:

 

John 8:44 "You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature; for he is a liar, and the father of lies. 

 

The  God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, is the God of the living and not the Dead

 

Matt. 22:32 I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.

 

Mark 12:26, 27 And as touching the dead, that they rise: have ye not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?

 

27 He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living: ye therefore do greatly err.

 

Luke 20:38 For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him.

 

Osiris is the Pagan god of the dead as opposed to Jesus, God of the living. All apostate religions venerate the dead in one way or another. The resurrection is for the dead in Christ.

 

Any Attempt to Communicate with and Pray to the dead is forbidden by the Word and is classed with Witchcraft

 

Those who believe they are communicating with the dead and/or using them as mediators between God and man, are really communicating with the spirits of demons.

Deut. 18:9-14 When thou art come into the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations.

10 There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch,

 

11 Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.

 

12 For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee.

 

13 Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God.

 

14 For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for thee, the LORD thy God hath not suffered thee so to do.

 

Lev. 21:1 And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto the priests the sons of Aaron, and say unto them, There shall none be defiled for the dead among his people:

 

Num. 19:16 And whosoever toucheth one that is slain with a sword in the open fields, or a dead body, or a bone of a man, or a grave, shall be unclean seven days.

If one goes to heaven after death, why would one be unclean for touching a dead person?

Gen. 3:19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

1 Cor. 15:20-23 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.

21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.

 

22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

 

23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.

 

The breath of  God is the breath of life that makes man become a living soul:

 

Gen. 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

 

Eccl. 12:7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

 

Spirit is the same as the breath of life from God who gives it. This is the definition of “spirit” as it appears in Eccl. 12:7 (above):

 

Number 7307

Transliteration:

ruwach {roo'-akh}

Word Origin:

from 7306

TWOT:

2131a

Part of Speech:

noun feminine

Usage in the KJV:

Spirit or spirit 232, wind 92, breath 27, side 6, mind 5, blast 4, vain 2, air 1, anger 1, cool 1, courage 1, misc 6

Total: 378

Definition:

1.   wind, breath, mind, spirit

A.   breath

B.   wind

a.   of heaven

b.   quarter (of wind), side

c.   breath of air

d.   air, gas

e.   vain, empty thing

C.   spirit (as that which breathes quickly in animation or agitation)

a.   spirit, animation, vivacity, vigour

b.   courage

c.   temper, anger

d.   impatience, patience

e.   spirit, disposition (as troubled, bitter,

f.     

Job 27:3 All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils;

Ezk. 18:4-9 Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.

5 But if a man be just, and do that which is lawful and right,

 

And hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, neither hath defiled his neighbour’s wife, neither hath come near to a menstruous woman,

 

7 And hath not oppressed any, but hath restored to the debtor his pledge, hath spoiled none by violence, hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment;

 

8 He that hath not given forth upon usury, neither hath taken any increase, that hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity, hath executed true judgment between man and man,

 

9 Hath walked in my statutes, and hath kept my judgments, to deal truly; he is just, he shall surely live, saith the Lord GOD.

 

Considering all the weight of evidence and interpreting so that nothing contradicts, those who deal truly and are just, will surely live after being resurrected and/or translated without seeing death at the coming of Christ. All men have sinned. Those who truly repent of sin will be resurrected and there would be no need of a resurrection of the just if they went to heaven at death.

 

The Bible says 53 times that death is sleep. If the dead go to heaven and are alive and well there, they would not be sleeping. There is not one verse on the immortality of man. God’s Spirit (breath) is immortal and that returns to God at death.

 

Job 14:10 10 But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he?

Job 14:11-15  As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up:

12 So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep.

 

The dead lie down and rise not till the heavens be no more. The heavens become no more at the end of time (see Isa. 34:4 and Rev.6:14 further down).

 

13 O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me!

 

14 If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.

 

15 Thou shalt call, and I will answer thee: thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands.

 

Job 14:21 21 His sons come to honour, and he knoweth it not; and they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not of them.

 

When are the heavens no more?

 

Isa. 34:4 And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll: and all their host shall fall down, as the leaf falleth off from the vine, and as a falling [fig] from the fig tree. 

 

Rev 6:14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.

 

What about the story of Lazarus?

John 11:11-47 These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.

12 Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well.

 

13 Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.

 

14 Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.

 

15 And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him.

 

16 Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellowdisciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him.

 

17 Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already.

 

18 Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off:

 

19 And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother.

 

20 Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house.

 

21 Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.

 

22 But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee.

 

23 Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.

 

24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.

 

25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

 

26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

Taking proof texts out of context with the whole of Scripture, one can make the Bible say about anything he/she wishes. But if the above verse is interpreted so as not make the Bible contradict, one must conclude that in the above verse, Jesus was referring to the second death and not to the cessation of life that comes to all men at the end of their earthly life. When Christ comes and the resurrection takes place, it is then that those who have believed in Jesus will be resurrected to eternal life and will thereafter never die. Denial of this interpretation does great despite to the Scriptures and makes many of them contradict.[1 Cor. 15:21-23 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.

21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.

 

22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

 

23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming],

 

27 She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.

 

28 And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth for thee.

 

29 As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came unto him.

 

30 Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met him.

 

31 The Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying, She goeth unto the grave to weep there.

 

32 Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.

 

33 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled,

 

34 And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see.

 

35 Jesus wept.

 

36 Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!

 

37 And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died?

 

38 Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it.

 

39 Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.

 

40 Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?

 

41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.

 

42 And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.

 

43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.

 

44 And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.

 

45 Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him.

 

46 But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done.

 

47 Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles.

 

2 Sam. 7:12 And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.

 

Ps 146:2-4  While I live will I praise the LORD: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being.

3 Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.

 

His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.

Eccl. 9:5, 6 For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.

Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.

 

Ps. 115:17 The dead praise not the LORD, neither any that go down into silence.

 

Ps. 6:5 For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks?

 

Does the Spirit (breath) of man go to the same ONE PLACE that the Spirit (breath) of animals goes to?

Eccl. 3:19, 20 For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.

20 All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.

 

Isa. 38:18, 19  For the grave cannot praise thee, death can not celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth.

19 The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day: the father to the children shall make known thy truth.

 

Eccl. 9:10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.

Job 7:9, 10 As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away: so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more.

10 He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more.

 

Job 16:22 When a few years are come, then I shall go the way whence I shall not return.

Heb. 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

The above verse totally destroys the concept of reincarnation. Man dies ONCE, and the next thing he experiences is the judgment.

We are forbidden (below) to try to contact the dead. We are to seek God for the living and not the dead. Those who disobey this testimony have no light in them.

Isa. 8:19, 20 And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead?

20 To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

Lev. 19:31 Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God.

Ps. 146:3, 4 Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.

4 His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.

Satan will work miracles in order to deceive:

Rev. 13:13, 14 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,

14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.

Rev. 16:14 For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.

2 Cor. 11:13, 14 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.

14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

Matt. 7:22, 23 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Eph. 6:11-13 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

 

The Thief on the Cross

 

Luke 23:43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.

 

The comma should have been placed after the word to day, thusly: Verily I say unto thee To day, shalt thou be with me in paradise.

 

Why? Because Jesus did not go to paradise that day. That day was Friday. Jesus rested in the tomb over Sabbath and left the tomb on Sunday. So the thief could not have been in paradise with Christ, when Christ was not in paradise the day the words of Luke 23:43 were spoken.

John 20:11-17 But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre,

12 And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.

 

13 And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him.

 

14 And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.

 

15 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.

 

16 Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.

 

17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.

1 Cor. 15:20-23 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.

21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.

 

22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

 

23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.

 

Ps. 17:15  As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.

Job 19:26, 27 And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:

27 Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.

1Thess 4:15-18 [NIV] 15According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18Therefore encourage each other with these words.

John 5:25, 29 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.

29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

1 John 5:11-13 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.

12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

 

13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

1       Cor. 15: 50-58 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

 

52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

 

53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

 

54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

 

55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

 

56  The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.

 

57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

 

Heb. 11:13  These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

 

Isa. 26:19 Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.

 

John 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

 

Matt. 10:28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

 

Matt. 25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

 

The wicked are dead, not in purgatory getting another chance!

Job 21:28-32 For ye say, Where is the house of the prince? and where are the dwelling places of the wicked?

29 Have ye not asked them that go by the way? and do ye not know their tokens,

 

30 That the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction? they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath.

 

31 Who shall declare his way to his face? and who shall repay him what he hath done?

 

32 Yet shall he be brought to the grave, and shall remain in the tomb.

Eze. 33:11 Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?

Ezk. 18:32 For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.

If we go to heaven at death, there would be pleasure on the part of the Lord God.

Consequences of Punishment—The Meaning of Everlasting Fire and Everlasting Punishment

Matt. 25:40-46  And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

 

42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:

 

43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.

 

44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?

 

45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

 

46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

 

The context of verse 46 (above) is obviously at the end time AFTER the judgment.

Rev. 20:4-15 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.

 

6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

 

7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,

 

8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.

 

9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.

 

Being devoured is not indicative of burning forever.

 

10 And the devil that deceived them was 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.

 

We will find that the beast and the false prophet are consumed.

 

11 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.

 

12 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.

 

13 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.

 

14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

 

15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.  

How Long will the  Wicked Burn?

Ps. 37:20 But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the LORD shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away.

How could something that is consumed away burn forever? How could something that perishes burn forever?

Ps. 37:35-38 I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree.

36 Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.

 

37 Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace.

 

38 But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off.

 

Mal. 4:1 For behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.

 

How does something burn up to be left without root or branch and still burn forever?

 

Sodom, Gomorrha and Eternal Fire

 

Jude 7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

 

The meaning of eternal in Jude 1:7 means forever, but Sodom and Gomorrah are not burning today, so there is another meaning to everlasting, eternal fire. That meaning is “never to rise again—as though something had never been.”

Number 166

Transliteration:

aionios {ahee-o'-nee-os}

Word Origin:

from 165

TDNT:

1:208,31

Part of Speech:

adjective

Usage in the KJV:

eternal 42, everlasting 25, the world began 5550 2, since the world began 5550 1, for ever 1

Total: 71

Definition:

1.  without beginning and end, that which always has been and always will be

2.  without beginning

3.  without end, never to cease, everlasting For Synonyms see entry 5801

TDNT - Theological Dictionary of the New Testament
TWOT - Theological Word Book of the Old Testament

 

Obadiah 15-18 says: 15 For the day of the LORD is near upon all the heathen: as thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee: thy reward shall return upon thine own head.

16 For as ye have drunk upon my holy mountain, so shall all the heathen drink continually, yea, they shall drink, and they shall swallow down, and they shall be as though they had not been.

 

17 But upon mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness; and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions.

 

18 And the house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau for stubble, and they shall kindle in them, and devour them; and there shall not be any remaining of the house of Esau; for the LORD hath spoken it.

 

Malachi 4:3 And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD of hosts.

 

What happens to Satan?

 

Ezk. 28: 13-19 Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created.

 

14 Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.

 

15 Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.

 

16 By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.

 

17 Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.

 

18 Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee.

 

19 All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more.

 

Does that sound like Satan is around forever?

2       Peter 3:9-13 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

 

11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,

 

12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

 

13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

 

John 5:29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

 

1 Cor. 15:52-58 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

 

54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

 

55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

 

56  The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.

 

57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

Rev. 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

—rwb