C101: Lesson 11; Eternal Judgment

Purpose: The purpose of this lesson is to acquaint the student with the basic Scriptural truths concerning the final judgment of believers and of non-believers.

The judgment of God is PAST, PRESENT, and FUTURE.

There is a past judgment for believers—the judgment at the CROSS.

John 3:16 (NKJV) “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

John 3:18 (NKJV) “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

John 5:24 (NKJV) “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.”

Hebrews 10:10-14 (NKJV) “By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.”

Colossians 2:13-15 (NKJV) “And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.”

There is a present judgment for believers described as the CHASTENING of the Lord.

1 Corinthians 11:31-32 (NKJV) “For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.”

The present judgment of believers is not a judgment of condemnation but a judgment of sanctification. God’s judgment of His children is for correction and discipline as a father corrects and disciplines his child for their good and not for their destruction.

Hebrews 12:5-11 (NKJV) “And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: ‘My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; for whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.’ If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”

1 Peter 4:17-18 (NKJV) “For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? Now ‘If the righteous one is scarcely saved, where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?’”

Future Judgments Include:

1) The judgment of believers (1 Corinthians 3:8-16; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Romans 14:10

2) The judgment of the living nations at Christ’s return (Matthew 25:31-46)

3) The judgment of cities (Matthew 10:15)

4) The judgment of generations (Matthew 12:41-42)

5) The judgment of the twelve tribes of Israel (Matthew 19:28; Luke 22:30)

6) The judgment of Babylon (Revelation 17:1-19:4, 11-12)

7) The judgment of the Beast, the False Prophet, and their armies (Revelation 19:11-21)

8) The judgment of the unsaved dead (Revelation 20:11-15; 21:8)

9) The judgment of Satan and the fallen angels (Matthew 8:29; 25:41; Luke 8:31; Jude 6; 2 Peter 2:4; Revelation 12:7-9; 20:1-3, 7-9)

Focus of this lesson

This lesson will focus on the eternal judgment of both the saved and the unsaved.

It is appointed unto men to DIE once and then face God’s JUDGMENT.

Hebrews 9:27 (NKJV) “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,”

There will be no second chances. There is no second life. There is no reincarnation.

The Nature and Role of God the Father as Judge

1) He will do what is right (Genesis 18:25)

2) His ways are justice (Deuteronomy 32:4)

3) He will judge His people (Hebrews 10:30)

4) He is a just Judge (Psalm 7:11)

5) He is a righteous Judge (2 Timothy 4:8)

6) He is the Judge of all (Hebrews 12:23)

7) He will judge the world in righteousness (Psalm 9:8)

8) He will judge the world righteously (1 Peter 2:23)

9) He is a God of justice (Isaiah 30:18)

10) He loves justice (Isaiah 61:8)

11) He will judge those who are “outside”, i.e., “unbelievers” (1 Corinthians 5:13)

12) He is a strong Judge (Revelation 18:8)

God the Father has delegated all judgment to His SON who He has ordained to be Judge.

John 5:22-23 (NKJV) “For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.”

Acts 10:42 (NKJV) “And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead.”

Acts 17:30–31 (NKJV) “Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, 31 because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.”

Through the Incarnation Jesus the God-Man shared in the nature and experience of mankind.[1]Because of His unique identification with men living in this fallen world, God ordained that He also preside as the righteous Judge over all mankind.[2]

The Nature and Role of Jesus Christ as Judge:

1) He judges as He hears from the Father (John 5:30)

2) His judgment is righteous (John 5:30)

3) He will judge the world in righteousness (Acts 17:31)

4) He does not seek His own will but the will of His Father (John 5:30)

5) He does not judge according to appearance but with righteous judgment (John 7:24)

6) His judgment is true (John 8:16)

7) He is not alone in His judgment (John 8:16)

8) He does not seek His own glory (John 8:50)

9) He has laid down His own life for those He will judge (John 3:16; 10:11)

The Lord has prepared His THRONE for judgment.

Psalm 9:7 (NKJV) “But the Lord shall endure forever; He has prepared His throne for judgment.”

The Lord’s throne rests upon the foundation of RIGHTEOUSNESS and JUSTICE.

Psalm 89:14 (NKJV)“Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; mercy and truth go before You.”

Psalm 97:2 (NKJV) “Clouds and darkness surround Him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.”

All men are fallen and are already CONDEMNED in their sin until they believe in Christ.

John 3:18 (NKJV) “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

John 3:17–18 (NKJV) “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. 18 He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

Jesus did not come to condemn sinners but to save them if they will turn to Him and believe. Sinners are already condemned in their sin. Sinners remain condemned in their sin by refusing to believe.

The Judgment of Believers

2 Corinthians 5:10-11 (NKJV) “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences.”

Every believer will one day stand before the Judgment Seat of CHRIST.

The Judgment Seat of Christ for believers will take place at Christ’s RETURN.

Revelation 20:4–6 (NKJV) “And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5 But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.”

Revelation 22:12 (NKJV) “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.”

Believers will not be judged for their SINS which are already paid for on the cross of Christ.

Hebrews 9:28 (NKJV) “so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.”

Those who believe in Christ have already been through the judgment with Christ on His Cross.[3]The penalty for their sin has already been judged in Christ as our Substitute never to be brought before God in judgment again.

Every believer will give an account to the Lord of things done in the body, whether GOOD or BAD.

Believers will give account for what they have done for Christ after being saved.

The Greek words for “good” and “bad” do not refer to morality but quality. Good works are those that meet God’s standards so that they are acceptable, beneficial, and useful. Bad works are those that fall short of God’s standard of what is satisfactory.[4] The works of believers will be judged based upon how each individual cooperated with the grace of God.[5]

A believer’s works do not merit SALVATION but REWARDS.

Ephesians 2:8-10 (NKJV) “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”

1 Corinthians 3:8 (NKJV) “Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.”

Colossians 3:23-24 (NKJV) “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.”

Revelation 22:12 (NKJV) “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.”

At the Judgment Seat of Christ, each person’s work for the Lord will be tested by FIRE. Anyone with works that endure the fire of testing will be rewarded. Those whose works do not endure the fire of testing will be saved, but they will have no rewards.

1 Corinthians 3:12-15 (NKJV) “Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.”

The fire of testing will evaluate the origin, obedience, motivation, faithfulness, quality, and sincerity of the believer’s work.

Those whose works are burned up completely will still be saved but without any commendation or reward.

The testing by fire that will come at the Judgment Seat of Christ should cause every believer to live their life in the FEAR of the Lord.

Criteria for which our works will be tested include:

1) STEWARDSHIP (Matthew 25:14-30)

2) FAITHFULNESS (1 Corinthians 4:2)

3) TREATMENT OF BELIEVERS (Matthew 18:33; 25:40)

4) MOTIVES & SECRETS (1 Corinthians 4:5)

5) COUNSELS OF THE HEART (1 Corinthians 4:5)

6) OBEDIENCE (Philippians 2:5-8)

7) LOVE (1 Corinthians 13:1-3)

The Five Crowns

There are five crowns mentioned in Scripture that are associated with rewards given to believers. These five crowns include:

1) Crown of LIFE (James 1:12; Revelation 2:10). This crown is sometimes referred to as “The Martyr’s Crown”. This crown is given in reward for enduring temptation, for loving Him, and being faithful unto death.

2) Crown of GLORY (1 Peter 5:2-4). This crown is a reward for faithful elders and shepherds of God’s flock.

3) Crown of RIGHTEOUSNESS (2 Timothy 4:7,8). This crown is a reward for those who have fought the good fight of faith, finished their race, kept the faith, and love His appearing.

4) Crown of REJOICING (1 Thessalonians 2:19; Proverbs 11:30; Daniel 12:3). This crown is sometimes referred to as “The Soul Winner’s Crown”. This crown is a reward for those who have been faithful to win souls and make disciples.

5) The INCORRUPTIBLE crown (1 Corinthians 9:25). This crown is a reward for those who have exercised discipline and self-control in their Christian walk.

Another reward given to faithful believers is a THRONE and JUDGMENT during the one thousand year millennium reign of Christ on the earth.

Revelation 20:4 (NKJV) “And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.”

The Intermediate State of Unbelievers

Luke 16:19-31 “There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’ Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’ Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’ “

The intermediate holding place for the unbelieving dead is called SHEOL or HADES.

What is the Difference Between Sheol (Hades) and Hell?

Hell is not the same as Sheol (Hebrew, Old Testament) or Hades (Greek, New Testament). Hades is temporary. Hell is eternal. Hades is the temporary abode of the wicked prior to the final judgment—no one is currently in Hell. Hell is reserved as the eternal destination of the wicked after the final judgment. Hades is the temporary abode of disembodies spirits until the judgment. Hell will be the permanent prison of the wicked dead after being resurrected, judged, and sentenced.[6] The torment in Hades is restrained. The torment in Hell will be unrestrained. The torment in Hades is spiritual or soulish torment. The torment of Hell will be both spiritual and physical.[7] There is a spiritual or soulish fire, and there is a physical fire. The Bible speaks of the fire of wickedness, the tongue, gossip, contention, jealousy, lust, and self-righteousness.[8]God is a consuming fire and yet He is Spirit, not material.[9] In the OT, the final place of burning fire punishment is called “Tophet” which is the lake of fire. In the NKJV, the Greek word translated as “hell” is Gehenna. What is the significance of the word “Gehenna”? Gehenna is a Greek form of an Aramaic word, which is derived from the Hebrew phrase “the Valley of [the son(s) of] Hinnom”. The Valley of Hinnom was a notorious place where babies were once sacrificed in worship to the god Molech. Jeremiah referred to this valley as an illustration of God’s judgment. Some believe that this valley was later used as Jerusalem’s garbage dump that continually burned. During the intertestamental period, the valley became associated with the final punishment of the wicked. Jesus used Gehenna to refer to the final abode of the wicked dead.[10] Therefore Gehenna (Hell) is likened to a cosmic garbage dump into which the wicked and unbelieving will be cast forever. During the intertestamental period the Jews believed that there were two regions or compartments in Sheol, the region of the dead. One compartment was for the righteous dead and one for the wicked dead. The compartment for the unrighteous dead is called Hades which is always used to describe a place of conscious torment for the wicked dead.[11]However, prior to Christ’s death and resurrection there was a second compartment within Hades for the righteous dead called “Abraham’s bosom”[12] and “Paradise”.[13]Abraham’s bosom or Paradise is a place of comfort, rest, and happiness for the righteous dead.[14]Hades and Abraham’s Bosom were once separated in Hades by a great gulf that could not be crossed.[15]

Biblical Descriptions of Hades from the Account of the Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31)

Continued existence after death (The rich man continues to exist apart from the body)

Consciousness (the rich man was aware)

Personal identity (the rich man knew who he was)

Senses (The rich man could see, hear, feel, taste, likely smell also)

Location (The rich man knew he was in Hades)

Condition (The rich man knew of his separation, flames, torment, pain, thirst)

Memory (Abraham reminded the rich man of his former life)

Torment (The rich man was in torment in the flames)

Desire (The rich man experienced thirst)

Distinction between the unrighteous and the righteous (The rich man saw Abraham afar off)

National identification (Rich man called out “father Abraham”)

Recognition of the righteous dead (The rich man recognized Abraham and Lazarus)

Speech (The rich man talked to Abraham and Abraham to him)

Awareness of loved ones still alive on earth (The rich man knew his five brothers were still on earth)

Reasoning (The rich man devised a possible way to warn his brothers of their doom)

Consciousness of sin and the need to repent (The rich man recognized the need to repent)

The State of the Righteous Dead After the Resurrection of Christ

In the Old Testament, God promised to REDEEM the righteous from the power of Sheol.

Hosea 13:14 (NKJV) “I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death. O Death, I will be your plagues! O Grave, I will be your destruction! Pity is hidden from My eyes.”

Psalm 49:15 (NKJV) “But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave (“Sheol”), for He shall receive me. Selah.”

Psalm 86:13 (NKJV) “For great is Your mercy toward me, and You have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.”

The righteous looked forward in HOPE of the time when they will be finally delivered from Sheol.[16]

Job 19:25–27 (NKJV) “For I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth; and after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!”

Psalm 49:15 (NKJV) “But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave (“Sheol”), for He shall receive me. Selah”

Jesus’ soul was delivered from Sheol in His RESURRECTION from the dead.

Acts 2:24–28 (NKJV) “whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it. For David says concerning Him: ‘I foresaw the LORD always before my face, for He is at my right hand, that I may not be shaken. Therefore my heart rejoiced, and my tongue was glad; moreover my flesh also will rest in hope. For You will not leave my soul in Hades, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. You have made known to me the ways of life; You will make me full of joy in Your presence.’”

Jesus Christ has the keys of HADES and DEATH.

Revelation 1:18 (NKJV) “I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.”

Because of Christ’s resurrection, Hades has lost its VICTORY over the saved.

1 Corinthians 15:55 (NKJV) “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?”

After Christ’s resurrection and ascension, Paradise was relocated to the THIRD HEAVEN.

At Christ’s resurrection, He delivered the righteous dead out of Hades. In His ascension, He relocated Paradise to the third heaven where the redeemed now go upon death.[17]Hades has now been enlarged to accommodate the wicked dead.[18]

Ephesians 4:8–10 (NKJV) “Therefore He says: ‘When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men.’ (Now this, ‘He ascended’—what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)”

2 Corinthians 12:2–4 (NKJV) “I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a one was caught up to the third heaven. And I know such a man—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.”

The righteous dead are now PRESENT with the Lord.

2 Corinthians 5:8 (NKJV) “We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.”

The Judgment of Unbelievers

Revelation 20:11-15 (NKJV) “Then I saw a great white throne and Him who 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, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.”

The unrighteous dead will be resurrected physically to be judged and sentenced at the end of the one thousand year REIGN of Christ on the earth.

Revelation 20:5 (NKJV) “But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished…”

The judgment of unbelievers will occur at the WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT.

The temporary holding places of the dead before judgment are the SEA, DEATH, and HADES.

No unbeliever will be able to HIDE from this judgment for the hiding places of the heavens and earth will flee away.

Those who will be judged include the dead, both SMALL and GREAT.

On this day there will be BOOKS opened that contain records from which the dead will be judged.

Death, Hades, and those not found in the book of life will be thrown into the LAKE OF FIRE. This is called the SECOND DEATH.

The DEVIL, BEAST, and FALSE PROPHET are also thrown into the lake of fire.

Revelation 20:10 (NKJV) “The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.”

Biblical Descriptions of Hell or the Lake of Fire

Hell was originally prepared for Satan and his demons. (Matthew 25:41; Revelation 19:20; 20:10)

It is a place of eternal condemnation. (Matthew 23:33).

It is called “outer darkness” because it is the farthest place from the glorious presence of God in heaven. (Matthew 8:12; 22:13; 25:30, 41; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9)

It is outside the gate of the heavenly city. (Revelation 22:15)

It is a fiery abyss. (Mark 9:43).

It is called a “furnace of fire”. (Matthew13:42, 50)

It is the lake of fire. (Matthew 13:42, 50; Revelation 20:14-15)

It is a place of unquenchable fire. (Mark 9:43, 45; Luke 3:17)

It is called “Hell fire”. (Matthew 18:9)

Hell’s fire is kindled by the fire of God’s wrath and holy jealousy. (Ezekiel 21:31; 22:21, 31; Zephaniah 3:8)

It is as eternal as heaven. (Isaiah 66:22-24)

It is the final place where the wicked dead will suffer everlasting punishment by fire. (Isaiah 66:24; Psalm 49:14-15; Matthew 5:29-30; 10:28; 23:15, 33; Jude 7; Revelation 20:10) The fire will be both spiritual for the soul and physical for the body. At the resurrection of the just and the unjust (Acts 24:15), God will give to the unjust an immortal physical body that will be continually burned with fire but never consumed.

Hell is a place where their worm will never die. (Mark 9:44, 46, 48) The wicked will live in an eternal corruptible body, i.e., a “corpse” (Isaiah 66:24) that remains in an eternal state of decay. Their corpses will be eaten by immortal worms that God has designed to continually feed on the corpses of the damned.

Hell is a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 13:42, 50; 22:13) The wicked will weep eternally with the sorrow for their eternal condemnation. Yet they will forever gnash their teeth in anger toward God revealing that they blame God and others rather than themselves. Thus their continual sin will fuel the fire of their eternal punishment.

In Hell, the corpses of the men who transgressed against the Lord will be visible to the righteous forever. They shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.

Isaiah 66:24 (NKJV) “And they shall go forth and look upon the corpses of the men who have transgressed against Me. For their worm does not die, and their fire is not quenched. They shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.”

The antichrist and the false prophet will both be cast alive into the lake of fire. (Revelation 19:20)

Death and Hades will be cast into the lake for fire. (Revelation 20:14) This will mark Christ’s ultimate victory over the enemies of Death and Hades. (1 Corinthians 15:54-57) From that time forward there will be no more Death and no more Grave.

Anyone not found written in the Book of Life will be cast into the lake of fire (Gehenna) which is Hell. (Revelation 20:15)

The unbeliever’s torment in the lake of fire will continue DAY and NIGHT forever and ever.

Revelation 14:11 (NKJV) “And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.”

Those cast into the lake of fire (Hell) will have no REST day or night.

Unbelievers will be punished with EVERLASTING JUDGMENT.

2 Thessalonians 1:9 (NKJV) “These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,”

The Greek word translated as “destruction” does not mean annihilation but of utter ruin. Just as a garment can be ruined and disqualified for use, so those sentenced to hell will remain in a state of eternal disqualification, forever ruined and unable to fulfill and enjoy God’s intended purpose.

Unbelievers will be an everlasting object of SHAME and CONTEMPT.

Daniel 12:2 (NKJV) “And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt.”

Unbelievers will be eternally SEPARATED from God’s presence and glory.

2 Thessalonians 1:9 (NKJV) “These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,”

[1] Hebrews 2:14 [2] Isaiah 16:5; Matthew 11:27; 28:18; John 3:35; 8:26; 17:2; Acts 17:31; 2 Co 5:10; Philippians 2:9-11; 2 Timothy 4:1; 1 Peter 4:5; Revelation 10:11 [3] Romans 6:4-8; Galatians 2:20; Colossians 2:20; 3:3 [4] 1 Corinthians 3:12-13 [5] 2 Corinthians 6:1 [6] Luke 12:5 [7] Matthew 5:29-30; 10:28 [8] Isaiah 9:18; 65:5; Proverbs 6:27-28; 16:21, 27; Song of Solomon 8:6; James 3:6 [9] Deuteronomy 4:24; 9:3; Hebrews 12:29 [10] Matthew 5:22; 10:28; 18:9 [11] 2 Peter 2:9 [12] Luke 16:22-23 [13] Luke 23:43; 2 Corinthians 12:4 [14] 1 Samuel 28:15 [15] Luke 16:26 [16] Job 14:13-22; 19:25-27; Psalm 49:15; 73:23-28; Daniel 12:1, 2 [17] Ephesians 4:8; 2 Corinthians 12:2-4 [18]Isaiah 5:14

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