“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. 14 Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.”
20:13
The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them.
When non-believers die before the Great White Throne Judgment, they go to Sheol (Old Testament) or Hades [New Testament). These are temporary hells, a holding place until the final judgment. At the final judgment, God will raise non-believers out of these temporary hells to be judged at the Great White Throne. Then He will cast them into the permanent Lake of Fire.
The ideas of “giving up the dead” and “delivering up the dead” have to do with restoring physical bodies to their spirits. Their physical bodies long died, but their spirits were in Hades. Although the sea swallowed up a person hundreds of years ago, God will restore that body to judgment in Hell.
And they were judged, each one according to his works.
God judges people according to their good deeds. God will not judge on circumstantial evidence. Trumped-up charges will not fool him. God uses what they thought was religious and righteous against them. It is righteousness independent of God’s righteousness.
Eternal life is a gift. We cannot earn it nor deserve it. It is God’s gift to us.
Ep 2;8-9, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.”
20:14
Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire.
God casts temporary hell (Hades) into permanent Hell. The Lake of Fire is the same idea as Jesus’ term “Gehenna.” God throws both Death and Hades into the permanent and eternal Lake of Fire.
This is the second death.
The Lake of Fire is the “second death.” Death means separation. Physical death is the separation of the physical body from the immaterial part of man. Spiritual death is the separation of the non-believer from God. Eternal death is the separation of an individual from God eternally.
PRINCIPLE:
Those who are born once will die twice; those who are born twice will die once.
APPLICATION:
M. R. DeHaan said, “They that are born but once will have to die twice, and they who have been born twice will die but once.” God permanently assigns people to eternal death because they rejected the death of Christ for their sins. This is the “Second Death.”
If a person accepts the death of Jesus as a substitute for our sins, then God will accept him eternally. Jesus took our Hell that He might give us His Heaven. If we believe that Jesus took away our sins on the cross, He will give us eternal life.
This should be non believer not believer.
Note: Spiritual death is the separation of the believer from God.
Lourdes, I could not find “not believer.” Maybe there was something on your computer screen.
Hi Grant,
First of all I enjoy your verse by verse commentary and I thank God for you.
This is what I am referring to you…
(Last Paragraph of this chapter) – about the second death)”Spiritual death is the separation of the believer from God.
Oh, thank you for that correction. It is now corrected.
That’s odd, Hades is from greek mythology. Why is this in the bible?
Daws, the Bible uses many terms from secular culture but it does not necessarily use them in the same sense.
Daws,
It’s in the Bible.
1.Matthew 11:23 (Whole Chapter)
And you, [ Isa 14:13-15 ] Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You will be brought down to [Matthew 16:18 (Gk); Luke 16:23; Acts 2:27] Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.
2.Luke 10:15 (Whole Chapter)
And you, Capernaum, [ Isa 14:13-15 ] will you be exalted to heaven? You shall be brought down to [Luke 16:23; Acts 2:27] Hades.
3.Luke 16:23 (Whole Chapter)
and in [ Matt 11:23 ] Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and [Matt 8:11, 12 ] saw Abraham far off and Lazarus [ Luke 16:22 ] at his side.
4.Acts 2:27 (Whole Chapter)
For you will not abandon my soul to [Acts 2:31; Matt 11:23 ] Hades, [Acts 13:35 ] or let your [ Heb 7:26 ] Holy One [Luke 2:26] see corruption.
5.Acts 2:31 (Whole Chapter)
he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that [Acts 2:27] he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption.
6.Revelation 1:18 (Whole Chapter)
and the living one. [Rom 6:9; 14:9 ] I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and [Revelation 9:1; 20:1] I have the keys of Death and Hades.
7.Revelation 6:8 (Whole Chapter)
And I looked, and behold, [Zech 6:3 ] a pale horse! And its rider’s name was Death, and Hades followed him. And they were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill [Ezek 14:21 ] with sword and with famine and with pestilence and [Lev 26:22; Deut 32:24] by wild beasts of the earth.
8.Revelation 20:13 (Whole Chapter)
And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, [Revelation 6:8 ] Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, [ Revelation 20:12 ] according to what they had done.
9.Revelation 20:14 (Whole Chapter)
Then [ Revelation 20:13 ] Death and Hades [Revelation 21:4; Luke 20:36; 1 Cor 15:26 ] were thrown into the lake of fire. This is [Revelation 20:6] the second death, the lake of fire.
The question is why though? As Hades is a markedly different place from hell, aside from various nuances, it’s to be the resting place for -all- the dead, with even an special area for “the brave and virtuous to live forever in bliss without toil” called The Elysium fields.
I guess what I’m getting at is the question of… has anyone researched whether scriptures with these references to Hades could be adopted from earlier pagan greek cultures?
Daws, thanks for your question. This is a topic that has had considerable study in biblical scholarship. Let me make a number of points:
1. Biblical writers used the language of their culture and situation. That is, they did not use an esoteric language.
2. All good interpretation revolves around usage, context, and semantics. Etymology is a very dangerous approach to interpretation.
3. “Hades” corresponds to Sheol in the Old Testament. Hades occurs 10 times in the New Testament as Lourdes pointed out.
4. The word is used both in the literal and figurative senses. Jesus used this word in a figurative sense in the sense of absolute overthrow of Capernaum. Jesus uses the term in the literal sense of a temporary hell in the story of rich man and Lazarus (Lu 16:19-13). Other New Testament passages use this term as a temporary hell. The permanent hell does not begin until Revelation 20 (after the Millennial reign of Christ. Hades is cast into the lake of fire at that point (Re 20:14)). The term for permanent hell is Gehenna, which Jesus used a number of times.
5. Biblical usage does not carry or connote the meaning equivalence of Greek culture. Hades is more associated with Sheol of the Old Testament.
6. Unfortunately, many translations translate “Hades” as “Hell.” This has caused much confusion.
7. The literal term Hades is used for translation of the Hebrew term Sheol. Both terms are transliterations, not translations.
8. The intertestamental period developed a two-compartment theory from Persian Zoroastrianism, a place of bliss and a place of torment. The New Testament never uses Hades in this sense (except with the possibility of Lu 16; however, I believe Paradise and Hades are two separate places).
9. In Greek mythology, Hades was the god of the underworld (also named Pluto). Originally the Greeks thought of Hades as simply the grave–a shadowy, ghostlike existence that happened to all who died, good and evil alike. Gradually they saw it as a place of punishment (both Greek and Roman). The Jews used this term for the Hebrew Sheol to translate into Greek. Both Jew and Greek came in contact with Persia (Iran) during the postexilic period (as mentioned above). The Hades of pagan Greeks was the invisible land, the realm of shadow, where all Greeks went, the virtuous, that part called Elysium, the wicked to the other part called Tartarus. The difference between the pagan and biblical concept of Hades is that the former conceives of Hades as the final abode of the dead, whereas the latter teaches that it is the temporary place of confinement until the Great White Throne Judgment in the case of the unbeliever.
10. SUMMARY: The biblical usage of Hades is connected to Judaism, not the Greek/Roman cults. The New Testament uses the term in the context of its own special usage.
Hmmm. Why would etymology be a dangerous approach?
Daws, the science of biblical interpretation warns against using etymology as a primary system for interpretation. Usage, context, and semantics are far more important. Etymology (history of words) often has many meanings for the same word. Some Greek words have more than 20 meanings. It is context that determines the meaning (both the argument of the book and the immediate context). All books on hermeneutics (interpretation) warn against using etymology as a primary interpretative tool. Obviously, you can gain some insight from etymology but not accurate interpretation.
Daws, Here is a comment from the Greek New Testament Insert that may help you:
Fallacious Methods of Word Study
The meaning of a word in a context is NOT fixed by:
Its etymology. Etymology is a word’s family history, but it is sometimes tapped in order to find some mythical “basic” or “original” meaning. It’s remarkable that people try to define a word in the NT by the way it was used a thousand years beforehand. A word means what it means when the author uses it.
Its use in a very different context. The verb ????????? is used in Gal. 6:1, to direct spiritual Christians to restore a brother who has fallen into sin. The verb is also used in Mark 1:19, in which James and John are repairing their nets. But don’t make the mistake of saying that restoring a sinning Christian “literally” means to “mend their net.” A single word may have different connotations in different passages.
All of its possible meanings every time it is used. The verb ????????? may mean “to come after,” “to accompany,” or “to follow as a disciple,” but it doesn’t mean all of those in every single passage. For example, the people who followed Jesus on Palm Sunday in Matt. 21:9 clearly did NOT follow him as disciples; the verb there simply means that they were walking behind him as opposed to in front of him. Sometimes people will regard the NT differently from the way they regard other pieces of literature…as if there is some secret code between two verses that happen to use the same word. Don’t believe it! A word means what it means in that passage.
An English equivalent. Some words are easily defined in that way: ?????? means “thousand,” and that’s that. But ????? can mean “word, message, speech, reason, matter, etc.” Defining a Greek word means scouting out what it may mean and what it does not mean.
Chapman, B. (1994). Greek New Testament Insert. (2nd ed., revised.). Quakertown, PA: Stylus Publishing.
I’m wondering why the Bible states that the people will be judged by their works when (as your commentary points out) salvation can’t be earned by works.
Angie, good question. The judgement here is the Great White Throne Judgment. That judgment is for non-Christians only. The Judgment Seat of Christ is for believers only (2 Cor 5:10). If non-believers reject the finished work of Christ on the cross they must stand before God on their own works, which are not sufficient for eternal life. Many today think that they can stand before God because of their good works. They will receive a shock at the Great White Throne Judgment for non-believers! Sad to say.
That seems very not fair… why would simply professing a belief give you a get out of jail free card? What matters is our effects on others this doesn’t change because of our beliefs. At least it shouldn’t…would you want a molesting priest to believe his sins will be forgiven whenever he reaffirms his belief in the finished work of Christ on the cross?
This is why it should be about our effects on others, rather than getting into heaven or not.
Jesus said that hell is the place where the worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched and He was making reference to a verse in the old testament . There is also a place in the old testament said to have smoke going up forever, I doubt there are two eternal fires, and this one is in the land of Idumea. Hell is described as darkness and blackness forever. What is dark and black and is liquid and burns and can be found in abundance in the middle east ? A place where the streams are like burning pitch. The lake of fire is a burning lake of crude oil that will be formed near the town of Bozrah in the land of Edom. The damned will be bound hand and foot and thrown into it.
Dan, your comments do not relate to this passage. It is a dangerous procedure to pick-and-choose passages to relate to an issue. We call this pretexting.
Daws, somehow I missed your comment back in 2010. I travel overseas often and may have missed it because of that.
Your comment above is based on the presupposition of relationships. There is no justification biblically for what you say. The apostle Paul was a murderer of Christians and in large numbers at that. Should he not have the privilege of becoming a Christian? The fundamental issue is not what we think should be the basis for forgiveness but what the Bible actually says.
Galatians 2:16 – nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified.
Thanks for the finished work of Christ
"The fundamental issue is not what we think should be the basis for forgiveness but what the Bible actually says."
Well, no, it wasn't for me anyway. At the time I think I was saying: That it could be clear what the bible says, I was questioning whether that was really a moral thing or not.. The question was, why is becoming a Christian enough to make up for killing all those people?
The punishments and rewards didn't seem fairly in line with the actions. Someone gets punished just as much as a serial killer if they simply don't believe Jesus was the son of god. And on the converse, as you pointed out, a mass murder gets rewarded after death vs punished simply because of his faith.
It was the justness of such a system that was being called into question, not whether it was in the bible, which as you point out from Galatians 2:16 it seems to be.
Daws, God operates on a different system of justice. Since He is absolute in His character (not relative), He deals with man on the basis of absolutes. All it takes to go to heaven is one flash of pride at one moment in a person's life of 70 years. That is the argument of Romans, Galatians, etc. That is also why morality cannot be the standard for relating to God. Morality has to do with operation bootstraps, what man can do by himself. God rejects human morality as a basis for relating to Him because of His absoluteness. Man is totally corrupt (not from a human point of view) from God's standpoint. That does not mean some men are more moral than others but that is not the issue of relating to God. How good does a person have to be to go to heaven? He has to be as good or righteous as God is righteous. There is "none good" so there is no hope of coming to God by morality. That is why we have to be "declared" (dikaow) righteous. God is not impressed by human morality from that standpoint.
You are then saying that god is above the law, so to speak. That he does not have to be moral. Surely you can't believe this?
For supposing that was so, we'd have no decent reason to follow his commands other than fear and coercion. If it comes down to doing what is moral and what is commanded, I have to choose what is moral. There is no human morality and godly morality, there is only morality -what is right. If god is immoral, unfortunately I have a duty to go against his wishes…
I am in Africa and will respond when I return.
Daws, no, no. I do not believe God is above the law but that the law is defined by who He is. He is absolute and cannot change. A flash of pride is sinful as well as murder. That is why He "declares righteous" anyone who trusts the death of Christ for forgiveness of sin. That declaring righteous is a declaration that we are as righteous as God is righteous because of Christ. Paul was a multiple murderer but God forgave him.
The Bible distinguishes between two types of justice: God's and human. Human justice requires the death penalty, for example, for first degree murder. This human economy was also set up by God as divine establishment. Human government is a gift of God for justice. David murdered Uriah. God forgave him for that but disciplined him by a succession of punishments for committing that sin.
Sorry, I just don't buy it. Justice is justice.
And governments and economies vary as much as humans do.
Daws: I am having trouble understanding if you are just arguing to argue or if you have a specific point you are trying to make. For all of us who are reading this conversation, would you restate what your belief or understanding is you are defending so we can put into context the debate?
Thanks
Hello Dr.,
I am curious as to the topic of general and special revelation. Do those who have never heard the gospel have a chance? And what does it mean to actually accept Christ? Can Christ be, in a way, accepted without ever even hearing of Him? What im asking is are there maybe ways of coming to Christ we dont understand? I have a hard time understanding how "all things will be reconciled unto Christ" is possible while there will be those who will be eternally shut off from Him. Please clarify, thank you!
Patrick, Romans 10 says, 14? How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear ?p?without a preacher? ?15? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written:
Its simple. Just accept d finished work of Christ and its done. Jesus paid 4 whatever sin the person had committed before then. Then afterwards, live your life for God.
Hi Grant. Thanks so much for all the time you take to answer questions.
I have one.
Back in May 2010, Angie asked: "I’m wondering why the Bible states that the people will be judged by their works when … salvation can’t be earned by works."
You answered: "The judgement here is the Great White Throne Judgment. That judgment is for non-Christians only. The Judgment Seat of Christ is for believers only (2 Cor 5:10)."
I understand 2 Cor. 5:10 is addressing believers so maybe that's why Paul's "we must all appear" is refering to "all" believers and not "all" people.
But then why does it end "so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil"?
If the audience is believers in Christ, why would that matter?
Thanks so much!