UNDERSTANDING THE SECOND DEATH UNRAVELS A DEEP MYSTERY
We must look at the scriptures that unlock a significant portion of the plan of God. The holy word of God which cannot contain errors ,emphasizes the 'Second Death', therefore it is highly significant.
Revelations 2:11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcome shall not be hurt of the second death.
Revelations 20:6 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.
These verses reveal some substantial meanings regarding the sacred plan of God. If a second death exists for mankind then a physical resurrection must also exist. A physical rebirth or resurrection must be therefore a part of the plan. Further, if death means what the word should mean ,then those who suffer the second death do not have an immortal soul that cannot die. Again, if God is a spirit power who represents justice then all mankind must have a decent opportunity to avoid this final second death. The theme of the New Covenant and the New Testament is the resurrections.
Romans 6:5 NKJV 5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection,
1 Corinthians 15:13-15 NKJV 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. 14 And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. 15 Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up--if in fact the dead do not rise.
Philippians 3:11 NKJV 11 if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
THOSE SAVED in this life will die and be resurrected as spirit beings who are in the family of God and thereby are immortal never to die again. Then the second death must apply to the vast majority of the world which is not being saved in this age of Satanic influence.
Matthew 7:14 NKJV 14 "Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
Jesus stated clearly that only a relative few are called to salvation in this age.
WHAT IS THE SECOND DEATH ?
The second death is the finale. It is the end of life and consciousness. It is not as some falsely believe the entering of a place of torture and eternal pain. This premise would make God a participant in sadism and torture, and God would be rewarding Satan for his work undermining mankind. It would mean the more people the devil could deceive the more he would have to sadistically torture forever. What a good deal for Satan! He has us believing that his fate is the destiny of the unsaved.
Matthew 25:40-41 NKJV 40 "And the King will answer and say to them,... 41 "Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:
Jude 1:6-7 NKJV 6 And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reservedin everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day; 7 as Sodom and Gomorrah, ...given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
Are the cities of Sodom in the Jordan valley still burning? No they burned until they were consumed. Human beings that are defiant sinners enough to be thrown into the fire will likewise be burned to ashes quickly and no longer exist.
Malachi 4:3 NKJV 3 You shall trample the wicked, For they shallbe ashes under the soles of your feet On the day that I do this," Says the LORD of hosts.
They will have suffered the second death. But Angels who followed Satan in rebellion will suffer eternally in the dark bottomless pit. Since they are not physical it will be more of a mental torment not torture.
A VAST PHYSICAL RESURRECTION AWAITS THE UNSAVED
A period between the first and second deaths awaits the vast billions not saved in this the age deceived by the devil. A just God will give them a chance to have their names also written in the book of life. Then they will be born again no longer physical or subject to a second death.
Ezekiel 37:3-11 NKJV 3 And He said to me, "Son of man, can these bones live?"....6 "I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put breath in you; and you shall live...10 So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army.
A vast number of people who never really had a good opportunity to hear the gospel and were not called will be brought back to life as physical human beings. The books or Bible will be open to their minds.
Revelation 20:12 NKJV 12 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 unsaved will get a chance to repent with full knowledge of what that means and then be judged on their actions. The vast majority will make the obvious choice and follow God and be saved.
JEHOVAH IS A GOD OF WONDERFUL LOVE AND JUSTICE
Repentance will be an involved process, and for some who have committed the most heinous of evils, more will be involved. Some may have to publicly admit their evil actions of the past, and maybe more will be required. Justice and confession are a healing actions. However some will remain unrepentant and wicked.
Revelation 20:13-14 NKJV 13 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.
Christ is revealing that the day is coming when all who have ever been buried at land or at sea will be resurrected again. The defiant sinners or cowardly sinners will end their existence in the lake of fire. Never again will there be graves (Hades).
Revelation 21:8 NKJV 8 "But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."
The second death is closure and justice for all. All mankind will then be in the family of God and impervious to fire except the defiant sinners. This is the END of the wicked. But wonderful things are in store for believers.
1 Corinthians 2:9 NKJV 9 But as it is written: Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him."
What God has prepared for all of us who repent and are baptized with hands laid upon us is so wonderful we cannot even imagine it. We believe those of us converted in the first resurrection will be near the top of the family of God forever. Wow!
God is higher and more wonderful than anything our hearts have ever imagined. Live according to God 's wisdom and be so wonderfully blessed, beyond what we could ever hope for, see or dream.
1 Corinthians 15:54-55 NKJV 54 So when...this mortal has put on immortality, .."Death is swallowed up in victory." 55 "O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?"
