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What do we learn from Matthew 25:41
Matt. 25:41 “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.†The destiny of Satan and his angels were determined after they were cast out of heaven because the measure of their sins had been filled up in heaven and they had depleted the grace available to them. Their destiny was to land in the lake of fire. It is by no means God’s intention that any of us should land in the lake of fire with Satan. Revelation 12 tells us how Lucifer and a third of the angels, “the stars of heaven,†were thrown down. Rev. 12:3-4 “And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads. His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth.†The question is whether we correctly understand the message of the eternal fire? The Bible explains the concept of punishment in accordance with transgression, but surely the Godhead’s claim to be a Godhead of love must come into contention if He allows an eternity of punishment for 70 years of transgression. Do we understand it correctly and does the Bible provide more information to help us? Once again I am going to approach Jude, the brother of Jesus because he clearly had inside information and his inputs are very useful. Jude 1:6-7 “And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day; as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.†Sodom and Gomorrah are examples of the final destruction of the world. The word “eternal†is used, but there is no fire in the Middle East that is still burning. The other word that is used is “inextinguishable fire,†but that means a fire that will keep burning until all the material has been burnt up, with lasting or eternal results. Some people emphasize only God’s love, not His justice, and they maintain that He will eventually save everyone without any judgment. Others present God as being without love and they maintain that sinners will burn forever. The Lord will seal people when they are spiritually and intellectually so firmly convinced that they can no longer be moved, and this also applies to sinners. Their conversations, pastimes, appetites, etc. are so far removed from the atmosphere of heaven that they are no longer adaptable, and that is why their destruction will be an act of love because the holy environment will be hell to them.