EVERYONE WILL LIVE IN ETERNITY, BUT WHERE?

Everyone born on this earth will one day live in eternity. The question is, where will they live? For everyone accountable, the choice is up to them. For others who are not, God will ultimately make that decision. As Joshua said in Joshua 24:15, “And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Your decision will determine your where.

Believers who are raptured fate are sealed. They will enter into eternal bliss with Jesus; wherever He is, they will be. However, another group of individuals called “the dead” is seen in Revelation 20:11-15. It states, ^“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. 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. 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. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” From these verses, we gather all individuals, old and young, will come before Jesus at the white throne judgment. If their name is not recorded in the book of life, they will join the Antichrist, the false prophet, Satan, death, and hell in the lake of fire.

The lake of fire is only mentioned in the book of Revelation, and it is mentioned four times. It is a place of darkness, burning with brimstone, and continual torment, where occupants will weep and gnash their teeth (Mathew 8:12; 13:42, 50; Revelation 19:20; 20:10). This is an experience that never ends, for it is eternal.

Sadly, I believe most people don’t have a clear concept of eternity and the lake of fire, for if they did, their choices in life would be different. So, for those who understand these things, we must continually pray that people’s understanding will be enlightened and, with clarity, see the future God has called them to share in His kingdom.