Returning to the book of Revelation for our next look into the subject of this deep dive into:
The Lake of Fire and the Second Death:
Revelation 8:5, "Then the Shepherd-Messenger took the golden censer for frankincense and filled it with burning coals from the altar and cast it upon the earth. And the burning coals became thunder and voices and lightning shaking the earth like an earthquake!" (The altar is central in this vision of the Lamb that was slain - the triumph of the Cross is unveiled, in redeeming humanity's innocence. "Having accomplished purification of sins He sat down...." (Acts 2:34; Ps. 110:1; Eph. 1:22; Heb. 1:3) His Throne is proof of humanity's redeemed innocence! Heb. 1:3.
This should remind us of Isaiah 6:6-7, "Then flew one of the Seraphim to me, having in his hand a burning coal which he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth, and said, "Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin forgiven." Then in Zechariah 3:9, " 'For behold, upon the stone which I have set before Joshuah, upon a single stone with seven facets [eyes], I will engrave its inscription,' says the LORD of hosts, 'I will remove the guilt of the earth in a single day.' Then in Isaiah 66:8, "Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such a thing? Shall a land be born in one day? Shall a nation be brought forth in a moment?" Hosea 6:2, "After two days He will revive us; On the third day He will raise us up, that we may live before Him." Acts 17:31, Rom. 4:25, 1Pet. 1:3, Ehp. 2:5-6.
In the following scenes where the seven trumpets are sounded, every known sphere of the universe is pictured: The earth with its green trees and fields of grass; Then the oceans, both with its hidden life within, as well as the trade ships upon the seas. Then the burning star descending from heaven upon the rivers and their sources - from where their waters gush forth - [waters gushing from the innermost beings!] Then the sun moon and stars in the heavenly sphere are struck and darkness ensues upon the earth (Mat. 27:45). Every external source of light is taken away in order to usher in the new day dawning within. Rev. 21:23, "Then city doesn't need any sun or moon to give it light because the glory of GOD gives it light. The Lamb was its lamp." Even the smoke rising from the bottomless pit [under-world] clearly reveals that the fire from the altar had its effect there! The Lamb descended into the lowest parts of the earth when He set the captives free (Mat. 27:51b-54) and led them as His trophies in His triumphant procession on high! Eph. 4:8-10. The entire known world is addressed in the slain and risen Lamb. The old things have passed away, behold everything has become new. An earthquake took place (Mat. 27:51) because of fault lines - a great shifting is taking place along the fault-line of people's thinking! Isa. 55:9-11)
In the imagery that follows, John see how the triune religious counterfeit systems, the Dragon, the beast and the False Prophet are thoroughly stripped of their influence and dominion and brought to naught. (Because of its length I will have to cut this short here, but will give a small portion to wet your appetites.)
Revelation 18:21, "And a huge Shepherd-Messenger lifted a stone like a massive millstone and cast it into the sea, saying, "so shall Babylon the great Prostitute-City, be hurled into the ocean and not a single trace of her existence shall be found again!" (These things and this city are being witnesses to the effects of their demise in a TV program called "Drain the Oceans," on the National Geographic channel. See Mat. 18:6-9 where Jesus is speaking, 'Whoever causes one of those little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened round his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.' The context is clearly about the offense and judgment that the legalistic mindset brings - 'if your hand, foot or eye offends you [causes you to stumble], cut it off and pluck it out in order to escape burning in Gehenna!' This was obviously a familiar comparison to judgment. Jesus graphically and almost sarcastically pointed to the inability of the Law of works to save us from judgment! The hand, foot or eye not the culprits; The actual mindset is! It should also be noted that here, the depths of the sea is used on par with the fires of Gehenna - the idea was to emphasize a judgment that will ultimately, in the full comprehension of the human race, be totaled in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and our total co-inclusion in it, as well as our awakening to our joint-seatedness on the Throne (of our origin, as witnessed to in Gen. 1:26-27) in GOD, will bring a final end to the threat and existence of evil.
The garbage heap outside Jerusalem, commonly related to hell, (G1067 of Hebrew origin ([H1516] and [H2011]) geenna, gheh'-en-nah, Gehenna, is the Greek word used for the Hebrew, "Valley of Hinnom," which is modern day Wadi er-Rababi. A fiery place for the disposal of waste matter from the city of Jerusalem. The "Valley of Hinnom" lies outside of ancient Jerusalem.) (The Mirror, with editing.)
Until our next visit may our LORD bless one and all. We shall pick this with Revelation 19.
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