The Second Death

The rest of Revelation 20 gives details surrounding the second death, which is only cryptically and ambiguously described earlier.

(Rev 20:11)  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. (Rev 20:12)  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. (Rev 20:13)  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. (Rev 20:14)  And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. (Rev 20:15)  And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

The dead mentioned here, who stand before the throne, are the wicked dead who are resurrected for sentencing. They are judged by the record of their deeds and condemned, if they are not found written in the book of life. Eternal life is for those only whose names are written in the book of life. The others are cast into the lake of fire and come to an eternal end. Death and hell are not vehicles of eternal torment. They too come to an end at this time. They are cast into the lake of fire. They participate in the second death, from which there is no resurrection, extinguished from existence.

If we follow the text of Revelation 20 carefully from beginning to end, there is no need to err. It sets out the matters clearly and chronologically. If we understand how the Bible describes the bottomless pit or abyssos, the literal, visible second coming, the expressions of time and ages, and distinguishes between the two resurrections and two deaths, everything about the Millennium becomes clear. If we cloud our minds with secret raptures, spiritual second comings, and immortal souls, the clear word of God can tell us very little.

The purpose of the text is to inform us of the justice of God in granting eternal life to those written in the book of life, and in giving eternal anihilation to the others. But we should not be distracted by details and quibbling from the truly central issue before us: how to get out names written in the book of life.

How to Get one's Name in the Book of Life and Keep it There

The one truly essential thing to know about the second coming and the Millennium is how to get one's name written in the book of life. While the book of life is a central issue in the book of Revelation, it is mentioned only once elsewhere, in Paul's epistle to the Philippians 4:3. But Paul does not tell us there how to be included in that illustrous document.

The Book of Revelation has many secrets that come in sevens. There are seven candlesticks, seven stars, seven churches, seven spirits before the throne, seven seals, seven plagues, seven blessings, and seven mentions of the book of life.

We know from these passages seven conditions for being in the book of life.

1. Overcomers.

(Rev 3:5)  He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

2. Those who do not worship the beast.

(Rev 13:8)  And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

3. Those who marvel at the beast.

(Rev 17:8)  The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.

4. Those who are taken to heaven with Jesus at his second coming.

(Rev 20:12)  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.

5. Those who are not cast in the lake of fire.

(Rev 20:15)  And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

6. Those who do not defile, work abomination, or make lies.

(Rev 21:27)  And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.

7. Those who do not take away from the words of the Book of Revelation.

(Rev 22:19)  And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.