Before we get
new heaven and new earth, there is one more event that must take place - Great White Throne Judgment. In my last article, Satan is Let Loose One More Time, you saw that Satan will end up in Lake of Fire and Brimstone forever and ever - never to bother, harm or tempt humans ever again! Now what happens to rest of unsaved humanity?They will all come before God in what is called Great White Throne Judgment. This event has to be most disturbing and most bothersome event in all of Scripture. Before this happens, Bible tells us that all unsaved people are kept in a place called Hades (Hell) until Millennium Kingdom is up. Hades (Hell) is a temporary place of torment that these souls are kept in until they have to appear before God in this final judgment, which will determine their eternal fate once and for all.
The New King James version calls this place Hades. However, Original King James version calls this place Hell. Either way - Hell or Hades is a temporary place of torment where all unbelievers go to before this judgment comes to pass.
Here is verse giving us details on what will be happening in this judgment of unsaved.
"Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face earth and heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is Book of Life. And dead were judged according to their works, by things which were written in books.The sea gave up dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into Lake of Fire. This is second death. And anyone not found written in Book of Life was cast into Lake of Fire." (Revelations 20:11-14)
Remarks
1. The above verse refers to a "second death." The first death is when unsaved are thrown into Hades after they physically die and are kept there until Millennium Kingdom is up. The second death refers to when unsaved are cast into Lake of Fire and Brimstone where they will remain for all of eternity.
Notice that above verse definitely establishes that these unsaved people are in kept Hades until this judgment comes forth. The verse says that "Hades delivered up dead who were in them."
2. After this final judgment is pronounced, not only are unsaved cast into Lake of Fire and Brimstone, but Hades itself is also cast into Lake of Fire and Brimstone. This would thus be a "merger" of Hades and Lake of Fire and Brimstone. Not only is God going to merge His heaven with our earth when we get new heaven and new earth - God is also going to merge Hades (Hell) with Lake of Fire and Brimstone when all is said and done. This will God’s final ultimate end for saved and unsaved.
The Bible does not give us specific details of nature of torment that they will be under once they are thrown into Lake of fire and Brimstone. And God may never tell any of us, even when we get into new heaven and new earth. It may be something He may never really want us to know about and we may be better off not knowing full details.
However, just thought that a certain percentage of humanity will not make it into new heaven and new earth, and will have to spend rest of their eternal lives in this horrible place of torment just blows human mind!
