What Is the Lake of Fire? Is it the Same as Hell or Gehenna?

A symbol of eternal destruction

The Bible says that the lake of fire "means the second death." (Revelation 20:14; 21:8)  The first kind of death mentioned in the Bible resulted from Adam's sin. This death can be reversed by resurrection and will eventually be eliminated by God. - 1 CORINTHIANS 15:21, 22, 26.

The lake of fire represents a different, or second, kind of death. Although it too represents a state of total inactivity, it is different in that the Bible say nothing about a resurrection from the second death.  For example, the Bible says that Jesus has "the keys of hell and death," showing that he has the authority to release people from the death brought about by Adam''s sin. (Revelation 1:18; 20:13, King James Version) However, neither Jesus nor anyone else has the key to the lake of fire.  That symbolic lake represents eternal punishment in the form of permanent destruction. - 2 THESSALONIANS 1:9.

Next time: What Is the Lake of Fire? Is It the Same as Hell or Gehenna? - Identical to Gehenna, the Valley of Hinnom

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