The Future of the Deceiver and Deceived

     The anti-Christ and false prophet will be in the lake of fire while the serpent himself will be locked in the bottomless pit for 1,000 years,

     “Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth…”  Revelation 20:7-8a

     His final attempt to deceive mankind comes quickly to an end when God Himself spews fire from heaven and devours him and his cohorts.

     “The devil who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast (anti-Christ) and the false prophet are.  And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.”  Revelation 20:10

     Thus, the devil, the anti-Christ, and the false prophet are together in the everlasting lake of fire where they will be tormented (tortured) throughout eternity.

     But that’s not the end of the story.  What about those who have been deceived by them?  The truth must be told.

     During the forthcoming tribulation, those unwilling to die for the name of Jesus will succumb to the rule of anti-Christ.  Such will join the devil and his angels in the lake of fire.

     “If anyone worships the beast… and receives his mark... he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God…He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone…and the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever…”  Revelation 14:9-11

     Therefore, the deceived of mankind will spend eternity with the great deceiver.

      How about those who show no compassion for the brothers of Christ in troublous times?

     When Christ returns to judge the nations just before establishing His kingdom, all will be divided into two groups; one group who showed compassion for Christ’s brethren and the other group who showed no such compassion.

     “All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.”  Matthew 25:32

     The criterion for this judgment will focus on deeds of compassion for other Christians, i.e. Christ’s brethren.

     “…for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.”  Matthew 25:35-36

     Both groups asked when they did those compassionate deeds.  The King’s response:

     “And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’” Matthew 25:40

     Those who showed love for the King’s brethren were told:

     “…Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”  Matthew 25:24

     But for those who showed no such love for Christ’s brethren:

     “…Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels…”  Matthew 25:41

     It is extremely significant that the lake of fire was not prepared for mankind; rather mankind chooses to follow the deceit of the devil.  However, the eternal kingdom was prepared for obedient mankind from the foundation of the world.

     And then there are those who choose to obey the law instead of placing their trust in the vicarious sacrifice of Christ, i.e. those will be judged by their actual obedience to the law.  These will stand before the great white throne after the devil has been cast into the everlasting lake of fire.

     At this judgment there are books listing all of man’s works, and then there is the singular book which is the Book of Life.

     “…and books were opened….And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books…And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.”  Revelation 20:12, 15

     It is a profound truth that the major issue facing all of mankind is the ‘sin question’ which must be dealt with by every individual. 

     Sadly, that doesn’t appear to be the world’s top priority.

     Share your thoughts walt.thrun@gmail.com