If Paul taught the full counsel of God, why did he fail to mention te Lake of Fire? No one has been able to answer that for me until I perused your site, namely the Question #4 on the Lake of Fire. I had thought that this might be limited in scope and dealing with the nations and Israel, and not for the whole of humanity. Could you elaborte on the Devil, Beast, and False Prophet being there?
The verse you are asking about is:
Rev 20:10 and the Devil, who is leading them astray, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where are the beast and the false prophet, and they shall be tormented day and night--to the ages of the ages. (YLT)
Scripture calls God a consuming fire:
Deu 4:24
For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God. (KJV)and that rivers of fire go before Him:
Daniel 7:10 A fiery lake issued and came forth from before Him.... (UKJV)
and that He (God) shall came as a refiner's fire, and fuller's soap:
Mal 3:2 But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fuller's soap. (1833 Webster's Bible)
The prophet Isaiah tells us why fire is so important:
Isa 1:25
and I will turn my hand upon thee, and throughly purge away thy dross, and will take away all thy tin: (RV)So far we have verses stating the following:
1. God is a consuming fire.
2. A fiery Lake (Lake of fire) goes before Him.
3. God is like a refiner's fire.
5. God is like fuller's soap.
6. God will purge away the dross from the people.
7. God will turn away all the imperfections (represented by tin) of the people.
The Apostle Paul had all this information before He ever knew Jesus Christ. All these verses were in the Old Testament and were able to be read and studied by all who desired to do so. With this in mind Paul pens the following:
1Co 3:11-15 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. (KJV)
Paul clearly states every man's work will be tried (refined) by fire. This process will occur for every man. What does all this describe? It describes the process of being placed into Christ. He is the fire. Hence, Rev.20:10 is a description of Satan, AntiChrist, and the False Prophet being placed into Christ. The Torment is seeing themselves as the filthy beings they are while in the presence of a fully glorified, perfect, holy Person - Jesus Christ. The fire is God burning away the dross of wood, hay, and stubble. For the three I just mentioned the process of being placed into Christ will take some time, but when it is over God will indeed be "all in all."