The world that we live in is chaotic and wicked. Evil deeds are evident anywhere we look. The contents of the hearts and minds of many people have been deceived and full of wickedness. How did this world behave as it was?
According to the Bible, the devil, is the father of all lies. He will do everything to deceive all people and take them away from the true God, especially those who are coming near to Him. (John 8:44) “You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”
But God won’t let the wickedness and deceits of the devil reign forever. There is an appointed time where all these evil deeds will come to an end, along with the demons, who are all former angels of God.
And since there is an end to all of these wickedness, it is better if we learn their fate, as well as the people who were deceived by the devil. What awaits them?
What awaits the devil and his companions?
Biblically, there is such a place destined for the devil and his cohorts. (2 Peter 2: 4) For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell,t putting them in chains of darknesst to be held for judgment; The verse is said to be in prophetic future tense. This means that it did not happen yet. It will happen in the future in the appointed time where God will throw all the angels in chains and prepare them for judgment.
If we put the past as the basis, they lost their way back in heaven when they rebel against God and His good angels. They lost the chance to dwell again in the abode of God. They were thrown down here on earth. (Rev. 12:7-9) Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.
And to give more proof that indeed an everlasting punishment is waiting for the devil and his cohorts, Jesus said, (Mat. 25: 41) “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.”
The eternal punishment is hell, which consists of never ending fire and torments. Every one of them will be punished and thrown there. No one will be king or leader there, instead all of them will suffer. The punishment will be eternal, the suffering will never end. (Rev. 20:10) “And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” (Rev. 21:8) “But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.“
No wonder why Apostle Peter was very cautious in all his advices to the members of the church, that they must stand and fight the devil with their faith. (1 Peter 5: 8-9) “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.”
The devil won’t stop. He knows that their time is up. And they will do everything to deceive even the chosen ones. (Rev. 12:12) “Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short”
Is this eternal fate belong only to the devil and to the demons?
Not only the devil and the rest of the demons will be cast into eternal hell, sadly, this will also include those who have been deceived. Among them are those who have chosen the dark path, rather than the righteous and brightest way. (Juan 3:19-21) “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.”
There are really some who are destined for eternal punishment, the ones who are deceived and turned away from their faith. (2 Tes. 2:3) “Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessnesst is revealed, the man doomed to destruction.“
These people have been given some signs. They were cursed because they have chosen to do wickedness before God’s eyes, they have chosen to turn away from God’s will and His commands. (Jude 4) “For certain individuals whose condemnation was written aboutt long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.”
(2 Tes. 2:9-12) “The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.”
Its a very sad truth. But this will come to those who turn away from the true God.
We have been given a chance to choose, a freewill to decide between life and death. (Deut. 30: 19) Some have chosen life, others death, which is the eternal punishment in hell.
But, do we know the reason why many people have chosen the eternal path of punishment?
What was written must be fulfilled. (John 17:12) “While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled.”
Judas Iscariot was destined to destruction. (Psalms 41:9) – Even my close friend, someone I trusted, one who shared my bread, has turned against me. This verse was written long before Christ came in the flesh. Anyone who fills in the feet of the destined one will be doomed to destruction. The same fate goes for those who will walk in the same path it has chosen.
Prophet Isaiah said, (Isaiah 59 : 7 – 9), “Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction arein their paths. The way of peace they know not; and there isno judgment in their goings: they have made them crooked paths: whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace. Therefore is judgment far from us, neither doth justice overtake us: we wait for light, but behold obscurity; for brightness, butwe walk in darkness.”
Also in the book of Proverbs, it says, (Prov. 4:18-19) “But the path of righteous people is like the light of dawn that becomes brighter and brighter until it reaches midday. The way of wicked people is like deep darkness. They do not know what makes them stumble.”
Apostle Paul advised, (Efe. 5 : 13 – 14) “But all things, when their true quality is seen, are made clear by the light: because everything which is made clear is light. For this reason he says, Be awake, you who are sleeping, and come up from among the dead, and Christ will be your light.”
Why do we need the light in this world?
The world is dark because of sins and wickedness. If we will not received the light from God, then we will all stumble in this dark world. Christ emphasized the importance of having Him as the light of this world. If we walk in His light, we can surely walk and remain firm while in the dark. We will not stumble if we the light. Those who don’t have the light will stumble and will surely be destroyed. (Juan 12: 35) “Jesus said to them, For a little time longer the light will be among you; while you have the light go on walking in it, so that the dark may not overtake you: one walking in the dark has no knowledge of where he is going.”
(Juan 11:9-10) “Then Jesus said in answer, Are there not twelve hours in the day? A man may go about in the day without falling, because he sees the light of this world. But if a man goes about in the night, he may have a fall because the light is not in him.”
God is light. If we follow Him, and obey His commands, then our path will be lighted. His words are our light. If we walk not according to His ways then we remain in darkness.
If we come to God, then we receive His mercy. He will provide light in every path we take so that we walk according to His ways and not in the darkness of this world. (Psalms 18 : 28) ” You, O Lord, will be my light; by you, my God, the dark will be made bright for me.”
The light coming from God gives us the chance and the strength to do good works and yield good fruits and deeds. This, we can’t do while we are in the dark. (Efe. 5 : 8 – 11) “For you at one time were dark, but now are light in the Lord: let your behaviour be that of children of light Because the fruit of the light is in all righteousness and in everything which is good and true.”
Since we have the chance to do good deeds, we are advised to do them always. (Gal. 6:7-10) “Be not tricked; God is not made sport of: for whatever seed a man puts in, that will he get back as grain. Because he who puts in the seed of the flesh will of the flesh get the reward of death; but he who puts in the seed of the Spirit will of the Spirit get the reward of eternal life. And let us not get tired of well-doing; for at the right time we will get in the grain, if we do not give way to weariness. So then, as we have the chance, let us do good to all men, and specially to those who are of the family of the faith.”
What if we don’t follow God’s will? What will happen to us?
Christ’s parable of the talent shows us that a slave who did not use the talent given to him by his master will be punished. The talent here symbolizes the faith, and spiritual gifts that were given to us by God so that we bear good fruits. If we don’t use them or ignore them, then bad consequences may happen to us. (Mat. 25:30) “And put out the servant who is of no profit into the outer dark: there will be weeping and cries of sorrow.”
There are works that are really inclined for eternal punishment. And if we don’t turn away from these works, then expect eternal damnation.
Turning away from faith, evil deceptions are among the wicked works worthy of eternal punishments. These works cannot escape from God’s wrath and anger.
What is the lesson here that we need to learn?
Don’t think that God doesn’t give punishment. God is a great rewarder, He is loving and compassionate, full of mercy and forgiving, yet He is also a God who gives punishment for those who are worhty of punishment. His mercy and forgiveness are only for those who are willing to come to Him and completely surrender their lives in Him. (2 Ped. 2:9) ”The Lord is able to keep the upright safe in the time of testing, and to keep evil-doers under punishment till the day of judging“
God’s reward is eternal life. (Efe. 1: 4-5) But we have to choose which path we will walk on to receive it from God. (Deut 30:19)
Let’s fight a good fight with our faith, and live eternally with God, after all, we are called to live eternally with Him.
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