Hi Mike,​

I was thinkin​g​ this morning about ​two​ verses in the bible containing the word forever​:​

​”​Behold, the man had become as one of us, to know good and evil (this was right after he died the first time), now lest he put forth his hand and eat from the tree of life and live FOREVER…”​

“…​and the devil was cast into the lake burning with fire and brimstone, where the beast and false prophet were also, and shall be tormented day and night FOREVER AND EVER.​”​

​I wonder what God meant when he said ‘forever’​the first time. ​H​e just drove ​[Adam] out of the garden and had to live like 900 years before he died the second time. 2nd death…I​ wonder if he died in a lake of fire,​ too…long time to live in a fallen state​,​ doncha think?

​S____

Hi S​____,

Thank you for your question, about having to “die the second time” to use your words.

I think you already know the word translated ‘forever’ in Hebrew is ‘olam‘. Its Greek equivalent is ‘aion‘​ (​eon in English). Both mean a period of time of no particular length but having a definite beginning and a definite end.

With that in mind, ​please consider this verse:

Heb 9:27  And as it is appointed^G606[G5736] unto men once to die^G599[G5629], but after this the judgment:

The verb ‘appointed’ is in the present tense as the [5736] indicates in e-Sword, but the verb ‘to die’ is in the aorist tense, indicating the dying process of those who are being judge​d​ at “this present time” (Rom 8:18).

No one dies twice. The loss of physical life is not considered death by Christ. It is referred to as simply being “asleep”, as Christ plainly said when He raised the 12 year old girl from being physically dead and also​ in ​the ​case of the resurrection of Lazarus:

Luk 8:50  But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole.
Luk 8:51  And when he came into the house, he suffered no man to go in, save Peter, and James, and John, and the father and the mother of the maiden.
Luk 8:52  And all wept, and bewailed her: but he said, Weep not; she is not dead, but sleepeth.
Luk 8:53  And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead.
Luk 8:54  And he put them all out, and took her by the hand, and called, saying, Maid, arise.
Luk 8:55  And her spirit came again, and she arose straightway: and he commanded to give her meat.

Joh 11:11  These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.
Joh 11:12  Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well.
Joh 11:13  Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.
Joh 11:14  Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.

If we are being judged in this present time, then we are dying daily in this present time, and we are the first to do so. The only death with which scripture concerns itself is the death of our carnal-minded “old man”.

If he is ‘dying’ in this present time, then He will come up in “the first resurrection, the resurrection of life”, having already been judged and having his carnal mind burned out of him in this present time.

Joh 5:27  And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.
Joh 5:28  Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
Joh 5:29  And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation [Greek: krisis – Judgment because they were not judged in this present time].

So no one dies physically twice, because judgment comes only to those who die first and are judged first:

1Pe 4:12  Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
1Pe 4:13  But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

1Pe 4:17  For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
1Pe 4:18  And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?

If a person is not experiencing fiery trials and having his carnal mind burned up in “this present time”, then he will come up in a second group to be judged and to die to his old man in the white throne judgment, which is also called the lake of fire or the second death:

Rev 20:6  Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
Rev 20:7  And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
Rev 20:8  And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
Rev 20:9  And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.
Rev 20:10  And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
Rev 20:11  And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
Rev 20:12  And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
Rev 20:13  And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
Rev 20:14  And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
Rev 20:15  And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

It is “the second death” because of its order, because it comes only after the first death which is taking place “in this present time” for those who will come up in the first resurrection having been judged in this life.

I hope this helps you to see that no one dies twice and that the second death is a second group who must die to their carnal mind in a “lake of fire [which] is the second death.

YbiC, Mike