Audio Download

Rev 21:4-8 The Lake of Fire, and The Great Multitude Which no Man can Number, Part 1

[Study Aired July 11, 2025]

Rev 21:4  And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
Rev 21:5  And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
Rev 21:6  And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
Rev 21:7  He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
Rev 21:8  But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

Introduction

The “great multitude which no man can number” will be shown to be just another way of saying “the sea gave up the dead that were in it”. Once we make this connection, we will have no trouble understanding how it can be clearly stated that “there shall be no more death (Rev 21:4), and there was no more sea” (Rev 21:1). The ‘sea’ signifies the dying, rebellious, self-righteous, carnal mind.

So here in our study today we are told:

Rev 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

This verse in a simple ‘matter of fact’ manner states… “there shall be no more death”. As we stated in our last study the only way to destroy death is to stop the birth of new babies and raise all people who have ever lived to life, through the judgment of the great white throne.

Rev 20:9 And they [“the nations in the four quarters of the earth”] 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 [“the nations in the four quarters of the earth”].
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.

As long as one person is either dead or is still in a fleshly “body of death” (Rom 7:24) death is not destroyed. If all of mankind is destroyed by “fire from heaven” and all men who have ever lived are raised up in spiritual bodies, then death is indeed destroyed and “through death [life will come to] all in Adam”.

Joh 12:24  Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

Col 1:22  In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:

1Co 15:22  For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

1Co 15:25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
1Co 15:26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

1Co 15:44  It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.

The great white throne is a throne of judgment:

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.

This is what all of God’s ‘judgments’ accomplish:

Isa 26:8  Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O LORD, have we waited for thee; the desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee.
Isa 26:9  With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

Since everyone in this great white throne judgment is “raised a spiritual body [to be] judged is according to his works” therefore this “white throne judgment”, accompanied by this “lake of fire which is the second death”, is the chastening judgment of all men of all time.

Now here is a Biblical Truth which the world most often overlooks. The churches of this world do not understand what judgment is all about. It is the Biblical Truth that all of God’s judgments are simply His chastening which brings about the salvation of all who are being judged.

1Co 11:31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
1Co 11:32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.

“When we are judged we are chastened of the Lord.” That principle applies to the white throne judgment just as much as it applies to the judgment which is now on the house of God:

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?

“If we judge ourselves, we will not be judged” only because we have been judged already. Judgment, whether it is “judging ourselves” now or the judgment of a great multitude which no man can number, judgment is never condemnation to eternal torment. “When we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord”, and since the whole world will be judged, we can rest assured that in the end, in that great white throne judgment, “the world will learn righteousness.”

Isa 26:9 With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

Rom 5:18  Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.

1Ti2:4  Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

1Ti 4:10  For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially [not exclusively] of those that believe.

2Pe3:9  The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

What the Lord ‘wills’ (1Ti 2:4) or ‘desires’ is exactly what He does:

Job 23:13  But he is in one mind, and who can turn him? and what his soul desireth, even that he doeth.

1Jn 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

We are told “the sea gave up the dead which were in it.” ‘The sea’ signifies the flesh of all of men of all time. It is the Biblical symbol for the marred flesh out of which comes all of mankind. Since all men are destined to be saved by the judgment of the death of the cross, it follows that when the cross has finished its fiery work in all of mankind, then truly “there will be no more sea”, either within us or without.

Rev 13:1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.

All who in this present time are being judged, will be granted to “have part in the first resurrection. It will be by the agency of this “few… firstfruit… chosen” that all the rest of mankind will be given mercy.

How can the following verses of God’s word be made to agree with the false doctrines of “double predestination” and eternal torment?

Rom 3:22  Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference [between ‘all’ and ‘all them that believe’]:

Rom 11:30 For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:
Rom 11:31 Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.
Rom 11:32 For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.

1Co 3:13  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.
1Co 3:14  If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
1Co 3:15  If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

The ‘fiery words of God’ (Jer 5:14) in the mouths of His elect, will be the agency by which “he himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire” (1Co 3:13-15).

1Co 3:13  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.
1Co 3:14  If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
1Co 3:15  If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

The ‘fire’ of scripture destroys our old man’s kingdom, and through that destruction “fire… saves.” The ‘fiery words’ which will save all men will be in the mouths of this very same group of God’s elect who are the first to die daily with Christ (1Co 15:31), and who are known here in this revelation of Jesus Christ as “the lake of fire.”  All men who are not in the “blessed and holy first resurrection” will be purified and purged “by fire” from all the false doctrines within them. It is this very same symbolic ‘fire’ which will devour all the fuel of all the false doctrines signified in scripture as “wood, hay and stubble.” It is all the false doctrines of men, signified by the phrase, ‘wood, hay, and stubble’ which will be burned up and destroyed by the words of Truth coming from the mouth of God’s elect. It is by this ‘lake of fire [which] is the second death’ that all the false doctrines of “wood, hay and stubble” will be burned out of all men of all time. The “fire” of “the lake of fire” is the ‘fire’ of God’s Word which is in the mouth of His elect. It is God’s elect who are the ‘fire’ of “the lake of fire’ through which those who “suffer loss will be saved, yet so as by fire.” Let’s read it again. This is the function and purpose of all the Lord’s judgments:

Isa 33:14  The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings? [Indeed, ‘who’ would that be???]
Isa 33:15  He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil;

Jer 5:14 Wherefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.

1Co 11:31  For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
1Co 11:32  But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.

There! That is the “fire” of scripture. It is “My [Christ’s] words in your mouth” which burn and torment us all as we, with our lying heresies, withstand those fiery words.

1Co 3:12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
1Co 3:13 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.
1Co 3:14 If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
1Co 3:15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

The word ‘every’ in the phrase, “every man’s works” here in verse 13, is not the Greek word ‘pas‘. The Greek word here is ‘hekastos’, G1538, which means “each” or “every” and it leaves no room for exclusions. “The fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.” Now we can understand the meaning of the symbolism of ‘fire’ in scripture. The scriptures, which tell us of the hope of salvation beyond this life, are easily made to accord with those scriptures which speak of the destruction of all sinners and their ultimate salvation “through death”, through destruction of “every man’s work” and through being “saved, yet so as by fire.”

1Co 15:19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.

There is hope of life beyond this life, and that life will come only through the symbolic flames of the lake of fire. It is in this lake of fire that death will be destroyed and “every man… will be saved so as by fire.”

Who are we told will “dwell with the devouring fire?”  Who among us will dwell with everlasting burnings?” Has anyone ever asked those questions? Isaiah did:

Isa 33:14 The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?

Isaiah poses the question, “Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?” The preceding verse told us “The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness has surprised the hypocrites.” If indeed the doctrine of an eternal hell, of literal flames of fire tormenting the wicked forever and ever had any basis at all in scripture surely Isaiah, who never shrank from telling Israel what would be the result of her sins, is going to tell us that the sinners and hypocrites in Zion are going to dwell in this “devouring fire” suffering the excruciating pain of the never-ending fire of hell. However, what is it Isaiah tells us? Here is the answer of the spirit to this very important rhetorical question posed by Isaiah right after telling us that ‘the sinners in Zion are afraid and fearfulness has surprised the hypocrites.’ This is ‘who will dwell in the devouring fire and the everlasting burnings.’

Isa 33:15 He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil;

“He that walks righteously”, that is the person who is granted to “dwell with the devouring fire”. So what is the purpose of this “devouring fire”? What do these “everlasting burnings” accomplish? Let’s read it again.

1Co 3:14 If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
1Co 3:15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire [the lake of fire].

This is the truly good news we are told throughout God’s word. Yes, indeed, judgment is certain, and it is severe. There really are fiery trials for all who will follow in the footsteps of their Lord in this life (1Pe 4:12). There really is also a symbolic “lake of fire” which awaits all who will not submit to Christ in this age. Those who will not submit to Christ in this age do not do so because they are not being judged in this present life. That is why Christ calls their resurrection, “the resurrection of judgment” which He contrasts with “the resurrection of life” for those who are righteous in this present time:

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 [G2920: ‘Krisis’, judgment].

All judgment, either present or future, is for the purpose of chastening. It is never for the futile, counterproductive monstrous purpose of eternal torment. The Lord “will have all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the Truth.”

1Ti 2:4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

1Ti 4:10 For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially [not exclusively] of those that believe [“The firstfruits unto God and the Lamb”, (Rev 14:4)].

2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

1Jn 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

The diabolical lie of ‘double election’ teaches that many are elected by God to endure eternal torment. That monstrous doctrine is the exact opposite of the teaching of scripture, that the elect are a special “kind of first fruits.” God’s elect who are redeemed in this age are not the only fruit of the sacrifice of Christ. If the elect were the only fruit, then they would not be called “the firstfruits unto God and the Lamb” (Rev 14:4). The dreadful heretical lie of ‘double election’ teaches that ‘all’, when speaking of all men being saved, means only “all kinds of men”, and that Christ’s sacrifice is definitely not “for the sins of the whole world”. This great heresy teaches that when Paul tells Timothy:

1Ti 2:4  Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

That God will that “not… any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” is nothing more than a vain wistful wish on God’s part, and God’s wish for all men to be saved is being thwarted by another heresy known as man’s free will. That is right. The same people who teach “double predestination”, meaning that the elect are predestined to be saved and the rest of mankind are predestined to burn in hell for all eternity, also teach that you and I have a free will. The scriptures teach the exact opposite:

Pro 16:1 The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the LORD.

Pro 16:4 The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.

Rom 9:16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.

God has no wishes which He does not accomplish. What God wishes for and wants is exactly what God gets.

2Ch 20:6 And said, O LORD God of our fathers, art not thou God in heaven? and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? and in thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee?

Job 23:13  But he is in one mind, and who can turn him? and what his soul desireth, even that he doeth.
Job 23:14  For he performeth the thing that is appointed for me: and many such things are with him.

Isa 46:10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:

This again is God’s pleasure:

Rev 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

Notice how this verse accords with what is said about mankind after the “great multitude which no man could number… comes up out of great tribulation” known as the lake of fire.

Rev 7:13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?
Rev 7:14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
Rev 7:15 Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.
Rev 7:16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.
Rev 7:17 For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.

It is obvious that the ‘numbered 144,000, who are called “the firstfruits to God and the Lamb”, are those who will be raised up in the first resurrection to rule and reign with Christ during the thousand years. It should be equally obvious that the “great multitude” which no man could number is the Biblical symbol of all unrepentant men of all time including those who “compass the camp of the saints about” and are cast into the lake of fire along with all “the dead which were in… the sea… the dead, small and great… and they were judged every man according to his works”.

So it is true that “His mercy endures for ever”.

Psa 118:1 O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever.
Psa 118:2 Let Israel now say, that his mercy endureth for ever.
Psa 118:3 Let the house of Aaron now say, that his mercy endureth for ever.
Psa 118:4 Let them now that fear the LORD say, that his mercy endureth for ever.

Because His mercy really does endure forever, we are told:

Rev 21:5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

“I make all things new” are the exact same words used to describe what happens when Christ takes up His abode within us:

2Co 5:16  Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.
2Co 5:17  Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

“He that sat on the throne” is our Lord. We know this because it is Christ who is always speaking for His Father.

Are all things made new not only at the “redemption of the purchased possession” (Eph 1:14). As we just read, there is also a very present application of this verse. It is this present application which the Lord will always have us to keep foremost in our minds.

2Co 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

The ongoing nature of these words is expressed in the very next two verses:

2Co 5:18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
2Co 5:19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

We will pause this study at this point. When we continue our study we will seek to understand to what extent the Lord is intent on “reconciling the world to Himself” (2Co 5:19).