As I mentioned earlier, no matter how good the Pagans may have it down on this sin-scorched planet, the only thing they can look forward to as an eternal death, while I as a follower of Jesus will be enjoying an eternity of happiness, heaven, wealth, success, glory and goodness. Psalm 73:1-28 Some churches teach that when God does destroy the wicked, He is going to throw them into a lake of fire, where they will burn forever and ever in eternal agony and flaming torment.
"The lake of fire is the second death. If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire." Revelation 20:14,15
Many Pagans point to this dreadful display of an angry, wrathful God as final proof that only a Cruel God would punish someone with eternal suffering. When God destroys the wicked, will He cause them to burn forever in a flaming Hell? I don't think so, and I say that on the basis of Revelation 20. In the theology of my denomination, when satan goes to deceive the nations that are still in the earth after the Millennium, my church teaches that these people are the resurrected wicked, whom God has raised back to life, and we see that the saints are safely inside the New Jerusalem, which is now surrounded by this vast ocean of unrepentant and newly resurrected sinners. Revelation 20:1-9
Why does God do this? What is the point of this? As I recently reread this story, here is what I saw:
When God resurrects the wicked, He gives them EXACTLY WHAT THEY WANT. The Lord brings them back to life and says to them "Since you don't like My kingdom, my rules, my laws and my Heaven, then I now grant you the freedom to create your own Paradise, according to your own wishes and desires. In fact, I will even give you a role model to follow -- just watch how my Saints treat each other in My city, and if you will love each other as they do, then you can create for yourselves a Paradise on earth."
However, God's love requires a denying of self, which the wicked absolutely refuse to do, so they are totally miserable with each other, so under satan's prodding, they decide to wage war on God's people inside the Holy City, trying to take by force all the good things they see the saints enjoying. It is only then, when God's children are threatened by these insane murderers, that fiery wrath falls down out of the sky, completely and instantly burning up these miserable people. God's wrath against the wicked, then, is a mercy killing.
The wicked will not be burning forever in eternal torment, but there will be eternal consequences for rejecting God's rules, laws and administration of His kingdom. Once they are burned up, they won't be given a second chance to enter into Heaven. But, in the scenario I just described, God does everything He possibly can to bring the wicked to their senses and see the goodness that comes from embracing His ways, His laws and His commandments, but the wicked will have none of it. When God destroys the wicked, it is to forever put them out of their misery, and NOT to perpetuate it with an eternal burning Hell! And that is a Good God!
"And he [God] passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, 'The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin." Exodus 34:6,7
