What's Your Interpetation of Rev. Chapter 20?

[CheyenneServant]

I am confused after I read Revelation chapter 20 and would like someone to clearify it for me.
One question I have is clearifcation on Revelation 20:13-15
"13 The sea gave up it's dead, and Death and Hell gave up its dead. Each one of the dead was judged by what they had done. 14 Then Death and Hell were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15 Anyone whose names was not written in the book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire."
Why would those who are already in Hell be judged? and it sounds like to me that Hell opens up, it's dead judged, and if those from Hell whose name's aren't written in the book of life, are thrown into the lake of fire. Does this mean if their names were written in the book of life, they could be saved even after being in Hell? Why would those already in Hell have their names checked to see if they are in the book of life? Please help me understand this better. Thank you.  

[Garland-Green]

I think based on that word that you are reading the King James Bible?

Other translation replace the word with Hades.

Revelation 20:13-15 (ESV)
And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. 14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

Hades (Greek) - It is identical to Sheol (Hebrew). It is the non-permanent place or temporary address of the disembodied souls of dead. It is not the grave or sepulcher, nor is it the eternal location of the souls of the dead. Hades is translated "Hell" 10 times and "grave" once by KJV. It is the place for the soul, not the body.

Hell, Sheol, Hades, Paradise, and the Grave

If you read Luke 16. The story of the rich man and Lazarus, you will see that there is no hope of salvation for someone in Hades (Hell). There is no way of getting out even for just a moment to warn your family of the place.

“There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’ And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father's house— for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’

The Lake of Fire is the final sentencing in a sense. There won't be anyone who sins and are condemned after this. It is God's final dealing with the problem of sin in His creation. So there will be no more death. The curse that started with Adam in Genesis is no more. It is thrown into the lake of fire, along with those that reside in Hell.

Quote:

Why would those already in Hell have their names checked to see if they are in the book of life?

I believe it is for their own sake, and for our sake. Obviously God know who is in the Book of Life or not, and there is no need to check it on His part. He knows our hearts better than we do ourselves, so I think it is so that people (us, the angles and also those that are condemned) will see the justice of the sentencing and God will be glorified. There will be several books opened (Revelation 20:12). Not just the book of Life though the book of Life is the most important one.

Romans 14:11-12
For it is written, "AS I LIVE, SAYS THE LORD, EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW TO ME, AND EVERY TONGUE SHALL GIVE PRAISE TO GOD." So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God.

1 Thessalonians 4:16
For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.