Revelation 20:15
15 And [kai] whosoever [ei tis] was [heurisko] not [ou] found [heurisko] written [grapho] in [en] the book [biblos] of life [zoe] was cast [ballo] into [eis] the lake [limne] of fire. [pur]KJV-Interlinear
15 And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. NASB
Note that in this verse it does not say that ‘all’ who were given up by death and Hades, and from the sea and so forth as defined in the previous verses.
This verse defines who is thrown into the Lake of Fire. Only those whose names are not found in the book of life.
Verse twelve introduces the final trial, the Great White Throne.
Verse thirteen introduces who is called before that throne, all who remain in the world of the dead. Not one, not one single believer is included in this group. All believers have been resurrected by this time and are in their resurrection bodies and possess eternal life. Only unbelievers remain in the confines of death by this time in history.
Verse fourteen tells us that only those who ‘remain’ in death, will be cast into the Lake of Fire. That the source of those going into the Lake of Fire is death. This emphasizes that no one from the living, no believer will go to the Lake of Fire.
And now our last verse in this chapter, tells us that only those whose names are ‘not found.’
And not found means not found in the Book of Life. This suggests a last but final mercy from God, to those who are about to lose it all, forever. The Bible takes four full verses to explain this principle.
Now, note that this is only by implication. It may very well be that no one will accept this mercy, if indeed it is extended. However, we all know that God has infinite mercy and that God does not will for anyone to go to the Lake of Fire. That implies at the very least, one final opportunity for those who are in the state of death, to believe in Christ and accept him as their savior.
The Bible does not state emphatically that ‘all’ who came out of death, out of Hades, etc. will for certain be those same people who will be cast into hell. Only that those who are going to hell will come out of that sphere of death in which all unbelievers will be in, by the time of this last historical event.
Since the anti-christ and the false prophet are cast directly into the Lake of Fire, without any interim incarceration, that Satan is cast directly into the Lake of Fire, even with a 1000 year imprisonment, and yet the unbelievers of history are thrown into an interim incarceration in Torments. Why are unbelievers not thrown into the Lake of Fire immediately upon their physical death? Why the temporary imprisonment?
So, you have three principles of examples. The first is of those who are so bad that they deserve nothing better than immediate punishment. The second is that regardless of an imprisonment, Satan, he will never change his mind and is deserving of eternal punishment. And then we have the third example, which may include people who by being in Torments, have learned their lesson and are willing to change.
In any case, we will not know the answer to that last question until we get to that last trial in history. Believing in Christ is the best way to approach life and to insure never having to face eternal punishment.
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