But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”
Revelation 21 has just shown a world made new and God living with people. Then, with one word, the chapter turns to those who have no share in it. Why does the list of them start where it starts? And how final is the sentence it announces?
The Dark Side of the Eternal State
This verse does not describe a passing phase of judgment. It belongs to the same eternal scene as the new heaven and the new earth.
Walter ScottGod is the Speaker here, as in the earlier statements. In those earlier declarations God speaks as love. In this final statement of eternity He speaks as light. God never gives up His character as Judge of evil. The lake of fire is an actual and eternal place of punishment. We do not know where in the universe it is. Some today deny eternal punishment. This solemn passage gives them no support. It gives absolute condemnation. The eighth verse is as distinctly eternal as the first or the second.
Why the Cowardly Come First
Readers expect a list of criminals. It opens instead with fear. Older translations read "the fearful" and "the unbelieving" where the ESV has "the cowardly" and "the faithless."
Andrew MillerWho praises the coward? Sadly, he stands at the head of the dark list of the lost in Revelation 21:8. "The fearful" here means those who are afraid to confess Jesus as Saviour and Lord, from fear of the consequences. They are cowards when it comes to Christ. In God's sight this is a sin of the meanest and blackest character. Such people know something of Christ and of His goodness, and yet they are ashamed of His name before others.
The next word in the list explains how a person ends up in that company.
Leslie M. Grant"The unbelieving" are those who refuse God's testimony. That testimony was the only thing that could have kept them out of the company of "the abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters and all liars." Every unbeliever chooses such company, and he or she will have a part with them in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone. This is the second death — not annihilation, but separation (the basic meaning of death) — separation from God in eternal torment.
Two Families, Two Destinies
The sins named trace a family likeness.
F. B. HoleThe list of those on whom this doom falls is sadly instructive. It begins with the fearful and unbelieving… Next come those who bore the character of the devil, who is a murderer. They were marked by lust and dealings with the powers of darkness. The list finishes with "all liars." Lying is another characteristic of the devil, and deceit takes many subtle forms. The overcomers of verse 7 are sons of God. The condemned of verse 8 show themselves to be sons of the evil one. They share his doom.
Sorcerers
One word on the list sounds quaint today.
Walter ScottSorcerers are those who claim to have dealings with spirits. Death was the appointed penalty under the law for those who practised spiritualism in those days (Deut. 18:10-12). The lake of fire is God's appointed doom for all who practise witchcraft, spiritualism, devil worship, and other forms of sorcery.
What "the Second Death" Means
The phrase points back to the death everyone already knows.
Walter ScottThe "lake" burns. Its fire is never exhausted. "Fire and brimstone" symbolise torment and agony of a fearful kind (Isa. 30:33)… "Which is the second death." The first death separates soul and body. It is not the ending of existence, and not unconsciousness, as many imagine. Luke 16:19-31 is not said to be a parable. Both it and Revelation 6:9-11 show that the spirit is conscious and active in that state. The lake of fire in its never-ending agony is the second death.
No Release
Some hope the sentence might one day end, or that a fire after death might purify.
H. H. SnellThe misery of the unbeliever is brought in again here, as it seems to me, so that there might be no room for a question about how long their condemnation lasts. Can anything be more conclusive? Be assured, there is no coming out of that pit. It is impossible, for divine judgment and righteousness have put them there. Scripture gives no warrant for a purifying fire after death. Would the blessed Lord have repeated five times within a few verses, "where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched," if He had not meant to show the final and eternal doom awaiting the guilty and lost?
Summary
- Two shares. One eternity holds both: the overcomers of verse 7, and the part in the lake of fire given in verse 8.
- Fear first. The list opens with people afraid to own Christ before others, not with murderers. They knew something of His goodness, yet were ashamed of His name.
- Unbelief picks the company. God's testimony was the only thing that could keep a person out of that company: the detestable, the immoral, sorcerers, idolaters and liars.
- Family likeness. The sins listed — murder, lust, dark powers, lying — are the character of the devil. Verse 7 shows sons of God; verse 8 shows sons of the evil one, sharing his doom.
- Second death, no exit. The first death separates soul from body, but existence goes on. The second death is conscious and lasting. There is no coming out of that pit, and no purifying fire after it.