Bible Study Seattle

Many of us can think of the best teacher we ever had. Maybe an elementary school teacher or a Sunday school teacher that was particularly kind and effective. But the best teacher of them all is Pain. Once we have experienced a burn or a bad cut we do our best to avoid a repeat. And the most painful experience most of us will have is death itself. God wants to give us a powerful incentive to avoid repeating death a second time. Second Death is mentioned four times in Revelation:

“Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death.” Revelation 2:11

“Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.” Revelation 20:6 (We actually think this verse may not be original, but there’s no direct proof.)

“Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death.” Revelation 20:14

“But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” Revelation 21:8