Is There, Then, No Torment in the Lake of Fire?

Here we must distinguish carefully. Of Satan, the Beast, and the False Prophet we read that they are cast into the lake of fire and are tormented “for the eons of the eons” (Revelation 19:20; 20:10).

But… for this trio the lake of fire is no “second death.” They are not dead anyway, for they are being tormented. And besides, it is not a second death because they have not even died a first death.

While for human beings the lake of fire will introduce a condition of death, the diabolical trio will be tormented in this place. They do not die, because they are not “ordinary” human beings. Of Satan, “the ancient serpent,” this is self-evident, but of the Beast and the False Prophet we also read that they come out of the abyss (Revelation 13:1, 11). They therefore have no earthly origin. Revelation 16:13 and 14 mentions that behind these human manifestations “spirits of demons” are hiding.

The word “torment” may perhaps call to mind a physical sensation, but that does not have to be the case. Thus the Greek word is also used in Matthew 14:24 (battered), Mark 6:48 (toiling), and 2 Peter 2:8 (vexing), where it likewise is not about bodily torment. The Greek basanizo (Strong’s 928) means to torment or vex, physically or in spirit. The satanic trio that is cast into the lake of fire is tormented because their opposition comes to a fatal end.

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