Or is it?
Whether there’s a literal Lake of Fire as listed in the book of Revelation isn’t the important issue. The imagery is simply the thing we use to demonstrate what will happen at the end of time. Hell and Satan will be dropped into that Lake.
But what is Hell?
To understand that we have to know the concept of Common Grace. I’ve written about that before. The Bible teaches that rain falls on both the righteous and the sinner. That’s common grace, because farming communities need rain for their crops to grow. Both the “good guys” and the “bad guys” get the things needed to have food grow.
In fact, the very air we breathe was created by God. The “stuff” that makes up our bodies was invented by God. Quantum fields, chocolate, the clothing worn by the neighbor who irritates you, even the gravity holding you down is all the creation of God.
The fact we all get to benefit by the “good stuff” and suffer from the “bad stuff” is what is meant by common grace. If only God’s people were given pizza, and sports cars, and computers, people would only worship Him to get that “good stuff.” We’d be mercenaries.
It’s a pity there are so many people who are that way. “What’s in it for me?” they ask. That’s exactly the point - God is your reward.
The Bible teaches that if we want God more than anything else, we’ll get everything else thrown into the deal. If we want stuff, you won’t even get that in the end.
Now, keep in mind that’s talking about Heaven, not Earthly stuff. If what you want is pizza and sports cars, you might be able get that for a while. When your life comes to an end that will all be taken away and you won’t get God or pizza.
If you seek God above all else, when your earthly life ends you’ll get Him AND the greatest food you’ll ever taste - quality so wonderful even dark chocolate or escargot pales by comparison.
If you want a case of Killian’s Red more than you want God, you’ll end up with neither God nor the beer.
You’ll get not-God. The end of common grace.
AKA Hell. The absence of everything you would define as good.
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