Annihilation (Jehovah’s Witness) or an eternal Hell?

The theological teaching that God will condemn sinners to an eternal Hell is one that even Christians can struggle with. In today’s culture there is so much talk of God’s love and compassion that it is tough for us to imagine that such a place could exist. But the Bible is clear that there is a Hell where sinners who do not repent and trust Christ will spend eternity. Do all groups hold to this teaching? No, they do not. One is the Jehovah’s Witnesses. This group believes that when an individual is judged and condemned, they are not sent to an eternal Hell, but are annihilated by God.

The Watchtower teaches that Jehovah will annihilate the wicked and they will simply cease to exist. The Bible teaches the endless punishment of the wicked.

The Bible teaches that when Christ comes back with the saints at the end of the Tribulation period to establish his kingdom on Earth (Rev 19), one of the first things He will do is have the Antichrist (also known as the beast) and the false prophet (the Antichrist’s right hand man and religious leader) thrown into the lake of fire (Rev 19:20). This happens before the 1000 year reign. After this event, we read in Rev 20:2 that an angel is sent with a chain and seizes the devil and throws him into the Abyss, and locks the door for 1000 years. (Rev 20:3)

At the end of that 1000 year period, Satan is permitted to come out for a short time (Rev 20:7), in which he leads one final rebellion against the Lord (Rev 20:8-9). When the Lord ends the rebellion, we read this in Revelation 20:10…

Revelation 20:10 - The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

When were they (the AntiChrist and the false prophet) thrown into the Lake of fire? When Jesus comes back at the end of the 7 year tribulation period. When is Satan thrown into the Lake of fire? One thousand years later. He is locked up for that one thousand years in a place called the Abyss. When he is finally judged and put away forever, his is thrown into the lake of fire, a thousand years later and look who he is going to meet there. Two individuals..the antichrist and the false prophet and notice that the Scriptures says it is at the very place where they “are” also. They are currently there is what John is saying. When Satan is thrown in there those two individuals will be there. He doesn’t say that the antichrist and the false prophet use to be there or that they were annihilated there. No, they are still there suffering when Satan is finally cast in to join them. The rest of the verse tells us that they (all 3 of them) will be there and they will be tormented day and night. For how long? Forever and forever.

The devil who will finally be cast into the lake of fire, will meet up with two people who will already have been there for 1000 years. Those who end up in the lake of fire will not be annihilated, as the Watchtower teaches; they will go on experiencing torment “forever and ever” Rev 20:10

This is the very place where the unrighteous will spend eternity. Rev 20:15 – And anyone not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. The very same place that Satan, the antichrist and the false prophet will spend eternity.

Matthew 25:41,46
41 “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: 46 And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Revelation 14:11 - And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.”

I will be posting a part 2 to this entry in which we will briefly look at a few Greek words describing the eternal nature of Hell. God bless!