Revelation 20:10; Cast Into the Lake of Brimstone

Revelation 20:10 (KJV)  And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. 

Satan’s final place is the lake of fire which he shares with the beast and false prophet – And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. 

The seductive methodology of the Devil indicated by “that deceived” is his most distinguishing characteristic. An unnamed agent will cast this great deceiver “into the lake of fire and brimstone” after the fire from heaven destroyed his armies.

He joins his proteges, both the beast and the false prophet – Revelation 19:20 (KJV)  And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. 

This is the ultimate bruising of his head (Genesis 3:15 cf. John 12:31).

Genesis 3:15 (KJV)  And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. 

John 12:31 (KJV)  Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.

That this is the ultimate destiny of the Devil is not a new revelation. Jesus spoke of it during His first advent (Matthew 25:41) (Lee). He escapes the doom of his armies only to face a more awful doom (Swete).

It is hard for humans to conceive of how literal fire can bring torture to nonphysical beings, but the reality of the unbearable pain inflicted on Satan is unquestionable. However the Bible may speak of that future punishment – whether as the lake of fire, outer darkness (Matthew 8:12; 13:42, 50; 22:13; 24:51; 25:30; Luke 13:28), a never-dying worm and unquenching fire (Mark 9:48), or fire and brimstone – it presents a picture of mental agony and corporeal suffering combined in proportion to the guilt of those who have sinned (Luke 12:47-48) (Seiss, Scott, Walvoord).

Matthew 8:12 (KJV)  But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Matthew 13:42 (KJV)  And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

Matthew 13:50 (KJV)  And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

Matthew 22:13 (KJV)  Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Matthew 24:51 (KJV)  And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Matthew 25:30 (KJV)  And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Luke 13:28 (KJV)  There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.

Mark 9:48 (KJV)  Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.

Luke 12:47-48 (KJV)  And that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.

The continuing existence of the beast and false prophet after a thousand years already spent in this lake shows that this torment does not entail annihilation of the wicked. Their existence is eternal as they experience an eternity of torment (Walvoord).

The metaphorical expression “day and night” expresses the unbroken continuity of their torment. This is a figure of speech based on the experience of our earthly time frame. It is used in reference to both eternal blessing when there will be no night (Matthew 21:25; 22:5) and eternal punishment which is called “outer darkness” (Matthew 21:13; 25:30), which presumably means there will be no daylight. (Hailey).

The phrase “forever and ever” portrayed the unending nature of the torment. First cast out of heaven (Revelation 12:9) and then imprisoned for a thousand years (Revelation 20:2-3), he now faces the doom that is permanent torment, a doom that Revelation 14:11 pictures in a more vivid way for his followers (Lee).

Revelation 12:9 (KJV)  And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. 

Revelation 20:2-3 (KJV)  And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. 

Revelation 14:11 (KJV)  And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. 

[Robert L. Thomas, Revelation 8-22 – An Exegetical Commentary, Moody, 1995, 426-427]