Who Is Gog And Magog: What Is The Lake Of Fire?

And when the thousand years are expired, 

Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, 

and shall go out to deceive the nations which are 

in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, 

to gather them together to battle: the number 

of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went 

up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed

 the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: 

and fire came down from God out of heaven, 

and devoured them. 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 forever and ever.

Revelation 20:7-10

     Satan having been bound in the bottomless pit for a thousand years is now let loose and he goes once again to deceive. This deception is that he encompasses the saints. Why would he encompass those who are not saints? They are no problem to him, only those who believe in God, in the Only Begotten Son of God, Jesus Christ, in the redemption provided by Jesus Christ who will live forever with Jesus Christ. Satan is the enemy of God, of the saints, the Authentic Christians. Notice the term: "the beloved city?" The "city of God" is that city found in Scripture, a city that excels all the cities ever on this earth, that has divine authority, a city that has brought influence upon the minds of man, not by some intellectual movement, but by the express providential arrangement: "Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God" (Psalm 87:3). Furthermore more this city is mentioned in Scripture: "Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of His holiness" (Psalm 48:1). It is written: "There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High" (Psalm 46:1). This city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High God, God is in the midst of her, shall shall not be moved as seen in Psalm 46:4. It is to this city that Authentic Christians are inspired with love, a love that makes us to desire its citizenship. This desirable city causes men and women to prefer it over their own city, that is, their gods for Authentic Christians know that God is the God of all gods. No one can enter this city except by redemption through the One Mediator, Jesus Christ. It is in this city, this camp, where the saints of God reside and it is this city that Satan attempts to thwart their faith, their love of God and to drive them out of the city of God. 

     Satan is loosed and is loosed to come to a battle with God. God now in the unfolding of time has allowed Satan to test His authority and having not to be able to do this then God has all right to use His authority and power to destroy Satan. The cleansing power of fire came down from heaven by God and devoured Satan and his followers. The Greek word is plain in its translation for "devoured" that is, to be plundered as it is  singular word and aorist in tense, indicative, so, this is an event that is seen as having happened and that event has lasting effect. 

     The Devil was cast into the lake of fire. What is this lake of fire? One must take the time to examine if there was ever a lake of fire, and there is, and that lake was just outside of Jerusalem, the Valley of Hinnom, a dump, a burning dump for trash, kept burning by sulphur and brimestone (this is a term for sulphur), and was a place where those criminals were cast who were not deemed worthy to have a burial. This lake of fire already contained the false prophets, the beast. Here in this lake of fire they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. The Greek word for "torment" is plural, future, passive and this means that after the defeat of Satan, false prophets, the beast, they will forever be tormented. The Greek word translated "torment" is a good translation but the problem comes when we do not understand the use of the word "torment." The dictionary gives this definition: 1. to afflict with great, use.incessant or repeated bodily or mental suffering. So what we learn is that "torment" is not just physical suffering, but is also mental suffering. So how can we understand this word? By Scripture, it use in Scripture. In the Bible "torment" never means literal physical torture. In fact, if a person was thrown into prison they were tormented by the tormentor because they could not get out of this prison. (yes, at times a jailer would allow a prisoner to get out to beg for money, but then return to jail), but this is were analogies fall short if we do not understand that Satan and all those thrown into the lake of fire cannot get out so they are in a spiritual sense, tormented. God who throws them into this lake of fire will not ever allow them to get out, for any reason. 

     Gog and Magog: here is where there is much speculation among theologians. Here are some Scriptural references to this:
"The sons of Japheth:  Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech and Tiras." 
Genesis 10:2

And the word of the LORD came to me saying, 
"Son of man, set your face toward Gog of the land of Magog,
the prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him
and say, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "Behold, I am against you, 
O Gog, prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal."
Ezekiel 38:1-3
"And you, son of man, prophesy against Gog and say, 'Thus says the 
Lord GOD, "Behold, I am against you, O Gog, prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal; 
and I will turn you around, drive you on, take you up from the remotest parts of  the north and bring you against the mountains of Israel."
Ezekiel 39:1-2
    These two words have long been a challenge to Bible scholars and historians. We find that Magog is a grandson of Noah, and Ezekiel claims that Magog's descendants will some day attack Israel. It is also known that Gog and Magog are identified with many present-day cultures. Whoever they are in this account we know this: they come to attack the city of God and are destroyed. 
     Lesson: We have come to know that there are those who oppose God, His people and that we having come to understand that no matter what name they are called by, they are such that those who desire to be Authentic Christians, to be a child of God, to be the city of God, will flee from all who are of the such as Gog and Magog: the cults, and false teachers, those beasts who desire to devour you and to cause you to question your faith.
    Do not be caught up in speculation. A Christian, an Authentic Christian, is one who simply follows the commands of Jesus, to deny oneself and follow Him, to spread the Gospel wherever you are, and to avoid the pitfalls that Satan and his hordes are throwing at you as darts of poison. 

According to their deeds,
    accordingly He will repay,
fury to His adversaries, recompense
   to His enemies; to the islands He
will repay recompence.
                   Isaiah 59:18

You are the city of God: Live as such

Richard L. Crumb