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The Second Death is a fictional account of what it would be like to be damned: to die without salvation. It was written while I was an unbeliever searching for salvation with a motive to clearly comprehend the alternative.
It is my hope that God will be pleased to use this as He quickens His elect to faith, obedience, and deep sobriety. These things are real, more so than things now seen and felt. (2Co 4:18)
Every major element of this story is based upon a biblical text (noted by *). Some subtle effects are purely, and hopefully naturally, contrived (hence not referenced). Others are inferred from the general nature of God and Man, though not specifically mentioned in a biblical context. Remaining effects directly describe the nature of damnation from a biblical perspective as I understand it.
Notes
[1] Much of the intro is taken from the the following text of Luke 16.
19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:
20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,
21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.
27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house:
28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.
29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.
31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.
The following may be inferred from this passage:
♦ The damned enter a place of torment, Hell, immediately upon death.
♦ They perceive they have bodily members which are tormented by fire.
♦ They seek for relief from their torment but find none.
♦ The damned are able to think clearly.
♦ They are able to recall their earthly existence and families.
♦ They are able to reason carefully.
♦ They can actually communicate with others in a place called Paradise.
♦ Paradise is separated from Hell by an impassable gulf.
♦ The damned are able to see water in Paradise.
♦ The inhabitants of Paradise are deeply and lavishly comforted.
[2] It is somewhat evident from (Ep 4:8-9) and (2Co 5:8) that souls are no longer in Paradise, and that those who were in Paradise have been transported to Heaven. Evidently, Jesus went to Paradise when He died (Lk 23:43), which was in the center of the earth. (Ep 4:9) After His resurrection Jesus Christ apparently took these saints in Paradise to Heaven (Ep 4:8), and all saints who have died or will die afterwards go to heaven above instead of to the old Paradise below. (2Co 5:8)
[3] It is reasonably conjectured that Adam never repented and that he is in Hell today. His end cannot be certainly known, of course, but there is some indication that he never repented or sought the Lord. A key text here is in the beginning of the “roll call” of the heroes of faith. (He 11:4) As God points out the notable instances of faith He does not begin with Adam, as one would expect if Adam became faithful. The conjecture is that the very first instance of faith would be appropriate to include in this text, which appears to be in Abel.
Furthermore, nothing good is ever said about Adam after the Fall. Job described him as a man who covered his sins (Job 31:33), and Paul emphasizes the fact that when Adam sinned against God he was not under deception; Adam knew full well what he was doing. (1Ti 2:14)
Adam sinned grievously and purposefully against God, plunging the vast bulk of the human race into eternal ruin and misery. It could be viewed as somewhat fitting that he was not elect unto salvation. It would almost seem inappropriate to find him in Heaven after such an act, but God is unspeakably gracious and it is certainly possible that he was later converted.
Like Judas, the friend of Christ who knew God and walked with Him, who was honored by Him (Jn 13:26), and who consciously and deliberately betrayed Him after being warned that eternal damnation would certainly follow (Mt 26:24), so it would appear to be the case with Adam. (Ge 2:16-17) Given the blatant wickedness of most of Adam’s descendants (Gen 6:5), and the striking contrast between them and the few righteous men, such as Enoch and Noah, who lived during those days, and no mention being made of any rapport or fellowship between Adam and these old saints, it is reasonable to tentatively conclude, having no evidence to the contrary, that Adam continued in rebellion until death.