Everybody Will Be Judged

If we now turn again to Revelation 20 we notice the completeness and the finality of the resurrection depicted by John.

“The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works.” (Rev. 20:13)

To this final resurrection of the remaining dead there are no exceptions. It includes “each one.” None is omitted. Every realm of God’s created universe is called upon by divine authority to give up the dead which are in it. The three words which John uses in this connection are “the sea,” “Death” and “Hades.”

The Greek word Hades corresponds to the Hebrew word Sheol used in the Old Testament. Hades or Sheol is a place of temporary confinement for departed spirits, prior to their final resurrection and judgement. After final resurrection and judgement, all the unrighteous are consigned to the lake of fire. The usual Hebrew word used in the Old Testament for this lake of fire is not Sheol but Gehenna.

There is therefore a clear distinction between Sheol, or Hades, and Gehenna, or the lake of fire. Sheol is a place of temporary confinement to which are consigned the spirits, but not the bodies, of the departed. Gehenna is a place of final, unending punishment to which is consigned, after resurrection, the total personality of every unrighteous person – spirit, soul and body together.