What Is The Second Death In The Bible?

We often wonder about how we came to be here, with body and mind, moving and breathing. But something lingers within: the fear of death. However, death is one thing we're certain about. Here's the million-dollar question: after death, what's next?

In an attempt to answer the question above, different ideas have been presented. These can be understood as different perspectives on what happens after death. Should we call it “afterlife” or “afterdeath”? Nevertheless, in eschatology we find two inversely related concepts: life after death and death after death, also known as the second death.

But what exactly is the second death? And how does one incur or avoid it? To find out, we shall turn our attention to the popular book that speaks of this idea. Our focus will be on the question: what is the second death in the Bible? But let's begin with some considerations, shall we?

The Second Death

The book of Revelation opens with an introduction to the visionary experience a man named John had with Jesus Christ. In the vision, Jesus introduced himself to John of Patmos and gave him messages for the seven churches in Asia. These include the churches in Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.

Chapter one begins with a prologue to the commission, followed by a narrative of the encounter with Jesus. Then in chapters 2 and 3, we have the list of messages for each of the seven churches. However, Revelation 2:11 is where we find the first of four mentions of the second death in the entire Christian Bible. It appeared after the message to the church in Smyrna. 

Revelation 2:10 Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.

Revelation 2:11 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.’

I suggested that it occurred after the message to that church due to the presence of “churches” before the statement that followed. Perhaps the churches referred to the ones within Smyrna. However, what took my attention prior to the mention of the second death was the mention of the death of the faithful.

According to John, Jesus said those who are faithful until death will be given the crown of life, and they will not be hurt by the second death. Was he referring to the first death? How about we talk about the first death before settling for the second?

Note: the above verses and subsequent verses are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB).

What Is the First Death?

The word “first” refers to the initial event that comes before others. Death is the opposite of life and can refer to the end of life, cessation, or the loss of the ability to act in a reality.

The first death refers to the initial loss of life and implies that another loss would follow. But how is that even possible? To address that question, it's crucial to know the manner in which the idea of life and death is viewed and understood among Christians.

The common idea is that death is not the end, nor is it cessation in its entirety. That is, when one dies or is said to be dead, the person can still function in another realm, the spirit realm, with a conscious soul, apart from the mortal body. Death is actually of the body, not the spirit or soul, and humans are made up of spirit, soul, and body.

The origin of the first death can be traced back to the book of Genesis, where God made Adam and Eve and put them in the garden in Eden. He produced different trees for consumption, including the tree of life and the tree of knowledge of good and evil, but instructed them not to eat of the latter. He told them that when they did, they would die. That was the first time the idea of death was introduced by God to his creation. But what did He mean?

Some say it was referring to a spiritual separation from God, while others insist on a literal cessation or loss of the ability to function in this reality. These contrasting views were necessitated by the idea that when they ate of the forbidden tree, it did not appear that they died. Instead, they lived long enough to have children and perhaps grandchildren, populating the earth, according to the biblical narrative.

Also, it appeared that God was still in touch with them as he always did. So what changed? The environment changed, and the amount of effort required to survive on earth increased. It makes me wonder if Adam understood what God meant by death. Surely, however, they died someday, and who knows who will die next?

There is a time to be born and a time to die. With that, we can understand the first death to be the physical death that is common to man, that which follows after birth. But what is the second death in the Bible? Let's talk about that.

What Is The Second Death In The Bible?

The second death is the death that comes after the first. But does that mean the dead will be dead after death? That would be Dead 2.0. However, to make sense of things, there would have to be a resurrection of the dead; otherwise, the first is the final. Don't worry, there is a way.

The second of four mentions of the second death was in Revelation 20:6. What a dreadful and dramatic passage that is! It is preceded by a chapter with different scenes with angelic and demonic interactions. One of which was the appearance of one with a sword in his mouth and the inscription: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF KINGS. 

It was followed by an angel who commanded the binding of the beast and false prophet who deceived the people, and both were cast into the lake of fire. And the rest of the people were killed by the sword in the mouth of the one seated on the throne, with birds being filled with their flesh.

Revelation 20 opens with the appearance of another angel who captured the devil and held him bound for a thousand years to ensure that he doesn't interfere with the world within that period of time. But why? The reason was that period was the time when those who suffered with and for Christ would be raised to reign with Him. That is the first resurrection.

Revelation 20:6 Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years.

Meanwhile, the pretext suggests that the rest of the people would not be raised up within that timeframe until the thousand years were over. Then the devil, even Satan, would be released again. This time around, he would deceive nations and mobilize an innumerable army from Gog and Magog for reinforcement against the people of God, but they would be consumed by the fire from above. Alright!

Now, what I'm getting from there is that within the one thousand years of reign with Christ and the imprisonment of the devil, innumerable people were still living on the earth. But there was no one to deceive them and turn them against the beloved city until the devil was released, perhaps for that very purpose. (See Revelation 20:7-9.)

Afterwards, the devil was cast into the lake of fire, alongside the beast and the false prophet. In there, the three were tormented day and night forever and ever. Let me point out that the tenses are in the future, but considering when these were written, one is left to wonder when in the future it happened or would happen.

Nevertheless, the verses that followed speak of judgment. According to John, he saw a great white throne and one sitting on it; at his presence, earth and heaven fled away. The dead, both great and small, assembled before the throne, and books were opened, including the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the book, according to their deeds.

The sea, death, and Hades gave up their dead, and both death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. Subsequently, those whose names were not found written in the book of life were thrown into the lake of fire. There, we have the third mention of the second death, that is, the lake of fire.

Revelation 20:14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.

Therefore, the second death is described emphatically as the lake of fire. But is the lake of fire a literal place or figurative of final destruction? The narrative strongly suggests the former. Could it be that in there, the people will then experience destruction, that is, annihilation?

Or would they be tormented day and night forever and ever, in the same manner as the devil, the beast, and the false prophet? This is one of the areas where Christians differ and continue to. But the common ground is that the second death is an eternal separation from God. I may return to this point.

Who Will Experience the Second Death in the Bible?

The fourth and final mention of the second death is in Revelation 21:8. In there are eight groups of people who will experience the second death. But before that, John mentioned his vision of a new heaven and a new earth and the passing away of the first, noting that the sea existed no more.

He saw a new Jerusalem coming out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. He heard an audible voice from the throne, and the following was what it said:

Revelation 21:3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them,

Revelation 21:4 and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”

Then, the one who spoke from the throne told him that He was making all things new. He instructed John to write these things because they are faithful and true. Furthermore, John said the following:

Revelation 21:6 Then He said to me, “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost.

Revelation 21:7 He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son.

Revelation 21:8 But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

Here are the eight groups of people who will experience the second death in the Bible:

1. The cowardly or fearful 
2. The unbelieving ones
3. The abominable 
4. Murderers 
5. Immoral people 
6. Sorcerers 
7. Idolators and
8. All liars.

According to the one who sat on the throne, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone. That is the second death. Whether or not you accept that they will burn for forever and ever, which is the traditional view, the point is that they will be separated from God in eternity. Where are you on the list?

Now, if the second death is an eternal separation from God, I'd like to pose a few questions in conclusion. First, consider this: there are people who reject the different concepts of God, both the one from the Bible and other sacred texts. According to the Bible, we understand that God still supplies their needs for existence and sustains them with his breath of life.

Taking away the breath from them results in them ceasing to exist in this reality. Isn't it therefore plausible to assume that the second death would be like the first? In the case that they cease to exist as a result of eternal separation from God, consumed by the lake, literally or figuratively. If not, is it indeed a separation from God if they still exist and can be seen by God and others? If yes, what then is the sustainer of their being, granted that God is the source of all being? 

Perhaps the separation is a relational one characterized by benefits and lack thereof. But who benefits from the whole drama? Feel free to share your thoughts. Also, check this out: Can Blind People See?