Desire Media

When the Bible used the phrase "everlasting" or "for ever" or "eternal fire", it doesn't always mean time without ending. Sodom and Gomorah suffered what the Bible calls "eternal fire". Are the cities still burning today? No, but the results are eternal. Jonah said he was in the belly of the whale "for ever". Is he still in the belly of that whale? No, but it must have felt like forever! When Jesus said "depart into everlasting fire", he meant the same thing as mentioned above; that the results of the fire will be everlasting. Fire is meant to either destroy or cleanse. The Lake of Fire at the end of time has the same purpose; to destroy sin and sinners once and for all, and to cleanse and purify the earth from the results of sin.