PUNISHMENT DEATH vs THE SECOND DEATH

Are they the same?

Did Jesus die the second death?

compiled by Rachel Cory-Kuehl, 2017

Scripture quoted from the NKJV unless otherwise noted

      I was debating with a fellow believer on a Christian forum, concerning the type of death that Jesus died. Jackson (his handle) used the term “punishment death” - to describe the second death. He argued that Jesus died the second death, because that is the punishment for sin. I disagreed, for reasons which I will outline below.

      Unless we are translated like Enoch or Elijah, we will all die. We die the first type of death - physical death. But the awareness one has in his mind at the time of this death, determines whether he dies righteous death (with faith and victory) or punishment death (with fear and grief).

      We know that a person may die physical death more than once. God has resurrected persons who died only physical death. But there is no record that God has ever, or will ever resurrect any persons from the “second death”. At the “second death” God wipes out His own memory of those persons. Even He cannot resurrect such persons, ever again. This is a special irreversible TYPE of death.

Please see the study “Final Judgment - Lake of Fire”.

      If Jesus had died the second death, then God His Father could not have resurrected Him.

      At the return of Christ in glory, both righteous and rebellious will be resurrected. The righteous are raised to everlasting life, and the rebellious are “raised to shame and everlasting condemnation”. This is clear from Daniel 12:1-3. The rebellious enemies of God will be judged by Christ, and will then die again. They will die in the last plagues, and their bodies will be consumed as the earth is consumed by fire. All the enemies of God will die with the realization that they are lost, they are separated from God forever. They will die punishment death.

NOTE: At the return of Christ in glory, the beast and the false prophet are “thrown alive into a fiery lake of burning sulfur” (NIV). The beast and the false prophet are not just two individuals. The “beast” is made up of whole nations, who persecute God’s people. And the “false prophet” includes all who knowingly teach falsehood in the name of God.

NOTE: The rebel army of Gog-Magog will also suffer punishment death, followed after the final judgment, by the second death.

      Please see the studies: “Hell - What It’s Not” and “Final Judgment - Lake of Fire”

      Punishment death then, is physical death with the awareness of judgment - the awareness that one is lost and is separated from God forever. This is the death which Jesus almost died.

      I believe that Jesus, on the cross, came within seconds of punishment death. The Father had withdrawn His protection. Jesus could not sense the Father’s presence with Him. He called out, “Why have you forsaken me” (Matt. 27:46). He was tempted by Satan, to believe that His separation from the Father would be permanent, and His death all for nothing. Yet even this thought did not cause Him to rebel against His Father’s will, or to appeal to Satan for rescue from the torment.

      This was His greatest test - to believe His death would be for nothing. He would die punishment death for something He did not do. I personally believe that Jesus was given the assurance in the final seconds, that He had won. He cried out triumphantly, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit” (Luke 23:46). By faith, Jesus died righteous death. Punishment was changed to victory!

      Please see the study “DOMINION” which explains the atonement from a different perspective.

Thank you for your prayers.

Many blessings always.

Prophecy Viewpoint