How Can Robb be sent to Hell and Return?
In its description of the aspects of Hell, the Bible makes distinctions between the Abyss, the Lake of Fire and Hell itself. There are also several names for these places. What are the differences?
Hell is the overall name for the destination of those who have chosen not to accept the gift of eternal life offered by Jesus. Within Hell there are several regions or realms. Hades (Greek) is the same as Sheol (Hebrew) and refers to the place where the souls of non-Christian individuals will wait until the Great White Throne judgement (Revelation 20). Sheol literally means place of the dead.
The Abyss is the home of the horse-like locusts whose sting is like that of a scorpion. They come out of the Abyss to torture men and women for five months (Rev. 9:2-3). They had as King over them the angel of the Abyss whose name is Destroyer (v. 11). The Abyss is also the site of the 1,000 year prison term for Satan. At the end of the 1,000 year period, Satan will be released for a short time (Rev. 20:2-3). So the Abyss is a place from which created beings come and go.
The Lake of Fire, however, is permanent. Revelation 20:10 describes Satan as being thrown into the lake of fire where the beast and the false prophet had already been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever. Also thrown into the lake of fire is death and Hades (v. 14). When a person dies they experience the first death. When they are thrown into the lake of fire they experience the second (and final) death. Rev 20:14
When Robb is thrown into Hell, he is cast into the Abyss but is held short of the lake of fire. The Bible makes several references to individuals and the nation of Israel being rescued from the lake of fire. 1 Corinthians 3:15 talks of an individual who is in heaven, but as if barely escaping through a wall of flames (NLT). Zechariah 3:2 is a metaphor of Joshua, as a burning stick and representing Israel, being snatched from the fire. Amos 4:11 is similar. Jude 23 calls upon professing Christians to “rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment.”
So the Bible makes it clear that there will be some in Heaven who have barely escaped the flames of Hell. It is upon that distinction that the demon killing angel of SEER sends Robb to Hell but not to the lake of burning fire.
