Paul speaks of the end of all things in 1 Corinthians 15:24-28. When all Christ’s enemies – ‘every rule and every authority and power’, including death – have been subjugated, the kingdom will be delivered to God the Father, ‘that God may be everything to everyone’. According to Revelation, at the end of the thousand years of Christ’s reign Satan will be freed from his prison. He will gather the ‘nations which are at the four corners of the earth’ to fight against the ‘saints and the beloved city’. The threat is quickly dealt with: the armies are consumed by fire from heaven and the devil is thrown into the lake of fire and sulphur (20:7-10).
At this point there is a final judgment: the dead are judged according to what is written in the books. Those whose names are not found in the book of life are thrown in the lake of fire, which is the second death. Death and Hades are also thrown into the lake of fire (20:11-15). Then John describes the new heaven and the new earth and the new Jerusalem descending ‘out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband’. The dwelling of God is in the midst of humanity; there will be no more suffering and death; the glory and honour of the nations will be brought into the city; and the leaves of the trees of life that grow either side of the river that flows from the city will be for the healing of the nations (21:1-22:5)
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