WHAT IS “THE OUTER DARKNESS” AND THE LOCATION OF THE LAKE OF FIRE
Mat 8:10 When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.
Mat 8:11 And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 8:12 But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
My understanding is that the Lord’s expression “outer darkness” refers to the issue of being outside the brightness and glories of the fulness of Israel’s land once God’s kingdom is established in it on the earth. In passages such as Isaiah 60-62 the issues of Israel’s “light” and “brightness,” (physical as well as spiritual), with the glories, grandeur and phenomenal nature of them, are repeated cited as things that will belong to Israel when God fulfills His purpose with them and establishes His kingdom in them on the earth. And their “light” and “brightness” is described as something not possessed by the Gentile nations when the kingdom is established, but rather it is something to which the nations are attracted, desire, and want to know how to be partakers of it.
Mat 22:11 And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:
Mat 22:12 And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.
Mat 22:13 Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Mat 22:14 For many are called, but few are chosen.
Therefore Israel’s kingdom “light” and “brightness” does not extend outside of their land; at least not at first. In connection with this, and especially in view of the way in which Israel’s “light” and “brightness” is described, my understanding is that anywhere outside of it is “outer darkness.” Something that is described as being “outer” is something that is relatively far out or removed from something that is looked upon as being the center, core, or the designated point of reference. In this case it is Israel’s land with God’s kingdom established in it on the earth that is the center or point of reference for all things on the earth. Hence “outer” involves being in a place on the earth that is outside of Israel’s land, and being in the “darkness” of that “outer”-ness involves not residing in the land where that “light” and “brightness” by nature exist.
Mat 25:26 His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:
Mat 25:27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.
Mat 25:28 Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.
Mat 25:29 For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.
Mat 25:30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Mat 25:31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
Mat 25:32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
Mat 25:33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
So I understand “outer darkness” as a general designation for being outside the “light,” “brightness,” and glories of God’s kingdom in Israel’s land, without necessarily specifying a particular place on the earth that is outside it. Regarding the location of the lake of fire, my understanding is that right now it is located in the third heaven, or in close proximity to it. I believe God created it there in connection with Lucifer’s original rebellion, seeing that as the Lord says in Matthew 25 the “everlasting fire” was “prepared for the devil and his angels.” Since it was “prepared” for them, I take it that it specifically pertains to them; with man becoming eligible for it as well only after the devil implemented his plan of evil on the earth and man became aligned with Satan’s rebellion. In view of this, it was undoubtedly created by God in connection with the time of Lucifer’s original rebellion and in the realm where he rebelled. That’s about as specific as I can be in my present understanding.
Keith Blades
Enjoy The Bible Ministries