When you understand the scriptures, hell was a place reserved for the fallen angels.
No, the fallen angels are reserved in "outer darkness" FOR judgement, and the eternal destruction (like Sodom and Gomorrha) of that lake of fire;
Jude 6-7 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. 7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
Larry Wilgus said:
Jesus often used the word GEHENNA to describe hell. Gehenna was the refuse dump outside Jerusalem that was always on fire. Jesus said hell was a place of worms, maggots, fire, and trouble.
Correct, but even that illustration resulted in the utter destruction Peter phrased; "burned up", and Malachi described as "ashes" under the feet of the immortal righteous;
Mal 4:1-3 For, behold, the day cometh, it burneth as a furnace; and all the proud, and all that work wickedness, shall be stubble; and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith Jehovah of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. 2 But unto you that fear my name shall the sun of righteousness arise with healing in its wings; and ye shall go forth, and gambol as calves of the stall. 3 And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I make, saith Jehovah of hosts.
Larry Wilgus said:
From that we get the image of a lake of fire
No, we get the image of a lake of fire directly from John's vivid description of his vision;
Rev 20:11-15 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat upon it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne; and books were opened: and another book was opened, which is (the book) of life: and the dead were judged out of the things which were written in the books, according to their works. 13 And the sea gave up the dead that were in it; and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 14 And death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death, (even) the lake of fire. 15 And if any was not found written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire.
This lake of fire is a FUTURE event, for which ALL of the dead are wait "in the graves".
Jesus explains
where the dead, both good and evil, are waiting;
John 5:28-29 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
Larry Wilgus said:
and the concept of perpetual burning.
The concept of "perpetual burning" is a misunderstanding of the Scriptural statements regarding man's inability to quench the lake of fire.
The overwhelming evidence of Old Testament, and New Testament is, the wicked are utterly, and permanently destroyed, while the shame and contempt for them is eternal. On the other hand, the reward of the righteous is eternal life, with both Jesus and his God, on this planet restored to edenic conditions.