Is Yahweh's fire Punitive? Vengeful? Divine retribution? (see Punishment - Yahweh vs Satan). Is the Lake of fire intended to punish Satan and the wicked or is it merely intended to rid the universe of these sinners? Does Yahweh rain down fire and brimstone in anger? Or, might it have some other purpose? (hint - Yahweh uses the figurative symbol of fire to plead with sinners and purify them (see Purification of the Harvest, Three Purifications, Purification by Fire and Purgatory and the Lake of Fire).
And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Master, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did? But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. Luke 9:54,55
For I am Yahweh, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. Malachi 3:6
For יהוה [Yahweh] thy Elohim is a consuming fire, even a jealous El. Deuteronomy 4:24
And the angel of Yahweh appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. Exodus 3:2 (Yahweh's fire didn't even harm the bush, so he must consume spiritually, not physically).
For by fire and by his sword will Yahweh plead with all flesh: and the slain of Yahweh shall be many. Isaiah 66:16
Is not my WORD like as a FIRE? saith Yahweh; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces? Jeremiah 23:29
It isn't just the wicked that go through the fire. ALL must be purified by fire. The Godly AND the ungodly. We have no difficulty realizing that the fire of the Godly is spiritual (symbolic) but have trouble considering that the fire of the ungodly may also be spiritual (symbolic).
John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire: Luke 3:16
... it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of Yahweh with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt. Mark 9:47-49
And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The Yahweh is my Elohim. Zechariah 13:9
Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged. Isaiah 6:6,7
Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. 1 Corinthians 3:13-15
A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened. Daniel 7:10
One author, in keeping with Isaiah 59:18, Romans 2:6 and other similar verses writes:
Some are destroyed as in a moment, while others suffer many days. All are punished "according to their deeds." Great Controversy p. 673
If this conclusion is correct, it would be absolute proof that the lake of fire is symbolic. If it were a literal, physical fire, the people would suffer according to their physical strength or lack thereof, NOT according to their guilt from deeds done. Only a heart, burning with sorrow and conviction after hearing the fiery word of judgment, will suffer based on amount of guilt, instead of based on the heat of a physical flame.
The purpose of this fire is restoration, the method is revelation (see When ALL is Revealed).
