Biblical References
The King James translation of the Bible often renders passages about fiery torments with the phrase "fire and brimstone". In Genesis 19, God destroys Sodom and Gomorrah with a rain of fire and brimstone, and in Deuteronomy 29, the Israelites are threatened with the same punishment should they abandon their covenant with God. Elsewhere, divine judgments involving fire and sulfur are prophesied against Assyria (Isaiah 30), Edom (Isaiah 34), Gog (Ezekiel 38), and all the wicked (Psalm 11).
As an interesting side note, the breath of God, in Isaiah 30:33, is compared to Brimstone: "The Breath of Jehovah, like a stream of Brimstone, doth kindle it."
Fire and brimstone frequently appear as agents of divine wrath throughout the Book of Revelation culminating in chapters 19–21, wherein the devil and the ungodly are cast into a lake of fire and brimstone as an eternal punishment:
"And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone" (Revelation 19:20, KJV).
"And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever" (Revelation 20:10, KJV).
"But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death" (Revelation 21:8, KJV).
The specific mentions to brimstone are, of course, translational; later translations (i.e. NIV) refer instead to sulfur. Also, there is disagreement over the interpretation. One view is that they show how sinfulness and rejection of God's love can result in serious problems. Others suggest that they represent an active inflicting of punishment by God.
Given The Holy Land lies around the Great Rift, which causes occasional volcanic activity due to continental drift, the most logical explanation for fire and brimstone is the fire and sulfur emitted by live volcanoes and the lake of fire being the caldera.
Read more about this topic: Fire And Brimstone