Those who tell us that the second death is figurative also tell us that the people there are being refined by the lake of fire, slowly coming to a realization of God. The problem (among many) is that there can be no spiritual enlightenment, not even in figurative death. The figuratively dead are just as spiritually daft as the literal dead; the only difference is that the figuratively dead are breathing.

I swear to my Lord and my God, I cannot wait for the day when death-glorifiers are no more, having been converted into death-despisers and lovers of resurrection instead. As for now, they put death in the place of resurrection, and darkness in the place of light. Then they try to convince the rest of us of how progressive they are in giving death a makeover.  

If "progressive" is a euphemism for "stupid," only then will I buy into it.