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THE END OF THE WICKED

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Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Aug 2, 1877

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 3, No. 30.

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THE END OF THE WICKED.

By Dudley Marvin Canright

BY ELDER D. M. CANRIGHT.
“For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God; and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?” 1 Pet. 4:17.
It is at once evident that Peter was not very well versed in modern theological phrases; for if he had been, he would have asked, not, “What shall the end” of the wicked be? but, “What shall their future life be?” for theologians now tell us that the wicked will never have an end, but will live on to all eternity. But it seems never to have entered Peter’s mind that the wicked would have no end. His only inquiry was what that end should be.
We might turn to Heb. 6:8, or Phil. 3:18, 19, and answer his question directly; but would the people receive it? No; they would evade it by saying that it was to be taken figuratively or spiritually. I am sometimes tempted to liken this generation to a flock of wild sheep. If you boldly approach them, to salt them, they will immediately become frightened, and run off. You must first build a fence on two sides of a field in the form of a triangle, drive them into it, and then close up behind them. Now you can feed them your salt, and finally tame them. So it is with the people. It will not avail anything to come up to them squarely, with a “thus saith the Lord;” for they will spiritualize it if you do. You must lay out your arguments so as to get them to yield point after point, till they find themselves in a corner; then you can array the truth before them, and they cannot dodge it. Let us try this course on the question before us. The first side of the fence which we will build, is,
*I. That the wicked do not receive their punishment till the day of judgment.** Peter declares this when he says, “The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished.*” 2 Pet. 2:9. This is plain and to the point. It leaves no place for a quibble. The wicked are reserved to the day of judgment to be punished. Then they are not receiving their punishment in hell now. Again, he states the same fact in chap. 3:7. After saying that the old world perished by a flood, he says: “But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.” Here we learn again that at “the day of judgment” will be “the perdition of ungodly men.” Job bears the same testimony. He says: “Have ye not asked them that go by the way? and do ye not know their tokens, that the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction? they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath.” Job 21:29, 30.
Peter and Job both agree that the wicked are “reserved” to the day of judgment or destruction. But where are they kept in reserve? The Catholic would answer, “In purgatory,” a sort of antechamber to hell. The Protestant, ridiculing the idea of a purgatory, is compelled to contradict the Scriptures just as far, and say that the wicked are not reserved at all, but go directly into hell when they die. But we see that they are reserved; and now the question is, Where are they kept? Job continues: “They shall be brought forth to the day of wrath.” Yet shall he be brought to the grave, and shall remain in the tomb. The clods of the valley shall be sweet unto him, and every man shall draw after him, as there are innumerable before him.” Job 21:29–32.
Thus we see that the wicked are reserved in the tomb, to be brought forth at the day of judgment. This agrees with the testimony of Jesus: “Marvel not at this; for the hour is coming, to the which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice, and shall come forth.” John 5:28, 29. In Rev. 20:12, we have a description of the judgment; and verse 13 says: “And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell [grave, margin] delivered up the dead which were in them; and they were judged every man according to their works.” Thus the fact is taught throughout, that the dead are in their graves till the day of judgment. So Dan. 12:2: “And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.”
In Rev. 20, we learn that there are to be a thousand years between the resurrection of the righteous and the wicked; and also that the wicked do not receive their punishment till after their resurrection at the end of the thousand years. Thus, “they [the saints] lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.” How is it with the wicked? Where are they? The next verse tells: “But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection; on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.” Here, then, we see that the rest of the dead, i. e., the wicked, are not alive during the thousand years; but are, as Job says, “remaining in the tomb.” At the end of that thousand years comes their punishment. “And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, and shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle; the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city; and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.” Verses 7–9.
Thus I think that we have proved conclusively that “the unjust are reserved unto the day of judgment to be punished.” 2 Pet. 2:9. Where is it said to the contrary? When is the text that says sinners are punished before the judgment? Not an intimation of that kind is anywhere given. Indeed, it would be unreasonable to punish men thousands of years before they were judged. Hence this part of the fence is firmly built. But if any should deem it not strong enough yet, it can be strengthened to any required degree, from Matt. 13; 2 Thess. 1 and 2; Mal. 4; etc., etc.
The second line of fence that we shall build, is,
*II. That the wicked shall receive their punishment on this earth.*** Those who hold the doctrine of an eternal hell, are never able to give its location. Their idea of it is, however, that it is a vast, bottomless lake of fire, somewhere on the outskirts of all creation, where the damned writhe in torment and misery to all eternity, gnashing their teeth, cursing God, and sending up groans and wailings, amid the shouts and horrid yells of devils and demons.
But does the Bible leave us in all this uncertainty on so important a point as this? We think not. Thus we read in Prov. 11:31: “Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth; much more the wicked and the sinner.”
Universalists grasp at this text, and say to the orthodox, “If the wicked receive their punishment on the earth, they will certainly be on an equal footing with the righteous when they leave this earth.” With the theory that the wicked receive no punishment on the earth, except what they receive in this life, I know not how this conclusion can be avoided; for there is not one scrap of evidence that they will ever receive any punishment anywhere else.
But the statement is plain and explicit that the wicked shall be recompensed in the earth. Here we observe the same principle of justice that is carried out in worldly governments. A man is punished where he commits his crime. So with the wicked: the earth has beheld their crimes; it must also behold their reward. Peter bears decisive testimony on this point, in 2 Pet. 3:7–12: “But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.”
Here we see that Peter designates the day of judgment as the time, and the earth as the place, for the perdition (destruction, Web.) of ungodly men. In verses 10–12, he describes the condition of the earth at that time: “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night: in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also, and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?” Will the reader try to comprehend the scene here described? The heavens are in flames, the whole earth is one vast lake of liquid fire, the rocks are melting with intense heat, the mountains run down, and all the elements of the earth are dissolved like lead. Everything that fire can consume is burned up. Paul, speaking of this event in Heb. 12:25, 29, says that those things which can be shaken are removed; but those which cannot, will remain. So Nah. 1:5: “The mountains quake at him [God], and the hills melt, and the earth is burned at his presence, yea, the world, and all that dwell therein.” Also Deut. 32:22: “For a fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell, and shall consume the earth with her increase, and set on fire the foundations of the mountains.”
The question may be asked how this fire can be formed. In Isa. 34, we have a description of the day of the Lord. Verse 4 says that “all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll.” Verse 8 says that “it is the day of the Lord’s vengeance, and the year of recompenses for the controversy of Zion.” The next verse describes the condition of the earth at that time. It says, “And the streams thereof shall be turned into pitch, and the dust thereof into brimstone, and the land thereof shall become burning pitch.” Rev. 20:9, tells us how this will be ignited; that is, that “fire comes down from God out of heaven.” That this is correct is proved from the following verse, which immediately brings to view the “lake of fire and brimstone.” Remember that we are now trying to prove that the wicked will be punished on the earth. Isa. 66:24, says, “And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcasses of the men that have transgressed against me; for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.” All orthodox are ready to acknowledge that this is a description of their hell; for here is the worm that never dies, and the fire that shall never be quenched. Very well; verses 22, 23, locate it on the earth.
“But,” says one, “I thought that the wicked were cast into the bottomless pit.” Very well; let us see where that is. In Rev. 9:1–3, we read, “And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven [where to?] unto the earth; and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit. And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and [mark the location] the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.” The sun is above the earth; smoke ascending from the earth of course darkens it. Air extends only about forty-five miles above the earth. So, in order that it may be darkened by ascending smoke, the smoke must arise from the earth. “And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth.” By this and what follows, it is clear that the earth is the place of its location. But Rev. 20 makes this subject definite. “In verses 1–3, we read: “And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, and cast him into the bottomless pit.” In verse 10, it is said that he is “cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are.” Then the bottomless pit and the lake of fire have the same location. The lake of fire we have shown to be on the earth; and that it is formed when “the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also,” and “the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved.”
Thus we think that we have proved beyond a doubt that the wicked will receive their punishment on the earth, where they have committed their crimes. If further testimony is demanded on this point, see Matt. 13:30, 40–43; Mal. 4; Dan. 2:35; etc.
Now we have finished the second side of our fence. Let us see what we have accomplished by it. By the first, we have shown that the wicked cannot be in hell till the day of judgment; by the second, we have got the wicked confined to a definite spot, where we can see what will be done with them.
III. The third and connecting fence that we shall build is, That the wicked shall be burned up, entirely consumed, by fire. In Matt. 3:12, we read, “Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” Here we see that fire is introduced as the destroying agent. In Matt. 25:41, Jesus says, “Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.” Here it is definitely stated that the wicked will go into “fire.” Again: “And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off; it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched; where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.” Mark 9:43–46.
It is not only to be fire, but it will be a lake of fire. “And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell [grave, margin] delivered up the dead which were in them; and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” Rev. 20:13–15. In chapter 21:8, we read, “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.” Chap. 20:10, also declares that “the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are.” This lake of fire we have before proved to be on this earth. Thus we see the idea that the fire is the “remorse of conscience,” is flatly contradicted by the Bible. It is a fire that “consumes,” “devours,” “burns up,” etc.
With these facts before us, let us now ascertain whether this fire that is hot enough to melt the earth, and dissolve the mountains, will burn up, consume, and devour, the wicked; or whether it will preserve them to all eternity. If the latter is to be the case, we shall expect to find the wicked compared to diamonds, granite, rocks and other substances which will endure heat the longest. But what must be our conclusion if, on the contrary, we find them compared to the most combustible materials? Certainly we cannot conclude that they will exist in a lake of fire eternally.
1. We find the wicked compared to chaff. “Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” Matt. 3:12. Now if you want to know whether the wicked will be burned up or not, try an experiment according to the illustration here used; that is, take a handful of dry chaff, and cast it into a hot fire. What is the result? I think that I hear you answer, “It is burned up certainly.” Very well. Now if the language in the Bible means anything, we have here a good illustration of the end of the wicked.
2. They are compared to stubble. In Nahum 1:10, we read: “For while they be folded together as thorns, and while they are drunken as drunkards, they shall be devoured as stubble fully dry.” Here we have another illustration of the end of sinners. Go and set fire in your wheat stubble when it is “fully dry,” and tell me the result. You say it is entirely burned up—reduced to ashes. Then I answer in the words of the Bible, that the wicked “shall be devoured as [or in like manner to] stubble fully dry.”
3. They are compared to tares. In Matt. 13, we have the parable of the wheat and tares. Verse 30 says, “Let both grow together until the harvest; and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into my barn.” In the explanation, Jesus says, “As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; and shall cast them into a furnace of fire; there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.” Verses 40–42.
4. The wicked are compared to dried branches. “If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.” John 15:6. Here Jesus uses the illustration of a man pruning a vine, and burning up the limbs after they are dry. This certainly conveys to our minds anything but the idea of eternal existence.
5. They are compared to fat of lambs. “But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the Lord shall be as the fat of lambs; they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away.” Ps. 37:20. The illustration that David here employs is that of a burning candle. It sets on the table—we light it—it gradually “consumes away” till it is gone. Not a particle of the “fat” is left. So will the wicked perish. In Zech. 14:12, their destruction is described without any figure.
6. The wicked are compared to thorns, briars, hay, wood, etc. “But that which beareth thorns and briars is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.” Heb. 6:8. “Now if any man build upon this foundation, gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 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.” 1 Cor. 3:12, 13. If you can tell what will be the end of wood, hay, stubble, etc., when tried by fire, you can also tell what will be the end of the wicked; for both will be the same, or else the figure is not a good one.
To sum up all these declarations and illustrations, we have the wicked compared to “chaff,” “hay,” wood,” “stubble fully dry,” “withered branches,” etc., with the positive statement everywhere made that they shall be burned up in fire. Now the question is, Do these comparisons and illustrations mean anything, or do they not? Were they given to instruct us, or to deceive us? If the wicked are to burn eternally in hell fire, then these comparisons certainly deceive us, as no such idea can be drawn from them. But if the wicked are really to be burned up, then all these illustrations are true to life, instructive, and forcible. Look forward to the time when this earth is one vast lake of fire; behold the wicked in all their natural corruption cast into this burning mass. Now answer me if they will not be burned up as chaff in a furnace. Prejudice may, with a blush for a reason, venture to assert, “No; I don’t believe they will;” but inborn common sense will promptly answer, “Yes; they will.”
We will now examine Mal. 4, and see what it teaches. “For, behold, the day cometh that shall burn as an oven.” What “day” is here referred to? It is the day that shall “burn as an oven.” Has the Bible anywhere else spoken of such a day? It has, and calls it the “day of the Lord.” “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also, and the works that are therein shall be burned up.” 2 Pet. 3:10. When this takes place, will it not burn as an oven? Most assuredly it will.
We have now learned that the day spoken of by Malachi, is the day of the Lord; and that the scenes referred to will transpire on the earth. Now what is to happen at that time? We will read on: “And all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble.” Here the wicked are again compared to stubble. Now what will be done with this stubble? Will it be preserved eternally? Ans. “And the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.” Verse 1. Thus we see that they are to be burned up, root and branch, or, as Isaiah says, “both soul and body.” Chap. 10:18. Peter says that when the earth shall melt with heat, “the works that are therein shall be burned up.” Malachi tells us that wicked men also shall be burned up. Rev. 20:9, declares the same thing: “And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city; and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.”
Now what is the condition of the wicked after they are “burned up, root and branch?” Ans. “And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the Lord of hosts.” Mal. 4:3. Here we see that the burning up mentioned, reduces the wicked to ashes. This is neither a figure, an illustration, nor a comparison, but a positive declaration of the end of the wicked. Now we can comprehend what the Bible means when it declares that the wicked shall “die,” “perish,” “be destroyed,” etc., etc.
Who, in the face of all these facts, can doubt that the wicked will come to an end? In other words, who can break through the inclosure that we have here built? But, lest some shall endeavor to climb out, we will now cover over the inclosure with timbers which cannot be raised.
The covering which we shall use is,
IV. That, after the wicked are burned up, the earth will be purified and restored to the righteous. Having proved that the wicked are burned on the earth at the day of judgment, if we can now show that the earth will be restored to, and inhabited by, the people of God, we shall have demonstrated that the wicked must cease to exist, even though the Bible had not declared it. For if the very place where the wicked are punished is finally occupied by the people of God, how can the former exist? We think Obadiah must have it right, that “they shall be as though they had not been.” Verse 16.
There are but two opinions concerning the destiny of this earth. One is, that it will be the final abode of the saints; the other is, that it will be burned up—entirely consumed, and cease to exist. It will be seen at once that either theory is equally fatal to the doctrine of eternal misery; for if the earth ceases to exist, the wicked must come to an end with it; as we have already seen that they will never leave this earth. And if the earth is inhabited by the saints, then again we must see that the wicked must cease to exist, as they cannot both occupy it at the same time.
(To be Continued.)