“Tormented with Fire and Brimstone.”
WHAT fearful thoughts are expressed in the above words! Looking at them in any way we will, if we believe them to be true, they express possibilities fearful to contemplate. What do the words mean? They are found in Rev. 14:10, 11, and are there used to express the penalty to be visited upon those who worship the beast and his image and receive his mark. Of him who does this it is said: “He also shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is prepared unmixed in the cup of His anger; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb; and the smoke of their torment goeth up forever and ever; and they have no rest day and night, they that worship the beast and his image, and whoso receiveth the mark of his name.” To him who truly believes God’s word, there must be the most diligent care not to incur this awful penalty. It has been held that this meant indescribable, unending misery, torture, world without end. It has been said that it meant remorse of soul and torture of a guilty conscience to all eternity. Yet such punishment is not like God. It is vindictive, and God is not vindictive. His punishment is merciful and vindicative. Let the “forever and ever” stand as meaning to all eternity, to the ages of ages, altho good scholars argue that it may refer to limited tho unknown duration. We will not discuss it here. What does “torment” mean? The word “torment” comes from the Greek basanos, defined by Liddell & Scott as “the touchstone,” Latin, lapis Lydius, a stone from Lydia, which rubbed upon gold would show, it is supposed, whether it was pure or not. The word basanos came to be used to mean “a trial whether a thing be genuine, solid, or real.” Basanizo, the verb, meant “to rub upon the touchstone; to try the genuineness of a thing;” “to make proof of;” to try, to examine, sometimes, tho not always, with torture. But as the ancient heathen often used torture to try to elicit truth, the word came to be used in a secondary meaning. This meaning our translators and theologians have tried to thrust into the New Testament, yet it seems evident that it is used by Inspiration in its primary meaning, to try or test, and basanos as the thing by which we try or test. What is God’s touchstone?—Let the word speak: “Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day [of judgment] 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. 3:13. “The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings? He that walketh righteously and speaketh uprightly.” Isa. 33:14, 15. God’s test then is by fire. Satan has led men to believe that they are immortal, that no material agency can destroy them. God will demonstrate that only those worthy of immortality can endure the test of His eternal and infallible touchstone. Of God’s own immediate presence and glory it is said: “Dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto.” 1 Tim. 6:16. “Our God is a consuming fire.” Heb. 12:29. “The glory of Jehovah was like devouring fire.” Ex. 24:17. “For Tophet is ordained of old; . . . the pile thereof is fire and much wood; the breath of the Lord, like a stream of brimstone, doth kindle it.” Isa. 30:33. “That Wicked . . . whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of His mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming.” 2 Thess. 2:8. Putting these scriptures together, it is evident that the unveiled presence of God destroys sin and those permanently allied with it. Before man sinned he walked and talked with God. When man sinned, God veiled the glory of His presence lest men should look and die. When sin was cast out and the presence of God came into the heart, man could talk with God, as did Moses, “face to face.” When Israel had confessed their sin, and laid it all upon the altar in their substitute, the goat, God’s presence consumed the goat, and the people rejoiced. Lev. 9:24. But when two of God’s priests went in before His presence with sin upon them, identified with the sin, fire came forth from His presence, and “devoured them.” Lev. 10:1, 2. Sometime God will come into His own, with the undimmed glory of His outshining righteousness, before which all of sin will wither and burn. Those who have His righteousness within will change from glory to glory, from the glory of eternal life and incorruptible character to the glory of immortal sons of God. Those who do not know His righteousness will consume as a part of the sin with which they have identified themselves. The consuming glory of God’s presence, which will kindle and purify a sin-corrupted world, is God’s great touchstone, or test (not torment) of character. Then shall “the sinners in Zion” be “afraid;” then “fearfulness” shall surprise “the hypocrites;” then “trembling” shall seize “the godless ones.” All vain boastings of human, inherent immortality die upon every lip. Instead is raised the cry, “Who among us can dwell with the devouring fire? who among us can dwell with everlasting burnings?” Isa. 33:13, 14. Then will God’s “might” be acknowledged. Then will all wickedness perish at the forthshining of His presence. Spontaneously shall the sin-cursed earth burn to its lowest depths of iniquity, and all marks of the curse shall be consumed. That testing (not torment) shall be forever final. Misery then doubtless will be of mind and body, night and day, till it ends in surcease of existence; yes, it is forever, and forever and ever. When the last curling column of smoke shall ascend from this sin-corrupted earth, it is forever. “The wicked shall perish, and the enemies of Jehovah shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; in smoke shall they consume away.” The falsehood and challenge of the devil (“Ye shall not surely die; . . . ye shall be as God,” Gen. 3:4, 5) has been met in the mills of inevitable justice, in the ripening fruitage of age-long sin, and righteousness and God’s goodness, mercy, and justice are vindicated in the eternal death of the incorrigibly sinful and rebellious. Then shall the universe be clean. “Affliction shall not rise up a second time.” “And there shall be no curse any more [where the curse rested on this earth]; and the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be therein; and His servants shall serve Him.” “Forever and ever” wickedness is tested and destroyed. “Forever and ever” righteousness shall reign triumphant.