EVERLASTING BURNINGS AND FIRE.
By William Penniman
SOME persons may think that Isa. 33:14 teaches endless suffering. It reads: "Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?" This text certainly shows what the effect of fire will be upon sinners, for it implies that they can not dwell in it; while the context and answer to the question, "He that walketh righteously," etc., clearly teaches that the righteous will not be affected by the fire. Even in this life the children in the fiery furnace (Dan. 3:27) were not burned, "nor was an hair of their heads singed." The expression "unquenchable fire," in Matt. 3:12, will throw light on Isa. 33:14. Eusebius, an ancient learned Greek, who certainly had understood the original as his mother tongue, in his "Ecclesiastical History," book 6, chapter 41, uses the original words rendered unquenchable fire, puri asbesto, in giving an account of the martyrdom of Julian and Cronon, and certain others. He says: "They were destroyed in an immense puri asbesto, unquenchable fire." On this language of Eusebius, H. L. Hastings very forcibly comments, as follows:— "Eusebius declares that those martyrs were consumed and destroyed in 'unquenchable fire.' If unquenchable fire could burn up saints, according to the words of Eusebius, could it not burn up sinners, according to the words of Christ?" It is plain that the words of the prophet Isaiah accord with the words of Christ in teaching what the effect of the fire will be upon the wicked, and more especially as in one case the chaff (the wicked) is represented as being burned up, and in the other question is given, "Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire?" etc., plainly implying that the righteous will not be affected by it, but that it will devour or destroy the chaff, or the wicked, as they can not dwell, remain, or exist in it. What a blessed thing it is that the children of God can claim the promise (Isa. 43:2): "When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee; when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee"? WM. PENNIMAN.
Woodburn, Ill.