THE DOCTRINE OF HELL FIRE.
X. "Tormented Forever and Ever."
THE strongest expression, indicative of the most fearful doom, concerning the punishment of at least a portion of the incorrigibly wicked, is found in Revelation 14:9-11, and 20:10. Thus we read:— "If any man worshipeth the beast and his image, and receiveth a mark in his forehead or upon his hand, 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."
"And they shall be tormented day and night forever and ever." Considered alone in the light of popular teaching,—that man is immortal, that he can not die or be made to die,—this text would lead to no other conclusion than this, that man is doomed to never-ending misery. But we have before shown conclusively that "the wages of sin is death;" that "the soul that sinneth, it shall die;" that the "everlasting punishment" is "everlasting destruction." The Bible being the book of truth, there is no contradiction between these several statements and the language of the texts above quoted from the Revelation. We will have no controversy with those who contend that the term "forever and ever," means to all eternity, duration without end. The original in Rev. 14:11 is eis aionas aionon, literally, "unto ages of ages," and in Rev. 20:10 is eis tous aionas ton aionon, literally, "unto the ages of the ages." See margin of the Revised Versions. Now the singular term aion literally means an indefinite period of which the limit is hidden, and is properly translated "age." When applied to man, or this world, or things temporal, it is necessarily limited, tho indefinite; but when applied to God, it means an age7without end. From this meaning of the word aion, or "age," some have concluded that the "ages of the ages" might be limited in extent also, denoting, doubtless, a long period, but one that would sometime close. Yet it seems to the writer that the expression indicates eternity, as in Rev. 22:5, modified by the nature of the thing to which it is applied, but not in its eternity, or duration. To illustrate, we will place in juxtaposition these two scriptures:— "They shall be tormented day and night unto the ages of the ages." Rev. 20:10.
"They shall reign unto the ages of the ages." Rev. 22:5. The first text declares that the torment shall be for all eternity; the second text, that the reign shall be to all eternity. "Then," asks a reader, "do you believe in everlasting misery, pain, anguish?" No, we do not, nor do we believe that this text teaches that horrible doctrine, which has turned men from the Bible and caused them to blaspheme God. Let us examine the word "torment," not in the English language, but in the language Inspiration used. The definitions given below are from standard lexicons, and so regarded by the Christian scholarship of the world. The word "torment" comes from the Greek word basanos, defined by Baxter's Analytical Greek Lexicon as follows:— Basanos, properly lapis Lydius, a species of stone from Lydia, which, being applied to metals, was thought to indicate any alloy which might be mixed with them, and therefore used in the trial of metals; hence examination of a person, especially by torture; in New Testament, torture, torment, severe pain. Matt. 4:24; Luke 16:23, 28.
Basanizo, properly, to apply the lapis Lydius, or touchstone; by metonymy, to examine, scrutinize, try, either by words or torture.
Basanismos, properly, examination by the lapis Lydius, or by torture; torment, torture. Rev. 9:5; 14:11; 18:7, 10, 15. Says the standard lexicon of Liddell and Scott:— Basanos, the touchstone, Lat. lapis Lydius, a dark colored stone on which pure gold, when rubbed, leaves a peculiar mark. 2. The use of this as a test; generally, a test-trial, whether a thing be genuine, solid, or real. 3. Inquiry by torture, tormenting labor, torture of disease. Matt. 4:24.
Basanizo, to rub upon the touchstone; hence, of things, to put to the test, prove, to investigate scientifically. 2. Of persons, to examine closely, cross-question, to question by applying torture, to torture, rack. It will be seen from the above definitions that the meaning of the term is to test or try, by words or torture; for the idea of torment, or of causing pain, is not a necessary element in the original meaning, but is a derived sense. Test or trial is the primary significance; and the use of the word in the New Testament must have some correspondence to the original and proper use of the word. If torture alone was intended, why was not the word odune used, which means (according to the Greek lexicons) "pain of body, or mind;" or the verb odunao, meaning to pain, either bodily or mentally; passive, to be in an agony, be tormented. Luke 16:24, 25? Why does Inspiration use the two words, each twice, in the same connection, in six verses, if misery alone was the idea designed to be conveyed, as is done in Luke 16:23-28? In verses 23 and 28 the word basanos is used, while in verses 24 and 25 the word odunao is used. We know no reason that can be assigned for this discrimination except that the former term is used to indicate testing or trial, while the latter term is used for the anguish, the pain, the torment (as we understand it) alone. The main idea of basanos is that of testing, the mode is secondary. The idea of torture, pain, is not even necessarily connected with the true meaning of the word. The idea of torment, torture, has been read into the word to meet the exigencies of a false theology. In defining basanos one lexicon says, "In the New Testament, torture, torment," just as tho the original, literal, common meaning vanished as soon as used by Inspiration. It means to test, to try, in the New Testament also, as other scriptures will prove. What Is This Great Test, and Why?
In the beginning Satan deceived the race into believing that they would be like God, and would never die (Gen. 3:3, 4), contrary to God’s express declaration, that disobeying, they should die (Gen. 2:17; Eze. 18:4). The vast mass of humanity have believed Satan, have clothed themselves and the dead with the attributes of Deity, and made of themselves demigods. They believe that the real man is immortal, undieable, and that no material agency can destroy him. If man had believed God in the beginning, if he had by simple faith walked in the way of God’s precepts, he would never have died; for "righteousness tendeth to life," while "he that pursueth evil pursueth it to his own death." Prov. 11:19, 30. But man sinned; and that he might not perpetuate to all eternity a life of sin and misery, God in His goodness separated man from the tree of life, and left him to the fruitage which man himself had chosen, death. But what man lost through sin—righteousness and life—God restores by faith in Christ Jesus. Gal. 2:20. If man holds fast the beginning of his confidence steadfast unto the end (Heb. 3:14), he will be given eternal life absolutely at the last day, and made, like Christ, immortal. See John 6:40, 54; 1 Cor. 15:47-56. Then, and not till then, shall this mortal put on immortality; and to Him who bestows the precious boon in answer to the simple trust of the saint, will be all the glory. Therefore, as God in His wisdom has decreed that none but the holy and righteous, those in whom dwells His presence, shall be made immortal, the great final test will be the visible presence of God, "a consuming fire" to the wicked, the destruction of all identified with sin; for God’s lapis Lydius, or touchstone, by which the counterfeit will be revealed, is fire. The world will be melted by fervent heat at the end of the thousand years (2 Peter 3:7, 10), and thus form the lake of fire (Rev. 20:10, 14). Upon this the holy city, with her holy children, will be borne upon the flaming sea as was Noah’s ark upon the deluge of waters. Fire can no more harm them than were the Hebrew worthies harmed when the Angel of God walked with them through the fiery furnace. To this fearful time the prophet refers in the following language:— "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 [age-lasting] burnings? He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions [margin, "deceits"], that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil." The boastings of the earth-dwellers have died on their lips; the hope of the hypocrites is gone; the power of the deceiver to sway them is past. Each must stand in his own character, possessed of the life which he has chosen. The wicked claim to possess within themselves inherent immortality. The righteous possess it only as they obtain it by faith and life-union with Christ Jesus. Again: Satan has deceived multitudes into believing that if they were united with a Christian church in some way, their salvation would be assured. Millions of this character have been built up in the nominal churches by professed ambassadors of Christ. But their work must be tested by fire. "For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 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 [of God, 2 Peter 3:10] 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. 3:11-13. The precious jewels, or special treasure of God are His people. Mal. 3:17, margin. The fires of trial and persecution, the fellowship of Christ’s sufferings, will then have purged every dross. They will then stand immortalized, partakers in full of the divine nature; and the fires of the last day can not hurt them. But those who would not accept Christ, who will not endure the fiery trials of this age, are found to be wood, hay, and stubble, when the fires of the day of God break forth upon the world. This is God’s last means of trial, that which ought to be satisfactory to those who have claimed to be possessed of a life which could not be harmed by material fires, but which runs parallel with that of God. The Fire Consumes into Smoke.
Sodom and Gomorrah (which are set forth for an example, Jude 7; 2 Peter 2:6) were literally burned up, and the salt waters of the Dead Sea are now where those once proud cities stood. See Gen. 19:24-28. It is said of that fire, "And, lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace." Of the wicked the psalmist says: "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 very figure denotes the totality and finality of the destruction. The ashes on earth soon mingle with, and become a part of, the soil; the smoke rises up and dissipates to all eternity. It is said of the great harlot Babylon, "Her smoke rose up forever and ever" (Rev. 19:3), and the fire of this smoke burns her up; for "she shall be utterly burned with fire; for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her." Rev. 18:8. But in Babylon are found those who worship the beast and his image, of whom Rev. 14:9-11 speaks. The prophet, in speaking of God’s judgments upon Idumea, says:— "For it is the day of the Lord’s vengeance, and the year of recompenses for the controversy of Zion. And the streams thereof shall be turned into pitch, and the dust thereof into brimstone, and the land thereof shall become burning pitch. It shall not be quenched night nor day; the smoke thereof shall go up forever." Isa. 34:8-10. The fire will do its work. The testing will be forever. God declares that the "indignation shall cease, and Mine anger in their destruction." Isa. 10:25. Then will all of sin be forever destroyed, the earth and the universe will rest in perpetual peace, for all are righteous, and righteousness is life forevermore.