CHAPTER EIGHT
First Resurrection And
Second Death
An Immortal Soul or
Resurrection of the Dead
The
interpretation of figurative language, metaphors, and symbolic passages
Part 1: The rich man and Lazarus. The intermediate bosom
Part 2: The symbolical pictures of Revelation
versus a literal interpretation
- Souls under the altar - The smoke of their torment
goes up forever and ever - The Lake of
Fire
Part 3: Forever and ever of the King James Version - Eternal
Part 4: Israel's destruction, her weeping, gnashing of teeth, outer darkness, Matthew 24
- Preterits Eschatology - Realized Eschatology - The A. D. 70 Doctrine - The
day of the Lord - 2 Peter 3
Those who believe in
the Pagan doctrine of an immortal soul from birth and Hell have no plain
statements. That they must reinterpret
figurative language, metaphors, and symbolic passages into literal statements shows
the weakness of their belief that it is from man and not from God. Parables
and figurative language are made to be superior over plain statements. The
clear language must be changed to agree with what is thought to have been said
in the symbolic language; therefore, many
literal passages must be made figurative to keep them from being in conflict.
Many of the metaphors about the destruction of Israel have been discussed in
the first seven chapters. This chapter is a look at some of the symbolic
passages that are change into literal statements.
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PART
ONE
The
Interpretation Of Figurative Language
Metaphors
And Symbolic Passages
THE
INTERMEDIATE BOSOM: THE RICH MAN AND LAZARUS
Luke 16:19-31
Does hades have a
good side and a bad side? This parable is one of the most used scriptures to
prove both (1) that persons have a part of them selfÕs that goes to Heaven or
Hell, (2) or they has a part that goes into a holding place unto the
resurrection. If this were a literal story and not a parable, as many believe
it is, it would be both in conflict with and a contradiction of the belief that
all go at once to Heaven or Hell at death; it would be positive proof that no
one does.
Many realizing that
the Orthodox teaching that a person goes to Heaven or Hell at death is not from
the Bible, and no one will be in Heaven before and without a resurrection and
judgment knew they had to have an intermediate or third place that is not
Heaven or Hell to put immortal souls (if there were immortal souls) from death
unto the resurrection. Is the best they can do is to try to make a parable into
a true story, making Abraham's bosom into a holding place unto the
resurrection? In doing this, they must set aside the plain teaching on death
and the resurrection as if they did not exist. Making this into a real story
and not a parable may be a life or death struggle with them, for the Bible
gives them nowhere for the living soul to be living in before the resurrection,
no other place, and they need to make this into a real place. If they do not,
they have living souls with nowhere for them to be living in before the
resurrection and judgment. They cannot have them in Heaven or their Hell unto
the resurrection; but they must have somewhere to keep them. They cannot even
agree among themselves, for some say it is a parable, and some say, "No it
is a true story." Many that think it is a parable will use it as if it
were a true story; they say it teaches the same thing either way. "Notes
On The Parables Of Our Lord" by R. C. Trench is ranked as one of the best
on the parables. He not only says this is a parable, but on page 17 says
parables are not to be made the first sources to teach a doctrine. To go from
the clear to the obscure has been recognized as the law of Scriptural
interpretation, but this has been forgotten by those looking for an argument to
sustain a weak position, and often invent for themselves support in parables.
On page 162 Trench says it is most important to keep in mind that this parable
has as it's central thought the rebuke of unbelief. Nevertheless, this parable
is used as the first and only source to teach a doctrine that is not found in
any other part of the Bible.
Some that believe in
Hell often point to Luke 16 to prove there is torment after death; but when
pushed, most of them will admit hades is not Hell; but they need to prove there
is torment in Hell and therefore use the torment of the rich man in hades in
this parable and hope in some way to transfer the torment in hades to torment
in Hell. Even if this were a true story
and not a parable, it may prove that there is torment before the resurrection,
but it would prove nothing about what will be after the resurrection, or that
there will even be a Hell after the resurrection; yet, Luke 16 is one of
the most used passages to try to prove there is a Hell and there is torment in Hell
even though there is nothing about Hell in the parable. They are desperately
looking for proof of Hell, which they cannot find. It says nothing of Heaven.
Hell, or a soul. The complete silence of the scriptures about the dead being
anywhere before the resurrection other than the grave is a deathblow to the
doctrine of an immortal soul; Those who
make this parable into a literal story and are trying to prove the Abraham's
bosom view, or to prove Hell, use it to put aside hundreds of plain passages of
scripture.
This is the last in a
series of five parables all spoken to the Pharisee and Scribes, all in the same
speech.
Five
"a certain" in a row
1.
"A certain man" (Luke 14:16).
2.
"A certain man" (Luke 15:11).
No one questions these two being a parable.
3.
"A certain rich man" (Luke 16:1). And no one questions this being a parable.
4.
"A certain rich man" (Luke 16:19). Why do many question this being a parable?
5.
"And a certain beggar named Lazarus" (Luke 16:20).
Christ used "a certain" 18 times, and all
18 are in parables (Matthew 18:23; 21:28; 31:23; 22:2; Mark 12:1; Luke 7:41;
10:30; 10:31; 10:33; 12:16; 13:6; 14:16; 15:11; 16:1; 16:19: 16:20; 19:12; 20:9).
No one questions that the other 16 times "a
certain" is used as being in parables, only the two in this parable to
make them fit with the literal view, but it is desperately need for this not to be a parable for it to be proof of
the doctrine of Hell even if it makes
the passage contradict what they believe about Hell.
The
objection of some is that it is not called a parable. Less than half, only 11
of the 26 parables in Luke are called a parable. The three parables before this
one that are a part of the series of five parables all spoken to the Pharisee
and Scribes in the same speech are not called parables but no one questions
them being parables. The objection of others is that parables do not use proper
names. "And he took up his parable,
and said, 'From Aram has Balak brought me, the king of Moab from the mountains of the East:
come, curse me Jacob, and come, defy
Israel'" (Numbers 23:7).
Not one but five proper names are
used in one parable. "Satan" (Mark 4:14) and "the
son of man" (Matthew 13:37) are used in parables, also Ezekiel
23:1-4.
Those who make this parable into a literal story
do not accept the main part of it as being literal. They do not accept AbrahamÕs bosom as being a literal place but as
a symbolic place; his literal bosom had turned to dust many years before and
there would not be room for even one person in AbrahamÕs literal bosom;
therefore, if part of it cannot be literal none of it can be literal, if it is
a true story all of it must be literal. It is a symbolic picture or a true
story; it cannot be a mixture of the two cannot be part literal and part a true
story.
If one attempts to
explain all the elements as though they are literal, the difficulties of making
this be a true story will be seen.
THE RICH
MAN
This is an allegory
of the Jews who were rich in God's blessing. Israel was spiritually rich (see
Romans 9:3-5). All Luke 16 is on the subject of stewardship. The Jews failed to
share with the Gentiles giving them only the crumb, and most of the Jews failed
to believe in Christ. The Gentiles were spiritually poor. This parable is a
satire condemning the Jewish nation, the Scribes, and Pharisees. Christ used
one of their own uninspired fables, which those He was speaking to would know
about (see Josephus and others), which He changed only slightly as the base of
this parable to show the end of the Jewish nation as God's chosen people. See
Matthew 21:43-45; 24:2; Luke 13:28; Matthew 23:1-39. Throughout much of the Old
Testament Israel did not obey God and rejected Christ; therefore, were rejected
by God. Israel is no longer His chosen people. Their torment was being without
God and rejected by Him, and as a nation Israel is dead and in hades, the grave.
When they reject Christ there was no comfort for them, no water to cool their
tongue (Luke 16:24).
A picture of the rich
Jews and the poor Gentiles is given in Matthew 15:22-27. "And behold, a Canaanitish women came out from those borders, and
saying, have mercy on me, O Lord...But he answered and said, I was not sent but
unto the house of Israel. But, she came and worshipped him saying, Lord help
me. And he answered and said, ÔIt is not good to take the children's (Israel's) bread and cast it to the dogs (Gentiles).Õ But she said, ÔYea, Lord: for even the dogs
eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table.Õ" He gives her
the crumbs and healed her daughter.
"And I say unto you, that many shall come from the east and the
west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of
heaven: but the sons of the kingdom shall be cast forth into outer darkness:
there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth" (Matthew 8:11-12).
"Therefore say I unto you, the
kingdom of God shall be taken away from you, and shall be given to a nation
bringing forth the fruits thereof" (Matthew 21:43). "O Jerusalem...your house is left unto
you desolate" (Matthew 23:37-38).
"Odunaomai"
is used only four times in the New Testament, and is translated "tormented" in the King James
Version in Luke 16:24 and 25, but is translated "in anguish" both times in the American Standard Version.
It is used only two other times and was translated "sorrowing" in the King James Version, when Mary said to
Christ "and I have sought thee
sorrowing (odunaomai)" Luke 2:48 and when Paul told the elders at
Miletus that they would see him no more, "sorrowing
(odunaomai) most of all for the words which he had spoken" Acts 20:38;
neither Mary or the elders at Miletus were tormented. The anguish (or sorrowing– not torment) of the rich
man was Israel being rejected by God as a nation. This parable is about
those who were rich in God's blessing and those who were poor in God's
blessing, not a literal story about a person who was a beggar.
"Ptokos" is used thirty-four times in the New Testament and is always
translated "poor" except in
this parable and Galatians 4:9 and where it is mistranslated ÒbeggarÓ in the King James Version, and
translated ÒpoorÓ in the New American
Standard.
á
ÒAnd given to the poor
(ptokos)
Matthew 26:11
á
ÒA certain poor (ptokos)
widowÓ
Mark 12:42
á
ÒPreach the gospel to the
poor (ptokos)Ó
Luke 4:18
á
ÒContribution to the poor
(ptokos) saintsÓ Romans 15:26
á
ÒAs poor (ptokos), yet
making many richÓ 2 Corinthians 6:10
á
ÒAnd a certain poor
(ptokos) man named LazarusÓ Luke 16:20 New American Standard.
This parable is about
the Jews who were rich in GodÕs word and the rest of the world that was poor
(ptokos), in spiritual poverty, Òhaving
no hope and without God in the worldÓ (Ephesians 2:12).
Dr.
Gill, an orthodox Protestant who believed in the intermediate state of the
dead, in his commentary of Luke said, "The
rich man died: It may also be understood of the political and
ecclesiastical death of the Jewish people, which lay in the destruction of the
city of Jerusalem, and of the temple, and in the abolition of the temple
worship, and the whole ceremonial law: a Loammi was written upon their church
state, and the covenant between God and them was broken; the gospel was removed
from them, which was as death...their civil power and authority, were taken
away from them by the Romans." Many orthodox writers say the same.
LAZARUS
Lazarus is the
Gentiles, the people in spiritual poverty who had only the crumbs of God's
blessing (see Matthew 15:21-26), but become the seed of Abraham-the church.
Lazarus (the Gentiles) becomes rich in God's blessing by the Gospel. Christ
says, "The kingdom of God shall be
taken away from you, and shall be given to a nation bringing forth the fruits
thereof" (Matthew 21:43). "That
the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ"
(Galatians 3:14). See Matthew 8:11-12; Luke 8:28' Acts 8:46; 26:23; Romans
2:28-29; 9:3-5; 9:8; 3:26-29; 4:28; Philippians 3:3; Romans 11:7; Ephesians
2:12-13). In the parable Lazarus (the church) is now in Abraham's
bosom where the Jews once were. "Now
we, brethren, as Isaac was, are
children of promise" (Galatians 4:28). "For we are the circumcision, who worship by the spirit of
God" (Philippians 3:3). "For
he is not a Jew who is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision which is
outward in the flesh: but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is
that of the heart" (Romans 2:29). "And
if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to
promise" (Galatians 3:29). Paul calls the church "a new creation" "the Israel of God" (Galatians
6:15-16). Ever person who is now a Christian
is the seed of Abraham and an heir of the promise made to Abraham.
ABRAHAM
Abraham was the
father of the Jewish Nation, which was the chosen nation, the nation that was
in covenant relationship with God (Galatians 3:6-22; Romans 9:8). The blessing
of Abraham came to the Gentiles through the Church. Israel does not now by
birth have the blessing of Abraham and are not now GodÕs chosen people
therefore are "in anguish, and sees
Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom." Israel is not now in covenant
relationship with God; the Church is now the "sons of Abraham" (Galatians 3:7) are now the chosen
people. "So then they that are of
faith are blessed with the faithful Abraham" (Galatians 3:9). Israel
has been "broken off" or "cast off" (Romans 11). The church is now "the Israel of God," is now figuratively in AbrahamÕs
bosom, is now GodÕs chosen people (Galatians 6:16; also 1 Peter 2:9-10; Hebrews
12:22).
THE GULF
The rejection of
Christ cut Israel off from Abraham and the blessing of God. One cannot reject
Christ and worship God. Without believing in Christ and His resurrection, there
is a gulf between God and Israel. One cannot go back to the Law as some Jews in
Paul's time tried to do. As long as they reject Christ, there is not "a
drop" of spiritual comfort for them in Christianity. Those that believe in
Christ can give no comfort, no hope of salvation to them that do not believe
whether they are Jews or Gentiles. The Law of Moses, which Israel gloried in,
died at the death of Christ. "Having
blotted out the bond written in ordinances that was against us, which was
contrary to us: and he has taken it out of the way, nailing it to the
cross" (Colossians 2:14). "Be
not entangled again in a yoke of bondage" (Ephesians 2:11-22). Also
Acts 15:24. We cannot cross the gulf and go back to the Law (Galatians 5:1). "That which Israel seeks for, that
he obtained not; but the election obtained it" (Romans 11:7). The only
way any person can become a child of God today is by being born again. The Law
is dead and will never be restored. The nation of Israel can never be restored.
The only way any Jew could ever again be a child of God is to believe the
Gospel and be baptized into Christ. "By
their unbelief they (branches-plural, Jews, not nations-plural) were broken off" and Gentiles (not
Gentiles nations) were grafted in. "And
they (individual Jews) also, if they
continue not in their unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft
them (branches–plural
Jews–not
plural nations of Israel) in again"
(Romans 11:17-24).
The rich man (Israel)
went to the grave (hades). Israel is no longer God's chosen people. Lazarus,
the Gentiles believers are now in Abraham's bosom, in a covenant relationship
with God, not in the grave. Abraham's bosom is not a division of hades, not one
side of hades – the grave. Many draw a circle and make one side of it be
where the rich man is and the other side where Lazarus is with a gulf between
the two sides. This circle is in the back of most Bibles printed by Star Bible
and Tract, and in many other books printed by members of the church of Christ.
THE FIVE
BROTHERS
Christ was telling
the Pharisees and scribes they would not believe even when He rose from the
dead (See Trench "Notes On The Parables" Page 162). In the parable
Abraham tells the rich man that if their own scriptures cannot convince them of
their error, neither would they be persuaded if one rose from the dead. Christ
did rise from the dead, but few Jews believed on Him. After the judgment there
will be none alive on earth to be persuaded by one sent back from the dead.
Judea and his five
brothers became six of the twelve tribes. Some believe five brothers are used
to identify the rich man as Judea to the Pharisees to whom He was speaking this
parable.
IF THIS WERE A TRUE STORY AND NOT A PARABLE
If
this is a true story, it is in direct conflict with Christ and Paul. Christ
said, "For you shall be recompensed
in the resurrection of the just" (Luke 14:14); but if this is a true
story, their recompense is in "Abraham's bosom" immediately after
death before the resurrection. What will happen after death? Christ said, "For the hour comes, in which all that are in the tombs (not in
Abraham's bosom) shall hear his voice,
and come forth: they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and
they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of judgment" (John
5:28-29). If hades is not the grave, no
one will be in the tombs when Christ comes. Paul said, "There is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the
Lord...shall give me at that day" (2 Timothy 4:8). If this is a true story it would make
Christ be against Christ in His this teaching and His teaching in Matthew
12:15; Mark 3:24-25; Luke 14:17-18. The
resurrection keeps getting in the way of the immortal soul doctrine for it
seems to be more than just a little difficult to have a resurrection of
something that is alive and not dead.
o
If all go to Heaven or Hell instantly after
death, no one will be in the tombs when Christ comes.
o
If all go to AbrahamÕs bosom or the bad side
across the gulf, no one will be in the tombs when Christ comes.
If
this is a true story it makes the judgment a mockery and an empty show. All
would be judged instantly after death. The wicked would now be being punished
and the saved would now be being rewarded before the Judgment Day; therefore,
both punishment and reward would begin immediately after death without the
judgment, not at the resurrection.
If
this is a true story, it makes the resurrection
useless and not needed by making the
saved be rewarded before and without the death of Christ. No one would be dead.
It makes void the teaching of Christ about the resurrection of the dead at His
coming. Not only would the resurrection be useless but also a lie for if no one
is dead, no one can be resurrected. The dead would be more alive than we are
and at the second coming of Christ, no one will be in the grave to "come forth" (John 5:28-29).
They would have to "come back" from somewhere, but it would not be a
resurrection of the dead. "Abraham's bosom," if made to be a real
place in a true story, and the teaching of going directly to Heaven or Hell
after death, both makes a resurrection impossible and not needed. A living soul or person coming back from Abraham's
bosom or from Heaven for the judgment would not be a resurrection of the dead.
Any doctrine which makes the dead not be dead, and those who are asleep are not
asleep, makes a resurrection an impossibility and useless. If this is a true story and not a parable, it is an undeniable
contradiction of the Protestant view that everyone goes directly to Heaven or
to Hell at death.
If this is a true
story it makes the wages of sin being death not possible. There would
be no real death; to be dead would be to be alive in another form. It
is used to show the nature of punishment after death in Hell. Even if it were a true story, it says
nothing about anything after the judgment or about Hell. It does not mention
the soul, Heaven, or Hell but is used to prove all three.
Both hades and AbrahamÕs bosom must be
real places; one cannot be real and one figurative.
1. If AbrahamÕs
bosom is figurative
2. Hades must also
be figurative
If this is a true
story it would be an actual description of the intermediate state, which
must be true in ever detail, such as praying to Abraham, able to see and hear
those in torment. Both the saved and the lost would receive their reward or
punishment immediately after death before and without the resurrection and
judgment day.
If
this is a true story it is when the rich man had brothers living on earth,
not after the judgment, therefore could not be used to prove that is a Hell
after the judgment by those who believe the Abraham bosom version for they
teach no one will be in Hell unto after Judgment Day; according to then no one
in Hell will have brothers living on the earth.
If
this is a true story those who believe souls are immortal and live after
the death of the earthly body believe the rich man and Lazarus to be two
immortal souls that do not have a body. This
is the point they want to make, that a person has a soul that lives after the
death of the body. Do they think one immortal soul would want another
immortal soul to bring it a drop of water? They tell us (1) the
"soul" of both the saved and the lost are in hades, (2) and tell us
at death "the spirit returns to God" (Ecclesiastes 12:7). They have
the "soul" in hades and the "spirit" in Heaven at the same
time.
If
this were a true story those in Abraham's bosom would be able to hear and
see those on the other side of the gulf. The gulf must be narrow enough to be
in speaking distance. Could parents be in joy while they watched their children
in agony? Could anyone be happy and have peace while they could hear the cries
of anguish of those on the other side? Would you be happy if you were confined
in a place for centuries where you had to see the agony and hear the screaming
of some of your loved ones; would that be a reward for anyone; but if this is a
true story them you will see and hear their agony and screaming? Even most who
believes this to be a parable, do not believe the good and the bad dead can
talk to each other, or that the dead can now come back and talk to the living
as the rich man wanted Lazarus to do. The view taught today is Abraham's bosom
is like a lake of fire with the lost in the lake and the saved sitting on the
shore watching their torment, and according to the way Revelation 6:9-10 is
used by those that use this passage to prove Hell those on the shore would be
asking God to torment them more.
If
it were a true story it is the one place in the Bible where the veil is
drawn aside and we can see what it is like after death. We can even hear the
conversation of those on the other side of death, and it was given to
unbelievers, the Pharisees and Scribes. Luke 15 and 16 is a discourse to them,
not to the Apostles.
If
this were a true story we have a biblical example of praying to a Saint and
to a person as if he were God, which we are forbidden to do. If after death
anyone can pray to Saint Abraham, why do most who are orthodox teach we cannot
pray to Saint Abraham or any other saint?
THIS
PARABLE HAS ELEMENTS
THAT
COULD NOT BE TRUE IN A TRUE STORY
(1) If this is not a parable, and if the
rich man and Lazarus are real people, Then
Abraham is also a real person, but he is now in the place of a God. Is he a
God? No, for this is a parable, not a true story. If it were a true story it would make Abraham, not God the source of
reward after death. God or Christ is not mentioned in the parable. Coffman
said the element of Abraham presiding over paradise forces one to seek an
analogy, "Commentary On Luke" Page 385. Lazarus in the bosom of the
God Abraham can have no parallel in reality; it is a parable, not a true story.
It cannot be both. It cannot have both an allegorical and a literal meaning. If
it did, how would one be different than the other? If taken literally, Abraham
is put into a position of being a God, which he never was, is not, and never
will be.
(2) Many regard this as a parable, but they
reason and draw conclusions from it as though it were a literal true story.
They go both ways as it suits them. "No reason why Luke 16:19-31 should be viewed only as a
parable" Csonka, Guardian Of Truth, January 5, 1995, Page 16. This article says it is a parable, but itÕs author thinks it is
also a true story both at the same time! It could not be both, and the article
says it is a parable. It cannot, as many say, "mean the same thing"
if it is a parable that it would if it is a true story. It must be 100% a true story or 100% a parable. It cannot be a
mixture of the two. If it is a literal
true story, every detail must be true and have a literal true meaning. Those who say it is a true story find parts of it that will not
fit into what they believe, and always try to make these parts be a metaphor or
parable. Abraham's bosom had literally turned to dust long before Jesus gives
this parable. If his bosom is used symbolical and is not his literal bosom, the
rest of the account must also be symbolic and it is not the literal experience
of the two men after they died. Part of it cannot be a symbolic parable, and
part of it literal. It must all be a parable or all literal. In a metaphor, one
part of it is never figurative with another part literal. If Abraham's bosom is
figurative, then Lazarus in his bosom must also be figurative and not a real
person, otherwise, a real person would be in a figurative bosom. We cannot make
any part of a metaphor be a literal statement just because we want it to be, or
we need it to be to prove something we want to prove. If "Abraham's bosom" is a real place, where is Abraham? In
his own bosom! If AbrahamÕs bosom is a real place where is it and why do we not
read of it in any other passage; if it is not the grave, Heaven, or Hell, where
is it? If this were a true story both the rich man and Lazarus died but they
did not die, neither one would be dead, both would be alive before and without
the resurrection.
E.
D. Slough, evangelist, church of Christ: ÒWe want to know if this was a real experience,
and if it teaches the condition of the dead. Let it be remembered, then,
according to the philosophy that they are Ôspirits.Õ Will you tell me how you
reason that a ÔspiritÕs tongueÕ can be cooled with water? ÔOhÕ you say, Ôthat
representsÕ—hold on, no
representations go in a real circumstance. If you say it is real, stay with
it. This policy of making it half literal and half figurative, just because
there is an end to gain, is a nature ÔfakirÕ in theology. It, therefore,
represents nothing if it is a real circumstance, as you affirm. How could
Lazarus carry a drop of water on his ÔSPIRTUALÕ finger? You say, ÔOh, that
doesnÕt mean literal water.Õ Well sir, it does or you do not mean what you say,
I care not who you are. But reason with me. How could a spiritual tongue be cooled with a drop of water? ÔOh,Õ you say,
Ôthat must not be pressed too literal.Õ no,
not too literal, but just a literal as in any real circumstance. If it was a
literal fact, then the details, which make it up are literal fact also. And to
deny that it to deny your position. Here is a stubborn fact. The narrative
say the rich man did call on Abraham to send Lazarus. That he wanted Lazarus to
dip his finger in water. And he wanted Lazarus to put that water on his tongue.
And the reason was that he was tormented in the flame. That very portrait, if
it be read circumstance, will compel every one of you to admit that the torment
of the intermediate state is produced by fire. How do you like it? Then stop
saying it is a sort of compunction of conscience. For understand, conscience
was never known to call for water to cool it. Get that? It will no doubt be
granted willingly, that for a real circumstance, the peculiar incidents
connected with it here make this the most remarkable and phenomenal case on
record. For we would be forced to concede that the spirit craved water, that it
gets thirsty or feverish, and that it asked a favor of Abraham instead of God,
that it was God who rendered the verdict and cast him in prison, that Abraham has
no right or jurisdiction in the matter, and a hundred other things that make
this narrative an absolute mystery, if it be a real circumstance.Ó ÒThe
Indictment Of Eternal Torment—The Self-negation Of A Monstrous Doctrine,Ó
Page 262, F. L. Rowe, Publisher, 1914.
(3) This is the only
parable in which some try to make an allegory literal, but only the parts of it
they want to be literal for they do not want the whole story to be literal. It
would teach things they do not believe. It would teach that the many (the poor)
will be saved, and that few (the rich) will be lost. What about Abraham? He was
very rich. It is not said the rich man was evil or sinful, just rich; but those
who teach innate immortal have a real person in torment before the judgment,
before he is judged and found guilty. It is not said Lazarus was good and
faithful, or even that he knows of God, just that he was poor, as are millions;
but being rich is not sinful, and being poor will not save. Not one good thing is said about Lazarus
and not one bad thing about the rich man. There is nothing negative said
about the rich man and nothing positive about Lazarus in their lifetime, but
they have Lazarus who they say is a real person being rewarded before being
judged.
(4) It would teach
that the rich man, who would then be in a supernatural state (not of this earth)
and therefore, most likely have a much greater knowledge of supernatural things
than we now have, that he would believe or know that the dead could come back
to earth and teach the living, the rich mans brothers. This is not what most
believes, but it would greatly support the spiritualist who says they can call
the dead back.
(5) What bodies would
the rich man or Lazarus have when their earthly body was still in the grave?
They will not have a "spiritual
body" unto the resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:44). Do disembodied
spirits that have no body and are "immaterial, invisible" have human
body parts? The rich man has "eyes"
and "tongue." Lazarus has a
"finger." Abraham has a "bosom." Is there a third kind
of body, which has these earthly parts? What would a "spirit" or
"soul" which does not have an earthly body want with water? Only in
speaking in a metaphor can it be said that God or any spiritual being has a
human part, or to want water. How could an
"immaterial, invisible part of man" have body parts or want water
if this were a true story and not a parable? It would make this "immaterial,
invisible part of man" very material.
(6) If the rich man
were a real person in torment, God would be unjust to be tormenting him without
his knowing why. If he knew why he was being tormented, he would have known
that Lazarus could not come to take his torment away by bring him water.
(7) The rich man
wanted Lazarus to go to his brothers "from
the dead." How could Lazarus "go
to them from the dead" (Luke 16:30) or "rise from the dead," (Luke 16:31) if he were not dead
but were alive in Heaven or Abraham's bosom?
(8) If this were not
a parable it would only teach what would be in the intermediate state from
death unto the judgment; there is nothing in it that would teach eternal
torment after the judgment day. Nothing is said about Heaven or anyone being in
Heaven or Hell.
Al
Maxey: "To fabricate a theology of disembodied spirits and Hadean holding
cells and everlasting torture of the wicked from this passage is an
unconscionable abuse of biblical interpretation and should be rejected by all
disciples intent upon discerning and declaring Truth rather than perpetuating
the tedious tenets of paganistic Tradition" Reflections, Issue #28, April
4, 2003.
Adam Clarke: "Let it be remembered that by the consent of all
(except the basely interested), no metaphor is ever to be produced in proof of
a doctrine. In the things that concern our eternal salvation, we need the most
pointed and express evidence on which to establish the faith of our
souls." Clarkes Notes on Matthew 5:26.
R.
C, Trench: "The parables are not to be made first sources of doctrine.
Doctrines other wise grounded may be illustrated, or even further confirmed by
them; but it is not allowable to constitute doctrines first by their aid. For
from the literal to the figurative, from the clearer to the more obscure, has
ever been recognized as the law of Scripture interpretation. This rule,
however, has been often forgotten, and controversialists, looking around for
arguments with which to sustain some weak position, often invent for themselves
supports in these" Notes On The Parables Of Our Lord, Page 17,1948.
Luke
16:19-32 – Very similar – Isaiah 14:9-20
Summary: the three conflicting views. Three
different gospels Galatians 1:6-9
Which one do you believe? All three cannot be true. Many who believes
the dead go to hades to be with the rich man in torment or to be in "Abraham's bosom" also believe
and teach the soul goes directly to Heaven at death to "be with the Lord." They seem not to be able to see that
they are making the dead go immediately to Heaven or Hell after death and;
therefore, they have made this, which they teach as a true story impossible. No
one could be in "Abraham's
bosom" and in Heaven simultaneously. How many of the three conflicting
gospels do you believe? Does the orthodox view not know what the orthodox view
is? If the dead go to Heaven or Hell at death why did Luke say the rich man was
in hades; hades and Hell are not the same place yet this is one of not the most
used passages to prove the lost go to eternal torment in Hell at death. Do those who believe the Abraham's bosom
view forget that they teach no one will be in Heaven before the judgment? Yes,
they almost always do at funerals and have the dead looking down at their own
funeral. Those who teach dead loved ones are in Heaven looking down at us
almost always make Lazarus in AbrahamÕs bosom be in Heaven and the rich man to
be in Hell; do they think Abraham is literally in Heaven and Lazarus is
literally in Abraham bosom in Heaven with those in Hell literally asking
Abraham to send those in his bosom down to Hell with water?
E.
D. Slough, evangelist, church of Christ: ÒUseless, perhaps, to point to
JohnsonÉand hundreds of other learned men who select this parable to prove an immediate
entrance at death into joy or sorrow. Never seemingly able to discover the
impossibility of making it accommodate itself to
such requirement. No wonder they become utterly nonplussed when the
discrepancies involved in such a course are brought squarely to their attention
through other scriptures. This fact has been tested time and time again with
the same result—that of quibble and evasion pure and simpleÓ ÒThe Indictment Of Eternal
Torment—The Self-negation Of A Monstrous Doctrine,Ó Page 254, F. L. Rowe,
Publisher, 1914.
PART TWO
THE
SYMBOLIC PICTURES OF REVELATION
The Interpretation
Of Figurative Language
Metaphors
And Symbolical Passage
The symbolical pictures of Revelation
versus a literal interpretation. All
the literal passages in the Bible which use words like death, die, destruction,
life, it is insisted that only one word be interpreted figuratively in these
passages, not the whole passage, until they come to a book that is figurative,
then it is insisted that the figurative be interpreted as being literal. It is
a hopeless cause that requires such poor handing of God's word.
THE
FIFTH SEAL - SOULS UNDER AN ALTAR
A symbolical picture (Revelation 6:9): To understand this scripture
we must keep it in the context. John was seeing a vision of what was to come to
pass after the time he was writing (Revelation 4:1). When we read the symbolism
of Revelation, we must remember that the figures symbolizes something that is a
word picture and are not to be taken literally. We must look for what is
symbolized and not make the symbols into something real or literal. The red
horse of Revelation 6:3 is not a literal or real red horse. John did not see a
literal or real vision of what Heaven is actually like when he saw a view of
horses in Heaven or souls under an altar. None of the symbols can be taken
literally. The fifth seal is figurative
just as the other seals were. Souls are not literally living under an altar. That
the symbolic souls under an altar must be changed into literal unhappy souls that
are under a literal altar in Heaven and literally crying out for revenge shows
the weakness of this belief. Even those who believe souls go to their
eternal abode in Heaven at death do not believe souls are now living in Heaven in
a prison under an altar crying out for revenge, this is definitely not the
Heaven that is preached at funerals with the dead loved one smiling down at us,
but they are desperate for any passage to prove we now have in immortal soul
that goes to Heaven or Hell at death that they make it literal even if the
souls must be living under an altar, even if it puts a literal altar in Heaven.
Souls under the altar crying out in Revelation
6:9 is similar to Abel's blood that "cries
unto me from the ground" (Genesis 4:10). Both are figurative and not
literal. The fifth seal is only one of six seals in this vision, and cannot be
made literal while the others are figurative. Is the 5th seal literal, but the
6th one figurative? Read all six. The 5th seal is taken out of context. Souls
under an altar are no more literal than white, red, black, and pale horses
running around in Heaven are. Like the horses, they are part of a symbolic
picture. But when you take at look at the seven seals, they are all of things that
are on this earth, not things that are in Heaven. In the symbolic picture(s), things of this earth are seen in Heaven
that is not literally there. There are not literally horses in Heaven.
Souls under the altar is an allusion to the Jewish altar on which their sacrifices
was offered, not to a real altar in Heaven. If this symbolism were made
literal, not even those who believe we have a part of us that lives after the
death of the body believes what this passage would say, that an immortal
immaterial part of a person lives under an altar.
Homer Hailey, "That
the blood of the sacrifices was poured out at 'the base' of the altar (Lev
4:7,18,30 et all.). Therefore, when the blood was poured out, it was the life
that was being offered. The 'souls' (psuchas), which John saw beneath the
altar, was the lives of those who had been sacrificed for Christ." "Revelation, An Introduction and Commentary," Baker Book House, Page 194,
Hailey was dean of Bible at Florida College.
The life is in the
blood, which was under the altar. Psukee is translated "life" about
as much as it is "soul." Lives would be a better translation of
psukee than "souls?" The blood of the sacrifice was poured at the
base of an altar. The life was in the blood (Genesis 9:4, Deuteronomy 12:23).
Just as the blood of Abel cried out from the ground for justice (Genesis 4:10),
the blood of these who were sacrificed for Christ cries out for justice; it
will come at the judgment. This symbol picture is taken from something on this
earth before the judgment that we can know about, not a literal picture of something
in Heaven. Can anyone believe John literally saw souls living under the altar
on which they were killed and that this altar where they were killed has been
moved from earth to in Heaven?
Foy
E. Wallace: ÒThe souls of this altar scene are represented as the sacrifices of
life in the aggregate slain for the word of God...the souls under the altar: as
the figurative altar of this vision signifies martyrdom, the phrase under the
altar describes the scene of defeat. The cause for which they were offered was
represented as being despised and defeated. But it was temporary, because the
same souls were removed from beneath the altar of chapter 6, and elevated to
the thrones in chapter 20, signifying the resurrection of the cause for which
they had died." "The Book Of Revelation," Wallace Publications, 1966,
Page 150.
The Protestant
version of Hell is that the lost are now in Hell being tormented with more torment
than anything we can know, but it has the saved that Protestants teach are now
in Heaven now under an altar and are now wanting more torment on those who they
believe are now being tormented in Hell. What would you think of some you now
know that were seeing many being tormented by some one, if they were asking to
see more torment? To make this passage literal to prove torment in Hell would makes
those in Heaven be more heartless than any living person and makes them be
completely without any love. They would be seeing the agony and hearing the
crying of unceasing anguish and asking for more.
SYMBOLIC
PICTURES
A
literal altar in Heaven? There cannot be literal souls on a symbolic altar.
If the souls are literal, then the altar must also be literal; when one part of
the vision is made literal, there is nowhere to stop without making the whole
vision literal. What sacrifice is made on this literal altar in Heaven? If the
altar were literal, then there would be literal death in Heaven, for to have a
literal sacrifice on the literal alter there must be a literal death of what is
sacrificed. What would be the reason for the sacrifice? Not for sin, for there is
none in Heaven. Who is making the sacrifice? Do angels have a reason to make a
sacrifice? Are souls in Heaven confined to the area under the altar? See
Genesis 4:10 and Hebrews 12:24. This altar in Heaven is no more literal than:
(1) Jesus would have a literal sword coming out of His mouth. (2) A church would
be a literal lamp stand. (3) False religion would be a literal harlot riding a
beast.
Revelation 6:9;
14:9-11 are symbolic pictures of events that happen in time just as the other
symbolic pictures around them are of events that happen in time. To put an
altar for sacrifice or smoke from burning flesh in Heaven is absurd. Just as
absurd as making Revelation 12:1, "A
woman arrayed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a
crown of twelve stars" into a literal woman would be. Her head would
need to be much larger than the sun to hold a crown with twelve suns in it.
They are symbolic pictures; they are not literal or real events, not at the
judgment or after it. The end of time is not described unto near the end of the
book (see Hailey and Wallace below). To prove Hell, the symbolic pictures of
these in time judgments (judgments that take place on the earth before the
Judgment Day) are taken out of context and moved unto after the end of the
earth after the Judgment Day and placed in Hell even when there is no
revelation that Hell exists. Those who believe in Hell think these symbolic
pictures of in time judgments in Revelations are one of their strongest proofs
of Hell. Peterson
said, "The book of Revelation paints some of the most graphic pictures of
hell found in the Bible" Page 93.
He takes the visions out of context and makes them be literal by making all the
judgment pictures in the book be torment in Hell after the Judgment Day is
over. He ends up with such absurd things as Heaven being always full of smoke
from the burning bodies of those in Hell. Although
it is agreed by most that no doctrine can be proved by the symbolic pictures of
Revelation, yet "the smoke of their
torment" is constantly quoted as proof of endless torment. The fact
that believers in Hell can prove their Hell only by using symbolic passages, metaphors,
and parables; and must use these to set aside plain passages that says the
wages of sin is death, the lost die, perish, are destroyed shows how utterly
groundless their belief in Hell is. The clear statements are the truth, not the
misused symbolic pictures. The Bible does not say yes and no to the same
thing. It does not prove both the affirmative and negative. A symbolic picture
does not prove the opposite of a clear statement. A symbolic picture of smoke
in Heaven does not prove "the wages
of sin is death" to be "the wages of sin is eternal life burning
in torment" with the smoke of their burning going into Heaven for all
eternity.
Like most, if not all
the symbolic pictures in Revelation, this language is taken from the Old
Testament and is speaking of judgments on this earth, not in Hell. On the
judgment of Edom in Isaiah 34:5-17 it is said, "It shall not be quenched night
or day; it smoke shall go up forever," but after it did it work it
went out and the land became a desert inhabited by jackals and other wild
things. John says, "And the smoke of their torment goes up for ever and ever; and
they have no rest day and night." Both are symbolic language
speaking of an in time temporal punishment on this earth, not of eternal
torment in Hell. If Òthe smoke of their
torment goes up forever and ever; and they have no rest day and nightÓ were
literal, the torment and smoke would not
be in Hell but in Heaven, Òin the
presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the LambÓ (Revelation
14:10). ÒDay and nightÓ has to do
with time, not eternality; the American Standard Version says, ÒGreek, Ôunto the ages of agesÕÓ which would put the smoke in time and
end when time as we know it will come to an end. The smoke would be symbolic
picture of something going up Òunto the
ages of ages,Ó is saying the smoke will be going up in time whatever it is
symbolic of will end when time ends; there is no hint that it will go up
throughout the Òages of ages.Ó ÒUntoÓ
a given time Òthe ages of agesÓ is
not forever.
Charles Welch: ÒIn
the clause Ôthey have no rest day nor night who worshipÕÉis the present
participle denoting they have no rest day nor night while they are worshippingÓ
The Wages of Sin,
www.truthaccordingtoscripture.com/death/Wages-of-sin-6.php
ÒThe smoke of their
tormentÓ is in the third of the
seven bowls of the wrath of God poured out into the earth by seven angels
having seven plagues. Revelation 15:1 says, ÒFor
in them is finished (complete) the wrath of God.Ó ÒBecause in them the wrath of
God is finishedÓ New American Standard. According to those who believe in
Hell the wrath of God will never be finished. The seven plagues are plagues
that take place in time and will be finished in time, not plagues after the
judgment day that will never be finished.
A contradiction to their own belief. In an attempt to find their
belief in the Bible, many make the symbolic picture of souls under the altar
literal, but when they do it does not say what they want it to say.
(1).
Souls under the altar before the judgment does not fit with the Protestant
version of Heaven, that all the saved go directly to Heaven at death. Those who
believe souls go to Heaven to be at home with the Lord, but they do not believe
those in Heaven will be shut up and unhappy under an altar crying out for
revenge on those in Hell and/or some still on the earth. If made literal, it
does not fit with their belief. If souls go to their eternal home with Christ
in Heaven at death, why are they so unhappy that they cry unto God? Why are
they crying to God for judgment and vengeance on those who are in torment if
the lost go to Hell at death? Will those in Heaven want more vengeance than the
awful torment they believe Hell will be for some who maybe their father,
mother, brother, or sister?
(2).
Souls under the altar before the judgment does not fit with the after judgment
version, that all the saved are in AbrahamÕs bosom and will not be in Heaven
unto the judgment day. Many who believe in Abraham's bosom also make
this literal, but when they do they have an even greater contradiction of their
belief. They have people in Heaven before the Judgment Day. They have souls
that are not in Abraham's bosom, but in prison under an altar in Heaven before
the judgment. They do not believe any will be in Heaven before the Judgment,
but they have some that are now in Heaven under an altar. They have some that
are in Heaven and some that are in Abraham's bosom simultaneously before The
Judgment Day. This is inconsistent with their own teaching, particularly on
Luke 16. They teach Abraham's bosom with the good and bad sides, then they use
this passage and teach that souls are "under
the altar," therefore; souls are in two different places before the
resurrection. They change from one to the other, and then back to the first, as
they need to. If a symbolic passage can be made to prove something they want it
to prove by making it literal; they make it literal and use it just as they do
Revelation 12:7-9 and other passages in Revelation. In their attempt to prove
Hell, they make two symbolic passages literal, (Luke 16:19-31; Revelation 6:9),
but if they did proved what they are trying to prove with each of the two
passages they would contradict each other.
A drowning man will
desperately grab at anything to try to keep his head above water. They have no
plain statement that teaches men have an immortal inter part that is not
subject to death; therefore, they grab at any symbolic language or parable.
B. W. Johnson: "Some
persons have turned to the Book of Revelation and hung over its sublime
imagery, as if these were literal descriptions of our eternal home; but we must
remember that this is a book of symbols, and that this fact will not permit a strict
adherence to the letter in seeking the meaning of its glowing visions.
Revelation does not aim to teach us, as some have thought, that the ceaseless
employment of heaven is eternal singing or praising, but that it is an abode of
rapturous joy of which song and praise are the natural expressions. Nor are we
to conclude that the heavenly city is literally paved with gold and fenced in
with jasper walls and pearly gates, but that it is a splendid and glorious home
beyond anything that mortal eye has ever seen." ÒChrist and the Future
Life,Ó 1891.
Commonly accepted
rules: (1) A symbolic passage cannot overturn the teaching of a passage that is
not symbolic. (2) A symbolic passage cannot be used to build a doctrine on.
REVELATION
14:9-11 WORSHIPERS OF THE BEAST
"And another, a second angel, followed,
saying, fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, that has made all the nations to
drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. And another angel, a third,
followed them, saying with a great voice, If any man worshipped the beast and
his image, and receives a mark on 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 doth go up to ages of ages; and they have no rest day and night, who
are bowing before the beast and his image, also if any doth receive the mark of
his name." Footnote in the
American Standard Version, "Gr. unto the ages of the ages."
This smoke goes up Òunto the ages of ages,Ó not without end in the ages of ages. It is symbolic of something before the
judgment, not of something that will be after the judgment. The seven angels
were told, ÒGo and pour out the seven
bowls of the wrath of God upon the earthÓ
(Revelation 16:1), not in Hell after there will be no earth.
Revelation is a
book of figurative language taken from the Old Testament. It was written to
people who know the Old Testament and would be familiar with its symbolisms but
those persecuting them would not understand it. The symbolism in Revelation can
be understood by the way it is used in the Old Testament.
WHAT OR
WHO IS THE BEAST?
To understand whom
the worships of the beast are we need to know what the beast symbolizes. In
Daniel, "beast" is used to
represent a great political empire.
A. M. Ogden says
worshiping Babylon is Emperor worship. "The Avenging of the Apostles and
Prophets" Page 295.
F. E. Wallace:
"The name Babylon had come to symbolize the ultimate in corruption, and
the fallen Babylon of verse 8 is figurative of the spiritual degradation of
Jerusalem-'the faithful city turned harlot.'" "The Book Of
Revelation" Page 310.
Homer Hailey:
"Judgment should motivate and bring men to repentance (Acts 17:30f). But,
what judgment is in the divine mind here-the final judgment, or an immediate
one? In the light of this exhortation to fear God, give Him glory, and worship
Him, it is impossible to make 'the hour of his judgment' refer to the final
judgment...but rather, it refers to the hour in which God is to judge Babylon."
"Revelation, An Introduction and Commentary," page 307, 1979, Baker
Book House.
Ralph F. Brashears
said it is not describing the eternal Judgment, but a temporal retribution,
figuratively. "The Revelation of the Christian Age," page 276, 1989,
Vantage Press.
Most
commentaries say this passage is speaks of a judgment that takes place in time
before the coming of Christ and the judgment day. Whether the beast is pagan
Rome or the papal power, it is only a small part of those who are not in
Christ. It says nothing about all of the lost in John's time or today, and
nothing about any of the lost going to Hell. It is not the judgment at the
coming of Christ for all the lost will be in that judgment. Those who believe
in Hell do not believe anyone will worship the beast nor receive the mark of
his name after they are in Hell. If the powers of this world are cast alive
into Hell and tormented forever, then the evil powers of this world will exist
forever, but even those who believe in Hell do not believe evil world powers
will exist forever and be tormented in Hell. Like the seven plagues that
followed this was poured Òinto the earthÓ (Revelation 16:1), this was on this
earth before the judgment day, not in Hell after the judgment day when this
earth will have been destroyed.
There
are four symbolisms in the passage, each one taken from the Old Testament.
1. Those
that worship the beast shall drink of wine of the wrath of God, which is
prepared unmixed in the cup of His anger.
This is an Old Testament expression of destruction. See Jeremiah 25:15-27;
Obadiah 16 and 18; Psalm 75:8; Job 21:20; Habakkuk 2:16; Malachi 3:2.
2. Those
that worship the beast shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the
presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb. See ÒThe Types Of The JudgmentÓ in chapter seven.
3.
They have no rest day and night. This is often applied to those in Hell being tormented forever,
but it says nothing about all the lost in Hell but about those who are
worshiping the beast (Emperor worship or pagan Rome) while that are worshiping
him. All four symbolisms in this passage are speaking only about those who are
worshiping the Emperor and not God, not about eternal torment in Hell.
4. The smoke
of their torment goes up forever and ever.
Even if Revelation 14:9-11 were literal, it would not be depicting torment, but
the aftermath of the destruction just as the smoke of Sodom that Abraham saw
depicted of the total destruction of Sodom. The ascending smoke is a sign of
the destruction that has already taken place, a destruction that had been
completed. Those in Sodom were dead when Abraham saw their smoke ascending.
When a city or a person has been turned to smoke, the destruction is past, not
forever ongoing. If the smoke were literal, the ascending smoke of Revelation
14 would show their destruction has taken place, not that they are undergoing
torment. The ascending smoke seen by Abraham became the basis of much of the
language of destruction found in the Bible. It is a sign of an utter
destruction that is passed, not of being eternally tormented by God, Genesis
19:24-28; Isaiah 34:9; 66:24; Jeremiah 17:27; Ezekiel 20:45-50; Revelation
14:9-11; 18:9; 18:18.
SMOKE IN HEAVEN Revelation 14:9-11: A symbolic picture of a judgment in the time
of Emperor worship or pagan Rome, It is a picture of the destruction of these
powers on this earth, not of the torment of individuals in Hell after the
coming of Christ, after this earth does not exist. If this passage were literal, who would worship a beast with seven
heads? How many have you ever seen with the mark of this seven headed beast on
their forehead? That some would make everything about the beast be a symbolic
picture unto it comes to the punishment of those with his mark on their
forehead, but then change from symbolic to literal shows how desperate they are
for anything that may support the doctrine of Hell. According to this
passage, the torment referred to is occurring on this earth for it is while
they are worshiping (present tense) the beast and while there is "day and night." Where is Hell? If this passage were
literal and is made to be literal picture of Hell, then Hell would be on this
earth and those in it would not have died, but the smoke of the torment of
those still living on the earth would go from the earth and fill Heaven with
smoke. This passage speaks of a limited number when they are living on the
earth, only those who worshiped the beast, not all the lost who will not be alive
before the resurrection. Young's literal translation of the Bible translates
this action in the present tense as "bowing" (i.e. worshiping). These
people have no rest while they are still worshiping the beast, while on earth.
á What is
not said is that they are tormented forever.
á What is
said is that the smoke from their torment (the aftermath of destruction) goes
up forever, evidence that God has already destroyed them.
N. W. Allphin said
smoke symbolizes the effects or evidences of fire and the evidences of this
destruction will never end. "Visions Unveiled, or The Revelation Explained,"
Page 168, 1985, Star Bible Publications.
Leroy Edwin Froom: ÒSmoke
has aptly been said to be the formless relic of an object that has been
consumed or decomposed, by the action of fire. It is but a relic, a vestige, an
emblem, a lingering trace of the passing, the drifting aftermath that remains
from AN OBJECT THAT HAS BEEN DESTROYED. A perpetual smoke may, therefore, well
stand for a perpetual reminder before the universe of an irreparable ruin that
has taken place, a burning up that has accomplished its allotted purpose, The
same inspired portrayed, it is to be ever remembered, declares that God will
'consume,' 'devour,' 'destroy,' cause to 'perish,' and 'blot out' all the
wicked. That dread transaction, or operation, involves and constitutes the
'second death.' The perpetuity intended is not, therefore, of the torment, but
of the death following thereafter and caused thereby." ÒThe Conditionalist
Faith of Our Father: The Conflict of the Ages Over the Nature and Destiny of
Man,Ó Volume one, Page 409.
In Revelation 18:21
John says there will be a time when Babylon "shall
be found no more at all."
Revelation 19:3 said the smoke of Babylon goes up forever and ever (unto
the ages of ages).
1.
Babylon Òshall be found no more at allÓ Revelation 18:21
2.
ÒVoice of harpersÉheard no more at allÓ Revelation 18:22
3.
ÒCraftsmanÉfound anymore at allÓ Revelation 18:22
4.
ÒThe voice of a mill shall
be heard no more at allÓ Revelation 18:22
5.
ÒA lamp shall shine no more at allÓ Revelation 18:23
6.
ÒVoce of bridegroomÉshall
be heard no more at allÓ Revelation 18:23
á
Being Òfound no more at allÓ
clearly means Babylon will not exist forever in eternal torment
á Babylon is fallen (Revelation 18:2)
á Burned up with fire (Revelation 18:8)
á The "smoke of her
burning" was seen (Revelation 18:18)
If this were a
literal worshiping of the beast and image given by John and a literal receiving
a mark on the forehead, few, if any would be guilty today. Have you ever seen
anyone with this mark on his or her forehead? I have not. The smoke of their
torment is a symbol just as are the wine and the cup. "The smoke of their torment" cannot be made literal
without making the other symbols in the passage literal, which those that use
it to teach eternal torment are not willing to do. This smoke has been changed from those who worship Babylon before the
judgment and has been made to be coming from all the unsaved who are in Hell
after the judgment even though this judgment scene in Revelation 14:9-11 takes
place on this earth before the judgment. Smoke coming from Babylon before
the judgment must be changed to smoke coming from all the lost in Hell after
the judgment
Adam Clarke:
"Her smoke rose up. There was, and shall be, a continual evidence of God's
judgments executed on this great whore or idolatrous city; nor shall it ever be
restored."
It is the evidences
of this destruction, which is symbolized by smoke that will last "unto the ages of the ages,"
and that Babylon - evil world powers will come to an end, not be tormented
forever. In Isaiah 34:10 the smoke from Edom will go up forever.
Homer Hailey: "A constant reminder of the punishment for sinÉEdom
is not burning today, and Heaven is not literally full of smoke. It is the
everlasting remembrance of God's victor over evil that is symbolized by the
smoke." A Commentary On Isaiah," page 290, 1985, Baker Book House.
Their "everlasting smoke" is that
they will be forever remembered with disgrace and contempt.
Some say, "O.
K., if we must put the smoke of Hell in Heaven forever to have our Hell, then
we will take this symbol out of context, make it literal, and fill Heaven with
the odor from the burning bodies of most of mankind forever."
Smoke in Heaven in
chapter 14 is a vision of the fall of beast (Emperor worship or pagan Rome) and
her worshipers. In chapter 18 the kings of the earth weep and lament over
Babylon (probably symbolisms for Rome that would not be understood by those
persecuting them and cause more persecution) when they see the smoke of her
burning. "Babylon, the strong city!
For in one hour your judgment has come" (Revelation 18:10). And in
verse 21, "Thus will Babylon, the great city, be thrown down with violence,
and will not be found any longer." Then in 19:3 "And a second time they said,
'Hallelujah!' her smoke rises up forever
and ever" ("Unto the ages of the ages" eiv touv aiwnav
twn aiwnwn). It is clear that this is a vision of a judgment that takes place
in time, a judgment on Babylon, not the judgment at the coming of Christ.
The same apocalyptic
language is used in Isaiah of the judgment of Edom. "It shall not be quenched
night or day; its smoke shall go up forever" (Isaiah 34:10). Edom's fire was not quenched "night or day" (Isaiah 34:10), but it did go out, and
Edom became a place for wild creatures (Isaiah 35:11-15). "Day and night" means there is no let up, no break until
the end. The fire of Edom did not burn in the day and go out at night, but it
burned "day and night"
until there was nothing more to burn. The outcome of the unquenchable fire that
burned "day and night" was
permanent destruction, not burning forever. "From
generation to generation it shall be desolate" (Isaiah 34:10) not
"from generation to generation it shall
be burning." A person suffering from cancer will
suffer "day and night" until the end. "Day and night" does not mean "forever."
Examples where "day and night"
were temporary and means continued day and night as long as they existed but
have ended (Isaiah 34:10; Acts 9:24; 1 Thessalonians 2:9; 3:10). Both Babylon and Edom are nations, not
persons that are being judged, and I know of no one that believes nations will
be in Hell. Yet, this passage is made literal it proves something some thing
that not even those using it do not believe when they make it literal. They
change it from nations before resurrection and judgment to people after the
judgment, and then say they do not believe in changing the Bible.
Those who believe in
Hell use 2 Thessalonians 1:9 to prove Hell is away Òfrom the presents of GodÓ and that death, the wages of sin is
separation from God. Yet they make Revelation 14:10-11 be literal to prove
Hell. In doing so, they make Hell be in Heaven Òin the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.Ó
Homer Hailey: ÒAngels who
through the ages had watched the unfolding and revealing of GodÕs eternal
purpose and the conflict between good and evil, now see the consummation of the
purpose and final consequence of evilÓ Revelation: An Introduction and
Commentary, page 310.
Even those who
believe in Hell do not believe that any will be tormented in Heaven forever,
but when they make this torment be literal torment, they make it literally be
in Heaven in the presence of the angels and Christ, not in Hell. Where do they think Hell is? Away "from the presence of God" or "in the presence of God." The
same people say both.
THE
LAKE OF FIRE
The "lake of fire" in which the
Devil is cast is used five times, all five in the Book of Revelation.
(1) LAKE OF FIRE: First time it is used -
Revelation 19:20: The beast and the false prophet-two world powers are cast
into the lake of fire (before
the judgment). The beast, which is the great heathen world power of that day,
the Roman Empire, and the false prophet, "these
two were thrown alive into the lake of fire." Those that worshiped the
beast were not thrown alive into the lake of fire but were killed with the
sword, which came from the mouth of him who sat upon the horse, "and all the birds were filled with
their flesh." The fire was no more literal fire than the beast is a
literal beast and the birds are literal birds that eat the literal flesh of
literal people. It is a symbolic picture of total destruction, the end of the
beast and the false prophet (world powers). Those who make this literal have a literal beast being burnt in a
literal lake of fire. Only the beast and false prophet where cast into the lake
of fire. The rest (those who people worshiped the world powers) were killed and eaten by birds, they
were not cast into the lake of fire, not tormented by God in Hell. When this is made into a literal eternal
torment to prove there is a Hell, it is not even close to the Hell that is
taught today, not even close to the Hell that it is being used to prove. When
something is not taught in the Bible, no passage that is misused to prove it
will prove it. They want to make only the lake be literal, but all others
things in this passage, the beast, the sword, the birds, etc. must be symbolism
for if they were literal, they would not fit with today's Hell. Why do they use
this passage to try to prove Hell when it is nothing like they say Hell will be?
It puts a beast alive in Hell and leaves the people that they say will live
forever in Hell not in the lake of fire (not in Hell), but they are dead and
are eaten by birds, not alive and tormented in Hell. The "Hell" that is preached today does not have a beast that
is alive in it and dead people that are not in Hell being eaten by birds.
The lake of fire is
used only in the Book of Revelation and is a symbolic picture taken from this
earth. Literal fire will not exist after the end of this age (1 Peter 3).
Anything cast into a literal lake of fire would be totally destroyed, not
tormented forever. It is a symbol of total destruction, not of eternal torment,
not something that will exist after the destruction of the earth. To have their Hell in this passage,
they must mix symbols and literal together in the same passage and only they
can tell us what part is literal, and even then they cannot find anything that
is close to the Hell that is preached today in it.
Homer Hailey: "The beast is the great heathen world power of that
day, the Roman Empire" Page 387. Then on page 388 he says "These 'two
were cast alive into the lake of fire that burns with brimstone,' where the
harlot had already met her fate, being 'utterly burns with fire'...Because of
the expression, 'cast alive,' some writers have concluded that these two are
literally individuals who will appear in person before the end of time. But
this does not necessarily follow; for 'being cast alive into the lake' indicates
that up to the actual time when they were cast into the lake of brimstone and were brought to final destruction by
His mighty power and judgment, these two personified forces of political and
spiritual power were actively fighting against the Lamb. The Roman Empire and
emperor worship backed by the imperial power were now brought to a final and complete end, never to rise again" On
the same page he says "The Roman power and the paganism which it supported
are now destroyed forever. The vision of
Daniel is fulfilled (Daniel 7:11),
and in this defeat and destruction is revealed the destiny of all such powers
that should ever arise to fight against God and his kingdom. This is God's
guarantee to victory to the saints who lived then and to all who would come
after them, even until the end of time. 'And all the birds were filled with
their flesh' completes the symbolism of verses 17-18. Not a vestige of the
anti-Christian forces were left; the
destruction was complete." And on page 398, "The devil, man's
great deceiver from the beginning, now reaches his final doom and eternal end.
First, he was cast down to the earth (12:9), then into the pit of the abyss (20:3),
and now into the lake of fire and brimstone, his ultimate end." When Hailey
gets to Revelation 20:11 he said, "Thus
far in the book several scenes of judgment have been described, but none
depicted the final judgment." Page 399, "Revelation, An
Introduction And Commentary" Chapter 19, Baker Book House.
Foy E. Wallace, Jr. said the lake of fire is a figurative description of
complete destruction and annihilation of all persecuting powers opposed to the
church (Page 434), and then of the complete destruction and annihilation of
Satan, and all who are not in the book of life. "The ones who had part in
it (the lake of fire) came to the same end as the persecuting beast-a
figurative description of complete destruction and annihilation of all
persecuting powers opposed to the church whose opposition was crushed."
Wallace said, "One of these
passages cannot be considered more or less literal than the other-both were
figurative expressions which signified the utter end of the persecuting
authorities of heathenism against Christianity. The phrase cast alive into
a lake of fire was equivalent to burned alive, and it symbolized complete destruction. The signal triumph of the
cause of truth represented by the burning alive of the beast and the false
prophet did not symbolize the destruction to the Roman Empire, but of the
persecutions waged by the emperors, which the beasts represented. The lake of fire was not literal any more
than the beast was literal. Neither was subject to literal application, both
were figurative. The beast symbolized the persecuting power of the Roman
Emperor: and casting him into a lake of fire signified the complete defeat of
the heathen power he represented in the war against the church " The
Book Of Revelation, Page 397.
Of
the final judgment in Revelation 20:14-15, Hailey says, "'He that
overcomes shall not be hurt of the second death' (2:11); those that overcome
had part in the first resurrection (20:6). Thus far the harlot, the beast, the
false prophet, Satan, and now death and Hades, have been brought to their end in the lake of fire...There
remains only one group to be dealt with: those not found written in the book of
life...Of this second death, Alford writes, 'As there is a second higher life,
so there is also a second and deeper death. And as after that life there is no
more death, so after that death there is no more life'" The Book Of
Revelation, Page 403.
A.
M. Ogden said the lake of fire in Revelation 19:20 is symbolic of God's fire of
destruction coming upon the Roman Empire and its pagan religions that were the
persecutor of the church. Page 354.
Both Wallace and Arthur Ogden said,
"The holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made
ready as a bride adorned for her husband" (Revelation 21:2) is the
kingdom of God, the church of Christ; and not a vision of Heaven; but is a
vision of the church, the bride of Christ.
B.
W. Johnson on Revelation 19:20: "Here the false prophet, both symbols of
the same power, is cast in the lake of fire. The symbol indicates utter destruction. What is cast into this lake is
seen no more."
Frank Walton said it is not a literal lake of fire. It symbolizes the
total defeat of heathen powers that war against the church. Florida College
Lectures 1994, Page 176.
Jim McGuiggan in his commentary on Revelation 19:20 said he believes the
lake of fire stands for the utter defeat of the enemy.
These commentaries
are some of the best, if not the best, and they all say the lake of fire is
symbolic of destruction or death, not of eternal life in torment. If Revelation
21 is a symbolic picture of the church on earth as the bride of Christ, or if
it is a symbolic picture of the church in Heaven, in either case the lake of
fire is symbolic and not a real place. John clearly says in Revelation 21:8
that it is symbolic of the second death. Many who believe in Hell are forced to
admit that in Revelation 19:20 the lake of fire is symbolic, but insist the
same lake of fire in chapters 20 and 21 is a real literal lake of fire.
"False prophet" in Hell before
the judgment: On page 169, Robert Peterson
said the "false prophet" (Revelation 19:20) are thrown alive into it
and are still there a thousand years later. Then he says Revelation 20:14
speaks of all human standing before God at the Last Judgment. By making symbols
literal, he changed nations (false prophets) into people and puts people into
Hell before they are judged at the Judgment Day.
"Devoured" not "tormented" Even if this
symbolical language were made literal, it would teach God would destroy His
enemies, not torment them. "And fire
came down out of heaven, and devoured them" Revelation 20:9, devoured
some that were on the earth, as in many other passages that are used to prove
torment in Hell, nothing is said about Hell or torment; the Bible language does
not suit today's teaching of fire that eternality burns but never devours, fire
that never consumes.
(2) LAKE OF FIRE Second time it is used.
Revelation 20:10: The devil is cast in with the beast and the false prophet. Nothing of the physical realm could live in a lake of fire. It is
a symbolic picture of destruction, not of torment. Just as any living thing of
the earthly realm we know, if it were cast into a lake of fire it would be
totally destroyed, a symbolic picture of the devil being cast into it would be
a picture to us of his total destruction, for if the devil were a flesh and
blood being, he would be totally destroyed by a literal lake of fire. The
devil, the beast, false prophet, death, the grave, and all that are not in the
book of life will be totally destroyed. After the resurrection and judgment, no
one will be of the physical realm and could not be tormented by a literal lake
of fire that is of the physical realm. A literal lake of fire could not torment
a spiritual being and could have no effective on Satan or a "soul" as
the word is used today. The devil that is a being not of the earthly realm, a
being of the spiritual realm, is cast to the lake of fire along with two
earthly things, the beast, and the false prophet. It is a symbolic picture of
their destruction, not a literal casting of beings of two realms, both earthly
and spiritual, into a literal lake of fire, which is of this earthly realm.
Things of the earthly and spiritual realms can be mixed in symbolic pictures,
but not in reality. If the lake of fire were of the earthly realm Satan could
not be cast into it, and if it were of the spiritual realm, the beast and the
false prophet could not be cast into it. In Revelation 20:15 and 21:8, John
interpreted the figure or symbol he used and said the symbolic picture of the
lake of fire is in reality the second death. The lake of fire will have the same effect on Satan that it will have
on death. "And death shall be no
more" (Revelation 21:4). If
it is the end of death, then it is the end of Satan. It is a symbolic picture
of the end of both.
Satan's ministers: The ministers of Satan, like Satan, shall have
an end. "Whose end shall be according to their works" (2
Corinthians 11:15).
Revelation 20:10 is a symbolic picture of the end of Satan, of his
being abolished (destroyed), not tormented forever. Hebrews 2:14 is a literal
statement of his end. "That
through death he might bring to naught
(nothing) him that has the power of death, that is, the devil" (American
Standard Version). God made the world and all that is in it out of nothing. It
will go back to nothing. Satan also will be brought to nothing. "So that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of
death, that is, the devil" (New Revised Standard Version). In Hebrews
2:14 "naught" (nothing) is translated from "katargeo" which
is translated abolished, vanish away,
bring to naught, do away with, destroy, be done way, and ceased.
A death bruise to the head of Satan: The serpent of Genesis 3 is
not said to be Satan but most all believe it to be Satan working through the
serpent, which was "more crafty than
any beast of the field" (Genesis 3:1). With the first lie, the devil
brought death into the world and became the murderer of Adam and Eve;
therefore, the murderer of all their seed (John 8:44). He sinned "from the beginning" (1 John
3:8). "He (Christ) shall bruise you (Satan) on the head, and you (Satan) shall bruise him (Christ) on the heel." See Romans 16:20.
Jamieson, Fausset, and
Brown: "Thus, fatal shall be the stroke which Satan shall receive from
Christ" Commentary on Genesis 3:15.
J. B. Coffman: Ò The
terminology of this verse is such that it cannot apply to anything in heaven or
upon earth except the long spiritual conflict between Christ and Satan"
Commentary on Genesis 3:15.
A wound to the heel
is not fatal. Satan wounded Christ by sin and death, which he is responsible
for being in the world. It made the death of Christ necessary, but Christ rose
from the dead and in doing so bruised the head of Satan (Hebrews 2:1). Did the
serpent or any other animal have the power to speak or was it Satan speaking
through it? God did speak through an animal (2 Peter 2:1). It looks as if Satan
did. See 2 Corinthians 11:3. Christ said the devil "is a liar, and the father of lies" (John 8:44).
Albert Barnes on John 8:44: "He was a murderer from the beginning.
That is from the beginning of the world, or the first records there are of him.
This refers to the seduction of Adam and Eve. Death was denounced against sin
Genesis ii.17. The devil deceived our first parents and they became subject of
death, Genesis iii. As he was the cause why death came into the world, he may
be said to have been a murderer in that act, or from the beginning."
Revelation 20:7,
which may be symbolic language and not intended to be taken literally says, "And the great dragon was thrown down,
the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole
world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with
him." Also see Revelation 12:9.
It is difficult to
know what John meant by much of the symbolic language he used in Revelation,
but even more difficult to understand if it is made to be a literal
non-symbolic passage, yet many use a symbolic passage as the base of their
faith and make it override many clear passages.
(3) LAKE OF FIRE: The third time it is
used is in Revelation 20:14 where death and hades are cast into the lake of fire. If death and hades are annihilated in the lake of fire, all who
are not found written in the book of life must also be annihilated. If all who are not found written in the
book of life are not annihilated, death is not abolished (1 Corinthians
15:26). The same thing happens to all
three (death, hades, and those that do not have their name in the book of
life). They come to an end. "And death shall be no more" (Revelation
21:4).
Death and hades are
nonliving things. They have no life, thoughts, or feelings. They can be
destroyed and "brought to a final
and complete end," but it
would not be possible to torment them. They can no more be tormented than a
rock, but both will come to an end. Both will be made not to exist. A literal
lake of fire could not torment death; what would be the point of casting
something abstract (death and hades) something that has no life into the lake
of fire if it were a place of torment where there is no death?
Death will be ÒdestroyedÓ and Òshall be no moreÓ (1 Corinthians 15:26, Revelation 21:4), not exist without end being
tormented in Hell by God. There is no way the lake of fire in this passage
could be anything even remotely like the Hell that is taught today.
Hell cast into Hell (Revelation 20:14 King James Version). I have
often heard in sermons that the lost will forever be tormented in the lake of
fire. Most who believe in Hell teach the lake of fire is Hell, but in the King
James Version Hell is cast into the lake of fire, both cannot be the same
place, but both Catholics and Protestants believe they are the same place. Both
believe the lake of fire is Hell. For both the Catholic and Protestant versions
of Hell, Hell being cast into Hell presents an absurd problem. Casting Hell
into Hell is another blunder made by the King James Translators trying to put
Hell into the Bible, but most other translations have corrected this blunder and
there is nothing about ÒHellÓ in this passage, and Hell is not in the American
Standard Version or most others.
Dr. C. Campbell on Revelation 20:14 said, "If we interpret Hades,
'hell,' in the Christian sense of the word, the whole passage is rendered
nonsense. Hell is represented as being cast into hell...the phrase 'cast into the lake of fire' is a figure of utter
destruction. It is simply saying 'death and hell was destroyed.'"
Death is also cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:14) Will
the lake of fire be the end of death but not the end of Hell? Or will death be
forever tormented in the lake of fire, which many say is Hell? Death cannot be
tormented; this is a symbolic picture of the end of all three, death, hades,
and the wicked? Do some think the lake
of fire will abolish death but torment people?
"And
Hell delivered up the dead"
Revelation 20:13, the King James Version
has Hell being emptied before the judgment, but, most who believe in Hell
do not believe that any in Hell will ever get out, "And death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them"
Revelation 20:13 King James Version. Many believe that no one will be in
Hell unto after the Judgment Day to be "delivered
up," but they use this passage to prove the lost will go to Hell after
the Judgment although it will be emptied and cast into the lake of fire before
the Judgment. In the King James Version
the judgment is after Hell has been emptied. Not only is Hell emptied before
the judgment, but also (according to the King James Version) some that were in
it before it was emptied will even be found written in the book of life, and some
taken out of Hell are never put back into it, but are put in Heaven. According
to the King James Version, the Judgment will not take place unto after all that
are in Hell have been taken out, "And
the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and Hell deliver up the dead which were in them; and they were judged every
man according to their works" (Revelation 20:13). In trying to put a
place of eternal torment in the Bible by mistranslating, they made the Bible
teach something that they did not believe, and most today that believe in Hell
do not believe (that some will be taken out of Hell and put in Heaven). Most other
translations, including the New King James Version, have corrected this
blunder, but unfortunately this has done little or nothing to correct any of
the many Protestant versions of Hell.
The end will not come
unto Christ "shall have abolished
all rule and all authority and power for he must reign till he has put all his
enemies under his feet, the last enemy that shall be abolished is death"
(1 Corinthians 15:24-20).
(4 and 5) LAKE OF FIRE: Forth and
fifth times it is used. Any not in the book of life will be thrown into the
lake of fire (Revelation 20:15). Lake of fire is the second death (Revelation
21:8).
When
the second death as used, it is a contrast of life or death, not endless life
in torment.
1. ÒFaithful
unto deathÉcrown of lifeÓ (Revelation
2:10-11)
2. ÒHe that
has part in the first resurrection; on such the second death has no powerÓ (Revelation 20:6)
3. ÒAnd if
any was not found written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of
fireÓ (Revelation 20:15)
4. Water of life given free to all believers, second death for all
sinners (Revelation 21:6-8)
What is cast into the lake of fire?
(1) The
beast and the false prophet, which are symbols of two world powers, two
nonliving things (Revelation 19:20).
(2) The
devil cast in with the beast and the false prophet (Revelation 20:10).
(3) Death
and hades, two more nonliving things are cast into the lake of fire (Revelation
20:14).
(4) And
all who are not in the book of life (Revelation 20:15).
IT IS THE
BOOK OF LIFE – NOT A BOOK OF REWARDS
The book of life is
not a book or rewards for souls that cannot die, not a book of rewards for
souls that have life and cannot be dead. The
second death is not just a loss of well-being, a loss of privilege,
pleasure, or a reward; the second death is death, not life with torment; death is the reverse of
life, death is not life.
The book of life is in seven passages
á Revelation 3:5: He that
overcomes will not have his name blotted out of the book of life.
á Revelation 13:8: The beast
given authority over all that dwell on the earth all worship the beast that do
not have their name in the book of life.
á Revelation 17:8: The beast will go into destruction and all that
dwell on the earth whose name has not been written in the book of life shall
wonder.
á Revelation 20:12 and 20:15: There is to be a judgment with all the
dead standing before the throne of God, the great, and the small. At this
judgment any not found written in the book of life is cast into the lake of
fire, which is the second death. It is either or, either your name is in the
book of life or it is not. If it is not then it will be the second death. It is
life or death, not a reward or punishment.
ÒI will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcomes shall
inherit these things; and I will be his God, and he shall be My son. But for
the fearful, and unbelieving, and abominable, and murderers, and fornicators,
and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, their part shall be in the lake
that burns with fire and brimstone; which is the second deathÓ (Revelation 21:6-8).
Life or death, not life in Heaven or life in Hell, not life with a reward or
life with punishment.
á Revelation 21:27: Nothing unclean, only those that are written in
the LambÕs book of life shall enter in the holy city.
á Revelation 22:19: Any that adds to or takes from the words of the
book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Òtree of life, and out of the holy city, which are written in this
book.Ó ÒThe tree of lifeÓ in this passage seems to be the same as Òthe book of life.Ó
THE THOUSAND YEARS AND THE LAKE OF FIRE: In the New Testament many symbols are used and many of them we
are told just what they are symbols of. We are given the interpretation in
clear plan language. When we are told
exactly what the interpretation is in plan language, we must not change the
interpretation of the symbol. The Premillennialists make a symbol (the thousand
years) into a literal time. The Bible's interpretation of the thousand-year
reign cannot be accepted by them for if it were it would end the Premillennial
doctrine. In the same way those who teach the lake of fire is Hell cannot
accept the Bible's interpretation of what the lake of fire is, the second
death, for to them the lake of fire is an eternal life of torment in fire;
therefore, the second death cannot be death. The Bible's own interpretation of
what the lake of fire is not accepted for if it were there could be no Hell.
THE SYMBOLS - - - - - -THE
BIBLE'S INTERPRETATION
(1) THE FIELD -------- IS THE WORLD not a farm Matthew 13:38
(2) THE GOOD SEED ---- ARE THE SONS OF THE KINGDOM not a garden Matthew
13:38
(3) THE TARES -------- ARE THE SONS OF THE EVIL ONE not weeds Matthew
13:38
(4) BOWLS OF INCENSE - ARE PRAYERS OF THE SAINTS not cereal Revelation
5:8
(4) THE SEVEN HEADS -- ARE SEVEN
MOUNTAINS
(5) THE TEN HORNS ---- ARE TEN KINGS not ten trumpets Revelation 17:12
(6) THE WATERS ------- ARE PEOPLES, MULTITUDES, NATIONS not seas Rev. 17:15
(7) THE WOMAN -------- IS THE GREAT CITY not a female
Revelation 17:18
(8) SEVEN CANDLESTICKS ARE THE SEVEN CHURCHES Revelation 1:20
(9) FINE LINEN ------ IS RIGHTEOUS ACTS OF THE SAINTS not a tablecloth
Revelation 19:8
(11) THE DRAGON ------ IS THE DEVIL AND SATAN Revelation 20:2
(12) 1,000 YEAR REIGN
- IS THE FIRST RESURRECTION not a kingdom on earth after the second coming
of Christ Revelation 20:6
(13) LAKE OF FIRE
----- IS THE SECOND DEATH not a deathless place of torment. All die once, sinners
will die twice Revelation 21:8
The interpretation is only
what it is stated to be. The thousand years is the first resurrection. The
thousand years and the lake of fire are the two most misused symbols in this
book. It is as if God knew they would be misused, and He plainly said what they
are symbols of so there could be no excuses to misuse them. ÒThe
lake that burns with fire and brimstone; which is the second deathÓ; the interpretation given by theology reverses
the order and makes the second death be the lake of fire and says there is no
death in the lake of fire. The Bible speaks of two deaths, the first and
the second, if the first death is death but the second death is eternal life
being tormented by God then it is not death; the second death is a real death,
just as real as is the first death; both the first and second death is the end
of life, neither death is eternal life in another form or place; nothing is
said about the lost after the second death, there will be nothing to say
anything about.
á
ÒLake of fire which is (ho estin) the second deathÓ (Revelation 21:8).
á
ÒAnd looking up to heaven,
he sighed, and said unto him, Ephphatha, that
is
(ho estin) Be openedÓ (Mark 7:34).
á
ÒIt was the Preparation, that is (ho estin) the day before the SabbathÓ (Mark 15:42).
á
ÒFor his bodyÕs sake, which is (ho estin—that is) the churchÓ (Colossians 1:24).
á
ÒA place called Golgotha, that is (ho estin) to say, the place of a skullÓ (Matthew
27:33).
The words after ho
estin clarifies the words before it. Who would know what Ephphatha means if it
had not been clarified by saying it means, ÒBe openedÓ?
Those in Christ are
now "kings and priests" (Revelation
1:6). Are a "kingdom and priests;
and they reign upon the earth"
(Revelation 5:9-10). Those who are baptized into Christ have been raised with
Him; they were dead and now have the life He gives and they live with Him. This
is the first resurrection, and those who have a part in it will not be subject
to the second death after the judgment. All others are dead in that they do not
have the life Christ gives and after the resurrection and judgment they will
die the second death. The 1,000Õs (plural in the Greek) of years is symbolic of
an indefinite time in which the saints will reign with Christ; the saved
reigning with Christ begins after the resurrection of Christ and will last to
His second coming.
Strong lists ten
Greek words that are translated thousand
in the New Testament. Only two of them are used in Revelations.
More on the use of the singular and plural
of thousand can be found at: http://www.kenfortier.com/ ÒA Preliminary Study of
the Greek Word Thousand and ThousandsÓ under ÒArticles.Ó
In
all four times the second death is
used, death is from "thanatos," which is used 118 times in the New
Testament. In all 118 death is death, not eternal life with torment, not alive but
separated from God, not alive with only a loss of well being.
Thanatos always
means death, never any kind of life, but today's theology tells us that John's
interpretation of the Lake of Fire must be reinterpreted and death changed to
eternal life with torment for there could not be death to a soul that cannot
die; therefore,
John's
interpretation of the Lake of Fire being the second death must be reinterpreted
to be the Lake of Fire is eternal life with torment.
The lake of fire is
only a symbol of the real thing (the second death), but many preach and teach
it as if there is a real lake of literal fire somewhere but it is not on this
earth and this fire will last forever. There is not now or ever will be a lake
of literal fire. They must turn it around and make the second death be only a
metaphor of the lake of fire, and it is not a real death, for the second death
cannot be a real death if the "soul" can never die. They also make
the second death be only a metaphor of Gehenna (but only after Gehenna has been
mistranslated into "Hell"). They do not seem to be able to make up
their minds on whether the second death is a metaphor of the lake of fire or a
metaphor of Gehenna after Gehenna has been changed to "Hell."
Changes
made by those who say they do not change the Bible.
Death will end after the judgment when
death is destroyed. The end
will not come unto Christ "shall
have abolished all rule and all authority and power for he must reign till he
has put all his enemies under his feet, the last enemy that shall be abolished
is death" (1 Corinthians 15:26).
The lake of fire,
which is the second death (Revelation 21:8), will be abolished, destroyed when
the kingdom is delivered up to God (1 Corinthians 15:24-26).
BRIMSTONE
AND FIRE IN NON-SYMBOLIC PASSAGES
The brimstone and fire of the second death. How "fire and brimstone" are used
in the Bible and in the Book or Revelation.
Fire and brimstone (sulfur rock) were
literally rained on Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 19:24. The "fire and
brimstone" that destroyed Sodom was rained from Jehovah out of Heaven,
not from Hell, and the destroying was on the earth, not in Hell. "Then Jehovah rained upon Sodom and
upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from Jehovah out of Heaven" (Genesis
19:24; Luke 17:29). Both cities were literally burned up and brought to a total
end by the fire and brimstone that rained on them. Fire and brimstone are used
six other times in the Old Testament (Deuteronomy 29:23; Job 18:15; Psalm 11:6;
Isaiah 30:33; 34:9; Ezekiel 38:22), one time by Christ in Luke 17:29 speaking
of the total destruction of Sodom. If
the destroying will be "after the
same manner" then the fire would be rained from Heaven, not be in Hell,
and this fire will destroy, not forever torment those on which it is rained.
Most believers in Hell put both the brimstone
and the fire in Hell, but in every passage in both the Old and New Testament this
literal fire and brimstone is always on this earth, it is never in Hell. They
must move the brimstone and fire from earth to Hell for they have no scripture
which is not symbolic that put it where they want it.
Edom's destruction Isaiah 34:9-10: "Its smoke shall go up forever; from
generation to generation it shall be desolate; none shall pass through it
forever and ever." The fire did go out, and today there is no smoke
going up. After the fire went out, it became the home for pelicans, hedgehogs,
owls, and ravens (Isaiah 34:11). Thorns came up in its fortified towers after
the fire went out (Isaiah 34:13). The fire was not quenched but went out when
there was nothing more to burn. The smoke is a symbolic picture showing that
the complete destruction was forever.
It
is always a total destruction, never a forever ongoing torment. Today's
preaching of "Hell fire and brimstone" does not fit with the use of
fire and brimstone in the Bible. In today's theology the destruction is changed
from total destruction into a never ending torment without destruction.
BRIMSTONE
AND FIRE IN SYMBOLICAL PASSAGES
Fire and brimstone
are used six times in Revelation as a symbol of total destruction, which is
taken from its literal use in the rest of the Bible.
PART
THREE
EVERLASTING OR FOREVER Of The King James Version
Olam in the Old
Testament: "Age, age-lasting,
olam" Robert Young, Young's Analytical Concordance To The Bible, Page 310. Olam (olamim-plural) in the Hebrew Old
Testament is translated everlasting in the King James Version and others, but
does not mean without end as eternal in today's English does.
Olam-singer
and olamim-plural are used of:
1.
A Period of times that had both a beginning and an end. Forever
(olam) is used about sixty-five times in the Old Testament for things that have
already passed away.
2.
Periods of times that had a beginning but the end is obscure or
had not yet came.
3.
A Period of time that is followed by another period of time; Òfrom
olam (age) to olam (age)Ó and Òfrom olam (age) to olamim (ages), which are
often translated Òfor ever and ever, Ó, if Òfor ever and everÓ made senses,
which it doesnÕt, would make there be more than one eternality.
AGES WITH BOTH A BEGINNING AND AN END
Some
of the things that are "everlasting" or "forever" in the King
James Version that was age lasting, not everlasting.
AGES THAT HAD A BEGANNING
BUT THE ENDING ARE IN THE OBSCURE FUCTURE
The
everlasting (olam) hills (Genesis 49:26): The hills had a beginning when
the earth was made but there ending is some times in the obscure future.
The
everlasting (olam) covenant of the rainbow (Genesis 9:11-17): Like the
hills, the beginning of the rainbow covenant is known but itÕs ending is some
times in the obscure future, probability both the hills and the rainbow ends at
the end of the earth.
Neither is eternal, without beginning or
ending. The Òolam hillsÓ are not the Òeternal hills.Ó
FROM ONE OLAM (age) TO ANOTHER OLAM (age)
From one age to another age
Not from one eternality to another eternality
Old Testament – "from olam to
olam" (from age to age) is used twenty-one times. From one period of time
to another period of time demands a separation of the two periods–ages; therefore,
neither or the two olams could be without a beginning or ending.
Two
olams would demand that there be more than one olam, more than one age, not
more than one eternality.
From
olam (age) to olam (age) applied to people or things
1.
ÒThou hast blotted out their (the wicked) name for ever (olam-age)
and ever (olam-age) (Psalm 9:5)
2.
ÒHe (the king) asked life of Thee, Thou didst give him length of
days for ever (olam-age) and ever (olam-age)Ó (Psalm
21:4).
3.
ÒThe people praise thee for ever (olam-age) and ever (olam-age)Ó (Psalm 45:17)
4.
ÒAll His precepts are sure. They are upheld for ever (olam-age)
and ever (olam-age)Ó (Psalm 111:8). From one age to
another age, not from one eternality to another eternality.
5.
ÒThy law continually for ever (olam-age) and ever (olam-age)Ó (Psalm 119:44)
6.
ÒFrom this time forth and for ever (olam-age) and ever (olam-age)Ó (Psalm 125:2; 131:3)
7.
ÒI will bless thy name for ever (olam-age) and ever (olam-age)Ó (Psalm 145:1)
8.
ÒI will praise thy name for ever (olam-age) and ever (olam-age)Ó (Psalm 145:2)
9.
ÒHe has also established them (the heavens) for ever (olam-age)
and ever (olam-age)Ó (Psalm 148:6)
10.
ÒAlso established them for ever (olam-age) and ever (olam-age)Ó (Isaiah 30:8). ÒThat it may
serve in the time to come as a witness forever (olam-age)Ó New American
Standard Version
11.
"Then I will let you dwell in this place, in the land that I
gave to your fathers forever and ever"
"from olam to olam" (Jeremiah 7:7). From a long time past to a long
time to come, but not forever as the word "forever" is used today.
12.
"And dwell in the land that the Lord has given unto you and
to your fathers for ever and ever" "from
olam to olam" (Jeremiah 25:5). If "forever and ever" is for eternity, then the world cannot end
for they must dwell in the land for eternity and then for another eternity.
None of them could dwell in Heaven or in Hell for they would be dwelling in the
land on this earth for eternity and after that eternity for a second eternity.
13.
ÒAs the stars for ever (olam-age) and ever (olam-age)Ó (Daniel 12:3)
From
olam (age) to olam (age) applied to God
1.
ÒThe Lord shall reign for ever (olam-age) and ever (olam-age) (Exodus 15:18)
2.
ÒBlessed the Lord God of Israel for ever (olam-age) and ever
(olam-age) (1 Chronicles 16:36)
3.
ÒThe Lord is King for ever (olam-age) and ever (olam-age)Ó (Psalm 10:16)
4.
ÒGod is our God for ever (olam-age) and ever (olam-age)Ó (Psalm 48:14)
5.
ÒBlessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting (olam-age) and
to everlasting (olam-age)Ó (Psalm 41:13)
6.
ÒEven from everlasting (olam-age) to everlasting (olam-age) thou
art GodÓ (Psalm 90:2) "from olam to
olam" - from age to age. "From everlasting to everlasting" would
mean one everlasting would have to end for there to be another. Two everlasting
are not possible. There cannot be a "from one eternity to another
eternity."
7.
ÒThe Lord is from everlasting
(olam-age) to everlasting (olam-age)Ó (Psalm 103:17)
8.
ÒBlessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting (olam-age) to
everlasting (olam-age)Ó (Psalm 106:48)
a.
From Òeverlasting to everlasting,Ó from Òone eternality to another
eternalityÓ? How could there be from everlasting to everlasting or from
eternality to eternality? TodayÕs concept of eternality seems not to have
existed in the Old Testament; they had the concept of one age after another age
after another age, but not of todayÕs eternality.
DAYS OF OLD
If olam means everlasting or eternal, why
did the King James Version translate it old and ancient; could it be that they
knew eternal as it is used today would have made no sense in these passages? Days of old (olam-age) is duration ended,
not endless duration.
(1) "Remember the days of old (olam-age), consider the years of many
generations" (Deuteronomy 32:7). One word translated into three words.
(2) "For those nations were of old (olam-age) the inhabitants of
the land" (1 Samuel 27:8). The same one word translated into two
words.
(3) "The old (olam-age) way which wicked men have trodden" (Job
22:15). The same one word translated into only one word.
(4) "For they have been ever of old (olam-age)" (Psalm 25:6).
(5) "I remembered the judgments of old (olam-age)" (Psalm
119:52).
(6) "Is there anything whereof it may be said,
see, this is new? It has been already of
old times (olam-age) that was before us" (Ecclesiastes 1:10).
(7) "I held my peace even of old (olam-age), and you feared me
not" (Isaiah 57:11).
(8) "And he bare them, and carried them all
the days of old (olam-age)"
(Isaiah 63:9).
(9) "Then he remembered the days of old (olam-age), Moses, and his people" (Isaiah
63:11).
(10) "The prophets that have been before me
and before you of old (olam-age)"
(Jeremiah 28:8).
(11) "He has set me in dark places, as they
that be dead of old (olam-age)"
(Lamentations 3:6).
(12) "When I shall bring you down with them
that descend into the pit, with the people of
old times (olam-age), and shall set you in the low parts of the earth, in
places desolate of old (olam-age)"
(Ezekiel 26:20).
(13) "Let them feed in Basham and Gilead, as
in the days of old (olam-age)"
(Micah 7:10).
(14) "Then shall the offering of Judea and
Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord, as in the days of old (olam-age), and as in former years" (Malachi
3:4).
(15) "And they have caused them to stumble
in their ways from ancient (olam-age)
paths, to walk in paths, in a way not cast up" (Jeremiah 18:15).
Olam is used
repeatedly where it means an age but cannot mean everlasting. To go into them
would take many pages. Look up "ever" in any good concordance or
Wigam, pages 907-910, Old Testament. A few of them - 1 Samuel 13:13; 2 Samuel
7:13,16,25, 26, 29; 1 Kings 2:33; 2:45; 9:5; 1 Chronicles 17:12, 14, 23, 27;
22:19; 28:4, 7; 2 Chronicles 8:5; Psalm 89:4; Ezekiel 37:25. Olam is used many
time for things where both the beginning and end are known; many times where
the beginning is known but the end is unknown; the beginning of GodÕs covenant
of the rainbow is known but not itÕs end, probability at the end of the earth.
AION AND
AIONIOS
AION (a
noun– the
plural is aions) and AIONIOS (the
adjective form of aion) in the New Testament. Like olam in
the Old Testament, aion in the New Testament is also used repeatedly where it means an age but cannot mean everlasting. One
example is Colossians 1:26.
á King
James Version: "The mystery which
hath been hid from ages (aions) and from generations, but now is made
manifest to his saints"
Why did none of the
translation use "forever"?
It was obvious to them that God had kept this mystery hidden for ages but not
for eternities.
An
aion (age) has a beginning (1 Corinthians 2:7, 2 Timothy 1:9, Hebrews 1:2).
An
aion (age) has an end (Matthew 24:3, 1 Corinthians 10:11, Hebrews 9:20).
Forever and eternality, as they are used today, have no beginning and no end.
"WORLD" (Greek-aion)
in the King James Version
It had to be obvious
to the translators that there are more than one aion-age, but they hid this
from their reader by translating it "this world" and "the world
to come." A period of time (an age)
is changed to a place (World). ÒAge, indefinite time, dispensationÓ Robert
Young, ÒYoungÕs Analytical Concordance To The Bible,Ó page 1073.
(1)
Matthew 12:32 "Neither in this world*
(aion-age) nor in that which is to come." "Either in this age, or the age that is to
come" New King James Version, New American
Standard Version, not "neither in this eternity or that eternity
which is to come;" there are not two forevers, one that now is, and one to
come.
(2)
Matthew 13:22 "Care of this world*
(aion-age)." Care of this age, not "care of this forever or
eternity."
(3)
Matthew 13:39 "The harvest is the
end of the world* (aion-age)." "The end of the forever or
the end of eternity"? "The end
of the age" New King James
Version, New American Standard Version.
(4) Matthew 13:40 "So shall it
be at the end of this world (aion-age)."
"At the end of this forever or this eternity"? "The end of this age" New King James Version, New American
Standard Version.
(5) Matthew 24:3 "At the end of
the world* (aion-age)."
"At the end of the forever or this eternity"? "The end of the age" New King James Version, New American Standard Version.
(6)
Matthew 28:20 "Unto the end of the world*"
(aion-age). "The end of eternity"?
(7)
Mark 4:19 "The cares of this world
(aion-age)." Cares of this age, not "cares of this forever or
this eternity."
(8)
Mark 10:30 "In the world*
(aion-age) to come." "In the forever to come"?
(9)
Luke 1:70 "Since the world
(aion-age) began.Ó Since the age began, not since the forever began.
(10)
Luke 16:8 "Children of this world*
(aion-age)." This age, not "children of this forever."
(11)
Luke 18:30 "In the world*
(aion-age) to come." "In the forever to come"?
(12)
Luke 20:34 "Children of this world*
(aion-age) marry." "Children of this eternity"?
(13)
Luke 20:35 "Worthy to obtain that world*
(aion-age)." "That eternity"?
(14)
John 9:32 "Since the world
(aion-age) begin." "Since the age (aion-age) begin,"
probably the beginning of the Jewish age. ÒIn the beginning God created the
heavens and the earthÓ (Genesis 1:1). Beginning of what? The beginning of time.
Although it seems there may be ages after the earth (Luke 18:30; Mark 10:30)
and may have been ages before the earth, this is an age that had a beginning
and is not the beginning of the world.
(15)
Acts 3:21 "Since the world
(aion-age) begin." Also probably the beginning of the Jewish age, not
"Since eternity begin."
(16)
Acts 15:18 "From the beginning of the world (aion age)." Probably the beginning of the Jewish
age, not "from the beginning of the forever."
(17)
Romans 12:2 "From the beginning of the world (aion-age). Also probably the beginning of the Jewish
age, not "from the beginning of the eternity."
(18)
1 Corinthians 1:20 "Where is the disputer of this world*" (aion-age)." Disputer of this age, not
"disputer of this eternity."
(19)
1 Corinthians 2:6 "Not of the wisdom of this world*, (aion-age) nor of the princes of this world* (aion-age)." "Wisdom of this forever-princes
of this eternity"?
(20)
1 Corinthians 2:7 "Which God ordained before the worlds" (aions-ages, plural in the Greek, singular in the
King James, plural in most translations). Ordained before the eternities? GodÕs
wisdom, which had been hidden in past ages, the Law age and others, but has now
been made known, was foreordained before the ages, not before the worlds plural
or before eternities plural. ÒIn hope of
eternal life, which GodÉpromised (Genesis 3:15) before the ages (aionios-ages)Ó (Titus 1:2). ÒPromised before the world beganÓ (King James) or promised Òbefore times eternalÓ American Standard
makes no sense, promised to whom before the world began or before times
eternal? If eternality has no beginning or ending when was before eternality?
á ÒBefore the
ages (aions-ages)Ó New
American Standard and Revised Standard Version.
(21)
1 Corinthians 2:8 "None of the princes of this world* (aion-age)." Princes of this age, not "princes
of this eternity."
(22)
1 Corinthians 3:18 "Seems to be wise in this world* (aion-age)." "Wise in this eternity?"
(23)
1 Corinthians 8:13 "While the
world (aion-age) stands." "While the forever stands?"
(24)
1 Corinthians 10:11 "The ends of the world* (aions-ages).Ó "The ends of the eternities?" "Upon whom the ends of the ages are
come" American Standard Version; both ÒendsÓ and ÒagesÓ are in the
plural.
(25)
2 Corinthians 4:4 "The God of this world
(aion-age.)" "The God of this eternity?"
(26)
Galatians 1:4 "From this present evil world* (aion-age.)" "Present evil forever?" Is
this present evil world to last for an age or to last for an eternity?
(27)
Ephesians 1:21 "Not only in this world
(aion-age)." "Not only in this eternity but also in another
eternity"?
(28)
Ephesians 2:2 "According to the course of this world (aion-age)." This age, not "course of this
forever."
(29)
Ephesians 3:9 "The beginning of the world* (aion-age)." This age, not "the beginning of
the eternity."
Young's Literal Translation says, "And
to cause all to see what is the fellowship of the secret that has been hid from the ages in God, who the all
things did create by Jesus Christ, that there might be made known now to the
principalities and authorities in the heavenly places, through the assembly,
the manifold wisdom of God, according to a
purpose of the ages, which He made in Christ Jesus our Lord."
(30)
Ephesians 3:21 Òworld (aion) without end.Ó The footnote in the New
American Standard says, ÒTo all
generations of the age of the ages.Ó
(31)
Ephesians 6:12 "Of the darkness of this world (aion-age)." Of this age, not "of the darkness
of this eternity."
(32)
1 Timothy 6:17 "That are rich in this world* (aion-age)." Rich in this age, not "rich in
this eternity."
(33)
2 Timothy 4:10 "Having loved this present world (aion-age)." Loved this present age, not "loved
this present forever."
(34)
Titus 2:12 "Godly, in this present world*
(aion-age)." This age, not "in this present eternity."
(35)
Hebrews 1:2 "By whom also he made the world (aions-ages)." The ages—plural, not the worlds.
(36)
Hebrews 6:5 "Powers of the world*
(aion-age) to come." " Powers of the age to come, not powers of
the forever to come." Will there be another world?
(37)
Hebrews 9:26 "Now once in the end of the world (aion-age).Ó In
the end of forever which was more than 1900 years ago? It was in the end of the
age of the Law or Jewish age, which lasted from the giving of the law by Moses
to the death of Christ, not the end of the world. The sacrifice of Christ was
in the end of the age of the Law given through Moses not in the end of the
world.
(38)
Hebrews 11:3 "The worlds
(aions-ages) were framed." God made the ages. Did the King James
translators think there is more than one earth? ÒBy faith we understand that
the ages (aions-ages)." were prepared by the word of GodÓ New American Standard footnote. Plural ages were prepared
by the word of God, periods of time, not plural places, or worlds.
Aionios, the adjective form of aion is translated world three
times.
(39) Romans 16:25-26 ÒKept
secret since the world*
(aionios-age) began, but now is made manifestÉis made known.Ó Since the ages began, not
kept secret for all eternality, as eternality is understood today.
á
ÒFor long ages pastÓ New American Standard and
New International Version.
á
ÒFor long agesÓ New Revised Standard
Version.
(40) 2 Timothy 1:9 ÒWhich
was given us in Christ Jesus before the world* (aionios-age) began.
á
ÒBefore times eternalÓ American Standard Version,
footnote Òlong ages ago.Ó What times
does anyone think was before eternality began?
á
ÒBefore the ages (aionios-age) beganÓ New Revised Standard
Version.
o
The promise of salvation was first given in Genesis 3:15 at the
beginning of the first age on earth, the Patriarchal age, which was from Adam
to Moses, before the Christian age begin age that Paul was in.
(41) Titus 1:2 ÒWhich God,
that cannot lie, promised before the
world* (aionios-age) began.Ó Given or promised to whom before the world
began, there was no man before the world began, to whom before everlasting or
eternality began? If eternality had no beginning and will have no ending, how
could there be a Òbefore eternality began?Ó ÒBefore
the age beganÓ not before the world or the ages began, by Òthe ageÓ Paul is probably speaking of
before the age Christian we are now in began; Christ lived and give us the
promise of the resurrection to life before the Christian age began.
á
*Translated "age(s)"
in the New Revised Standard Version.
In the above there are past age(s), the
present age, and age(s) to come. There are not worlds past, present, and
future. ÒWorldÓ is in the Greek is ÒkosmosÓ not Òaion,Ó it is used about 184 times in the New Testament and is
never in the plural as aion often is.
We speak of "the Stone Age," "the Iron Age." etc. Age (aion),
century, and year are all periods of time. The world is a place. How did the translators get a place from a word
that means a period of time? How did they get "world" from "aion"?
The King James Version has both (1) Òworld
without endÓ and (2) Òin the end of
the worldÓ (Ephesians 3:21; Hebrews 9:26). Eternity, as the word is used
today, has no beginning; therefore, they could not translate it forever so they
change a word that means a period of time that has a beginning and an end to a
place. Most translations used "age(s)." If aion means forever, what did the translators do when they came to
Matthew 24:3? Did they translate it "the end of forever"? No, they
could not have an end to eternity; therefore, they change aion to "world."
To most reading Òworld,Ó it means the
earth that we live on, in the Greek "world"
is from "kosmos" not "aion" or Òaionios,Ó it is a mistranslation that I cannot but believe the
translators know it was a mistranslation, one that most translations have
changed. Were they not being less than truthful with their readers? Just as untruthful
as they were in the Old Testament where "olam"
is translated "world" in Psalm
73:12. Despite the fact that they have translated "olam" into "everlasting" repeatedly, they
could not have the ungodly prosper for "forever." An aion (age) in Matthew 24:3 is not a
place, not a world. When aion is translated ÒworldÓ it is a mistranslation that makes those who do not
understand Greek understand something that is 100% different than what God did
say. ÒThe word kosmos, translated almost uniformly world, which is found one hundred and
eighty-four times in the New Testament, is in some respects very different from
aion. Concerning the word kosmos, we would have it noticed, that
it is never found in the plural form in the Christian Scriptures. There is but one
kosmos, though different aions, found in this volume. Kosmos denotes the material globe with
all its elements—sometimes, the universe; and by a figure called
metonomy, which substitutes the thing containing for the thing contained, the
human family is often called the world...The
phrase Ôfoundation of the worldÕ occurs ten times, and always kosmos. But wherever mere time or
continuance is implied, it is always aion,
and not kosmos.Ó Alexander Campbell, ÒThe
Living Oracles,Ó Appendix 14, 1826, Gospel Advocate Company.
PLURAL is changed to SINGULAR. When the King James translators translated aions into
"worlds" (Hebrews 1:2; see Ephesians 2:7; Colossians 1:26) they left
it in the plural, but when they translated it "forever and ever" they changed it to the singular. They
could have plural worlds, but they could not have a plurality of forever or
more than one eternality. Their Hell must last forever (singular), not forevers
(plural), and not just unto the age
of ages.
How do they know "Hell" is
everlasting? Not one of the four words translated "Hell" in the King James
Version is used with aion or aionios. Not one of four words (sheol, hades,
Gehenna, Tartarus) is said to be everlasting or age lasting.
Aion is used of past ages, the present
age, future ages, and in the plural about two thirds of its occurrences in the
Bible. Therefore, there MUST be more than one age. It follows that eternity is
not an acceptable meaning of this Greek word. There cannot be past eternities,
a present eternity, and future eternities, neither can there be plural
eternities. An aion (age) is a long
period of time that has a beginning and an ending, but it is not eternity which
has no beginning or ending. There are more than one aions, but there can be
only one eternity.