Posted: Mon Jun 29, 2009 10:07 pm Post subject: tormented forever and ever
Revelation 20:10 (King James Version)
10And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
Why does it say this? It does not make sense to be tormented forever because we are supposed to perish if we are nonbelievers. _________________ YHWH is my God and Jesus is my Lord
The statement in Revelation 20:10 is concerning, not human beings, but rather the symbolic devil, a symbolic wild beast, and a symbolic false prophet. No actual living creature is ever spoken of as being tormented forever. The wild beast is described as having seven heads and ten horns; are we to think that there will be a literal wild beast with literal seven heads and literal ten horn that will be actuallly kept alive forever so as be tortured?
We do read:
Revelation 20:14 - Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.
Revelation 20:15 - If anyone was not found written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire.
We note that the symbolism of "Death and Hades" are thrown into the lake of fire. We are not to think that "Death and Hades" are to be conscious and "tormented" for all eternity in that lake, but rather they are destroyed by being thrown into that symbolic lake. The "Death" being spoken of is -- represents -- the condemnation received through Adam. Without the redemption through Jesus, those dead in Hades would have remained in that dead condition forever. (Hosea 13:14; 1 Corinthians 15:21,22; Romans 5:12-19) "Hades" (Hebrew, Sheol) represents the oblivious condition of that death. (Ecclesiastes 9:10) With the curse upon mankind lifted, that condemnation and its condition are both eliminated, and both of these are symbolically depicted as being destroyed by their being thrown into the lake of fire.
Those humans who refuse to obey the Good News in the millennial age so as to have their names written in the book of life then opened to them will also be thrown into the lake for fire, but nothing is said about their being "tormented" forever in that condition. They also simply cease to exist, just as Adamic death and Hades cease to exist by being symbolically being thrown into that symbolic lake. There is no more ransom for those who receive the judgment of the second death. (Hebrews 10:26) They remain dead for eternity.
Returning to Revelation 20:10, when we look up the nounal root of the word that is translated "tormented", we find that the word means "touchstone". The verb form appearing in Revelation 20:10 would most literally be rendered "touchstoned", which sounds somewhat strange in English. Nevertheless, a touchstone is used to "try" or "test" other stones, so that the symbolism figuratively denotes a trying or testing. The expression "day and night" also does not refer to literal "day and night", but rather to continual condition of the testing being spoken of. While Satan's works as symbolized by "the devil" will be destroyed (inclusing the person of Satan as well as his demons), those "works" will serve as a testing for all eternity to come. Likewise, with the systems or organizations symbolized by the wild beast and the false prophet.
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
