TORMENTED FOREVER AND EVER.
The only remaining texts to be urged in favor of the eternal torment of
the wicked, are two passages which are found in the book of Revelation.
The first is Rev. 14:11: “And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up
forever and ever; and they have no rest day nor night who worship the
beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.”
It is proper first to inquire of whom this is spoken. The question
before us relates to the destiny of all the wicked. No text is therefore
conclusive on this question, which speaks of only a certain class, or a
limited number, of the wicked; for a particular class might for good
reasons be set apart to a certain punishment, and that punishment be
exceptional in their cases, and not such as awaits the whole race of the
guilty. The passage just quoted speaks not of all the wicked, but only
of a limited class--the worshipers of the beast and his image. The
beast, according to evidence which no Protestant will be disposed to
question, means the papal power; Rev. 13:1-10; and the image is to be
formed, near the close of the career of that power. Rev. 13:14-18;
14:1-5. The text, therefore, embraces only comparatively a small portion
of the wicked of the human race. The ancient world, with its teeming
millions, and the present heathen world, knowing nothing of this power,
are alike exempted from the punishment here brought to view. This text
might therefore be set aside as inconclusive, since, even if it should
be admitted to prove eternal torture for some, it does not for all.
But we claim that no text affirms eternal torment for a single conscious
intelligence in all the universe, and hence undertake to show that this
passage does not prove it in reference to even the limited class brought
to view. The expression, “The smoke of their torment ascendeth up
forever and ever,” is the one upon which the doctrine of eternity of
suffering is in this case suspended. But the same may be said of this
expression that was said in last chapter in reference to the undying
worm and the quenchless fire. It was not new in John’s day, but was
borrowed from the Old Testament, and was one which was well understood
at that time.
In Isa. 34:9, 10, the prophet, speaking of the land of Idumea, says:
“And the streams thereof shall be turned into pitch, and the dust
thereof into brimstone, and the land thereof shall become burning pitch.
It shall not be quenched night nor day: the smoke thereof shall go up
forever: from generation to generation it shall lie waste; none shall
pass through it forever and ever.” But two applications can be made of
this language. Either it refers to the literal land of Edom east and
south of Judea, or it is a figure to represent the whole world in the
day of final conflagration. In either case it is equally to the point.
If the literal land of Idumea is meant, and the language has reference
to the desolations which have fallen upon it, then certainly no eternity
of duration is implied in the declaration that the smoke thereof shall
go up forever. For all the predictions against the land of Idumea have
long since been fulfilled, and the judgments have ceased. If it refers
to the fires of the last day, when the elements melt with fervent heat,
no eternity of duration is even then implied in the expression; for the
earth is not to be forever destroyed by the purifying fires of the last
day. It is to rise from its ashes, and a new earth come forth purified
from all the stains of sin, and free from all the deformity of the
curse, to be the everlasting abode of the righteous.
Here is an instance in which the word, forever, apply it in either of
the only two ways possible, must denote a limited period. And here the
Septuagint uses αἰων (_aion_) the same as is used in Rev. 14:11; and
from this passage in Isaiah, the language in Revelation was probably
borrowed. That the words αἰων and αἰωνιος sometimes denote a limited
period, and not invariably one of eternal duration, will appear in the
examination of the only remaining text that calls for consideration,
namely, Rev. 20:10: “And 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 forever and ever.”
The same limitation is apparent in this text that was observed in the
preceding. It does not refer to all the wicked, but speaks only of the
devil, the beast, and the false prophet. The lake of fire, the place and
means of their torment, is again mentioned in verse 14; but there it is
the symbol of complete and utter destruction. Death and Hades, it says,
were cast into the lake of fire, and after this it is said, “There shall
be no more death.” Rev. 21:4. Whatever, then, is cast into the lake of
fire, after it has wrought its work of destruction upon them, no longer
exists. This is the plain inference from what is here asserted
respecting death. Then follows the testimony of verse 15, that
“whosoever was not found written in the book of life, was cast into the
lake of fire.” And this makes a final disposition of all who are not
saved in the kingdom of Heaven.
There is nothing in the way of this application, unless the words
“forever and ever” denote absolutely an eternity of duration. These
words are translated in the New Testament from _aion_, and _aionios_,
respecting which the following facts may be stated.
_Aion_ is defined by different lexicographers as follows:--
Greenfield: “Duration, finite or infinite, unlimited duration, eternity;
a period of duration past or future, time, age, lifetime; the world,
universe.”
Schrevelius: “An age, a long period of time; indefinite duration; time,
whether longer or shorter.”
Liddell and Scott: “A space or period of time, especially a lifetime,
life, _ævum_; an age, a generation; long space of time, eternity; in
plural, _eis tous aionas ton aionon_, unto ages of ages, forever and
ever, N. T., Gal. 1:5.-3. later, a space of time clearly defined and
marked out, an era, age, period of a dispensation: _ho aion houtos_,
this present life, this world.”
Parkhurst: “Always being. It denotes duration or continuance of time,
but with great variety. I. Both in the singular and the plural it
signifies eternity, whether past or to come. II. The duration of this
world. III. The ages of the world. IV. This present life. V. The world
to come. VI. An age, period, or periodical dispensation of divine
providence. VII. _Aiones_ seems, in Heb. 11:3, to denote the various
revolutions and grand occurrences which have happened in this created
system, including also the world itself. Comp. Heb. 1:2, and Macknight
on both texts. _Aion_, in the LXX. generally answers to the Hebrew
_holam_, which denotes _time hidden_ from man, whether indefinite or
definite, whether past or future.”
Robinson: “Duration, the course or flow of time in various relations as
determined by the context, viz: (A) For human life, existence. (B) For
time indefinite, a period of the world, the world, in Gr. writers, and
also in Sept. and N. Testament. (C) For endless duration, perpetuity,
eternity.... Sept. mostly for Heb. _holam_, ‘hidden time,’ duration,
eternity.--Hence, in N. T. of long-continued time, indefinite duration,
in accordance with Greek usage, but modified as to construction and
extent by the example of the LXX., and the Rabbinic views.”
Schleusner gives as the first meaning of _aion_, “a definite and
long-continued time,” _i. e._, a long-continued but still a definite
period of time.
Wahl has arranged the definitions of _aion_ thus: “(1) Time, unlimited
duration, _ævum_. (2) The universe, _mundus_. (3) An age, period of the
world,” as the Jewish age, Christian age, &c. This reference to
Schleusner and Wahl we find in Stuart on Future Punishment, pp. 91, 93.
_Holam_, the Hebrew word which corresponds to the Greek _aion_, is
applied according to Gesenius to things which endure for a long time,
for an indefinite period. It is applied to the Jewish priesthood, to the
Mosaic ordinances, to the possession of the land of Canaan, to the hills
and mountains, to the earth, to the time of service to be rendered by a
slave, and to some other things of a like nature. Stuart, p. 72.
Cruden, in his Unabridged Concordance, under the word eternal, says:--
“The words, eternal, everlasting, and forever, are sometimes taken for a
long time, and are not always to be understood strictly. Thus, ‘Thou
shalt be our guide from this time forth even forever,’ that is, during
our whole life. And in many other places of Scripture, and in particular
when the word forever is applied to the Jewish rites and privileges, it
commonly signifies no more than during the standing of that
commonwealth, until the coming of the Messiah.”
Dr. Clarke places in our hands a key to the interpretation of the words,
“forever” and “forever and ever,” which is adapted to every instance of
their use. According to his rule they are to be taken to mean as long as
a thing, considering the surrounding circumstances, can exist. And he
illustrates this in his closing remarks on 2 Kings 5, where, speaking of
the curse of the leprosy pronounced upon Gehazi forever, he says:--
“Some have thought, because of the prophet’s curse, ‘The leprosy of
Naaman shall cleave unto thee and to thy seed forever,’ that there are
persons still alive who are this man’s descendants, and afflicted with
this horrible disease. Mr. Maundrell, when he was in Judea, made
diligent inquiry concerning this, but could not ascertain the truth of
the supposition. To me it appears absurd; the denunciation took place in
the posterity of Gehazi till it should become extinct; and under the
influence of this disorder, this must _soon_ have taken place. The
_forever_ implies as long as any of his posterity should remain. This is
the import of the word, _leolam_. _It takes in the whole extent or
duration of the thing to which it is applied._ The _forever_ of Gehazi
was till his posterity became extinct.”
The word _aionios_ is derived from _aion_, and its general meaning may
be determined from the definitions given above to the latter word.
That these words are frequently applied to the existence of divine
beings, and the future happiness of the saints, is true; and that in
these cases they denote eternal duration is equally evident; yet,
according to the definition of the words and the rule laid down by Dr.
Clarke, that eternal duration could not be made out by the use of these
words alone. They denote duration or continuance of time, the length of
that duration being determined by the nature of the objects to which
they are applied. When applied to things which we know from other
declarations of the Scriptures are to have no end, they signify an
eternity of being; but when applied to things which are to end, they are
correspondingly limited in their meaning. That the existence of God and
the future happiness of the righteous are to be absolutely eternal, we
are abundantly assured by scriptures which make no use of the words in
question. When applied to these they therefore signify a period of
duration which is never to end. Just as plainly are we assured that the
existence of the wicked is at last to cease in the second death; and
when applied to this, the words _aion_ and _aionios_ must be limited
accordingly in their signification. Overlooking this plain principle of
interpretation, Prof. Stuart, p. 89, comes to this erroneous conclusion
respecting these words, because they are applied alike to the sufferings
of the lost and the happiness of the saved, that “we must either admit
the endless misery of hell, or give up the endless happiness of Heaven.”
We are under no such necessity. The words, _aion_ and _aionios_,
according to Dr. Clarke, cover the whole of the existence of the two
classes in their respective spheres, and that only. The one is, after a
season of suffering and anguish, to come to an end; the other is to go
on in bliss to all eternity.
So when it is said that the beast and the false prophet, and they who
worship the beast and his image, are to be tormented day and night
forever and ever, we must understand this expression to cover only the
duration of their future existence beyond the grave. If we are anywhere
given to understand by other scriptures and by other terms which are
more rigid in their meaning, that this is to be eternal, the terms must
here be so understood; if not, we have no warrant for so defining them
here.
That the forever and ever, _eis tous aionas ton aionon_, of the
suffering of the wicked, denotes a period of long duration, there is no
question; and it may be much longer than any have been disposed to
conceive who deny its eternity; yet it is to come to an end, not by
their restoration to God’s favor, but by the extinction of that life
which has in it no immortality, and because they have refused to accept
of the life freely offered to them, which is to continue through ages
without end.
We have now examined all the more prominent passages which are urged in
favor of the eternal suffering of the lost. Though others may by some be
brought forward to prove this doctrine, we may safely take the position
that if it is not proved by those we have examined, it cannot be proved
by any in all the Bible; for these use the strongest terms and are most
explicit in their nature. And of these how many are there? Five in all.
Those who have never before examined this subject, will perhaps be
surprised to learn how small is the number of such texts. And should
they take into the account every text which is thought to have even the
slightest semblance of proving the immortality of the lost, it would not
be calculated to abate that surprise to any great degree.
It now remains that we examine those texts, more in number, and more
explicit in statement, which prove that the wicked shall be at last as
though they had not been.