RUSHWAVE: Establishing Believers in the Christian Faith

from The Judgment God Desires to Withhold

Chapter 7: Perishing as being Sentenced to Fiery Torment

Hell’s torments can be likened to having one’s entire body consumed by fire.

In the teachings of Jesus and His apostles, the imagery of hell is very consistent. It is repeatedly portrayed as a place of torment by fire. Jesus’ parable of the evil rich man and Lazarus is a case in point.

Now there was a rich man, and he habitually dressed in purple and fine linen, joyously living in splendor every day. And a poor man named Lazarus was laid at his gate, covered with sores, and longing to be fed with the crumbs which were falling from the rich man’s table; besides, even the dogs were coming and licking his sores. Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried. In Hades [hell] he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried out and said, “Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.” But Abraham said, “Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, so that those who wish to come over from here to you will not be able, and that none may cross over from there to us.” Luke 16:19–26

There is no reason to regard this story as an actual historical account. Jesus is not giving a detailed teaching on hell’s environment. And He employs the name “Lazarus” not because he was an actual person, but rather as a literary device — the name means “divine help.” Interpreting Jesus’ words as an actual story will result in unwarranted questions such as “How big is the chasm? How can everyone fit in Abraham’s bosom? So people in hell can talk to people in heaven? And where is the water hole?” Like many of Jesus’ teachings, He is telling a story to relate spiritual truths.

One clear teaching of Jesus’ parable is the fiery torment of the wicked in the afterlife. We know this because many other scriptures have the same imagery. In the book of Revelation, an angel announces what will be the end of all those who worship the Antichrist.

And he will be tormented with fire and brimstone … And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever. Revelation 14:10-11

In the final judgment, the devil along with those he deceived will be sentenced to fiery torment.

And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone … and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. Revelation 20:10

This place of fire, which was “prepared” by God for the devil and his fallen angels, is the same place all evil men go.

Then He will also say to those on His left, “Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels.” Matthew 25:41

Sinners are compared to weeds gathered in a harvest, or bad fish gathered in a net. Both are useless and burned.

So just as the tares are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness, and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Matthew 13:24-42
So it will be at the end of the age; the angels will come forth and take out the wicked from among the righteous, and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Matthew 13:47-50

Hell is so horrifying, and sin is to be so abhorred, that Jesus exaggerated by saying a man should cut off that part of his body which gives occasion to fall into sin or “stumble.” Jesus was not advocating self-mutilation — something that was never taught or practiced by Jesus or any of his followers. But he was indirectly giving a teaching about the need to abhor sin and avoid hell. He repeats himself three times, using a different member of the body: the hand, the foot, and the eye.

If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life crippled, than, having your two hands, to go into hell, into the unquenchable fire, where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched. If your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame, than, having your two feet, to be cast into hell, where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched. If your eye causes you to stumble, throw it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, than, having two eyes, to be cast into hell, where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched. Mark 9:43-48

In the judgment of sinners in their life after death, the imagery of affliction by fire is used because it parallels the anguish, suffering and torment to which they are subjected. In this earthly life, being burned with fire is among the most exceedingly painful things one can experience. To have just one small part of the body even lightly burned can be agonizing. To have one’s entire body heavily burned would be utterly agonizing and is rarely survivable. But it is this latter scenario that is consistently employed in the description of hell.

Perishing involves being tormented and afflicted on account of one’s evil deeds. This torment can be likened to having one’s entire body consumed with intense fire. The sensation of pain is agonizing, unrelenting, and fierce.

from The Judgment God Desires to Withhold

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