What is the nature of hell, and of the God who sends people there? Is it a separation to which God reluctantly--even tearfully--casts the hopelessly unrepentant? Or has He made the wicked for this very day as "vessels of wrath fitted to destruction?" (Romans 9:22). That depends on who you ask. Shirley Guthrie sees God as a relucant avenger: "...even if you 'make your bed in hell' God will still be there--the God who is for and not against you. You will never be able to escape the relentless love of God in Jesus Christ that is for hell-bent people just like you." Jonathan Edwards had a slightly different tack, warning "God will be so far from pitying you when you cry to Him, that He will only laugh at you."
Whereas hell can be conceived in any number of ways, there seems to be general consensus that hell is the absence of God. This verse finds Biblical support from 2 Thessalonians 1:9, which states "who shall be punished with everlasting fire from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of His power." This verse can be understood in two ways: 1) as fire that issues from God's presence, and destroys His enemies, or 2) as a fire tormenting the wicked as they are consigned to eternal separation from God.
It is only the second interpretation that will be treated here, as it poses certain logical inconsistencies. In this interpretation, the wicked will exist forever away from God and the "glory of His power." Here's where the problem comes in: Isn't the glory of God's power always in view when He's dispensing His wrath? Who is more subject to the glory of God's power than one who is being continually crushed by it? Doesn't the Bible describe the wicked as "vessels of wrath"? (Romans 9:22) Look at Exodus 24:17: "And the sight of the glory of God was like devouring fire on top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel." This verse states that the glory of God is like a devouring fire--the very fire Rev. 20:10 says will torment the wicked. If this is true, then how can the wicked be away from this aspect of God? We cannot say that the wicked, while enduring the wrath of God for breaking the law of God are away from the very glory pictured as fire and depicting the wrath that comes with His law. Moreover, Rev. 14:7 states: "Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come." This verse is actually announcing the judgment described in verse 10, which clearly takes place in the presence of God and is to His glory. This theme is also found in Psalm 77:10: "Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee."
The outpouring of God's wrath demonstrates His glory. Look at Gen. 8:22: "For the scripture saith unto Pharoah, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might show my power in thee, and that My name might be declared throughout all the earth."
Given all of these facts it should be evident that this interpretation of 2 Thessalonians 1:9 as a place where the wicked are held in torment away from God's presence simply does not stand up to thorough scrutiny.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
REVELATION 14:11-12
Rev. 14:11-12 states: "The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; 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 ascendeth up forever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receiveth the mark of his name."
This passage is often cited as a proof text for the traditional view of hell. That's easy to understand, as it contains a myriad of phrases and images that one can easily employ to convey eternal torment: "fire and brimstone", "torment," smoke which "ascendeth up forever and ever", and "no rest day nor night." It's not hard to see why this verse is one of the favorites for traditionalists to cite in support of their position.
There are at least four factors, however, that argue against the traditional teaching.
1) The wicked are cast out of God's presence, not tormented in it.
2) The image of smoke going up forever is one of completed desolation (Gen. 19:28, Isaiah 43:10), not ongoing torment.
3) Rev. 9 actually depicts man being tormented and killed on earth by fire and brimstone.
4) Rev 14:10-11 is actually an announcement by an angel of the wrath to be dispensed in the rest of the chapter--a great slaughter which ends in extinction.
This passage is often cited as a proof text for the traditional view of hell. That's easy to understand, as it contains a myriad of phrases and images that one can easily employ to convey eternal torment: "fire and brimstone", "torment," smoke which "ascendeth up forever and ever", and "no rest day nor night." It's not hard to see why this verse is one of the favorites for traditionalists to cite in support of their position.
There are at least four factors, however, that argue against the traditional teaching.
1) The wicked are cast out of God's presence, not tormented in it.
2) The image of smoke going up forever is one of completed desolation (Gen. 19:28, Isaiah 43:10), not ongoing torment.
3) Rev. 9 actually depicts man being tormented and killed on earth by fire and brimstone.
4) Rev 14:10-11 is actually an announcement by an angel of the wrath to be dispensed in the rest of the chapter--a great slaughter which ends in extinction.
Monday, January 17, 2011
IMAGES OF TORMENT--DARKNESS
At least three New Testament verses mention Outer darkness.
Matt. 8:11-12: "And I say unto you, that many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. But the children of the kingdom shall be cast into outer darkness; there sahll be weeping and gnashing of teeth."
This verse should be compared with its sister verse in Luke for a better understanding. Luke 13:25-28 reads "When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know not whence you are: then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in your presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. But he shall say, I tell you, I know not whence you are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out."
Notice it's at the thrusting out--or separation phase--when there's weeping; it says nothing of the duration of the weeping. There's no indication that the weeping occurs after the banishment; in Matt. 25 it occurs before the banishment, and there's no reason to think it's any different here.
Matt. 22:13 "Then the king said to his servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth."
It's important to note that the same passage in Rev. 9 that discusses the furnace of fire also says the earth is "darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit." It's discussing fire and darkness on earth, not the lake of fire.
Matt. 8:11-12: "And I say unto you, that many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. But the children of the kingdom shall be cast into outer darkness; there sahll be weeping and gnashing of teeth."
This verse should be compared with its sister verse in Luke for a better understanding. Luke 13:25-28 reads "When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know not whence you are: then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in your presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. But he shall say, I tell you, I know not whence you are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out."
Notice it's at the thrusting out--or separation phase--when there's weeping; it says nothing of the duration of the weeping. There's no indication that the weeping occurs after the banishment; in Matt. 25 it occurs before the banishment, and there's no reason to think it's any different here.
Matt. 22:13 "Then the king said to his servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth."
It's important to note that the same passage in Rev. 9 that discusses the furnace of fire also says the earth is "darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit." It's discussing fire and darkness on earth, not the lake of fire.
IMAGES OF JUDGMENT--THE FURNACE OF FIRE
Matthew 13:38-42 states "The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one. The enemy that soweth them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burnt in the fire; so shall it be at the end of the world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; and shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth."
The furnace of fire is usually taken to mean hell or the lake of fire, but this appears to ignore Rev. 9, which pictures the wicked in a furnace of fire: "And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit." The ensuing verses describe the torment; verse 18 has them killed by fire and brimstone. The torment described here corresponds to that described in Rev. 14:10, which is earthly torment, as evidenced by the fact that it occurs in the presence of the Lamb, whereas hell is described as a place outside of God's presence (Matt. 25:41). The fact that the angels do the separating or "gathering" also corresponds more closely to Rev. 9 than Matt. 25:32, where God does the separating, or Rev. 20:15.
The furnace of fire is usually taken to mean hell or the lake of fire, but this appears to ignore Rev. 9, which pictures the wicked in a furnace of fire: "And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit." The ensuing verses describe the torment; verse 18 has them killed by fire and brimstone. The torment described here corresponds to that described in Rev. 14:10, which is earthly torment, as evidenced by the fact that it occurs in the presence of the Lamb, whereas hell is described as a place outside of God's presence (Matt. 25:41). The fact that the angels do the separating or "gathering" also corresponds more closely to Rev. 9 than Matt. 25:32, where God does the separating, or Rev. 20:15.
NO WEEPING AND GNASHING
It's interesting to note that hell and the lake of fire is never once mentioned in connection with weeping and gnashing of teeth. Likewise, when weeping is mentioned, hell is not. This is true despite the fact that the Bible contains about two dozen verses which either record conscious torment or mention hell or the lake of fire, or allude to it with references to incineration. Yet they never, ever intersect. Eleven references to hell are listed below. All of them share one thing in common: they record no conscious response by the wicked.
Matt. 3:12 "Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."
Matt. 25:46 "And these shall go into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal."
Mark 9:43-44 "And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two good hands to go into hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched: where the worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched."
Matt. 5:29 "And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell."
Matt. 10:28 "And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both body and soul in hell."
Matt. 7:22-23 "Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name done many wonderful works? And I will profess unto them, I never knew you: Depart from me, ye that work iniquity."
Matt. 18:8 "Wherefore if thy hand or foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire."
Matt. 13:30 "Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn."
Rev. 22:15 "For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolators, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie."
2 Peter 3:10 "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervants heat, and the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt up."
Rev. 20:14 "And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire; this is the second death."
Matt. 3:12 "Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."
Matt. 25:46 "And these shall go into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal."
Mark 9:43-44 "And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two good hands to go into hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched: where the worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched."
Matt. 5:29 "And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell."
Matt. 10:28 "And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both body and soul in hell."
Matt. 7:22-23 "Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name done many wonderful works? And I will profess unto them, I never knew you: Depart from me, ye that work iniquity."
Matt. 18:8 "Wherefore if thy hand or foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire."
Matt. 13:30 "Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn."
Rev. 22:15 "For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolators, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie."
2 Peter 3:10 "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervants heat, and the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt up."
Rev. 20:14 "And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire; this is the second death."
Sunday, January 16, 2011
CREED ABOVE ALL ELSE
In their book Two Views of Hell, conditionalist Edward Fudge says of his opponent, traditionalist Robert Peterson "Peterson belongs to and teaches for a denomination that requires him to defend a particular historical creed--the Westminster Confession of Faith...If someone raises a theological question, Peterson believes that the correct answer is found in a creed."
Peterson confirms Fudge's point in the very first paragraph of his response to Fudge's argument. He writes:
"In the spring of 1992 I taught for the first time what has become a favorite elective: Systematic Theology 658, Eternal Destinies. I will never forget the effect that reading the first edition of Edward Fudge's The Fire That Consumes had on my small group of students...As they began to read his book and consider his case for annihilationism, they came to class complaining of physical symptoms including headaches and churning stomachs. I gave them credit for not being dismissive but for earnestly considering Fudge's arguments."
Wow! Think for moment about that statement. It says two things about his students: 1) They were so attached to the orthodoxies they had been taught that a challenge to one of them made them physically ill. Mind you this was not a challenge that affected their own eternal destinies in any way, but merely argued that the future of the unsaved might be different than they believed. 2) They were upset to the point of illness at the thought of the vast majority of mankind not suffering unimaginable agony forever.
This admission is so incredible as to hardly require commentary--it says every bad thing that could possibly be said about the mindset of traditionalists all by itself. Fudge noted in his statement about Peterson's allegiance to his creed that "I am not suggesting that Peterson is engaged in any sort of duplicity or that his opinions arise out of any impure motives." Fudge was too kind. If Peterson's anything at all like his students--surely he started out as a young Bible student, too--then he too must have placed orthodoxy above all else. You would think someone would be glad to be proven wrong about a belief in an eternal torment, but you would be wrong. If it goes against their creeds, then even the horrible notion of people not burning in hell is something to be resisted at all costs. Clarity and comfort in one's position becomes more important than anything else. When it's threatened, fear takes over, the defenses go up, and the status quo must be defended--the teacher must come to the rescue to assure the students that their God--um, creed--was right all along.
Peterson confirms Fudge's point in the very first paragraph of his response to Fudge's argument. He writes:
"In the spring of 1992 I taught for the first time what has become a favorite elective: Systematic Theology 658, Eternal Destinies. I will never forget the effect that reading the first edition of Edward Fudge's The Fire That Consumes had on my small group of students...As they began to read his book and consider his case for annihilationism, they came to class complaining of physical symptoms including headaches and churning stomachs. I gave them credit for not being dismissive but for earnestly considering Fudge's arguments."
Wow! Think for moment about that statement. It says two things about his students: 1) They were so attached to the orthodoxies they had been taught that a challenge to one of them made them physically ill. Mind you this was not a challenge that affected their own eternal destinies in any way, but merely argued that the future of the unsaved might be different than they believed. 2) They were upset to the point of illness at the thought of the vast majority of mankind not suffering unimaginable agony forever.
This admission is so incredible as to hardly require commentary--it says every bad thing that could possibly be said about the mindset of traditionalists all by itself. Fudge noted in his statement about Peterson's allegiance to his creed that "I am not suggesting that Peterson is engaged in any sort of duplicity or that his opinions arise out of any impure motives." Fudge was too kind. If Peterson's anything at all like his students--surely he started out as a young Bible student, too--then he too must have placed orthodoxy above all else. You would think someone would be glad to be proven wrong about a belief in an eternal torment, but you would be wrong. If it goes against their creeds, then even the horrible notion of people not burning in hell is something to be resisted at all costs. Clarity and comfort in one's position becomes more important than anything else. When it's threatened, fear takes over, the defenses go up, and the status quo must be defended--the teacher must come to the rescue to assure the students that their God--um, creed--was right all along.
RESURRECTION OF BONES?
Traditional church teaching holds that on judgment day God will resurrect both the just and the wicked to stand for judgment. Some theologians believe only the just will be resurrected. This is even one of the tenets of the Jehovah's Witness faith. Controversial radio preacher Harold Camping has put forth an intriguing twist on this issue. He contends that there will indeed be a resurrection of the wicked, but it will not be a resurrection to conscious existence. Instead it will consist of a scattering of their bones upon the earth, thereby making them a spectacle of shame and contempt to those on the earth. This is the resurrection "unto shame and contempt" spoken of in Daniel 12:2, and it will occur when a great earthquake shakes the bones of the dead out of their graves. It's a radical suggestion, and one squarely at odds with traditional church doctrine. But is it Biblical? It does seem to have a leg to stand on. Let's look at four reasons why.
1) It's true that several passages of the New Testament seem to teach a universal resurrection (Rev 20:12, 1 Cor 5:10, John 5:28, Acts 24:15). But there are also New Testament verses that seem to reserve the resurrection for the just alone (John 6:54, Luke 20:35), and at least two Old Testament verses (Jer. 25:27, 51:57) that suggest the wicked will never live again.
2) Daniel 12:2 says: "And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life and some to everlasting shame and contempt."
3) Shame and contempt is frequently associated with not having a decent burial (Ecc. 6:3).
4) Isaiah 26:14 says "the earth shall cast out the dead" and describes some coming forth to life (19) and some to shame and contempt (21).
It's worth noting that the term "casting out of the grave" can also mean to be denied a burial (Isaiah 14:19). In this verse, however, one could make the case that the wicked are literally cast out of their graves even as the just are cast out of theirs (thus fulfilling Daniel 12:2).
Mr. Camping points to Jer. 7:33-8:2 as evidence: "And the carcases of this people shall be meat for the fowls of heaven, and for the beasts of the earth; and none shall fray them away...At that time, saith the LORD, they shall bring out the bones of the kings of Judah, and the bones of his princes, and the bones of the priests, and the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem out of their graves: And they shall spread them before the sun, and the moon, and all the host of heaven, whom they have loved and whom they have served...they shall not be...buried; they shall be for dung upon the face of the earth."
One might object that this verse refers to Psalm 79, in which it finds literal fullfillment in the history of the Jewish nation when the heathen root through the bones of the Jews. But they will not be rooting through their graves on the Day of the Lord, which is what this verse seems to have in view. Simply compare the scene it describes with that portrayed in Jer 25: 33, which appears to be discussing the Day of the Lord: "And the slain of the Lord shall be on that day from one end of the earth unto the other...they shall not be...buried; they shall be dung upon the ground." Verse 10 of this chapter quotes Jer. 7:34, making clear that the same event is in view: "Then I will cause to cease from the cities of Judah, and from the streets of Jerusalem, the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride: for the land shall be desolate."
Isaiah 66:24 describes the same scene, as does Rev 19:19-21, which uses the same phrase found in Jer. 7:33: "...and all the fowls were filled with their flesh." Zephaniah 1:8, which is undoubtebly discussing the Day of thee Lord, says the Lord will "punish the princes, and the king's children, and all such as are clothed with strange apparel." Compare this verse with Jer. 8:1: "At that time, saith the Lord, they shall bring out the bones of the kings of Judah, and the bones of his princes, and the bones of the priests..." Zephaniah goes on to say in 1:17: "their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung."
A statement by Edward Fudge, who supports the traditional view of the resurrection, nevertheless provides some information that helps to lend credence to Mr Camping's interpretation: "Daniel 12:1-2 provides one of the few explicit Old Testament references to the resurrection of both the good and the evil. The prophecy clearly states that "multitudes" will awake from the dust of the earth, but that they will be raised in two forms: "some to everlasting life" and "others to everlasting shame and contempt" (Dan 12:2). The Hebrew word translated contempt here is the same word translated "loathsome" in Isaiah 66:24 where it describes unburied corpses." In other words, the contempt of the "resurrected" dead is closely identified with the contempt of the unburied corpses at the end of the world. The connection between scattered bones and shame is also found in Psalm 53:5: "...God hath scattered the bones of him that encampeth against thee: thou hast put them to shame, because God hath despised them."
Isaiah 26:19 says "Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body they shall arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in the dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead..." We know that this casting out will include the just and the wicked; Daniel 12:2 says: "And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to everlasting shame and contempt." Remember, the word translated contempt here is the same word used to describe the corpses of Isaiah 66:24. And we know from Jer. 7:33-8:2 that the bones of the wicked will literally be cast out of their graves on the Day of the Lord, the same day in view in Isaiah 26:19 and Daniel 12:2. We can know therefore, that the event being described is a scattering of the bones of the wicked like dung all over the ground. Isaiah 26:21 says: "For behold the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain."
Some might object that to have one's bones scattered is not much of a punishment. One must consider, however, that the Jewish mindset of that time was different than ours. To us a great life and a bad burial is a pretty good trade-off, but not to the ancient Jews (Ecc.6:3). A Jew of that day placed as much importance on how they were buried and remembered as on the quality of their lives on this earth. Solomon's despair in Ecclesiastes related almost exclusively to how things would go after he was gone--something we don't particularly care about these days. To us it's all about our conscious existence in the here and now; to the Jews it was all about legacy and posterity and future generations. The Jews valued the meaning of their lives, which could be measured by the kind of burial they received. To the Jews, reward and punishment could occur after death with no regard to conscious experience.
1) It's true that several passages of the New Testament seem to teach a universal resurrection (Rev 20:12, 1 Cor 5:10, John 5:28, Acts 24:15). But there are also New Testament verses that seem to reserve the resurrection for the just alone (John 6:54, Luke 20:35), and at least two Old Testament verses (Jer. 25:27, 51:57) that suggest the wicked will never live again.
2) Daniel 12:2 says: "And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life and some to everlasting shame and contempt."
3) Shame and contempt is frequently associated with not having a decent burial (Ecc. 6:3).
4) Isaiah 26:14 says "the earth shall cast out the dead" and describes some coming forth to life (19) and some to shame and contempt (21).
It's worth noting that the term "casting out of the grave" can also mean to be denied a burial (Isaiah 14:19). In this verse, however, one could make the case that the wicked are literally cast out of their graves even as the just are cast out of theirs (thus fulfilling Daniel 12:2).
Mr. Camping points to Jer. 7:33-8:2 as evidence: "And the carcases of this people shall be meat for the fowls of heaven, and for the beasts of the earth; and none shall fray them away...At that time, saith the LORD, they shall bring out the bones of the kings of Judah, and the bones of his princes, and the bones of the priests, and the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem out of their graves: And they shall spread them before the sun, and the moon, and all the host of heaven, whom they have loved and whom they have served...they shall not be...buried; they shall be for dung upon the face of the earth."
One might object that this verse refers to Psalm 79, in which it finds literal fullfillment in the history of the Jewish nation when the heathen root through the bones of the Jews. But they will not be rooting through their graves on the Day of the Lord, which is what this verse seems to have in view. Simply compare the scene it describes with that portrayed in Jer 25: 33, which appears to be discussing the Day of the Lord: "And the slain of the Lord shall be on that day from one end of the earth unto the other...they shall not be...buried; they shall be dung upon the ground." Verse 10 of this chapter quotes Jer. 7:34, making clear that the same event is in view: "Then I will cause to cease from the cities of Judah, and from the streets of Jerusalem, the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride: for the land shall be desolate."
Isaiah 66:24 describes the same scene, as does Rev 19:19-21, which uses the same phrase found in Jer. 7:33: "...and all the fowls were filled with their flesh." Zephaniah 1:8, which is undoubtebly discussing the Day of thee Lord, says the Lord will "punish the princes, and the king's children, and all such as are clothed with strange apparel." Compare this verse with Jer. 8:1: "At that time, saith the Lord, they shall bring out the bones of the kings of Judah, and the bones of his princes, and the bones of the priests..." Zephaniah goes on to say in 1:17: "their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung."
A statement by Edward Fudge, who supports the traditional view of the resurrection, nevertheless provides some information that helps to lend credence to Mr Camping's interpretation: "Daniel 12:1-2 provides one of the few explicit Old Testament references to the resurrection of both the good and the evil. The prophecy clearly states that "multitudes" will awake from the dust of the earth, but that they will be raised in two forms: "some to everlasting life" and "others to everlasting shame and contempt" (Dan 12:2). The Hebrew word translated contempt here is the same word translated "loathsome" in Isaiah 66:24 where it describes unburied corpses." In other words, the contempt of the "resurrected" dead is closely identified with the contempt of the unburied corpses at the end of the world. The connection between scattered bones and shame is also found in Psalm 53:5: "...God hath scattered the bones of him that encampeth against thee: thou hast put them to shame, because God hath despised them."
Isaiah 26:19 says "Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body they shall arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in the dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead..." We know that this casting out will include the just and the wicked; Daniel 12:2 says: "And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to everlasting shame and contempt." Remember, the word translated contempt here is the same word used to describe the corpses of Isaiah 66:24. And we know from Jer. 7:33-8:2 that the bones of the wicked will literally be cast out of their graves on the Day of the Lord, the same day in view in Isaiah 26:19 and Daniel 12:2. We can know therefore, that the event being described is a scattering of the bones of the wicked like dung all over the ground. Isaiah 26:21 says: "For behold the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain."
Some might object that to have one's bones scattered is not much of a punishment. One must consider, however, that the Jewish mindset of that time was different than ours. To us a great life and a bad burial is a pretty good trade-off, but not to the ancient Jews (Ecc.6:3). A Jew of that day placed as much importance on how they were buried and remembered as on the quality of their lives on this earth. Solomon's despair in Ecclesiastes related almost exclusively to how things would go after he was gone--something we don't particularly care about these days. To us it's all about our conscious existence in the here and now; to the Jews it was all about legacy and posterity and future generations. The Jews valued the meaning of their lives, which could be measured by the kind of burial they received. To the Jews, reward and punishment could occur after death with no regard to conscious experience.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)