Forever in Consequence.

CHAPTER -- XIX -- Triumph of the Saints 

p 725 -- VERSE 1. And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honor, and power, unto the Lord our God:  2.   For true and righteous are his judgments; for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand.  3.  And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up forever and ever.

(Excerpt taken from Daniel and Revelation by Uriah Smith 1897-1911 Editions)

Continuing the subject of chapter 18, the apostle here introduces the song of triumph which the redeemed saints strike up on victor harps, when they behold the complete destruction of that great system of opposition to God and his true worship comprehended in great Babylon. This destruction takes place, and this song is sung, in connection with the second coming of Christ at the commencement of the thousand years.

Forever and Ever.- There can but one query arise on this scripture, and that is how it can be said that her smoke rose up forever and ever. Does not this language imply eternity of suffering? Let it be remembered that this is borrowed language; and to gain a correct understanding of it, we must go back to its first introduction, and consider its import as there used. In Isaiah 34 will be found the language from which, in all probability, such expressions as these are borrowed. Under the figure of Idumea, a certain destruction is brought to view; and it is said of that land that its streams should be

p 726 -- turned into pitch, its dust into brimstone, that it should become burning pitch, and not be quenched night nor day, but that its smoke should go up forever.

Now this language is spoken, as all must concede, of one of two things; either of the particular country called Idumea, or of the whole earth under that name. In either case it is evident that the language must be limited. Probably the whole earth is meant, from the fact that the chapter opens with an address to the earth and all that is therein, the world and all that come forth of it; and the indignation of the Lord is declared to be upon all nations. Now, whether this refers to the depopulation and desolation of the earth at the second advent, or to the purifying fires that shall purge it of the effects of the curse at the end of the thousand years, the language must still be limited; for after all this, a renovated earth is to come forth, to be the abode of the nations of the saved throughout eternity.

Three times this expression of smoke going up forever is used in the Bible: once here in Isaiah 34, of the land of Idumea as a figure of the earth; in Revelation 14 (which see), of the worshipers of the beast and his image; and again in the chapter we are now considering, referring to the destruction of great Babylon; and all of them apply to the very same time, and describe the same scenes; namely, the destruction visited upon this earth, the worshipers of the beast, and all the pomp of great Babylon, at the second advent of our Lord and Saviour.

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Forever and ever, eternal. These are words mentioned in the Bible in connection with things like Sodom and Gomorrah. We do not still see Sodom and Gomorrah burning, do we? No.  Eternal in consequences- yes.  I might say, "so and so took forever to get ready", but did they? No. You know what I mean though, don't you? The words can mean things beyond what it appears. When the last flame is extinguished from the lake of burning fire that will destroy all the wicked and wickedness in the world, like chaff on the wind is blown away completely until it is unseen forevermore, it is all gone, eternally gone, never to be again. 

Wickedness can NOT exist after it is done away with. To keep the wicked alive and suffering is pointless- it serves NO purpose. To keep them alive would not be a deterrent to anyone because all those who are left alive are saved for eternity without end.  To punish the wicked endless is futile. Especially when punishment ends after a crime's worth of it is fulfilled. We have a death penalty in our world and that punishment takes the remainder of a person's life from them, but it does not leave them in pain, but a sleep until our Savior returns.  We do NOT torture anyone. We might incarcerate them for their entire lives, but we do not keep them in daily, hourly forever pain we call that UNJUST and we are sinful human beings.  Our God is NOT UNJUST and He will not punish forever and ever, every single person in the same manner for eternity without end. A sinner who unrepentantly lies, and a sinner who unrepentantly murders do NOT deserve the same eternal burning, do they?  On what level of any one's imagination could this be something a God of love would advocate?

No, absolutely not.

More tomorrow on our study, all by the grace of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, now and forever.

Amen.