don't like it when I say that being set on fire and kept alive forever while your skin is charring away is torture.
And it is. But consider (and I apologize for bringing a previous response to the table, but I am pressed for time):
Now let us look at a few more passages that speak about the conditions of that judgment. One passage that one needs to consider is Luke 16, in which the Lord taught a place of torment (and I will just use a few key verses to illustrate this, it is up to the reader to examine this in full on his own):
Torment
Luke 16
22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:
28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.
Torment is:
931. basanos bas'-an-os perhaps remotely from the same as 939 (through the notion of going to the bottom); a touch-stone, i.e. (by analogy) torture:--torment.
(NOTE-that in the definition which follows ":--" are the English words that translate basanos, not definitions themselves)
There are two conclusions one can come to concerning the story the Lord gives in this passage: 1) it is a parable; 2) it is an account of an actual event.
I take the latter position based upon the fact that names are given and real people are spoken of in the account (i.e. Abraham).
This does not speak of Hell, but of Hades, which some such as myself believe to be the place of the dead after death. Before the Cross, both just and unjust dwelt there after death, both parties separated from each other: the just comforted and the unjust, as in this story...in torment.
One thing to consider in this is that this account is given before the Cross, and falls, without doubting, under the Age of Law, as verified by the Lord Himself:
27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:
28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.
29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
No mention of the Cross or Christ is made, the brethren of the rich man have Moses and the Prophets, which we see here is sufficient in that Age to make man just. A preview of the Cross is given:
30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.
31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.
The account bears witness to the fact that even the resurrection of one dead is not enough to convince sinners. Sad...but true. Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Scripture is key to repentance, and those that lived before the revelation of the mystery of Christ were provided enough to place their faith in God our Savior.
And at this point we again contrast our teaching on Hell with the provision of God. In every Age He has revealed enough to man that he might not suffer that which the rich man suffers here. Every man, every woman...has been given opportunity for faith and salvation, and it is by conscious choice they reject the provision of God our Savior, Who is not willing that any should perish.
So we see that it is not unjust for God to punish those that reject His gracious offer, but reflects the Holy Nature of God. What would be an injustice would be for God to say He is unwilling that any should perish, then withhold the means for one to escape destruction.
And we know God does not do that.
Having looked at an account which the Lord gave, knowing that this was not a baseless account but given to illustrate and warn of the danger of judgment after one's physical death, let us look at a "torment" which does pertain to Hell, which is, the Lake of Fire:
Matthew 8:28-29
King James Version (KJV)
28 And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way.
29 And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?
Torment here is:
928. basanizo bas-an-id'-zo from 931; to torture:--pain, toil, torment, toss, vex.
What exactly is it that these devils fear? What do they mean "torment us before the time?"
Consider:
Revelation 20:10
King James Version (KJV)
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 for ever and ever.
A couple of things to consider here: first we see that the demons have knowledge of their impending judgment, and they are afraid and ask to be cast into swine rather than go into eternal torment.
Secondly, they recognize it as torment...not annihilation. There is no connotation of cessation of existance associated with the teachings here.
Lastly we see in a couple of places where not just Satan, not just devils, but men...enter into this torment. As seen not just in Revelation 20:10 (where we know Antichrist and the false prophet are men), but here as well:
Revelation 14:9-11
King James Version (KJV)
9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,
10 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:
11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever 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.
This refers to those in the Tribulation that worship the Beast, and they are men. They will come into judgment (v.10) and their torment is described in terms which signify unending torment.
Advocates of Annihilation miss the fact that it is their torment, not their bodies, which is pictured in terms of burning, producing smoke which "ascends for ever and ever." In order for one's torment to continue, it is reasonable that the one sufferiung that torment does as well, which is also taught by Christ, Who quotes the Old Testament to present this same picture:
Mark 9:43-44
King James Version (KJV)
43 And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:
44 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
According to Annihilationists, the worm must die, and the fire is quenched, contrary to what the Lord teaches concerning Hell. Most do not consider that the wicked, like the Just, will be resurrected, and that they will receive bodies suitable for eternal punishment. The imagery of a garbage dump is used here, where it is said that fires continually burned and maggots continually fed. We do not have to necessarily apply that to the concept of Hell, as one said earlier in this post (rightly, I believe), the horror of eternal judgment is separation from God itself. The rich man bemoaned his brethren...which is a torment that would exceed a physical burning, if you ask me. Many will remember the times they were given the Gospel, when they were being drawn by the Holy Spirit unto repentance,
where they crossed that line and though they were brought to a point of belief...rejected the One that could save them.
Continued...