I am curious to hear how an annihilationist interprets these verses:
Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, "If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. 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 ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name."
(Revelation 14:9-11 NKJV)
Please actually tell me what exactly these verses do mean if they do not mean ECT.
Doesn't Revelation tell us that people who take the mark of the beast will have no rest day or night?
Yes, they will indeed have "no rest," but when will this happen? It will be during the tribulation period while on this earth. It is important to note that in the previous verse, John wrote in the Greek future tense and refers to the Great White Throne Judgment where the lost will be tormented "in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb" on Judgment Day. This is a future event for John. The Greek tense is in the future.In this verse, John changes tenses. It is in the Greek present tense. This cannot be stressed enough. In his literal translation of the scriptures, Robert Young, compiler of the Analytical Concordance that bears his name, translates it into a perfect English translation-as John wrote it:
"And they have no rest day and night, who are bowing before the beast and his image." (Young's Literal Translation–Revelation 14:11)
The apostle John writes this word "proskuneo" (worship/bowing) in the Greek present tense. The present tense is the tense he chooses to use to describe the rest of the events of Revelation that occur on the earth. So this must be while on earth since it is in the same Greek tense. Look at verse 9 in which the unsaved "worship" (also in the Greek present tense) the beast "and receive his mark." This is very important because it clearly occurs while on this earth. So, if the receiving of this mark (whatever it may be) is on this earth, then the worshipping in 14:11 must also be on this earth. Hence, the "no rest day or night" must occur on this earth as well.
The "no resting day or night" occurs while they are "bowing" and "worshipping" (present tense) the beast. This occurs during the time on earth when the book of Revelation events are being unfolded. These are people who are forced to receive the mark of the beast (Revelation 13:16). John also tells us that painful sores break out on their body, "And there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image." (Revelation 16:2) This is while they are on the earth.
Additionally–the very next verse states "Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus" (Revelation 14:12). Why is this important? Because "keeping" is in the very same tense! John's statement of those "who keep (present tense) the commandments" must be at the same time as those who have "no rest" and are "worshipping (present tense) the beast." Therefore–this is conclusive proof that these both occur on the earth. Need more proof? Well, the same Greek word and tense of "worship" (of God this time) is also used in Revelation 11:1 where it is absolutely clear that the "worship" is going on in the present tense upon this earth. Let me repeat–Revelation 11:1, 14:11, 16:2, all have the same Greek tense! You have to make them all be acts of "worship" while upon this earth.
Therefore, how can anyone "rest day or night" when they have painful such sores on their body and are forced to worship the beast? (Revelation 14:11 & 16:2). And John specifically tells us when this worshipping shall occur-it is when they "dwell upon the earth." "And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him..." (Revelation 13:8) So the worshipping and the no resting
both occur while upon this earth.
But what about the words "forever" in Revelation 14:11?
Should the English words "for ever" (or "forever") be read literally meaning an endless state?
Well, I heard a pastor once say that the best way to interpret the Bible is to let the Bible do the interpreting for you. What I am I talking about? Well, the Bible tells us that the phrase "
smoke of their torment ascendeth up forever" is a metaphorical phrase from
Isaiah 34:10 which says that the smoke of Edom went up forever and ever. Yet is the city of Edom burning today? No, of course not. So we then realize that this phrase is speaking metaphorically.
In other words,, the word "forever" (and it's related words) does not always mean forever in the Bible. “Forever” can be talking about "forever" here on this Earth (as long as someone lives) or in having a sense of "completeness" or "totality" for a specific thing). For what do you make of the following verses below that say that "forever" (or it's related words) is not forever?
• In
Genesis 13:15 the land of Canaan is given to Israel “forever”.
• The Law is to be a statute “forever” (
Exodus 12:24;
Exodus 27:21;
Exodus 28:43).
• Sodom's fiery judgment is "eternal" (
Jude 1:7) until -- God "will restore the fortunes of Sodom" (
Ezekiel 16:53-55).
• Israel's "affliction is incurable" (
Jeremiah 30:12) until -- the Lord "will restore health" and heal her wounds (
Jeremiah 30:17).
• The sin of Samaria "is incurable" (
Micah 1:9) until -- Lord "will restore ... the fortunes of Samaria." (
Ezekiel 16:53).
• Ammon is to become a "wasteland forever" and "rise no more" (
Zephaniah 2:9,
Jeremiah 25:27 until -- the Lord will "restore the fortunes of the Ammonites" (
Jeremiah 49:6).
• An Ammonite or Moabite is forbidden to enter the Lord's congregation "forever" until -- the tenth generation (
Deuteronomy 23:3):
• Habakkuk tells us of mountains that were "everlasting" until -- they "were shattered"
Habakkuk 3:6).
• The Aaronic Priesthood was to be an "everlasting" priesthood (
Exodus 40:15), that is-until-it was superceded by the Melchizedek Priesthood (
Hebrews 7:14-18).
• Many translations of the Bible inform us that God would dwell in Solomon's Temple "forever" (
1 Kings 8:13), until -- the Temple was destroyed.
• The children of Israel were to "observe the Sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant" (
Exodus 31:16)-until -- Paul states there remains "another day" of Sabbath rest for the people of God (
Hebrews 4:8-9).
• The Law of Moses was to be an "everlasting covenant" (
Leviticus 24:8) yet we read in the New Covenant the first was "done away" and "abolished" (
2 Corinthians 3:11-13), and God "made the first old" (
Hebrews 8:13).
• The fire for Israel's sin offering (of a ram without blemish) is never to be put out. It shall be a "perpetual" until -- Christ, the Lamb of God, dies for our sins.
Hell. We now have a better covenant established on better promises (
Leviticus 6:12-13,
Hebrews 8:6-13).
• God's waves of wrath roll over Jonah "forever" until--the Lord delivers him from the large fish's belly on the third day (
Jonah 2:6-10;
Jonah 1:17); Egypt and Elam will "rise no more" (
Jeremiah 25:27) until -- the Lord will "restore the fortunes of Egypt" (
Ezekiel 29:14) and "restore the fortunes of Elam" (
Jeremiah 49:39).
• "Moab is destroyed" (
Jeremiah 48:4,
Jeremiah 48:42) until--the Lord "will restore the fortunes of Moab" (
Jeremiah 48:47).
• Israel's judgment lasts "forever" until -- the Spirit is poured out and God restores it (
Isaiah 32:13-15).
• The King James Bible, as well as many others, tells us that a bond slave was to serve his master "forever" (
Exodus 21:6), until -- his death.
• “Eternal” (Greek aionia, αιονια) is sometimes used of a limited (not endless) period of time. But the most common use is illustrated in
2 Corinthians 4:18 where it is contrasted with “temporal” and in
Philemon 1:15 where it is contrasted with “for a while.”
Side Note:
While I believe the wicked will be destroyed or annihilated in the Lake of Fire, I believe the unbelieving wicked will be in a literal place called hell (but it is not a torture chamber of flames); And the unprofitable servant will be in outerdarkness until they are judged and cast into the Lake of Fire (along with the unbelieving wicked), as well.
Sources Used:
http://www.jewishnotgreek.com
http://www.apttoteach.org/attjom/index.php
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