F. E. Wallace: "The name Babylon had come to symbolize the ultimate in corruption, and the fallen Babylon of verse 8 is figurative of the spiritual degradation of Jerusalem-'the faithful city turned harlot.'" "The Book Of Revelation," page 310.
Homer Hailey: "Judgment should motivate and bring men to repentance (Acts 17:30f). But, what judgment is in the divine mind here-the final judgment, or an immediate one? In the light of this exhortation to fear God, give Him glory, and worship Him, it is impossible to make 'the hour of his judgment' refer to the final judgment...but rather, it refers to the hour in which God is to judge Babylon." "Revelation, An Introduction and Commentary," page 307, 1979, Baker Book House.
Ralph F. Brashears said it is not describing the eternal Judgment, but a temporal retribution, figuratively. "The Revelation of the Christian Age," page 276, 1989, Vantage Press.
Most commentaries say this passage is speaks of a judgment that takes place in time before the coming of Christ, and before the Judgment Day. Whether the beast is pagan Rome or the papal power, it is only a small part of those who are not in Christ. It says nothing about all of the lost in John's time or today, and nothing about any of the lost going to Hell. It is not the judgment at the coming of Christ for all the lost will be in that judgment. Those who believe in Hell do not believe anyone will worship the beast nor receive the mark of his name after they are in Hell. If the powers of this world are cast alive into Hell and tormented forever, then the evil powers of this world will exist forever, but even those who believe in Hell do not believe evil world powers will exist forever and be tormented in Hell. Like the seven plagues that followed this was poured “into the earth” (Revelation 16:1), this was on this earth before the Judgment Day, not in Hell after the Judgment Day when this earth will have been destroyed.
There are four symbolisms in the passage, each one taken from the Old Testament.
1. Those that worship the beast shall drink of wine of the wrath of God, which is prepared unmixed in the cup of His anger. This is an Old Testament expression of destruction. See Jeremiah 25:15-27; Obadiah 16 and 18; Psalm 75:8; Job 21:20; Habakkuk 2:16; Malachi 3:2.
2. Those that worship the beast shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb. See “The Types Of The Judgment” in chapter seven.
3. They have no rest day and night. This is often applied to souls in Hell being tormented forever, but it says nothing about all the lost souls in Hell but about people who are worshiping the beast (Emperor worship or pagan Rome) while they are alive on earth. All four symbolisms in this passage are speaking only about those who are worshiping the Emperor and not God, not about eternal torment in Hell. This is the third of seven angels with seven plagues upon the earth; after the seventh plague John says, “For in them is finished the wrath of God.” Nothing is said about the wrath of God beyond the seven plagues, nothing about wrath that is not on this earth that will never be finished, not a word about eternal wrath in Hell.
4. The smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever. Even if Revelation 14:9-11 were literal, it would not be depicting torment, but the aftermath of the destruction that was completed just as the smoke of Sodom that Abraham saw depicted of the total destruction of Sodom. The ascending smoke is a sign of the destruction that has already taken place on this earth, a destruction that had been completed, it would be evidence that the fire had done its work of destruction. Those in Sodom were dead when Abraham saw their smoke ascending. When a city or a person has been turned to smoke, the destruction is past, not forever ongoing. The ascending smoke seen by Abraham became the basis of much of the language of destruction found in the Bible. The smoke is a sign of an utter, complete, and eternal destruction that is passed, not of being eternally tormented by God, Genesis 19:24-28; Isaiah 34:9; 66:24; Jeremiah 17:27; Ezekiel 20:45-50; Revelation 14:9-11; 18:9; 18:18.
SMOKE IN HEAVEN Revelation 14:9-11: A symbolic picture of a judgment in the time of Emperor worship or pagan Rome, It is a picture of the destruction of these powers on this earth, not of the torment of individuals in Hell after the coming of Christ, after this earth does not exist. If this passage were literal, who would worship a beast with seven heads? How many have you ever seen with the mark of this seven headed beast on their forehead? That some would make everything about the beast be a symbolic picture unto it comes to the punishment of those with his mark on their forehead, but then change from symbolic to literal shows how desperate they are for anything that may support the doctrine of Hell. According to this passage, the torment referred to is occurring on this earth for it is while they are worshiping (present tense) the beast and while there is "day and night." Where is Hell? If this passage were literal and is made to be literal picture of Hell, then Hell would be on this earth, and those in it would not have died, but the smoke of the torment of those still living on the earth would go from the earth, and the smoke of those still living on this earth would fill Heaven with smoke. This passage speaks of a limited number when they are living on the earth, only those who worshiped the beast, not all the lost being tormented while that are alive on earth before the resurrection. Young's literal translation of the Bible translates this action in the present tense as "bowing" (i.e. worshiping). These people have no rest while they are still worshiping the beast, no rest while they are still on earth.
· What is not said is that they are tormented forever.
· What is said is that the smoke from their torment (the aftermath of destruction) goes up forever, evidence that God has already destroyed them.
The same symbolic language that John used is used in Isaiah 34:10 when speaking of the destruction of Edom, “It shall not be quenched night or day; its smoke shall go up forever.” Edom was totally and forever destroyed, not forever being tormented. Also in Ezekiel 28:1-19 when speaking of judgment on the King of Tyre, it is symbolic language of earthly judgments that is used both the Old Testament and New Testament taken from the smoke that was seen going up after the judgment and complete desolation of Sodom and Gomorrah.
N. W. Allphin said smoke symbolizes the effects or evidences of fire and the evidences of this destruction will never end. "Visions Unveiled, or The Revelation Explained," page 168, 1985, Star Bible Publications.
Leroy Edwin Froom: “Smoke has aptly been said to be the formless relic of an object that has been consumed or decomposed, by the action of fire. It is but a relic, a vestige, an emblem, a lingering trace of the passing, the drifting aftermath that remains from AN OBJECT THAT HAS BEEN DESTROYED. A perpetual smoke may, therefore, well stand for a perpetual reminder before the universe of an irreparable ruin that has taken place, a burning up that has accomplished its allotted purpose, The same inspired portrayed, it is to be ever remembered, declares that God will 'consume,' 'devour,' 'destroy,' cause to 'perish,' and 'blot out' all the wicked. That dread transaction, or operation, involves and constitutes the 'second death.' The perpetuity intended is not, therefore, of the torment, but of the death following thereafter and caused thereby." “The Conditionalist Faith of Our Father: The Conflict of the Ages Over the Nature and Destiny of Man,” volume one, page 409.
In Revelation 18:21 John says there will be a time when Babylon "shall be found no more at all." Revelation 19:3 said the smoke of Babylon goes up forever and ever (Greek – “unto the ages of ages”).
“No more at all” as it is used in the Book of Revelation.
1. Babylon “shall be found no more at all” Revelation 18:21.
2. “Voice of harpers…heard no more at all” Revelation 18:22.
3. “Craftsman…found anymore at all” Revelation 18:22.
4. “The voice of a mill shall be heard no more at all” Revelation 18:22.
5. “A lamp shall shine no more at all” Revelation 18:23.
6. “Voce of bridegroom…shall be heard no more at all” Revelation 18:23.
· Being “found no more at all” clearly means Babylon will not exist forever in eternal torment.
· Babylon is fallen (Revelation 18:2),
· Burned up with fire (Revelation 18:8),
· The "smoke of her burning" was seen (Revelation 18:18).
The smoke of their torment is a symbol, just as are the wine and the cup. "The smoke of their torment" cannot be made literal without making the other symbols in the passage literal, which those that use it to teach eternal torment are not willing to do. This smoke has been changed from those who worship Babylon before the judgment, and has been made to be smoke that is coming from all the unsaved who are being burn in Hell by God after the judgment, even though this judgment scene in Revelation 14:9-11 takes place on this earth before the judgment. Smoke coming from Babylon before the judgment must be changed to smoke coming from all the souls in Hell after the judgment.
It is the evidences of this destruction, which is symbolized by smoke that will last "unto the ages of the ages," Babylon – an evil world powers will come to an end, not be tormented forever. In Isaiah 34:10 the smoke from Edom will go up forever; the smoke going up is an Old Testament symbol of the destruction of a nation that the Jews reading in the time of John would understand.
· The kings of the earth that committed fornication with Babylon will weep over her (Revelation 18:9). Will kings on the earth weep over a nation in Hell?
· Merchants will buy from her no more (Revelation 18:11-17).
· Shipmasters and mariners will cry and cast dust on their heads when they look upon the smoke of Babylon burning (Revelation 18:17-20). Will shipmasters be able to look on Babylon in Hell?
Adam Clarke: "Her smoke rose up. There was, and shall be, a continual evidence of God's judgments executed on this great whore or idolatrous city; nor shall it ever be restored."
Homer Hailey: "A constant reminder of the punishment for sin…Edom is not burning today, and Heaven is not literally full of smoke. It is the everlasting remembrance of God's victor over evil that is symbolized by the smoke." A Commentary On Isaiah," page 290, 1985, Baker Book House.
The "everlasting smoke" is that Babylon will be forever remembered with disgrace and contempt.
Some say, "O. K., if we must put the smoke of Hell in Heaven forever to have our Hell, then we will take this symbol out of context, make it literal, and fill Heaven with the odor from the burning bodies of most of mankind forever."
Smoke in Heaven in chapter 14 is a vision of the fall of beast (Emperor worship or pagan Rome) and her worshipers. In chapter 18 the kings of the earth weep and lament over Babylon (probably symbolisms for Rome that would not be understood by those persecuting them and cause more persecution) when they see the smoke of her burning. "Babylon, the strong city! For in one hour your judgment has come" (Revelation 18:10). And in verse 21, "Thus will Babylon, the great city, be thrown down with violence, and will not be found any longer." Then in 19:3 "And a second time they said, 'Hallelujah!' her smoke rises up forever and ever" ("Unto the ages of the ages" eiv touv aiwnav twn aiwnwn). It is clear that this is a vision of a judgment that takes place in time, a judgment on Babylon, it is not the judgment at the coming of Christ.
The same apocalyptic language is used in Isaiah of the judgment of Edom. "It shall not be quenched night or day; its smoke shall go up forever" (Isaiah 34:10). Edom's fire was not quenched "night or day" (Isaiah 34:10), but it did go out, and Edom became a place for wild creatures (Isaiah 35:11-15). "Day and night" means there is no let up, no break until the end. The fire of Edom did not burn in the day and go out at night, but it burned "day and night" until there was nothing more to burn. The outcome of the unquenchable fire that burned "day and night" was permanent destruction, not burning forever. "From generation to generation it shall be desolate" (Isaiah 34:10) not "from generation to generation it shall be burning." A person suffering from cancer will suffer "day and night" until the end. "Day and night" does not mean "forever." Examples where "day and night" were temporary, and means continued day and night as long as they existed, but have ended (Isaiah 34:10; Acts 9:24; 1 Thessalonians 2:9; 3:10). Both Babylon and Edom are nations that are being judged, not persons being tormented, and I know of no one that believes nations will be in Hell. Yet, when this passage is made literal it proves something that even those using it do not believe. They must change it from nations before the resurrection and judgment, to people after the resurrection and judgment, and then say they do not believe in changing the Bible.
Those who believe in Hell use 2 Thessalonians 1:9 to prove Hell is away “from the presents of God,” and that death is being alive but separation from God. Yet they make Revelation 14:10-11 be literal to prove Hell. In doing so, they make Hell be in Heaven “in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.”
Homer Hailey: “Angels who through the ages had watched the unfolding and revealing of God’s eternal purpose and the conflict between good and evil, now see the consummation of the purpose and final consequence of evil,” Revelation: An Introduction and Commentary, page 310.
Even those who believe in Hell do not believe that any will be tormented in Heaven forever, but when they make this torment be literal torment, they make it literally be in Heaven in the presence of the angels and Christ, not in Hell. Where do they think Hell is? Away "from the presence of God" - or - "in the presence of God." The same people say both are speaking of Hell.
THE LAKE OF FIRE
The "lake of fire" in which the Devil is cast is used five times, all five in the Book of Revelation.
(1) LAKE OF FIRE: First time it is used - Revelation 19:20: The beast and the false prophet, two world powers are cast into the Lake of Fire, both are cast into the Lake of Fire before the judgment day. The beast, which is the great heathen world power of that day, the Roman Empire, and the false prophet, "these two were thrown alive into the lake of fire." Those that worshiped the beast were not thrown alive into the Lake of Fire, but they were killed with the sword, which came from the mouth of him who sat upon the horse, "and all the birds were filled with their flesh." How could birds eat the flesh of souls when Vine tells us that souls are, “immaterial, invisible” page 588? The fire was no more literal fire than the beast is a literal beast, and the birds are literal birds that eat the literal flesh of literal people. It is a symbolic picture of total destruction, the end of the beast and the false prophet (world powers). Those who make this literal have a literal beast being burnt in a literal Lake of Fire. Only the beast and false prophet where cast into the Lake of Fire; the rest (those people who worshiped the world powers) were killed and eaten by birds, they were not cast into the Lake of Fire, not tormented by God in Hell. When this is made into a literal eternal torment to prove there is a Hell, it is not even close to the Hell that is taught today, not even close to the Hell that it is being used to prove. When something is not taught in the Bible, no passage that is misused to prove it will prove it. They want to make only the lake be literal, but all others things in this passage, the beast, the sword, the birds, etc. must be symbolism for if they were literal the sword that kills and the birds that eat those that have been killed would not fit with today's Hell. Why do they use this passage to try to prove Hell when it is nothing like they say Hell will be? It puts a beast alive in Hell and leaves the people that they say will live forever in Hell not in the Lake of Fire (not in Hell), but they are dead and are eaten by birds, not alive and tormented in Hell. The "Hell" that is preached today does not have a beast that is alive in it, and it definitely does not have dead people that are not in Hell being eaten by birds.
The Lake of Fire is used only in the Book of Revelation and is a symbolic picture taken from this earth. Literal fire will not exist after the end of this age (1 Peter 3). Anything cast into a literal Lake of Fire would be totally destroyed, totally incinerated, not alive and be tormented forever. It is a symbol of total destruction, not of eternal torment, not something that will exist after the destruction of the earth. To have their Hell in this passage, they must mix symbols and literal together in the same passage, and only they can tell us what part is literal, and even then they cannot find anything that is close to the Hell that is preached today in it.
Homer Hailey: "The beast is the great heathen world power of that day, the Roman Empire," page 387. Then on page 388 he says, "These 'two were cast alive into the lake of fire that burns with brimstone,' where the harlot had already met her fate, being 'utterly burns with fire'...Because of the expression, 'cast alive,' some writers have concluded that these two are literally individuals who will appear in person before the end of time. But this does not necessarily follow; for 'being cast alive into the lake' indicates that up to the actual time when they were cast into the lake of brimstone and were brought to final destruction by His mighty power and judgment, these two personified forces of political and spiritual power were actively fighting against the Lamb. The Roman Empire and emperor worship backed by the imperial power were now brought to a final and complete end, never to rise again" On the same page he says, "The Roman power and the paganism which it supported are now destroyed forever. The vision of Daniel is fulfilled (Daniel 7:11), and in this defeat and destruction is revealed the destiny of all such powers that should ever arise to fight against God and his kingdom. This is God's guarantee to victory to the saints who lived then and to all who would come after them, even until the end of time. 'And all the birds were filled with their flesh' completes the symbolism of verses 17-18. Not a vestige of the anti-Christian forces were left; the destruction was complete." And on page 398, "The devil, man's great deceiver from the beginning, now reaches his final doom and eternal end. First, he was cast down to the earth (12:9), then into the pit of the abyss (20:3), and now into the lake of fire and brimstone, his ultimate end." When Hailey gets to Revelation 20:11 he said, "Thus far in the book several scenes of judgment have been described, but none depicted the final judgment.", "Revelation, An Introduction And Commentary," page 399, chapter 19, Baker Book House.
Foy E. Wallace, Jr. said the lake of fire is a figurative description of complete destruction and annihilation of all persecuting powers opposed to the church (page 434), and then of the complete destruction and annihilation of Satan, and all who are not in the book of life. "The ones who had part in it (the lake of fire) came to the same end as the persecuting beast-a figurative description of complete destruction and annihilation of all persecuting powers opposed to the church whose opposition was crushed." Wallace said, "One of these passages cannot be considered more or less literal than the other-both were figurative expressions which signified the utter end of the persecuting authorities of heathenism against Christianity. The phrase cast alive into a lake of fire was equivalent to burned alive, and it symbolized complete destruction. The signal triumph of the cause of truth represented by the burning alive of the beast and the false prophet did not symbolize the destruction to the Roman Empire, but of the persecutions waged by the emperors, which the beasts represented. The lake of fire was not literal any more than the beast was literal. Neither was subject to literal application, both were figurative. The beast symbolized the persecuting power of the Roman Emperor: and casting him into a lake of fire signified the complete defeat of the heathen power he represented in the war against the church." The Book Of Revelation, page 397.
Of the final judgment in Revelation 20:14-15, Hailey says, "'He that overcomes shall not be hurt of the second death' (2:11); those that overcome had part in the first resurrection (20:6). Thus far the harlot, the beast, the false prophet, Satan, and now death and Hades, have been brought to their end in the lake of fire...There remains only one group to be dealt with: those not found written in the book of life...Of this second death, Alford writes, 'As there is a second higher life, so there is also a second and deeper death. And as after that life there is no more death, so after that death there is no more life.'" The Book Of Revelation, page 403.
A. M. Ogden said the lake of fire in Revelation 19:20 is symbolic of God's fire of destruction coming upon the Roman Empire and its pagan religions that were the persecutor of the church, page 354.
B. W. Johnson on Revelation 19:20: "Here the false prophet, both symbols of the same power, is cast in the lake of fire. The symbol indicates utter destruction. What is cast into this lake is seen no more."
Frank Walton said it is not a literal lake of fire. It symbolizes the total defeat of heathen powers that war against the church. Florida College Lectures 1994, page 176.
Jim McGuiggan in his commentary on Revelation 19:20 said he believes the lake of fire stands for the utter defeat of the enemy.
These commentaries are some of the best, if not the best, and they all say the Lake of Fire is symbolic of destruction or death, not of eternal life in torment. If Revelation 21 is a symbolic picture of the church on earth as the bride of Christ, or if it is a symbolic picture of the church in Heaven, in either case the Lake of Fire is symbolic, and not a real place. John clearly says in Revelation 21:8 that it is symbolic of the second death. Many who believe that immaterial souls will literally burn in Hell are forced to admit that in Revelation 19:20 the Lake of Fire is symbolic, but insist the same Lake of Fire in chapters 20 and 21 is a real literal Lake of Fire.
"False prophet" in Hell before the judgment: In “Hell On Trial” on page 169, Robert Peterson said the "false prophet" (Revelation 19:20) are thrown alive into it, and are still there a thousand years later. Then he says Revelation 20:14 speaks of all human standing before God at the Last Judgment. By making symbols literal, he changed nations (false prophets) into people and puts humans, not souls, into Hell before they are judged at the Judgment Day.
"Devoured" not "tormented" Even if this symbolical language were made literal, it would teach God would de