SUBJECT:  Fire and Brimstone

QUESTION:  What is the meaning of Fire and Brimstone in Revelation 14 as it relates to the Mark of the Beast and the punishment that will come from those who have it.

ANSWER:

Regarding Revelation 14, here are the scriptures:

Revelation 14:9-13

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.

12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from

henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.

Here is an excerpt from our booklet, "The Mark of the Beast--What Is It?" located at the web site at:  https://www.garnertedarmstrong.org/the-mark-of-the-beast-what-is-it/

The Sign of God's People

What is a "mark," but a sign, a symbol, an identifying label? Those who worship the beast and his image, who willingly give their "right hand" to it [symbolizing a handshake; willingness, or agreement] , who cooperate with it, naturally wear its brand—its label!

But those who have gotten the victory over the Beast, his image, his mark, and the number of his name "...sing the Song of Moses," which extols God and His Ten Commandments! Notice again, as we read in Revelation 14, verses 9 and 10, that those who receive the Mark of the Beast, who worship his image, will suffer the WRATH OF GOD in the seven last plagues! But notice, in context, only two short verses later, the contrasting group: "Here is the patience of the saints; here are they THAT KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD, and the faith of Jesus" (Revelation 14:12).

Be sure to read that booklet.

Here is the commentary on verse 10:

Revelation 14:10

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:

The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God - See notes on Revelation 14:8. The "wine of the wrath of God" is the cup in the hand of the Lord, which, when drunk, makes them reel and fall. The image would seem to have been taken from the act of holding out a cup of poison to a condemned man that he might drink and die. See the sentiment here expressed illustrated in the notes on Isaiah 51:17.

Which is poured out without mixture - Without being diluted with water-that is, in its full strength. In other words, there would be no mitigation of the punishment.

Into the cup of his indignation - The cup held in his hand, and given them to drink. This is expressive of his indignation, as it causes them to reel and fall. The sentiment here is substantially the same, though in another form, as what is expressed in 2 Thessalonians 2:12. See the notes on that verse.

And he shall be tormented - Shall be punished in a manner that would be well represented by being burned with fire and brimstone. On the meaning of this word see the notes on Revelation 9:5; 11:10. Compare also Revelation 18:7,10, 15; 20:10; Matthew 8:29; Mark 5:7; Luke 8:28. The word commonly denotes "severe torture."

With fire and brimstone - As if with burning sulphur. See the notes on Luke 17:28-30 (see Commentary One below).  Compare Psalm 11:6; Job 18:15; Isaiah 30:33; Ezekiel 38:22. The imagery is taken from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, Genesis 19:24 (See Commentary Two below). The common representation of the punishment of the wicked is, that it will be in the manner here represented, Matthew 5:22; 13:42; 18:9; 25:41; Mark 9:44-48; 2 Peter 3:7; Jude 7; Revelation 20:14 (See all these verses in Commentary Three below). Compare the notes on Matthew 5:22; Mark 9:44.

In the presence of the holy angels - This may mean either:

(a) that the angels will be present at their condemnation (Matthew 25:31), or

(b) that the punishment will be actually witnessed by the angels, as it is most probable it will be. Compare Isaiah 66:24; Luke 16:23-26.

And in the presence of the Lamb - The Lamb of God-the final Judge. This also may mean either that the condemnation will occur in his presence, or that the punishment will be under his eye. Both of these things will be true in regard to him; and it will be no small aggravation of the punishment of the wicked, that it will occur in the very presence of their slighted and rejected Saviour. ~from Barnes' Notes

Following are some of the addition notes from the commentary noted above:

Commentary One:  For Luke 17:28-30

Luke 17:28-30

Fire and brimstone - God destroyed Sodom on account of its great wickedness. He took vengeance on it for its sins; and the example of Sodom is set before people to deter them from committing great transgressions, and as a "full proof" that God will punish the guilty.  See Jude 7; also Isaiah 1:10; Jeremiah 23:14. Yet, in overthrowing it, he used natural means. He is not to be supposed to have "created" fire and brimstone for the occasion, but to have "directed" the natural means at his disposal for their overthrow; as he did not "create" the waters to drown the world, but merely broke up the fountains of the great deep and opened the windows of heaven. Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboim (Deuteronomy 29:23), were four great cities, on a plain where is now the Dead Sea, at the southeast of Palestine, and into which the river Jordan flows. They were built on ground which abounded, doubtless, as all that region now does, in "bitumen or naphtha," which is easily kindled, and which burns with great intensity. The phrase "fire and brimstone" is a Hebrew form of expression, denoting sulphurous fire, or fire having the smell of sulphur; and may denote a volcanic eruption, or any burning like that of naphtha. There is no improbability in supposing either that this destruction was accomplished by lightning, which ignited the naphtha, or that it was a volcanic eruption, which, by direction of God, overthrew the wicked cities. ~from Barnes' Note

Commentary Two:  Reference to Genesis 19:24-25

Genesis 19:24-25

24 Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven;

25 And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground.

Commentary Three:  For set of verses about fire and brimstone mentioned above:

Matthew 5:22

But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

Matthew 13:42

And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

Matthew 18:9

And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.

Matthew 25:41

Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

Mark 9:44-48

44 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.

45 And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:

46 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.

47 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire:

48 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.

2 Peter 3:7

But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

Jude 7

Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

Revelation 20:14

And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

Here are a couple of Bible Dictionary definitions for "Brimstone"

BRIMSTONE (Heb. goprit, properly "resin"; Grk. theion, "flashing"). The Heb. word is connected with gopher (Heb. goper) and probably meant the gum of that tree. It was thence transferred to all inflammable substances, especially sulfur. The cities of the plain were destroyed by a storm of fire and brimstone (Genesis 19:24, KJV; NIV, "sulfur"). See also Mineral Kingdom: Brimstone; Pitch and articles Sodom; Gomorrah.

Figurative. Apparently with reference to Sodom, brimstone is often used in Scripture to denote punishment and destruction (Deuteronomy 29:23; Job 18:15; Psalm 11:6; Isaiah 30:33; Ezekiel 38:22; Luke 17:29; Revelation 9:17; etc.). ~From The New Unger's Bible Dictionary

BRIMSTONE

gapriyt (OT:1614), related to gopher wood, and so expressing any inflammable substance, as sulphur, which burns with a suffocating smell. It is a mineral found in quantities on the shores of the Dead Sea. It was the instrument used in destroying Sodom and Gomorrah, the adjoining cities of the plain (Genesis 19:24), for divine miracle does not supersede the use of God's existing natural agents, but moves in connection with them. An image of every visitation of God's vengeance on the ungodly, especially of the final one (Deuteronomy 29:23; Job 18:15; Psalm 11:6; Isaiah 34:9; Ezekiel 38:22; Revelation 19:20; 20:10; 21:8). ~from Fausset's Bible Dictionary

Now notice verse 11 of Revelation 14:

Revelation 14:11

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 whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.

This verse does NOT state that some people will be tormented forever and ever as human flesh being roasted over an open flame.  The answer is in the use of language.

Notice the commentary:

Revelation 14:11

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.

Forever and ever-`unto ages of ages.'

No rest day nor night. Contrast the same said of the four living creatures in heaven. "They rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy," etc.: yet they do "rest" in another sense: they rest from sin, sorrow, weariness, weakness, trial, and temptation (Revelation 14:13): the lost have no rest from sin, Satan, terror, torment, and remorse. The mediaeval idea of devils tormenting men, and men blaspheming God forever, is unscriptural. Every word of rebellion shall be eternally silent, every act of evil repressed (cf. Matthew 22:12). ~from Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary

Note:  The idea of everlasting, real time torment is unscriptural. 

Notice that verse 8 gives the time setting of Revelation 14:11. It concerns the impending fall of "Babylon."

Verses 9 and 10 state, "If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark ... he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone... in the presence of the Lamb" (that is, at Christ's Second Coming).

Those who have a part in this system of "Babylon," and who receive this frightful punishment from Almighty God, have "no rest day nor night" as long as they remain in that land falling under God's wrath. They will either have to flee that area and seek God's mercy or be tormented by sulphurous fumes TILL THEY PERISH.

This passage does NOT say these individuals are being tormented forever in an ever-burning hell. Verse 11 says, "The SMOKE of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever."

The Bible plainly teaches that flesh and blood is subject to combustion and death. Malachi 4:3 says that in the end the ashes of the wicked will be under the feet of the righteous. The wicked will be DESTROYED and will die that death -- the second death -- from which there is never to be a resurrection (Revelation 20:6, 14).

Now regarding the use of the language, notice Jude verse 7…

Jude 7

Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

Now we know from scripture and even from archaeological history that Sodom and Gomorrah met with terrible destruction but does it still burn today?  The verse says, “suffering the vengeance of eternal fire”.  What does this mean then?  It means that by fire God gave Sodom and Gomorrah an eternal judgment or punishment.  Sodom and Gomorrah are eternally destroyed and gone.

If a person shoots another person down by gunfire, that person is eternally dead as far as this age and his (the person shot) physical life in that age (ending at the return of Christ) is concerned.  See how the language is used?

The following was taken from a booklet, “Hell, What is it?; Where is it?” located on the Internet:

FOR EVER AND EVER

Another text that is often quoted to prove the theory of an endless hell will now be considered. 

"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."—Revelation 14:11

The grammatical construction of this text shows that it does not refer to the future state but to the present, while they worship. The verbs "ascendeth"—"have" and "worship" are in the present tense, and prove beyond cavil that the class referred to in this text are tormented and have no rest while they worship an apostate power. The language of this text is figurative and refers to the agony and torment of an accusing conscience. Who has not felt the inward groaning of mind, void of rest, while knowingly doing wrong?

The term "for ever and ever" refers to the present state, in this text, for in the preceding verse the future tense is used when speaking of the future. It says: 

"The same SHALL drink of the wine of the wrath of God . . . and he SHALL be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb."—Revelation 14:10.

"For ever and ever," in this verse, has reference to the torment of a special class living just before Christ's second coming, and can only mean a comparatively short time. Moreover, this term, although it is also used in connection with all of the wicked, must be understood in the same sense as it is used elsewhere in the Bible.

The prophet Isaiah, declaring the destruction of ancient Idumea, the land of Edom, Southeast of Judea, says:

"And the streams thereof shall be turned into pitch, and the dust thereof into brimstone, and the land thereof shall become burning pitch."

"It shall not be quenched night nor day: the smoke thereof shall go up for ever: from generation to generation it shall lie waste; none shall pass through it for ever and ever."—Isaiah 34:9-10.

Could any language be stronger ? Do we not find here the identical expressions before referred to? But this judgment on Idumea has long since been fulfilled, and the use of the terms "for ever" and "for ever and ever" in these texts show plainly that they do not mean endless in duration.

"Forever" is translated from the Greek word aion, and is defined by all lexicographers to mean—a period of time, limited by surrounding circumstances,—a lifetime,—and when speaking of God it means as long as God lives, eternally, never ending. When speaking of man it means a lifetime or until death.

Greenfield's Greek lexicon defines it thus: "Duration, finite or infinite, unlimited duration, a period of duration past or future, time, age, lifetime." It is used in all these ways.

An instance where "for ever" means a human lifetime, or until death, is found in Exodus, 21:5-6.

"And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free:

"Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl; and he shall serve him forever."

One can plainly see that the expression "forever" in the foregoing text means as long as he lives.

The term is similarly used in the book of Samuel. Hannah had just given birth to Samuel and wished to dedicate him to the Lord. Her husband was, going to sacrifice to the Lord and what follows in the verse relates the facts:

"And the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer unto the Lord the yearly sacrifice, and his vow.

"But Hannah went not up; for she said unto her husband, I will not go up until the child be weaned, and then I will bring him, that he may appear before the Lord, and there abide for ever."—1 Samuel 1:21-22.

Here we have the same expression (for ever) used again, and to show what it means I will give the facts after the child was weaned and brought to the house of the Lord. She (Hannah) said:  

"Therefore also I have lent him to the Lord; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the Lord. And he worshipped the Lord there."—Verse 28.

The term "for ever," as used in the 22nd verse, means then, "as long as he liveth." 

One text now to show that "for ever" is used in a very limited sense.

Jonah, according to the first chapter of the book of Jonah, verse 17, was in the belly of the great fish "three days and three nights"—and yet, when referring to his experience in this connection he uses these words: 

"The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head. I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever."—Jonah 2:5-6.

"For ever," in this case, was just three days and three nights. It seemed an age to Jonah; hence the definition—"age lasting."

Those who hold the endless hell-fire theory have not so much as one text in their favor. Their doctrine has not a leg to stand upon, and for the sake of truth, for the sake of our kind heavenly Father, this doctrine should be abandoned. You may rest assured that the wicked will be punished according to the deeds done in the body, and the punishment will be by fire, but the end will be eternal death. 

The God dishonoring, soul-destroying lie, that there is a perpetual, hopeless hell of eternal torment, should, as Luther said of the doctrine of natural immortality, be relegated "to the dung-hill of Roman decretals."    ---end---

Note:  This explanation makes it clear.

FINAL NOTE:

These verses are stating that in the end time, those with the Mark of the Beast will be quickly punished at the return of Jesus Christ.  We know this from Revelation 14:10 where it says that this punishment will be in the presence of the Lamb.  We also know this from Verse 1 of the chapter where we see Christ standing on Mt. Zion (Jerusalem) with the 144,000.  This is describing a point in time after the return of Christ, but before the 7 last plagues and the Battle of Armageddon.  This is all part of the Day of the Lord.

 
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