from my book. . . A FOURTH MISCONCEPTION ABOUT HELL is that the imagery of fire is symbolic of torture and excruciating pain. While most evangelicals believe that the fires of Hell are not literal, they still believe they symbolize extreme suffering, torment and regret. In my view this is only partially true. While a certain amount of pain and regret would be involved in most disciplinary actions, the result is a good one. According to Hebrews 12:11, “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” Throughout the Bible the imagery of fire is symbolic of cleansing and purification, not torture. The fires of God’s judgment will not be pleasant to endure. Nevertheless, the result will be repentance and purification. According to the prophet Zephaniah, after God’s fiery judgment ALL will “call on the name of the LORD and serve him shoulder to shoulder.” Zephaniah 3:8-9: “Therefore wait for me,’ declares the LORD, ‘for the day I will stand up to testify. I have decided to assemble the nations, to gather the kingdoms and to pour out my wrath on them—all my fierce anger. The whole world will be consumed by the fire of my jealous anger. Then will I purify the lips of the peoples, that all of them may call on the name of the LORD and serve him shoulder to shoulder.” The prophet Malachi uses the imagery of a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap to describe the day in which the Messiah will bring judgment on Israel. Malachi 3:1-4: “See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come, says the LORD Almighty. But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiners fire or a launderers soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the LORD will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness, and the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the LORD, as in days gone by, as in former years.” In the above passage fire is used as an instrument of cleansing and purification, and the Levites are refined like gold and silver. In other words, they are purged of their sins and made righteous. This interpretation is in accordance with the New Testament teaching that none of us are righteous and all are in need of cleansing and forgiveness In Matthew 3:10-12, John the Baptist, the “Messenger” mentioned in the above quote from Malachi, uses the same imagery. “The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire. The above passage can be interpreted two ways. The first interpretation is that Jesus will baptize Christians with both the Holy Spirit and with fire. The second interpretation is that Jesus will baptize the Christians with the Holy Spirit and non-Christians with fire. The latter view better fits the context in which John likens this process as one of separating the wheat from the chaff and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire. It doesn’t matter which position you take on this, however, the imagery is still consistent with Malachi’s depiction of the fires of God’s judgment as a refining process. According to the Apostle Paul in 1 Cor. 3:11-15, even Christians will experience the refining fires of God’s judgment, though perhaps to a lesser degree. “For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.”
Posted on: Sat, 02 Aug 2014 02:40:10 +0000