God's Rains Fire on the "Dead Bodies"

by Louis Johnson
(Cairns, Queensland, Australia )

Great presentation! I would love to use it on my radio program called "The Larger View" here in Australia, if you wouldn't mind? Also, would you please clarify the idea that the "dead bodies" of the unhealed will be consumed and that they will no way be alive when the earth is being cleansed? I've thought about this a lot and I imagine that Isaiah 66:24 is in some way a clue, but I am not sure. Thanking you in advance.:)

Reply:

By all means, Louis, please do share this truth in whatever way you can. This message showing that God does not personally kill or destroy the lost reflects very well on His true character and will help people to see Him in a new light. Of course, if there is any way you can do it, I do appreciate a link or reference to my website as that helps to connect more people with this truth.

You asked about the verse:

"And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh." (Isa 66:24)

Such passages need to be understood in relation to the prophecies made concerning the future of Israel as far back as Isaiah's time. These are covered in a series of pages beginning at: www.jesus-resurrection.info/israel-prophecy.html

It is fundamental to understanding the Bible that God's promises and warnings are alike conditional. We so often skip over that little word "if." When God makes promises such as those concerning the restoration of the kingdom of Israel and it is clearly conditional, then if the conditions are not meet the promises do not happen.

However, sin will finally be dealt with and the earth will be restored to the Edenic state:

"And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. ... And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away." (Rev 21:1, 4)

As to the worm not dying or the fire not being quenched, these descriptive terms need to be properly understood. Looking at the Hebrew words used, we see that both expressions are in the simple imperfect tense meaning that at that point in time the action is not yet complete. A good example is where Gen 2:25 says that Adam and Eve "were not ashamed." It does not mean they will never be ashamed and, of course, they later were as seen in Gen 3:7.

We also need to correctly understand "unquenchable fire." Logic says this is a fire that cannot, humanly, be put out such as the fires of the twin towers on 9/11. But any fire goes out on its own when the fuel in consumed - that is the nature of fire.