p. 202 | THE OLD TESTAMENT ON ENDLESS TORMENT

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · March 25, 1880

FromThe Review and Herald, Vol. 55, No. 13

THE OLD TESTAMENT ON ENDLESS TORMENT.

By Dudley Marvin Canright

BY ELD. D. M. CANRIGHT.

It is not to be supposed that long-cherished theories will be given up without a struggle, however plainly they may be shown to be erroneous. Early education and long-established notions are hard to eradicate; hence, notwithstanding the overwhelming amount of evidence showing the destruction of the wicked, appeal is made to a few passages which are claimed as supporting the doctrine of eternal torment. To a person who has not examined the subject, it may be made to appear that the Bible is full of strong texts on that side of the question; but the fact is, there are only nine texts in all the Bible that are claimed as directly teaching the doctrine of endless torment. True, a few other texts are brought in as collateral proof; but there are only nine that are claimed as direct proof upon the question. While, on the other hand, there are scores, and even hundreds of texts, positively asserting that the wicked shall die, perish, be destroyed, be cut off, be burned up, be as though they had not been, and many other expressions equally strong. These declarations are repeated over and over; and the few texts which are claimed in favor of endless suffering are readily explained in harmony with the doctrine that the wicked shall be utterly destroyed.

Strange to say, the first passage which our opponents are able to select in supporting their theory, is not found till we come to the book of Psalms, nearly half way through the word of God! If such an awful doctrine be true, it has been true since the days of Adam, and every soul of the human race has been in danger of endless hell. It would seem as though the race ought to have been plainly and unmistakably warned of it from the very earliest period. It ought to have been kept before them constantly; and yet, our opponents themselves being judges, not a declaration concerning this eternal, horrible, burning hell of endless torment, not a text stating such a thing, is found until we get half way through the Bible. In fact, there are only three texts that can be construed so as to favor that doctrine in the whole Old Testament. We will now examine them. The reader will be surprised to see how weak they are.

1. “The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.” Ps. 9:17.

Here, say our opponents, is a plain text of Scripture on our side of the question. “The wicked shall be turned into hell.” Very well, we believe that as strongly as anybody. All the wicked will go into hell, certainly. But how long does this text say they are to be tormented there? You will notice that it does not say anything about that part of the question. It simply says that they shall be turned into hell, and there leaves them. It does not say or intimate that they shall remain there one hour or one year. We must learn that from other texts. Be it known, then, that this text does not have the least bearing upon the doctrine of eternal torment. And yet this is one of the nine pillars of that structure. You will notice how little support it gives to that monstrous theory.

2. “The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?” Isa. 33:14.

“Everlasting burnings,” exclaim our opponents; here we have our doctrine taught, certainly. But they should not be too sure. “Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?” The very question implies that no one can. Many times in the Bible similar questions are asked, as, “The great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?” Rev. 6:17. Who can stand before his anger? What living man shall not see death? Ps. 89:48. All these imply a negative answer, and so does this text. No one can dwell in devouring fire, in everlasting burnings. It is on such texts as these that the doctrine of an endless hell is built; but there is not a hint of such a thing in one of them. On the other hand, the text plainly implies the utter destruction of the sinner.

3. “And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.” Dan. 12:2.

The advocates of endless misery make another stand here. They think they find some support for that theory in this text; but a few words of explanation will convince any candid man that it is not on their side. Some shall awake to everlasting life, that is, the righteous, “and some to shame and everlasting contempt.” Now, if the wicked awake to everlasting contempt, it is argued, they must live everlastingly, eternally in misery. But we maintain that no such conclusion is necessary. They can be utterly annihilated, and still the statement of the text be justified.

During our Revolutionary struggle for liberty, General Arnold turned traitor, and had to flee for his life. Ever since that day he has been held in contempt by the whole American nation. His name is only mentioned now with scorn and reproach. “Arnold the traitor” is a term with which everybody is familiar. He is held in contempt, and yet he has been dead long years. Just so with regard to the wicked. They come up to the Judgment to be covered with shame, and held in contempt by the righteous. The Syriac translation gives it thus: “Some to shame and the eternal contempt of their companions.” The Jewish translation renders it thus: “Some to disgrace and everlasting abhorrence.” This brings out the correct idea. They are held in eternal contempt or abhorrence by the saints. So the wicked can be annihilated at the Judgment, as the Scriptures teach, and yet this text be true.

Here, then, is all the evidence claimed from the Old Testament to prove eternal suffering. Reader, is it not a rather frail foundation on which to begin so stupendous a superstructure? We shall next examine the New Testament.