December 10
FIRE / PART 5
UNQUENCHABLE FIRE
According to Lloyd Ellefson:
-"In Mark 9:43-44, Jesus states, "...than having your two hands, to go into Gehenna, into the unquenchable fire,
where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched." An unquenchable fire is not an eternal fire; it is a fire which
cannot be put out. It will continue to burn until it has accomplished its purpose. This fire will do the work it was sent
to do! Jer. 17:27 says that God will kindle a fire in the gates of Jerusalem which will devour the palaces and it shall not
be quenched. However, we know it is not burning in Jerusalem at the present time. It has done its work." ( Fire: Natural
And Spiritual, Lloyd Ellefson )
According to Otis Skinner:
-"Unquenchable fire. This term is thus used by Jeremiah -- But if you will not hearken unto me,
. . . . then will I kindle a fire in the gates thereof, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem, and it shall not be
quenched." -- (Jer. 17:27) Here we have the phrase -- not be quenched. But the fire to which it refers ceased to burn
when the temple at Jerusalem was consumed. The term, therefore, does not imply endless burning.
Worm dies not. Isaiah thus uses this expression -- "And they shall go forth and look upon the carcasses
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) Here the prophet alludes to the worms which preyed upon the dead carcasses,
that were left unburied in the Valley of Hinnom, when Jerusalem was destroyed. Those worms were not more than any of our own
day; and were said to die not, because worms were always preying there. The expression, therefore, does not denote endless
suffering." ( The Doctrine Of Endless Misery Not Taught In The Bible, Otis Skinner )
-As we can see, “unquenchable fire” ( whether in the natural or the spiritual ) does not denote
endless fire, but rather, it speaks of a fire which CANNOT BE PUT OUT “UNTIL” IT HAS ACCOMPLISHED ITS PURPOSE!
This is the consuming fire of God. His fire is UNQUENCHABLE. The next time you find yourself in the midst of a fiery trial,
please understand that your trial is the very unquenchable fire of Almighty God. It cannot and will not be put out “until”
it has served its purifying purpose. Thank God for His …
-UNQUENCHABLE FIRE!-
