Is hell's punishment unending? (3) (Jeremiah 10:6-16)

In the previous blog we quoted several evangelicals.  Here are a few quotes from the advertising of various churches.

·        There is no fire & brimstone here.  No Bible-thumping.  Just practical, witty messages."

·        "Services at (a church) have an informal feeling.  You won't hear people threatened with hell or referred to as sinners.  The goal is to make them feel welcome, not drive them away."

·        "No ranting & raving. No fire, no brimstone.  He doesn't even use the H-word.  Call it Light Gospel.  It has the same salvation as the Old Time Religion, but with a third less guilt."

The objection to eternal punishment is often founded on one’s view of God, especially the fact that He is a loving God and that unending torment simply does not fit with our concept of a God who loves.  We would maintain that the problem is that they have an inadequate and inaccurate view of the God of the Bible.  Consider these truths which Scripture maintains about God.

1.     God is powerfully good to all mankind in the way He has provided through creation.  Today’s passage speaks of His wisdom in creation (v12) and goodness in sustaining that creation (v13).  The picture is the Garden of Eden where God provided all that man needed to enjoy life.  He withheld nothing.  That is still true (e.g. Psalm 19:1-6).  One critical facet of His creation is that He made us, mankind, in His image (Gen. 1:27-28).  Unlike any other part of creation humans are made to learn of and know God.

2.     God desires all men to be saved (1 Tim. 2:4); He takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked (Ezek. 18:23).  Through His love for the world (John 3:16) He has done all that is necessary for man’s salvation, causing His grace in His only Son to appear to all men (Titus 2:11) as He has made reconciliation available for the entire world (2 Cor. 5:19).  In doing this He has poured out His wrath on His Son, punishing Him in our place (1 John 4:10).  He is not only loving; He is gracious.

3.     God is holy.  This is His nature.  Our passage refers to this when it says there is none like Him (v6).  God is praised as the One who is Holy, Holy, Holy (Isa. 6:4).  The Hebrew kadosh means He is set apart, pure, free from defilement.  For this reason He alone is to be worshiped (Ps. 99:9).  We are to be holy for He is holy (e.g. Lev. 11:45).  

If you meditate on these truths about God you come to the point that Jeremiah was at where the amazing thing is not that our loving God is a God of wrath and indignation (v10).  The amazing thing is that men do not bow in worship.  Who would not fear You, O king of the nations?  For this is Your rightful due (v7).  Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at His footstool – He is holy (Psalm 99:5).