Revelation 14:11

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“And the smoke of their torment ascends up forever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receives the mark of his name.”

Some assume that this verse refers to immortal souls burning forever in “ hell.”

The time frame of what is described here is yet to come. The passage is referring to “Babylon” (Rev 14:8), “that great city, because she made all nations drink of…her fornication.” This is the final, religious/political, end- time revival of the Roman Empire also described in Daniel 2:42-43 as the “toes,” and in Daniel 7:7, 24 as the tenth horn. Revelation 13:1-18 describes it as the seventh and last horn, and Revelation 17:12 describes it as the seventh head, having ten horns (which has not yet appeared).

Revelation 14:9-10 states, “If any man worship the beast [this final end- time revival] and his image, and receive his mark…he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone…in the presence of the Lamb.” As long as the people who are participating in this “beast” system continue to rebel against God, they will receive “no rest day nor night” (Rev 14:11). This does not state that they will be burning in hell for eternity. What it does say is that once their bodies are burned up, the smoke ascends forever. The fire extinguishes itself but the gases from the smoke will continue to circulate in the atmosphere.

The fire that is talked about is here on this earth— not in an “ever- burning hell.” Malachi plainly states, “And you shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, says the Lord of hosts” (Mal 4:3).