And they were not given authority to kill them, but to torment them for five months. Their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it strikes a man. In those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will desire to die, and death will flee from them. vv.5-6
Read chapter 9
Where does the idea of eternal conscious torment come from for those that don't go to heaven? It's not in the Bible unless one translates wrong. Here we read of a torment that will last five months. That's the longest torment mentioned in the Bible by God. Torment was originally described as a severe testing but later came to mean torture. Did you notice who is doing this torment? Locust! These locust though described in this chapter don't seem like the typical locust we may think of. These locust are armored. One can't just swat or kill these locust. They also have faces like men, hair like a woman and teeth like lions. Strange indeed these creatures. In our day today, locust usually only last for five months from May to September which similar to how long these will last in the future time too.
These men being tormented by the locust seek death, yet at this point in time of the Kingdom and Tribulation God has the power over death, not Satan anymore. So God is not allowing them to die though they seek it from all this torture. Yet again this is only for five month to those that refuse to submit to God and His ways; the longest we see God torment someone in all of scripture.
What are your beliefs of God's future torment to those who refuse to submit and follow His ways even after when there will have been a long period of peace on earth in His Kingdom? How does this chapter shape or challenge your views?
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