Page 99 - Gods Plan of the Ages

Mark 9:43-47
And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than
having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: And if thy foot
offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be
cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: And if thine eye offend thee,
pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than
having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.

Seeing these expressions in the text has confused many modern English speaking
Christians. These phrases are commonly cited when people are expressing opposition, or
doubts, regarding the doctrine of the reconciliation of all things. Simply put, a fire that shall
never be quenched is not eternal fire. It is fire that will not be extinguished until it has
consumed everything that is combustible. When the fire has consumed all that can be
consumed, it will quite naturally cease to burn.
In comparing this expression to the rest of Scripture, we find that this has ever been
what was intended when God speaks of a fire that will not be quenched. The prophet
Jeremiah records the following words.

Jeremiah 17:27
"But if you do not listen to Me to keep the sabbath day holy by not carrying a load and
coming in through the gates of Jerusalem on the sabbath day, then I will kindle a fire in
its gates and it will devour the palaces of Jerusalem and not be quenched."

These words of God were fulfilled a few years later when Nebuchadnezzar captured
Jerusalem.

Jeremiah 52:12-13
Now on the tenth day of the fifth month, which was the nineteenth year of King
Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard, who was
in the service of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. He burned the house of Yahweh,
the king's house and all the houses of Jerusalem; even every large house he burned with
fire.

Once this fire consumed that which it was set to, the fire went out. The fire which
Nebuchadnezzar set does not continue to burn today. The unquenchable fire was not an
eternal fire. It was simply a fire that was not interrupted. There were no Jewish fire brigades
that were able to douse this fire. The Temple and houses of Jerusalem were fully consumed.
A remarkable truth appears when we compare God's words relating to fire with similar
words speaking of His wrath. We find the parallel truth that Yahweh's wrath, which is also
said to be unquenchable, is temporal. After Judah had transgressed for many generations
against Yahweh, incurring His wrath which would not be turned aside, there arose a godly
king named Josiah. Josiah humbled himself before Yahweh, and inquired of Yahweh
concerning the fate of the nation. Yahwehresponded in the following manner.

II Kings 22:17
"Because they have forsaken Me and have burned incense to other gods that they might
provoke Me to anger with all the work of their hands, therefore My wrath burns against
this place, and it shall not be quenched."

Yahweh's wrath was poured out after the days of King Josiah. In the days of the