The End of the Age
"So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just, and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth." (Matthew 13:49-50)
I find it hard to believe that bible teachers cannot seem to understand the context of the above passage. If they would just read and study the above along with Mark 13, Luke 21, Matthew 24 and 25 and the books of Daniel and Revelation they would not apply the above verses to their horrible views about a mythological “hell” being the "furnace of fire" and a place of eternal torment for all mankind except Christians.
The above passage and those related to it deal with Israel as a Nation, the chosen people of God among all the people of the earth, most of whom rejected Jesus as their Messiah at his first coming. And at "the end of the age" (this age in which we are still living) most in Israel will still be rejecting Jesus as they are today. All who reject Jesus are wicked for such rejection and will be excluded from reigning with Jesus when Jesus returns to establish the Kingdom on this earth. Instead, they will be cast out into the figurative “furnace of fire”, and they will be “wailing and gnashing of teeth” because they have been excluded from reigning with Jesus. They will all die during that age and not resurrected until the end of that 1,000 year Kingdom Age. Those who followed Jesus and have believed during this age will be resurrected to immortality at the beginning of the Kingdom Age to rule and reign with Christ for the ages of the ages.
However, God is not done with unbelievers, for they will later be “made alive” and “confess that Jesus Christ is Lord”, all to the “glory of God” who will then make “all things new”.
"As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive...every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father...Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying; and there shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. And He who sits on the throne said, Behold, I am making all things new. And He said, Write, for these words are faithful and true." (1 Corinthians 15:22; Philippians 2:10-11; Revelation 21:1-5)
I find it hard to believe that bible teachers cannot seem to understand the context of the above passage. If they would just read and study the above along with Mark 13, Luke 21, Matthew 24 and 25 and the books of Daniel and Revelation they would not apply the above verses to their horrible views about a mythological “hell” being the "furnace of fire" and a place of eternal torment for all mankind except Christians.
The above passage and those related to it deal with Israel as a Nation, the chosen people of God among all the people of the earth, most of whom rejected Jesus as their Messiah at his first coming. And at "the end of the age" (this age in which we are still living) most in Israel will still be rejecting Jesus as they are today. All who reject Jesus are wicked for such rejection and will be excluded from reigning with Jesus when Jesus returns to establish the Kingdom on this earth. Instead, they will be cast out into the figurative “furnace of fire”, and they will be “wailing and gnashing of teeth” because they have been excluded from reigning with Jesus. They will all die during that age and not resurrected until the end of that 1,000 year Kingdom Age. Those who followed Jesus and have believed during this age will be resurrected to immortality at the beginning of the Kingdom Age to rule and reign with Christ for the ages of the ages.
However, God is not done with unbelievers, for they will later be “made alive” and “confess that Jesus Christ is Lord”, all to the “glory of God” who will then make “all things new”.
"As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive...every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father...Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying; and there shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. And He who sits on the throne said, Behold, I am making all things new. And He said, Write, for these words are faithful and true." (1 Corinthians 15:22; Philippians 2:10-11; Revelation 21:1-5)