As I am reading through Isaiah and
Jeremiah, there is a reoccurring mention of Israel's and Judah's
rebellion and unfaithfulness. Specifically, I noted the abhorrent
practice of infant sacrifice that 'God's chosen people' adopted from
surrounding nations. I also noticed how vehemently God speaks against
this practice:
“They have built the high places of Topheth (means 'fire place') in the Valley of Ben Hinnom (Gehenna) to burn their sons and daughters in the fire – something I did not command, nor did it enter My mind.” - Jer. 7:31
In the NASB, they translate Jer. 19:5
(which basically repeats the above verse) as, “...a thing which I
never commanded or spoke of, nor did it ever enter My
mind...”
Jeremiah 32:35 again reiterates this
sin and states, “...nor did it enter my mind... that they should do
such a detestable thing...”
As I read about this detestable
practice of placing children in the burning arms of the idol Molech
(or Baal) to suffer in the fire, it reminds me of this idea of
eternal conscious torment. Except in this scenario, those that God
'fathered' (created) will be thrown in the fire and instead of dying,
they will be kept alive to suffer this burning forever.
Tell me, could a fate such as this ever come
from the Father's mind?
Robert West comments on the traditional view of hell:
ReplyDelete"God has been made so cruel, and this doctrine is so unthinkable that it has probably created more atheists, and caused more weak believers to fall away than any other false teaching. The dread of Hell has caused misery and mental anguish to countless millions and instead of the horror of hell turning many to God....many millions have been turned away from such an unjust God."
(The Resurrection and Immortality, William Robert West, Xulon Press, 2006, p. 313. See www.robertwr.com for more info.)