Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1909-07-15

henna, as used by our LORD, represents
the same state and doom of the wicked
that is symbolized in the Apocalypse
by the 'lake of fire" and the second
death. " This does not mean that Ge-
henna is an emblem of the lake of fire.
Both are symbols. At least Gehenna
is used metaphorically, the name of a
literal valley on earth, passing over to
a state or place of punishment in the
future, of which identical punishment
the lake of fire is a symbol. Each pic
lures to the mind the same outcome of
the life of sin, the ultimate and inevi-
table perdition of ungodly men.
This proposition will not be serious
ly questioned by Universalists, no.
hellites or liberalists of any school.
Their opposition is to the application
of the symbols. The necessity of their
case obliges them to seek an applica-
tion of these symbols to something this
side of the eternal state, and their in
genuity has been taxed to the point
of desperation in pursuit of something
that will answer the purpose.
In the Scriptures we find the same
punishment indicated by the following
terms and phrases: "Gehenna'' Gee
henna fire. everlasting fire, - "the
fire that shall never be quenched,
and to these is added the significant
allusion to the valley of Hinnom, the
emblem of all that is horrible, where
their worm dieth not and the fire is
never quenched. Then passing to the
period when the Son of Man shall sit
on the throne of His glory, and all ma
tions shall be gathered before Him,
and He shall divide them as shep-
herd divideth the sheep from the goats
| and pronounce the final sentence
against the wicked, we have the SEN
| tence in these words, depart from
me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire,
prepared for the devil and his angels
Matt 25-41. Now, there can be no
doubt that this everlasting fire prepar
ed for the devil and his angels is the
same and means the same thing as the
everlasting fire" and the "Gehenna
fire. in the passages above This be-
ing settled as settled it is in all un-
biased minds, then the next point is
that this fire prepared for the devil
and his angels is thu same in meaning
as the lake of fire in the book of Rev
elations. That this is true is evident
from the following, "And the devil
that deceived them was cast into the
lake of fire and birthstone where the
beast and the false prophet are and
shall be tormented day and night for
ever and forever. Rev. 26:10.
We are not now discussing the ma
ture or significance of these symbols
nor their locality, but simply their re-
lation to each other and the identity
of their import. 1t is question of
fact, to be determined by the nature
of the case, by the similarity of ex-
preston and use, and by the unreason-
ableness of the supposition that such
striking symbols so nearly alike and
relating to the same classes and hav-
ing the same uses should not have the
same final application and meaning.
The devil is cast into the lake of fire.
Can there be any doubt that this is
fire, the everlasting fire prepared fol
him. The beast and the false prophet
are there and all that may be designa,
ted as his angels will have their part
in that lake. Then how can it be 9th
erwise than that this is the everlasting
fire prepared for the devil and his an
gels? 1t seems preposterous and ever
impossible to doubt the fact here in
sisted upon. And yet, if it be true, i
brings the subject of Gehenna int
such light that its relation to thu
period beyond death and beyond bott
the resurrection and the judgement
can no more be questioned. Gehenna
as we have seen, is not Hades, is no
in Hades, is no part of Hades, anC
comes into the scenes of human des
tiny only as Hades goes out. Deatl
and Hades deliver up their dead be
fore the judgement and after tn,
judgement they are cast into tn,
"lake of fire" which is Gehenna.
This point will bear repeating. Up
on this fact hangs much of the grea
; debate concerning human destiny. T,
, be cast into the lake of fire is the las
calamity. 1t is the second death
| And is not the second death subse
, quent to the resurrection and there
fore in the future state7 The follow
ing Scriptures will determine, IAN,
the sea gives up the dead which wer
/ in it, and death and Hades delivere,
up the dead which were in them; ant
they were judged every man according
, to their works, and death and Hade
J were cast into the lake of fire. This i
the second death andwhosoever was no
J found written in the book of life wa
! cast into the lake of fire. Rev. 20
1915. l. The great white throne ap
pears, the emblem of judgement.
! Heaven and earth flee away: The Wis
r ible creation passes ont of sight. 3
The dead small and great arise. Al
the receptacles of the dead, whether o
| body or soul, whether earth and sea
/ or Hades, the invisible world Of spir
, its, deliver up their dead 4. Th
| fudcrananf prnaaala The b1.atra tt