PLAINER WORDS ONLINE …THE LAKE OF FIRE
Part 1
It has been said that; “Someone ought to write an exhaustive study on ‘The Lake of Fire.’” We have agreed with the statement. After realizing that there is a wide divergence of opinion on the subject of “The Lake of Fire,” we thought we’d “give it a shot.”
You would think that it wouldn’t take too much time to do an “exhaustive” study on the subject since it is only mentioned four times in the Bible. All four occurrences are found in The Book of Revelation, once in Chapter 19 and three times in Chapter 20. The writing of this is what we found concerning the Lake of Fire. It was an exhaustive study. “Exhaustive” in the sense that we were exhausted pursuing this study. We are confident that we only scratched the surface. An “Exhaustive Study” is still needed. Perhaps, the most far-reaching work on this, which we have come across, is Otis. Q. Sellers’ “Seed and Bread,” Numbers 182, 183, 184, 185, and 186.
THE LAKE OF FIRE--WHERE WILL IT BE?
One of the first things we noted was the divergence of opinions of where the Lake of Fire will be situated in the future dispensations—The Day of Christ and The Day of the Lord.
Some prominent teachers of the Word believed that the “fiery lake must be located far, far away from the earth.” This opinion was enhanced when the idea was expanded by another saying; “that it will probably be on a star, far away from earth (stars are actually vast lakes of fire)” according to one Ph.D. A Bible study web site said the “Lake of Fire will be the Dead Sea.” Yet, another said the Lake of Fire will be in Idumea (Edom), according to Isaiah 34:6-10. A major teacher of the Word concluded that it must be “in Heaven,” because of Revelation 14:10.
Molech/Moloch was the national god of the Ammonites and Canaanites. Chemosh worship (aligned with Molech worship) was the god of the Moabites (1 Kings 15:12-13). Most of the Semitic religions demanded human sacrifices.
In the Old Testament, the LORD (to wit, Yahweh) began to give prophetic clues to the children of Israel regarding where the Lake of Fire will be in future dispensations. The exact location is revealed as the abdominal, religious practices of the Ammonites, Moabites and the Canaanites are studied. If we trace the immolation of children being sacrificed-alive to Molech, we will find the geographical location of the future Lake of Fire. It will be localized several miles South of Latitude 31.47’ North, and Longitude 35.10’ East. The spot on the Globe of the future Lake of Fire will be in a valley in the South of the Pre-Millennial City of Jerusalem. “The New Oxford Bible Maps,” Maps 1 and 9, show the area. Notice where the Valley of Hinnom (Topheth) converges with the Valley of Kidron. That will be the center of the future location of which this study focuses on . It will be where children were burned-alive, as sacrificial offerings, to Molech (spelled different ways; Moloch, Molekh, Molek, or Moloc). Notice an 18th Century painting of Molech by a German artist.
MOLECH WORSHIP
In the Levitical ordinances delivered to the Israelites by Moses, there were stern prohibitions of Molech-worship.
“And thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to Molech, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD” (Lev. 18:21, circa 1490 B.C.).
Moses, again, mentioned that he who gave his seed to Molech, as a sacrifice, was to be stoned to death:
2 Again, thou shalt say to the children of Israel, Whosoever he be of the children of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn in Israel, that giveth any of his seed unto Molech; he shall surely be put to death: the people of the land shall stone him with stones. 3 And I will set my face against that man, and will cut him off from among his people; because he hath given of his seed unto Molech, to defile my sanctuary, and to profane my holy name. 4 And if the people of the land do any ways hide their eyes from the man, when he giveth of his seed unto Molech, and kill him not: 5 Then I will set my face against that man, and against his family, and will cut him off, and all that go a whoring after him, to commit whoredom with Molech, from among their people. (Lev. 20:2-5) NIV.
The witness to this abomination, who didn’t make the crime known of the guilty party, will have God “set His Face against that man, and against his family, and will cut him off …”
This ritualistic murder in the name of religion, during the Old Testament times, was that of cremating-alive children (usually the firstborn son) as an atonement for one’s sin. The Canaanites and the Ammonites found the perfect place for this Satanic practice. It was in the beautiful “Valley of the son of Hinnom” which was located in what was to become the Southern most part of the City of Jerusalem during the Day of Christ.
About 498 years after Moses forbade this practice, King Solomon built a “high place” where Molech was to be worshipped by his seven hundred wives and 300 concubines. These were the “strange wives,” and secondary wives [the concubines] who turned Solomon’s heart away from the LORD. They were “strange” in the sense that they were pagans and idolaters.
“Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon. And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods” (1 Kings 11:7-8).
Chemosh was the god of the Moabites who also “demanded” the sacrifice of children, as did Molech.
(We pondered the thought of how many of the sons of Solomon, by his foreign wives, were immolated by the fires in the Valley of Hinnom? It seems that there is no record of any one stepping-up and insisting on Solomon being stoned-to-death for having his “seed” sacrificed to Molech).
The LORD was angry with Solomon because he turned away from Him (Yahweh). In His anger, God told Solomon that because of this abomination, He was going to take the Kingdom from him and give it to his servant (1 Kings 11:13). Then, the LORD, “Yahweh,” changed His Mind “for David, thy father’s sake.” The LORD said to Solomon:
“Nevertheless, for the sake of David your father, I will not do it during your lifetime. I will tear it out of the hand of your son. Yet I will not tear the whole kingdom from him, but will give him one tribe for the sake of David my servant and for the sake of Jerusalem, which I have chosen" (1 Kings 11:12-13) NIV.
Over time, the Israelites who were not rooted and grounded in the Word of God “bowed their knee to Molech.” We can see that some Hebrews became so devout in their worship that they believed they should offer their firstborn son as more than an acceptable sacrifice to Molech, in order for their past sins to be forgiven. In plainer words, they would cremate their firstborn son, alive, in the fires of the Valley of Hinnom. Later, the Valley of Hinnom was more properly called “the Valley of Slaughter” (Jer. 7:32 and 19:6).
“Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?” (Micah 6:7).
The fires of Hinnom burned continuously. The cry of babies, as they were burned alive, echoed throughout the surrounding area. The cry of the dying babies was so sickening that perhaps a “Reformer” rose up and suggested that, “we must make the baby-sacrifices not so distasteful.” Perhaps, the “Reformer” enrolled an orchestra to play music during the hours of “offering of the firstborn” to the fires of Molech. We read that Israel’s favorite musical instrument was—the Timbre. It was the instrument of choice during the hours of Sacrifice. This was to drown-out the heart-wrenching sounds of the cry of infants as they were consumed by the perpetual fires.
The Timbre, or Timbret, was a drum-like instrument. It resembled our tambourine (a shallow, single-headed hand-drum with jiggling metal disks in the rim). The jiggling tambourine stimulated the hearing-ears and squelched the cries of the human offerings. The Hebrew name for this musical instrument was “Toph” from which we get “Tophet.” See,the note in the Companion Bible on 1 Samuel 10:5. (“Tophet” is, also, spelled “Topheth). The Valley was, later, named the “Valley of Tophet.”
This instrument was, probably, the favorite musical instrument of women, according to several Biblical sources. Miriam used it. David, also, danced to the music of the Tophet before the Ark of the Covenant.
The ISBE, in its description of Molech worship, states the following:
“MOLECH: These high places [built by Solomon] survived to the time of Josiah, who, among his other works of religious reformation, destroyed and defiled them, filling their places with the bones of men (2 Kings 23:12-14). Molech-worship had evidently received a great impulse from Ahaz, who, like Ahab of Israel, was a supporter of foreign religions (2 Kings 16:12 ff). He also ‘made his son to pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the nations, whom Yahweh cast out from before the children of Israel’ (2 Kings 16:3). His grandson Manasseh, so far from following in the footsteps of his father Hezekiah, who had made great reforms in the worship, reared altars for Baal, and besides other abominations which he practiced, made his son to pass through the fire (2 Kings 21:6). The chief site of this worship, of which Ahaz and Manasseh were the promoters, was Topheth in the Valley of Hinnom, or, as it is also called, the Valley of the Children, or of the Son of Hinnom, lying to the Southwest of Jerusalem (see GEHENNA [Greek word for ‘Hell’]). Of Josiah's, reformation it is said that ‘he defiled Topheth .... that no man might make his son or his daughter to pass through the fire to Molech’ (2 Kings 23:10).” (International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia). The emphasis, Bold-face type, was added.
An interesting side-note is that “Hezekiah’s grandson made great reforms in Molech worship” (paraphrased). Manasseh’s reform was that he brought in the worship of Baal to go along side of the worship of Molech. This provided the Israelites two options of what “god” would they sacrifice to.
We are always cautious regarding reform and reformers. To “reform” means, “to make better.” How does one make better a religion that kills humans as part of the expiation of sin? How do you make better the burning-alive of children? Dear friends, beware of “reformers.” If something is bad, or unholy, or unrighteous, or sinful—KILL IT! Don’t reform it. Reform is not a good remedy. Several of the appropriate anonyms for “reform” are “aggravate, and worsen.”