Daily Devotionals

John Gossner's Treasury

Devotional: November 9th

Their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched. Isaiah 66:24. And the smoke of their torment ascended up for ever and ever. Revelation 14:11. And they shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. Revelation 20:10. To whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever. 2 Peter 2:17.

This is not written in the Bible in vain. If it does not concern you, it may concern your brother or neighbor. If you have no cause to fear eternity, and if you do not find it necessary at the thought of eternity to arouse yourself out of sleep and to preserve yourself from the enticements of sin, then remember that thousands of your brethren blindly and incessantly rush toward the terror of eternity, toward the fire that shall not be quenched. As you consider these words of Jesus, instead of sentimentally shortening eternity, as many would do, and letting the fire be quenched, at any rate after a number of years, and letting the worm that Jesus has made everlasting, die sooner, in order thereby sweetly to console yourself and your brethren, instead of doing this, I say, rouse yourself to prayer and supplication for yourself and your brethren, that God may move, turn, enlighten and save you and them, that you may not enter into torment; for the torment may, nevertheless, be of too long duration, seeing that Abraham said to Dives that there was no way and no door opening from beneath up and that none could leap across the ’’great gulf fixed." Pray, I repeat, pray, and do all in your power to save yourself and your brethren from destruction. It is better not to fall into this ’’fire" and not to come near this ’worm," even if it were true, as some think, that eternity is not eternal, that the unquenchable fire is quenchable and that the everlasting worm is not everlasting, that Jesus and His disciples have not expressed themselves accurately according to the sentimental taste of our times. Better, I say, is better. Save yourself and your neighbor before the fire begins to burn and the smoke to ascend.

But sinners, filled with guilty fears,

Behold His wrath prevailing,

For they shall rise, and find their tears

And sighs are unavailing;

The day of grace is past and gone;

Trembling they stand before the throne.

All unprepared to meet Him.