In the 14th chapter of Revelation, we read the following:

“And another, a third messenger, followed them, crying with a loud voice, “If any man worship the wild beast and His image, and receive the mark upon his forehead or upon his hand, he also shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out unmixed in the cup of His wrath, and shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the sight of the holy messengers, and in the sight of the lamb. (From their torment the smoke rises up into the eons of eons).”
Rev 14:9-11

This section is significant for several considerations. It is, of course, about what is written there, read in its own context. However, this very section is a horror for many people for two reasons:

1. This is supposed to be about hell
2. We are living in the end times and this is what we are facing shortly.

Both views concern threatening ideas. The idea of a hell is traditionally associated with the afterlife, while the second point appears in end-time ideas that can take place in the here and now (soon). One threatens the alleged life after dying, the other threatens the life before dying.

Both of these things deserve their own attention. In this post, I will focus on the first point. Is this about hell?

When does this play?

The book of Revelation is a revelation to John, which he received directly from Jesus. How, when and where to assign the statements? John tells us at the very beginning of the book:

“I was in the Spirit in the Lord’s day …”
Rev 1:10

This reference shows that it is a vision that speaks of a future that is characterized by the term “the Lord’s day”. In the Old and New Testaments, this is a familiar term and better known as “The Day of the Lord,” a time when the Lord reigns on earth through the Messiah. Here the emphasis is not on the time aspect “day”, but on the one who characterizes this day, namely “the Lord”. That is why it is called “the Lord’s day”.

This Lord’s Day is not Sunday (as some suppose), nor a short period, but a long period. The transition from the present time to the next time goes through judgments (Mt 24 + Mt 25) described in the Revelation to John. It describes how the present time will pass over into the messianic time. It is like giving birth through labor pains.

The book is extensive, but most of the chapters take place in a relatively short period of time. John mentions:

“Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His slaves what must be done in speed …”
Rev 1:1

The information about the process is significant: In rapidity, or quickly, or in a short time. The book of Revelation describes from chapter 4 to and including 19 the day of the Lord in a fast motion. Chapter 14 falls during this time. In chapter 19, the establishment of the messianic kingdom is achieved. Various things last 1000 years there, whence some speak of a “1000-year empire” (although this empire in particular is nowhere said to last 1000 years – read carefully). Chapter 14 is therefore before the 1000 years, and what is described there takes place in the transition from this time to that time.

Where does this take place?

The hell of tradition is either underground or in an afterlife. Is this also true for the statements in this chapter? Let us read how John describes this:

• Rev 14:1: Then I beheld, and, lo, the little lamb stood upon Mount Zion.
• Rev 14:6: Then I beheld another messenger, having an eonian gospel to preach “upon them that sit on the earth.”

From the immediate context, it is clear that we are talking about things on earth. It does not take place in a fictional afterlife, nor somehow in an underground hell.

Does this apply to today?

No, it does not concern the present time, nor the people living today, but only the situation described there. It cannot be compared with our time, which is characterized by grace. We do not live in the time of this chapter. The message, for example, is quite different from the one that applies today. Everything in this chapter is different from what we experience.

The “eonian gospel” proclaimed there speaks of creation (Rev 14:7), not salvation through Jesus, God’s grace, a church of all nations, the body of Christ, or similar things. The request is clearly described with the words “fear God and give Him glory”. So the message clearly differs from today’s message. Let us keep in mind the principle for healthy Bible consideration, “All things are for us, but not all things speak of us.”

Indications of a future time

Now it comes to this passage (Concordant New Testament):

“And another, third messenger follows them, crying out in a loud voice: If any man worship the wild beast and his image, and receive the mark upon his forehead, or upon his hand, …”

This worship and characteristic are things that take place on earth in this future time. If we want to clarify whether we are talking about a hell, these references should be taken seriously. The same is confirmed once again by what follows now:

“So shall he also drink of the wine of God’s wrath, poured out unmixed in the cup of His wrath, and be tormented with fire and brimstone before the eyes of the holy messengers and before the eyes of the Lamb.”

This is now also happening on earth. Fierceness and wrath are expressions of God’s judgment on earth throughout Scripture. It’s not about descriptions of hell. Hell is not mentioned in a single word – as it is not mentioned elsewhere in Scripture. (See: “Is There a Hell?”).

In figurative description we read of three things:

• drink from the wine of the wrath of God
• Cup of His Wrath
• with fire and brimstone.

All of these things are improperly associated with an alleged hell. However, there is no connecting point for this if we read the text in its own context. Revelation 14 takes place on earth and the people there are alive. The earth is also “before the eyes of the holy messengers and before the eyes of the Lamb.” A.E.Knoch points in this context to Rev 9,5, where this torment is limited to 5 months. It’s not about “eternal torment.”

So, although much takes place in the future, the reference is to the people who live then. This is not about a fictitious hell in the hereafter, nor about our existence, but about a future judgment on earth. There are those who are reluctant, who worship the wild beast and its image, and those who do not. In Rev. 14:13, in the same context, it says “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on!” In other words: In this time of wrath on earth, some will be tormented, which cannot go further than dying (!). An “eternal damnation” or similar is not an issue here. The believers at that time will also possibly die.

Smoke of their torment

Now here is the real sticking point:

“From their torment the smoke rises up into the eons of eons.”
Rev 14:11

Is there no mention of torment here? Doesn’t the smoke indicate fire? Does this not make it clear that hell is being spoken of here? No! It is not clear. Hell is not mentioned with a single word. These are all mere conclusions. We already saw that the situation described takes place here on earth. Anyone who reads this statement carefully will notice:

• What it doesn’t say here is that they will be tortured forever and ever.
• What is written here: The smoke rises into the eons of the eons.

Possibly this is a reminder of the agony of the 5 months mentioned earlier? I do not know. One should keep in mind here that a lot of figurative language is used in these verses – as mentioned before. Possibly, therefore, the term “smoke” is also to be understood in this way. John had a vision and tells what he saw. Figurative language is not less serious, but it is descriptive, not explanatory. The subject here is not “smoke,” but “the wrath and anger of God,” and the effect thereof.

With a few words a picture and a situation is sketched. We cannot derive any amount of information from these few verses without doing violence to the text and the intent.

Gehenna and Lake of Fire

Revelation 14 describes a judgment on earth in the transition from this time to the next. This transition is shaped by courts. But after that, people land in the next time. This is the messianic expectation, which Jesus also spoke about. In Revelation 19, this time can be found back. Jesus also spoke of judgment during the messianic kingdom. This is the time we read about specifically in Revelation 19. This is the time after the judgment on earth and the time according to Revelation 14. Jesus spoke of Gehenna, which is not directly mentioned in Revelation. Gehenna is not to be confused with Revelation 14, nor with another judgment that takes place only after the Messianic Kingdom, the lake of fire.

The lake of fire is mentioned only after the conclusion of the messianic kingdom, in at the transition to the new heaven and the new earth. There we are in chapter 20. Again, this has nothing to do with the events in Revelation 14.

The book of Revelation is described as a development. Let’s pay attention to the process. Likewise, references to other fonts play a role. However, we cannot arbitrarily link traditions with any verses, as is often done with these verses.

Those who want to interpret Revelation 14 as a testimony of a hell will find no evidence for this in the context.