Isaiah
30:33
33 For Tophet [Tophteh] is ordained [`arak] of old ['ethmowl]; yea, for the
king [melek] it is prepared [kuwn]; he hath made it deep [`amaq] and large [rachab]: the pile [maduwrah] thereof is fire ['esh] and much [rabah] wood [`ets]; the breath [nashamah] of the LORD [Yahovah], like a stream [nachal] of brimstone [gophriyth], doth kindle [ba`ar] it. KJV-Interlinear
33 For a burning place has long been
prepared; indeed, for the king it is made ready, its pyre made deep and wide,
with fire and wood in abundance; the breath of the LORD, like a stream of
sulfur, kindles it. ESV
The Lake of Fire, is
herein described, and has many references in the book of Revelation, but the concept
is documented and illustrated within the Old Testament, as we have here in this
verse.
The word Tophet
means, that which causes loathing or abhorrence, that which produces disgust
and vomiting, to spit out.
The word occurs
only in 2 Kings 23, and in several verses in Jeremiah chapters 7, and 19.
It is typically
applied to a deep valley that is southeast of Jerusalem which was associated
with the seed of idolatry, and more particularly of the worship of Moloch. The
name given to that valley was Hinnom, or Tophet, and later referred to as
Gehenna.
The valley was the
place of worship of false gods, particularly Moloch, which included the
construction of huge brazen images with a hollow trunk and arms which was
heated and set on fire within, and then children were placed as a sacrifice
within the hollow trunk. And in order to drown out their screams, drums were
beaten.
In later times the
valley became a dumping place for the filth and trash of the city of Jerusalem,
including the dead which had nowhere else to be placed. And in order to reduce
or get rid of the stench, fires were kept going, in order to keep things
burning, and hence the valley became the symbolism of a vast never-ending Lake
of Fire. A term which was used in the New Testament to describe the eternal and
never-ending and continuing destruction of all that is corrupt and wicked and
evil.
Note that the
garbage of the city, the city of peace, was removed from the city, and
destroyed at a location outside of the city.
The Lake of Fire is not a part of the future eternal state of Christians,
but excluded and located elsewhere.
Ordained of old,
is a reference to an appointment of this eventual place, since the beginning of
time. And since only God existed since the beginning of time, then the decree
came from God.
It was to this
place, the Lake of Fire, that Satan and all of his fallen angel associates,
having been convicted, are now sentenced to, which sentence has not yet been
carried out.
The king, is a
reference to Satan, since in times old, he was the only one who had been
condemned, and for which this place was originally prepared.
And by the way,
the real Lake of Fire, is not on or of this present earth or universe, but will
be located someplace beyond our knowledge and existence, since our eternal life
will not be encumbered with anything bad, and certainly not a place like the Lake
of Fire.
Deep and wide, is
a reference to the vast capacity, such that this place can receive a huge
volume of garbage. The garbage of course will consist of unbelievers, and
Satan, and so forth.
With fire and wood
in abundance, indicates unlimited resources of fuel, such that the fires will
never end, and the burning will never end, and the destruction will never end.
In the final
phrase, the breath of the Lord, like a stream of brimstone, kindles it,
indicates that the breath of the Lord, being the perfect judgment of God, acts
like air being blown over smoldering embers, igniting them into flames, and as
with brimstone, of extreme intensity.
And the idea here
is, the kindling, or the beginning of the fires, is started by the evil ones
themselves. Evil, in effect is the cause of its own destruction.
Typically, the
breath of God, is used to describe the spark of life, or the breath of life,
and the same word, nashamah, is used in Genesis, to describe the spark of life or
the breath of life, in Adam.
However here,
instead of taking on life, which God breathes, evil uses that spark or breath,
to bring about its own self-destruction.
These
studies are a part of the massive daily study web site at DailyBibeStudy.Org,
and are written, so that you can come to Christ if you have not done so
already, and therefore not be lost forever.
And
if you have already believed in Christ, then these studies are written so you
can learn and understand and grow in your spiritual life, so that you can come
to the full knowledge of Christ, so that you can fulfill your meaning and
purpose in life as God intended for you, and so you can qualify for a
phenomenal eternal reward which you will have forever.
To
ignore this opportunity to pursue a daily study means you will be incomplete,
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