Berean Mind

The more I read about Jesus the more I realize that he is not a lunatic. I'll be honest, Jesus said a lot of things that made you go "hmm". It's what you do after the "hmm" phenomena that matters. For example, that worm verse:

‘where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’ (Mark 9:48)

Now, fire not going out is a sight in it of itself but on this side of time, the fire will eventually go out. What does the worm have to do with anything?

One a side note, some have argued that this verse is only figurative and it does not mean what it means but that would not make any sense and here's why:

1. Revelation 14:9-11 speaks of the smoke of their torment going up forever and ever.

Now this worm thing, why didn't Jesus say something else? I cant really answer that one but we can look at the worms and what is so cool or not so cool about them. There are different kinds of worm, these in particular are the parasitic ones:

1. Tapeworms (cestodes)
   
2. Roundworms (nematodes)
   
3. Digenean flukes (trematodes)
   

These three particular groups have members within them that use man as their host. When a man or pet is said to have a worm, it is typically known as a parasitic infection and if left untreated can cause detrimental damages to the human body or pet. But Jesus is not talking about pets in the text, He is talking about Hell and man. Its one thing to say something once with conviction but Jesus repeated this worm sentence 3 times (vs. 44,46,48). an infection can be defined as an agent or a contaminated substance responsible for one's becoming infected and in this case they are parasitic worms. The bible doesn't stop there if you are flipping through it because if you spent any time in book of Luke you would be well aware that this is a conscious torment and not an unconscious one (Luke 16:23). What does this mean? Well to put it simply, we (those who are unbelievers that is) don't just die and it is over. Those who do not repent and trust in Christ will be fully aware of what's going on while being tormented.

Here's what I don't get and I pray that you can help me with this. Someone commits an horrific crime and the judicial system gives them life. Let's just say they are 21. Life for us is as long as they can live humanly right? Now if God is eternal and He gives the sentence of life for a crime(s) committed against Him, then what is life sentence in God's eyes being eternally existing from everlasting to everlasting? Are we actually in a state that we can dictate to God what kind of punishment He should give those who remain rebellious against Him? God forbid.

If we are honest, we do not understand the magnitude of what we are doing when we sin. We only begin to understand it when we look at God's word to see how He sees us and we should refrain on boasting about how we see ourselves. If the fire unquenched is clear in scripture to those who remain rebellious, what would make us believe that what is mentioned about the worm is any different?

Some final thoughts to consider:

• Things that are not baked fully or boiled fully may have potential for worms
• Worms are typically looked upon as the lowest of the low
• Worms devour things or flesh when they get a hold of it
• Worms also feed sweetly till they are no longer remembered
• Worms are despised by people because of their nature
• Some worms, depending on the class love to eat plants
• Feeling towards a worm are typically these: repugnance or aversion; utter loathing and abomination.
  

Posted in: Digenean flukes (trematodes), Hell, Jesus Christ, Roundworms (nematodes), Tapeworms (cestodes), Worm on Tuesday, April 1, 2008 at at 5:27 AM 0 comments