Romans – God’s Timeline XVI: Final Uses of ‘The Eons of the Eons’

 

The Necessary Judgments for the Eons of the Eons

It surprises few that Christ is being revealed in Revelation (yes, the Revelation, or Unveiling, of Jesus Christ.) One of the primary facets of Christ’s character is His place as the Judge of all. This is set up for us early on in Rev. 1:18–

I am the First and the Last, the Living One: and I became dead, and lo! living am I for the eons of the eons. (Amen!) And I have the keys of death and of the unseen.

It should be no surprise at this point that the only reason He can judge the relative conduits of Sin (a figure for… everyone, really,) is because He judged Sin herself at the cross. Our Lord conquered this fiend, having shown that she is unjust in taking the life of One Who did not deserve it. To the minutest degree, she overplayed her hand, and it is her downfall.

As such, we read of three more passages in Revelation which concern the judgment of individuals which utilize this term. These are three passages which are used to posit that eternal torment is true, which is why I saved them for last. Surely, the church-goer is claiming, at present, that I’ve been “dancing around” these passages. Yet the honest intellectual will be able to note that every other use of the phrase, “eons of the eons,” cannot mean “eternity,” both due to the plurality of the term, and of many of its uses which demand a specific time limit in view. To drop everything and proclaim that the term specially means eternal when punishment is in view, is irrational argumentation, considering every prior point in this series.

Let us take a look at the first one, in Rev. 14:9-11–

And another, a third messenger, follows them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone is worshiping the wild beast and its image, and is getting an emblem on his forehead or on his hand, he, also, is drinking of the wine of the fury of God, blended undiluted in the cup of His indignation, and he shall be tormented in fire and sulphur in the sight of the holy messengers and in the sight of the Lambkin. And the fumes of their torment are ascending for the eons of the eons…

This passage has been broadly interpreted by many expositors to means that unbelievers will be tormented for ever and ever. The term aion is most defended as “eternal” because of this passage right here. Mankind, it seems, believes there is no better punishment for the wicked at present, as if God could not possibly have a more nuanced deterrent, stronger incentive, or, simply, a better plan than abandoning most simply “because they abandoned him.”

However, a rudimentary look at the Greek will show us that an entirely different thought is in view. It is critical to note that the subject of the sentence, “And the fumes of their torment are ascending for the eons of the eons.”

The subject is not torment. “Torment” is in the genitive case, which, for the nth time, is the qualifying noun, not the subject. The term in the “nominative” case is the subject of the sentence – in this case, “fumes.” The fumes of their torment ascend for the eons of the eons – not their torment lasting for the eons of the eons.

The torment itself should not be ripped out of its context, either. The torment is actually explained in Revelation! The length of torment for each individual, and its severity, will undoubtedly be unique. Those of mankind living at the time of the conclusion of the eon who do not have God’s seal on their foreheads will be tormented five months when the fifth messenger trumpets (Rev. 9:5.) The woes spoken of in the chapter will be painful, but not summate in death. This is complemented in Rev. 16, where we read of the seven bowls being poured out on the earth, which further carry specific, time oriented torments which unveil the fury of God (15:1.)

But let’s elaborate a fair bit. Look, the prior chapter, Revelation 13, introduced us to the wild beast and its cohort, mini beast, to blaspheme God and snare most of mankind into taking this mark which will enable one to continue operating in the economy (13:17.) This, ladies and gentlemen, is the preparation for the ensuing torment (Rev. 16.) If we ignore this, and proclaim that “eternal torment” is simply being taught in Revelation 14, we are thus inflicting the very same penalty which Nebuchadnezzar imposed upon Israel (worship Me, or burn alive. Does that sound right to you?)

But what does the “fumes of their torment” really mean? Of course, this must be a figure of speech, for torment has no smoke. If we add the term “of fire” in the middle of the sentence, we fall prey to the very curse which comes about from adding to the scroll (Rev. 22:18.) The torment spoken of in Revelation is not limited to fire, but is like fire in another respect. The only way to discern how the two correlate is by examining the figure carefully, keeping our concordant translative methodology in mind.

A fierce fire would not need smoke. If combustion is perfect, the smoke itself is consumed. It is a poor, weakening, or smoldering fire which smokes. Those who proclaim “eternal torment” would, undoubtedly, proclaim that the fire is some of the brightest and strongest flames ever to burn! Such a fire would, indeed, induce very little smoke.

Is this weak fire a proper affirmation of the fury of God…?

Of course not. In truth, we may observe various examples of fires which burn furiously for a short period of time, and then smoke for days long after (a wild-fire is a strong example of this.) Similarly, coal beds have been known to smolder for thousands of years! It is this picture which is suggested by “the smoke of their torment.” If we replace “torment” by its literal equivalent, we see a fire which, though hot at first, dies down and smolders for the eons of the eons.

Let me briefly expound upon the means of the torment, for there is no real grounds for an assumed “eternal flaying.” We read of disease tormenting individuals (Matt. 4:24, 8:6.) We read of overexertion and anxiety tormenting the disciples (Mark 6:48.) Lot tormented his soul (2 Pet. 2:8.) Even in Revelation, the two witnesses are said to torment their enemies (Rev. 11:10,) and this is not eternal. The birth of the son in Rev. 12:1 leads to torment for the faithful. The locusts torment mankind five months, as previously mentioned (Rev. 9:5.) And Babel is tormented in her destruction (Rev. 18:7, 10, 15.)

In this, we read that torment most often does not solely come upon unbelievers, but in fact, there are many mentions of the torment of saints than merely of unbelievers! Torment is not even presented here as some standardized penalty of sin. The only time that it is threatened is in this eonian evangel (Rev. 14:6,) which specially speaks of fear (14:7,) and consummates in the statement that the fury of God is imminent, and will remain as an example for the eons of the eons.

This, too fits perfectly with our understanding of the phrase “the eons of the eons!” The end of the former eons kickstart the later eons. This final seven year period is likened to birth pangs, and, in retrospect, will convey the endurance of the saints. Observe, in fact, the rest of Rev. 14:11, and its very next verse, still the messenger speaking:

“…And the fumes of their torment are ascending for the eons of the eons. And they are having no rest day and night, those worshipping the wild beast and its image, and if anyone is getting the emblem of its name. Here is the endurance of the saints, who are keeping the precepts of God and the faith of Jesus.”

As will all of the other uses of the term, there is a direct reference to something in the prior three eons, which segways into the manifold blessing in the following two eons. The smoke of fallen Babylon, run by this wild beast, is affirmed for us in Rev. 19:3–

After these things I hear as it were the loud voice of a vast throng in heaven, saying, “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power is of our God, for true and just is His judging, for He judges the great prostitute who corrupts the earth with [Babylon’s] prostitution, and avenges the blood of His slaves at her hand.” And a second time have they declared, “Hallelujah!” And her smoke is ascending for the eons of the eons.

This phrase is the conclusion of the downfall of Babel in Revelation 18. As was intimated in Revelation 14 (v. 8,) the effect of Babylon’s torment is that her fumes ascend for the eons of the eons. Such fury will never again befall the earth, for Babel will never again reach such terrible heights.

The Last Appearance of ‘Eons of the Eons’

The final use of ‘eons of the eons’ is found in Rev. 20:10–

And the Adversary who is deceiving them was cast into the lake of fire and sulphur, where the wild beast and where the false prophet are also. And they shall be tormented day and night for the eons of the eons.

This event follows the thousand year kingdom (Rev. 20:4-6,) and occurs just after Satan once again mobilizes the armies of the earth with a view to once again rebel against the beloved city. When this occurs, fire will descend from God out of heaven and devour them (Rev. 20:9.)

From this context, it follows that the Adversary who deceived the earth, for thousands of years, being the embodiment of Enmity itself, will finally be cast into the lake of fire, with the wild beast and the false prophet. These three will be tormented day and night for the eons of the eons.

No, really – these three.

Yes, like, the Adversary, the wild beast, and the false prophet.

As in, why would we think that anyone else is tormented day and night during this time, as they are not the greatest enemies of God as these three are?

Right, there we go. No others are said to be tormented in the lake of fire; such an assumption would, again, be adding to the scroll of Revelation, which is a no-no (22:18.) Let us rejoice that the torment for these individuals lasts for a set amount of time.

We can see a reversal of the phrase “eons of the eons” in this passage. The “eons of the eons” phrase still retains its prospective function – noting that the actions of individuals in the former three eons brings its inevitable consequence in the two following eons. For Christ, this brings about glory. For Christ’s unjust celestial opposition, this brings about torment. For Christ’s unjust terrestrial opposition, who were slaves to the celestial, this brings about the brief fury of God, and the effectual death which is imposed upon them at Judgment Day (Rev. 20:14-15.)

“The Eon of the Eons”

There is only one use of the phrase “eon of the eons.” It appears at the end of the doctrinal portion of Ephesians, 3:21–

Now to Him Who is able to do super-excessively above and beyond all that we are requesting or apprehending, according to the power that is operating in us, to Him be glory in the ecclesia and in Christ Jesus for all the generations of the eon of the eons! Amen!

In this pretty instance of the double use of aion, the “accusative” case use is singular, whereas the other is plural. Everything considered in the Ephesians epistle concerns us with the reconciliation of the entire race, through the deliverance which is in Christ Jesus. God’s goal is to head up all in the Christ, both that in heavens and that on the earth, which is in accord with the counsel of His will (Eph. 1:9-11.) The Ephesians epistle further establishes both Jew and Greek into one body, reconciled in spirit into the new humanity, which will only become a physical reality on the new earth (this concept will be introduced to us in Romans 6:1-7, so don’t worry if it’s new for you.)

This doctrine of the highest unfoldings of man’s imminent reconciliation is concluded with the above phrase. Christ’s reconciliatory glories will be prominently revealed in the new earth, where God will be able to intimately dwell among humanity (Rev. 22:3-5.)

“The Eon of the Eon”

There is, finally, only one use of the phrase “eon of the eon” in the Greek New Testament, found in Hebrews 1:8–

Yet to the Son [the messenger is saying]: “Your throne, O God, is for the eon of the eon, And a scepter of rectitude is the scepter of Your kingdom.” You love righteousness and hate injustice; Therefore You are anointed by God, Your God, with the oil of exultation beyond Your partners…”

Before we consider the passage, let us note that the accusative and genitive cases of each respective term remain the same. The passage does not change its force. Indeed, the only difference is in the dual singularity of each term.

The letter to the Hebrews, as discussed multiple times on this blog, is the foundational doctrinal letter of the circumcision, following directly from the presentation of the kingdom evangelizing which occurred in the letter to the Acts. Unlike Paul, the circumcision evangel is not immediately concerned with the reconciliation of all, but the restoration of all (Acts 3:21,) which will occur with the advent of their promised kingdom.

We may understand, then, why the eon of the eon is specially mentioned in this passage, referring to the millennial kingdom. The kingdom of the Son is for the eon of the eon. This is why the scepter is in view, and the passage is in reference to Psalm 45 – a prophetic inference with a view to the upcoming kingdom. The whole phrase, “eon of the eon,” is used to demonstrate that Christ’s sacrifice in this present eon, having become a Man, is what gives Him the judicial authority to rule during the impending eon.

- GerudoKing