A "Grain Of Wheat" Ministries publication

Written by David W. Dyer

INDEX

Chapter 1: THE MILLENNIUM LOST

Chapter 2: ARE WE IN THE MILLENNIUM TODAY?

Chapter 3: MORE SIGNS?

Chapter 4: SOME SPURIOUS ARGUMENTS?

Chapter 5: FOCUSED ON HEAVEN

Chapter 6: WHY IS THE KINGDOM IMPORTANT?

Chapter 7: "OUTER DARKNESS"

Chapter 8: OTHER SCRIPTURES

Chapter 9: SOME REALLY BAD THEOLOGY

Chapter 10: REAL TRANSFORMATION

Chapter 7: "OUTER DARKNESS"

Now just where is this place called “outer darkness,” where this unfaithful servant is thrown? Most assume that this is another word for “hell” or “the lake of fire.” However, this assumption must be a modern one.

Before the age of electricity, the only way to have light at night or in a dark place was to have fire in some form, whether it be a candle, lamp, torch, etc. For someone of that time, the idea of a lake full of fire being dark would be total nonsense. How could a fire be without light?

So it is easy to conclude that this place is not the same as the lake of fire. Furthermore, no one is thrown into the lake of fire before the millennium except the beast and the false prophet (Rev 19:20).

The only tenuous connection between the two (outer darkness and the lake of fire) seems to be the phrase used while describing both places “There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Mt 8:12; 22:13; 13:42).

This similarity of reactions of the people who suffer these two different punishments cannot be honestly used to insist that they are the same place. Obviously, anyone who is punished by God in any form will be unhappy experience regret. They will weep and gnash their teeth.

This judgment of servants will take place when Jesus returns to set up His kingdom. Please notice that the judgment of unbelievers will take place later “…after the one thousand years are finished” (Rev 20:5,12). Therefore, those judged at the time of Jesus' return can only be believers.

So, the place called “outer darkness” is somewhere that “servants” of Jesus are thrown who are lacking in something. This “something” is faithfulness. We will see this truth again as we examine other parables.

It is easy to see why so many people want to get rid of or skip the millennial kingdom. If we accept it, then we must admit that there can be punishment for unfaithful believers. Horrors!

Many have a hard time with that. So, they develop doctrines to eliminate the coming kingdom. This unfortunately is the work of the wrong kingdom with the wrong leader. It is darkness. Although those who teach that there is no such earthly kingdom coming have ways of explaining away certain scriptures, the result is to lose an important truth which today's church badly needs to hear!

ANOTHER SERVANT PARABLE

Let's go on to read more about what will happen to some of Jesus' servants. In Luke 12:42-48 we read: “And the Lord said, 'Who then is the faithful and wise steward, whom his lord sets over his household to give them their portion of food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he comes will find fulfilling his task. What I say to you is true. He will appoint him to administer all his possessions.

“But if that same servant says in his heart, 'My lord is delaying his coming' and begins to abuse the other menservants and the maidservants and to eat and drink, and get drunk, the lord of that servant will come on a day which he doesn't expect him and at a time which he does not imagine. Then he will whip {or beat} him severely and assign him his share with the unfaithful.

“And that servant, who knew his lord's will and did not prepare himself or carry out his will, will be beaten with many stripes. But he who did not understand and did things worthy of stripes will be beaten with few stripes. And to whomever much is given, much will be required of him. And to whom someone entrusts a larger portion, even more will be asked from him.”

Here Jesus teaches us that there are consequences - serious consequences - for unfaithfulness. The unfaithful servants, whether knowingly unfaithful or unwittingly unfaithful, are beaten. How does that fit into the “everything's already forgiven” theology? It doesn't! So, many dishonestly try to make this passage not refer to Christians. They try to make these servants Jews, or something else, anything but believers receiving a just reward which they deserve.

Also, they point to verse 46 which in many translations reads: “He will appoint their portion with the unbelievers.” So, they say, these must be unbelievers. This must mean they go to hell.

But when we honestly examine this Greek word translated as “unbelievers,” it also can mean “unfaithful” or “not to be trusted, perfidious.” It could then read: “He will appoint their portion with the unfaithful.” So, this verse cannot be used as proof that these were unbelievers.

Furthermore, as we have seen, unbelievers will only be thrown into the lake of fire much later, not when the Lord comes.

There will be no beatings in the lake of fire. The fire will be punishment enough. As so many erroneously imagine, the devil and his demons will not be there inflicting punishment on people. They will be there suffering punishment themselves, not beating others!

Milton's Paradise Lost and Dante's Inferno along with Bosch's paintings have brought nothing but confusion to the church about this subject. But, thinking about it, perhaps they were just expressing the confusion that already existed in their time and still exists today.

Can you now understand how much the devil wants to hide this truth? It is in his best interest that Christians believe they can live any way they want without consequences. It serves his purposes to rob the gospel of any serious results and so take away any fear of the Lord which could motivate believers to turn away from sin. Obscuring the coming kingdom, with all its related rewards and punishments, is the work of the prince of darkness.

Without a clear, true understanding of the coming kingdom, all possible consequences for disobedience disappear, and what we are left with is a mushy, weak, pusillanimous message which seems to make God into a doddering old fool.

It pictures God, who in the Old Testament was severe against sin, as someone who has changed His mind, doesn't care so much about sin anymore and now just wants people to “accept” Him. Perhaps He has repented for His overly harsh attitudes. It seems that He has become very insecure and He now craves acceptance so much that when we “accept” Him, He will just ignore all of our sin and whisk us off to heaven when we die.

Let me be very clear about this: God is NOT needing you or anyone else to “accept” Him. We need to be accepted by Him! And for this to happen, we need to repent for our sins, both our past and our present ones.

Let's move on to another parable. Here we read about the wedding feast and someone who shows up there without the proper attire. Matthew 22:1-3 reads: “And Jesus answered and spoke again in parables to them saying, 'The kingdom which comes from the heavens is like a certain king who made a marriage feast for his son and sent out his slaves to call those who were invited to the wedding feast.'”

During the feast this happens: “But when the king came in to see those sitting at the feast, he saw a man who did not have on a wedding garment. And he said to him, 'Friend, how did you get in here without having a wedding garment?' And the man was speechless. Then the king said to the slaves, 'Bind him hand and foot and throw him out into the outer darkness, where there will be wailing and the gnashing of teeth'” (Mt 22:11-13).

Here we have a message concerning the marriage feast for the Son. As we have seen, the marriage feast is an aspect of the coming kingdom, not eternity. Why would there be a feast if the Son were already married? The wedding feast has to happen before the eternal kingdom begins. Think about this! This parable cannot be teaching us about eternity. This is because Jesus' marriage takes place at the beginning of the new heaven and new earth (Rev 21:1,2). Therefore, there will be no wedding feast “in eternity.”

In this parable, we see that someone who is present at this feast suffers some negative consequences. The Lord asks a very good question: “How did you get in here without a wedding garment?” How could, for example, an unbeliever get in unnoticed? Will some non-Christians accidentally be raptured? Obviously, whether this be in the kingdom or, as some erroneously imagine, eternity, no unbelievers could possibly sneak in. To teach this is both dishonest and ridiculous.

What is this garment or what does it represent? The scriptures tell us clearly. We read: For the fine linen is [represents] the righteous acts of those set apart for God” (Rev 19:8).

Here we see that the wedding garment is a result of righteous actions. This Greek word does not merely mean “righteousness” but righteous acts, or deeds.

Oh no! Do you mean “works”? Yes, that's right. What we do as a result of our faith is important and even essential. This wedding guest in this parable got in because he was a believer. But he lacked something important. His faith did not motivate Him to obey Jesus and fulfill His will. Therefore, during the kingdom he will be excluded and thrown into a place called “outer darkness.”

MORE OF JESUS' TEACHINGS

Jesus reveals that there are also further requirements for entering into His kingdom. Please remember here that He is NOT teaching about eternal life or “salvation.” Matthew 18:3 reads: “Truly I say to you, unless you change direction and become as little children, you will by no means enter into the kingdom which comes from the heavens. In Luke 18:17 Jesus says: “Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, will in no way enter into it.” Here we see that there are requirements for entering into the kingdom. One of them is to become childlike.

We also read in Matthew 5:5 “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” And “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom which comes from the heavens.” Now we learn that being “poor in spirit” and “meekness” are also requirements for entering. Are these characteristics necessary for being born again? Do you have to be like this to become a Christian?

Without “rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Tim 2:15 NKJV) - in this case making a clear separation between “entering the kingdom” and “having eternal life” - there is no coherent, logical theological solution to these questions.

When we meditate upon these scriptures, we must admit that there are many believers who do not fit in these categories. They aren't meek. They aren't childlike. In fact, many are proud and full of themselves. So how then can we understand these scriptures?

Are these people lost? Were they never really believers in the first place? What must be clear to any honest reader is that while “salvation” - that is being born from above - is a free gift, entering into the coming kingdom has some further requirements. Among these are: humility, meekness, obedience, and faithfulness. Once we understand the truth about the kingdom, these and many other such biblical questions are easily resolved.

End of Chapter 7

Read other chapters online:

Chapter 1: THE MILLENNIUM LOST

Chapter 2: ARE WE IN THE MILLENNIUM TODAY?

Chapter 3: MORE SIGNS?

Chapter 4: SOME SPURIOUS ARGUMENTS?

Chapter 5: FOCUSED ON HEAVEN

Chapter 6: WHY IS THE KINGDOM IMPORTANT?

Chapter 7: "OUTER DARKNESS"

Chapter 8: OTHER SCRIPTURES

Chapter 9: SOME REALLY BAD THEOLOGY

Chapter 10: REAL TRANSFORMATION