A KEY SCRIPTURE

Revelation 14:10 "... he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:"

(Read verses 9-11).

---

ARRIVING AT AN ANSWER

In the final consequence of rejection of God and Christ, there is no escaping His omnipresence. The beast worshippers who clearly identify with the antichrist and receiving his mark become partakers of his doom. Such that share the beast's punishment will have received God's Word, ignored the warning of the judgments sent from heaven, and refused to repent and became united with Satan in rebelling against God.

This reference to eternal torment of the wicked, opposers of God, should be taken with many passages that teach it, as the loving warning by God (Revelation 14:10-11; 20:1-15; 21:8; 22:15; Isaiah 66:22-24; Matthew 8:12; 13:39-50; 25:41,46; Mark 9:43-49; Luke 12:5; 16:19-31 ). The choice before every person, to choose the Lamb of God to take away your sin (John 2:29; 1 Peter 2:24 ), or know the presence of the Lamb adding to the awfulness of your eternal state (Revelation 14:10 ).

C. S. Lewis acknowledges that hell is a detestable doctrine that he would willingly remove from Christianity if it were in his power. But, he goes on to point out,

"the question is not whether it is detestable but whether it is true. We must recognise that the reality of hell has the full support of Scripture and of our Lord's own teaching. Indeed, it has always been held by Christians and has the support of reason." C.S. Lewis - The problem of pain. New York. MacMillan 1954, Ch 8 - The Expositors Bible Commentary. Zondervan, Grand Rapids. Michigan

The presence of the Lamb adds indescribably to the condition of the lost: adds to their condemnation, consternation, because they are constantly under His observation.

A LEADING QUESTION

A KEY SCRIPTURE

Genesis 3:8 "And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. "

---

ARRIVING AT AN ANSWER

From the first disobedient ones, Adam and Eve, to now, Adam's progeny has attempted to hide from the manifestation of His presence, but none can remove themselves from His omnipresence.

Jeremiah 23:24 "Can anyone hide himself in secret places, So I shall not see him?" says the Lord; Do I not fill heaven and earth?" says the Lord."

The presence of God in the garden, from which Adam and Eve fled, was the visible and special manifestation to them at that time. The KJV says they heard the voice of the Lord God - the Hebrew word 'qol' means "voice, sound, noise."

Vine's Expository Dictionary comments: "Interestingly the first biblical appearance of 'qol' (Genesis 3:8 ) is a highly debated passage, exactly what did Adam and Eve hear in the garden? Was it the sound of the Lord God walking (cf 1 Kings 14:6 )?"

The New King James Version translates it to mean "they heard the sound of the Lord God walking." (Genesis 3:8 NKJV ). It was after they heard the sound,

Genesis 3:9 "And the LORD God called unto Adam, ..."

The divine manifestation is expressed as "the sound", God "calling", God "said". John H. Sailhamer wrote of the "sound" (Genesis 3:8 ),

"The respose of Adam in the garden was much the same as that of Israel at the foot of Sinai: when the people heard the sound of the Lord at Sinai, they were afraid "and stood at a distance and said....do not have God speak to us or we will die" (Exodus 20:18- 19 ). So also Adam and his wife fled at the first sound of the Lord in the garden." John H. Sailhamer - The Expositor's Bible Commentary (Zondervan)

The reaction of the disobedient is still the same - the sound of God in unwelcome, through fear. God "called", not because He did not know Adam's hiding place. Inquiring "where are you" was the cry of divine grief and compassion. Here is the expression of the seeking shepherd heart (Ezekiel 34:11; Matthew 9:36 ). What God had to say was in the form of questions to express His care, and to bring conviction and confession, that Adam and Eve be brought back to welcoming His manifestation of His special presence.

The gospel of reality is that Christ came,

Luke 19:10 "... to seek and to save that which was lost. "