Then a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and with the moon under her feet, and on her head was a crown of twelve stars.  She was pregnant and was screaming in labor pains, struggling (βασανιζομένη, a form of βασανίζω)^[1] to give birth.^[2]  A note in the NET acknowledged that the word translated struggling means being tortured: “Grk ‘and being tortured,’ though βασανίζω in this context refers to birth pangs.”  If this is what Jonathan Edwards had in mind when he declared God the Superlative Torturer I must concede the point.  Edwards preached:

“The wrath of kings is very much dreaded, especially of absolute monarchs, that have the possessions and lives of their subjects wholly in their power, to be disposed of at their meer will….The subject that very much enrages an arbitrary prince, is liable to suffer the most extreme torments, that human art can invent or human power can inflict.  But the greatest earthly potentates, in their greatest majesty and strength, and when clothed in their greatest terrors, are but feeble despicable worms of the dust, in comparison of the great and almighty creator and king of heaven and earth…”^[3] 

I will greatly increase your labor pains, the Lord cursed Eve after the incident with the forbidden fruit, with pain you will give birth to children.^[4]  No absolute monarch or arbitrary prince could inflict this torment on all women if and only if they have children.  God is uniquely qualified to administer this βασανίζω so thoroughly and yet so selectively.  (As I began to study this I called my mother and thanked her.)

And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet are too, and they will be tormented (βασανισθήσονται, a form of βασανίζω) there day and night forever and ever.^[5]  The beast and the false prophet were thrown alive into the lake of fire burning with sulfur in Revelation 19:20 (NET):

Now the beast was seized, and along with him the false prophet who had performed the signs on his behalf – signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image.  Both of them were thrown alive into the lake of fire burning with sulfur.

So I have a measure now of that torment, like the pains of childbirth.  However, When a woman gives birth, she has distress (λύπην, a form of λύπη)^[6] because her time has come, but when her child is born, she no longer remembers the suffering because of her joy (χαρὰν, a form of χαρά)^[7] that a human being has been born into the world.^[8]  The torture of the devil, the beast and the false prophet is like the pains of childbirth day and night forever and ever.

The two witnesses with authority to prophesy for 1,260 days, dressed in sackcloth^[9] have the power to close up the sky so that it does not rain during the time they are prophesying.  They have power to turn the waters to blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague whenever they want.^[10]

When they have completed their testimony, the beast that comes up from the abyss will make war on them and conquer them and kill them.  Their corpses will lie in the street of the great city that is symbolically called Sodom and Egypt, where their Lord was also crucified.  For three and a half days those from every people, tribe, nation, and language will look at their corpses, because they will not permit them to be placed in a tomb.^[11]

In response to the death of the two witnesses those who live on the earth will rejoice over them and celebrate, even sending gifts to each other, because these two prophets had tormented (ἐβασάνισαν, a form of βασανίζω) those who live on the earth.^[12]  I am inclined to regard this torment as something more like the battering of waves—the boat…was taking a beating (βασανιζόμενον, a form of βασανίζω) from the waves because the wind was against it^[13]—or straining at the oars in contrary winds—He saw them straining (βασανιζομένους, a form of βασανίζω) at the oars, because the wind was against them.^[14]  (The two witnesses also have a defense against anyone who wants to harm them, fire comes out of their mouths and completely consumes their enemies.^[15]  But I am assuming that lethal force defeats the purpose of, and is thereby distinguished from, torture.)

After the celebration, a breath of life from God entered [the two witnesses], and they stood on their feet, and tremendous (μέγας)^[16] fear (φόβος)^[17] seized those who were watching them.  Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them: “Come up here!” So the two prophets went up to heaven in a cloud while their enemies stared at them.  Just then a major earthquake took place and a tenth of the city collapsed; seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified (ἔμφοβοι, a form of ἔμφοβος)^[18] and gave glory to the God of heaven.^[19]

This is rare in John’s vision on Patmos.  Perhaps it was the result of the torment, the miraculous resurrection and ascension, the deadly earthquake or the character of the people who witnessed all of this in Jerusalem, where their Lord was also crucified.  But I am inclined to believe that the two witnesses prophesying the word of God in the authority of God causes people to repent of their celebration and glorify God when they see his word confirmed by miraculous signs and wonders (if and only if God has mercy on them).

When the fifth angel blew his trumpet, a star fell from the sky, and opened the shaft of the abyss.^[20] Smoke and locusts billowed out.  The locusts were given power like that of the scorpions of the earth.  They were told not to damage the grass of the earth, or any green plant or tree, but only those people who did not have the seal of God on their forehead.  The locusts were not given permission to kill them, but only to torture (βασανισθήσονται, a form of βασανίζω) them for five months, and their torture (βασανισμὸς, a form of βασανισμός)^[21] was like that (βασανισμὸς, a form of βασανισμός) of a scorpion when it stings a person.  In those days people will seek death, but will not be able to find it; they will long to die, but death will flee from them.^[22]

Again, if this is what Jonathan Edwards had in mind about God as the Superlative Torturer, I must concede the point.  I don’t see how an absolute monarch or arbitrary prince could either create locusts that sting like scorpions, or direct them to select only those who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads for torture.

If anyone worships the beast and his image, an angel declared, and takes the mark on his forehead or his hand, that person will also drink of the wine of God’s anger that has been mixed undiluted in the cup of his wrath, and he will be tortured (βασανισθήσεται, a form of βασανίζω) with fire and sulfur in front of the holy angels and in front of the Lamb.  And the smoke from their torture (βασανισμοῦ, a form of βασανισμός) will go up forever and ever, and those who worship the beast and his image will have no rest day or night, along with anyone who receives the mark of his name.^[23]

Here the Lamb officiates at the eternal torture of those who worship the beast and take the mark.  And here again, if this is what Jonathan Edwards had in mind I must concede the point.  My objections to considering God the Superlative Torturer may not be entirely rational.  Quite aside from even Edwards’ point that I repent and trust this Superlative Torturer for eternal life, is my instinct that the image of the Lamb officiating at this scene of torture is hyperbole to highlight how evil worshipping the beast and his image, and taking his mark actually are.  The “Superlative Torturer” who tortures all sinners dulls that distinction some.  I’ll look for these objections in my own personal history in the next essay.

Torture, Part 4