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This study is only intended to give a few "thought starters"
to honest hearted Bible students. It IS NOT by any means to
be considered to be a complete treatise of this subject.

I also want to make clear in the very beginning that I have
NO AXE to grind with Seventh Day Adventists, Jehovah's
Witnesses, or others who believe in the annihilation of the
wicked. I have studied their materials and found some very
important truths missing in their approach to certain texts
of scripture. That does NOT mean they are not Christians.
There are TRUE CHRISTIANS in most denominations, and the Lord
has burdened us here at the Bible Study Center with the need
of striving to deal with the doctrines that divide God's
people, and thereby to put an end to the confusion (BABYLON
means "confusion") that exists today. We realize of course
that most people who profess "CHRISTIANITY" are NOT honest
hearts, and therefore they hold to their denominational
teachings "no matter what". However, true "HONEST HEARTS"
want to know WHAT IS RIGHT and are not concerned with WHO IS
RIGHT. They are not like the people who just want to prove
their point in order to satisfy personal pride (by being
"right").

     Some brothers in our congregation have already left
several messages on the message base of this board in order
to help people studying this subject. I feel they have
mentioned many very important points already, and will try
not to duplicate their efforts in this little study. If you
have not read their messages, I would recommend that you do
so. A few of them are message numbers; 269, 270, 271, 473,
477, 478, 481, etc.

     I believe one of the most important requirements for a
true understanding of this subject (as well as MOST Bible
subjects) has to do with the TRUE METHOD of Bible
interpretation. Since that subject is already dealt with in
the first several chapters of our study book on Revelation
(and those are on this file level), we will trust that honest
hearts will prayerfully search the scriptures dealt with in
those files. We need always REMEMBER first and foremost, THE
NATURAL MAN (AND HIS FLESHLY WISDOM) CAN NEVER UNDERSTAND THE
THINGS OF GOD (i.e. spiritual truth -  1 Corinthians 2:14).
The TRUTH is HIDDEN from LOST PEOPLE and therefore must be
seen in its SPIRITUAL (symbolic and allegorical - 2
Corinthians 4:3-4) sense, as is witnessed by all the
processes of nature (Romans 1:20).

     Since this is only a partial study, I will go directly
to the passage of scripture which has been the center of
discussion.

Malachi 4
 4:1  For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven;
and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be
stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the
LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor
branch.
 4:2  But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of
righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go
forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.
 4:3  And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be
ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do
[this], saith the LORD of hosts.
 4:4  Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I
commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, [with] the statutes
and judgments.
 4:5  Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the
coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:
 4:6  And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the
children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest
I come and smite the earth with a curse.

There are several things that are definitely absolute and not
open to speculation or interpretation in this text.

(1) "Elijah the prophet" (verse 5) is a "TYPE" or in other
words a symbolic, allegorical reference to John the Baptist.
Jesus makes this VERY plain in Matthew 17:10-13 and Matthew
11:13-14. The difference in spelling of Elijah and Elias is
caused by the translators taking the one from Hebrew and the
other from Greek and Aramaic manuscripts. This is the same
reason that "Noah" in Genesis is "Noe" in Matthew 24:37 and
Isaiah is called "Esaias" in John 1:23, etc.

(2) The "Sun of righteousness" in Malachi 4:2 is OBVIOUSLY a
prophecy of Jesus Christ. In 2 Peter 1:19 speaks of the "day
star" (Greek = phosphoros is translated as both those words)
"arising" in people's hearts. The "phosphoros" or "day star"
is a reference to the SUN.  The "sun" symbol is covered in
the first chapter of the Revelation study on this board. It
represents Jesus as he is manifest through the WORD OF GOD. I
believe ALL Bible students realize that JESUS is the "Sun of
righteousness".

(3) "Calves of the stall" in Malachi 4:2 can only be
interpreted in basically one of two ways. Either:

     A. God turns his people into literal "calves" or baby
cows when they are given spiritual life......OR

     B. "Calves of the stall" is another "TYPE" or symbolic
picture along the same lines that Paul applied the ceremonial
law in 1 Corinthians 9:9-11 where he shows that the TRUE
meaning of Deuteronomy 25:4 has NOTHING to do with the
literal ceremony, but is rather a symbolic picture (as are
ALL of the old covenant ceremonial laws) of much more
important things.

     I believe that the obvious TRUE interpretation of this
text is "B", and that the reader can easily see this without
further proof. If this is not so, leave me a message on this
board and I will produce much MORE proof. Level 2 of this
board contains studies with MUCH more proof of these things.

    Now we MUST surely realize that if the Sun of
righteousness is symbolic, and the "calves of the stall" are
symbolic, and Elijah the prophet is used here symbolically,
then the CONTEXT MUST BE THE SAME. If that is not so and the
Bible is not consistent in context, then there is NO way to
know for certain what ANY text of scripture means.

     If the CONTEXT is symbolic, then the "ashes under the
soles of your feet" are ALSO SYMBOLIC. Let us check and see
if this is consistent with Biblical usage.

     Isaiah 61:3 and context speaks of the glories of new
testament salvation. One descriptive phrase states that the
Lord will give "beauty for ashes". In other words, if you'll
notice, the context is saying the Lord is going to make an
exchange with them; HE GIVES BEAUTY IN EXCHANGE FOR OUR
ASHES. Some who are not familiar with the prophecies and the
NEW TESTAMENT fulfillments may not understand who ZION is.
Many today fail to understand the meanings of 1 Peter 2:5-10,
Galatians 3:16-23, and similar texts. The fulfillment of
Isaiah 61:3 is when God's elect receive TRUE salvation in
this new covenant. We give him our "ashes" in exchange for
the "BEAUTY" of "Christ is us, the hope of GLORY". Isaiah 61
and all other prophecies are not LITERAL statements of truth,
but are PARABLES of truth just like Jesus used to preach.
They are given in this manner for the same reason that Jesus
preached in such a manner (Matthew 13:10-17).

     It should be obvious to the reader that we do not give
Jesus LITERAL ashes. However, if we understand the symbolism
of burning, then we can see that all of our WORKS, etc. are
BURNED up when we come to Christ. The only WORKS that are
worthwhile to God are those Jesus works from WITHIN us AFTER
we have spiritual life. Proof of this symbolic usage of the
term is as follows:

     (1) 1 Corinthians 3:9-16.
 3:9  For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's
husbandry, [ye are] God's building.
 3:10  According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as
a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another
buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth
thereupon.
 3:11  For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid,
which is Jesus Christ.
 3:12  Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver,
precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
 3:13  Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day
shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the
fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.
 3:14  If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon,
he shall receive a reward.
 3:15  If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss:
but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
 3:16  Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and [that]
the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

     Every man's works are tried by "fire". This "every man"
refers in context to EVERY MAN WHO BUILDS ON THE FOUNDATION
OF JESUS CHRIST. Such do not use LITERAL "gold, silver,
precious stones, wood, hay, and stubble". Those are again
symbolic and allegorical terms. Even so, the FIRE is
spiritual and symbolic.

     I would like to ask the reader a question.....What is
the end product of burning? ASHES????? Think of that and look
at the symbolism shown in the above mentioned text.
     If the reader will notice carefully, the Bible teaches
that while the LOST will (symbolically and spiritually)
"burn" throughout eternity, the SAVED are having their
"works" burned up (symbolically speaking) in this life.

     (2) 1 Peter 1:7
 1:7  That the trial of your faith, being much more precious
than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire,
might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the
appearing of Jesus Christ:

     Faith is not a natural or carnal thing. It is spiritual
substance. It cannot be tried with literal fire. This IS NOT
a reference to being burnt at the stake as some have taught.

The comparison here is that:
     (A) LITERAL GOLD IS PUT IN LITERAL FIRE TO BE PURIFIED
     (B) SPIRITUAL "GOLD" (FAITH, SALVATION, TRUE, all
spiritual "synonyms") MUST BE PUT IN SPIRITUAL "FIRE" TO BE
TESTED AND PURIFIED. There are many ways in which this can be
accomplished according to the Bible. Most have NOTHING to do
with LITERAL FIRE.

     (3) Hebrews 1:7
     And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels
spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.

         Jeremiah 5:14
     Wherefore thus saith the Lord God of hosts, Because ye
speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth
fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.

     I'm certain the reader will agree that God did NOT
LITERALLY fulfill these things. Otherwise, we would have to
believe that God literally turned the people to wood, and
used LITERAL FIRE to burn them to ASHES. Again, these are
good examples of the symbolic language of prophecy.

     (4) Matthew 3:
 3:10  And now also the ax is laid unto the root of the trees:
therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is
hewn down, and cast into the fire.
 3:11  I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he
that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not
worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and
[with] fire:
 3:12  Whose fan [is] in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge
his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will
burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

     I suppose that a literalist COULD use this text to teach
that John the Baptist was the "Paul Bunyan" of his day.
However, I do not believe ANYONE would be so foolish, as the
context of the entire chapter shows that John is speaking
symbolically of himself. He was using the "axe" of truth to
"cut down" the wicked so they could be "burnt". ALL OF THIS
OCCURRED while the wicked were still VERY MUCH physically
ALIVE in this present world.

     The GREEK manuscripts are worth studying in this text,
as they better show which words are modified by which within
the context (see Greek endings...NOT JUST THE WORD FAMILIES
AS GIVEN IN STRONG'S AND OTHER REFERENCE WORKS). There are TWO
different baptisms referred to in this passage of scripture.
You will find the following to be true:

     (A) SPIRIT BAPTISM (for the honest hearts).
     (B) FIRE BAPTISM (for the wicked).

     Both Spirit baptism AND FIRE baptism are SPIRITUALLY
accomplished. Both are administered by the preaching of the
WORD OF GOD. Notice what is accomplished by each:

     SPIRIT BAPTISM ---- causes the (spiritual) "wheat"
(GOD'S PEOPLE) to become gathered together into His "garner"
or gathering place.

     FIRE BAPTISM ---- causes the WICKED to be "PURGED" out
of God's "floor", and causes them to "burn up".

     I could cover hundreds more texts that show the same
truths as these, but for the sake of time, let us go back to
Malachi 4.

     As we PROVE in other studies already on this board, the
DAY OF THE LORD (Malachi 4:5) is the NEW TESTAMENT
(covenant). John the Baptist came in the spirit of Elijah to
usher in the beginning stages of the transition between the
OLD and NEW TESTAMENTS (same GREEK as covenants). This
fulfilled many prophecies such as Isaiah 40:3-4 and context,
etc.
     One of the other symbolic pictures the Bible paints of
the day of Jesus and John the Baptist is the "burning", as we
have already seen briefly in Matthew 3. The "day" referred to
in Malachi 4:1 is the "day of the Lord" mentioned in verse 5.
The BURNING described in Malachi 4:1 is the BAPTISM of FIRE
mentioned in Matthew 3. The TREADING DOWN OF THE WICKED IS
SHOWN IN EXAMPLE FORM IN MATTHEW 23, as Jesus himself used
the TRUTH to burn up, and to TREAD on the scribes and
pharisees.

I KNOW I HAVE BARELY TOUCHED ON THIS LENGTHY SUBJECT, BUT I
HOPE THIS WILL GIVE THE READER A FEW THOUGHTS TO CONSIDER
BEFORE WE LOOK AT ANOTHER PASSAGE THAT HAS BEEN MENTIONED ON
THIS BOARD.

     I WOULD like to summarize what we have studied this far
by saying this:

EITHER WE AS HUMANS MUST GIVE UP OUR OLD WORKS OF THE FLESH
AND LET THEM BE BURNED SO WE CAN BE "SAVED, YET SO AS BY
FIRE" (1 Corinthians 3:15), OR ELSE WE OURSELVES WILL SOMEDAY
FEEL THE FIRE OF GOD'S WRATH. THIS IS ACCOMPLISHED BOTH
THROUGH THE PREACHING OF GOD'S TRUE WORD, AND ALSO BY GOD
BRINGING THE SAME SYMBOLIC JUDGEMENT UPON MAN IN ETERNITY.

IF YOU AND I TRULY SERVE THE LORD, WE WILL STRIVE TO PULL
PEOPLE OUT OF THE "FIRE" (THEY ARE ALREADY IN IT NOW AND ARE
CERTAINLY NOT ANNIHILATED). JUDE 23
     "And others save with fear, pulling them out of the
fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. "


The other text of scripture which was recently mentioned by a
very kind Seventh Day Adventist brother on this board is verse
seven in JUDE.

 1:7  Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in
like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going
after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering
the vengeance of eternal fire.

If the reader will carefully study all of the files on the
first TWO file levels of this board, I believe they will find
MANY examples and proofs that EVERY LITERAL EVENT GOD HAS
EVER BROUGHT TO PASS was for the purpose of symbolizing the
MUCH MORE IMPORTANT SPIRITUAL event and truth that is
connected with the LITERAL.

     The person who presented the question on this board made
mention of the fact that the LITERAL fire that destroyed
Sodom and Gomorrah is not BURNING TODAY. This is very true,
but that is NOT THE FIRE to which Jude was referring. We have
already shown the message of Jude 23. If he was referring to
literal fire in verse 7, it would be necessary that he still
be speaking of the same in verse 23, as the entire letter
speaks of one continuous coverage of the same subject. At the
time of Jude's writings, those who had been killed by the
LITERAL fires of judgement in the cities of the plain were
experiencing the SPIRITUAL FIRES of judgement which were and
are ETERNAL in the same sense that GOD IS BIBLICALLY.

I hope that these few thoughts prove helpful in each and
every one's search for the truth of this subject. There are
many different phases to this, and I will strive to write
more each time that I can get an hour or two to spare. I am
not intending to leave the impression that I know everything
and that no one else is correct in Bible understanding.
However, I do not believe today as I was raised for 26 years
of regular church attendance to believe. In fact, today I
disagree with about 95% of what I used to teach when I was
still working and preaching amongst false religion. Since
that day I have very thoroughly studied the depths of books
and teachings of the Seventh Day Adventist church as well as
all other denominations. I have the complete works of Ellen
G. (Harmon) White, as well as the main works of the
"founders" of EACH denomination. I have not studied them with
the attitude of proving them wrong, but rather studied them
with the attitude that if they were right, I wanted to JOIN
UP. I have found that most all groups teach at least a little
truth. It would be impossible to deceive anyone otherwise.
The Lord has dealt with me that He is not pleased with ANY of
man's movements and systems, and simply wants to gather HIS
TRUE PEOPLE out of all of the various systems. That is NOT
for the purpose of building "just another denomination", but
rather that all of His people might study and consider
together without doctrinal and denominational barriers in
order that they might GROW UP in the WORD (Ephesians 4:11-
16).

     It is our desire (on this board) that HONEST hearts from
EVERY GROUP might have opportunity to discuss peacefully and
prayerfully the various doctrines and teachings until each
one can come to a perfect understanding of the WORD.

     Every doctrine connects in some manner with many other
doctrines. For that reason, it is impossible to cover
ANYTHING thoroughly until MANY subjects are studied. I have
spent over 70,000 hours of my life studying and teaching the
scriptures. However, I do not say that to boast, as all that
time has done is show me how WORTHLESS Bible study really is
UNTIL a child of God has opportunity to be brought into
contact with what God has revealed. Otherwise, the MORE you
study, the more you realize you don't know. That is the
reason so many men have attended a few years of Bible
college, and then turned away from God. They were taught
enough of the Bible to show them how much they and their
professors did not know about the Bible. An honest heart is a
searching heart who is always aware of the fact they may have
been taught (or taught others) wrongly. I would much rather
find that fact out HERE than in eternity. Wouldn't you?
Therefore, though we will rarely have time to cover a subject
thoroughly in any single Bible study, we trust the reader
will keep their hearts open, and keep praying and studying
until the LORD makes everything CLEAR.

     Thank you for studying with us. Love in Christ, Pastor
Doyle Armstrong.