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Mark 9:48 NKJV
where ‘Their worm does not die And the fire is not quenched.’

Worms are used as a metaphor and are to be taken literally. Worms are not tortured in hell or never die in hell. Jesus’ teachings about hell in Mark chapter 9 are connected to Psalms 22 and Isaiah chapters 1, 41 & 66.

Psalm 22:6 NKJV
But I am a worm, and no man; A reproach of men, and despised by the people.

Isaiah 1:18 NKJV
“Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the LORD, “Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool.

Isaiah 41:14 NKJV
“Fear not, you worm Jacob, You men of Israel! I will help you,” says the LORD And your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.

Isaiah 66:24 NKJV
“And they shall go forth and look Upon the corpses of the men Who have transgressed against Me. For their worm does not die, And their fire is not quenched. They shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.”

Psalm 22, known as the psalm of the cross foretells Jesus’s words during the crucifixion saying “My God My God why have you forsaken me!” Later in the psalm, he says “But I am a worm and not a man”. The word for worm here is “tolaw” and it refers to a very specific insect known as the “crimson worm”. When a female crimson worm is ready to lay eggs, she binds herself to a tree and sacrifices her life, feeding her children with her own body. As she dies, she oozes a red dye. It’s this process that actually transforms her from a crimson or scarlet color to snow white. Can you see the incredible symbolism here with regard to the atonement and crucifixion? Does this also remind you of another verse of scripture?

“Come now, let us put it to the test, says God though your sins are as scarlet, they can be made white as snow; though they have reddened as crimson, they may become white as wool” This verse is from Isaiah 1:18. Want to know something really cool? Because the book of Isaiah is one great big chiasmus this means the images and ideas in chapter 1 are mirrored in the last chapter of Isaiah. And what do we find in chapter 66? “And they shall go out and look upon the corpses of the people who transgressed against me, whose worms do not die and whose fire shall not be extinguished. They shall be a horror to all flesh”. Guess what word in Hebrew is used here for “worm”? That’s right, it’s “tolaw”!

So what is God trying to tell us here in Isaiah and why did He quote those specific words from the psalm? I think we can find the best answer in His own words found in Matthew 16 “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.” Interestingly, Jesus speaks these words when prophesying about his forthcoming mock trial, crucifixion, and resurrection, which the disciples did not yet understand. Like the crimson worm and Jesus Who bore our sins, we are all worms, as it says in Isaiah 41, filled with the blood and sins of this generation and of mortal life in a fallen world. And the only way to be made pure as snow or white as wool is to willingly let our worms die otherwise we become those prophesied about in 66 who are left as a “horror to all flesh” in the last days.

The Crimson Worm is a type of Jesus Christ. If we believe in Him He will keep us alive through the giving of His Flesh and Blood.

Worms represent dirty filthy sinful mankind, inside and out and are totally unclean without the grace allotted us through faith in Jesus Christ.

Their worm or inner man would not die (symbolized by rejecting a baptism)

Dying to self-righteousness” in a spiritual context means surrendering your own pride, ego, and belief in personal goodness to rely solely on God’s grace, acknowledging your need for a savior rather than earning righteousness through your own efforts.

Jesus is directly speaking to those who reject Him as He is the only way for anyone to find righteousness. The Pharisees and Scribes rejected a baptism for themselves since they believed they were not dirty from sin.

Hell is not a place where God tortures anyone. Hell is but a word that describes those who are “dead” (spiritually) because of sin.

Paul actually brings this into context in Ephesians 2:1 NKJV
And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins.

Without faith in Jesus Christ, our sins will not be forgiven and we will not be given the Holy Spirit which brings a new born again life while we are in our physical and body.

Hell is but a word that describes a spiritual condition while in the flesh. No more and no less.

The Parable about the Rich man and Lazarus is directed at the Pharisees and Scribes (Luke chapter 15 verse 2) where they complained that Jesus was spending quality time with known sinners. The Pharisees and Scribes symbolize the Rich man and Lazarus refers to the sinner in this parable. Lazarus’s name means in Greek, “God has helped” or “God’s help”. God helps sinners that repent

I hope this helps you better understand the meaning of hell.

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