Linder the reign of Josiah, in the great reformation, the valley and the repulsive practise associated with it were defiled. (2 Kings 23:10) .Subsequent to this change, the filth and rubbish o f the city was cast into it, where fires were kept burning continuously to consume them. On the outskirts o f the fire, worms fed upon the dead bodies cast there. During the time of Jesus, it was considered the extremest form of disgrace to be buried in this valley. Criminals and the like were condemned to this fate by the council of the Jews.
Gehenna and Divine Judgement
The prophet, Jeremiah foretells the future use of this valley in the time of need, when Israel shall have been gathered. “ And the whole valley of the dead bodies, and of the ashes, and all the fields unto the brook kidron, unto the corner of the horse gate toward the east, shall be holy unto the Lord; it shall not be plucked up, nor thrown down any more for ever.” (Jer. 31:40). The rejected are to be cast into this valley at the judgment, and are thus spoken of by Christ as being cast into Gehenna.
The eventual purging of this area of any kind of uncleanness is undoubtedly comprehended in the meaning of Jeremiah’s proclamation. It would seem however, that during the kingdom age, the valley will stand as a symbol of Divine judgment on sin. Isaiah speaks of this valley in connection with the restoration of Israel; “And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord. And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcasses of the men that have transgressed against me: For their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched: and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.” (Isaiah 66:23-24).
Unquenchable Fire
The words of Jesus as recorded in the 9th chapter of Mark are undoubtedly taken from the quotation above and have reference to the same thing. His reference to the casting of certain individuals into Gehema would immediately suggest to his listeners, a Judgement! The people were well acquainted with the council o f the Jews, in which criminals worthy of death were condemned to a burying place in the valley of ill repute. The great judge of mankind would some day preside at a judgment far greater and important than that of the Jews, in which rejected sinners would be confined to the Valley of the Son o f Hennom, where they would be subjected to “unquenchable fire.” The literal use of the valley in the past and its actual employment in the kingdom and serve as a suitable symbol of the divine judgment of the wicked at the resurrection.
The term, “unquenchable fire” seems to suggest to the orthodox the idea of eternal flames. Let us look again at Isaiah’s words: “Neither shall their fire be quenched.” As mentioned before, the word certainly suggests the consummation of everything lying in its path. The idea of the fire continuing forever is not even suggested, either actually or by implication. That the purpose behind its mention is that of all- consuming will become evident upon examination f another place in the scriptures where the same phrase is applied. Jeremiah, in relating the judgments o f God upon the city of Jerusalem utilizes the same figure of destruction. “Therefore, thus saith the Lord God; Behold, mine anger and my fury shall be poured out upon this place, upon men, and upon beast, and upon the trees of the field, and upon the fruit of the ground; and it shall burn, and shall not be quenched.” (Jer. 7:20). Were we to. apply the same reasoning here as that used in the 9th chapter f Mark, we would be led to conclusion that the city o f Jerusalem was to burn perpetually by a fire that would never cease. The same terminology is found in the 17th chapter o f Jeremiah a t verse 27 concerning the punishment of Jerusalem. But it is evident that the prophet was speaking o f the destruction of the city by the Babylonians. God’s wrath was to burn against the city as an unquenchable fire that would not be arrested until it had accomplished its purpose. With this example before us it is not difficult to understand the words of Jesus regarding the destruction of the wicked. A fire that cannot be quenched is one that will consume all that falls in its path.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One