Weeping and Gnashing of Teeth

Exodus 12:30 - So Pharaoh rose in the night, he, all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was not a house where there was not one dead. 

I saw a note I'd written in my Bible regarding this verse. Lost world...gnashing of teeth. I'll tell you, even I am convicted by what I will be writing.

If you recall Moses and his call by God to take Israel out of captivity by the Egyptians, you will remember that the very last plague that God caused was that all the first born children of every one of the homes in Egypt would die. Yet all the first born of Israel were safe. It took them that long, ten plagues later, to know they had met God, but they still denied Him.

Why would a loving God do this? Part of me wants to say that it shows God's sovereignty and it is a warning of sorts for all mankind. The whole scenario speaks of believers and unbelievers. In Christ we are like Israel, God's people, who are saved and protected. We are chosen and part of God's family. Choosing to not know Christ we are like Egypt, of the world, not willing to give up our lives for His sake. If we choose that lifestyle, we are about as dead as those first born. 

Imagine arising in the morning to find the first born child dead. And imagine a whole country experiencing this. The horror, the wailing, the pain that doesn't quit. Wouldn't you expect they would be gnashing their teeth? Perhaps it was then that they realized who this God of Israel was and His power over life and death. He calls out to us today in the same way so we can avoid this gnashing of teeth.

In the New Testament several times gnashing of teeth was mentioned. Matthew describes it repeatedly in several chapters. Luke mentions it once in Chapter 13. Not surprisingly, they were all in red letters...words that Jesus spoke! We are admonished to pay attention to those red letters. Hebrews 2 tells us to heed the things we have heard lest we drift away, for they speak of so great a salvation. Jesus has spoken to us time and time again. Heed His words. These words are spoken to both believers and non-believers.

The first mention was when Jesus encountered a Roman centurion whose son was ill. He came to search out Jesus that He might heal his son. Jesus said He would come to his home but the centurion asked that He only speak the word because he was unworthy to have Him come into his house. Jesus was impressed with this man's faith and at that moment his son was healed. Jesus went on to say that when the kingdom of God is at hand there would be some with the centurion's type of faith and others who would say they believe yet had deceived themselves. They really did not know Him. These would be and will be cast out of the kingdom into the outer darkness where there was weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 8:12)

Another was the Parable of the Tares which describes the difference between believers and unbelievers at the end of the age when Jesus returns. Those who do not know Jesus will be thrown into the fiery furnace to live in eternal hell...where there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 13:42)

Yet another is the Parable of the Dragnet (Matthew 13:50). The dragnet was used by fishermen. They gathered all sorts of fish but some were thrown back into the water because they weren't good. The ending of the parable is the same as the one above, that we will be separated between good and bad, believers and unbelievers, the unbelievers going into the furnace of fire where there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

The Marriage of the King' Son presents us with a parable about those who chose not to attend the king's son's wedding. Friends and family, those who the king thought worthy of being invited, were asked but they opted not to attend. Furious, the king sent his servants to go into the highways and invite anyone they saw. They invited good and bad, anyone they could find. However, someone had crashed the party. He was not wearing the proper attire and he was bound and taken away, cast into outer darkness...where the gnashing of teeth took place. What? Those who think they are worthy to go to heaven but choose to not accept Jesus and wear the robes of righteousness, will not be accepted some day. Those who know they are unworthy and receive the invitation, are invited to attend the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, Jesus, the King's only Son. We cannot assume because we call ourselves Christians we will be invited...we might be as the uninvited guest. Jesus ends the parable by saying, For many are called, but few are chosen. (Matthew 22).

Oh what hards words...

Matthew 24 shows us the parable of the Faithful and Evil Servants. There are two servants. Their master leaves for a time leaving his servants in charge. One is about his master's business not knowing when he will return but awaiting his return. One decides that since it is not known when he will return, or if he even will, he treats his fellow servants poorly and carouses instead of working. This master, of course, speaks of Jesus and how we do not know the day or the hour He will return. We need to know Him now, being vigilant, waiting for His return and be counted as a good and faithful servant, a believer and follower, watching for the signs of His return and being about His business or we, too, could experience the weeping and gnashing of teeth if we have missed Him.

The Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25 is similar to the servants. It's about wisely using the gifts God has given us to avoid future judgment. Servants are given portions of their master's money to take care of while he is gone. One is given five talents and wisely increases that five to ten. Another is given two and does as the first servant, increasing it's value. But the one who only received one talent buried it. When the master returned he was pleased with the first two servants' management of his money and they each received a "Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful with what I gave you and I will make you rulers of more." The third servant was met with disappointment. He could at least have deposited the money with his bankers that it would gain interest instead of burying it. We who are in Christ need to be careful how we use what we have been given, whether time or "talents." Do we increase the kingdom or do we tuck it away? Do we share Jesus or keep Him for ourselves? We could be cast into the darkness where weep and gnash our teeth for not pleasing God with what He has given us.

Luke 13 describes the Narrow Way. The way of the world is the wide road, where the path of Jesus is narrow. If we choose not to take that narrow path, the Path that is Jesus, we will hear the words "Depart from Me." He will not acknowledge us because we chose instead to profess we knew Him...but did not truly follow, making us hypocrites. This is when we would meet up with the weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Let me just say that the Church in general may not always be teaching the depth of these things. We seem to be mainly concerned with the salvation issue. We could use harder words of admonition. But that's no excuse for our not understanding what the Word tells us. Jesus has made it pretty clear. 

Revelation also alludes to the Lake of Fire that those who do not know Jesus will be thrown into. It is there, like the fiery furnace or the furnace of fire, where weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth occur. It will be God's final judgment and eternal. Don't make the mistake of missing Jesus' call to "come and follow Me." 

...And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire. - "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!" (Revelation 20:13-15, Matthew 16:5)