I had previously written some thoughts of sulphur (brimstone):
I had thought that the mention of brimstone (sulphur) was just there to add to the misery. I hope you find the following interesting:
The nature of Sulphur: What most people know about it is that it is a yellow powder and stinks when
it is burned. The odor actually happens only when combined with something else like hydrogen. It is one
of the more abundant elements occuring naturally in our world. Fools Gold (iron pyrite) is mined for its sulphur. The chemistry of sulphur is more complex than that of any other elemental substance, because it exists in the largest variety of structural forms. The viscosity of melted sulphur (resistence to flow) increases 10,000 fold as it is heated from 319 to 383 degrees. When heating most other liquids their visosity decreases. It does not dilute in water.
Sulphur is the king of remidies. It was used to treat skin disorders such as acne or scabies i.e, to remove blemishes. It was used as an internal cleanser. It has no side effects. It is used to treat fevers. It stimulates the bodies natual healing powers. Sulphur is used in treating gout, rheumatism, bronchitis and digestive problems. Sulphur is required for life!
Sulphur is used in refining low grade ore into gold! Sulpher (actually sulphuric acid)
is used to separate the copper from the Gold.
It works like this. In a blast furnace low-grade ore, fluxes,coal, lead oxide, iron, pyrites and slags from other processes are mixed. Oxygen enriched air is blown in the base of the furnace . The whole mixture heats up and melts and 3 main reactions take place:
- The fluxes combine with the non-metallic components of the mix to form a slag or covering.
- The pyrite (fools gold) decomposes to form ferros sulphide and sulphur which converts any copper present in the mix to copper sulphide or matte.
- The lead oxide is reduced to lead which then collects most of the gold metals with it to form a lead bullion.
Only the waste is consumed, the precious metal (gold) is left within the lead brick. By another electro-chemical process the pure gold is separated from the lead.
The mention of sulphur in Rev 19 & 20 was not to add a foul stinking odor to the torment of the fire but to refine that which was in the fire! The symbolic sulphur is a necessary part of the process, not an added misery to torment. Its purpose is help to change those from detrious (death) to Gold! From death to life!
So even that which we associate with a foul, stinking, odor our God uses it to His purpose and creates purity.