And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire
And they shall go forth, and look - as the Israelites looked at the carcasses of the Egyptians destroyed at the Red Sea (Exodus 14:30 : cf. Isaiah 26:14-19 ; Psalms 58:10 ; Psalms 49:14 ; Malachi 4:1-3 ).
Upon the carcasses of the men that have transgressed against me ( Isaiah 66:16) - those slain by the Lord in the last great battle near Jerusalem (Zechariah 12:2-9; Zechariah 14:2-4): type of the final destruction of all sinners.
For their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched (Mark 9:44; Mark 9:46; Mark 9:48) - image of hell, from bodies left unburied in the valley of Hinnom (whence comes Gehenna, or hell, south of Jerusalem), where a perpetual fire was kept to consume the refuse thrown there (Isaiah 30:33). It shall not be inconsistent with true love for the godly to look with satisfaction on God's vengeance on the wicked (Revelation 14:10). The godly shall then be, in holy abhorrence of sin and jealousy for the vindication of God's justice, entirely of one mind with God (1 Samuel 16:1). This constitutes their unity and fellowship with God (John 17:21 ; John 17:23 ).
Remarks: Man can build no temple so acceptable to God as is the 'contrite spirit that trembleth at His Word.' All other temples of man's erection are merely provisional, during our present imperfect state, until the heavenly city descend from God, wherein there shall be no temple; but "the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it." Formalism, and scrupulous observance of outward ordinances, will be of no avail to those 'who choose their own' corrupt "ways," rather than the Lord's holy ways. He will repay such men in kind; He too will "choose" to give them up to their "delusions," even as they 'chose that in which He delighted not.' On the other hand, they who "tremble" reverently, with filial love and fear, at 'God's Word,' and who have been therefore hated, mocked, and cast out for the Lord's sake, shall see Him soon appearing, to their joy, and to the confusion of their adversaries.