It was the mercy of God that thousands should suffer, to prevent the necessity of visiting judgments upon millions.

This seems like God.

TE: I see God acting as Jesus Christ did. I see the description of Ellen White in GC chapter 1 as being a clear description as to how God acts in regards to the destruction of those who cast off His protection during this life. I don't understand why there would be any difficulty in understanding this.

MM: 1) Jesus never acted here the way He did in 68 AD. 2)

I see GC chapters 39-42 as a description of how Jesus will act during the finals days of earth's history.

MM: Consider the following insights:

The Bible and the SOP describe two sources of fire at the end of time - 1) Fire from heaven above, and 2) Fire from earth below. The same fires that burn up the rubbish of earth will burn up the flesh of sinners. It is literal fire. The same Lord who prevented saints from burning up can prevent sinners from burning up before they have been punished according to their words and works. There is nothing cruel or unusual about it.

How repugnant to every emotion of love and mercy, and even to our sense of justice, is the doctrine that the wicked dead are tormented with fire and brimstone in an eternally burning hell; that for the sins of a brief earthly life they are to suffer torture as long as God shall live. Yet this doctrine has been widely taught and is still embodied in many of the creeds of Christendom. Said a learned doctor of divinity: "The sight of hell torments will exalt the happiness of the saints forever. When they see others who are of the same nature and born under the same circumstances, plunged in such misery, and they so distinguished, it will make them sensible of how happy they are." Another used these words: "While the decree of reprobation is eternally executing on the vessels of wrath, the smoke of their torment will be eternally ascending in view of the vessels of mercy, who, instead of taking the part of these miserable objects, will say, Amen, Alleluia! praise ye the Lord!"

Where, in the pages of God's word, is such teaching to be found? Will the redeemed in heaven be lost to all emotions of pity and compassion, and even to feelings of common humanity? Are these to be exchanged for the indifference of the stoic or the cruelty of the savage? No, no; such is not the teaching of the Book of God. Those who present the views expressed in the quotations given above may be learned and even honest men, but they are deluded by the sophistry of Satan. He leads them to misconstrue strong expressions of Scripture, giving to the language the coloring of bitterness and malignity which pertains to himself, but not to our Creator. "As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die?" Ezekiel 33:11.
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What would be gained to God should we admit that He delights in witnessing unceasing tortures; that He is regaled with the groans and shrieks and imprecations of the suffering creatures whom He holds in the flames of hell? Can these horrid sounds be music in the ear of Infinite Love? It is urged that the infliction of endless misery upon the wicked would show God's hatred of sin as an evil which is ruinous to the peace and order of the universe. Oh, dreadful blasphemy! As if God's hatred of sin is the reason why it is perpetuated. For, according to the teachings of these theologians, continued torture without hope of mercy maddens its wretched victims, and as they pour out their rage in curses and blasphemy, they are forever augmenting their load of guilt. God's glory is not enhanced by thus perpetuating continually increasing sin through ceaseless ages. (GC 535, 536)

MM: Have you considered the fact God supernaturally sustained Jesus so that He endure unimaginable agony and anguish? He suffered as sinners will suffer in the end. If God had to supernaturally sustain Jesus so that He could suffer in proportion to the sins He bore, it stands to reason the same will be necessary for sinners in the lake of fire. Here is how it is described: