Charles Ellicott Commentary Revelation 14:11

"and the smoke of their torment goeth up for ever and ever; and they have no rest day and night, they that worship the beast and his image, and whoso receiveth the mark of his name." — Revelation 14:11 (ASV)

For ever and ever.—Or, to ages of ages. The imagery of the smoke going up reminds us of the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19:28). They have not rest by day and by night, who worship the wild beast.

Sin, which is first embraced as a delight, soon becomes an inexorable tyrant, by an awful retribution compelling men into the routine of evil habits that they loathe even while they long for them, and long for even while they loathe them: there is a destiny of unrest in all sin. The wicked are like the troubled sea, which cannot rest. It is well that solemn words like these should be read by the light of the most certain of all truths—the power sin has of stamping its indelible features upon the human character and giving to habit the force of a destiny.