Eternal torment or annihilation?

Hell is annihilation and not eternal punishment
Man has no conscious existence apart from the body after he dies
False teachers of annihilation: Jehovah's Witnesses, Christadelphians, Seventh-day Adventists, Herbert W. Armstrong/plain truth magazine.

Annihilationists argue that if you burn some paper, it is eternally destroyed and that is how we should view hell. Lets check it out in the Bible!

Annihilation is a member of " Domino Theology " family of doctrines
(Refute one element & refute the whole system!)

This outline is dedicated to:

1. Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, who were thrown into a furnace of fire, yet were not consumed. Dan 3:19
2. Moses, who saw the burning bush (pictured right) that was not consumed by fire. Ex 3:2
3. And to God, who can do all things!

What hell is not:

Annihilationists like to refute this false concept of hell invented by an antagonist named "Dante". When Annihilationists refute this concept of hell, Bible believers wonder what the point is? Their false doctrine of annihilation is not proved right, just because they prove Dante's equally false concept of hell wrong! Yet you will notice that almost all annihilationists dishonestly try to represent Dante's false view of hell as that which orthodox Christians believe!

Purgatory is another false view of hell. It is taught by Catholics. They got it from the uninspired writings of the apocrypha. Purgatory is where you can be tormented for a time to pay for your own sins, then enter paradise! None of this is what Christians teach!

Hell and Hades are two different places at two different times. Departed spirits of men go to Hades and await judgement. After judgement, the wicked will be cast into Hell. Arians always confuse the two!

Annihilation vs. Eternal conscious torment
1 Cor 15:53
All men's bodies will become immortal at the resurrection

Man's body is not immortal right now.

1. Man is not immortal YET, but will be made that way! But mortality corresponds to the body. It is the body that will be made immortal, not the soul!
2. "The real issue between Dualists and Annihilationists is nothing other than this: Does Scripture teach that the wicked will be made immortal for the purpose of suffering endless pain; or does it teach that the wicked following whatever degree and duration of pain God may justly inflict, will finally and truly die, perish and become extinct forever and ever?" (The Fire That Consumes, Edward W. Fudge, Annihilationist, p. 425)

First we notice that we as Christians are to seek immortality. Obviously we do not possess it yet if we seek it

Rom 2:7 "to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality. eternal life"

Second at resurrection the mortal (us now with a physical mortal body) will put on the immortal (all men will have an immortal body)

1 Cor 15:53 For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, "Death is swallowed up in victory. "O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?"

Now this is a powerful argument against annihilation. If ALL MEN both good and WICKED put on immortality at the resurrection, then how do they then cease to exist? What kind of immortality is that? Hence eternal torment! Never to die again! Man's body is not immortal now, but will be made so. All men, whether good or wicked! Man survives death consciously, then at resurrection is made immortal!

How can the wicked suffer the second death if they are immortal and then suffer the second death? If the wicked die again, then how can:

" come about the saying that is written, "Death is swallowed up in victory? " 1 Cor 15

1. Simple, mortal refers to the body part not the soul. when man dies he survives death consciously. After resurrection, his immortal spiritual body is given to him and he will never again be apart from his body. IMMORTAL. But the second death is not the separation of the body and soul, but the separation of man from God for eternity in hell!
2. Remember, the saying, "Death is swallowed up in victory" will come about at the final resurrection. If the wicked die PHYSICALLY again, then God was wrong when he said: "when this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, "Death is swallowed up in victory."" Obviously this was not true, for the wicked are swallowed up in physical death and death keeps its victory forever!

We are a spirit with a physical body

H. W. Armstrong and splinter groups: Literal

Valley of Hinnom, located just outside the city of Jerusalem. You can see it in the maps at the back of your Bible.

H. W. Armstrong and splinter groups believe that this valley is where the wicked will literally be burnt with literal fire.

1. " gehenna and the lake of fire are the same. A very large fire would have the appearance of a fiery lake, hence its description". " flames of the "lake of fire" purify the earth's surface, burning in one vast worldwide holocaust 2 Pet. 3:10. all the things man has created be burned up, as well as the rest of those People who will not have received salvation and eternal life because of willful rebellion against God. the wicked to be reduced to ashes by the fire which will consume the earth's surface" (WCG, What is hell? Ambassador BCC, Lesson 6, 1977)
2. This great fire is the same as the "lake of fire," mentioned in Revelation, when God judges the incorrigibly wicked. It will sweep around the entire earth. The elements themselves will be dissolved, the surface of the earth will be purged and consumed with tremendous heat. Every remnant of man's sin, every sign of iniquity, every last trace of evil will be devoured by the heat of this fire. (Heaven, Hell And The Hereafter, Triumph Prophetic Ministries (Church of God) W. F. Dankenbring)

Seventh-day Adventist: Literal and symbolic

1. Location of Hell. this earth is reserved for that fire which will bring judgment and perdition to the wicked. Their punishment will be in this earth. The prophet portrays the entire planet enveloped in the destroying fire. Even the streams and dust are transformed into an exploding combustion of pitch and brimstone.". This brings us to the third great fact about the subject of hell. Hell as a place of punishment will be this earth turned into a lake of fire at the Day of Judgment ." (Seventh-day Adventist, Joe Crews, Amazing Facts, Hell-Fire)

1. "the surrounding language of the book of revelation make evident the symbolic quality of the lake of fire" (Jehovah's Witness, Aid to Bible understanding, Lake of fire)
2. "so also the revelation of Jesus Christ with his powerful angels in a flaming fire will result in permanent destruction only for the wicked 2 Pe 3:5-7" (Jehovah's Witness, Aid to Bible understanding, Fire)
3. "Symbolic of compete destruction. Jesus used Gehenna as a representative of utter destruction. the symbolic picture here" (Jehovah's Witness, Aid to Bible understanding, Gehenna)

Annihilation vs. Eternal conscious torment
Will the Hell fire ever burn out? All Arians say YES!

H. W. Armstrong and splinter groups:

1. "Even so it will be with the FINAL gehenna fire. It will be unquenched--but it will finally burn itself out!"(WCG, What is hell? Ambassador BCC, Lesson 6, 1977)
2. Many people believe in an. ever-burning hellfire. But the Bible's simple teaching conveys nothing of the kind. Our God is a loving, merciful Father who does not want to consign anyone to that fate. (What Happens After Death. United Church of God, an International Association)
3. This is why Jesus calls it aionios or age-lasting fire! The translation "everlasting" is misleading, since the fire itself will not burn forever. Obviously not, since God's Word clearly shows that when the present earth is purged and purified, it will be refashioned into a resplendent NEW EARTH. Jude 7 calls this ancient punishment "eternal fire" -- yet, the fire which devoured these cities in ancient times is not still burning in Palestine today! It burned itself out, long, long ago. "Unquenchable Fire" Mark 9:43. Does this mean the fire burns forever? Not at all. Take a match, light it and set a piece of paper on fire. Let it burn. Don't put it out, or snuff it out. Just let the paper burn, until it burns up. Soon it will burn itself out. Now, what do you have? A burned-up piece of paper. But did you put it out? Did you "quench" it? No. You left it unquenched. It was not quenched. Not at all! Even so, the final Gehenna fire will not be "quenched," or "put out." Nevertheless, in time, it will burn itself out when the wicked and all their wicked works are burned up! Any fire will go out when it runs out of fuel. That's the way the final Gehenna fire will be. In time, it will naturally burn itself out!(Heaven, Hell And The Hereafter, Triumph Prophetic Ministries (Church of God) W. F. Dankenbring)

1. the New Testament references to "eternal punishment" (Matt 25:46), "eternal destruction" (2 Thess 1:9), "eternal fire" (Matt 25:41; Jude 7), and "eternal judgment" (Heb 6:2), do not necessarily mean a process that goes on forever. The actual duration of aionos is determined by the context. For example, the fire by which the wicked are punished is said to be "eternal" (Matt 18:8; 25:41) or "unquenchable" (Matt 3:12). This can hardly mean that the wicked will be agonizing forever in the midst of unextinguishable fire. The latter is clear from Jude 7, which says that Sodom and Gomorrah suffered "a punishment of eternal fire." Here " eternal-aionou" obviously means not never-ending but complete and permanent. (SDA, Samuele Bacchiocchi, Advent Hope For Human Hopelessness)
2. the fire is "eternal-aionios," not because of its endless duration. but because of its complete consumption and annihilation of the wicked. (SDA, Samuele Bacchiocchi, ch 6, Hell: Eternal Torment Or Annihilation)
3. "the length of punishment. HOW long will the wicked continue to live and suffer in that fire. one thing we can say with certainty--the wicked won't live in that fire throughout eternity ." (Seventh-day Adventist, Joe Crews, Amazing Facts, Hell-Fire)

1. "Some commentators have pointed to the Biblical instances of the word torment to support the teaching of eternal suffering in fire. However. Rev 20:10 does not have that sense ." (Jehovah's Witness, Aid to Bible understanding, Torment)

Annihilation vs. Eternal conscious torment
Rev 20:10 Will the Devil be tormented forever in the lake of fire?

H. W. Armstrong and splinter groups: YES (see below )

Christadelphians: NO! ( The devil doesn't exist.)

Jehovah's Witness: NO

1. "those cast into the lake of fire, [devil is cast there] go into second death from which there is no resurrection" (Jehovah's Witness, Aid to Bible understanding, Lake of fire)
2. "Some commentators have pointed to the Biblical instances of the word torment to support the teaching of eternal suffering in fire. However. Rev 20:10 does not have that sense." (Jehovah's Witness, Aid to Bible understanding, Torment)

1. "sinners, Satan, and the devils ultimately are consumed in the lake of fire and experience the extinction of the second death" (SDA, Samuele Bacchiocchi, ch 6, Hell: Eternal Torment Or Annihilation)
2. Malachi 4:1 "the day is coming, burning like a furnace. so that it will leave them neither root nor branch" No words of any language could make it more forceful or clear. This eternal fire burns up eternally. Even Satan, the root, is finally consumed. (Seventh-day Adventist, Joe Crews, Amazing Facts, Hell-Fire)

Annihilation vs. Eternal conscious torment
How can the Devil be tormented forever, if the hell fire burns out?

Exclusive to H. W. Armstrong and splinter groups:

1. The verse. Rev 20:10. indicates that the devil is to be cast into the lake of fire that had already consumed and destroyed the beast and false prophet. Satan, being spirit, is the one who will be tormented forever. The evil angels-the demons-will be included with Satan in his torment (Matthew 25:41). (What Happens After Death. United Church of God, an International Association)
2. "Satan will be cast into the same conflagration that will destroy all incorrigible mortals. Rev. 20:10 But since he is a spirit being, he will not be destroyed by the flames (see Luke 20:36) Revelation 20:10 shows Satan himself is to be TORMENTED unto the ages of the ages--"FOREVER AND EVER "! His torment will last forever. But not this fire. It will last only as long as combustible material remains to be consumed. Satan's torment, however, will continue forever as a mental anguish resulting from seeing all that he has striven toward, worked for, plotted for, burned up as the earth is purified by fire!"(WCG, What is hell? Ambassador BCC, Lesson 6, 1977)

Only H. W. Armstrong and splinter groups believe the devil will be tormented forever.

One Neo-Sadducee refutes another: We are taking the unusual approach to let the Seventh-day Adventist church refute Armstrong. We agree with their comment.

1. "it is impossible to visualize how the devil and his angels, who are spirits could "be tormented [with fire] day and night for ever and ever" (Rev 20:10). After all, fire belongs to the material, physical world, but the devil and his angels are not physical beings. Eldon Ladd rightly points out: "How a lake of literal fire can bring everlasting torture to non-physical beings is impossible to imagine. It is obvious that this is picturesque language describing a real fact in the spiritual world: the final and everlasting destruction of the forces of evil which have plagued men since the garden of Eden." (SDA, Samuele Bacchiocchi, ch 6, Hell: Eternal Torment Or Annihilation)
2. Armstrong openly admitted that the devil being a spirit being, is different from men and must be tormented forever, "being as angels unable to die" they argue.

H. W. Armstrong Refuted:

How can Armstrong and splinter groups say that the Lake of Fire was designed specifically for the devil and his angels, then in reality, they are totally unaffected by it? Their eternal torment is not caused by the lake of fire, since they argue it goes out, but by mental anguish.

The argument is so completely refuted, we have designated it a knock out punch!

H. W. Armstrong Vs. H. W. Armstrong:

So what happened to Sodom, is no more literal, than the Christian's priestly garments (good deeds) or his incense (prayer). To point to Sodom and argue that is what hell literally is, is as wrong as to point to incense and argue that is what prayer literally is.

What is amazing is that Jehovah's Witnesses, Christadelphians, Seventh-day Adventists, H. W. Armstrong all teach that the fire of hell is symbolic! This completely agrees with the truth of what Jude 7 is saying and refutes their view of annihilation. One minute they argue the fire is symbolic, then when they come to Jude 7 they argue, "see the fire is literal and it doesn't burn any more". Such flip flopping is the trade mark of false teachers that confuses their sorry disciples.

Mt 25:46 but the righteous into life eternal .

1. Mt 25:46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal .
2. 2 Thess 1:9 "these will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord
3. Mt 25:41 "Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels"
4. Jude 13 "for whom the black darkness has been reserved forever "

Lk 18:30 in the age to come, eternal life.

1. Rev 14:11 "And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever ; and they have no rest day and night
2. Rev 20:10 they will be tormented day and night forever and ever .

"And do not fear those who kill ( apokteino) the body, but are unable to kill ( apokteino) the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy ( apollumi) both soul and body in hell."

"What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost( apollumi) one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture, and go after the one which is lost ( apollumi). until he finds it?

"Or what woman, if she has ten silver coins and loses( apollumi) one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it?"

apollumi
(a) lose, (Suffer) loss, lost
(b) destroy, destroyer, destruction, destructive

The sheep, coin and soul continue to exist even though lost!

The fact that Jesus changed words in Mt 10:28, proves that there is a difference in what man can do to man and what God can do to man.

After the man is dead can cast into hell after judgement at the end of time. Notice that casting into hell in Luke is equated with the different Greek (apollumi) word in Matthew

but rather fear Him who is able to destroy ( apollumi) both soul and body in hell."

has authority to cast into hell; yes, I tell you, fear Him!

These two verses actually refute annihilation.

Notice that Jesus uses one Greek word ( apokteino) for what man can do and another Greek word (apollumi) for what God does at the end of time in hell. If the Greek words were the same, then annihilationists would have a possible argument.

Notice that Luke 12 indicates that God can kill the body, then afterward cast into hell. Hell never means the grave. According to annihilationists, a man is destroyed 100% at death. This verse proves otherwise!

The word destroy (apollumi) in Mt 10:28 doesn't mean annihilation or a ceasing of existence.

Texts where (apollumi) is used:

Matthew 10:28 "And do not fear those who kill the body, but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy (apollumi) both soul and body in hell.

The Greek word, as proven below, does not mean annihilation, but a continuation of existence in a lost state or ruined state.

Mark 2:22 "And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost (apollumi). and the skins as well; but one puts new wine into fresh wineskins."
Matt 9:17: "the wine pours out (apollumi) "

The wine, didn't cease to exist, it was simply spilt on the ground

Matthew 15:24 But He answered and said, "I was sent only to the lost (apollumi) sheep of the house of Israel."

The sheep that are "destroyed" or "lost" in fact represent the lost who walk the earth right now! They clearly exist!

Luke 15:4,6 "What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture, and go after the one which is lost (apollumi). until he finds it?". "And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost (apollumi) !'

The sheep still existed even though "destroyed" (apollumi)

Luke 15:8-9 "Or what woman, if she has ten silver coins and loses (apollumi) one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which I had lost (apollumi) !"

The coin still existed even though "destroyed" (apollumi)

Luke 15:24,32 for this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost (apollumi). and has been found.' And they began to be merry.". "But we had to be merry and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and has begun to live, and was lost (apollumi) and has been found."

The son still existed even though "destroyed" (apollumi)

John 6:27 "Do not work for the food which perishes (apollumi). but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man shall give to you, for on Him the Father, even God, has set His seal."

The food goes bad and is unusable, it doesn't cease to exist!

2 Co 4:3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing (apollumi).

Notice, like the lost sheep, the lost are perishing (lost) NOW. This is present tense! They certainty exist even though perished!

2 Thess 1:9 And these will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power

(the word " apollumi" is NOT USED in 2 Thess 1:9)

Although the word " apollumi" is NOT USED in this verse, notice that hell is explained as being "away from God's presence and glory". This proves that hell is a banishment not an annihilation.

False argument refuted on Mt 10:28:

It is falsely argued by annihilationists, that in Mt 10:28 the word "apollumi" (Strongs #622) means to annihilate into non-existence because every other place this word is used in the TVM of #5658 (Tense - Aorist; Voice - Active; Mood - Infinitive) it means this. The truth is that we find most forms of the word used interchangeably. But remember they power of Mt 10:28 is that Jesus used two different words: Kill the body is all man can do, but destroy or "make lost" is what God does in Hell. Had Jesus used the same word in both instances, then annihilationists would have an argument because for them man can cause another man to cease to exist with a gun in the same way God can cause someone to cease to exist in Hell. But since two different words are used, our argument is powerful. Of course the most powerful argument we have is that only God can destroy the soul and man can only kill the body. The way annihilationists define man as a "mono-unit" of flesh alone, instead of a dichotomous combination of flesh and spirit like God, annihilationists simply cannot explain how man cannot kill the soul.

Here are the instanced in the Bible where "apollumi" is used in the TVM of #5658:

Apollumi #622 with TVM 5658 Aorist; Active; Infinitive: TO DESTROY

• Mt 2:13 for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. (Strongs #622; TVM #5658)
• Mt 10:28 fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. (Strongs #622; TVM #5658)
• Mk 1:24 What do we have to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? (Strongs #622; TVM #5658)
• Lk 6:9 Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy it? (Strongs #622; TVM #5658)
• Lk 9:56 For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them. (Strongs #622; TVM #5658)
• Lk 19:47 But the chief priests and the scribes and the chief of the people sought to destroy him, (Strongs #622; TVM #5658)
• Jas 4:12 There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy (Strongs #622; TVM #5658)
• Lk. 6:9 "is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good, or to do harm, to save a life, or to destroy it?" (Strongs #622; TVM #5658)

But the difference between moods is irrelevant: Being in a state of destruction is equal to taking actions to bring someone into that state of destruction. So to say, " has lost " or " lose " or " had lost " are identical concepts as far as what the word itself means. The argument is invalid and displays a dismal understanding of simple Greek. With the same kind of Christadelphian reasoning, we could conclude that TVM 5660 only means "lost" since it is only used three times and each time it means "lost". Notice, however, that in Luke 9:25, the word LOST to denotes the equivalent to hell.

Apollumi #622 with TVM 5660 Aorist; Active; Participle: HAS LOST; LOSES

• Matthew 10:39 (5660 Aorist; Active; Participle) "he who has lost his life for My sake shall find it."
• Luke 15:4 (5660 Aorist; Active; Participle) "if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them"
• Luke 9:25 (5660 Aorist; Active; Participle) "For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself?"

Yet we find both the Subjunctive and the Indicative mood forms of the word Apollumi using both LOST AND DESTROY. This proves the Christadelphian argument false.

Apollumi #622 with TVM 5661 Aorist; Active; Subjunctive: LOSE; LOSES; DESTROY

• Matthew 16:25 (5661 Aorist; Active; Subjunctive) "whoever loses his life for My sake shall find it."
• Luke 15:8 (5661 Aorist; Active; Subjunctive) "if she has ten silver coins and loses one coin"
• Mt 12:14 (5661 Aorist; Active; Subjunctive) "counseled together against Him, as to how they might destroy Him"
• John 10:10 (5661 Aorist; Active; Subjunctive) "The thief comes only to steal, and kill, and destroy "
• John 6:39 (5661 Aorist; Active; Subjunctive) "all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day"

• Matthew 22:7 (5656 Aorist; Active; Indicative) "But the king was enraged and sent his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and set their city on fire"
• Luke 15:9 (5656 Aorist; Active; Indicative) "I have found the coin which I had lost !"
• Luke 17:29 (5656 Aorist; Active; Indicative) "it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all"
• Jude 5 (5656 Aorist; Active; Indicative) "after saving a people out of the land of Egypt, subsequently destroyed those who did not believe"

• Is. 43:28 - "and the rulers defiled my holy things and I have given to destroy Jacob and Israel unto a reproach." "destroy" is APOLESAI
• Ezek. 30:11 - "to destroy the land" Here's something interesting - In Dan. 7:26 where the NAS has annihilated and destroyed, the LXX has AFANISAI and APOLESAI.

5656 Mood - Indicative The indicative mood is a simple statement of fact. If an action really occurs or has occurred or will occur, it will be rendered in the indicative mood. (from: Logos Library systems: TVM)

5658 Mood - Infinitive. The Greek infinitive mood in most cases corresponds to the English infinitive, which is basically the verb with "to" prefixed, as "to believe." Like the English infinitive, the Greek infinitive can be used like a noun phrase ("It is better to live than to die"), as well as to reflect purpose or result ("This was done to fulfil what the prophet said"). (from: Logos Library systems: TVM)

5660Mood - Participle: The Greek participle corresponds for the most part to the English participle, reflecting "-ing" or "-ed" being suffixed to the basic verb form. The participle can be used either like a verb or a noun, as in English, and thus is often termed a "verbal noun.") (from: Logos Library systems: TVM)

5661 Mood - Subjunctive The subjunctive mood is the mood of possibility and potentiality. The action described may or may not occur, depending upon circumstances. Conditional sentences of the third class ("ean" + the subjunctive) are all of this type, as well as many commands following conditional purpose clauses, such as those beginning with "hina." (from: Logos Library systems: TVM)

These words do not teach annihilation!

"The annihilationists assemble a multitude of texts which in reality are either taken out of context or based on the false assumption that such words as 'perish' automatically and necessarily always mean annihilation." (Death and The Afterlife, Robert Morey, Dualist, p. 119- 120)

destroy
perish
consumed
devoured

1. "Destroy": For example, in the Old Testament, the word ahvad is the word which is usually translated as "destroy." In Num. 21:29, the people of Chemosh were "undone" ("destroyed" in NIV). In the context, the meaning of ahvad is that the people were conquered and sold into slavery. They were not annihilated but enslaved. In 1 Sa. 9:3, 20, Saul's asses were ahvad, i.e. lost. These asses were not annihilated, but lost. In Psalms 31:12, an ahvad vessel is merely broken, not annihilated. In Hab. 1:15, the word Gah rar means to catch something in a net, not to annihilate it. Dah chah in Isa. 53:10 is translated, " It pleased the Lord to bruise him.". Here it refers to Christ's sufferings, not to nonexistence. In Hosea 4:6, God's people are "destroyed" for lack of knowledge. In the context, this cannot mean that they were nonexistent. The same can be pointed out in the case of hoom (Ps. 55:2) and ghah ram (Josh. 6:8; Mic. 4:13). In the Greek, apollumi is used to describe ruined wineskins, lost sheep, and spoiled food (Matt. 9:17; 15:24; John 6:27). Apolia in Mark 14:4 refers to wasted perfume. Diapthero refers to moth-eaten cloth in Luke 12:33 katheiresis to the pulling down of a fortress (2 Cor. 10:4) kataluo refers to lodging for the night (Luke 9:12) kataryco to a fig tree which "encumbered the ground" (Luke 13:7); luo refers to putting off one's shoes (Acts 7:33); portheo refers to persecuting the church in Gal. 1:13; phthiro refers to defiling the temple of God in 1 Cor. 3:17. The assumption that the words "destroy" and "destruction" automatically mean annihilation is not good English, much less good Hebrew or Greek. We can think of someone being "destroyed" or "wiped out" in an emotional sense without implying that the person has ceased to exist. ("Death and The Afterlife" by Robert Morey, p. 108-111)

2. "Perish" or "perished." In various forms the word "perish" appears 152 times in the KJV. In the Old Testament, there are 11 Hebrew words which are translated as "perish." The main word ahvad is the same word which is frequently translated as "destroy." We have already seen that it is erroneous to assume that ahvad means annihilation. Sha mad is found in Jer. 48:42 where Moab is said to be destroyed in the sense of the people being enslaved, not annihilated. Shah rhath is used of ruined girdles and vessels in Jer. 13:7; 18:4; kah rath is used of cutting a covenant or cutting timber to build the temple in Gen. 15:18; 1 Kings 5:6; eah vag. nah phal, and gah var are used to describe a miserable emotional state (Ps. 42:7; 55:4, 88:15,16). In the New Testament, there are ten different Greek words which are translated "perish." Some of these words such as apollumi were also translated as destroy and do not mean annihilation. Apothneesko is used in John 12:24 to describe the grain of wheat which when planted "dies" and then sprouts. Obviously, it cannot mean annihilation. Aphanrzo refers to things which moths and rust can "corrupt" (Matt. 6:19,20). Kataphthiro is used to describe "corrupt" minds in 2 Tim. 3:8 (KJV). Even in English we speak of fruit as "perishable" in the sense that it can spoil. Burned out light bulbs have "perished." In neither case is annihilation intended. ("Death and The Afterlife" by Robert Morey, p. 108-111)

3. "Consume" or "consumed.": Forms of these words appear in the KJV 162 times. In the Old Testament, 20 different Hebrew words are translated as "consume." The usual word, ah chal is also used in Ps. 78:45 where the psalmist says that the flies "devoured" or consumed the Egyptians. The psalmist surely means that the flies tormented them, not annihilated them. Jeremiah used another word, bah lah, in Lam. 3:4, saying that his flesh and skin were "made old," or consumed, i.e. he was consumed with grief, not annihilated. Kah lah is used in Ezek. 13:13 where hailstones "consumed" a wall, i.e. knocked it down, not annihilated it. Dah gach is the normal word for putting out a fire. When we "put out a candle," we do not annihilate the candle. Even in English we speak of people being consumed with "grief, greed or lust," yet we do not mean that the person has ceased to exist. We have demonstrated that the annihilationists are in error when they arbitrarily assume and then assert that such words as "perish" necessarily mean annihilation. Once this point is granted, one is no longer impressed by such works as Froom where hundreds of quotes from biblical and extra-biblical literature are given to prove conditionalism simply upon the erroneous assumption that the mere presence of such words in the text means that the authors believed in annihilationism. ("Death and The Afterlife" by Robert Morey, p. 108-111)

Annihilation vs. Eternal conscious torment
Is eternal conscious torment a pagan false doctrine and a Jewish fable?
Here we document that annihilationists all accept that the view we have proven true, namely eternal conscious torment, was widely believed in the ancient world. They argue that Jesus borrowed from these false pagan doctrines in his teaching on hell. We reject this, as it would mean that Jesus promoted false doctrine. As the spiritual eyes into the spirit world, we believe that Jesus' teaching on eternal conscious torment is not untrue, simply because other cultures had similar views!

1. To think that Christ was ignorant of what Gehenna meant to the common people of His day or to assume that He was mistaken in using the rabbinic descriptions of Gehenna is to do great injustice to Him who was the greatest teacher who ever lived. Indeed, the mere fact that Christ utilized the rabbinic language connected with Gehenna, such as "unquenchable fire" and "never- dying worms," demonstrates beyond all doubt to any reasonable person that he deliberately used the word Gehenna to impress upon his hearers that eternal punishment awaits the wicked after the resurrection. No other conclusion is possible.
2. The greatest problem that Annihilationists face when examining the intertestamental (between the Old & New Testaments) literature, is that the doctrines of the existence of the soul after death and eternal punishing are often manifest, with no "introduction" as would be required by a "new teaching." The Annihilationist view is that between the Old and New Testaments, Platonic philosophy infiltrated true Bible doctrine and entirely new concepts were introduced to replace the old beliefs about the soul and punishment. Yet, strangely lacking are any evidences of controversy in this area of belief. The Annihilationist answer to that would be that there was evidence of a difference of belief in the intertestamental writings. But since they can produce no actual apologetic or actual conflict from the historical records, they must argue from the silence of some intertestamental writers, who may discuss the future of the righteous without mentioning the wicked. Sometimes, as in the case of Fudge's and the Adventist Froom's quoting from Tobit, where it says that the unrighteous shall cease from all the earth, they claim that that proves the writer did not believe in eternal punishing. That is indeed a poor argument.

1. First. Gehenna is the place of judgement (Matt. 23:33). He even used the rabbinic expression, "the judgement of Gehenna" (Bab. Tal. ER126).
2. Second. Gehenna is always placed at the end of the world after the resurrection (Matt. 5:22; 23:33). This was expounded by John in Rev. 20:1-15. This was also the rabbinic position (Mid. Gen. 159).
3. Third. Gehenna is the place where the body as well as the soul is punished (Matt. 5:22; 10:28; Mark 9:43-48). The rabbis saw that the resurrection of the wicked was necessary in order for them to receive their full punishment in the body (Mid. Gen. 159; 211n4).
4. Fourth. Gehenna was the place of conscious torment. When Christ used the phrases "unquenchable fire" and "never-dying worms" (Mark 9:47,48, author's paraphrase), He was utilizing biblical (Isa 66:24), apocryphal (Judith XVI:17), and talmudic (Mid. Gen. 214) images which all meant conscious suffering. The annihilationists have a counter argument at this point. They point out that, literally speaking, while the worms and the fire in a city dump may destroy a dead carcass, it cannot be said that the dead carcass feels any torment. Therefore, they conclude that Christ's language must be interpreted to mean that the wicked will be annihilated, not tormented. The problem with this interpretation is that it fails to take into account that when Christ spoke of Gehenna in such terms as "worms and fire," He was clearly using rabbinic phraseology. Thus, it is more crucial to discover how these words were understood in rabbinic literature than by pointing to modern city dumps. The intertestamental literature is clear that the Jews believed that the departed could feel what was happening to their dead body. Indeed, when the worms start gnawing on the body, "the worms are as painful to the dead as a needle in the flesh of the living" (Bab. Tal. Shah. 777,778). Since the "gnawing worms" clearly meant conscious torment in rabbinic thought, the annihilationist's argument is invalid due to their ignorance of the meaning of such rabbinic terminology. That Judith XVI:17 also teaches conscious torment is clear.
5. Fifth. the wicked are cast into Gehenna and will remain there for all eternity (Matt. 5:29,30). In Gehenna, the wicked are "destroyed" (Matt. 10:28). That the word "destroyed" (apollumi) does not mean "to annihilate" or "to pass into nonexistence" is clear from the rabbinic meaning of the word, the lexicographical significance of the word, and the way the word is used in the New Testament. Thaver's Greek-English Lexicon defines apollumi as "to be delivered up to eternal misery" (p.36). Since Thayer himself was a Unitarian who did not believe in eternal punishment, his definition could only be the result of his knowledge of the meaning of his Greek word. There is no lexicographical evidence for the annihilationist's position that apollumi means "to annihilate" or "to pass into nonexistence." (Death and The Afterlife, Robert Morey, Dualist, p. 89, 90)

1. Between the Testaments a tendency arose in Jewish literature to relate visions of last things to names and persons from the Old Testament. Armageddon, Jerusalem and the Garden of Eden all became stylized descriptions of things to come. So did the Valley of Hinnom-gehenna. The thought of Gehenna as a place of eschatological punishment appears in intertestamental literature shortly before 100 B.C. though the actual place is unnamed. It becomes "this accursed valley" (l En. 27:2, 3), the "station of vengeance" and "future torment" (2 Bar. 59:10, ll), the "pit of destruction" (Pirke Aboth 5:19), the "furnace of Gehenna" and "pit of torment" (4 Esd. 7:36). (The Fire That Consumes, Edward W. Fudge, Annihilationist, p. 161)
2. The Babylonian Talmud had the worst Jewish sinners sentenced to Gehenna for 12 months. Then "their bodies are destroyed, their souls are burned, and the wind strews the ashes under the feet of the pious." All who enter Gehenna come out, with three exceptions: those who committed adultery or shamed their neighbors or vilified them. In the end, God would take the sun from its case, and it would heal the pious and punish the sinners. There would be no Gehenna in the future world. ["Ge-hinnom," The Jewish Encyclopedia, vol. 5, cols. 581-583] Some rabbis were sympathetic; others were harsh. One can find quotes of torment by snow, smoke, thirst and rebellious animals. Others speak of the righteous observing the torments of the damned, "tossing in their pain like the pieces of boiling meat in a cauldron." Still others, more benevolent, said light flooded even Gehenna each Sabbath, and the wicked, too, had a day of rest. On the duration of the punishment, the rabbis contradicted each other. Some believed that the pain would continue forever with or without Gehenna, while others ended punishment with the last judgement. Whether this last view allowed a future life for the wicked or looked for their total annihilation cannot be determined conclusively. (The Fire That Consumes, Edward W. Fudge, Annihilationist, p. 163)