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FREQUENTLY WE READ THAT THE UNSAVED ARE DESTROYED, CONSUMED, PERISH, ETC.

DOES THIS PROVE ANNIHILATION?

Updated - 3/6/09

Concerning the unsaved many times we read in the Bible words “destroy”, “destruction”, “consume”, “consumption”, “perish”, “slain”, “death”, “dead”, “die”, etc.

Whereas we only read the word “torment” only about 20 times in the New Testament.

As a result, we can conclude that the unsaved are annihilated?

Actually, if we examine the Bible we find many verses with words other than the word “torment” that speak of future conscious affliction for the unsaved. We will look at those words in other studies. However, in this study, we want to focus on the above question.

Does the shear number of verses with the above words prove the annihilation of the unsaved?

First, we must understand that truth is not determined by comparing the number of verses that seem to teach one truth against the number of verses that seem to teach an opposing truth. Then, selecting the truth taught by the most number of verses.

For example, Assume we were to find 20 verses that seem to teach a conscious awaking of the unsaved at the resurrection of the last day, and then we find 200 verses that seem to teach no conscious awaking of the unsaved.

Truth is not determined by comparing the numbers 20 to 200 and concluding that there is not a conscious awaking of the unsaved at judgment day because of the number of verses.

The Bible teaches only one truth on a subject. The Bible does not teach two opposing truths concerning the same subject.

If we run into seemingly conflicting verses it means that there is something that we have not understood yet.

When we come to truth we will find that all verses will harmonize and that the Bible teaches only one truth.

Likewise, if we run into a verse that teaches conscious affliction for the unsaved that have previously died from this world, we cannot say “That’s just one verse, we have so many other verses that teach annihilation”.

We cannot ignore verses because we believe we have a whole lot of verses teaching an opposing truth. Every verse must be considered.

We read words like: die, dead, death, perish, destroy, destruction, consume, slain, etc. in connection with the unsaved.

We can read verses with these words and assume that they mean annihilation. It may seem obvious that these verses teach annihilation.

However, we should check out how God uses these words in other parts of the Bible to make sure that we understand what God is teaching.

We want to remember the Biblical rule of 1 Corinthians 2:13. God defines words, even words like “perish”, “death”, “destroy”, “consumption”, etc., by how He uses them in the Bible.

In this study we will look at these words and how they are used in the Bible. Some of these words have been covered in other studies.

Let us now consider these words: life, alive, live, death, die & dead

It is easy for us to believe that for mankind; life is existence and death is a cessation of existence. These definitions seem obvious and they fit for animals.

Based upon these definitions, it is easy to believe in annihilation because of verses like Romans 6:23 “The wages of sin is death”.

Since we have concluded that for mankind “death = cessation of existence” then the logical conclusion is that the unsaved are annihilated.

However, it turns out that the above definitions of life and death for mankind do not agree with the Bible.

Please see the study of the Biblical definition of life and death for mankind. That study shows more than 50 verses where God gives definition for life and death for mankind. The study is too long to include here.

If we study the Bible carefully, we find that the Bible defines that God Himself is life (John 11:25-26, 14:6) and that life for mankind has to do with his relationship with God (1 John 5:12) and that death for mankind is separation from God (Genesis 2:17, Romans 8:10, 1 Corinthians 15:29, Ephesians 2:1,5).

These definitions agree with all the verses of Bible, but they don’t agree with how we normally think about life and death.

The problem is that for many of us the definitions of “life = existence” and “death = cessation of existence” for mankind are almost the “pillar and ground of truth” in our minds (1 Timothy 3:15). So that, as we read verses that disagree with these definitions, we change those verses to make them fit our man-made definitions.

When we obtain the Biblical definitions of life and death by examining many verses, which we have tried to do in the study on the Biblical definition of life and death, we learn that for mankind death is separation from God. Then we can understand what God is teaching in Romans 6:23; “The wages of sin is death”. The wages or payment for sin is eternal and complete separation from God.

Due to length, we cannot repeat the study of the Biblical definition of life and death for mankind here. Please see that study for more explanation.

Let’s consider the words: destroy, destruction & perish.

We read the words “destroy” and “destruction” in connection with the unsaved and can quickly conclude that the unsaved are annihilated.

However, as with any word we read in the Bible, we should examine how it is used in various other parts of the Bible to learn what God is teaching.

We should remember the Biblical rule based upon 1 Corinthians 2:13 that God defines words and phrases by how He uses them in other parts of the Bible.

Let’s get started in our study of these words by looking at 2 Thessalonians 1:9. We read there:

Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;

God talks about “everlasting destruction”.

This phrase can be understood in two ways:

1. A destroying that goes on forever. That would signify perpetual suffering.

2. A destruction that lasts forever. That would signify annihilation.

From 2 Thessalonians 1:9 we cannot tell which one God means. We must search other passages.

We will consider some examples of the word “destroy” from the Old Testament and from the New Testament.

In Deuteronomy 28 God uses a Hebrew word that is commonly translated “destroy” and is used about 90 times in the Old Testament. This word is found 7 times in Deuteronomy 28:15-68.

That is, for this Hebrew word commonly translated “destroy”, about 8% of its usages are found in this one chapter alone. God is certainly using Deuteronomy 28:15-68 to help define this Hebrew word translated “destroy”.

Please see the study of 10 Biblical proofs of the conscious resurrection of the unsaved for a more detailed study of Deuteronomy 28:15-68. We will include a summary here.

We find this Hebrew word, commonly translated “destroy”, in the following 7 verses:

Deuteronomy 28:20 The LORD shall send upon thee cursing, vexation, and rebuke, in all that thou settest thine hand unto for to do, until thou be destroyed <08045>, and until thou perish quickly; because of the wickedness of thy doings, whereby thou hast forsaken me.

Deuteronomy 28:24 The LORD shall make the rain of thy land powder and dust: from heaven shall it come down upon thee, until thou be destroyed <08045>.

Deuteronomy 28:45 Moreover all these curses shall come upon thee, and shall pursue thee, and overtake thee, till thou be destroyed <08045>; because thou hearkenedst not unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which he commanded thee:

Deuteronomy 28:48 Therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies which the LORD shall send against thee, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all things: and he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck, until he have destroyed <08045> thee.

Deuteronomy 28:51 And he shall eat the fruit of thy cattle, and the fruit of thy land, until thou be destroyed <08045>: which also shall not leave thee either corn, wine, or oil, or the increase of thy kine, or flocks of thy sheep, until he have destroyed thee.

Deuteronomy 28:61 Also every sickness, and every plague, which is not written in the book of this law, them will the LORD bring upon thee, until thou be destroyed <08045>.

Deuteronomy 28:63 And it shall come to pass, that as the LORD rejoiced over you to do you good, and to multiply you; so the LORD will rejoice over you to destroy you, and to bring you to nought <08045>; and ye shall be plucked from off the land whither thou goest to possess it.

In verse 63 this Hebrew word is translated “bring you to nought”, but it is the same word that is almost always translated “destroy”.

First thing we want to notice in the 7 verses above is the tense of this Hebrew word translated “destroyed”. We read phrases like “until thou be destroyed”. This phrase appears to be written in the past tense.

However, in the Hebrew text, this verb is not in the past tense. It is in the “infinitive”.

The “infinitive” does not describe a past tense action nor a future tense action. Rather, the “infinitive” describes a state of being or on-going action. The grammar books say the most accurate translation is as a participle or “ing” word.

A more accurate translation of this word in these 7 verses would be: “until destroying you”.

Therefore, Deuteronomy 28:20, for example, would be more accurately translated:

Deuteronomy 28:20 The LORD shall send upon thee cursing, vexation, and rebuke, in all that thou settest thine hand unto for to do, until destroying you, and until you are perishing quickly; because of the wickedness of thy doings, whereby thou hast forsaken me.

In Deuteronomy 28:20 the Hebrew word “abad” translated “perishing” is also in the “infinitive” so it should be translated in above manner.

In these 7 verses, each with the Hebrew word translated “destroy”, God is teaching a continuous destroying of conscious affliction. They are all in the “infinitive”.

When we read Deuteronomy 28:15-68 we see that God is describing a continuous conscious affliction that will come upon the unsaved. God is using this passage to define what He means by the 7 usages of the phrase “until destroying you”.

Deuteronomy 28:15-68 with the 7 verses containing the word “destroying” are not describing an instantaneous destruction. Rather, they are describing a continuous on-going “destroying”.

There are many verses in Deuteronomy 28:15-68 that describe a conscious on-going affliction. Here are some examples:

We read in Deuteronomy 28:27:

The LORD will smite thee with the botch of Egypt, and with the emerods, and with the scab, and with the itch, whereof thou canst not be healed.

The word “botch” in Deuteronomy 28:27 is only found in a few places. It is found in Exodus 9:9-11 and is translated “boil” in all three verses. We read there:

9 And it shall become small dust in all the land of Egypt, and shall be a boil <07822> breaking forth with blains upon man, and upon beast, throughout all the land of Egypt.

10 And they took ashes of the furnace, and stood before Pharaoh; and Moses sprinkled it up toward heaven; and it became a boil <07822> breaking forth with blains upon man, and upon beast.

11 And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils <07822>; for the boil <07822> was upon the magicians, and upon all the Egyptians.

This was an affliction upon the Egyptians so that the magicians could not stand before Moses.

This same Hebrew word is used in Job 2:7. We read there:

So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils <07822> from the sole of his foot unto his crown.

Job suffered much conscious affliction from these “boils”.

We remember that 1 Corinthians 2:13 directs that we are to compare Scripture with Scripture to understand what God is teaching. This is God’s method for Bible understanding.

We learn that the “botch” of Deuteronomy 28:27 is a conscious affliction because the same Hebrew word is used to describe a conscious affliction that both the Egyptians and Job suffered.

Deuteronomy 28:15 declares that all the curses of Deuteronomy 28:15-68 will come upon those that sin. This includes the “botch” of verse 27.

We read in Deuteronomy 28:28

The LORD shall smite thee with madness, and blindness, and astonishment of heart:

There is only one other verse with this same Hebrew word translated “madness” that is helpful in defining what it means. It is found in 2 Kings 9:20 to describe the riding of Jehu. We read there:

And the watchman told, saying, He came even unto them, and cometh not again: and the driving is like the driving of Jehu the son of Nimshi; for he driveth furiously <07697>.

In 2 Kings 9:20 it is translated “driving furiously”. Jehu was stirred up with his purpose to slay the king. In the same way, those cast into the lake of fire will be consciously stirred up by what they experience.

The word “astonishment” comes from a family of words translated “marvel” or “wonder”. Here are some example verses with this same Hebrew word:

Genesis 43:33 And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth: and the men marvelled <08539> one at another.

Psalm 48:5-6:

5 They saw it, and so they marvelled <08539>; they were troubled, and hasted away.

6 Fear took hold upon them there, and pain, as of a woman in travail.

Daniel 4:2 I thought it good to shew the signs and wonders <08540> that the high God hath wrought toward me.

Daniel 4:3 How great are his signs! and how mighty are his wonders <08540>! his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation.

This word “astonishment” signifies a conscious amazement of some manner. The unsaved will experience conscious amazement in the lake of fire.

We read in Deuteronomy 28:34:

So that thou shalt be mad for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see.

The word “mad” used in verse 34 is the same word that is used to describe David’s visit to the Philistine king Achish.

Here are some verses with this Hebrew word translated “mad”:

1 Samuel 21:14 Then said Achish unto his servants, Lo, ye see the man is mad <07696>: wherefore then have ye brought him to me?

1 Samuel 21:15 Have I need of mad men <07696>, that ye have brought this fellow to play the mad man <07696> in my presence? shall this fellow come into my house?

2 Kings 9:11 Then Jehu came forth to the servants of his lord: and one said unto him, Is all well? wherefore came this mad <07696> fellow to thee? And he said unto them, Ye know the man, and his communication.

David’s visit to Achish is described in 1 Samuel 21. The verse 2 Kings 9:11 makes reference to the prophet that brought the message to Jehu that he would be king. In both cases, this word is used to describe someone who seems to be crazy. Those cast into the lake of fire will be crazy for the amazement that they will experience.

We read in Deuteronomy 28:34:

So that thou shalt be mad for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see.

The word “mad” used in verse 34 is the same word that is used to describe David’s visit to the Philistine king Achish.

We read in 3 verses the word “distress”:

Deuteronomy 28:53 And thou shalt eat the fruit of thine own body, the flesh of thy sons and of thy daughters, which the LORD thy God hath given thee, in the siege, and in the straitness, wherewith thine enemies shall distress <06693> thee:

Deuteronomy 28:55 So that he will not give to any of them of the flesh of his children whom he shall eat: because he hath nothing left him in the siege, and in the straitness, wherewith thine enemies shall distress <06693> thee in all thy gates.

Deuteronomy 28:57 And toward her young one that cometh out from between her feet, and toward her children which she shall bear: for she shall eat them for want of all things secretly in the siege and straitness, wherewith thine enemy shall distress <06693> thee in thy gates.

This word Hebrew word translated “distress” is always used to describe conscious experience. Here are a few example verses:

Judges 14:17 And she wept before him the seven days, while their feast lasted: and it came to pass on the seventh day, that he told her, because she lay sore <06693> upon him: and she told the riddle to the children of her people.

Judges 16:16 And it came to pass, when she pressed <06693> him daily with her words, and urged him, so that his soul was vexed unto death;

Isaiah 8:22 And they shall look unto the earth; and behold trouble and darkness, dimness of anguish <06695>; and they shall be driven to darkness.

Jeremiah 19:9 And I will cause them to eat the flesh of their sons and the flesh of their daughters, and they shall eat every one the flesh of his friend in the siege and straitness, wherewith their enemies, and they that seek their lives, shall straiten <06693> them.

This Hebrew translated word “distress” always signifies conscious experience.

Therefore, in Deuteronomy 28:53, 55 & 57 God is teaching that unsaved will experience “distress”, a conscious affliction in the lake of fire.

These are some examples of verses found in Deuteronomy 28:15-68 that teach conscious affliction for the unsaved. They are many more examples like this found in Deuteronomy 28:15-68.

Deuteronomy 28:15 teaches that the unsaved will experience all of the curses. We read there:

But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee:

Verse 15 says that all of the curses listed will come upon those that sin. That includes all of the curses listed in Deuteronomy 28:15-68.

Those that sin include all of the unsaved that have lived throughout time.

Deuteronomy 28:15-68 describes a continuous affliction that comes upon all of the unsaved. God uses a common Hebrew word translated “destroy” 7 times in this passage. Thereby, God is defining what He means by the “destroying” or the “destruction” of the unsaved.

God also emphasis the on-going nature of the “destroying” of the unsaved by using that Hebrew word in the “infinitive”, meaning a state of being or on-going action. It is most appropriately translated with “ing” as “destroying”.

In Deuteronomy 28:15-68 God defines the “destroying” that He intends for the unsaved. By using a Hebrew word meaning “destroy” in the “infinite” or “on-going” tense 7 times, God defines the “destroying” of the unsaved as an on-going affliction of conscious suffering.

Let’s consider another Hebrew word, “shachath”, translated “destroyed” or “destroyer” about 100 times. That is about 2/3’s of the times it appears in the Old Testament. It is Strong’s number <07843>.

God uses this Hebrew word to declare that He will “destroy” the unsaved in these verses:

Jeremiah 13:14 And I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and the sons together, saith the LORD: I will not pity, nor spare, nor have mercy, but destroy <07843> them.

Jeremiah 15:6 Thou hast forsaken me, saith the LORD, thou art gone backward: therefore will I stretch out my hand against thee, and destroy <07843> thee; I am weary with repenting.

When we read this word “destroy” we may assume annihilation.

However, this same Hebrew word translated “destroy” in the above verses is used in the following verses:

Genesis 6:11 The earth also was corrupt <07843> before God, and the earth was filled with violence.

Genesis 6:12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt <07843>; for all flesh had corrupted <07843> his way upon the earth.

In Genesis 6:11-12 this same Hebrew word is translated “corrupt” and used 3 times to describe the state of the mankind before the flood.

We read some more verses with this same Hebrew word:

Psalms 14:1 <<To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.>> The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt <07843>, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.

Psalms 53:1 <<To the chief Musician upon Mahalath, Maschil, A Psalm of David.>> The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt <07843> are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good.

Isaiah 1:4 Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters <07843>: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward.

These verses teach that the nature of mankind throughout time is that he is already “corrupt” or “destroyed” by his sin. These verses are describing the state in which mankind already is. Unsaved man has not annihilated himself. Rather, by his sin, he has damaged himself or has corrupted himself.

Unsaved man corrupts or destroys himself by his sin. That does not mean he annihilates himself. Rather, man damages himself and separates himself from God and His blessings.

Finally, God will eternally corrupt the unsaved. From the above verses, we can see that this Hebrew word “shachath” that is translated “destroyed” is used at times to indicate the corrupted state of unsaved man. It does not necessarily indicate annihilation.

The point of these sample verses is that we can read the word “destroy” and form a conclusion in our minds of annihilation. However, often when we examine these same Hebrew or Greek words in other parts of the Bible, we see that God does not have annihilation in view. Rather, He can have in view other kinds of harm that man consciously endures.

Let’s look at a New Testament word that is commonly translated “perished” or “destroyed”.

Now we move to the New Testament word frequently translated “perished”

Let’s consider the word “perished” or “destroyed” in the New Testament. This is the Greek word “apollumi” from which we read “Apollyon” in Revelation 9:11.

This Greek word “apollumi” is very important because it is used almost 100 times in the New Testament and it is the dominate New Testament word translated “perished”. It is translated “perished” about 30 times. It is also translated “destroy” about 25 times. It is used in several significant verses:

Matthew 10:28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy <622> both soul and body in hell.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should <622> not perish <622>, but have everlasting life.

It is said that this Greek word “apollumi” signifies a cessation of existence.

Is this true?

If it is true that this Greek word signifies annihilation then we should see that this Greek word is consistently used in that way. We should not be able to find exceptions in which it does not signify annihilation.

Let’s consider the following verses with this same Greek word:

Matthew 10:6 But go rather to the lost <622> sheep of the house of Israel.

Matthew 15:24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost <622> sheep of the house of Israel.

Matthew 18:11 For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost <622>.

Luke 15:4 What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose <622> one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost <622>, until he find it?

Luke 15:6 And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost <622>.

Luke 15:8 Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose <622> one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it?

Luke 15:9 And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost <622>.

Luke 19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost <622>.

In the above verses, we have the same Greek word that is translated “perish” or “destroy”. In these verses it is talking about unsaved people that are in this world right now.

The translators put the word “lost” in these verses, but these verses have the same Greek word, “apollumi” that is translated “perish” and “destroy” many times in the Bible.

A more accurate translation would be “perished” or “destroyed” because the Greek word is in the past tense.

For example, it would be more accurate to translate the verses like this:

Matthew 10:6 But go rather to the perished <622> sheep of the house of Israel.

Matthew 18:11 For the Son of man is come to save that which was perished <622>.

These verses have to be translated in the past tense. The Greek word in each verse is in the past tense. So, it has to be translated “perished” or “destroyed”.

How can this be that the unsaved are already “perished” and yet they will “perish” again?

Please see the study on the Biblical definition of life and death for mankind to see more than 50 verses which address the above question.

We will give a summary answer here that ties into the above question.

We wonder why the Bible says that the unsaved are already “perished” or “destroyed”?

The word translated “lost” in the above verses is the word that means “perished” or “destroyed” and it is in the past tense, indicating a completed state.

The word “perished” is similar to “dead”.

When we learn how God uses the word “dead” and “alive” for mankind we gain insight into how God uses the word “perished” for mankind.

The Bible teaches that the day that Adam sinned he died. We read:

Genesis 2:17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

Ephesians 2:1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;

Ephesians 2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

1 Peter 4:6 For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.

Colossians 2:13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;

These are a few of the verses where God teaches that Adam died the day he sinned and unsaved man is already dead.

The problem is that in our minds we have concluded “death = cessation of existence” or we identify death with an unconscious corpse.

So, we change these verses to say “spiritually dead”. The Bible says “dead”, but we have changed these verses to say “spiritually dead”.

Then, because man dies again and because we see unsaved man walking around, we say that unsaved man is “spiritually dead but physically alive”.

However, God never says “spiritually dead”. God says “dead”.

God also declares that man’s body is “dead” also. We read:

Romans 8:10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

1 Corinthians 15:29 Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?

1 Corinthians 15 is talking about the resurrection of the bodies of the believers. In 1 Corinthians 15:29 God says 3 times that man’s body is already “dead”.

In Romans 8:10 and 1 Corinthians 15:29 God is saying that the believer’s body is already “dead”. If the believer’s body is dead, then the unbeliever’s body is also “dead”.

These and other verses teach that Adam died, both in body and soul, the day he sinned. Also, that unsaved man is already dead, both in body and soul.

But, this does not fit our definition that “death = a cessation of existence” for mankind.

We get an answer when we learn that God Himself is called “life” (John 11:25-26, 14:6). This is a very important truth.

God also gives us another very important truth: God identifies life for mankind in terms of his relationship with God as we read in 1 John 5:12:

He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

1 John 5:12 teaches that life for mankind does not have to do with existence. Rather, life for mankind has to do with his relationship to God.

The saved and unsaved equally exist both in body and soul.

Sometimes people argue that unsaved man is only dead in his spirit-essence and therefore his spirit has ceased to exist. However, God is clear in 1 Peter 3:19 that the unsaved still have a spirit-essence. We read there:

By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;

The “spirits in prison” refers to the unsaved in the days of Noah. Unsaved man throughout time is in prison in the sense that he is in bondage to his sins (John 8:34). Unsaved man is in prison, both in body and spirit (or soul).

Unsaved man still has his spirit-essence because he is a “spirit in prison”. He also has a body in prison. In his whole personality, he is in bondage to sin.

1 Peter 3:19 and other verses show us that the unsaved still exist, both in body and soul (or spirit).

So, unsaved man still exists, both in body and soul. Yet, according to the Bible he is dead, both in body and soul. This is true because for mankind, death is separation from God, who is life.

Actually, if we study the Bible carefully, we find that the Bible defines that “God is life”, and that for mankind “death is separation from God” and that life has to do with man’s relationship with God, who is life.

There are more than 50 verses that support the above statements. There are no verses in the Bible that disagree with the above statements. These are developed in study on the Biblical definition of life and death.

But, how do we fit in the fact that man dies from this world?

Here is an explanation:

1. Adam died both in body and soul the day he sinned. He did not cease to exist in anyway. Rather, Adam became separated from God, who is life. Adam was no longer energized by God like the believer is (Philippians 2:12-13). Adam was not indwelt by God like the believer is (Romans 8:9).

Unsaved man, like Adam, is also dead in both body and soul. He has not ceased to exist. Rather, unsaved man is separated from God, who is life Himself.

2. But, while unsaved is in this world, he is not completely separated from God.

We read in Acts 17:28:

For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

This verse is talking about all mankind.

Acts 17:28 teaches us that unsaved man is not completely separated from God.

Unsaved man is separated from God in the sense that God does not energize him (Philippians 2:12-13) and God does not indwell him (Romans 8:9). That is why unsaved man is dead, both in body and soul.

But, while unsaved man is in this world, he “lives” in the sense that to some degree he is in God, who is life Himself. Unsaved man moves in God. Unsaved man is in God, who is life Himself. In that sense, unsaved man lives. This is what Acts 17:28 is teaching.

3. Then, unsaved dies from this world.

When unsaved man dies from this world, he dies a second time, both in body and soul. We read about the killing of the souls of the unsaved in Joshua 10.

When unsaved man dies from this world, he is separated from God a second time. He is no longer in God at all.

That’s why unsaved man dies a twice, both in body and soul. Unsaved man is separated from God, both in body and soul, twice.

What confuses the issue is that when unsaved man dies from this world, his body also sleeps in the dust.

What makes the understanding more difficult is that when unsaved man dies from this world two things occur:

a. His body sleeps in the dust. That is, he loses consciousness in his body and his body returns to the dust.

b. He dies both in body and soul. That is he is now completely separated from God, who is life. While he was in this world he lived in the sense that he was in God and he moved in God. This is taught in Acts 17:28. But, when his body fails and sleeps in the dust, then he dies from this world, he is completely separated from God, who is life.

These are two separate things. However, since all we can see is the body sleeping in the dust and this is how we think in terms of “death” for mankind, we have joined the two together and think of them as one.

But, they are not the same thing. We know this because Adam died, both in body and soul, the day he sinned. But, his body did not sleep in the dust until he reached 930 years, when he died from this world; the second time he died.

This is a complex issue and we have not understood the Bible correctly on life and death for mankind.

Please see the study on the Biblical definition of life and death for mankind. It provides much more information and more verses on this topic.

With the help of the above Bible verses, we can see why unsaved man is already dead, both in body and soul. We can see also why unsaved man dies a second time. Unsaved man is separated from God, both in body and soul, two times.

In the same way, unsaved man is already “perished”. The word “perished” is used in a similar way in the Bible as the word “dead”.

Unsaved man is already “perished” in the sense that he is already “dead”, both in body and soul. He is separated from God, who is life.

Unsaved man will later perish again, just like he will die again, both in body and soul. He will be separated from God again. Then, he will be completely and eternally separated from God.

That is why we read the word “perished” in the Matthew 10:6, 15:24, 18:11, Luke 15:4, 6, 8, 9 & 19:10.

Our English Bible says “lost”, but this is the Greek word that is most commonly translated “perished” or “destroyed”.

The fact that God says that the unsaved are already “perished” means that to perish cannot mean a cessation of existence. The perished unsaved still exist in this world. Rather, the word “perish” is used in a similar way as the word “death”, which for mankind is separation from God, who is life.

We read some more verses with this same word “perished”, translated as “lost”.

Luke 15:24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost <622>, and is found. And they began to be merry.

Luke 15:32 It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost <622>, and is found.

2 Corinthians 4:3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost <622>:

In Luke 15:24 & 32, God is using a parable of the prodigal son to describe unsaved man.

Notice, that there are three things about the prodigal son:

1. He is separated from his father - he has left his father

2. Luke 15:24 & 32 calls him “dead”.

3. Luke 15:24 & 32 also say that he is “perished”, which is a more accurate translation than “lost”.

Notice, in this parable, God is affirming that for mankind, “to die = to perish = separation from God, who is life”.

Yes, we read many times in the Bible that the unsaved will perish. In our minds we see an unconscious corpse. But, if we examine the Bible carefully, we learn that the unsaved are already “perished”. We learn that this means he is “dead” or separated from God, who is life. Later, unsaved man will perish again, at which point, he will be eternally separated from God.

Now we will ask a question to help us further study how God uses the word “perished”.

What does unsaved man experience as a result of perishing or being separated from God?

We will answer this question by studying more verses that use this Greek word “apollumi”.

God gives more information about this New Testament Greek word “apollumi”, which is commonly translated as “perish” or “destroy”.

We read this same Greek word “apollumi” in Matthew 10:28 translated as “destroy”. We read there:

And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

Here we read that God will “destroy” the unsaved in hell.

It is said that hell is the grave.

Let’s look at what the Bible says about hell. To what else does God identify hell?

We read in Psalm 116:3:

The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow.

Here God identifies “pains” with hell. God also identifies “trouble” and “sorrow” with hell. These words will be covered in another study, but they always have to do with conscious affliction.

We read additional verses where God gives more definition to the word “hell”:

Matthew 5:22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

Matthew 18:9 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.

Mark 9:43 And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:

Mark 9:45 And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:

Mark 9:47 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire:

James 3:6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.

In these verses, we see that God identifies “hell” with “fire”.

The “fire” is that wrath of God, because God calls Himself a “consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:29).

Does God gives more information about “hell” or the “fires” of God’s wrath?

We must compare Scripture with Scripture to understand what God means by words and phrases.

We read in Revelation 20:13-15:

13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

We see that hell was cast into the lake of fire. Death and hell refer to the unsaved. Here, God identifies hell with the lake of fire. That agrees with what we read in the above verses that identify hell with fire.

With what does the lake of fire identify?

We read:

Revelation 14:10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:

Revelation 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

Here, God identifies the lake of fire with being tormented with fire. The Greek word translated “torment” always signifies conscious affliction.

Revelation 20:15 says that “whosoever was not found written in the book of life” will be cast into the lake of fire. That includes all of the unsaved that have ever lived, from Cain to the present day.

The lake of fire is not a physical fire. We know this because you cannot be tormented “day and night” in a physical fire. Those cast into a physical fire go unconscious in a few seconds or minutes.

Rather, the lake of fire is the enduring of God’s wrath. God is a consuming fire.

Those cast into the lake of fire are “tormented”. Therefore, it is necessary for them to “awake to consciousness” to endure this. Daniel 12:2 declares that they will awake to consciousness. Please see the study on the 10 proofs of the conscious resurrection of the unsaved for more detail.

Therefore, if we follow through the language of the Bible, we learn that God defines the “destroying” of Matthew 10:28 to be the conscious affliction of “torment” that all of the unsaved must endure.

We ask the next question:

How does “perishing” or “death” which is separation from God, identify with torment, a conscious affliction?

In this world, unsaved man is in God, who is life (Acts 17:28). In that sense, unsaved man lives. While unsaved is in God, he is under the blessings and kindness of God.

However, once the unsaved are eternally separated from God, they no longer receive any blessings of God. God casts them from Him and from His goodness. God casts them into affliction.

We see an faint analogy in this world.

Before mankind sinned, everything was perfect. There were no afflictions or suffering for mankind.

When Adam sinned, he died both in body and soul. He did not cease to exist. Rather, he became separated from God. He also became separated to some degree from God’s goodness. That is when afflictions began to come into his life.

With sin came death, separation from God, who is life. With that separation came affliction. Then, it is not surprising that complete separation from God includes the experience of affliction.

We looked at the New Testament word translated “perished” and learned that it is used in a similar way as the word “death”. According to the Bible death for mankind is separation from God, who is life.

We also saw that this New Testament word is also translated “destroy”. God talks about destroying the unsaved in hell or the lake of fire. We saw that this destruction includes conscious affliction.

Earlier, we started looking at the Old Testament word translated “perish”. We saw that the Old Testament word translated “perished” includes conscious affliction when we looked at its usage 4 times in Deuteronomy 28, verses 20, 22, 51 & 63.

Now, we will develop Old Testament word for “perish” in more detail.

The Old Testament word translated “perish” or “destroy” further examined

We studied the New Testament Greek word for “perish”. We found that God says that the unsaved are already “perished” indicating that this word does not signify a cessation of existence. Rather, it is like the word “dead”. Unsaved man is already dead, both in body and soul, according to the Bible. He is separated from God, who is life.

The New Testament word for “perish” is used like the word “dead” in connection to mankind to mean separation from God, who is life.

Unsaved man will “perish” again. At that point, he will be completely separated from God, who is life.

What about the Old Testament word for “perish”. Is it used in the same way as the New Testament word for “perish”?

Now, let’s consider the word “perished” in the Old Testament. This is the Hebrew word “abad” from which we read “Abaddon” in Revelation 9:11. In that way, there is some connection between the Old Testament word for “perish” and the New Testament word for “perish” because they are both used in Revelation 9:11. They are both most commonly translated “perish” or “destroy”.

This Hebrew word “abad” is very important because it is used almost 200 times in the Old Testament. It has 3 Strong’s numbers <06>, <07> and <08>.

This Hebrew word is translated “perish” about 100 times. It is the dominate Old Testament word translated “perish”. It is translated “destroy” about 60 times. Therefore, it is a very important word in defining what God means by the “perishing” or “destroying” of the unsaved. This is also parallel to the New Testament word “apollumi” because it is also translated “perish” and “destroy”.

We see some examples of verses with this Hebrew word “abad” below:

Leviticus 23:30 And whatsoever soul it be that doeth any work in that same day, the same soul will I destroy <06> from among his people.

Deuteronomy 4:26 I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that ye shall soon utterly <06> perish <06> from off the land whereunto ye go over Jordan to possess it; ye shall not prolong your days upon it, but shall utterly be destroyed.

Deuteronomy 7:10 And repayeth them that hate him to their face, to destroy <06> them: he will not be slack to him that hateth him, he will repay him to his face.

Deuteronomy 28:20 The LORD shall send upon thee cursing, vexation, and rebuke, in all that thou settest thine hand unto for to do, until thou be destroyed, and until thou perish <06> quickly; because of the wickedness of thy doings, whereby thou hast forsaken me.

Deuteronomy 28:22 The LORD shall smite thee with a consumption, and with a fever, and with an inflammation, and with an extreme burning, and with the sword, and with blasting, and with mildew; and they shall pursue thee until thou perish <06>.

Deuteronomy 28:51 And he shall eat the fruit of thy cattle, and the fruit of thy land, until thou be destroyed: which also shall not leave thee either corn, wine, or oil, or the increase of thy kine, or flocks of thy sheep, until he have destroyed <06> thee.

Deuteronomy 28:63 And it shall come to pass, that as the LORD rejoiced over you to do you good, and to multiply you; so the LORD will rejoice over you to destroy <06> you, and to bring you to nought; and ye shall be plucked from off the land whither thou goest to possess it.

Job 4:9 By the blast of God they perish <06>, and by the breath of his nostrils are they consumed.

Job 4:20 They are destroyed from morning to evening: they perish <06> for ever without any regarding it.

Job 6:18 The paths of their way are turned aside; they go to nothing, and perish <06>.

Job 20:7 Yet he shall perish <06> for ever like his own dung: they which have seen him shall say, Where is he?

Psalms 5:6 Thou shalt destroy <06> them that speak leasing: the LORD will abhor the bloody and deceitful man.

Psalms 9:3 When mine enemies are turned back, they shall fall and perish <06> at thy presence.

Psalms 9:5 Thou hast rebuked the heathen, thou hast destroyed <06> the wicked, thou hast put out their name for ever and ever.

Psalms 37:20 But the wicked shall perish <06>, and the enemies of the LORD shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away.

Psalms 49:10 For he seeth that wise men die, likewise the fool and the brutish person perish <06>, and leave their wealth to others.

Psalms 68:2 As smoke is driven away, so drive them away: as wax melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish <06> at the presence of God.

Psalms 73:27 For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish <06>: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee.

Psalms 83:17 Let them be confounded and troubled for ever; yea, let them be put to shame, and perish <06>:

Psalms 92:9 For, lo, thine enemies, O LORD, for, lo, thine enemies shall perish <06>; all the workers of iniquity shall be scattered.

There are more verses of this nature.

These verses seem to plainly teach that the unsaved are annihilated.

We reach that conclusion not by carefully studying these words “perish” and “destroy” in the Bible. Rather, we obtain this conclusion for mainly two reasons:

1. In our minds “perish = a cessation of existence” or “death = cessation of existence”. This is what we have been taught. This is how we think.

2. We identify “perish” and “death” with a corpse, with a body that is sleeping in the dust. This is what we see with our eyes.

Actually, if we study the Bible carefully, we find that the Bible does not teach the above two statements.

Please read the study on the Biblical definition of life and death for mankind to see more than 50 verses which show that the Bible does not teach the above two statements.

Rather, the Bible teaches the following for mankind:

1. God is life and for mankind “death = separation from God” and life for mankind has to do with his relationship to God. The Bible uses the word “perish” in a similar way as it uses the word “death”.

2. When unsaved man dies from this world, two things happen occur at the same time. He is completely separated from God. That is death. The second thing that happens is that his body sleeps in the dust. That is what we see. There are two different things occurring, but we have combined them in our minds.

We saw these truths as we examined the New Testament Greek word “apollumi” that is translated “perish” and “destroy”.

These truths can also be seen if we examine carefully some of the verses that use the Hebrew word “abad”. However, it is necessary to look at other verses in the Bible to clearly see the proofs of the latter two statements. These verses are given in the study of the Biblical definition of life and death for mankind.

Remember, the above verses declare that the unsaved will perish. They declare that God will destroy the unsaved. However, most of those verses do not give any definition for what God means by these words.

For example we read in Job 4:20:

They are destroyed from morning to evening: they perish <06> for ever without any regarding it.

We think in our minds that “perish = cessation of existence” or perishing is an unconscious corpse, so as we look at Job 4:20 we conclude that the unsaved are annihilated.

However, we found out that this is not true for the New Testament word for perish. It is also not true for the word “dead”. We must now examine this Old Testament word for “perish” to see if it signifies annihilation.

Let’s examine some verses with this Hebrew word “abad” more carefully.

We read the Hebrew word “abad” used four time in Deuteronomy 28 in these verses:

Deuteronomy 28:20 The LORD shall send upon thee cursing, vexation, and rebuke, in all that thou settest thine hand unto for to do, until thou be destroyed, and until thou perish <06> quickly; because of the wickedness of thy doings, whereby thou hast forsaken me.

Deuteronomy 28:22 The LORD shall smite thee with a consumption, and with a fever, and with an inflammation, and with an extreme burning, and with the sword, and with blasting, and with mildew; and they shall pursue thee until thou perish <06>.

Deuteronomy 28:51 And he shall eat the fruit of thy cattle, and the fruit of thy land, until thou be destroyed: which also shall not leave thee either corn, wine, or oil, or the increase of thy kine, or flocks of thy sheep, until he have destroyed <06> thee.

Deuteronomy 28:63 And it shall come to pass, that as the LORD rejoiced over you to do you good, and to multiply you; so the LORD will rejoice over you to destroy <06> you, and to bring you to nought; and ye shall be plucked from off the land whither thou goest to possess it.

Two times this Hebrew word is translated “perish” and two times it is translated “destroy”.

An important point is that in all four usages, this Hebrew word is not translated in past tense nor in future tense. These are the two most common tenses.

All 4 usages are in the “infinitive” which describes a state of being or on-going action. The “infinitive” in Hebrew is more accurately translated with an “ing”.

These verses should be more accurately written as “until you are perishing” or “until destroying you”.

As we saw above and as shown in the study of Deuteronomy 28:15-68, this passage describes an on-going conscious affliction that all of the unsaved must endure.

God uses the Hebrew word “abad” 4 times in this chapter. Therefore, God is defining the nature of the “perishing” and “destroying” that He intends for the unsaved. It is not a cessation of existence. Rather, in Deuteronomy 28:15-68 God defining a “perishing” or “destroying” of continuous conscious affliction.

There is further support that the “perishing” or “destroying” is continuous because God puts all 4 usages of the Hebrew word “abad” in the “infinitive”. This indicates something that is not complete, but rather on-going.

We remember that God defines words by how He uses them in the Bible. By Deuteronomy 28:15-68, God is defining a “destroying” or “perishing” of on-going affliction.

Let’s look at some more verses with this Hebrew word “abad”.

We read this Hebrew word in the following verses:

Psalms 119:176 I have gone astray like a lost <06> sheep; seek thy servant; for I do not forget thy commandments.

Jeremiah 50:6 My people hath been lost <06> sheep: their shepherds have caused them to go astray, they have turned them away on the mountains: they have gone from mountain to hill, they have forgotten their restingplace.

Ezekiel 34:4 The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost <06>; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them.

Ezekiel 34:16 I will seek that which was lost <06>, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment.

These verses all have the Hebrew word “abad” that is normally translated “perished” or “destroyed”.

In these verses it is translated “lost”, and is used in a similar way as the New Testament Greek word “apollumi”. We saw in the New Testament that this Greek word which signifies “perish” or “destroy” was applied to unsaved man in this world and translated as “lost”. Actually, a more accurate translation would be “perished” or “destroyed”.

The four verses above teach that unsaved man is already “perished”. In a similar way, the Bible teaches that unsaved man is already “dead”, both in body and soul, because he is separated from God, who is life.

God teaches the same message in the Old Testament with this Hebrew word “abad” which is most commonly translated “perish” or “destroy” that He teaches in the New Testament with the Greek word “apollumi”.

So, the above verses would be more accurately with “perished”. For example:

Jeremiah 50:6 My people hath been perished <06> sheep: their shepherds have caused them to go astray, they have turned them away on the mountains: they have gone from mountain to hill, they have forgotten their restingplace.

God is saying in Jeremiah 50:6 that His people are already perished or destroyed. This agrees with other verses in the Bible that teach that unsaved man is already dead, both in body and soul, because he is separated from God, who is life.

In Ezekiel 34:4 God is faulting the church leaders for not seeking God’s unsaved elect by bringing the True Gospel. God calls his unsaved elect “perished” people. Before salvation, we are dead in sins, both in body and soul. We are separated from God, who is “life”.

Let’s look at Ezekiel 34:4 again. We read there:

The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost <06>; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them.

Notice the 5 words that God uses to describe the unsaved in Ezekiel 34:4:

1. diseased

2. sick

3. broken

4. driven away

5. lost - should be translated “perished”

Notice that all 5 of these words are in the past tense and describe the condition of unsaved man. Unsaved man is already diseased by sin, he is already sick, broken, and driven away. Also, unsaved man is already perished.

The translators were probably confused about how someone in this world could already be “perished”. So, they put in the word “lost”.

However, when we study the Bible carefully we find that for mankind “death = separation from God, who is life Himself”. Also, in the Bible the word “perish” is used in a similar way as the word “die”. It effectively means to be separated from God, who is life.

Then, in Ezekiel 34:16 God talks about His plan to save His elect. God’s elect are out there in the world. They are “perished” like the rest of mankind who are dead in sins, separated from God. But, God will seek out His “perished” and save them.

We are confused by our preconceived notions and by what we see with our eyes.

We identify “perishing” or “dying” with a body that is sleeping in the dust. But, God defines “perishing” or “dying” in terms of man’s relationship to God, who is life.

We are further confused because at the time man dies a second time, his body also sleeps in the dust. So, we think the two events are one. But, actually, there are two things going on:

1. Man dies from this world. That is, he is completely separated from God who is life. While unsaved man was in this world, according to Acts 17:28, he moved in God and he was in God, who is life Himself. In that sense unsaved man “lived”. But, that comes to an end upon death from this world.

Man becomes completely separated from God and His blessings.

2. Man’s body sleeps in the dust. There is no more consciousness in his body and it returns to the dust. However, he will awake to consciousness in his body at the end of the world. (Daniel 12:2).

These are two distinct events that occur at the same time, so we think there is only 1 event. But, in reality they are two distinct events.

With the help of Psalm 119:176, Jeremiah 50:6, Ezekiel 34:4 & 16 we can see that God is teaching the same message in the Old Testament that He teaches in the New Testament. Namely, that unsaved man is already “dead” or “perished”. He is separated from God, who is life. Unsaved has not ceased to exist in anyway.

Let’s consider some more verses with this same Hebrew word “abad”:

Job 29:13 The blessing of him that was ready to perish <06> came upon me: and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.

Isaiah 27:13 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the great trumpet shall be blown, and they shall come which were ready to perish <06> in the land of Assyria, and the outcasts in the land of Egypt, and shall worship the LORD in the holy mount at Jerusalem.

We see this same Hebrew word “abad” in the above two verses.

The translators added the word “ready” which is not in the Hebrew text. The translators, like the rest of us, have been confused about the Biblical definition for mankind of the words: “life”, “death”, and “perishing”. So, at times they added words that were not in the original text.

Simply, God put the Hebrew word “abad” in the verse. It should be translated “perished”. The correct translation is:

Job 29:13 The blessing of him that was perished <06> came upon me: and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.

Isaiah 27:13 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the great trumpet shall be blown, and they shall come which were perished <06> in the land of Assyria, and the outcasts in the land of Egypt, and shall worship the LORD in the holy mount at Jerusalem.

These two verses use this same word “perished”. They are speaking of the unsaved. God declares that the unsaved are already “perished” using the Hebrew word “abad”.

In Job 29:13, Job is talking about the blessing of the Gospel. Job was an ambassador for Christ bringing whatever Gospel truth he knew to the unsaved around him. Those unsaved around him are called “perished” in Job 29:13.

Unsaved man is already “perished” or “dead”. That is, he is separated from God, who is life. He is not yet completely separated from God. That comes when he dies the second time, both in body and soul. Then he will be completely separated from God.

In Isaiah 27:13 God is talking about His salvation program. There are those that are “perished in the land of Assyria”. These people are going to become saved and worship the Lord. Assyria refers to the world or the kingdom of satan, from which all the elect come. God is saying that He will save people from the world. Before salvation, we were all “perished” to use the language of these verses.

Before salvation, God says we are already “perished” or “dead”. The unsaved elect have not ceased to exist, but rather they are separated from God, who is life.

But, God will make alive those He plans to save by giving them God, who is life (Psalm 80:18, 1 John 5:12, 16, etc.). When we become saved God does not give us existence. Rather, God gives us Himself. God is the life that He gives us. God now indwells us and energizes us.

We read the same teaching in Proverbs 31:6. We read there:

Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish <06>, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts.

Again, the translators put “ready to perish”, but that is incorrect. The word “ready” is not in the Hebrew text. God simply calls the unsaved “perished”.

Here, God is talking about the non-elect unsaved in this world. They are already “perished” or “dead”, separated from God.

This is another verse in which God says that the unsaved are already “perished” using this Hebrew word “abad”.

Unsaved man will perish again. At that time, he will be completely separated from God.

We see the same word “perished” translated “lost” in two verses in 1 Samuel 9. We read there:

1 Samuel 9:3 And the asses of Kish Saul’s father were lost <06>. And Kish said to Saul his son, Take now one of the servants with thee, and arise, go seek the asses.

1 Samuel 9:20 And as for thine asses that were lost <06> three days ago, set not thy mind on them; for they are found. And on whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not on thee, and on all thy father’s house?

These verses talk about donkeys rather than men, so they are not as significant. However, there is the contrast between the words “found” and this Hebrew word that is translated “lost”. Also, before salvation, man is typified by a donkey, an unclean animal.

In that sense, we were “lost donkeys” or “perished donkeys” before salvation.

We have looked at verses that teach that the unsaved in this world are already “perished”. That is they are already “dead” or separated from God, who is life. We saw this teaching with the New Testament word “apollumi” and now we see it with the Old Testament word “abad”.

Unsaved man perishes twice.

Unsaved man is already perished. According to the Bible, he will perish again.

We have seen verses both in the Old Treatment and in the New Testament where God teaches that the unsaved are already “perished”. They are separated from God who is life.

We also see many verses where God tells us that the unsaved will perish.

Does unsaved man perish twice?

He is already perished and then he perishes again?

Yes. According to the Bible, unsaved man is already perished and he will perish again.

That is because the Bible uses the word “perish” in a similar way as it uses the word dead. Unsaved man is already dead, both in body and soul. He is separated from God, who is life.

In the same way, the Bible says that the unsaved are already “perished”.

But, while unsaved man is in this world, he “lives”. Acts 17:28 tell us that unsaved man is in God, who is life. Unsaved man moves in God and he is in God. In that sense unsaved man lives.

But, then unsaved man’s body fails. It returns to the dust and there is no consciousness in his body.

At that point, unsaved man is separated from God again. He no longer moves in God and he is no longer in God. Therefore, he dies a second time, both in body and soul. Therefore, he perishes a second time.

Let’s look at another aspect of the word “perish”

We have looked at the word “perish” in the sense of the separation from God that already exists between unsaved man and God. Also, we have looked at the complete separation that comes when unsaved man dies from this world.

Let’s now look at verses where God talks about the impact upon man that comes when man suffers the “second death” or eternal perishing.

We read about God’s wrath upon the unsaved in Psalm 83:17-18:

17 Let them be confounded and troubled for ever; yea, let them be put to shame, and perish <06>:

18 That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth.

These verses are developed more in the study of 10 proofs of the conscious resurrection of the unsaved. We will give a summary here:

God is speaking of all of the unsaved in these verses.

In verse 17 God says that they will be “confounded”. This word means to be shamed. The unsaved will be ashamed because of their sins. Most of the time this Hebrew word is translated “ashamed”. We have learned about how the Bible teaches that shame comes upon the unsaved because of their sins.

Next, God says that the unsaved will be “troubled”.

This is word is very important.

The Hebrew word translated “troubled” is always used to indicate conscious experience. Please see the study of 10 proofs of the conscious resurrection of the unsaved for more information.

We want to remember that God has established the rule in 1 Corinthians 2:13 that God defines words and phrases by how He uses them in the Bible.

Therefore, if we want to understand what God is teaching by this word “troubled” we must examine how it is used in other parts of the Bible.

Here are some example verses with this same Hebrew word translated “troubled”:

2 Samuel 4:1 And when Saul’s son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands were feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled <0926>.

2 Chronicles 32:18 Then they cried with a loud voice in the Jews’ speech unto the people of Jerusalem that were on the wall, to affright them, and to trouble <0926> them; that they might take the city.

Job 23:15 Therefore am I troubled <0926> at his presence: when I consider, I am afraid of him.

Psalms 48:5 They saw it, and so they marvelled; they were troubled <0926>, and hasted away.

These are some example verses with this Hebrew word translated “troubled” in Psalm 83:17.

All verses with this word have been checked. This Hebrew word is always used to describe conscious experience.

Next, we read that the unsaved shall be “troubled for ever”.

What does God mean by “for ever”?

There are those that argue that the phrase “for ever” does not really mean “forevermore”, but that it ends with this world.

Following the rule of 1 Corinthians 2:13 to compare Scripture with Scripture, we have to see where this Hebrew word is used in other parts of the Bible to learn what God means by this word. This particular Hebrew phrase, with this exact spelling, is only used in these verses:

Psalms 92:7 ¶ When the wicked spring as the grass, and when all the workers of iniquity do flourish; it is that they shall be destroyed for ever:

Psalms 132:12 If thy children will keep my covenant and my testimony that I shall teach them, their children shall also sit upon thy throne for evermore.

Psalms 132:14 This is my rest for ever: here will I dwell; for I have desired it.

Isaiah 26:4 Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:

Isaiah 65:18 But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.

Above are all of the verses with this exact same Hebrew word, exact same spelling.

In Psalm 92:7 everyone agrees that the unsaved are destroyed for ever. That agrees with 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9 which says:

8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:

9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;

The unsaved are destroyed for ever. No one debates that. The question is if that means a continuous destroying or an instantaneous destruction that lasts forever.

Nevertheless, the “for ever” in Psalm 92:7 is truly forever.

In the other 4 verses with this same Hebrew phrase “for ever” (Psalm 132:12, 14, Isaiah 26:4, 65:18), the “for ever” refers to the duration of God’s salvation for the true believers.

Does God’s salvation last forevermore?

Yes. That is a promise from God.

God is defining that like His salvation for the believers is truly forevermore. In the same way, the troubling of the unsaved is also truly forevermore.

Therefore, based upon the Biblical rule of 1 Corinthians 2:13 that God defines words by how He uses them in the Bible, we know that the “troubled for ever” of Psalm 83:17 means that the unsaved will experience conscious affliction forevermore.

Continuing on in Psalm 83:17, the word “yea” is the word “and”. God is listing two more descriptions of the punishment of the unsaved.

God says that they shall be put to “shame”. This is a synonym for “confounded” that appears earlier in the verse.

Finally, God says that they shall “perish”. This is the same Hebrew word “abad” that we have been studying.

Notice that in Psalm 83:17 God defines the nature of the “perishing” that He has in mind for the unsaved. It includes being “troubled for ever”.

This agrees with how God uses this Hebrew word translated “perish” in Deuteronomy 28:15-68 and in other verses. It is used in a similar way as the word “death”, which for mankind is separation from God, who is life.

Affliction comes from man’s separation from God. Adam and Eve died, both in body and soul, the day they sinned. They became separated from God. God no longer energized them (Philippians 2:12-13) and no longer indwelt them (Romans 8:9).

Right away, we read about afflictions that came upon mankind (Genesis 3:16-19). These afflictions to man come with his separation from God.

Unsaved mankind will be eternally separated from God. That is the Biblical definition of “perishing” or “dead” for mankind.

As Psalm 83:17 and other passages indicate with that separation comes affliction or “troubled for ever”.

Psalm 83:18 is covered in more detail in the study of the 10 proofs of the conscious resurrection of the unsaved.

However, in verse 18, the translators incorrectly added the word “men”. The word “men” is not in the Hebrew text. It has to be translated

That they may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth.

The word “they” refers back to the unsaved in verse 17. The unsaved are the only “they” in the context.

The translators probably did not understand how someone who has “perished” could “know” anything.

The reason is that the translators did not understand the Biblical definition of “perishing” or “death” for mankind. They probably also identified that with an unconscious corpse.

However, the Bible teaches that unsaved mankind that is sleeping in the dust will awake to consciousness (Daniel 12:2). At that time, they will “know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth.”

Unsaved mankind has not had to recognize that Jehovah God of the Bible rules over him. However, when they awake at the end of the world, they will finally have to recognize that. This will be a fulfillment of Psalm 83:18.

We read a verse with a similar teaching in Ezekiel 25:7 which also has this same Hebrew word “abad”. We read there:

Behold, therefore I will stretch out mine hand upon thee, and will deliver thee for a spoil to the heathen; and I will cut thee off from the people, and I will cause thee to perish <06> out of the countries: I will destroy thee; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD.

In Ezekiel 25:1-7 God is talking about the Ammonites. Then in verse 8 God begins a new theme. So, verse 7 is a summary statement of the discussion.

The Ammonites represent the unsaved church people, especially during the 23 year Great Tribulation. Ezekiel 25:1-7 is speaking to many unsaved church people that have died from this world over the past 20 years during the Great Tribulation.

We have to remember that when God talks about the Ammonites in Ezekiel 25:1-7 he is talking to all of the unsaved people during the Great Tribulation. In fact, he is talking to all mankind to some degree. But, at least God is speaking to all of the unsaved people in the churches during the past 20 years of the Great Tribulation. Many of those people have already died from this world.

Next, in order to understand this verse, we have to read it very carefully.

First, God tells what He is going to do. Then, God tells what the unsaved shall know.

First, God says He will do 5 things to these unsaved people, many of whom have already died from this world:

1. I will stretch out mine hand upon thee

2. I will deliver thee for a spoil to the heathen

3. I will cut thee off from the people

4. I will cause thee to perish

5. I will destroy thee

The last 3 of these phrases are used as proof texts of annihilation. However, other studies have shown that they are not. To be “cut off” can be shown to mean to be “cut off” from God and His blessings. That actually is the Biblical definition of death for mankind.

After God describes what He will do to the unsaved, then, God tells us what the unsaved will know. God says concerning the unsaved:

Thou shalt know that I am the LORD.

Unsaved church people who have died from this world during the past 20 years, as well as all of the unsaved, have not known that the LORD (Jehovah) is God.

But, after they are cut-off, destroyed and perished, then they shall know the Lord.

How can that be?

These terms, “cut-off”, “destroyed” and “perished” are pointing to when the unsaved awake to consciousness (Daniel 12:2). At which point, they will be cast into the lake of fire to be consciously afflicted (Revelation 14:9-11, 20:10).

At that point, will be fulfilled what God says about them: “Thou shalt know that I am the LORD.”

Remember: God has given us what He will do, and then what the unsaved will know. We cannot change the order of this verse around, if we want truth. God has given what He will do and then what the unsaved shall know. We have to work with the verse as God has given it.

We cannot change the order of events in this verse.

If we change the order of events in this verse, then we have changed the verse from that which God has given and also the verse does not make sense.

If we change the order of the verse around and say that first the people “shalt know that I am the LORD.”, then that would identify with coming to salvation. Coming to know the LORD does not identify with being subject to God’s wrath. Yet, the verse talks about God’s wrath coming upon those people. So, we know that the phrase saying that the people “shalt know that I am the LORD” cannot be talking about salvation. When we become saved, we are delivered from the wrath of God. Rather, this phrase is talking about the unsaved at Judgment Day. The unsaved that are sleeping in the dust will awake to consciousness and finally “shalt know that I am the LORD”. They shall finally know that Jehovah God of the Bible is the true God.

Also, what about the unsaved church people that have died from this world during the past 20 years of the Great Tribulation?

Ezekiel 25:1-7 is talking about them. Let’s consider the language of Ezekiel 25:3-6. We read there:

3 And say unto the Ammonites, Hear the word of the Lord GOD; Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thou saidst, Aha, against my sanctuary, when it was profaned; and against the land of Israel, when it was desolate; and against the house of Judah, when they went into captivity;

4 Behold, therefore I will deliver thee to the men of the east for a possession, and they shall set their palaces in thee, and make their dwellings in thee: they shall eat thy fruit, and they shall drink thy milk.

5 And I will make Rabbah a stable for camels, and the Ammonites a couchingplace for flocks: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

6 For thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thou hast clapped thine hands, and stamped with the feet, and rejoiced in heart with all thy despite against the land of Israel;

All of this language is speaking directly to the unsaved church people during the past 20 years of the Great Tribulation. It speaks to more people than that. However, at least this language is speaking to all of the unsaved church people during the Great Tribulation.

However, many of them have died from this world during the past 20 years.

This language requires that the unsaved church people that have previously died from this world to awake to consciousness (Daniel 12:2) at the end of the world for fulfillment of Ezekiel 25:1-7. At that time, they will finally know that the LORD (Jehovah) is God.

In Ezekiel 25:7, God is saying that after the unsaved are cut-off, destroyed and perished, then they shall know the Lord.

This is confusing for us because in our minds; “destroyed = annihilation” and “perished = cessation of existence”.

However, for mankind God defines “perished = dead = separation from God, who is life” and the “destruction” that God plans for mankind is defined in Deuteronomy 28:15-68.

Also, Ezekiel 25:7 speaks to the unsaved church people who have died in the past 20 years, during the Great Tribulation. Those people must awake to consciousness to fulfill this verse (Daniel 12:2).

Once we obtain the Biblical definitions of “perished” and “destroyed” we can understand verses like Ezekiel 25:7.

There are other verses with this Hebrew word “abad”, translated as “perish” or “destroy” that are used as proof texts of annihilation. We shall examine some of them.

We shall now examine more verses with this Hebrew word “abad” translated “perish” or “destroy”. A quick reading of many of these verses appears to teach annihilation. However, we must always read the Bible carefully, comparing Scripture with Scripture.

We read in Job 4:9:

By the blast of God they perish <06>, and by the breath of his nostrils are they consumed.

Maybe we read this verse and quickly concluded that the unsaved are annihilated. Maybe the presence of both the words “perish” and “consumed” make us think of annihilation.

However, the Biblical rule is that we must check out how God uses these or any words before arriving at a conclusion.

We have examined this Hebrew word “abad” that is translated “perish” in Job 4:9 and found that it is used to describe the fact that unsaved man is already “perished”.

According to the bible, unsaved man is already “perished” or “dead”. That is, he is separated from God. However, it is not yet a complete separation. While unsaved is in this world, he is not completely separated from God. He still “lives” in the sense that he is in God and moves in God, who is life Himself (Acts 17:28).

But, finally, when unsaved man dies from this world, he dies or “perishes” a second time, both in body and soul. He is separated from God a second time and is now completely separated from God.

So, God says “By the blast of God they perish”. That is, by the blast of God they are cast away from God into the lake of fire to be afflicted. (Deuteronomy 28:15-68, Revelation 14:9-11, Revelation 20:10-15).

This is also a valid, Biblical, way to read this verse.

We read the next phrase “by the breath of his nostrils”. The word “breath” is most often translated “spirit” and the word “nostrils” is most often translated “anger”. This phrase could be translated this way “by the spirit of his anger”.

That is, God is angry in his Spirit because of sin. God is Spirit and He comes in His anger to bring vengeance.

We read “by the breath of his nostrils are they consumed.”

To understand this phrase, we must look up this word “consumed”.

This is the Hebrew word “kalah” which is frequently translated “full end”, “consumption”, “consume”, etc.

This Hebrew word is frequently used as a proof text of annihilation. However, we should look at how this Hebrew word is used in other parts of the Bible to understand what God means by this word.

We find this same Hebrew word used in the following verses:

Psalms 31:10 For my life is spent <03615> with grief, and my years with sighing: my strength faileth because of mine iniquity, and my bones are consumed.

Psalms 39:10 Remove thy stroke away from me: I am consumed <03615> by the blow of thine hand.

Psalms 69:3 I am weary of my crying: my throat is dried: mine eyes fail <03615> while I wait for my God.

Psalms 73:26 My flesh and my heart faileth <03615>: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.

Psalms 84:2 My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth <03615> for the courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God.

Psalms 119:81 CAPH. My soul fainteth <03615> for thy salvation: but I hope in thy word.

Psalms 119:82 Mine eyes fail <03615> for thy word, saying, When wilt thou comfort me?

Psalms 119:123 Mine eyes fail <03615> for thy salvation, and for the word of thy righteousness.

All of these verses contain the same Hebrew word that is translated “consumed” in Job 4:9. The translated could have put the word “consumed” in each of these verses.

If we examine each of these verses we see that they describe an on-going “consuming” of conscious affliction. They do not describe annihilation. The speaker that is “consumed” still exists, but is enduring an on-going affliction. He is being consumed by this on-going conscious affliction.

There are other verses of this nature. Please see the study on the word “full end”, “consumption”, “utter end”, etc. for more examples.

By these verses God is teaching that at times He uses this Hebrew word translated “consume” to describe an on-going conscious affliction. Therefore the presence of this Hebrew word in a verse by itself cannot be used as a proof text of annihilation.

Therefore, when we read in Job 4:9 concerning the unsaved that “by the breath of his nostrils are they consumed.”, we have Biblical direction that this can mean a “continuous consuming” of conscious affliction.

God uses this Hebrew word “kalah” in such a way that we cannot use this Hebrew word in a verse by itself as a proof text of annihilation.

Let’s consider another verse with this Hebrew word “abad”. We read in Job 4:20:

They are destroyed from morning to evening: they perish <06> for ever without any regarding it.

This verse can be read causally and the conclusion formed quickly that it teaches annihilation.

However, let’s examine the verse more carefully.

The word “destroyed” in Job 4:20 is most commonly translated “beat” or “beat down”. Here are some example verses:

Deuteronomy 9:21 And I took your sin, the calf which ye had made, and burnt it with fire, and stamped <03807> it, and ground it very small, even until it was as small as dust: and I cast the dust thereof into the brook that descended out of the mount.

2 Kings 18:4 He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces <03807> the brasen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan.

2 Chronicles 34:7 And when he had broken down the altars and the groves, and had beaten <03807> the graven images into powder, and cut down all the idols throughout all the land of Israel, he returned to Jerusalem.

Psalms 89:23 And I will beat down <03807> his foes before his face, and plague them that hate him.

Isaiah 2:4 And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat <03807> their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

Isaiah 30:14 And he shall break it as the breaking of the potters’ vessel that is broken in pieces <03807>; he shall not spare: so that there shall not be found in the bursting of it a sherd to take fire from the hearth, or to take water withal out of the pit.

Jeremiah 46:5 Wherefore have I seen them dismayed and turned away back? and their mighty ones are beaten down <03807>, and are fled apace, and look not back: for fear was round about, saith the LORD.

Joel 3:10 Beat <03807> your plowshares into swords, and your pruninghooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong.

Micah 1:7 And all the graven images thereof shall be beaten to pieces <03807>, and all the hires thereof shall be burned with the fire, and all the idols thereof will I lay desolate: for she gathered it of the hire of an harlot, and they shall return to the hire of an harlot.

Micah 4:3 And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat <03807> their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

This word is often used in the sense of “beating” some metal to form it into another shape, as in the above examples.

We see the application in Jeremiah 46:5 in which the mighty ones are “beaten down” and fled away.

So, this word can have the sense of being beaten.

This word gives the sense that the unsaved are “beaten” like metal is “beaten” to form it. This teaches conscious affliction, not annihilation.

Next, we read that they shall be beaten “from morning to evening”.

We read about on-going beatings “from morning to evening” in Deuteronomy 28:67. We read there:

In the morning <01242> thou shalt say, Would God it were even <06153>! and at even <06153> thou shalt say, Would God it were morning <01242>! for the fear of thine heart wherewith thou shalt fear, and for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see.

We see the same words for “morning” and “evening” in Job 4:20 and in Deuteronomy 28:67.

In Deuteronomy 28:15-66 God describes an on-going “beating” of conscious affliction. Then in verse 67 God says that in the morning the unsaved will desire the evening. Then, in the evening, the unsaved will desire the morning. In other words, the suffering is an on-going beating from “from morning to evening”. This matches the language of Job 4:20.

A side point

Someone might argue that the language of “morning” and “evening” in Deuteronomy 28:67 proves that the punishment of Deuteronomy 28:15-68 must come to an end at the end of the world, because the time keepers of this world, including “morning” and “evening” come to an end.

However, that reasoning is not valid.

At times God uses the time keepers from this world to make reference to things that will occur in eternity future. For example, we read in Isaiah 66:22-24:

22 For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain.

23 And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD.

24 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 be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.

The context of Isaiah 66:22-24 is the new heavens and new earth. We see that in verse 22.

Then in verse 23 God talks about how the believers will comes to worship God.

God talks about one new moon to another and one sabbath to another.

The context of this cannot be the New Testament era because the ceremonial laws of new moons came to an end when Christ went to the cross. This passage must be talking about eternity future in the new heavens and new earth.

God is using parabolic language to describe eternity future.

However, note the reference to “from one sabbath to another”. That is the passage of 7 days or 7 evening & morning cycles. Also, the reference to “from one new moon to another” is another reference to the time keepers of this world.

So, God is showing in Isaiah 66:22-24 that He can use the time-keepers from this world, like sabbath to sabbath, or new moon to new moon, to make reference to things in eternity future. Therefore, God can use figures from the time-keepers of this world, like “morning to evening“, to speak about eternity future.

We see another example of that in Isaiah 34:10. We read there:

It shall not be quenched night nor day; the smoke thereof shall go up for ever: from generation to generation it shall lie waste; none shall pass through it for ever and ever.

Isaiah 34 is talking about the lake of fire. The unclean birds represent the unsaved.

In verse 10 God talks about the fires of God’s wrath and says “It shall not be quenched night nor day”. God is talking about the fires of God’s wrath.

God says that the fires of His wrath will not be quenched “night nor day”.

We know from other passages that the fires of God’s wrath continue forevermore. For example, we read:

Jeremiah 17:4 And thou, even thyself, shalt discontinue from thine heritage that I gave thee; and I will cause thee to serve thine enemies in the land which thou knowest not: for ye have kindled a fire in mine anger, which shall burn for ever.

Mark 9:43-48:

43 And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:

44 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.

45 And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:

46 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.

47 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire:

48 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.

There are other verses of this nature.

There is no doubt that the fires of God’s wrath will burn forever. The fires of God’s wrath shall not be quenched forevermore.

However, in Isaiah 34:10 we learn that those fires shall not be quenched “night nor day”.

It is argued that the phrase “night nor day” can only refer to this world. Therefore any verse with the phrase “night nor day” must come to an end at the end of the world.

However, God is showing us in Isaiah 34:10 that this assumption is not true.

We have seen that the fires of God’s wrath shall not be quenched forevermore.

Isaiah 34:10 says that the fires of God’s wrath shall not be quenched “night nor day”. The rest of the Bible shows us that they shall not be quenched “night nor day” forevermore.

By Isaiah 34:10 & 66:22-24 and other verses, God is showing us that He can use terms from the time keepers of this world, like “day and night”, “one sabbath to another”, etc., to describe events that go on into eternity. Therefore, the presence of the terms “morning and evening” in Deuteronomy 28:67 and Job 4:20 is no limit of the duration to this world.

Let’s return to the examination of Job 4:20:

They are destroyed from morning to evening: they perish <06> for ever without any regarding it.

We can sum up the meaning the phrase “They are destroyed from morning to evening”.

The word “destroyed” is most commonly translated in the sense of “beating”, like to beat metal to form it.

The unsaved will be beaten by conscious affliction.

The phrase “from morning to evening” communicates the on-going nature of the beating.

So, when we check the Hebrew words used in the phrase “They are destroyed from morning to evening” we find that this phrase is not pointing to annihilation. Rather, it is pointing to an on-going beating of conscious affliction.

Now we will examine the phrase “they perish for ever”

In our minds we link “perish = cessation of existence” or “perish = unconscious corpse”.

However, as we saw, God uses both the Old Testament and New Testament words translated “perished” to describe the present condition of unsaved man as “lost”. According to the Bible, the unsaved are already “perished” and then they will perish again.

We saw the same Hebrew word translated “perish” in Job 4:20 is used 4 times in Deuteronomy 28:15-68. In that passage, God describes a continuous conscious affliction. God is describing an on-going “perishing” of conscious affliction.

We also saw that the word “perish” is used in a similar way as the word “death”. In the study of the Biblical definition of life and death for mankind many verses are given where the Bible defines death for mankind as separation from God.

So, these and other verses show that the “perishing” of Job 4:20 and the other verses with the same word is the eternal casting away of the unsaved from God. The phrase “for ever” emphasizes that after Judgment Day unsaved man will be cast away from God for ever.

Right now, according to the Bible, unsaved man is already “perished”. However, it is still possible that God might make him alive (Psalm 80:18, 1 John 5:12, 16). That is, God comes to indwell him when God saves him.

But, at Judgment Day, the unsaved will be eternally separated from God, eternally perished. How sad.

Finally, we read in Job 4:20 “without any regarding it.”

This is teaching that once unsaved man is cast into the lake of fire, God will no longer show any mercy or concern for him. In this world, God is very good to all mankind, including the unsaved (Matthew 5:45, Acts 14:17). However, once unsaved man is cast into the lake of fire, God will show no more compassion toward him.

Let’s consider another verse with this same Hebrew word “abad”:

We read in Job 6:18:

The paths of their way are turned aside; they go to nothing, and perish <06>.

Again we see the same Hebrew word “abad” that is translated “perished”. The answer to the word “perish” in Job 6:18 is the same as that given above.

However, we also see the word “nothing”. That makes us think of annihilation. But, the translation “nothing” is misleading. The most common way this word is translated is “vain” or “vanity”. It is also translated in the sense of “waste” a few times.

From time to time the translators will translate a word in a way that implies annihilation. They probably did not understand the Biblical definition of the word “perish” for mankind.

Therefore, we always have to be ready to check the original language to verify the translation.

Here are some verses with this same Hebrew word translated “nothing” in Job 6:18:

Deuteronomy 32:10 He found him in a desert land, and in the waste <08414> howling wilderness; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye.

1 Samuel 12:21 And turn ye not aside: for then should ye go after vain <08414> things, which cannot profit nor deliver; for they are vain <08414>.

Isaiah 41:29 Behold, they are all vanity; their works are nothing: their molten images are wind and confusion <08414>.

Isaiah 44:9 They that make a graven image are all of them vanity <08414>; and their delectable things shall not profit; and they are their own witnesses; they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed.

Isaiah 59:4 None calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity <08414>, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity.

We see from these examples that Job 6:18 would have been more appropriately translated like this:

The paths of their way are turned aside; they go to vanity, and perish <06>.

The translation “vanity” matches the other usages of this Hebrew word more accurately.

When unsaved man is cast into the lake of fire, he is cast into a place of “vanity”. Everything is worthless.

This ties into Isaiah 34:11 which has the same Hebrew word translated “confusion”. We read there:

But the cormorant and the bittern shall possess it; the owl also and the raven shall dwell in it: and he shall stretch out upon it the line of confusion <08414>, and the stones of emptiness.

Isaiah 34:10-17 describes the eternal dwelling place of the unsaved; the lake of fire. It uses parabolic language. We see this same Hebrew word in verse 11 translated “confusion”.

Unsaved man’s existence in the lake of fire will be one of complete vanity or futility. That is what this Hebrew word teaches.

This Hebrew word helps us to understand that the lake of fire is a place of vanity or emptiness or worthlessness for the unsaved.

Next, we will look at Job 20:7. We read there:

Yet he shall perish <06> for ever like his own dung: they which have seen him shall say, Where is he?

We see the word “perish” again. The explanation for this word is given above and in other studies.

We also see the word “dung”. This is probably a reference to something that is unclean such as indicated in Ezekiel 4:12-15. We also see dung used to represent something that is despised and put away in 1 Kings 14:10.

Normally, the word “dung” is used in the context of something that is despised and rejected. It is used as something that should be put away. Also dung has a bad odor. That is another reason that we put it out of our sight.

This ties into what we read in John 11:39 about the 4 day old corpse of Lazarus. We read there:

Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.

Martha is talking about the corpse of her brother Lazarus. She did not want Jesus to command the tomb of Lazarus to be opened. The body had been there 4 days and “stinketh”.

Martha is reflecting our attitude towards a corpse. We want a corpse out of our sight.

Our attitude towards a corpse is similar to our attitude towards dung. We want both of them out of our sight. Both stink.

When we study the account of the death and resurrection of Lazarus, we learn that the corpse of Lazarus represents all of us before salvation. God represents the unsaved in this world by the corpse of Lazarus.

In Ezekiel 37 God represents the unsaved of this world by dry bones.

In other verses also God uses the figures of corpses or dry bones to represent the unsaved.

Going back to the corpse of Lazarus, we read in John 11:43:

And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.

Lazarus heard the voice of Christ and came forth out of the tomb. That is a picture of salvation.

This agrees with what God says in John 5:24-25 where we read:

24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.

This passage is talking about God’s salvation program throughout the whole New Testament era. Notice the Lord Jesus says the time for the fulfillment of this passage “now is”. That began all the way back to when Jesus was speaking, almost 2000 years ago.

According to the Bible the unsaved are already dead, both in body and soul. They are separated from God, who is life. But, when we become saved, God makes us to hear His word, and God makes us alive in our soul. We don’t receive existence in our soul. The unsaved already exist in their soul or spirit-essence (1 Peter 3:19). Rather, when we become saved, we receive God, who is life, indwelling our soul. In that sense, we have life in our soul (1 John 5:12).

In John 11, we have a historical parable that teaches this truth.

In John 11:43, Lazarus heard the voice of God, the Lord Jesus, and he lived. He passed from dead unto life as we read in John 5:24.

Therefore, that corpse of Lazarus in the tomb represents all of us before salvation. Through Martha in John 11:39, God is teaching that the unsaved in this world are represented by stinking, 4 day old corpses. That is something that is despised and put away. This is very much like dung, that is despised and put away.

So, when we read in Job 20:7 that the unsaved perish like dung, that ties into the present condition of the unsaved in this world in God’s sight, according to John 11:39.

Job 20:7 says that those that remain unsaved are cast away like dung is cast away when God casts them into the lake of fire.

This is teaching that unsaved man is cast away as something that is despised and/or unclean when he is cast into the lake of fire.

Next we read in Job 20:7: “they which have seen him shall say, Where is he?”

This is talking about the eternal separation of the saved from the unsaved.

We read in Matthew 13:40-42, 49-50:

40 As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.

41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;

42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

49 So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just,

50 And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

Right now, the saved and the unsaved are mixed together in this world.

But, at the end of the world, there will be a final separation between the saved and the unsaved.

In the new heaven and new earth, there will only be the true believers. All of the unsaved will be eternally removed from the saved and from the earth.

The “they which have seen” the unsaved can be the true believers. Once we come to the end of the world, the true believers will never see the unsaved again. It is like they could say “Where is he?”. There is an eternal separation between the saved and the unsaved.

Also, God will no longer look to the unsaved with compassion.

We read that when we sin, God can “hide His eyes” from us. We read in Isaiah 1:15:

And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.

God is talking to ancient Israel and to the churches of our day.

God is saying that when we continue in rebellion against Him, He can “hide His eyes” from us.

This does not mean that the people of ancient Israel or the churches of today do not exist. Rather, this verse is saying that God would no longer look to them with the intention of answering prayer or to help.

In that sense, God will not “see” them.

While the unsaved were in this world, God “saw” them in the sense that He was blessing them in many ways.

However, once the unsaved are cast in the lake of fire, the teaching of Isaiah 1:15 will eternally apply to them. God will “hide His eyes” from them and will not bless them. He will not “see” them anymore in that sense. However, this does not mean that the unsaved will not exist.

These are some of the verses that have the Hebrew word “abad” that have been used as proof texts of annihilation.

Once we understand the Biblical definition that death for mankind is separation from God, who is life, and that the word “perishing” is used in a similar way as the word “death” in the Bible, then we can understand the above verses in a Biblical way.

Other verses have been offered as proofs of annihilation. We will examine some of those now.

We can read a verse quickly without comparing Scripture with Scripture and come to a conclusion. But, we must check out all conclusions in the whole Bible.

Malachi 4:1-3 has been offered as a proof of annihilation. Let’s examine that passage now.

We read in Malachi 4:1-3:

1 ¶ For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.

2 But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.

3 And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD of hosts.

This passage is talking about the day of judgment. We see several references to judgment day in this passage.

Let’s start with verse 1.

We see the word "burn" which refers to fire. When we see the word "burn" in reference to God's wrath coming upon the unsaved, we are pointed to the lake of fire. Things are burned in a fire. But, the lake of fire is the final pouring out of God's wrath upon the unsaved.

So, these references to "burn" and "day" point us to the lake of fire, the second death. When we read about the second death; it focuses upon torment, a conscious affliction, and not annihilation as we read about in Revelation 14:10-11 & 20:10 .

Also, the lake of fire is not a physical fire. People are not tormented "day and night" in a physical fire. In a physical fire, people quickly go unconscious. Man cannot not be tormented day and night in a physical fire.

Therefore, the lake of fire cannot be a physical fire that burns people up.

The lake of fire, points us back to God, who calls Himself a consuming fire in Hebrews 12:29. God is not a literal fire at all. However, physical fire destroys and causes great pain. God, as the consuming fire destroys (can be a continuous destruction - Psalm 37:20, Revelation 19:3) and causes great pain.

Therefore, Malachi 4:1 points us to the lake of fire.

We see the word "burn" two times in this verse. They are two different Hebrew words. The first word "burn" is used about 90 times in the Bible, mostly translated as "burn" or "kindle". The second word "burn" occurs only about 11 times in the Bible. It is translated "set on fire" or "burn"

When we read the last part of Malachi 4:1 where it says "day that cometh shall burn them up" and we see the word "up" we think that they are gone. However, this same Hebrew word translated “burn up” is used in other verses that don't give the sense of the burnt item being gone.

For example:

Deuteronomy 32:22 For a fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell, and shall consume the earth with her increase, and set on fire <03857> the foundations of the mountains.

Job 41:21 His breath kindleth <03857> coals, and a flame goeth out of his mouth.

Psalms 57:4 My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them that are set on fire <03857>, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.

Psalms 83:14 As the fire burneth a wood, and as the flame setteth <03857> the mountains on fire <03857>;

Psalms 104:4 Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming <03857> fire:

The above 5 verses indicate that this Hebrew word means to set something on fire, but it does not have to mean that the item is completely gone; "burned up".

The translators put "burn them up". It could be translated "burn them".

Malachi 4:1 says the people will be "stubble".

We should keep in mind that Christ spoke in parables. We quickly think of a physical fire and how fast stubble will burn. But, we know that the lake of fire is not a physical fire as shown above.

We do receive a picture here. If we see stubble burning in a fire, we see how the fire overcomes that stubble. This is a teaching that we receive from the use of the word "stubble". However, Christ spoke in parables and the lake of fire is not a literal fire and mankind is not literal “stubble” or corn stocks.

With the word "stubble" God is continuing to develop the spiritual picture of Malachi 4:1. God is not teaching that the unsaved are literally “stubble”. Rather, as stubble is easily overcome by the fire, so the unsaved will be overcome by the wrath of God. This language does not give us details about what happens to the unsaved in the lake of fire.

This same Hebrew word translated “stubble” is used in the following verses that help give us definition:

Job 41:28 The arrow cannot make him flee: slingstones are turned with him into stubble <07179>.

Job 41:29 Darts are counted as stubble <07179>: he laugheth at the shaking of a spear.

Psalms 83:13 O my God, make them like a wheel; as the stubble <07179> before the wind.

Isaiah 40:24 Yea, they shall not be planted; yea, they shall not be sown: yea, their stock shall not take root in the earth: and he shall also blow upon them, and they shall wither, and the whirlwind shall take them away as stubble <07179>.

Isaiah 47:14 Behold, they shall be as stubble <07179>; the fire shall burn them; they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame: there shall not be a coal to warm at, nor fire to sit before it.

Jeremiah 13:24 Therefore will I scatter them as the stubble <07179> that passeth away by the wind of the wilderness.

Examining these verses in their context will show that the word "stubble" can mean something that is very weak. Or, it can mean something that is light, like the chaff carried away by the wind.

This word "stubble" gives us a word picture that tells the weak and helpless condition of unsaved man. Also, it gives us a picture of how they will be overcome by the wrath of God. However, it is not telling us that they are annihilated.

The translators often just thought about the physical picture and not the spiritual teaching as they translated. Because of this, they probably got the idea to put "burn them up".

Malachi 4:1 then says "that it shall leave them neither root nor branch."

In examining this phrase, we want to remember that Christ spoke in parables.

As we learned from the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, and from other Bible passages, once someone ends up in hell or in the lake of fire, there is no possibility of salvation. There is no possibility that the Lord Jesus could ever be their savior.

Right now, there is always the possibility of salvation. However, in the lake of fire, there is no possibility of salvation. There is no Christ there to save.

That is the teaching of this last part of Malachi 4:1

For example, the word "root" is found in two verses in Isaiah 11:

Isaiah 11:1 And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots <08328>:

Isaiah 11:10 And in that day there shall be a root <08328> of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.

Particularly in verse 10, the "root" identifies with the Lord Jesus Christ.

Malachi 4:1 is saying that once we end up in hell there is no “root” or no Christ there as the savior. Those in the lake of fire will be left without any "root". There will be no Christ there to save them. They will be stuck in hell and there will be no “root”, no Christ to help them. That is the big and awful teaching here.

The word "branch" also identifies with the Lord Jesus as savior. We read these two verses:

Zechariah 3:8 ¶ Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the branch.

Zechariah 6:12 And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The branch and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD:

So, in Malachi 4:1 the "branch" could be another name for the Lord Jesus, along with the "root".

However, this Hebrew word translated "branch" in Malachi 4:1 is a different word than we find in the two verses in Zechariah.

This particular Hebrew word translated "branch" might identify more with the true believers as shown in these verses:

Psalms 80:10 The hills were covered with the shadow of it, and the boughs <06057> thereof were like the goodly cedars.

Ezekiel 36:8 But ye, O mountains of Israel, ye shall shoot forth your branches <06057>, and yield your fruit to my people of Israel; for they are at hand to come.

God also talks about "branches" as believers in the New Testament as we read in:

John 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

So, it maybe the best fit for Malachi 4:1 is that the "root" is Christ and the "branches" are the believers. This would tie into the rich man asking Lazarus, representing the believers, to bring a drop of water to cool his tongue. God has used the true believers as the carriers of the Gospel, "laborers together with God" (1 Corinthians 2:9). God does all the saving, but He uses the believers to carry the Bible to the world. That drop of water would be like the Gospel for the rich man. Lazarus would represent the true believers carrying that Gospel to him. However, for those in the lake of fire, the believers cannot bring the Gospel to them.

So, once someone is in the lake of fire, Christ is not there to save and the believers are not there to bring the precious Gospel of salvation. There is neither "root" nor "branch". Christ is not there to help. The believers are not there to help.

This explanation fits with how Christ spoke in parables.

The language of Malachi 4:1 is parabolic. We have already seen that the lake of fire is not a literal fire. Someone cannot be not tormented day and night in a literal fire. Also, man is not literally “stubble” nor does man have literal roots and branches. God is using parabolic language.

When we see that Christ spoke in parables, Malachi 4:1 fits perfectly. For those in the lake of fire, there is no salvation; no savior and no messenger to bring that Gospel.

But, what if someone insists that we must understand the phrase “neither root nor branch” in a literal way so that it teaches annihilation?

What if someone wants to insist that the phrase “that it shall leave them neither root nor branch” must also be understood in a literal way, indicating that the unsaved don’t exist anymore?

If we insist that a parabolic statement must also be understood in a literal way, then we should be consistent and carry that rule through the Bible.

For example, we read in John 6:53:

Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.

We understand that John 6:53 is teaching us important Gospel truths.

We also understand that there cannot be a literal fulfillment of John 6:53. Mankind was never to literally drink the blood and eat the flesh of the Lord Jesus. John 6:53 can only be understood as a parable teaching Gospel truths.

Because we have verses like John 6:53 that can only be understood in a parabolic way and not in a literal way, then we cannot say that Malachi 4:1 must also have a literal fulfillment.

If we insist that a parabolic statement like Malachi 4:1 must also be understood in a literal way, then let’s be honest and say that John 6:53 must also be understood in a literal way. However, we know that John 6:53 cannot be understood in a literal way.

John 6:53 and other verses show that there are verses that can only be understood in a parabolic way and not in a literal way. Therefore, we cannot say that Malachi 4:1 must also be understood in a literal way.

God gives further clues in Malachi 4:1 that this verse cannot be understood in a literal way.

Let’s look at Malachi 4:1 again:

For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.

This verse says that the unsaved are “stubble”.

Are the unsaved literally “stubble”, like a corn or wheat stock?

No.

Unsaved man is not literally “stubble”. Unsaved man is not literally a corn stock or a wheat stock. God is speaking in a parabolic manner.

Also, as pointed out above, the lake of fire is not a literal fire. Those cast into the lake of fire are “tormented day and night”. One cannot be tormented day and night in a physical fire.

Therefore, God gives clues in Malachi 4:1 that this verse cannot be understood in a literal manner.

If someone wants to insist that we are to read the phrase “it shall leave them neither root nor branch.” in a literal way, then we have to be consistent and say that unsaved man is first turned into “stubble” before Judgment Day. Unsaved man must be turned into a corn stock or a wheat stock before Judgment Day. Then, he can be burned without root or branch.

But we know that this is not true.

We see more evidence that Malachi 4:1-3 must be understood only as a parable and cannot be understood in a literal way when we read verses 2 & 3.

We read in Malachi 4:1-3:

1 ¶ For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.

2 But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.

3 And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD of hosts.

Notice verse 3 says that the true believers will tread down the unsaved and that the unsaved shall be ashes under the believers’ feet.

Is that literally going to happen?

Will the true believers be walking on the ashes of the unsaved?

No. We know that the Rapture will come and catch up the believers. The true believers will no longer be in this world when Judgment Day comes.

The true believers will never literally walk on the ashes of the unsaved.

Someone might say “ ‘Walking on the ashes of the unsaved’ is a figure of speech indicating that victory of the true believers but we must understand the word ‘ashes’ literally”.

We have to be consistent with the Bible. If we insist that the unsaved will literally be “ashes” then we have to be honorable with the Bible and say that the true believers will walk on those ashes.

But, we know that is not true. The believers will be raptured. They will not walk on ashes of unsaved people.

If we are honorable with the Bible, we have to recognize that Malachi 4:1-3 is using parabolic language that cannot be understood literally and therefore provides no proof of annihilation.

Verse 2 must be understood as a parable also. The Lord Jesus is not literally a “sun” like the one that provides light for us each day, and we don’t expect to see the Lord Jesus with “wings”.

God provides more help in understanding the term “ashes”. We read the same Hebrew word in Job 30:19:

He hath cast me into the mire, and I am become like dust and ashes <0665>.

Job had not literally become “ashes”, but God uses that figure to indicate that Job was enduring the fires of God’s wrath. Fires produce ashes.

With help from the Bible, we learn that the “ashes” emphasize that the unsaved are enduring the fires of God’s wrath, like Job was enduring the fires of God’s wrath.

So, a careful examination of Malachi 4:1-3 shows that it does not provide any proof of annihilation. It must be understood as a parable teaching important truths about God’s judgment.

Let’s consider another passage.

We read in Nahum 1:6-9:

6 Who can stand before his indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? his fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him.

7 The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.

8 But with an overrunning flood he will make an utter end of the place thereof, and darkness shall pursue his enemies.

9 What do ye imagine against the LORD? he will make an utter end: affliction shall not rise up the second time.

Nahum 1:6-9 has been offered as a proof of annihilation.

Verses 6 & 8-9 focus upon God’s wrath upon the unsaved. Let’s examine those verses phrase by phrase.

Verse 6 begins by declaring that the unsaved will not be able to “stand” before the wrath of God.

We find this same Hebrew word in these verses:

Exodus 9:11 And the magicians could not stand <05975> before Moses because of the boils; for the boil was upon the magicians, and upon all the Egyptians.

Here we read about one of the plagues that came upon the Egyptians and upon their magicians. The plague was so bad that the magicians could not “stand” before Moses.

This did not mean that the magicians and the Egyptians ceased to exist. Rather, it means that the plague was so bad that the people were “fallen” under it. They could not confront or respond back to Moses. They probably could not literally stand up either because of the plague. But, the Egyptians did not cease to exist.

Ezra 9:15 O LORD God of Israel, thou art righteous: for we remain yet escaped, as it is this day: behold, we are before thee in our trespasses: for we cannot stand <05975> before thee because of this.

In Ezra 9:15, Ezra is confessing the sins of the people before God. The people had committed many sins even after returning to the land of Israel. Ezra says that the people cannot “stand” before God because of their sins.

This does not mean that the people did not exist. Rather, it means that they were guilty and subject to the wrath of God. They could not “stand” righteous before God. Unless Christ became their savior, they will be cast down under the wrath of God.

In Ezra 9:15 the word “stand” does not mean that the unsaved don’t exist. Rather, it means that they cannot “stand” righteous in God’s sight. This is the same idea that we find in Nahum 1:6. The unsaved will fall under the wrath of God.

Jeremiah 35:19 Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not want a man to stand <05975> before me for ever.

Here, God is talking about the believers “standing” before God as His servants. The believers can “stand” before God because all of their sins are covered and they stand righteous before God.

However, the unsaved cannot stand before God because of their sins. The unsaved will be cast down into the pit of hell.

Jeremiah 46:15 Why are thy valiant men swept away? they stood <05975> not, because the LORD did drive them.

Jeremiah 46:21 Also her hired men are in the midst of her like fatted bullocks; for they also are turned back, and are fled away together: they did not stand <05975>, because the day of their calamity was come upon them, and the time of their visitation.

In these two verses God is giving more definition to the meaning of being able to “stand” before God. In verse 15 the unsaved cannot stand before God because God drives them away. They are swept away.

These verses teach that the meaning of the unsaved not being able to “stand” before God includes the fact that they will be thrust away from God. It is not that the unsaved don’t exist. Rather, God casts them away.

Daniel 8:4 I saw the ram pushing westward, and northward, and southward; so that no beasts might stand <05975> before him, neither was there any that could deliver out of his hand; but he did according to his will, and became great.

Daniel 8:7 And I saw him come close unto the ram, and he was moved with choler against him, and smote the ram, and brake his two horns: and there was no power in the ram to stand <05975> before him, but he cast him down to the ground, and stamped upon him: and there was none that could deliver the ram out of his hand.

Daniel 11:16 But he that cometh against him shall do according to his own will, and none shall stand <05975> before him: and he shall stand <05975> in the glorious land, which by his hand shall be consumed.

These verses are talking about the rise of satan during the Great Tribulation.

It says that none shall be able to “stand” before him. It is not that no one else exists. Rather, it is that God has exalted satan to rule in all the local congregations, so that no one can stop his rulership in the churches. God has exalted him. In that sense no one is able to “stand” before him to challenge his rulership.

We have examined some verses with the same Hebrew word translated “stand” in Nahum 1:6. We have seen that this word can mean that at Judgment Day the unsaved will not be able to “stand” acceptable in God’s sight. They will be cast down into hell. It does not mean that the unsaved will cease to exit.

Next we read in Nahum 1:6, “who can abide in the fierceness of his anger?”.

This Hebrew word translated “abide” in Nahum 1:6 is mostly translated “stand” or “arise”. We have looked at this Hebrew word in other studies. Here are two example verses with this same Hebrew word:

Psalms 1:5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand <06965> in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

Here we see the same Hebrew word translated “abide” in Nahum 1:6 translated as “stand” in Psalm 1:5.

Psalm 1:5 is teaching that the unsaved will not be able to “stand” acceptable in the sight of God. They will be cast down into hell. This is the same teaching of Nahum 1:6. The unsaved will not be able to stand “in the fierceness of his anger”. They will be cast down into hell because of their sins.

Psalms 140:10 Let burning coals fall upon them: let them be cast into the fire; into deep pits, that they rise not up again <06965>.

We read the same Hebrew word “abide” from Nahum 1:6 translated as “rise up” in Psalm 140:10.

Psalm 140:10 is teaching that the unsaved will be cast down into the pit of hell. They will be cast into fire. This ties into Revelation 14:10, 20:10 and other verses that talk about being tormented by the fire of God’s wrath.

In the same way, Nahum 1:6 is teaching that the unsaved will not be able to rise up out of the pit of hell because of “the fierceness of his anger”.

We have seen two verses that help us understand the statement in Nahum 1:6 that the unsaved will not be able to “abide” the wrath of God. They will not be able to “stand” in the judgment, but will be cast down under the wrath of God. Also, they will not be able to “rise up” from the wrath of God. They will be under that wrath.

We read in Nahum 1:8 & 9 that God will make an “utter end”.

The word translated “utter end” in both verses is the Hebrew word “kalah” and it is used more than 200 times in the Old Testament.

It is taught that this Hebrew word signifies annihilation. However, if we examine how God uses this word in the Old Testament we find many verses in which this word cannot mean annihilation.

Please see the study of the words, “full end”, “consumption”, “utter end”, etc.

to learn about how God uses this Hebrew word “kalah”. There is a whole study devoted to just this Hebrew word.

Here is one example. We see this same Hebrew word in Genesis 2:1 & 2:

Genesis 2:1 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished <03615>, and all the host of them.

Genesis 2:2 And on the seventh day God ended <03615> his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.

Here, this Hebrew word is translated “finished” and “ended” to describe the creation. God did not annihilate the creation in Genesis 2. Rather, God finished or ended His creating. All of the creation still existed. It is only that God was finished with the making of it.

In the same way, throughout history God has been working with unsaved man and God has been very merciful and kind to unsaved man. God has sent His word to mankind and has encouraged mankind to read it and cry out to God for mercy.

We see an example of God’s patience with unsaved man through His dealings with unsaved king Ahab of Israel. There is no evidence that Ahab ever became saved. However in 1 Kings 21:27-29 Ahab humbled himself when he heard the pronouncement of God’s wrath on him. God saw his humbling and gave him some relief. There is no evidence that Ahab became saved because God slew him in the next chapter. However, God did hear Ahab’s petition and provided some relief for him. That is an example of God’s mercy in this world towards even the non-elect.

However, once the unsaved are cast into the lake of fire God is completely done with them. God will never be merciful to them again. He will never show any kindness to them again. He is finished with them.

There will be an “utter end” to all God’s goodness towards the unsaved.

The unsaved in the lake of fire continue to exist like the creation continued to exist after Genesis 2:1-2. However, God will be done with the unsaved like He was done with creating the original creation.

There are many more examples of this same Hebrew word used in a like manner.

Please see the study of the words, “full end”, “consumption”, “utter end”, etc.

It has many more examples.

In both Nahum 1:8 & 9 the Hebrew word “kalah” is translated “utter end” and is grouped with another Hebrew word “asah” meaning “to make” or “to do”. Together they are translated as “he will make an utter end”.

The phrase “he will make an utter end” is very forceful.

Nahum 1:8-9 gives a very forceful impression. Therefore, it may cause us to think of annihilation. However, we always have to study how God uses words and phrases in other parts of the Bible to understand what God means by them. We cannot trust the impression that a verse gives us.

God has given us help in Genesis 18:21 to understand what God means by the phrase “he will make an utter end” found in both Nahum 1:8 & 9.

We read in Genesis 18:21:

I will go down now, and see whether they have done <06213> altogether <03617> according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.

Genesis 18:21 has both of the Hebrew words that are contained in both Nahum 1:8 & 9.

In Genesis 18:21 God is talking about Sodom and Gomorrah. The “they” are Sodom and Gomorrah. God is saying that He will see if Sodom and Gomorrah “have done <06213> altogether <03617> according to the cry of it”. As it turns out, they had done all of that sin and in the next chapter God destroys them.

Genesis 18:21 uses these same two Hebrew words that are used in both Nahum 1:8 & 9. Therefore, Genesis 18:21 helps us to understand what God can mean by the phrase “he will make an utter end” in Nahum 1:8 & 9.

It would be completely proper to translate Genesis 18:21 like:

I will go down now, and see whether they have made an utter end according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.

Again, God is giving definition to this word translated “full end” or “utter end”.

In Genesis 18:21 this Hebrew word means that the people of Sodom and Gomorrah had “made an utter end” of fulfilling all of their sinful desires.

The people of Sodom and Gomorrah had not annihilated anything. Rather, they had “made an utter end” of fulfilling their sinful desires.

With the help of Genesis 18:21 we can know that the two word Hebrew phrase translated “make a full end” or “make an utter end”, which is found in both Nahum 1:8 & 9, does not signify annihilation. Rather, it signifies to completely finish with something.

God has given us many examples of this Hebrew word “kalah” that show us that it does not signify annihilation. God even gives us Genesis 18:21 with the two Hebrew words translated “make a full end” or “make an utter end”, showing that even these two Hebrew words together do not have to signify annihilation.

Does the phrase “affliction shall not rise up the second time” teach annihilation?

In the end of Nahum 1:9 we read the phrase “affliction shall not rise up the second time”.

Someone could read that phrase and argue that it teaches that finally the affliction upon unsaved man comes to an end and “affliction shall not rise up the second time”.

However, that is only one way to read this phrase.

Once unsaved man is cast into the lake of fire the affliction goes on forevermore. The affliction never stops. The affliction of the lake of fire stays upon the unsaved forevermore.

In the lake of fire the “affliction shall not rise up the second time” because it never stops.

If affliction did rise up the second time then that would imply that the affliction of the lake of fire would have to stop, so that it could rise up the second time.

However, in the lake of fire the “affliction shall not rise up the second time” because it will never stop.

When we examine Nahum 1:6-9 carefully we find that it does not teach annihilation. Rather, if we study the Hebrew word translated “utter end” we find that it points to the truth that at Judgment Day God will be completely finished with showing any kindness or mercy towards the unsaved.

Revelation 21:1 has been offered as a proof text for annihilation.

We read in Revelation 21:1:

And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

The phrase “and there was no more sea” has been used as a proof text for annihilation, saying that the sea = hell. Since Revelation 21:1 says there will be no “sea”, then we can conclude that there will be no hell.

There are two arguments against that line of reasoning:

1. Revelation 21:1 is looking at the new heaven and new earth. There is no threat of the wrath of God in the new heaven and new earth. It does not mean that the unsaved are not outside experiencing the wrath of God.

2. The argument above makes a simple statement that the sea represents hell.

More precisely, the word “sea” is used to represent the condition of being under the wrath of God. For example, in this world the believers are fishermen, just like some of the apostles had that as an earthly occupation.

The fish represent those who become saved. A fish was caught and taken out of the sea and put in the ship. That represents someone who taken out of the condition of the wrath of God and put into the church. For the true believer, he is put in the eternal church. So, the sea is really a picture of being under the wrath of God, which is where Christ found us.

We get more help in understanding the phrase “no more sea” from Revelation 21:1 if we back up a few verses to Revelation 20:13.

In Revelation 20:13 we read:

And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

At the end of the world, the sea gives up the dead, the unsaved, that are in it. These dead are taken out of the sea and cast into the lake of fire. The function of the sea has come to an end. That is why there is no more sea in eternity future.

That is, the unsaved are no longer under the condition of being under the wrath of God. Now, they are cast into the lake of fire to actually experience the wrath of God. The lake of fire is a place of torment.

Unsaved man throughout time has been in the sea. The sea is the condition of being under the wrath of God, but not actually experiencing it. Unsaved man will not remain in the sea after this world has come to an end. Either he was “fished” out when God saved him. Or, at the end of time, the sea will give up the dead, the unsaved, that are in it. Then, they shall be cast into the lake of fire to experience the wrath of God.

So, the sea, the condition of being under the wrath of God has come to an end. Men are in one of two final destinations. Either they are in heaven or they are in the lake of fire, now experiencing the wrath of God. But, this in-between state, of being subject to the wrath of God, represented by the sea, is now gone.

Therefore, Revelation 21:1 is not saying that there is no one in the lake of fire enduring the wrath of God.

Rather, it teaching that in the new heaven and new earth, there will be no threat from the wrath of God.

If someone wants to insist that Revelation 21:1 is not just talking about the new heaven and new earth, then the reference to no sea is teaching that all men will be in either one of two places. Either he will be safe and secure in heaven with Christ or he will now be in the lake of fire to endure the wrath of God.

There will be no one subject to the wrath of God but not enduring it. Everyone will either be in the lake of fire enduring the wrath of God or in heaven with Christ eternally free from the wrath of God.

As we have carefully looked at various words and verses that are used as proof texts of annihilation, we have found that when we compare Scripture with Scripture, these words and verses do not teach annihilation. We have preconceived ideas about certain words, like “perish“, “death“, “destroy”, etc. but, to obtain truth, we must carefully examine how God uses these words in the Bible.

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