Truth Scares the Hell out of Apostates

“6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. 7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.” (Jude) The topic of eternal suffering as opposed to punishment by being reduced to non-existence (Annihilation) has caused no small stir in the Christian world recently. The famous Christian actor Kirk Cameron (Left Behind films) received flack in a recent podcast episode over questioning the doctrine of everlasting punishment, and rightfully so. The “comforting” error of Annihilation, like every other error, comes from not believing what you read in that Book. It comes from ignorance or denial of the primary meaning of words (Nehemiah 8:8). Believers (generally speaking) struggle with winning souls because sinners refuse to come to terms with the fact that a holy and eternal God demands an everlasting punishment for sin. It is hoped that this article will give Bible-believing readers more ammunition to earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints (Jude 3). In the words of Kirk Cameron himself, “There is mercy EVEN in his (God’s) judgment!” Granted, there is an element of truth behind this statement as God skins HIS people in measure, not to make an utter end of them but to bring out the peaceable fruit of righteousness (Habakkuk 3:2; Hebrews 12:11). However, consider this, reader, that God has mercy on whom he WILL have mercy (Romans 9:15). God spares no mercy for Satan and his angels, for whom everlasting fire was prepared (Matthew 25:41)! If I wanted to sugar-coat my gospel presentation, I would give the hard-hearted sinner blessed assurance that even if Jesus didn’t die for him, it’s okay because in the lake of fire you’ll burn for a while before you cease to exist (the theory). Sinner, you can count your future torment as a light affliction for a MOMENT, because after you’ve suffered a little while, you’ll cease to exist! In other words, people, the Annihilation theory is a COMPROMISE in an attempt to court goats to Christ! There are a handful of KJV folks on social media that have come out questioning the doctrine of eternal conscious torment (though not denying hell and the lake of fire). A crafty way the annihilation theory is taught is that it points out places in the old testament where the word “everlasting” doesn’t necessarily mean forever, and places where the fire is inextinguishable doesn’t necessarily mean eternal. We’ll be examining the Annihilationist’s reasoning in reading these verses; and will refute them. “And when Aaron lighteth the lamps at even, he shall burn incense upon it, a perpetual incense before the LORD throughout your generations.” (Exodus 30:8) Annihilation Interpretation: Perpetual means lasting forever. Is this incense still burning before the Lord to this day? Obviously not. Rebuttal: This is perpetual incense in the CONTEXT of the old testament order of worship. It’s a good idea to look at what the old dictionary (Oxford English Dictionary) says about “perpetual”: Lasting or destined to last for ever; eternal, unceasing; permanent (during life). The primary definition allows for a temporal sense of “forever”, rather than just eternal. Rituals like the above mentioned have been done away with under the new testament, which is why Paul wrote Hebrews! Read Hebrews 9:1-11 and note the words “FIGURE FOR THE TIME THEN PRESENT”. “Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this place, and shall not be quenched.” (2 Kings 22:17). Annihilation Interpretation: God’s wrath burned against Jerusalem and is said to NOT be quenched. Does this mean God’s wrath is still burning against Jerusalem since this prophecy was declared? Also see Jeremiah 7:20. Rebuttal: This is referring to a TEMPORAL (lasting IN TIME) judgment upon Jerusalem which WAS delayed during Josiah’s reign. However, the Holy Spirit made it clear to the king that there’s no way this judgment was going to be stopped because of the cesspool of sin the city had become. Using verses like this to explain away the truth of eternal punishment is called “grasping at straws”! See 2 Chronicles 34:25 for a similar text. Also note that there can be a double application to the 70A.D judgment upon Jerusalem (I Thessalonians 2:14-16; Luke 21:22-23). “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.” (Isaiah 66:24) Annihilation Interpretation: This text is NOT saying that the carcases of sinners will never cease to exist, its only saying their worm shall not die, and the fire won’t be quenched. The Bible talks about worms feeding on bodies (Job 24:20; Isaiah 51:8; Acts 12:23). In the lake of fire, this worm will eventually consume and finish feeding on the body, and the body will no longer be in existence! Rebuttal: For better understanding of this text, it is helpful to discern the context. If you read the WORDS carefully, you are not reading about the new heavens and new earth, you are reading about the eternal security of God’s people and the door of faith being opened to Gentiles (Isaiah 66:19-22). The context is the church age. In verse 24, it is said that God’s people (both Jew and Gentile) will look upon the dead bodies (carcasses) of the men that sinned against God. Who might these sinners be? The worthless Jews from whom God took the kingdom and gave to the new testament church (Matthew 21:41-43, 16:18-19; 23:33). During the prophesied 70 A.D destruction of Jerusalem, folks marveled at the bodies, bodies, bodies everywhere. That ain’t the worst of it though, because as soon as these sinners perished they lifted up their eyes in hell, AS prophesied in Isaiah 66. Whether the worm referenced here is a primary sense worm (serpentine-like critter), or figurative reference to the pain of hell (Oxford English Dictionary); this worm is said to NOT die. The LOGICAL conclusion of the soul eternally ceasing is that this worm and fire must also cease as well! Isn’t this worm and fire designed for punishment in the first place? If a doctrine doesn’t make downhome country sense, God ain’t behind that teaching! “Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, mine anger and my fury shall be poured out upon this place, upon man, and upon beast, and upon the trees of the field, and upon the fruit of the ground; and it shall burn, and shall not be quenched.” (Jeremiah 7:20). Annihilation Interpretation: Is this verse saying that the men, beasts, trees, and fruit are still burning to this day since the text says God’s fury should not be quenched? Rebuttal: Again, this verse is NOT referring to the eternal destination of the damned (Context - Jeremiah 7:17-20). There was no way the fire of God’s wrath was going to be stopped until the temporal judgment upon his people was performed. More grasping at straws. “And say to the forest of the south, Hear the word of the LORD; Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will kindle a fire in thee, and it shall devour every green tree in thee, and every dry tree: the flaming flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be burned therein.” (Ezekiel 20:47). Annihilation Interpretation: Are the trees and faces from the south to the north still burning from the flames that should not be quenched? No, they were ANNIHILATED! Rebuttal: Again, this verse has NOTHING to do with the eternal flames of hell. The fire of God’s temporal judgment cannot be stopped UNTIL it has done its job. “The blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren.” (Genesis 49:26). Annihilation Interpretation: Are these hills going to be around for all of eternity? It’s lasting forever, according to the definition of everlasting! Rebuttal: This text is simply describing the excellency of Jacob’s and Joseph’s blessings. The everlasting hills last forever until God burns up heaven and earth for the new creation (Isaiah 65:17). If you really want to get deep into it, the “utmost bound of the everlasting hills” shows that Israel’s blessings go beyond the FULFILLED inheritance of a piece of dirt (Joshua 23:14), it transcends unto the heavenly inheritance (Hebrews 11:16 c/w Ephesians 1:3). “And he shall have it, and his seed after him, even the covenant of an everlasting priesthood; because he was zealous for his God, and made an atonement for the children of Israel.” (Number 25:13). Annihilation Interpretation: This is another verse where everlasting doesn’t mean lasting forever. Is the everlasting priesthood of Phinehas still around? Obviously not. Rebuttal: The Levitical priesthood is done away with. However, it is interesting to note that Jesus is made a priest forever after the order of Melchisedec because he was zealous for the Father’s will, and made the atonement for HIS Israel! What’s the point here? Phinehas’ blessing and obedience is a SHADOW of Christ’s blessing and obedience! Hebrews 5:8 c/w 7:21. After examining the Annihilationist’s line of reasoning, it’s a marvel to see the lengths and depths apostates will go to in order to break their spiritual necks! We’ll close this article with a basic run-down of how eternal judgment works. Those who have not been picked out of the ruined clay of Adam’s race will perish and burn in a spiritual prison called hell. A prison is a place where personal liberties are deprived, in this case, the prison of hell is where you’re deprived of any quality of life and hope. In hell, sinners and fallen angels experience the vengeance of eternal fire that they will suffer in the lake of fire. At the end of time, the Judge of all the earth will call and resurrect the dead to the judgment seat (both just and unjust). Those who are NOT written in the Lamb’s book of life from the foundation of the world will have BOTH their resurrected body and soul cast into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the eternal destiny and just-deserts of all who have sinned against God. PRAISE GOD that Mercy picked a sinner like me, and said to death and hell, “Nah-ah, you ain’t getting this one”! If the lake of fire merely reduces the sinner’s resurrected body and soul to non-existence, then eternal salvation is pointless. (Romans 9:18-25; 1 Peter 3:19-20; Jude 6-7; John 5:28-29; Revelation 20:12-15; Matthew 10:28; Ephesians 2:4-5). The earthly, mortal, bodies of the sodomites were destroyed in the fires that rained down from heaven in Genesis, but their souls are PRESENTLY suffering from eternal fires as you are reading this. Being a Bible Believer isn’t easy, but to be a Bible Believer, one must believe EVERY WORD of that black-backed Book and the doctrine FROM those words (Proverbs 30:5-6). Are you a Bible Believer?