Jeff, I found almost zero Biblical support for annihilation...it's not a strong contender.
I found a fair amount of Biblical support for Hell and Damnation, BUT when I saw the bias and word choices and theology-put-before-translation, that support went <poof> for the most part.
Saying "zero biblical support" only shows you have not taken a comprehensive look at the subject. One of the pastors who early-on introduced me to UR admitted that the Bible did seem to teach all three. At that time I was yet to be committed to the teaching.
That is not true in the slightest and you know it. There is more than you can offer which is not one verse that says anyone comes out of the lake of fire and unto eternal life.
Mal 4:1 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.
Mal 4:2 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.
Mal 4:3 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.
Do you want them all? They've been given before--you ignore them. These are only a few.
• 2 Peter 2:6 NHEB
"...and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, having made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly.”
2 Thes 1:9
Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
We never were created immortal. We are given immortality. Not even Adam and Eve were immortal--
Gen 3:22 And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:
Gen 3:23 Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.
They were driven from the garden to prevent them eating of the tree and living forever in sin. After the resurrection we get the tree back:
Rev_2:7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
Rev_22:14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
Nowhere does the bible say eternal life will be given to the lost. We are not going to shovel fruit from the tree of life to the lost so they can live forever in torment!
We are given immortality as a gift from God.
Rom_2:7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:
1Co_15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
1Co_15:54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
2Ti_1:10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:
Only the Godhead is immortal:
Ti 1:17 Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
1Ti 6:15 Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;
1Ti 6:16 Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.
Saints Witness the Lifeless Remains of the Wicked:
The Saints View The Lifeless Remains (i.e. Corpses) of the Wicked:
• Isaiah 66:22-24
"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. 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. 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."
For the Final Fate of the Wicked is Destruction (or Annihiation):
• 2 Thessalonians 1:9
"Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power."
• Malachi 4:1-3
“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. 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. 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.”
• 2 Peter 2:6 NHEB
"...and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, having made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly.”
• Psalms 68:2
"....as wax melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God."
• Job 4:8-9
“Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same. By the blast of God they perish, and by the breath of his nostrils are they consumed.”
• Psalms 92:7 NLT
"Though the wicked sprout like weeds and evildoers flourish, they will be destroyed forever."
• Deuteronomy 7:10
“And repays them that hate him to their face, to destroy them: he will not be slack to him that hates him, he will repay him to his face.”
• Psalms 1:6
“For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.”
• 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 both soul and body in hell [i.e. Gehenna or Lake of Fire].”
• Revelation 21:8
"But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death."
The Final Fate of the Wicked Also Includes the Annihilation or:
A. Destruction of the Devil:
• Isaiah 14:12, Isaiah 14:19
12 “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!” 19 “....thou art cast out of thy grave like an abominable branch, and as the raiment of those that are slain, thrust through with a sword, that go down to the stones of the pit; as a carcase trodden under feet.”
• Ezekiel 28:14-15, Ezekiel 28:18
“Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.”
“Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee.”
2Pe 2:12 But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;
Isaiah 60:12
"For the nation and the kingdom which will not serve you will perish, And the nations will be utterly ruined.
Isaiah 34:2
For the LORD'S indignation is against all the nations, And His wrath against all their armies; He has utterly destroyed them, He has given them over to slaughter.
Exodus 22:20
"He who sacrifices to any god, other than to the LORD alone, shall be utterly destroyed.
Matt 3:12
Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
Matt 7:19
Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
Matt 13:40-42
As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.
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;
And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
John 15:6
If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
• Ezekiel 28:14-15, Ezekiel 28:18
“Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.”
“Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee.”
• Psalms 92:7 NLT
"Though the wicked sprout like weeds and evildoers flourish, they will be destroyed forever."
• Job 4:8-9
“Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same. By the blast of God they perish, and by the breath of his nostrils are they consumed.”
I only ask for that one verse that says anyone comes out of the lake of fire to eternity with God.
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