The prodigal son account refutes your theory, since he was also "dead" as well as being "lost" (same Greek word for "perish") & then later found & alive again.
No, the prodigal son actually proves it perfectly.
When the prodigal son returned, his father had to explain to the son who remained at home how he viewed the prodigal son while he was away.
"24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found." (Luke 15:24)
While the prodigal son was away by his act of free will to take his "inheritance" (living in his father's house- the kingdom), his father saw him as "lost" and "dead".
While he was still "alive" somewhere apart from the father, he was "lost" to his father. Although he was lost to his father, since he was still alive in the natural and would have the opportunity to repent and return...
17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,
19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
Since he returned, he did not die in the natural, which would have been permanent separation from the father's house (the kingdom of heaven).
The father also said that the prodigal was "dead" in his view. This illustrates that there are two states of being for those who were "his" and decided to leave and squander what was theirs by birth (having been born again). They are "lost" while "prodigal" and have the opportunity to repent, or they have died while prodigal, in which case they are dead without the opportunity to return.
If "lost" and "dead" have the same meaning and use, why did Jesus make a distinction twice in the parable? He did it so that we could see that there is hope for a prodigal that is "lost" and alive to repent, and that if a prodigal has died while away, he is "dead" to God with no hope of return.
You said:
Any human beings who are now dead, i.e. have perished, will be resurrected back to life. They didn't perish forever. They perished temporarily.
Jesus said,
"25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he
that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
26 And whosoever liveth
and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?"
The only human beings that will be resurrected are those who have entered the covenant with Jesus and "
that believeth in me". To those who believe in him, he gives eternal life and they will be raised from the dead and stand before him to "give an account" of what they have done with what they have been given. See the parable of the Talents.
The only human beings that are resurrected have been given "salvation" from the curse of death that Adam brought into the world. They have also been given an unearned reserved "inheritance" (the kingdom of heaven dwelling place) that they will have "strived to enter" or squandered as in the case of the prodigal son.
You said,
I'd say, according to John 5:28-29; Dan.12:2, Rev.20, etc, Adam will be resurrected back to life. His death isn't "Endlessly permanent". All who are dead will live again. Including those who "perished" in the flood of Noah's time, "perished" being the same Greek word again as at Jn.3:16 & in the prodigal son account:
2 Pet.3:6 through which the world of that time perished in the flood. 7 And by that same word, the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men
Those same people who "perished" in the flood will be resurrected.
You are correct. Adam will be resurrected. He was given a blood covenant to "cover" his sin when the Lord covered him with a sacrifice.
21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them. (Genesis 3)
This is a foreshadow of the blood sacrifice that Jesus would fulfill. He will redeem and resurrect all those who have accepted his covenant.
You correctly referenced:
28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
Jesus was speaking to the Jews. He was speaking to those who were in covenant with God about the graves of those covenant people who had died. He was telling them that at the promised resurrection of those who believed, that there is an "accounting" (again, see the parable of the Talents). Those that have "done the will of My Father" will enter. Those who did not, will be cast out. The "dead" that have no covenant "perish" and return to the dust.
The Jews, at the time of Jesus speaking considered the Gentiles to be "dogs", having no covenant. Jesus also acknowledged this:
26 The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation; and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter.
27 But Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it unto the dogs. (Mark 7:25-27)
The Gentiles (the "dogs") promise of resurrection would come only after the Jews (the "children") had rejected the covenant.
You said,
Love Omnipotent is willing and able to save angelic beings as well.
That is not what our Omnipotent God
said he will do. He made hell for the devil, his angels, and all those who receive the mark of the beast.
You said,
I've been a serious student of the Holy Scriptures for decades, but many books are written & i'm not convinced this one is one i should be reading. Most here don't seem to have the time to even read a long post, let alone a book of that length.
You are not convinced because, like most, we believe we already know everything that can be written. I have spent much time replying to your very valid objections and scripture references. You are a serious student of the Holy Scriptures. I would welcome as many seeming contradictions and scriptural challenges as you can present to see if this understanding can stand up to the highest scrutiny.
I agree that most people here don't seem to have the time to read even to this line in our discussion. Only those who diligently search the scriptures will see what God has intended only for the diligent lovers of His Holy Word.
I am enjoying our discussion. Thank you for your respectful and thoughtful reply!
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