StoveBolts
Isa 45:1 Thus saith the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut;
Eugene - How did Cyrus become anointed?
StoveBolts - Within the Biblical texts, we see a great King named Cyrus and is called "Anointed one" aka Messiah in Jewish terms. Isaiah 45:1 Thus saith the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden. See Ibid 44:28 Cyrus was devoted to Marduk as verified within the Cyrus Scroll (Google it). So to say "wouldn't that be every nonbeliever" really draws the wrong line in the sand between heaven and hell. Cyrus was YHVH's "Annointed" and was one of the greatest peace keepers and restorationist in the Bible as far as Gentiles go even though he paid his highest regard to Marduk. You see, nowhere in the OT do you find the idea of "Non-believers" or rather, "Those who don't believe in YHVH" going to Hell. What you see are people who do evil things being rewarded in the afterlife with suffering and those who do good toward others being rewarded with good things in the afterlife.
Eugene – I could not find a definition of the name Cyrus being referred to as “Messiah,”
Googling Cyrus’ scroll I found this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyrus_Cylinder “The victorious Cyrus is portrayed as having been chosen by the chief Babylonian god
Marduk to restore peace and order to the Babylonians.” That sounds a bit like if Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego had bowed to the image of Nebuchadnezzar to not go to the furnace.
[Marduk] inspected and checked all the countries, seeking for the upright king of his choice.
He took the hand of Cyrus, king of the city of
Anshan, and called him by his name, proclaiming him aloud for the kingship over all of everything.
[32]
StoveBolts - One significant point of interest about the translation of Hel. In both Jewish and Greek thought prior to Jesus resurrection, all people went to "Hell" when they died. In Norse mythology, only the evil went to "Hel"
Eugene - Where did those that did good go since heaven wasn’t open; Joh 3:13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven,
even the Son of man which is in heaven, and I’m using the phrase do good since you don’t believe it was based on believing in God if I understood you. That brings up a point of law, and its many observances as to their purpose. Reading of Crysus and Marduk I see no evidence of that since they of the dispersion were not observing them either, or am I in the wrong generation?
Now can being used of God for any purpose be called being anointed? E.g., 1Ki 22:20 And the LORD said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead? 1Ki 22:21 And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will persuade him. Next I submit Pharaoh of Egypt: Romans 9:17 "For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth." Anointing can be a sanctification or setting apart for a purpose.
StoveBolts - This idea is clearly seen through greek mythology in the terms of Hades and Tartarus and there are just as many Jewish stories (myths) concerning the afterlife as there are greek poets writing about Hades.
Eugene – Possibly a good enough reason to pay little attention to them? To me, if it is not scripture it is not inspired and one of the very reasons Israel followed the path they chose; they believed not. Other than dates and historical names of peoples and events I have read little to put confidence in; I will admit I have studied very little other than what I have read as notes associated in different studies.
Stovebolts - Hell is real and it is not God who sends people there, but rather people who choose to go there (Romans 2).
Eugene – Subject to, or regardless of all you have brought forth I agree with this. I reckon what I want to get across is that there is biblical evidence of judgment, deliverance, and their respective rewards. I choose to believe that when we now die as believers we are immediately with the Lord. 2Cor 5:6 Therefore
we (believers) are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: 2Cor 5:8 We are confident,
I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
2Pe 2:4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast
them down to hell, and delivered
them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;
2Pe 2:5
And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth
person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;
StoveBolts - Hell being thrown into Hell?.... Big problem huh?
Eugene - No, death and hell into the lake of fire. I do not know the distinctions, but I believe it and know beyond a doubt I’ll not be a part of that.
StoveBolts - Yes, the rich man and his kind will spend eternity in the Lake of Fire the way I read it. Lazarus, as well as the thief on the cross are currently in paradise the way I understand.
Eugene - 
