Doulos Iesou
Member
I have not made comments about Matthew 25 in this thread yet (I have elsewhere extensively) and was wanting to keep the discussion focused on Revelation 20:10, to point out how your interpretation has no hermeneutical basis for a literal interpretation when every other instance of this kind of language in this genre is metaphorical! It's eisegesis.Blessings. So according to you, Matthew and Revelation only say eternal and forever and ever as a metaphor. Ok, if this is true, then you're also saying that when unbelievers die there will be NO hell. Or if you believe there is a hell in the afterlife, how long are the unrighteous there for, 1 Day? 1 Week? or is it 28 days in rehab, lol. Does the Bible say they will be in hell for 28 days then burn up and cease to exist. What is scripture telling you about how long they will be in hell, specifically in the afterlife. Is the Bible uncertain or does God give it to you straight.
I said nothing about Matthew 25 being a metaphor, those are your words. You also didn't answer my question about where Gehenna is, and the answer is the valley of Hinnom, which is opposite the Mount of Olives. Curious enough, where the Lord returns will be a place were he also judges his enemies (or at least right near by). While I think it works as a metaphor too drawing on the imagery of what was understood as Gehenna and it's history in the OT, I think it may in fact be the place where the judgement takes place.
So there is a hell, as you wrongly accused me of asserting, I just believe that both body and soul will be destroyed there, not eternally tortured.
How long each person is there I think differs, depending on the grievousness of the crimes they committed and what they knew about God. I do not think it's purpose rehabilitation but rather punitive.
We believe that the punishment of eternal fire is a forever enduring punishment, not in an active conscious sense, but in the sense that there is no return from the totality of the ruin and destruction of that human being, the second death is the complete end of that person forever. The gift of immortality (life unending) is reserved for only those who believe in Jesus, not for those in hell.