Is the doctrine of Eternal Conscious Torment, biblical or not?

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Getitright

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As in:

Exodus 21:6 Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an aul; and he shall serve him for ever. <olam>.

Hi Giuliano,

Yes, that is one of the passages that use olam for a shorter period of time. Young's Literal Translation uses the word age.

YLT Exodus 21:6 then hath his lord brought him nigh unto God, and hath brought him nigh unto the door, or unto the side-post, and his lord hath bored his ear with an awl, and he hath served him -- to the age. (Exod. 21:6 YLT)

The Septuagint, the Greek Old Testament, uses the word aion.
 
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BARNEY BRIGHT

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Notice they are outside the city when they meet their end...

Revelation 20:9 King James Version (KJV)

9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.

I believe these people who are surrounding the Saints and the beloved city are the people that Satan and his demons influence to rebel against God after the 1000 year Reign of Jesus Christ. It looks to me that the scriptures show that Satan will be set free from the Abyss for a short period of time after the 1000 year Reign of Jesus Christ.
 

Getitright

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Indeed, the punishment of the lake of fire is defined in Revelation 20:10.

This is not speaking of two aions but of everlasting punishment (Matthew 25:46).
The problem is that the translation is wrong. If we read aion as an age it fits perfectly fine without causing the problems that using eternity does. God said through Ezekiel that the soul that sins shall die, He didn't say it would burn forever. Paul said that wages of sin is death. He didn't say the wages of sin is to burn forever. How can one claim that the sentence for sin is eternal burning and not outright deny what God and Paul said? It's easily shown that aion cannot mean eternal. That's just a wrong translation.

Jesus indicated that the wicked would be cast into Gehenna and John said the wicked would be cast into the Lake of Fire. The book of Revelation is a book of symbolism. In order to reconcile Jesus' statement with John's we can conclude that Gehenna and the Lake of Fire are one and the same place. When Jesus speaks of Gehenna, He quotes from Isaiah 66.

43 And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: 44 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. (Mk. 9:43-44 KJV)

23 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.1
24 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. (Isa. 66:23-24 KJV)

Notice what is burning here. It's dead bodies, not living people. And, this place will one day be made holy to the Lord.

40 And the whole valley of the dead bodies, and of the ashes, and all the fields unto the brook of Kidron, unto the corner of the horse gate toward the east, shall be holy unto the LORD; it shall not be plucked up, nor thrown down any more for ever. (Jer. 31:40 KJV)

So, Gehenna or the Lake of Fire doesn't burn forever.

This doctrine of eternal conscious torment relies on the doctrine of the immortal soul. However, we know that the immortal soul doctrine is wrong because Paul states to Timothy that the Father alone has immortality. Aion can't mean forever. There are just too many things that show it can't.
 

BARNEY BRIGHT

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The problem is that the translation is wrong. If we read aion as an age it fits perfectly fine without causing the problems that using eternity does. God said through Ezekiel that the soul that sins shall die, He didn't say it would burn forever. Paul said that wages of sin is death. He didn't say the wages of sin is to burn forever. How can one claim that the sentence for sin is eternal burning and not outright deny what God and Paul said? It's easily shown that aion cannot mean eternal. That's just a wrong translation.

Jesus indicated that the wicked would be cast into Gehenna and John said the wicked would be cast into the Lake of Fire. The book of Revelation is a book of symbolism. In order to reconcile Jesus' statement with John's we can conclude that Gehenna and the Lake of Fire are one and the same place. When Jesus speaks of Gehenna, He quotes from Isaiah 66.

43 And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: 44 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. (Mk. 9:43-44 KJV)

23 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.1
24 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. (Isa. 66:23-24 KJV)

Notice what is burning here. It's dead bodies, not living people. And, this place will one day be made holy to the Lord.

40 And the whole valley of the dead bodies, and of the ashes, and all the fields unto the brook of Kidron, unto the corner of the horse gate toward the east, shall be holy unto the LORD; it shall not be plucked up, nor thrown down any more for ever. (Jer. 31:40 KJV)

So, Gehenna or the Lake of Fire doesn't burn forever.

This doctrine of eternal conscious torment relies on the doctrine of the immortal soul. However, we know that the immortal soul doctrine is wrong because Paul states to Timothy that the Father alone has immortality. Aion can't mean forever. There are just too many things that show it can't.


I understand how someone may not want to use the word eternity, when translating certain Hebrew or greek words, but with speaking out against using the words that are translated eternity don't you think that you're also saying no one gets eternal life?
 
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justbyfaith

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Notice what is burning here. It's dead bodies, not living people.

A case can be made that dead bodies are capable of feeling the environment around them.

Job 14:19, The waters wear the stones: thou washest away the things which grow out of the dust of the earth; and thou destroyest the hope of man.
Job 14:20, Thou prevailest for ever against him, and he passeth: thou changest his countenance, and sendest him away.
Job 14:21, His sons come to honour, and he knoweth it not; and they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not of them.
Job 14:22, But his flesh upon him shall have pain, and his soul within him shall mourn.

in the case of the wicked; or, in the case of the righteous:

Job 21:33, The clods of the valley shall be sweet unto him, and every man shall draw after him, as there are innumerable before him.

This is concerning the waiting period of those who are buried awaiting judgment.

So, it follows that, if these have pain and pleasure in the grave; that those whose bodies will be burning in Gehenna will also experience pain from the fire; though their bodies be dead.
 

ReChoired

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I don't know any other way for God to speak of eternal torments other than for Him to say that their punishment is for ever and ever; or, everlasting.

I believe that Ezekiel 13:22 speaks of a principle that the heart of the righteous is made sad over such doctrines as that tell a person that if punishment be meted out to him, it will not be everlasting, wailing and gnashing of teeth in a furnace of fire (see Matthew 13:41-42, Matthew 13:49-50, Matthew 25:46).

It should be clear that scripture declares that the punishment is such that they have no rest day or night for ever and ever (Revelation 14:9-11, Revelation 20:10). ...
Ezekiel 13:22, says:

Eze 13:22 Because with lies ye have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad; and strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his wicked way, by promising him life:​

Yet, those who teach what scripture teaches, in regards the eternal punishment of the finally impenitent, in that it is annihilation, 2nd death, from which there is no resurrection, or life, are in agreement with Ezekiel 13:22, while those who teach eternal conscious torment, the wicked never ceasing to exist but remain alive throughout are the ones in violation of the verse, and give false hope to the wicked, thinking that they will 'party on dudes' (yes, that was a reference to what you think it is) in hell.

Therefore, 'justbyfaith', you are the one in violation, in contradiction to the verse you yourself cited.

The wages of sin is "death" (the second death), not life, not living, in any way, shape or form.

The "wailing and gnashing of teeth" speaks to the utterances of the finally impenitent, in their imprecations against God for His judgment against them. Do you mean to say that their cursings, blasphemies, imprecations, etc shall remain and increase forever, even sustained by a miracle of God?

The "everlasting punishment" is death, not torment. Torment is the limited duration, "unto" death, which lasts forever, as there is no resurrection from that final end. It would be appreciated if you would address my responses to you about the lake of fire.

The matter of "they have no rest day nor night", speaks to the torment that leads up to their death. In other words, as scripture says, that the wicked shall "not deliver themselves from the power of the flame: there shall not be a coal to warm at, nor fire to sit before it". The wicked cannot deliver themselves out of the fire, and it consumes them "continually" (day ... night"), without reprieve, until they are "ashes". In other words yet still, there is no deliverance, nor leaving, nor escaping the fire. It is unto death, the 2nd death. The fire shall be so hot, that it is not as a warming fire at a hearth, but an all consuming inferno:

Isa_47:14 Behold, they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn them; they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame: there shall not be a coal to warm at, nor fire to sit before it.

Eze_28:18 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.

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.​

What makes the heart of the righteous happy, is for doctrine to be preached wherein the sinner will turn from his sin.
Indeed, I am one such sinner that repented at the preaching of Biblical annihilation. I testify before all the universe and lie not.

I hated the God who burned people for ever and ever as a Roman Catholic. An unrelenting and tormenting monster of a character. It was not until I found out through real Bible study that the character of satan was foisting his own character upon that of God, and passing it off as truth. It is satan that desires sinners to liver forever in their sin. It is satan that desires unending misery to continue through ceaseless ages.

God is "Just". The "wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23). The sinner must die, for the penalty, the eternal punishment for transgression of God's Holy, Just and Righteous Law (His character) is not sustaining of the living of the wicked in conscious torment, but executive judgment, death penalty. Yet the eternal torment teaching would place men's finite courts above that of God's own, as if humanity was more just than God.

For the one who does this, the nature of eternal punishment is not an issue.
Not so, for you re-define "eternal punishment", to mean "torment", when scripture means "death", with torment leading leading "unto" it, for the finally impenitent shall receive their reward, according to the deeds done in the body, and each according to their works. Each length of torment i differing, but the finality the same, even as the reward for the righteous are differing according to their works (differing stars on their crown and glories thereof), but their finality the same, everlasting Life in New Heavens and New Earth with God, but for the wicked, everlasting darkness of oblivion, from which there is no return to life.

But for the person who is going to hell, I can see how they might want to make an issue of it; and say that their punishment (the conscious torment) will come to an end someday. It is a false comfort for those who are headed to perdition.
See, you just redefined "eternal punishment" with your parenthetical comment. That is your error.

Rom_6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Mat_25:46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.​

Notice in Matthew 25:46 the contrasting parallelsim in chiasm:

[1] everlasting punishment
[2] life eternal

The opposite of "life", the "punishment" is "death", not "life", otherwise you would have the text to read:

Rom_6:23 For the wages of sin is "everlasting life with torments"; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Mat_25:46 And these shall go away into everlasting "life/living with torments": but the righteous into life eternal.​

The texts are then broken, contradictory to all other parts of scripture.

Look at how God uses "punish", "punishment", etc in scripture:

Jer_21:14 But I will punish you according to the fruit of your doings, saith the LORD: and I will kindle a fire in the forest thereof, and it shall devour all things round about it.

Jer_27:8 And it shall come to pass, that the nation and kingdom which will not serve the same Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, and that will not put their neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, that nation will I punish, saith the LORD, with the sword, and with the famine, and with the pestilence, until I have consumed them by his hand.​

Jer 23:20, The anger of the LORD shall not return, until he have executed, and till he have performed the thoughts of his heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it perfectly.
Jer 23:21, I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied.
Jer 23:22, But if they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings.
I Amen the text, and yet, look in the mirror (God's word, and Law) "justbyfaith" and see that your teaching, is not found in harmony with it, and actually blasphemes God, and makes of His Just character, a monstrosity formulated by satan himself.
 
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Getitright

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I understand how someone may not want to use the word eternity, when translating certain Hebrew or greek words, but with speaking out against using the words that are translated eternity don't you think that you're also saying no one gets eternal life?
Hi Barney,

I don't think so. I explained it in post 143. An age is an undetermined length of time. The length must be determined by the context. Jesus spoke of this aion and the one to come so it can't be eternity. This age or aion will end as Jesus indicates, so it can't be forever. In the age, aion, of the resurrection Jesus said the ones worthy of that age or aion will never die. That would seem to indicate that that age aion will not end.
 
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Getitright

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A case can be made that dead bodies are capable of feeling the environment around them.

Job 14:19, The waters wear the stones: thou washest away the things which grow out of the dust of the earth; and thou destroyest the hope of man.
Job 14:20, Thou prevailest for ever against him, and he passeth: thou changest his countenance, and sendest him away.
Job 14:21, His sons come to honour, and he knoweth it not; and they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not of them.
Job 14:22, But his flesh upon him shall have pain, and his soul within him shall mourn.

in the case of the wicked; or, in the case of the righteous:

Job 21:33, The clods of the valley shall be sweet unto him, and every man shall draw after him, as there are innumerable before him.

This is concerning the waiting period of those who are buried awaiting judgment.

So, it follows that, if these have pain and pleasure in the grave; that those whose bodies will be burning in Gehenna will also experience pain from the fire; though their bodies be dead.

A soul is a living being. The word soul is only used of the dead a few times and it's someone who had recently died. A soul consists of the body and the breath of life from God. It is this breath of life from God that gives man all of his abilities. That would include feeling things. When that breath returns to God the soul ceases to exist and the body returns to the dust. It can no longer feel pain. As I said in the other post, the eternal conscious torment doctrine requires one hold the immortal soul doctrine. However, Paul tells Timothy that the Father alone has immortality. That means that man doesn't. Paul also said that God gives, is giving, life to all things. That means that everything that is alive is getting life from God. Therefore for someone to be able to suffer eternal conscious torment God would have to keep that person alive. However, we find throughout the Bible that eternal life is the gift to the believer, not to the wicked.
 
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justbyfaith

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(yes, that was a reference to what you think it is)

I believe that Romans 16 does indeed identify Rufus as a saint. :eek:

Isa_47:14 Behold, they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn them; they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame: there shall not be a coal to warm at, nor fire to sit before it.

Since you're bringing up Isaiah, my memory has been jogged to think of this scripture (which speaks of the reaction, in v.14, of those who are given the proper understanding of faithful doctrine concerning these things):

Isa 33:12, And the people shall be as the burnings of lime: as thorns cut up shall they be burned in the fire.
Isa 33:13, Hear, ye that are far off, what I have done; and, ye that are near, acknowledge my might.
Isa 33:14, The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?
Isa 33:15, He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil;
Isa 33:16, He shall dwell on high: his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure.

I suppose that you will try to say that the "burnings" are not everlasting but in all reality will only last one aion.

And I am happy with such an understanding. Because it means that there is punishment for one aion before the wicked dead are finally burned up. Of course, it is also highly probable that the wicked will never be totally burned up; but that aion, as indicating an indefinite period of time, is referring to the concept of for ever and ever as we understand it in English.

I would point out, also, that if the English is not sufficient to get the Lord's point across to us, then the only way to get the unadulterated message of the whole counsel of God might be to become an expert in the Greek and Hebrew languages; in which case the educated scribe and Pharisee would have an advantage over the common people. Yet it was the educated scribes and Pharisees who rejected Christ; while the common people receive Him gladly. What I am saying is that the educated cannot have a monopoly on God's truth; but that what we read in English is sufficient to give us the unadulterated message of the gospel of Jesus Christ in all of its fulness.
 

justbyfaith

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When that breath returns to God the soul ceases to exist and the body returns to the dust. It can no longer feel pain.

What you are saying is contrary to the scriptures that I have given (Job 14:19-22, Job 21:33). What do you say? They're not inspired?

However, Paul tells Timothy that the Father alone has immortality. That means that man doesn't.

1Jo 2:25, And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.

So this doesn't mean for ever...it can only be referring to life that will last for one aion, and then we perish.

That's some gospel that you are preaching! How can I jump on the bandwagon? This is the best news I have ever heard!

not.

The gospel of everlasting life (as the English language defines it) is better news by a long shot.

Therefore for someone to be able to suffer eternal conscious torment God would have to keep that person alive. However, we find throughout the Bible that eternal life is the gift to the believer, not to the wicked.

Eternal death is given to the wicked; however you would be constrained to find a verse that tells us that there is no consciousness in death. For I have given verses that show that there is consciousness in it.

Please note that Ecclesiastes is the least inspired of all Bible books (while it is still useful); in which the perspective of the author is that "everything is meaningless!"
 
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justbyfaith

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It should be clear that if the wicked dead are burned up for one aion before they perish completely, that during this period their experience will promulgate "wailing and gnashing of teeth" (Matthew 13:41-42, Matthew 13:49-50). They will also be located in "a furnace of fire".
 
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Getitright

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I believe that Romans 16 does indeed identify Rufus as a saint.



Since you're bringing up Isaiah, my memory has been jogged to think of this scripture (which speaks of the reaction, in v.14, of those who are given the proper understanding of faithful doctrine concerning these things):

Isa 33:12, And the people shall be as the burnings of lime: as thorns cut up shall they be burned in the fire.
Isa 33:13, Hear, ye that are far off, what I have done; and, ye that are near, acknowledge my might.
Isa 33:14, The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?
Isa 33:15, He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil;
Isa 33:16, He shall dwell on high: his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure.

I suppose that you will try to say that the "burnings" are not everlasting but in all reality will only last one aion.

And I am happy with such an understanding. Because it means that there is punishment for one aion before the wicked dead are finally burned up. Of course, it is also highly probable that the wicked will never be totally burned up; but that aion, as indicating an indefinite period of time, is referring to the concept of for ever and ever as we understand it in English.

I would point out, also, that if the English is not sufficient to get the Lord's point across to us, then the only way to get the unadulterated message of the whole counsel of God might be to become an expert in the Greek and Hebrew languages; in which case the educated scribe and Pharisee would have an advantage over the common people. Yet it was the educated scribes and Pharisees who rejected Christ; while the common people receive Him gladly. What I am saying is that the educated cannot have a monopoly on God's truth; but that what we read in English is sufficient to give us the unadulterated message of the gospel of Jesus Christ in all of its fulness.

But that's what we have now. It is the Scribes and Pharisees who give us the Bible. It is the Translators and Theologians that Christians look to to understand the Bible. Learning Greek does help greatly. However, it wouldn't be necessary if translations weren't driven by theology. In order to get on a translation board one has to have certain credentials. They have attended seminary. They have been indoctrinated into that particular seminary's theological beliefs. It's through these beliefs that they then interpret the Scriptures. Let one try getting on a translation board without having attended seminary, they'll be laughed out of the place. Those who do challenge the status quo are called heretics and marginalized. It's not really hard to see how and why things are the way they are. If you do a serious study of early Christian beliefs you'll find that much of what is taught today is not even Christian doctrine and much of what is Christian doctrine isn't taught today. There are several mainstream "Christian" dcotrines that are almost univerally accepted in the Church that aren't Christian at all. When you look at the early Christian beliefs and the Christian beliefs of today it's almost like two different religions.
 
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justbyfaith

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Pro 22:12, The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge, and he overthroweth the words of the transgressor.

This verse would indicate to me that those doctrines that did not survive the early inquisitions were overthrown by the Lord God.
 

justbyfaith

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Eze_28:18 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.
I believe that this verse speaks of the fate of the devil, in its context.

However, Revelation 20:10 would seem to indicate a different fate for the devil, if you are interpreting the first verse correctly.
 

Getitright

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What you are saying is contrary to the scriptures that I have given (Job 14:19-22, Job 21:33). What do you say? They're not inspired?

How so?

1Jo 2:25, And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.
So this doesn't mean for ever...it can only be referring to life that will last for one aion, and then we perish.

That's some gospel that you are preaching! How can I jump on the bandwagon? This is the best news I have ever heard!

not.

The gospel of everlasting life (as the English language defines it) is better news by a long shot.

I explained this in the other post. Did you read that post? God promised man aionios life. The Bible wasn't written in English. The question then become does aion mean eternal. Let's ask Jesus.

And whoever may speak a word against the Son of Man it shall be forgiven to him, but whoever may speak against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this age, nor in that which is coming. (Matt. 12:32 YLT)

Is Jesus saying that it won't be forgiven in this eternity or the one to come? If eternity never ends how can there be another one? if an aion does end it can't be eternal.



Eternal death is given to the wicked; however you would be constrained to find a verse that tells us that there is no consciousness in death. For I have given verses that show that there is consciousness in it.

Please note that Ecclesiastes is the least inspired of all Bible books; in which the perspective of the author is that "everything is meaningless!"

The second death is eternal. However, I'm sure we could check as many dead people as needed to prove that they don't feel anything. I think medical science has already established that. That being the case, the onus would be on you to prove that dead people can feel things. We do know from Scripture that the dead have no thoughts.

2 While I live will I praise the LORD: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being.
3 Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.1
4 His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.
(Ps. 146:2-4 KJV)

Here David contrasts being alive and dead. He can praise the Lord while he is alive, however, the thoughts of the dead perish that very day. So, the dead can't praise the Lord. They obviously can't think either. This would show that all of the passage where the dead are supposed to be speaking are figurative language and that the dead aren't literally speaking as they have no thoughts.

As far as Ecclesiastes, it's the least inspired? How exactly do you know that? It is a book that stands strongly against the idea that the dead are alive.
 

justbyfaith

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I Amen the text, and yet, look in the mirror (God's word, and Law) "justbyfaith" and see that your teaching, is not found in harmony with it, and actually blasphemes God, and makes of His Just character, a monstrosity formulated by satan himself.
It is clearly in God's word...so you are walking on dangerous ground...implying that the Holy Spirit inspired a satanic doctrine when Jesus spoke about hell. As a matter of fact, Mark 3:29 would say to you that you are in danger of eternal damnation.
 

ReChoired

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I believe that this verse speaks of the fate of the devil, in its context.

However, Revelation 20:10 would seem to indicate a different fate for the devil, if you are interpreting the first verse correctly.
I understand what Revelation 20:10 means in context, scripturally, for it refers to the length or period of torment for the devil, not his ending. The devil shall suffer (moment to moment), without reprieve until he is ashes.

Heaven is eternal, no doubt, for God Himself is Eternal Life, and the redeemed will be indwelt by God throughout eternity, but the wicked are not so indwelt, but are found to be outside of God, rather than abiding in God. And since they are found outside of God, they are found outside of eternal life.

How then are the wicked to have eternal existence?

As shown, the words, of Revelation 20:10, "even for ever and ever", are Koine Greek, "εις τους αιωνας των αιωνων", which when seen in their context, locally and globally through the scripture [KJB], do not always mean eternal, but can mean limited in time, and can even deal with distance, or even spacial ["world"].

Can an "αιων" [aiwn, aeon, in either time, distance or space] come to an end? Yes, even as Paul shows in Hebrews:

Hebrew 9:26 KJB - For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
Hebrew 9:26 KJB - επει εδει αυτον πολλακις παθειν απο καταβολης κοσμου νυν δε απαξ επι συντελεια των αιωνων εις αθετησιν αμαρτιας δια της θυσιας αυτου πεφανερωται​

Notice, "end of the world [aeon]". Notice again:

Titus 2:12 KJB - Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
Titus 2:12 KJB - παιδευουσα ημας ινα αρνησαμενοι την ασεβειαν και τας κοσμικας επιθυμιας σωφρονως και δικαιως και ευσεβως ζησωμεν εν τω νυν αιωνι

Notice, "in this present world [aeon]", which indicates that there is an end to the current "world", or existence, and another "world" [aeon], or existence, to follow after it. Thus and "aeon" can come to an end, and is not necessarily eternal. See also "since the world began", "before this world", "this present evil world", "this world", in Matthew 12:32, Matthew 13:22, Matthew 13:39-40 (2), Matthew 13:49, Matthew 24:3, Matthew 28:20, Mark 4:19, Mark 10:30, Luke 1:70, Luke 16:8, Luke 18:30, Luke 20:34-35 (2), John 9:32, Acts 3:21, Acts 15:18, Romans 12:2, 1 Corinthians 1:20, 1 Corinthians 2:6-8 (4), 1 Corinthians 3:18, 1 Corinthians 8:13, 1 Corinthians 10:11, 2 Corinthians 4:4, Galatians 1:4, Ephesians 1:21, Ephesians 3:9, Ephesians 3:21, Ephesians 6:12, 1 Timothy 6:17, 2 Timothy 4:10, Tit 2:12, Hebrews 6:5, Hebrews 9:26; and etc. We now see that "aeon's" can begin, and end, and are not always ongoing without ceasing, and thus context always determines the length, distance, existence, etc.

Notice how the Bible uses the word "for ever":

Jonah 2:6 KJB - I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O LORD my God.
Jonah 2:6 (2:7) (so-called) LXX - κατέβην εἰς γῆν, ἧς οἱ μοχλοὶ αὐτῆς κάτοχοι αἰώνιοι, καὶ ἀναβήτω φθορὰ ζωῆς μου, κύριε ὁ θεός μου.​

In both distance and time, it is impossible for the word "for ever" in Jonah to be eternal, or without end. Not only does earth have limited space [thus "ends of the earth", dry land is earth, see Genesis 1], but Jonah was only 3 days and 3 nights, timewise, in the belly:

Jonah 1:17 KJB - Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.​

Therefore, in either case, "for ever" is limited, in this instance, in distance and time.

In Deuteronomy 23:3 KJB, “forever” means 10 generations. It can also mean “as long as he lives,” or “to death.”; thus see 1 Samuel 1:22, 28; Exodus 21:6; Psalm 48:14 KJB.

The redeemed will have eternal life, because Jesus is eternal life, but the wicked will never have eternal existence:

Psalms 21:4 KJB - He asked life of thee, and thou gavest it him, even length of days for ever and ever.

Ecclesiastes 8:13 KJB - But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadow; because he feareth not before God.​

Iniquity must be purged and cleansed from the universe, and it will not happen until the wicked cease to be:

Isaiah 22:14 KJB - And it was revealed in mine ears by the LORD of hosts, Surely this iniquity shall not be purged from you till ye die, saith the Lord GOD of hosts.
Psalms 37:10 KJB - For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be.​

When will these verses be fulfilled in your understanding:

Malachi 4:1 KJB - 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.
Malachi 4:3 KJB - 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.
Days of Noah, Days of Lot (Sodom and Gomorrah):

Did the global flood of Noah kill all of the finally impentient outside of the Ark in one single instant of time?, or was there not rather various lengths of time, and degrees of injuries sustained throughout, that people continued to receive and live through, until all were finally destroyed from the face of the earth? with some instantly perishing, and others taking days to finally die either by beast, other men attempting to escape their doom fighting for the highest ground, starvation, thirst, hurling and heaving earth, or finally drown beneath the black depths ...

In 2 Peter 2:5 [see also 2 Peter 3:6] KJB, Peter says "flood upon the world", yet in the Koine Greek, it is "κατακλυσμον κοσμω", a 'cosmic cataclysm'. Such devastation and destruction as has never been known, and will never again be known [by water], but will again be by fire. If one were to read Genesis 7-8 KJB carefully they will see that it took some time for all [human-kind] outside of the ark to finally perish, and not all perished at the same time. The wages for sin is death, even from Genesis 2:17 KJB, but the final punishment, being death, is preceded by terrors, anguish, torment, all limited and depending upon the deeds done in the body [Romans 2:6; jude 1:15 KJB], as it is written.

So to die of thirst in such a cataclysm takes several days, while being crushed by a large piece of exploded land, or tree, or debris is near instantaneous. Each is just. Each received the length of time in torment, suffering, that was due, and both received the final end, death.

The "punishment" is indeed "eternal". For the "wages of sin is death", that being the "second death".

The "torment", or the "suffering" unto that death, is limited. The suffering or torment is not eternal, as I have shown in the case of Jesus Christ, who took upon Himself the sins of the whole world. His suffering though tremendous, more than any other could endure [for just our own sins would crush us], and yet, it was limited. Hence the phrase, "once suffered", meaning it is in the past, and is over and done with, thus it was limited in time.