Main Thesis
Lenny argues that the traditional concept of "Hell" as a place of eternal, conscious torture is a misunderstanding of Scripture caused by mistranslations and a lack of historical context. Instead, the text posits that the wicked face literal destruction (annihilation) and death, while eternal life is a gift reserved only for believers.
Key Points:
- Gehenna vs. Hell: The episode asserts that the word "Hell" is often a mistranslation of Gehenna. In the Bible, Gehenna referred to a physical location (the Valley of Hinnom) outside Jerusalem, known for filth and fires.
- Historical Context (AD 70): When Jesus warned of judgment, "unquenchable fire," and the "undying worm," He was speaking to a specific 1st-century Jewish audience about a specific coming event: the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple in AD 70.
- The Meaning of "Eternal Fire": Citing Old Testament examples (Jeremiah, Isaiah) and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, Lenny argues that "unquenchable" or "eternal" fire does not mean a fire that burns forever in duration, but a fire that burns until its divine purpose is complete—resulting in permanent, irreversible destruction.
- Annihilation: The text interprets "destruction of body and soul" literally. The "Lake of Fire" and the "Second Death" represent the complete annihilation of Satan, his angels, and the wicked, rather than eternal existence in torment.
- Preterist View of Prophecy: Lenny suggests that the prophecies in Matthew 24 and Revelation (including the Lake of Fire) were fulfilled during the fall of Jerusalem, marking the end of the Old Covenant age and the establishment of the New Covenant age.
Episode Page: https://wakinguptograce.com/eternal-torture-is-not-found-in-scripture-part-1/
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