In “the death penalty” Jefferson Vann discusses the content of his daily devotional, and how it relates to annihilationism.
the death penalty
Today’s devotional was entitled “vengeance on his adversaries” based on a passage in Deuteronomy:
Deuteronomy 32:40-43 (JDV)
Deuteronomy 32:40 I raise my hand to the sky and declare: As surely as I live permanently,
Deuteronomy 32:41 when I sharpen my flashing sword, and my hand takes hold of judgment, I will take vengeance on my adversaries and repay those who hate me.
Deuteronomy 32:42 I will make my arrows drunk with blood while my sword devours meat – the blood of the slain and the captives, the heads of the enemy leaders.”
Deuteronomy 32:43 Rejoice, you nations, concerning his people, for he will avenge the blood of his servants. He will take vengeance on his adversaries; he will provide reconciliation for his land and his people.
vengeance on his adversaries
This part of Moses’ song records God’s oath in which he swears to take vengeance on his adversaries. Those who slaughter the innocent will feel the sharp tips of God’s arrows and the slicing edge of God’s sword.
Why sing of such a thing? One reason is that there will be ages of what will seem to be senseless violence against God’s people. We certainly know that was a true prediction. God calls on his people to trust him to provide reconciliation.
Reconciliation of every evil is going to happen. It is our choice what kind of reconciliation we can have. It will either be permanent destruction in hell, or permanent forgiveness through Christ’s death on the cross.
Lord, we recognize ourselves as your adversaries due to our own sin. We plead the blood of Christ as our reconciliation.
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The original devotional is here:
https://marmsky.com/2020/06/28/vengeance-on-his-adversaries/
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I have also been adding a short video each day to accompany the devotional.
You can see that video here:
In the video I talked about how the passage was an example of what C.S. Lewis called Christianity and water — an illusion to the diluting of the faith to not include unpleasant dark things like God’s retribution.
We all know that the Bible contains these promises of destruction, and in the video I make a point of the fact that the emphasis is always on destruction, not spiritual suffering for eternity.
As adherents to what people call annihilationism, we try to use biblical language and imagery to describe biblical predictions, and there are numerous places in the scripture where the final fate of the lost is described like it is here: a second death, and a violent painful, humiliating death.
In fact, there are only a couple of places in the New Testament which describe hell as aionios (eternal) and I understand that adjective as referring to the permanence of the death, not it being a perpetual process. It is the death penalty, not an eternal life penalty. It is permanent, not perpetual.
Passages like Deuteronomy 32:40-43 support that view. When God in his patience finally acts to bring justice to those who rebel against him and his people, that justice will result in death — which is, after all the wages of sin.
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For more on annihilationism, see:
the wrath of an impartial judge
don’t ask for a demonstration!
reading Rutherford on Annihilationism
consequences of rejecting God’s love
men and gods will be destroyed
contending together for the faith
translation notes on Philippians 1:27-30
two case studies – the meaning of ἀπόλλυμι in Acts
How hell will really glorify God
The consequences of separation
An Eastern Orthodox Perspective
A final punishment bibliography
Αἰώνιος in the New Testament – the fourth attributive instances
Αἰώνιος | aiónios in the New Testament – the first attributive occurrences
Αἰώνιος in the New Testament – the second attributives
Αἰώνιος in the New Testament – three rare instances
Αἰώνιος in the New Testament – the four adverbial instances
Classical theology and conditional immortality
Hell is an apologetics concern
An Overview of Final Judgement in Matthew’s Gospel
only two destinies | Permanent Life | Permanent Death
Did Judas go to hell? Judas’ eternal sin?
A Question For The Bible Answer man: Will You Change Your Mind?
Revelation 22:14,15 & the Fate of the Wicked
Death not Life – The Doctrine of Destruction Established
Endless Conscious Torment repels
The Rich man and Lazarus and the intermediate state
Conditionalism makes the good news (gospel) of Jesus actually “good news”
Discusssion around the article Tracing the Road to Gehenna
Is hell eternal? Is God So Holy That Sinners Deserve Endless Conscious Punishing?
A Christian’s Apology To Atheists
WHY SO IMPORTANT? Republished from gracEmail® by Edward Fudge
Hell: A Place of Silence, A State of Extinction
UNQUENCHABLE FIRE by W. Laing. Republished from The Bible Standard May 1878 pg 59-60
The Rich Man and Lazarus Imagery
A Brief History of Conditional Immortality and Answers to Critics Part 2 By David Green BA BD CA
My Annihilation , a Non-Event?
Historical background to The Rich Man and Lazarus
The Rich Man and Lazarus and hell
Jesus parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus
About Jefferson Vann
Jefferson Vann pastors Piney Grove Advent Christian Church in Delco, North Carolina, USA. He is a teacher, Bible translator, and avid blogger. "My hope is that everyone who reads my writings will have an opportunity to understand the gospel, and will know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior." He has written books on theology and Bible commentary. You can read more of Jeff's writing at Devotions | Jefferson Vann | Commands of Christ | Learning Koine Greek Together
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