Destruction

There are some thirty Hebrew and four Greek words translated “destruction,” with various shades of meaning, some being applied to loss or devastation experienced in this life, and others to future and eternal destruction. There is no thought in scripture of annihilation in any of the passages, and even in material things it is agreed that there is no such thing as annihilation. In some passages destruction is spoken of as a place or a state of existence, thus “Hell and destruction are before the Lord”; “Hell and destruction are never full” (Prov. 15:11¹¹Hell and destruction are before the Lord: how much more then the hearts of the children of men? (Proverbs 15:11); Prov. 27:20²⁰Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied. (Proverbs 27:20)). “Everlasting destruction” is “everlasting punishment” (compare Matt. 25:46⁴⁶And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal. (Matthew 25:46) with 2 Thess. 1:9⁹Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; (2 Thessalonians 1:9)).