The Destiny of the Wicked. If the hell of popular belief is a mere figment of the imagination it will be asked, what then is the destiny of the wicked according to the Scriptures? The answer, justified by the foregoing and subjoined testimonies is, that they will be put out of existence by divine judgement, with attendant circumstances of shame and suffering.

The wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the LORD shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away. (Psalm 37:20).

The day of the LORD is near upon all the heathen: as thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee: thy reward shall return upon thine own head. For as ye have drunk upon my holy mountain, so shall all the heathen drink continually, yea, they shall drink, and they shall swallow down, and they shall be as though they had not been. (Obadiah 1:15,16).

For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be. (Psalm 37:10).

Wait on the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it... But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off. (Psalm 37:34,38).

(They) shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (2 Thessalonians 1:9,10).

The LORD preserveth all them that love him: but all the wicked will he destroy. (Psalm 145:20).

Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more. (Psalm 104:35).

The wicked is reserved to the day of destruction: they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath. (Job 21:30).

For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. (2 Corinthians 2:15,16).

Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed: but he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded. (Proverbs 13:13).

These shall go away into everlasting punishment:1 but the righteous into life eternal. (Matthew 25:46).

1 The literal rendering of the passage is, "And these shall go (eis kolasin aionion) to the cutting off age-lasting; but the righteous (eis zoen aionion) to life everlasting" (Matthew 25:46). The Hebrew word "olahm" corresponds to the Greek words "aion," age, and "aionos," pertaining to the age. Parkhurst says, "It (aion) denotes duration or continuance of time with great variety." - Greek Lexicon. Liddell and Scott render the word aion thus: "A space or period of time, especially a life time: also one's time of life, age, generation, definite period, a long space of time, eternity," etc.: not once rendered "world" in their Greek Lexicon. In the Common Version, "everlasting, eternal, evermore, and for ever," are usually given as the equivalent of aion. While in most cases this translation is practically correct, it has to be observed, even these words do not always represent the idea of unlimited duration. Their scope is purely by the subject with which they are connected. A few examples will suffice to show this:

1 - Unlimited Duration:
The everlasting God (Romans 16:26).
The King eternal: the only wise God (1 Timothy 1:17).
Thou, Lord, art most high for evermore (Psalm 92:8).
The Lord shall endure for ever (Psalm 9:7)

2 - Limited Duration:
For their anointing shall surely be an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations. Exodus 40:15;Numbers 25:13).
The priesthood being changed (Hebrews 7:12).
Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. Jude 1:7).
Ye shall observe to do for evermore; and ye shall not fear other gods. (2 Kings 17:37).
His master shall bore his ear through with an aul; and he shall serve him for ever. (Exodus 21:6).
Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever. (Daniel 6:21).
Perhaps he (Onesimus) therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him for ever (Philemon 1:15).

3 - With Beginning, but without End:
And every one that hath forsaken houses... shall inherit everlasting life. (Matthew 19:29).
And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life. (1 John 2:25).
I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen (Revelation 1:18).

In the following texts, the phrase "end of the world" is literally "end of the aion, i.e., age" (referring to the Jewish dispensation in most cases). See Matthew 13:39; 24:3; 28:20; Hebrews 9:26; 1 Corinthians 10:11. Unto Him be glory in the ecclesia by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world (aion) without end (Ephesians 3:21). The earth which He hath established for ever (Psalm 78:69).