Hey Diakonos,
I'm a literalist when it comes to 1000-year reign, but I also believe in annihilation at the judgment.
The point I made was that these 2 people are thrown into the LOF before the millennium. And they are still there 1000 years later when Satan is thrown in with them...meaning they weren't annihilated.
...But are they "people" (men) or something else?
This is why earlier in this thread I argued the difference between "spirit" and "soul". Mankind is "soul", while satan and his angels are "spirit".
Compare the lifespans of creatures:
- the angels including satan = (at least) 6000 years old so far, most likely older
- the fallen's children (demons) = in prison since the flood (approx 4000yrs)
- adam (early man) = max. 930 years (and mankind has declined since)
- modern man = barely reaches 100-120 years
- a dog = 10-13 yrs
- a fly = 28 days
...and now, not to be gruesome, but imagine setting fire to each of these creatures starting from the fly and working our way up. How long would it take a fly to burn up compared to a dog...how long for a small dog compared to a modern man?
Of course, if we extrapolate this out imagine how long it would take for a modern man to burn up compared to a demon...then a demon compared to an angel.
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If we assume for a moment that the lake of fire is an incinerator, isn't it reasonable to expect that it would take much longer to destroy satan and his cohorts - who existed before the beginning of the earth - than it would to destroy mere men?
Also, recall movies you've seen of men who burn to death...again, pardon my graphic imagery. There is great weeping and gnashing of teeth as the person is consumed, and then when they've expired - no longer alive, no longer in pain - their body
still continues to burn and burn...until it eventually becomes cremated and is no longer fuel for the fire.
They are annihilated. Like chaff that blows in the wind, they are ash.
Malachi 4:3 (the day of the lord)
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.