According the following excerpt from a commentary on Matthew 10:28, God can destroy the soul if He wants to. Instead God chooses to go with the real meaning of destroy, which is torment.

… but rather fear him, which is able to destroy both body and soul in
hell. John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible This is a description of God, and of his power, who is able to do that which men are not: all that they can do, by divine permission, is to kill the body; but he is able to “destroy”, that is, to torment and punish both body and soul “in hell”, in everlasting burnings; for neither soul nor body will be annihilated; though this he is able to do. As the former clause expresses the immortality of the soul, this supposes the resurrection of the body; for how otherwise should it be destroyed, or punished with the soul in hell?

We should start with a good translation.

Matthew 10:28

CLV ²⁸ And do not fear those who are killing the body, yet are not able to kill the soul. Yet be fearing Him, rather, Who is able to destroy [G622 ἀπόλλυμι] the soul as well as the body in Gehenna.”

Matthew 24:21-22

YLT ²¹ for there shall be then great tribulation, such as was not from the beginning of the world till now, no, nor may be. ²² And if those days were not shortened, no flesh would have been saved; but because of the chosen, shall those days be shortened.

Jesus warned His followers of the persecution that was upon them. Most of His apostles would be murdered by the unbelievers. The old covenant hold-outs would have annihilated the new covenant body of believers if they could have. One by one the number of martyrs would increase until the transition of covenants culminated with the actual destruction of the liable old covenant body of unbelievers. The new covenant body was actually granted eternal life. The old covenant body and soul of humanity burned in Gehenna. The new covenant resurrection succeeded. The old covenant resurrection in the flesh didn’t just fizzle. It went up in smoke.

Which soul were unbelievers trying to kill if not the living human soul of the new covenant resurrection? There were 5 living souls originally created by God in Genesis chapter one. The fifth one was that of Adam or humanity in the flesh. The last living soul became first in the new creation. That is the embodiment of humanity Jesus came to save by way of the new covenant gift of eternal life. The old covenant hold outs wanted to keep it in the flesh. Jesus came to rebirth the dead and dying world of flesh and blood humanity to keep it from perishing with the age. Only Jesus could see the kingdom in the old covenant. Everyone else had to be born again to see it or enter it.

John 3:16

CLV ¹⁶ For thus God loves the world, so that He gives His only-begotten Son, that everyone who is believing in Him should not be perishing [G622 ἀπόλλυμι] but may be having life eonian.”

Matthew 2:13

CLV ¹³ Now, at their retiring into their country, lo! a messenger of the Lord is appearing in a trance to Joseph, saying, “Being roused, take along the little Boy and His mother and flee into Egypt, and be there till I should speak to you, for Herod is about to be seeking the little Boy to destroy [G622 ἀπόλλυμι] Him”

Herod actually wanted to destroy Jesus as a little boy not torment Him forever.

G622 ἀπόλλυμι, apollumi, ap-ol’-loo-mee
From G575 and the base of G3639; to destroy fully (reflexively to perish, or lose), literally or figuratively

KJV Usage: destroy, die, lose, mar, perish.

This Greek word for destroy is used 109 times in the Bible. It is used 365 times if you include the Septuagint. It is never translated as eternal conscience torment. The word Gehenna appears 12 times. It is only used by Jews when addressing the first century fate of the Jews in the flesh. It was an image they had seen with their own eyes and they knew it well. Not every old covenant unbeliever who was killed in AD70 was actually burned in the valley of Gehenna. Gehenna merely represented the judgement of God’s presence to Jews. The presence of God itself became a consuming fire for those who stayed in the old covenant and rejected the new. The only way to see God and live was in Christ. Not every Jew saw God in Christ. Some saw God in the AD70 destruction of Jerusalem instead. They didn’t see God and live.

12 occurrences of Gehenna G1067 γέεννα

Matthew 5:22	Valley of the Son of Hinnom
Matthew 5:29	the Valley of the Son of Hinnom.
Matthew 5:30	the Valley of the Son of Hinnom.
Matthew 10:28	the Valley of the Son of Hinnom.
Matthew 18:9	Valley of the Son of Hinnom
Matthew 23:15	of the Valley of the Son of Hinnom
Matthew 23:33	Valley of the Son of Hinnom?
Mark 9:43	Valley of the Son of Hinnom,
Mark 9:45	Valley of the Son of Hinnom,
Mark 9:47	Valley of the Son of Hinnom
Luke 12:5	Valley of the Son of Hinnom;
James 3:6	Valley of the Son of Hinnom.

Strong, Thayer and Vine all see this valley in Jerusalem as a symbolic or figurative place of punishment and destruction. Strong and Vine describe it as everlasting punishment rather than just destruction.

Strong: γέεννα valley of (the son of) Hinnom; ge-henna (or Ge-Hinnom), a valley of Jerusalem, used (figuratively) as a name for the place (or state) of everlasting punishment

Thayer: Hell is the place of the future punishment call “Gehenna” or “Gehenna of fire”. This was originally the valley of Hinnom, south of Jerusalem, where the filth and dead animals of the city were cast out and burned; a fit symbol of the wicked and their future destruction.

Vine: valley of (the son of) Hinnom; gehenna (or Ge-Hinnom), a valley of Jerusalem, used (figuratively) as a name for the place (or state) of everlasting punishment. KJV Usage: hell.

Was the destruction of old covenant Jerusalem permanent the second time it happened or will there be third resurrection of that flesh and blood body? The resurrection of Jerusalem from its first expulsion didn’t go so well. A portion of a few tribes returned to the land and became known as the Jews, but they weren’t ruling over all creation as God’s humanity was supposed to. And it wasn’t the same 12-tribed body that was back in the land the second time around. The DNA of the resurrected body was woefully incomplete. God didn’t reassemble all the original progeny of Israel in the flesh. All 12 sons made up the body before it died.

Is old covenant Jerusalem being resurrected again right now? If so it would this be their second or third typical resurrection into a flesh and blood body? All 12 tribes were regenerated during the typical 40 year trek to the promised land. That was the typical resurrection before entering the promised land. Will it be the whole body of Israel reassembled this time or will they just be called Jews again? Will old covenant Jerusalem be destroyed again or will this third resurrection of flesh and blood succeed where the second one failed? What about the Jews who properly abandoned their second resurrection in the flesh and became part of the first Holy Spirit resurrection? Those Jews who were born again were no longer counted as flesh and blood members of the resurrection body that was failing. Where did the faithful Jews fit in? How did their first Holy Spirit resurrection differ from their second flesh and blood resurrection? Was the first spiritual resurrection succeeding where the second flesh resurrection was failing?

Those in the second national resurrection couldn’t ultimately harm those in the Holy Spirit resurrection; not a hair on their head. Jesus knew the Jews who were His. Jesus told the believing Jews not to fear the persecution coming from the old covenant hold-outs. Jesus placed the highest value on His Jewish believers. He didn’t have any hope for those Jews who continued in their unbelief. They were destined for destruction. The unbelievers were condemned already.

Matthew 10:26-31

CLV ²⁶ Do not, then, be afraid of them, for nothing is covered, which shall not be revealed, and hidden which shall not be known.” ²⁷ What I am saying to you in the darkness, say in the light. And what you hearing in the ear, herald on the housetops.” ²⁸ And do not fear those who are killing the body, yet are not able to kill the soul. Yet be fearing Him, rather, Who is able to destroy the soul as well as the body in Gehenna.” ²⁹ Are not two sparrows selling for a penny? And not one of them will be falling on the earth without your Father. ³⁰ Now of your head even the hairs are all numbered. ³¹ Then do not fear! Of more consequence than many sparrows are you.

The only hope for the unbelievers was covenant transition by belief. Jesus told those who believed in Him to pray for those who didn’t. His brother said it too, let them see you do good and snatch them from the fire of Gehenna. In good living, the believing Jews would accurately portray the image of theIr Father to their unfaithful brethren. The time limit for those holed up in the land was the second 490 years, after which the old covenant and its mode of delayed judgement in temporary forgiveness ended. There are no old covenant hold outs left to forgive. Everyone who chose the old over the new perished. All the forgiven ones moved into the new covenant before the old one ended.

During the transition of covenants Jesus expressly saw the Jews as two different covenant bodies: those who rejoiced in the new and mourned for the unbelievers were the kingdom body. They are the body of Jews that didn’t perish. They lived to the age and beyond. Jesus called on all His people to be the best evangelists possible. He came to separate believers from unbelievers while insuring the full number of converts joined Him in His first national resurrection, prior to the completed failure of their second national resurrection. The Jews being referred to in Matthew chapter 5 were classified by Jesus in one of two camps.

Matthew 5

CLV ¹ Now, perceiving the throngs, He ascended into the mountain. And, at His being seated, His disciples came to Him. ² And opening His mouth, He taught them, saying, ³ “Happy, in spirit, are the poor, for theirs is the kingdom of the heavens. ⁴ “Happy are those who mourn now, for they shall be consoled. ⁵ “Happy are the meek, for they shall be enjoying the allotment of the land. ⁶ “Happy are those who are hungering and thirsting for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. ⁷ “Happy are the merciful, for they shall be shown mercy. ⁸ “Happy are the clean in heart, for they shall see God. ⁹ “Happy are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. ¹⁰ “Happy are those persecuted on account of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of the heavens. ¹¹ “Happy are you whenever they [you and they in verse 11 are two distinct bodies of Jews] should be reproaching and persecuting you and, falsifying, saying every wicked thing against you, on my account. ¹² Rejoice and exult, for your wages are vast in the heavens. For thus they persecute the prophets before you. ¹³ You are the salt of the [land] earth. Now, if the salt should be made insipid, with what will it be salted? For nothing does it still avail except to be cast outside, to be trampled by men. ¹⁴ You are the light of the world. A city located upon a mountain can not be hid. ¹⁵ Neither are they burning a lamp and placing it under a peck measure, but on a lamp stand, and it is shining to all those in the house. ¹⁶ Thus let shine your light in front of men, so that they may perceive your ideal acts and should glorify your Father Who is in the heavens. ¹⁷ You should not infer that I came to demolish the law or the prophets. I came not to demolish, but to fulfill. ¹⁸ For verily, I am saying to you, Till heaven and earth should be passing by, one iota or one serif may by no means be passing by from the law till all should be occurring. ¹⁹ Whosoever, then, should be annulling one of the least of these precepts, and should be teaching men thus, the least in the kingdom of the heavens shall he be called. Yet whoever should be doing and teaching them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of the heavens. ²⁰ For I am saying to you that, if ever your righteousness should not be superabounding more than that of the scribes and Pharisees, by no means may you be entering into the kingdom of the heavens. ²¹ You hear that it was declared to the ancients, ‘You shall not murder.’ Yet whoever should be murdering shall be liable to the judging ²² Yet I am saying to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be liable to the judging. [the Jews who were angry with their brothers without a just cause were the old covenant hold outs] Yet whoever may be saying to his brother, ‘Raka!’ shall be liable to the Sanhedrin. Yet whoever may be saying, ‘Stupid!’ shall be liable to the Gehenna of fire. ²³ If, then, you should be offering your approach present on the altar, and there you should be reminded that your brother has anything against you, ²⁴ leave your approach present there, in front of the altar, and go away. First be placated toward your brother, and then, coming, be offering your approach present. ²⁵ You be humoring your plaintiff quickly while you are with him on the way, lest at some time the plaintiff may be giving you up to the judge, and the judge to the deputy, and you should be cast into jail. ²⁶ Verily I am saying to you, By no means may you be coming out thence till you should be paying the last quadrans. ²⁷ “You hear that it was declared, ‘You shall not be committing adultery. ²⁸ Yet I am saying to you that every man looking at a woman to lust for her already commits adultery with her in his heart. ²⁹ Now, if your right eye is snaring you, wrench it out and cast it from you, for it is expedient for you that one of your members should perish and not your whole body be cast into Gehenna. ³⁰ And if your right hand is snaring you, strike it off and cast it from you, for it is expedient for you that one of your members should perish and not your whole body pass away into Gehenna.” ³¹ “Now it was declared, Whoever should be dismissing his wife, let him be giving her a divorce. ³² Yet I am saying to you that everyone dismissing his wife (outside of a case of prostitution) is making her commit adultery, and whosoever should be marrying her who has been dismissed is committing adultery. ³³ “Again, you hear that it was declared to the ancients, You shall not be perjuring, yet you shall be paying to the Lord your oaths. ³⁴ Yet I am saying to you absolutely not to swear, neither by heaven, for it is the throne of God, ³⁵ nor by the earth, for it is a footstool for His feet; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King; ³⁶ nor by your head should you be swearing, for you are not able to make one hair white or black. ³⁷ Yet let your word be ‘Yes, Yes,’ ‘No, No.’ Now what is in excess of these is of the wicked one. ³⁸ “You hear that it was declared, ‘ An eye for an eye,’ and ‘A tooth for a tooth.’ ³⁹ Yet I am saying to you not to withstand a wicked person, but anyone who slaps you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also. ⁴⁰ And he who wants to sue you and obtain your tunic, leave him your cloak also. ⁴¹ And anyone who conscripts you one mile, go with him two. ⁴² To him who requests you, give; and from him who wants to borrow from you, you may not turn. ⁴³ “You hear that it was declared, ‘You shall be loving your associate’ and you shall be hating your enemy. ⁴⁴ Yet I am saying to you, Love your enemies, and pray for those who are persecuting you, ⁴⁵ so that you may become sons of your Father Who is in the heavens, for He causes His sun to rise on the wicked and the good, and makes it rain on the just and the unjust. ⁴⁶ For if ever you should love those who are loving you, what wages have you? Are not the tribute collectors also doing the same? ⁴⁷ And if ever you should greet your brothers only, what are you doing that is excessive? Are not those of the nations also doing the same? ⁴⁸ You, then, shall be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Jesus addressed the Jews in the land. His brother Jacob addressed the 12 tribes scattered with the same message. The old covenant people were to quit wavering and choose sides and then help snatch the double-souled doubters out of the Gehenna fire. Those without mercy were about to be judged by the very law they professed to keep. The law was being hypocritically wielded by old covenant enslavers rather than allowing God’s chosen ones the freedom to live right in Christ.

James 2

CLV ¹ My brethren, not with partialities be having the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ of glory.” ² For if there should be entering into your synagogue a man with a gold ring, in splendid attire, yet there should be entering a poor man also, in filthy attire, ³ and you should be looking on the one wearing the splendid attire and be saying, “You sit ideally here, and to the poor one be saying, “You stand there, or, “Sit here under my footstool, ⁴ were you not discriminating among yourselves, and did you not become judges with wicked reasonings? ⁵ Hear, my beloved brethren! Does not God choose the poor in the world, rich in faith and enjoyers of the allotment of the kingdom which He promises to those who are loving Him? ⁶ Yet you dishonor the poor one. Are not the rich tyrannizing over you? And they are drawing you to tribunals. ⁷ Are not they blaspheming the ideal name which is being invoked over you? [they here refers to the old covenant unbelievers who trusted in their status quo and the wealth that came with it. They were willing to murder or get in bed with Rome to keep it.] ⁸ Howbeit, if you are discharging the royal law, according to the scripture, “You shall be loving your associate as yourself, you are doing ideally.” ⁹ Yet if you are showing partiality, you are working sin, being exposed by the law as transgressors.” ¹⁰ For anyone who should be keeping the whole law, yet should be tripping in one thing, has become liable for all.” ¹¹ For He Who is saying, You should not be committing adultery, said, You should not be murdering, also. Now if you are not committing adultery, yet are murdering, you have become a transgressor of law.” ¹² Thus be speaking and thus be doing, as those about to be judged by a law of freedom. ” ¹³ For the judging is merciless to him who does not exercise mercy. Vaunting is mercy against judging. ¹⁴ What is the benefit, my brethren, if anyone should be saying he has faith, yet may have no works? That faith can not save him.” ¹⁵ If a brother or sister should be belonging to the naked, and lacking nourishment for the day, ¹⁶ yet someone from among you may be saying to them, “Go away in peace, be warmed and satisfied, yet you may not be giving them the requisites for the body, what is the benefit? ¹⁷ Thus, also, is faith, if it should not have works: it is dead by itself.” ¹⁸ But someone will be declaring, “You have faith and I have works. Show me your faith apart from the works and I shall be showing you my faith by my works.” ¹⁹ You are believing that God is one. Ideally are you doing. The demons also are believing and are shuddering. ²⁰ Now are you wanting to know, O empty man, that faith apart from works is dead? ²¹ Abraham, our father, was he not justified by works when offering up his son Isaac on the altar? ²² You are observing that faith worked together with his works, and by works was faith perfected.” ²³ And fulfilled was the scripture which is saying, Now “Abraham believes God, and it is reckoned to him for righteousness, and he was called “the friend of God.” ²⁴ You see that by works a man is being justified, and not by faith only.”  [All Jews had their common belief as written in the law God gave to them. Some Jews went against their written belief and murdered an innocent man. Their bad works showed their belief to be dead. Their faith was in their dead and dying old covenant not in the common belief it contained. Their bad works proved what they really believed in. They believed it was better to break with their God given faith rather than lose their old world status and wealth. Rahab on the other hand actually believed God’s Word.] ²⁵ Now likewise, was not Rahab the prostitute also justified by works when entertaining the messengers and ejecting them by a different way? ²⁶ For even as the body apart from spirit is dead, thus also faith apart from works is dead.”

Genesis 6:12-13

KJV ¹² And God looked upon the earth [land], and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the [land] earth. ¹³ And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the [land] earth.

We know that all flesh was not destroyed with the flood. The very reason for two of every kind on board the boat was to purge and preserve all flesh. The world of humanity was re-birthed in the flesh by way of the called out people. During the new covenant transition, flesh was a synonym for the actions of unbelief. That was the flesh God wanted destroyed. The judgement was aimed at the violence that had corrupted the land. Corrupted humanity was being purged and preserved through Noah. Of Course Jesus fulfilled that old creation type too. The Gehenna fires that destroyed the land in AD70 put an end to all old covenant flesh. The flesh and blood covenant ended when Jerusalem was destroyed.

The focus of God’s wrath was on those who violently murdered His Son and His people. The martyrs knew who violently murdered them. They witnessed it. It was the old covenant hold outs who missed the boat due to their continued violence toward the faithful Jews. Paul once approved of their violence, yet he repented and got on board before AD70. Paul even suggested putting off marriage until God’s wrath gave God’s people some relief from their present distress. Obviously the new covenant renewal of humanity was not dependent on flesh and blood procreation as Noah’s renewal was. The new covenant renewal of humanity was not in the flesh. The only way on board was by Holy Spirit birth.

1 Corinthians 7:25-28

KJV ²⁵ Now concerning virgins I have no commandment of the Lord: yet I give my judgment, as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful. ²⁶ I suppose therefore that this is good for the present distress, I say, that it is good for a man so to be. ²⁷ Art thou bound unto a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife. ²⁸ But and if thou marry, thou hast not sinned; and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned. Nevertheless such shall have trouble in the flesh: but I spare you.

Revelation 6:10

KJV ¹⁰ And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth [When will the continued violence coming from the old covenant land dwellers end? It didn’t end until after more violence increased their liability.]

2 Peter 2:20-21

ECB ²⁰ For if, having escaped the defilements of the cosmos through the knowledge of Adonay and Saviour Yah Shua Messiah, and entangled again by these and belittled, their finality becomes worse than at first. ²¹ For it had been better for them to not have known the way of justness, than having known, to turn from the holy misvah delivered to them.

Revelation 1:7

CLV ⁷ Lo! He is coming with clouds, and every eye shall be seeing Him-those, also, who stab Him-and all the tribes of the land shall be grieving over Him. Yea! Amen!”

All the tribes weren’t in the land when it was judged to second death. The 12 tribes were in all the lands, due to their diaspora. The AD70 covenant realization certainly had an impact on first century Jewish expectations. After AD70, the Jewish believers were no longer persecuted by old covenant wannabes and those ‘Jewish’ unbelievers who were being deceived lost their imminent expectation of ruling God’s kingdom. They had planned to rule the world by way of military action alongside the Messiah. The armies of the Roman kingdom ended the false military aspirations the Jews had for reining in the kingdom of God in the flesh with their messiah. They were stuck on their second national resurrection in the flesh. The nation turned 1000 years old and apparently nothing changed.

God’s creative work brings order to the chaos in Genesis 1. The waters came back upon the face of the land and destroyed the fallen humanity that God had created. The animals in the land were supposed to be tamed by humanity not taught violence by corrupted humanity. Peter understands the imagery and symbolism of the flood event. God sent the flood to save humanity from its continual violence, not destroy it. What was destroyed was anti-humanity. The flood came as nature out of control. Refusing the salvation of God, He gave them over to their natural desire for violence.

Peter as one of the apostles he should be able to explain the flood and its fulfillment. Peter begins chapter two of his letter by warning about false teachers and how they are bringing swift destruction upon themselves. He gives several examples from biblical history about other groups of people who were destroyed. God is the agent of destruction as the one who carried it out. The false teachers bring this destruction upon themselves. They are blamed. God sent His Son to rescue them. They have to get on board. Peter’s emphasis is how God delays because He wants to save them.

The angels are the ones who corrupted the land of God’s humanity in Genesis chapter 6. The unfaithful messengers in the first century land of humanity were the unbelieving leaders in Jerusalem. They were the ones who wanted to change the final revelation. Those who did so were warned. They would be blotted out of the tree of life and perish. Just as Adam was not allowed to eat of the typical tree of life and live to the age in the flesh, so unbelievers did not eat of the The of Life and live to the age in Christ. They were allowed to live to the age in the flesh. The temporary hold on Adam was lifted. Peter remakes his point by saying that the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from their trials while allowing the fallen humanity to continue toward their punishment. These false teachers had every opportunity to escape their destruction, but they continued with their violence until they too are destroyed. The actions of the fallen messengers brought the AD70 destruction upon themselves. They sought to destroy god’s people.

Peter uses the exact same word to write about how the false teachers brought destruction upon themselves typically and atypically. The flood was brought upon the people in the days of Noah in the same way that destruction is brought upon false teachers in AD70. The destruction of the people who lived at the time of the flood was being compared to the imminent first century judgment.

Peter says that the angels were delivered up to their judgment because they corrupted God’s humanity. He hands them over to their sin of violence. God’s nature gave them up to their nature. God’s natural creation brought death and destruction upon them. When we refuse God’s salvation we invite ruin and destruction upon ourselves. But all was not lost. God saved the orderly system of humanity by installing a new firstborn.

The Consequences of Missing the mark in 2 Peter 3

God destroyed the people who followed their own evil desires in the last old covenant days. The unbelieving world of humanity perished when it was flooded with water. Unbelief brought the waters of chaos back in upon the creation, to their own destruction. God was holding back the waters of destruction by His grace. God wanted all His chosen ones saved from destruction. He wants everyone to come to repentance. He extended His opportunity for repentance until He waited no more. The second destruction would come in like a flood but would result in fire upon the land.

Revelation 2:9-11

LITV ⁹ I know your works, and the affliction, and the poverty; but you are rich. And I know the evil speaking of those saying themselves to be Jews, and they are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. ¹⁰ Do not at all fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the Devil is about to throw you into prison, so that you may be tried; and you will have affliction ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. ¹¹ The one who has an ear, hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one overcoming will not at all be hurt by the second death.

Believers from all 12 tribes were suffering at the hands of unbelievers but they were told to rejoice and count it all joy because they were being saved from the wrath of God. The second death by fire would be harmless to them.

Jacob 1:1-8

CLV ¹ James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes in the dispersion. Rejoice!” ² All joy deem it, my brethren, whenever you should be falling into various trials, ³ knowing that the testing of your faith is producing endurance. ⁴ Now let endurance have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and unimpaired, lacking in nothing.” ⁵ Now if anyone of you is lacking wisdom, let him be requesting it from God, Who is giving to all generously and is not reproaching, and it shall be given to him.” ⁶ Yet let him be requesting in faith, doubting nothing, for he who is doubting simulates a surge of the sea, driven by the wind and tossed.” ⁷ For let not that man be surmising that he shall be obtaining anything from the Lord – ⁸ a man double-souled, turbulent in all his ways.”

The unbelievers among the 12 tribes were not to expect any good gifts from God. But they weren’t promised eternal conscious torment either. The old covenant perished in the Gehenna fire that burned into the ages of the ages. If taken literally an age is of course a discrete epic. An age implies a limited not an unlimited time period. The fire in Jerusalem was still burning when the new covenant age started. We are still in the age of the ages today. That phrase may actually mean ages without end. If the new covenant age contains all future ages then it is the never ending age. Eternal conscious life is a reality. Eternal conscious death is a flesh-mode fantasy. Dante explained eternal destruction necessarily simultaneous with eternal reconstruction of the flesh, otherwise it would all just burn off in the fire and the unbelievers would cease to suffer.

James 5:19-20

CLV ¹⁹ My brethren, if anyone among you should be led astray from the way of the truth, and someone should be turning him back, ²⁰ let him know that he who turns back a sinner out of the deception of his way will be saving his soul from death and will be covering a multitude of sins.

Jesus laid down His old covenant soul to save His brethren. During the transition of covenants, salvation could still be lost. The brethren among the 12 tribes who were led astray returned to the old covenant before the consummation of the new. The Hebrews were waiting for their salvation to be complete.

Hebrews 9:28

CLV ²⁸ thus Christ also, being offered once for the bearing of the sins of many, will be seen a second time, by those awaiting Him, apart from sin, for salvation, through faith.”

Those Hebrews who chose the old temple in favor of the new had no right to a continued covenant life. They covenantally perished.

Hebrews 13:10

CLV ¹⁰ We have an altar from which they have no right to be eating, who offer divine service in the tabernacle.”