VERSES SUPPORTING TORMENT IN HELL

The traditional understanding of Hell is that it is:

1. A fiery lake
2. Where those who die apart from faith in Christ
3. Are separated from God's presence
4. After facing the Day of Judgment
5. And go on to face an eternity of torment

As I now lean toward "annihilationism", I want to be clear that I am only rejecting #5, the eternal torment. Annihilationism would simply substitute "eternity of death" for "eternity of torment". The other four points stand.

There is a fair amount of talk in the New Testament (and even a bit in the Old) about a lake or a furnace of fire being the ultimate destination for those who are wicked. So I have no choice but to embrace the "fire" as being reality. But it still strikes me as mainly a metaphor.

But my question is this: If you had no prior assumptions and no images in your head, what would you assume would happen to a person dropped into the middle of a lake of fire? Would you assume he would remain alive for eternity?

I wouldn't. 

Because ... fire.

Would Jesus's audience assume that if someone were thrown in Gehenna that they would sit and the flames would burn them forever? (Gehenna was the burning garbage dump outside the city walls which is translated as Hell in the gospels.)

I doubt it.

The Old Testament's Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were the exception to the rule. They walked around in the fiery furnace, yes, but only because an angel was there to protect them. Everyone knows what should have happened. 

So that narrows my search down to specific verses which support the notion of eternal torment for the souls in Hell. 

But verses like Matthew 25:41 and 46 aren't quite enough to convince me: "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.' ... And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."

It's not enough to tell me that the fire is eternal because that doesn't necessarily mean that the torment is eternal. And I do not see why an eternal death could not be described as "eternal punishment", meaning simply that it is irreversible. 

So where are the verses that are clear about eternal punishment in Hell?

Here is one: Revelation 14:9-11 -

"If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he also will drink the wine of God’s wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name."

Pretty convincing? But consider two things:

1. Does this even describe every person who dies apart from Christ? Do all unbelievers worship the beast and have its mark on their hands or foreheads? Because those are the people being tormented here.
2. This is the book of Revelation - notorious for its cryptic wording. And for its symbolism. Is this the one image out of the entire book that should be taken 100% literally?

Here's another verse in support of the concept of eternal torment: Revelation 20:10 -

"And the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever."

1. Again, this is from Revelation!
2. This verse does not say that all souls will be tormented day and night forever and ever - only the devil, the beast and the false prophet. 

I think I can live with those three being tormented eternally.

Now, to be fair, a few verses later, it does say that "if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire." But I still maintain that to be thrown into fire does not necessarily equal eternal torment. 

By the way, both death and "Hades" are also thrown into the lake of fire in verse 14! 

So what do you do with that?

Anyway, if you think there are other relevant verses I have not addressed here, I would be glad to hear them.