THEOSISJerome of Stridon
Thus declares the Lord: When I transform you into a desolate city, akin to those that remain uninhabited, I will lead you into an abyss, overwhelming you with countless waters, and I will cast you down with those who descend into the grave, joining an everlasting people. I will position you at the ends of the earth, as if in ancient wastelands, alongside those who enter the depths, so that you shall not be inhabited, and I will exhibit my glory in the land of the living. I will bring you to ruin, and none shall remain of you; they will seek you but will not find you forever, says the Lord God.
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When I render you, O Tyre, into an eternal desolation, reflecting the fate of other cities that are completely deserted, I will bring upon you the depths and cover you with vast waters, representing innumerable adversaries, as the one addressing the island also illustrates hosts of foes as waves from the abyss. I will cast you down with those who enter the grave, those dwelling in the underworld, of whom it is written in the Psalms: They shall enter the depths of the earth and fall by the sword; they shall be part of the foxes. I will place you at the ends of the earth, where the ancient serpent resides, in a place devoid of remembrance and overflowing with eternal punishment, preventing you from rising among the living. It is declared: Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth, and I will behave righteously before the Lord in the land of the living; thus, you will face destruction and will cease to exist, in accordance with another psalm stating: You weaken me each night; I am as nothing.
This does not imply that annihilation leads to eternal punishment, but rather that those united with God are spoken of as non-existent when they turn away from Him. Similarly, Esther implored, “Do not, O Lord, deliver Your scepter to those who are not.” Indeed, there are those she prayed against, but to God, those who do not embody His virtues and life do not truly exist.
We should recognize that Tyre is pursued by Him who came to seek and save the lost, as He left the ninety-nine on the mountains to find one stray sheep. Likewise, a woman seeks a lost coin, rejoicing with her neighbors upon discovering it. However, if the One seeking Tyre cannot find it, the fault lies not with Him but with those who evade the good Shepherd. He declares, "You will cease to exist forever," as the Hebrew term “l'olam” and the Greek “αἰῶν” indicate an age; Isaiah states that in seventy years, Tyre will be restored to its former glory. The span of a life is often measured in seventy years, as the Psalmist reflects: The days of our years are threescore and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labor and sorrow.
The allegorical interpretation regarding Tyre can also apply to those confined in life's trials, who descend to the underworld, overwhelmed by waves of punishment, joining the ancient wilderness, and cast into an eternal grave, where the Holy Spirit no longer abides in them. It is written: When the wicked falls into the depths of their iniquity, they will be indifferent. After that, they will not dwell among the living, but will be doomed to perish, ceasing to exist before God.
These scriptures are misinterpreted by those who reject the eternal punishment of the wicked and sinful, who, despite being sought by God, were ultimately not found and thus ceased to exist forever, having lost Him who is life.