THEOSISJerome of Stridon
Thus declares the Lord: when I transform you into a deserted city, akin to the desolate places where no one resides, and when I unleash the abyss upon you, envelop you in overwhelming waters, and cast you down with those descending into the pit, I will position you at the farthest reaches of the earth, as if in ancient wastelands, alongside those who meet their end in the grave, leaving you uninhabited. I will exhibit my glory in the land of the living; you shall not revive there, and I will surrender you to destruction, leaving no trace of you, and even if they search for you, you shall be eternally lost.
Read more (484 words)
When I render Tyre a city forever desolate, just like other completely uninhabited cities, I will bring chaos upon you, overshadow you with countless adversaries, as if those enemies were waves crashing upon an island. Together with those who enter the grave, you shall dwell with the departed, of whom the Psalms proclaim: They will descend into the depths of the earth, delivered into the grip of destruction, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. I will place you in obscurity, near the ancient serpent, in remote deserts and landscapes devoid of kindness, where eternal suffering reigns, and you shall not rise again in the land of the living, as Scripture states: Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth, and I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living. You shall be condemned, cease to exist, reflecting what is written: You have weakened me, that night, before I have gone away, that I may be no more.
This is not to imply that those who cease to exist are eternally punished; rather, the Scriptures refer to those living apart from God as not truly alive. Therefore, Esther spoke against idols, praying, “Do not, O Lord, deliver Your scepter to those who are not.” Indeed, there are those concerning whom she prayed not to be betrayed, but for God, those who turn away from virtue and the living God become as though they do not exist.
It is noteworthy that Tyre is sought by the One who came to seek and save the lost, as illustrated in the parable of the lost sheep and the lost drachma, where the woman joyfully calls her neighbors upon finding what was lost. If the seeker cannot find Tyre, it is not due to His failing but because of those who evade the care of the Good Shepherd. He declares you shall no longer exist forever, signifying in the Hebrew "olam" and in the Greek "αἰῶν," denoting a specific age. Isaiah proclaims Tyre will be restored after seventy years, which reflects the lifespan assigned in Psalms: the days of our years are seventy; if we are able, eighty.
What has been said concerning Tyre can also apply to those constrained by their current situation, who are drawn down into the depths, engulfed by waves of suffering, and brought into the eternal grave, leading to the Holy Spirit's departure from them. It is written: When the wicked enter into the fullness of sin, they lose all concern. Consequently, they shall no longer exist among the living but will meet destruction, existing no more for God. These truths are misinterpreted by those who reject the notion of eternal punishment for the wicked and sinners, who, despite being pursued by God, have ultimately become lost and are forever cut off, having forsaken the One who declares, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.”