Heres are some examples of something being spoken of as being everlasting, the event itself is but at one moment.

Jeremiah 20:11, Jeremiah 23:40

Realize that there are many things that can be spoken of as eternal or everlasting where only the effect/condition is eternal or everlasting and not the even itself. I have suffered lifetime consequences from not being careful around irons. This here does not mean that the initial consequence (the burn) lasted forever but that the condition is permanent and unchangeable. To add a much better witness to this statement lets go to Scripture again.

Hebrews 5:9 and having been made perfect, he became unto all them that obey him the author of eternal salvation; [in this example we are not constantly receiving salvation, the condition of having been saved is whats eternal].

Hebrews 6:2 of the teaching of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. [We know that the judgment is a one time affair but the results of that judgment is eternal].

Heb. 10:27

Jude 7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them, having in like manner with these given themselves over to fornication and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the punishment of eternal fire.

We are all pretty clear on the FACT that the fire that consume Sodom and Gomorrah is no longer existing today. Sodom and Gomorrah themselves were destroyed rather quickly by this fire. Here is a perfect example in which the language in the scriptures is being used to speak of the condition that was suffered. Notice how the language is used in a present sense "suffering". Today these places are not currently suffering from fire but are suffering today from the everlasting effect. Today Sodom and Gomorrah are still gone due to this fire that took place ages ago and has long went out.

Elohims purpose is fulfilled by destroying the wicked completely. Theres no need for Him to keep them around. What purpose is fulfilled in having people burn forever? Elohim desires to destroy wickedness, to rid His kingdom of sinners and to establish righteousness. That purpose if fulfilled once sinners are removed.

This following section was taken from another web site which I printed out a long time ago. I no longer remember the site. I only want to make clear that I was not the author and did not want to take credit for it.

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"Day and Night Forever And Ever" Author Unknown

"And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up forever and ever: and they have no rest day or night," and shall be tormented day and night forever and ever". [Revelation 14:11 and 20:10]

The wording here, no doubt, comes from the parallel prophecy in the Tanach: "it shall not be quenched night nor day; the smoke thereof shall go up forever [Hebrew: Olam]" Isaiah 34:10. This Hebrew word olam is often used to describe a limited period of time Hannah said that she would give her son Samuel to serve Adonaay in "Shiloh", and there abide forever [olam]. Yet this only meant "as long as he liveth" [I Samuel 1:9, 11, 22, 28] and in the case of Jonah and the whale "forever [olam]" only lasted "three days and three nights" [Jonah 1:17, 2:26, see Exodus 21:6, 2 Kings 5:27]

The word "ever" in Revelation [KJV] always comes from aion, which is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew olam (see Ps. 45:6, 110:4, Heb. 1:8, 5:6, 6:20, 7:17, 7:21] aion also can mean a limited time span (our "eon" also spelled "aeon", came from aion] and it is translated "world" [aion] "since the word [aion] began, " this present world [aion]", "neither in this world, neither the world to come, "the end of the world" [1 Cor. 2:7, Acts 3:21, 2 Tim. 4:10, Matt. 12:32, 13:39, 40:49, 24:3] Notice that an aion can have a beginning, and an "end".

In describing the fate of Mystery Babylon the symbol for all those various corrupt religions which have made "all nations" spiritually drunk [confused] with the wine of false doctrines. John the Revelator wrote that "her smoke rose up forever [aion] and ever [aion]". Yet John also wrote that "she shall be utterly burned with fire", and then "Babylon... shall be found no more at all" [Rev. 19:3, 18:8, 21]

Then why do these verses [Rev. 14:11, 19:3, 20:10] have a second aion if the intended meaning is a limited duration? Because if only one "aion/ever" was used the unbiased Greek reader could easily conclude that the wicked would suffer until the fire ended their life which would only be a few moments, under the normal circumstances in a blazing inferno. The double aion is intended to impress sinners with the fact that those who do not repent, will suffer for their own sins: on and on continuously "day and night" as long as there is any sin left to consume.

Of course some people will burn longer than others, depending upon the guilt of the individual which brings into sharp focus the fact that "Elohim... will render to every man according to his deeds [Rom. 2:5-6 see Jer 17:10] and therefore that some people will receive "greater damnation" this also explains Meshiachs words: "It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment, than for that city" [Matt. 23:14, 10:15 see 11:20-24, Luke 10:12-16, 12:47-48, 20:47, James 3:1].

Now, just to be absolutely sure that "tormented day and night forever and ever" [Rev. 20:10] does not mean the wicked will be tormented without end: the verse just before it says that "the fire devoured them" and then verse 14 says that "the lake of fire... is the second death" again in the next chapter we read that "the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone:.... is the second death" [21:8]. Twice in Revelation we are told that the righteous "shall not be hurt of the second death".

But if death was merely the beginning of a never-ending existence in heaven or hell, then how could there be any "second death"?

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People would answer the above question by stating that the second death is but a spiritual one. However such an answer would be erroneous and without Scriptural support. The Scriptures already declare a person spiritually dead in the present. Also the ensuing concept that follows such an idea would be in contradiction to plain Scriptures. The issue of the second death will be dealt with in a future article.

This section I decided to add to the argument that is made by the author for even greater clarification:

Strong's Ref. # 5769 owlam or `olam HSN5956; properly, concealed, i.e. the vanishing point; generally, time out of mind (past or future), i.e. (practically) eternity; frequentatively, adverbial (especially with prepositional prefix) always:

KJV--alway(-s), ancient (time), any more, continuance, eternal, (for, [n-])ever(-lasting, -more, of old), lasting, long (time), (of) old (time), perpetual, at any time, (beginning of the) world (+ without end). Compare HSN5331, HSN5703.

The following is but a very short list of Scriptures that use the word "olam". I will not list every Scripture that follows this criteria as there are hundreds. If you pay attention you will see that the word "forever" is used but only has effect according to the duration of the particular item. There are two Scriptures listed here that uses "olam" to only mean "from a long time ago, ancient times, etc".

Gen. 6:4, 1 Sam. 27:8 uses the word olam as describing something as being from ancient times or long ago.

Ex. 19:9, 21:6, 27:20, 29:9, 30:21, Num. 9:16, Josh. 4:7, 8:28, 2 Sam. 12:10, Neh. 2:3, Ps. 5:11

The above Scriptures uses forever, the condition is based on the duration of the particular subject being spoken about. We must first understand that the foundational error of immortals souls must be eradicated to gain true understanding. Once this truth is known we see that being tormented day and night forever and ever can only pertain to the duration of the existence of that soul.

Example: By me saying that I will love my wife forever does not imply my love for her never having a beginning or never having an end. My love forever toward her is only within the confines of how long we live. This could be a mere three years but yet my words would hold true. This situation is a perfect example of "forever" being used as an idiom of speech not to denote an truly eternal condition but a condition that remains throughout the duration of the item.

Elohim is described as being the everlasting Elohim and being an eternal being. This description deals with Elohim having no beginning or end. An eternal fire must have a beginning and therefore does not compare to the same sense in which Elohim is eternal or everlasting. It is not impossible for an everlasting fire to have an end as well.

The fires of everlasting punishment will be eternal and forever in the sense that the individual will suffer that punishment for the whole duration in which they exist. From beginning to end (in which they are consumed resulting in the second or eternal death) the individual will suffer that fire. I will deal with what the second death is all about in a future article.