universal reconciliation? part 2

Here's the link to Beck's second part question, which is
Univeralists don't believe in hell, right?


Beck does believe in hell.


He argues further that "hell" in the New Testament grew out of the Old Testament prophetic tradition.  More specifically, he says that "So, particularly in Isaiah, you see the prophets looking down the road, in anticipation of the New Testament's eschatological vision, and seeing the New Jerusalem, the ultimate victory of Good and a final punishment of evil. This view intensifies in the New Testament, eventually coalescing into the visions of heaven and hell."  Beck then goes on to argue that the more one loves, the angrier one gets, which explains all of the violent reactions of God in both the Old and New Testaments.  God's wrath and God's love are both infinite.    And although God gets really angry in the Old Testament, he also shows love in the Old Testament.  The final word is always love, according to Beck.


On the one hand, I get this.  I mean, clearly, God is a God of mercy as well as wrath.


I think, though, what is possibly missing is the fact that for those who suffered it, God's wrath was very real.  Consider those struck dead by God for their sins.  They were dead.  Gone.  Love the final word?  Well, maybe not.  They sinned, and they were punished for it.  


Of course, this life isn't the end...which does give Beck's theory some credit.  But, over all, it doesn't convince me any more than Calvinism or Arminianism.