Today’s Scripture is one that for many Christians might be familiar, and to others it might be brand new. It is the account of two men, two men who were completely opposite in the conditions of their life while here on earth, and then also completely opposite in their life after death. Let’s take a look at these two men.
As we begin, Jesus is telling His audience about these men. Some Bible scholars believe that this is not a parable, a story that Jesus made up to teach His disciples and the folks in general some spiritual lessons. They believe that Jesus was referring to two actual people. Jesus, being the divine Son of God, would know what would have happened to them in the afterlife. Either way, the lessons that He taught in this Scripture passage are real, and are eternally important.
The first person we are introduced to is a rich man. He lives in a nice house surrounded by a gate. He wears elegant clothes and dines luxuriously every day (vs. 19). The other man, who is named Lazarus, is just the opposite. He is a poor beggar, who is sickly and sits to beg just outside this rich man’s gate. (He is not the same Lazarus who was brother to Mary and Martha, and whom Jesus raised from the dead). He was desperately poor, he was sick, and he lived on the tossed out crumbs people gave him (vs. 20-21). Though they lived a stone’s throw from each other, they couldn’t have been farther apart in life. The sad part is that in all that time, the rich man gave no thought to the welfare of Lazarus.
Jesus continues on by saying that Lazarus died, and he was immediately taken to Abraham’s bosom. That was a place of comfort and fellowship for the righteous who died before Jesus’ resurrection. After His resurrection, Jesus then opened the gates of heaven for these believers. Jesus recounted how the rich man also died, and went immediately to Hades, another name for hell, where he was in torment (vs. 22-23). This is not symbolic, as some might teach. This is a literal depiction of what happens after death - one goes either to heaven or to hell. The rich man’s torment is conscious, physical, and irreversible.
While in hell, the rich man can see that Lazarus is in paradise. He begs for relief, but as Abraham explained, there is a chasm between the saved and the lost, and no one can cross either way. He then begs for Lazarus to go and warn his brothers. The answer he receives is that they have Moses and the prophets to warn them, in other words, they have the Bible, which they should read and believe (vs. 24-31). Even a resurrection won’t convince those who reject God’s Word, including the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. We see this very plainly today!
As we read in this Scripture, there is no second chance after death. One’s eternal destiny is sealed at death, and it is based solely on one’s relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. If you have accepted Him as your personal Savior, then you will spend eternity with Him in the glories of heaven. If you have not accepted Jesus, then there is an eternity of suffering in hell. We are also told here that the Scriptures, the Bible, is sufficient for salvation. Miracles don’t override unbelief that is rooted in rebellion. Faith comes by hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17).
The rich man discovered too late that his riches and comfort were only temporary. After death he experienced the consequences of his choices, that his choices in life led to eternal separation from God. He wasn’t judged because of his wealth. His mistake was that he prepared everything for the body, but nothing for his soul. Obviously at some point in his miserable life, Lazarus must have turned to God in belief. We don’t know the circumstances, nor why he had become so poor. It is not for us to judge. However, Lazarus had faith and trust in God, where the rich man did not.
As we look back over this Scripture, we learn that hell is real, that one is conscious there, and it is eternal. The choices that we make while here on earth reflect our spiritual condition, and will determine where we spend eternity. Once someone is dead, there is no crossing over from one realm to the next. All decisions about where you spend eternity must be made now. God’s Word is enough to lead one to salvation.
Knowing this, for believers and followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, it is so important to be sharing the Gospel now. Tomorrow may be too late for some people. The rich man was certainly not expecting to die the day he did. We all should be living with eternity in view. Comfort now does not guarantee that there will be comfort later. Also, we need to be sure that we are prioritizing God’s Word. It is the only light in this dark world.
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