LAZARUS & THE RICH MAN
(Message by Tanny Keng)
1. Lazarus and the Rich Man
a) When we read about hell, most people that know the Bible think of Lazarus and the rich man. It appears that this is not an analogy or parable that Jesus spoke about since Jesus used a name of a known figure in the New Testament – Lazarus – and he spoke about a rich young ruler that came to Jesus (Luke 18:18-23).
b) Is this the same young rich ruler who came to Jesus? It is entirely possible. Whatever the case may be, Jesus is telling us what happens to the unrepentant and what happens to the believer after death. This picture of the afterlife is in Luke 16:19-31:
“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried.
In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’
But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’
He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’
Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’ ‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’
He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”
c) One thing we see is that once a person dies without Christ, they are separated from any possibility of being saved from the fires of hell. You might notice that Abraham said that no one can cross over from their place in agony or expect to receive any relief. Once a person has been judged, they cannot cross over or go back to warn their friends or their family. Neither will any relief come from their torment or even a quenching of their severe thirst. It is described as a place of torment that is the result of fiery flames. It is no wonder then that Jesus spoke more about it and warned more people more often about hell than any other subject in the New Testament.
The End ...
1. Lazarus and the Rich Mana) When we read about hell, most people that know the Bible think of Lazarus and the rich man. It appears that this is not an analogy or parable that Jesus spoke about since Jesus used a name of a known figure in the New Testament – Lazarus – and he spoke about a rich young ruler that came to Jesus (Luke 18:18-23).
b) Is this the same young rich ruler who came to Jesus? It is entirely possible. Whatever the case may be, Jesus is telling us what happens to the unrepentant and what happens to the believer after death. This picture of the afterlife is in Luke 16:19-31:
“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried.
In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’
But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’
He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’
Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’ ‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’
He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”
c) One thing we see is that once a person dies without Christ, they are separated from any possibility of being saved from the fires of hell. You might notice that Abraham said that no one can cross over from their place in agony or expect to receive any relief. Once a person has been judged, they cannot cross over or go back to warn their friends or their family. Neither will any relief come from their torment or even a quenching of their severe thirst. It is described as a place of torment that is the result of fiery flames. It is no wonder then that Jesus spoke more about it and warned more people more often about hell than any other subject in the New Testament.
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