Hell Part 2: Jesus’ Revelation of Hell in Luke 16:19-31
Our 1st study of Hell looked at 5 Proofs there is a literal eternal Lake of fire awaiting those who die in sin. 1. Jesus Christ, who is omniscient, taught a literal eternal Hell 2. The Church warned people of the reality of Hell throughout its history. 3. Science & NDE’s support the reality of Hell 4. Creation reveals a literal lake of fire in the Earth! Volcanoes! 5. God’s Word reveals the reality of Hell as well as how to escape eternal damnation (Prov. 15:24; Ps. 16:11). If you want to avoid Hell: “Don’t be caught dead without Jesus!” Will you Believe The TRUTH of HELL before its too Late? “The god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not” (2Cor. 4:4; 2Tim. 2:25-6).
This brings us to Christ’s Revelation of the only 2 possible “Eternal Destinies” (Lk. 16:19-31). There are those Destined for “Paradise” “Abraham’s bosom” or “Heaven;” & there are those Destined for “Hell” “Place of torment” or “Lake of fire” (Matt. 25:31-33, 41, 46).
Jesus had Perfect Knowledge of Life after Death. Luke 16:19-31 is NOT a Parable. It’s not called a parable & lacks the characteristics of a parable. It’s true History! Jesus, as the omniscient Creator & sustainer of the Universe (John 4:29; 16:30; Col. 1:16-17) & knew these 2 men & everything that was happening in “hades” (hell).
This warning is given to the covetous Pharisees (Luke 16:14-15)
Luke 16:19-31 is a “Testimony of the LORD” which makes “wise the simple” (Psalm 19:7). Jesus is “the faithful witness” (Rev. 1:5; 3:14; John 3:10-11, 31-33). This “testimony” should cause us “to fear God’s Judgment” (Ps. 119:119-120; Matt. 13:40-42, 49-50; Phil. 2:12).
A RICH MAN & A BEGGAR: HOW DIFFERENT THEIR LIFE:
(Lk. 16:19) “There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple & fine linen, & fared sumptuously every day: (20) And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, (his Name means ‘whom God helps’) which was laid at his gate, full of sores” (invalid & gravely ill).
THE RICH MAN IGNORED THE POOR. DO YOU?
(16:21) And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came & licked his sores.
Jesus warned us that “it is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God” (Lk 18:18-27)
HOW DIFFERENT THEIR ETERNAL DESTINIES:
(16:22) “the beggar died, & was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, & was buried; (23) in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, & sees Abraham afar off, & Lazarus in his bosom.” Jesus told us Abraham was ALIVE somewhere! (Matt. 22:29-33)
OUR CHARACTER DOESN’T CHANGE AFTER WE DIE!
(16:24) “And he cried & said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, & send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, & cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.”
Jesus is giving a real life example of His warning in Luke 13:23-28! (Matt. 8:11-12; see Luke 12:15-21). Illus: Benjamin Franklin
HEAVEN & HELL GUARENTEE ULTIMATE JUSTICE!
(Lk. 16:25) But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime received thy good things, & likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, & thou art tormented.
God’s “goodness” to the rich man should have led him to Repentance! (Rom. 2:4). There is a Payday Someday!
THERE IS NO WAY OUT OF HELL ONCE YOU ARE THERE!
(26) “beside all this, between us & you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.”
IF THEY COULD THE DEAD WOULD WARN YOU OF HELL
(16:27) Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou would send him to my father’s house: (28) For I have 5 brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. (29) Abraham said: “They have Moses & the prophets; let them hear them.”
THE GREATEST SOURCE OF TRUTH IS GOD’S WORD!
(30) “And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. (Luke 13:3, 5; 2 Pet. 3:9). (31) And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses & the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.” { Jesus Proves this by raising Lazarus from the Dead! (John 11:14, 39-44, 46, 53; John 12:10)}
Paradise/Abraham’s Bosom Before Christ’s Death & Resurrection:
In the O.T. sin was only “Atoned” or covered (not cleansed) because the blood of animals could not remove sin (Heb. 10:4, 11). So O.T. saints could not go direct to Heaven (Heb. 11:39-40). They waited in “Paradise” inside the earth until the “resurrection” of Jesus. When Jesus spent 3 days & nights in the Earth (Matt. 12:39-41; Lk. 11:29-32).
He descended into Hell (Hades) (Eph. 4:9-10; Prov. 30:4); Preached the Gospel to those waiting in Paradise (I Pet. 3:18-19; Isaiah 61:1; Lk. 23:43); & Raised them from the dead (Matt. 27:52-53; Isa. 26:19; Eph. 1:17-20). When Jesus Ascended to His Father (John 16:28; 20:17) He Took all the righteous souls that had been waiting in Paradise to Heaven (Eph. 4:8; John 5:25, 29; Dan. 12:2).
Thus Paradise was moved from inside the Earth to Heaven when Jesus Ascended into Heaven (2 Cor. 12:1-4; Acts 2:30-33; Rev. 2:7).
Paradise/Heaven After Christ’s Death & Resurrection:
The Blood of Jesus actually “takes away”; “cleanses”; or “washes away” ALL sin! (John 1:29; I John 1:7-9; I Cor. 6:11; Rev. 1:5; 7:14). Now when a repentant sinner dies, trusting Christ alone for His salvation, He goes directly to heaven to be with the LORD (John 14:3; 17:24; Acts 7:55-56, 59; 2 Cor. 5:6-9; Phil. 1:21-23; I Thess. 4:13-14, 17; 5:10; Rev. 7:14-17; Ps. 16:10-11; 17:15; 73:24). We All Have a Body & Soul. Our physical Body goes to the Grave (Eccl. 12:7; Gen. 2:7; 3:19). The rich man’s soul was in Hell (Hades inside the earth) destined for eternal Hell (gehenna: ‘outer darkness’ Matt. 22:13; 25:30; Jude 13; 2Pet. 2:17).
WE MUST UNDERSTAND THE NATURE OF THE SOUL.
The soul is the real “me.” My body is the “house” the real me lives in (2 Cor. 5:1-5). Our Body has 5 physical senses to experience the world. Our soul has 5 spiritual senses to experience spiritual realms: We have spiritual sight (Eph. 1:18; John 9:39); Spiritual hearing (Gal. 3:2; Act 28:26; 2 Cor. 12:2-4); Spiritual tasting (Ps. 34:8; 119:103; I Pet. 2:3); Spiritual smelling (2 Cor. 2:16; S.O.S. 5:1); Spiritual feeling (John 11:33-35; Rom. 5:5). The souls of both Lazarus & the rich man could speak, hear, see and feel. Notice their souls had eyes, fingers, tongues, etc (Lk. 16:23-4). Illus: hand & glove
Science cannot study the soul because it is not “material.”
Our soul is apparently designed just like our physical bodies only they are spiritual & eternal in nature. There is a “natural body” & there is a “spiritual body” (I Cor. 15:44; Lk. 12:4-7). Did you ever wonder why our Physical Body is so “fearfully & wonderfully made”? (Ps. 139:14) It is designed to interact with the Soul, be glorified & Live forever! (1000’s of recorded NDE’s support these Bible revelations).
WHAT IS THE RICH MAN’S LOCATION?
He is NOT in purgatory! He is in Hell! “I am tormented in this FLAME” (Lk. 16:24; Matt. 13:42; 25:41; Rev. 14:10-11) Science says earth’s core is over 12,000 degrees F. Right now millions of people are in hell without any hope! The consequence of ignoring God’s warnings of Final Judgment. (Isa. 66:22-24; Heb. 9:27). They didn’t P.F.E.!
WHAT WAS THE RICH MAN’S SIN?
The rich man doesn’t seem to be a “bad” sinner. Outwardly he seems successful, educated, moral, & a good family man (Matt. 23:27-28 with John 3:3). There is a difference between being a sinner (criminal) in the eyes of other sinful men & a sinner in the eyes of a holy God! We are all sinners in the eyes of God (Rom. 3:10, 23; Eccl. 7:20; Eph. 5:3-6).
He was guilty of the “acceptable sins” of Sodom (Ezek 16:49). The iniquity of Sodom was: “pride, fullness of bread, & abundance of idleness… neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor & needy” (compare Luke 12:16-20; 21:34; 21:34; Prov. 21:13). He failed to keep the 2 Greatest Commandments (Matt. 22:36-40). He just ignored God!
HELL WILL NOT CHANGE A SINNER’S HEART!
A person’s character doesn’t change after death. Even in hell he still expects Lazarus to be his servant. He eternally damned by his own Pride & self centeredness! (Jer. 17:9). He knows Lazarus & has the gall to demand him to bring water! He has no name in hell: Just called a “rich man.” He built his identity on wealth; once he lost his wealth he lost any sense of self. He trusted in his riches rather than trusted in God (I Tim. 6:17-19). God Must Be our Source of Identity (Phil. 1:21)
THE RICH MAN’S EXPERIENCE
He is fully conscious, rational, aware, with memory of Earthly life. Oh the torment of knowing you are eternally damned with no hope of escape from torment! (Mk. 3:29; Matt 18:8; 25:41, 46). Contrast the joy of those who know they are eternally blessed because they trust in Christ alone for salvation from all sin! He knows WHY he is in Hell: He lacked Repentance of sin (Lk. 16:30; 13:3, 5; Rom. 2:4; 2 Pet. 3:9).
THE RICH MAN’S ETERNAL DESTINY
There is little difference between this temporary part of “Hades” & the eternal “Lake of Fire” (Rev. 20:15; Jude 1:7; Mk. 9:43-46, 48)
The rich man will be raised at the “resurrection of damnation” (John 5:29; Dan. 12:2); Judged by his works (Rev. 20:12-13); & Both his body & soul will be cast into the eternal Hell (Gehenna) or “lake of fire” (Rev. 14:9-11; 20:11-15; Matt. 10:28).
WARNINGS FROM THE LOST RICH MAN (James 1:11; 5:1-6)
Since Hell is real, nothing in this world: no sin, no pleasure, being too busy, absolutely nothing, should keep you from making sure you will escape its eternal horror & torments. “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” (Mk. 8:36)
When people don’t believe in final judgment & ultimate Justice their desire to keep God’s moral Laws dissolves. God is moral. He demands moral behavior from all of us! God will judge everyone according to His universal moral Law. Thus Hell gives meaning to our lives. It tells us the moral choices we make day by day have eternal significance. Our behavior has consequences lasting to eternity. God takes our choices seriously; so must we, or Perish! (1 Tim 6:7; Matt. 6:19-21). We Can’t Judge Eternal Destinies by Outward Appearance. Will you accept God’s Gift of Grace? If Lazarus made it to Heaven – anyone can! Be a ‘Lazarus’ = ‘Trust in God’ & have a glorious eternity!