19 “There was a
certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously
every day. 20 But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who
was laid at his gate, 21 desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the
rich man’s table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 So it was
that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The
rich man also died and was buried. 23 And being in torments in Hades, he lifted
up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
24 “Then he cried
and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip
the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this
flame.’ 25 But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received
your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and
you are tormented. 26 And besides all this, between us and you there is a great
gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can
those from there pass to us.’
27 “Then he said, ‘I
beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, 28 for
I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this
place of torment.’ 29 Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets;
let them hear them.’ 30 And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to
them from the dead, they will repent.’ 31 But he said to him, ‘If they do not
hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise
from the dead.’ ”
Luke 16:19-31
This parable in Luke
was in response to questions posed by the Pharisees. The Pharisees were a political party of the
synagogue during second temple period.
They were legalistic and separatist group who strictly kept the Law of
Moses and the unwritten “tradition of elders.”
This "tradition of elders" or the oral law was developed by
rabbis. The traditions were meticulous
rules for daily life that were eventually
written down in 200 AD in the Mishnah (Oral Torah). The Pharisees were the only group to survive
the destruction of the Temple and crafted Modern Judaism.
Jesus had just told
His disciples in Luke 16:13, “No servant can serve two masters; for either he
will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and
despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” Mammon here is the Greek word, mamonas, which means riches, money,
possessions, property, the treasure a person trusts in. The Pharisees who were "lovers of
money" derided Christ. Jesus then
told them about the Rich Man and Lazarus.
This is the only
parable where Jesus names one of the characters. Therefore, many scholars believe that this
was no imaginary tale but an actual incident that took place. The parable was further evidence that riches
don't indicate that you are blessed since the rich man would be excluded from
heaven. It's all about your heart,
faith, and belief. We will study this
parable tonight to help us answer, "What happens when we die?" Let's look at the two places in this text:
"Abraham’s bosom" and "Hades."
ABRAHAM'S BOSOM
"Abraham’s
bosom" is only found in this verse of Scripture. The expression was also used a name for
heaven in the Talmud, the body of Jewish civil and ceremonial law and legend
comprising the Mishnah and the Gemara (commentary on the Mishnah). Verse 25 states that Lazarus "is
comforted." The Greek word is parakaleó which means exhort, encourage,
believers offering up evidence that stands up in God's court. In Heaven, Lazarus is comforted because of
the evidence presented to God, that he believes in Jesus and received His free
gift of salvation.
Luke 23:43 states
"And Jesus said to him, 'Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with
Me in Paradise.'" Jesus is telling
the believing thief that today, not some time in the future, he will be with Jesus
in paradise. "Paradise" is the
Greek word, paradeisos, which means a
garden, a park, heaven, abode of believing souls until the resurrection.
The Apostle Paul
also relates this immediate journey to heaven to be with Jesus. Philippians 1:23-24 states "For I am
hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ,
which is far better. Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for
you." "Depart" in the
Greek is analuo which means to depart
from life. 2 Corinthians 5:6-9 states
"So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body
we are absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident,
yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the
Lord." "Absent" in the
Greek is ekdemeo which means believers
who are still alive as being away from home (heaven), the desire to be absent
(away) from the restrictions of this world and going on to enjoy God's manifest
glory. In both these Scriptures, Paul
was describing being present with the Lord in heaven immediately.
John 3:36 states
"He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not
believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” Death
ushers us into the presence of Christ.
Believers are taken to heaven since their sins have been forgiven. The soul goes to be with the Lord in heaven,
and the body is buried until the day of resurrection when Jesus returns to the
earth.
HADES
Hades, Sheol,
Gehenna, the Abyss, and Tartarus. The
grave (Hebrew, sheol) refers to the realm of the dead, the netherworld, where
it was thought departed spirits live.
Sheol is similar to Hades in the Greek, the dark and sorrowful domain of
the dead. Sheol can refer to both the
gated kingdom of the netherworld and a dusty grave. In Greek , Hades is also a god. Sheol isn’t but is sometimes portrayed as a
beast with gaping jaws. The point of
entry into Hades, the gate, is death.
Hebrews 2:14-15 states “Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of
flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He
might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release
those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.”
In the Luke verses,
Hades is described as a "place of torment." "Torment" in the Greek is odunao which means suffer acute pain (physical
and mental), personal anguish expressed by great mourning, all consuming
sorrow.
The Rich Man states
that "I am tormented in this flame."
Matthew 13:30 states "Let both grow together until the harvest, and
at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, 'First gather together the
tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my
barn.'" Matthew 25:41 states
"Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you
cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his
angels."
John 3:36 states
"He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not
believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” Hades is a place of everlasting fire causing
acute pain turning into deep mourning and sorrow. This is the wrath of God for those who don't
believe and reject Jesus. Verse 30-31
states "‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they
will repent.’ But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets,
neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’ ” In this story, Jesus is mentioned as the one
resurrected from the dead that won't persuade just as the prophets didn't
persuade them.
Hebrews 9:27 states
"And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the
judgment." The statistics are
intimidating, 100 out of 100 people die.
Abraham's bosom and Hades are not the end. There must be judgement for
sin. Romans 6:23 states "For the
wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our
Lord."
JUDGEMENT
Revelation 20:11-15
states "Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose
face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them.
12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were
opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead
were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the
books. 13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades
delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one
according to his works. 14 Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of
fire. This is the second death. 15 And anyone not found written in the Book of
Life was cast into the lake of fire."
For the unbeliever,
they will be cast into the "lake of fire" which is the final hell,
the place of eternal punishment for unrepentant rebels, angelic or human. This is the "resurrection of condemnation."
John 5:25-29 states
"Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the
dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live. For
as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself,
and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of
Man. Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the
graves will hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the
resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of
condemnation."
RESURRECTION OF LIFE
Ultimately, believers should look forward to the resurrection of the dead to life. Romans 8:23 states "Not only that, but
we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within
ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body."
1 Corinthians
15:50-54 states "Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot
inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I
tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— 52 in
a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will
sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53
For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on
immortality. 54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this
mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is
written: 'Death is swallowed up in victory.'"
1 Thessalonians
4:13-17 states "But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning
those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. 14
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with
Him those who sleep in Jesus. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the
Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no
means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from
heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of
God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain
shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the
air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord."
Our souls will join
our new bodies to live and reign with Christ on this new earth, new heaven.
Revelation 21:1 states "Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the
first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea."
At Christ's return,
all believers will be resurrected/raptured from the earth, leaving the
"old home" of the unglorified body on the present earth to experience
glorification. Revelation 19:7-9 states "Let us be glad and rejoice and
give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made
herself ready. And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and
bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Then he said to
me, Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the
Lamb!’ And he said to me, 'These are the true sayings of God.'"
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE DIE?
For believers in
Christ, their soul will go immediately to Heaven and be with Jesus. When the great and glorious day of the Lord
comes, the believer's soul will be united with their new glorified bodies - The
Resurrection of Life. They will join
Christ on the new heaven and new earth.
For unbelievers, their soul will go into torment by flame, Hades, until
judgement. Then, they will join Satan in
the lake of fire, the final hell - the Resurrection of Condemnation.
For God so loved the
world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should
not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the
world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. “He who
believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned
already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of
God."
John 3:16-18
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