Luke 16:19-31 Heaven & Hell Described

 “Now there was a rich man, and he habitually dressed in purple and fine linen, joyously living in splendor every day. And a poor man named Lazarus was laid at his gate, covered with sores,  and longing to be fed with the crumbs which were falling from the rich man’s table; besides, even the dogs were coming and licking his sores.  Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried.  In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom.  And he cried out and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.’  But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony.  And besides all this, between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, so that those who wish to come over from here to you will not be able, and that none may cross over from there to us.’  And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, that you send him to my father’s house—  for I have five brothers—in order that he may warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’  But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’  But he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent!’  But he said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.’”

This is one of the most quoted sections in the New Testament.  Here Jesus depicts heaven and hell.  He describes hell as a place of torment where the is a great divide between Hades and heaven where one cannot pass from one side to the other, but it seems one can see across.  The rich man who is in Hades has deep regret and desires to warn his family about such a place.  He is warned that if the prophets and the  resurrected Lord could not convince them, sending him as a testimony will do no good.  It is yet another time when hope rests with those who suffer now and to those who now have plenty, they are inclined to forget God and try to manage themselves, but in vein.

Daily Prayer:  Lord draw men to yourself so that they believe.  Same them from this awful place and let them rest their hope in You, the Great Covenant Blesser.  In Your holy name I pray Amen.