A Place Worth Missing

Since the beginning of man, death and the hereafter have been at the center of many disagreements, disputes and has been the cause for great theological questions. In the Garden of Eden, God told Adam in Gen 3:19 that he would return to the dust from which he was conceived. In other words, physical death was cursed upon all men and women inhibitors of this earth. After death, our soul lives on in eternity, either in Heaven (the abode of God the creator) or Hell (the abode of the enemy, Satan) Since the Garden, the battle over the souls of human beings has been fought viciously between God and the fallen angel Lucifer. We must make a choice today, of whom we shall serve and where we will be in eternity.

1. HELL IS A PLACE OF PHYSICAL COMPLETENESS AND TOTAL CONSCIOUSNESS (VS 23-24)

• The rich man, in all of his earthly goods, entered into hell not because of his wealth, but because of his unwillingness to bow to the creator

• Verse 23 indicates that the man had eyes, and that he was in torment, in other words the nerves that told him when it was cold or hot, wet or dry here on this earth were present with him in hell.

• Ezekiel 32:21 “The strong among the mighty shall speak to him out of the midst of hell with them that helped him:”

• Ezekiel is here addressing the king of Egypt and the constant taunting he receives in hell for the same type of treatment he unleashed on the children of Israel

• Indicating once again that hell is a place of consciousness and despair

• VS 24

• In misery, the man asks not for a sup of water but merely a dip or drop from the tip of the finger of Lazarus, the very one he abused while alive

• The man cried for mercy, something that is not available in hell

• Matthew 25:30 “And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

• Jesus describes a place in Matthew that is a place of constant sorrow and full of pain

• The weeping shall come from the remembrance of opportunity wasted, such as today

2. HELL IS A PLACE OF ACTIVE MEMORY

• VS 25, 27-28

• Abraham reminded the rich man in VS 25 of the things and opportunity he had received while alive

• The rich man “prayed” to send Lazarus to tell his five brothers of his situation and condition and for them to avoid joining him

• The word pray here means to:

a. “To petition; to ask as for a favor;”

• Two items are evident in this scripture:

a. The rich man realized he was there to stay and that he could not leave, even for a little while (Clear Consciousness) VS 26

b. That his suffering was great and that he wished for his lost brethren to avoid his eternal state (Active Memory)

• Reiterating the fact that hell is a place of torment, just imagine the rich man’s reaction when he realized it was up to each individual brother to escape hell

3. HELL’S GREATEST TORMENT IS SEPARATION FROM GOD

• The rich man was not in hell for being rich, he was there for unbelief

• The Bible teaches that God does not want for any one person to enter into hell, hell is the place prepared for the devil and his angels

• Matthew 25:41 “Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.”

• Matthew 27:45-56 Jesus never rebuked those who beat and cursed Him, the one thing that hurt most during the crucifixion was the pain he felt when His father turned from Him as He took on the sins of the world, In other words, the separation from God was unspeakable sorrow

4. HOW SHALL THE LOST ESCAPE HELL?

• Simply Put, US! VS 29

• Abraham expressed to the rich man that Moses and the prophets were spreading the message of God and that listening to that message was the only escape

• We are the ones responsible in this day for spreading the gospel

• Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.”

• You don’t have to be a scholar to help someone escape the suffering of hell

• Just be a Christian and obedient to Christ’s call in your life

• I Corinthians 2:2 “For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.”

• When we stand before the Lord and account for our actions, we will have no excuse as to why we didn’t do the work we were called to do