In The Bosom Of Abraham

Now we can imagine that the rich man was given a glorious send off, the finest funeral that money could buy. Without a doubt, word of the rich man’s death spread throughout the land. People likely spoke of his many wonderful achievements in life and his many social, political and civic contributions. It is likely that many eulogized this rich man at his funeral and spoke of his great exploits and accomplishments.

The body of Lazarus, on the other hand, was likely raked up from the street keeper and taken to the edge of the city of Jerusalem, and cast down into the Valley of Gehenna where a perpetual, constant fire burned, consuming the bodies of the dead like Lazarus.

But death changed everything. Verse 22 that we read tells us that when the beggar died, he “was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom.” When Lazarus died the angels of God came and carried him into the presence of God, but let’s look in verse 23 and see what happened to the rich man.

23. And in hell he lifts up his eyes, being in torment, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

No angels came to carry the rich man into the presence of God. Instead, he found himself in hell where he was in torment.

The revelation of where each man ended up after death would have astonished the Jews of that day. It would have shattered their long held assumptions about wealth being a sign of God’s favor and blessings.

Since there is such a misunderstanding today even among church people about what happens at death, let me give you a brief explanation of the nature of death in relation to eternity. James 2:28 says:

28. For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

Death takes place when the spirit leaves the body, but death is not the end; it is the beginning of a whole new existence in another world.

When people die, only their bodies go into the grave. At the funeral it is merely the physical shell we see lying in a casket. The real person, the soul/spirit, has already departed to either a place of torment or a place of comfort, depending on the person’s spiritual condition.

Verse 24 of our scripture says:

24. And 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.

How sad is this? What a horrible fate it is that this rich man waited too long, waited too late, to get right with God. The rich man prayed earnestly but he prayed at the wrong time. He prayed the right prayer but he prayed at the wrong time. He waited until he was in hell before he truly understood his need for God. He waited until he was in hell before he recognized that life is not about money or material possessions. He waited until he was in hell before he got down on his knees and asked God to come into his heart and save him. He was not in hell because he hadn’t been generous enough with his money. He was in hell because he disregarded the word of God and rejected the Lord. If he had had the love of God in him, he could not have lived in luxury, comfort and ease when a fellow man was outside his front door, begging for a few crumbs of bread.