HELL # 2 ~ LK.16:19-31~ DO YOU BELIEVE HELL IS A REAL PLACE? 5-26-12
Last time we began this message to do with "hell" so I’ll probably say some of the same things again as the context may call for it.
"Hell" is found in our KJ Bible 54 times, 31 times in the O.T. and 23 in the N.T. There are many references to each with various words and meanings.
LK.16:19-31 is not a parable, a parable doesn’t have proper names in it, but here we’re told about "a certain rich man" named Lazarus". Also we read about "Abraham and Moses", we’re also told of five brethren, notice these are specific people, parables don’t do that.
I must sat this again, there is no man from Adam unto our present time or even too the last of the Tribulation that will not be held accountable, there are multitudes of people that have never heard the name "Jesus" or anything about Jehovah God such as the people that live away back perhaps in some jungle, and we might be surprise as to the people here in our own country as well. I remember talking to a man right here in Easley S.C. that didn’t know what the "rapture" was. Think of Job and the people of that era, the absence of any reference to the nation Israel or the Mosaic Law suggest a pre-Mosaic date (before 1500 B.C.).
They certainly never heard the name of Jesus, but they did know there was a True and living God, Job said in
Job 19:25-27 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: 26And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: 27Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another--
Remember the book of Job is the oldest account in the bible; it was before anything to do with the law was ever pinned down.
Regardless of what the modern day skeptic might say, all men will be held accountable as to what God has revealed to them about Himself. God is Just, He will judge such people as to their knowledge of God, listen; Paul speaks of people like this in;
Romans 1:19 -20 Because that which may be known of God is manifest ** (made known) in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
20For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
What that means is; God is clearly made known to these individuals by His creation.
John 12: 32-33 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. ** (not just the one’s that knew Him) 33 This he said, signifying what death he should die.
He was speaking of the cross where He would be lifted up, therefore ALL MEN WILL are judged with His righteous judgments.
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Here in this true account of hell we’re told about a rich man and a poor man. The rich man was lost and when he died, he went to Hell, not because he was rich but because he was lost.
The poor man was a believer and when he died he was taken to Paradise.
* Let’s be sure that we realize that according to this text there are only two possible destinations available for man when he leaves this world, Heaven and Hell, there is no so called "purgatory"- a man made idea to get peoples money.
We might be surprised if we really knew how many people there are that don’t believe that hell is a real place.
The atheist denies the existence of a literal Heaven and Hell. The Jehovah’s Witness believes that the grave is Hell. The Mormon believes in Hell, but he believes that in the end, everyone will be saved, including those in Hell.
The Seventh - day Disadvanged believes that lost men go to Hell, but that they immediately burn up like so much broom sage.
This world is full of different religions and they all believe theirs is right, but just because they are sincere in what they believe don’t change the fact that there is a Hell for the lost person and there is a Heaven for the saved person, which place you go when you die is determined by what you do with Jesus Christ while you are alive in this world.
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* We talked last time about verses 19-24 so we’ll read over these again to get our though line back on the right track.
19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: 20And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, 21And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
Proverbs 14:31-32 He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker: but he that honoureth Him hath mercy on the poor.
32The wicked is driven away in his wickedness: but the righteous hath hope in his death.
Proverbs 14:21 He that despiseth his neighbour sinneth: but he that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he.
"Lazarus" means "God is my Helper".
While the rich man prospered, Lazarus suffered daily. He didn’t have the riches of the world. He could not afford medical treatment for his ailments. He could not afford food to eat. His only friends appeared to be the dogs which came and licked his sores.
22And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: --
Lazarus did not die alone; he died and God was watching. No one may have cared for him in this world, but when he died, God dispatched angels to escort him into a place of eternal rest.
* Saved people don’t die alone; --
Psalm 116:15 Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.
Philippians 1:21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
* Death for the believer is immediate fellowship with God in heaven, --
2 Corinthians 5:8 -- to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
-- And for the unbeliever; is to suddenly be aware of his presents in hell.
In hell he lift up his eyes,--
There were only four men who ever spoke with authority concerning the other side of death: the Lord Jesus; Lazarus; John, who was given the Revelation; and Paul, who was "... caught up to the third heaven" (2 Cur. 12:2).
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22-b- the rich man also died, and was buried;
Notice; he had a funeral; and probably a lot of nice words were said about him, which are not always true. Some preachers will preach the biggest sinner in the country right into heaven to please the family members.
* Let me say right here, that usually there will be friends and family members there that know very little about God or the bible, that’s why the Word of God ought to be proclaimed load and clear, sow the seed and maybe along the way some one else might water it and one day bring in the fruit. People can not be saved nor will they ever be saved apart from hearing Gods Word.
Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
The Word of God can be proclaimed without being a smart Alex.
Shame on the speaker if he’s afraid he might offend some one, he needs to check his calling.
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23And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments,
"lift up his eyes" is present tense, it don’t say "lifted" and lets be sure we notice that as soon as he opened his eyes he was in hell already in torments. (being in torments)
-- and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 24And 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.
Notice; he could see, he could feel pain, he could talk, he begged for mercy, he was thirsty, there’s no water there and neither is there any mercy, he could hear, he had his memory.
He would have all eternity to think back on the wasted days and years in his life time back on earth, if only he could go back and live them again it would be so different.
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25But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
* Hell is a place of everlasting torment:
Matt. 25:41Then 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:
Remember that hell is the holding place of the lost; the "lake of fire" will be their final abode. Rev. 20:
* Hell is a place of unquenchable Fire:
Mark 9:43 -- it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:
* Hell is a place of misery and pain:
Rev.14:10-11 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: 11And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night,-
* Hell is a place of eternal separation from God:
2 Thess. 1:8-9 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 9Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power
* Hell is a place of eternal separation from all that is good and right:
Rev.21:8-9 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
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26And beside all this, ** (and beside all the pain and agony you’re now experiencing) between us and you ** (you-your and ye, is always plural in our KJ Bible, "every body" -- thine -thou- thy - and thee- always means singular, one person.") there is a great gulf fixed: ** (nothing can alter it or change it, it’s FIXED) so that they which would pass from hence ** (from here) to you cannot; ** (it’s impossible for the saved people on the Paradise side of this great gulf to cross over into the torment side, they will forever be with the redeemed.) neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.
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Let me point out right here, this place is called "Hades" in the Greek, the N.T was written in Greek, the O.T. in Hebrew, "Hades" was in the heart of the earth, and before the death of Jesus all believers of the O.T. went to the Paradise side of this place called Hades, it had two compartments, a great gulf separated the two, where the O.T. saints were is referred to as "ABRAHAMS BOSSOM" the other side was where the lost sinners were held, we call it hell, and their still there now and are awaiting the White Throne judgment of the lost.
Listen; when Jesus gave up the Ghost His Soul and Spirit descended into the heart of the earth to bring those O.T. believers out from their abode and carried them up to where Paradise is now.
They place Jesus Body in the tomb but His Soul descended into the earth and He was there three days and preached unto them what He had accomplished, the O.T. Saints were looking toward the cross, they were under the law, today we are under grace, He died for their sins as well as our sins, today we look back at the cross, and Jesus is the Savior of all man kind, from any and all dispensations.
Ephesians 4:7-10 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. 8Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. 9(Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? 10He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)
When Jesus had risen from the dead and appeared to the eleven He said;
Luke 24: 44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.
The first mention of Jesus the Savior is found in Gen. 3:15- God was talking to the serpent that Satan had embodied.
Gen. 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it (HE) shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
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Paradise today is up; it’s in the third heaven, for above all heavens.
2 Corinthians 12:2-4 I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. 3And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) 4How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
27Then he said, I pray thee ** (perhaps in his life time he was too proud to pray, but not now, now he’s begging, all worldly pride is gone, he don’t care who hears him) therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house: -**
(Now he realizes that Abraham is not going to send Lazarus for even a drop of water, he remembers HOME, he remembers his father, he remembers his five brothers, and he don’t want them to come where he is, he don’t want to ever see them again, but he knows that they will come where he is if they don’t change and become believers, notice through out this true account, he can see, he can hear, he cries out loud, he is thirsty, he can remember, he has feelings as he is tormented, and now he is a believer. There are no unbelievers in hell; they all were unbelievers before but not now.
28For I have five brethren; that he may testify ** (that Lazarus may witness to them) unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. ** (there is not any other thing there at all; it is a place of one thing, [torment)
29Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; ** (they have the five books of Moses, [ G-E-N-L-D- and the writings of the Prophets) let them hear them.
30And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. ** (he knows about repentance, he is without excuse) 31And he ** said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.
** (and there were many that were raised from the dead, JESUS, Lazarus-Jn.11:-Mary & Martha’s brother- the young damsel in MK.5: and yet even today there are few that will repent.
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 the body is the physical shell we see lying in the 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.
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We’re not told that the beggar had any kind of funeral service at all, for the most part he was looked down on and many in his lifetime probably made light of him, it seems he was not important to any one, except God.
We’re not told what happened to the beggar’s body, to say so would be strictly speculation, some have said that his body was probably just carried out side of town and tossed into the Valley of Gahanna where the trash was thrown and burned; but we simply don’t know for certain.
But the instant the beggar stepped through the doorway of death, angels became his pall-bearers and they carried him into Abraham’s Bosom. -- Typical of Paradise- before the death of the Lord Jesus. Let’s be sure to notice that both men died, every body will die one day, unless the rapture happens in our life time.
