WHAT HAPPENS TO A LOST PERSON WHEN THEY DIE?
"There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
"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. And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 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.’
"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. ’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.’
"Then he said, ’I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’
"Abraham said to him, ’They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said, ’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.’ " Luke 16:19-31 (NKJV)
The average church member will answer this question by saying "HELL". And that is correct but not before the lost person experiences the torment of "HADES". This outline addresses that issue.
THE BODY RETURNS TO DUST AFTER DEATH
As far as the body is concerned, death produces the same result in both the saved and the lost…but there is where the similarity ends.
“In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread until you return to the ground. For out of it you were taken; for dust you are, and to dust you shall return." Genesis 3:19 (NKJV)
“All go to the one place (the grave): all are from the dust, and all return to dust.” Ecclesiastes 3:20 (NKJV)
“And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.“ Hebrews 9:27 (NKJV)
THE SPIRIT IMMEDIATELY IS IN THE TORMENT OF HADES
(NOTE: “Hades” is not synonymous with “Hell”)
The rich man also died and was buried. And being in torments in Hades…” (Notice: being...not “going to be”)
The spirits of the lost remain in Hades until the resurrection of the lost (“the second resurrection” described in Revelation 20:12-15.)
We have all heard the saying “that you can’t take it with you when you die”. But this is only partially true. Certainly no one can take the wealth of this world with them when they die but the lost will take into eternity some things which will only increase their agony. Consider the things they will take with them.
1. Feeling or sensitivity: “being in torments”
2. Sight: “he lifted up his eyes…”
3. Comprehension and recognition: “… and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom..”
4. A voice that pleads for mercy: “Then he cried and said, ’Father Abraham, have mercy on me…”
5. A body that will experience excruciating pain and suffering: “…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.’
6. Memory: "But Abraham said, ’Son, remember…”
7. Compassion: "Then he said, ’I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’
8. Mental acuity: “And he said, ’No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’
“FROM THE FRYING PAN INTO THE FIRE”
As horrible as Hades is, it is no match for what Hell will be. First, let’s notice the similarities between the two.
1. Both are places of unspeakable suffering.
2. Both are places where there is no hope of any sort.
3. Both are places where God is not!
All three similarities are terrifying but the first two pale in comparison with the third. Try to imagine existing where God is not!
What will make Hell more dreadful than Hades?
Only the spirit of the lost person goes to Hades whereas the spirit reunited with a resurrected, but corruptible, body is cast into Hell.
“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. 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. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.” Revelation 20:12-15 (NKJV)
WHY WOULD ANYONE CHOOSE HADES AND HELL OVER HEAVEN?
Don’t let pride and unbelief send you first to Hades and ultimately to Hell. Do not be counted with those who hear the gospel but refuse to come to Christ. Our Lord spoke of this preventable tragedy when He declared” "But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.” John 5:40 (NKJV)
