The Great Gulf Between Us

THOMAS HOOKER, THE GREAT PURITAN LEADER AND FOUNDER OF THE COLONY OF CONNETICUT, ONCE WROTE THIS OF HELL: “CONCEIVE THIS MUCH, IF ALL THE DISEASES IN THE WORLD DID SEIZE ON ONE MAN, AND IF ALL THE TORMENT THAT ALL THE TYRANTS OF THE WORLD COULD DEVISE, WERE CAST AGAINST HIM; AND IF ALL THE CREATURES IN HEAVEN AND EARTH DID CONSPIRE THE DESTRUCTION OF THIS MAN; AND IF ALL THE DEVILS IN HELL DID LABOR TO INFLICT PUNISHMENT UPON HIM, YOU WOULD THINK THIS MAN TO BE IN A MISERABLE CONDITION. AND YET ALL THIS IS BUT A BEAM OF GOD’S INDIGNATION. IF THE BEAMS OF GOD’S INDIGNATION BE SO HOT, WHAT IS THE FULL SUM OF HIS WRATH WHEN IT SHALL SEIZE UPON THE SOUL OF A SINFUL CREATURE IN FULL MEASURE?”

IT HAS BEEN AN UNQUINCHABLE CURIOSITY OF HUMANITY TO UNDERSTAND THE CONCEPT OF HELL. WRITINGS, ARTWORK, AND TEACHINGS, FOR GENERATIONS, HAVE ALL TAKEN A SHOT AT DESCRIBING HELL’S HORRIFIC AND DETESTIBLE EXISTENCE.

NO MATTER HOW GRAPHIC WE ARE IN TRYING TO DESCRIBE IT OR HOW DETAILED WE TRY TO BE IN LEARNING ABOUT IT, WE CAN EASILY CONCLUDE THAT IT IS A DETESTABLE PLACE FILLED WITH INDESCRIBABLE PAIN, TORTURE, AND AGONY.

WHAT BECOMES SO AGONIZING TO ME IN THE STUDY OF HELL IS THAT THOSE WHO FIND THEMSELVES ALREADY THERE HAVE BEEN QUICKLY AWAKENED TO A CHANGE OF HEART. IN THE SPLIT-SECOND OF THEIR ARRIVAL, I AM SURE THEY HAVE DETEREMINED THAT THEY DO NOT WANT TO BE THERE. SADLY, IT IS TOO LATE.

THE RICH MAN IN OUR SCRIPTURE PASSAGE TODAY SOON FINDS THE TORMENT OF HIS DISPOSITION TOO MUCH TO BEAR. HE BEGS AND HE PLEADS FOR RELIEF, BUT HIS REQUESTS ARE DENIED FOR HE LEARNS THAT IT WAS HIS EARTHLY DECISION THAT KEEPS HIM ANCHORED TO THE ETERNAL REALITY OF HIS FATE.

SADLY, IT IS STILL A DESTINY THAT MANY SUFFER TO THIS DAY. THIS STORY DEPICTS A TRAGIC AND SERIOUS REALITY. THE COMING JUDGMENT IS FIXED AND PERMANENT FOR THOSE WHO REJECT GOD. THE MOMENT OF OUR DEATH WITHOUT SALVATION THROUGH JESUS CHRIST COMES THE IMMEDIATE AND PERMANENT REALITY OF RECEIVING AND ENDURING AN IRREVERSIBLE FATE.

ETERNAL TORMENT IS IN STORE FOR THOSE WHO KNOW THAT GOD EXISTS BUT HAVE REFUSED OR HAVE FAILED TO RESPOND TO HIM IN THIS LIFE. SUFFERING AND BEING IN CONSTANT TORMENT WILL BE SET AND FINAL. THERE WILL NOT BE ANY NEGOTIATING OR AQUITTALS. ONCE ENTERED, ONE CANNOT ESCAPE OR BE SET FREE.

THE STORY OF THE RICH MAN AND LAZARUS IS AMONG THE MOST TRAGIC AND SERIOUS WARNINGS IN THE BIBLE. IT SPEAKS OF A LIFE FILLED WITH MORE THAN ENOUGH OPPORTUNITIES TO NOT ONLY RECEIVE JESUS CHRIST AS SAVIOR, BUT TO SHARE OF ONE’S TIME, WEALTH, AND RESOURCES…BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, ONE’S FAITH…TO MAKE DISCIPLES AND BE OF HELP TO ONE’S NEIGHBOR.

THE RICH MAN’S ABUNDANCE WAS MORE THAN ENOUGH. IN FACT, BY STATING HE WAS “DRESSED IN PURPLE AND FINE LINNEN” WAS INDICATION THAT HIS DISPLAY OF LUXURY WAS QUITE FLAMBOYANT. THE MAN WAS SO WEALTHY THAT EVEN THE SCRAPS AND CRUMBS LEFT OVER FROM HIS EXTRAVAGANCE WAS ENOUGH TO PROVIDE FOR LAZARUS.

THE RICH MAN WAS NO LONGER MOVED WITH COMPASSION AS HIS DAYS WERE FILLED WITH PLEASURE AND SELF-INDULGENCE. HIS ABUNDANCE CATERED ONLY TO HIMSELF, EVEN THOUGH HE HAD MORE THAN ENOUGH OF THE CAPACITY TO MAKE A TREMENDOUS DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF THOSE AROUND HIM. NO GENUINE LOVE FOR GOD. NO CARE FOR HIS FELLOW MAN.

NOW BOTH MEN ARE DEAD AND THE TABLES ARE TURNED. THE PERSON OF PRIVILEGE NOW CRIES OUT FOR PITY. HE IS FULLY AWARE THAT HE IS SEPARATED FROM GOD, IN REAL PAIN, FILLED WITH REGRET OF A LOST OPPORTUNITY THAT CAN’T BE REVERSED.

THIS REALITY IS EXCRUCIATING AS IS THE PAIN THAT HELL IS A REALITY THAT INCREASES THAT SUFFERING. THE MAN WHO DENIED THE BEGGAR EVEN A CRUMB FROM HIS TABLE WAS NOW DENIED EVEN A DROP OF WATER TO ALLIEVIATE ANY HOPE OF CURING HIS AGONY.

THE DECISIONS HE MADE ON EARTH HAVE BEEN JUDGED FAIRLY AND HE IS SERVING OUT HIS SENTENCE. THE RICH MAN IS IN HELL NOT BECAUSE OF HIS WEALTH, BUT BECAUSE HE WAS SELFISH.

THIS PASSAGE OF SCRIPTURE ENCOURAGES US AS WELL AS WARNS US THAT IN LIFE AFTER DEATH, OUR RIGHTEOUS JUDGE, OUR GOD, AND CREATOR, WILL BRING FORTH RIGHTEOUS JUSTICE AND ALL THE INEQUITIES OF LIFE WILL BE CORRECTED.

THE RICH MAN HAD IT WRONG ALL ALONG. HIS WHOLE CONCEPT OF “RICH AND POOR” WAS BACKWARDS. IN THE DAYS OF JESUS, THE PHARISEES LOOKED UPON WEALTH AS A SIGN OF BLESSING FROM GOD. TO THEM, POVERTY WAS A SIGN OF GOD’S DISFAVOR AND CURSE. THE END RESULT WAS THE SQUANDERING OF THEIR WEALTH. THEY MADE NO ATTEMPTS TO BRIDGE THE CHASM THAT SEPARATED THEM FROM THE POOR SUCH AS LAZARUS.