Luke Chapter 16 Verses 19 – 20
• I personally will not present this as a parable. By definition, a parable is a fictitious story that illustrates a moral attitude or religious principle/spiritual lesson. Jesus’ account of the rich man and Lazarus presents no moral attitude as it’s subject, although it is a target rich story. This account that Jesus gives is unlike any parable also in that Jesus names Lazarus. It stands alone amongst other stories, illustrations, and parables in that detail.
• And so, along with that and the subject matter presented, the conclusion is that this is not a parable, it is not fictitious, it is not an illustration…it is an account of two actual men and what happened to them after they died. Given to us by the One who is the single authoritative source on the subject!
• Many commentators have used this story as a means to talk about distributing to the less fortunate as the rich man ends up essentially in hell and then others use this story as a means to teach personal responsibility in terms of not becoming a beggar. I find no room or reason for any of that in context or intent of what Jesus or why Jesus is sharing this story.
• Jesus just gave several illustrations, lessons, parables…on stewardship. Now, this story simply gives the result of good stewardship or bad stewardship in terms of a final destiny. The value in this story is nothing of the circumstance of these two men but rather their final destinations which we all must consider for ourselves.
• With that, this story is authoritative, it is unique, it is detailed and it is conclusive and clear for us in understanding what is, or I should say, what was the circumstance of the spirit after the body fails…
Luke Chapter 16 Verses 22 – 28
• This account given by Jesus gives us a clear and authoritative description of Hades (or Hell) and it also works in compliment to many other scriptures for our understanding.
• According to Jesus, Hell is a literal place. It is a place of separation from God, it is a place of torment, and it is a place that is located literally in the center of the earth. Jesus was asked by the scribes and Pharisees for a sign in Matthew Chapter 12, and He replied to then in verses 39 and 40, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”
• So. Jesus identified this place Hades or Hell as being in “The Heart of the Earth.” Now, you might say, “If it is there, wouldn’t we know it?” Still today, the understanding of the core of the earth is changing. First of all, to get to the center of the earth from the surface, you have to drill through 21 miles of crust (I hope its stuffed crust!), and then through another 1,774 miles of mantle! And then…there’s another 2,163 miles to go for a total of 3,958 miles down!
• The deepest hole that has ever been drilled is only seven and a half miles! Or 0.2% of the way! How intense is the earth’s core in terms of temperature? This is what has changed so drastically over the years as scientists have learned more and more and still aren’t sure. But it is estimated to be hotter than the sun itself. It is estimated to be around 10,800 degrees Fahrenheit!
• To estimate that, scientists use a “delicious” combination of particle accelerators, X-rays, high-intensity lasers, diamonds and iron atoms! In the scientific world, in truth, there is no direct knowledge of anything beneath the crust of the earth…all understanding is inferred from information that we do have.
• Now, something creepy. In Russia, there is something called the “Well to Hell.” A Russian cold war era borehole that went the seven and half miles down. Drilling began in the 1970s and had to stop in 1992 because at a depth of only 7.5 miles the temperature was over 350 degrees Fahrenheit. So, why is it called the “Well to Hell?” Locals say that when it was open, (its sealed today), you could hear faint screams coming out of it…
• True? No clue! But its enough to move on now in understanding that Jesus located Hades or Hell in the heart or center of the earth. How do we know that Jesus was talking about hell when referring to the heart of the earth? The prophetic promise of God given to us in Psalm 16:10, a Messianic prophecy where God says, “For You will not leave My soul in Sheol (an Old Testament word for Hell), nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.”
• Peter declared that prophecy fulfilled through the resurrection of Jesus in Acts Chapter 2 Verses 22 – 27, “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know— Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it. For David says concerning Him: ‘I foresaw the Lord always before my face, For He is at my right hand, that I may not be shaken. Therefore, my heart rejoiced, and my tongue was glad; Moreover my flesh also will rest in hope. For You will not leave my soul in Hades, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.”
• Jesus told them that He would go there, descend there after the cross. Where was Jesus between the crucifixion and the resurrection? Three days and three nights in the heart of the earth, or Hell. Why? Certainly not for punishment…for something much more encouraging!
• Paul wrote in Ephesians 4:9, “He ascended, what does it mean also that He first descended into the lower parts of the earth?” For what purpose? Same chapter verse 8, “When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive…” Or, in other words, He led the captives from their captivity!
• Who was in captivity!? Before Jesus died on the cross for the sins of the world, where were the saints of old that had died in the hope and faith of the coming Messiah? Not heaven…not yet. Sin had not yet been done away with. It was and is Jesus and Jesus only and His work on the cross that reconciles God to man…so where were they before the event of the cross. Here, in a compartment of Hades called Abraham’s Bay.
• In one compartment, Abraham was there comforting the saints of old. Giving them the hope over and over as they awaited the Messiah. Hope? Yes…they were dead and yet they were still separated from God…not in heaven…not at rest… In Hebrews 11 we read of Abraham and other saints of old and it says in verse 13, “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them…”
• And so, the comfort of Abraham in one compartment. And in a second compartment, the holding place for those that would stand in the White Throne Judgement. A place of torment.
• And now even one of the difficulties of scripture maybe is explained… What do I mean by that? Isaiah 61:1 we read, “He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound.”
• That's exactly what He did. He led the captives from their captivity and opened the prison (or holding place) to those who are bound. That's perhaps why Matthew's gospel records that after the resurrection of Jesus Christ, many of the bodies of the saints where seen walking around the streets of Jerusalem. Then Jesus ascended and He led the captives from their captivity as He ascended into heaven. And it was then as it is today, that the one compartment of hell, Abraham’s Bay, was emptied.
• The second compartment will also one day be emptied as Revelation 20:13 says that at the end of the 1,000-year millennial reign of Jesus Christ, “Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them,” and then the final judgement, the White Throne Judgement, the second death, and hell as it exists today will be (Revelation 20:14), “Cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.”
• And so, what we read here in Luke 16 aligns specifically, perfectly and clearly with the entirety of the Word of God to give us specifics not only of what Jesus accomplished, what He did and where He went, but also where the saints of old were kept until the cross was accomplished and what its like today in Hell.
• Notice, the rich man recognizes Lazarus, but there is no indication that Lazarus sees or acknowledges the rich man. Also understand, the rich man is dead and his body is buried but here he is (and this gives us details of faculties that remain after death), he is able to see, he is able to speak, he is able to feel, he is able to think… Also, other staggering details… Abraham says to him, “Remember in your lifetime…” That’s a bit horrifying…he is remembering.
• For all of eternity, every moment of life will be recounted for those that are suffering apart from God in hell. Every missed opportunity, every good moment that they’ll never have again, everyone that they ever cared for or loved that they are now eternally separated and apart from… All the regrets, all the pain, all the memories, all remain. And no one to blame for all of eternity for them being there but themselves…UGH! Horrifying!
• Look also, there is great emotional sadness… The rich man says here, “I beg you then, send someone to my brothers so they do not share this fate…” People don’t care to realize or think about or consider…, they care to fantasize that hell is a place of partying for those that are rebellious and free thinkers…its not that at all. Jesus spoke more about hell than He did about Heaven and He is the authority on the subject…and what we have here in terms of details and information should jar us awake from living so much for self and to care about the eternal destiny of others, especially those that we love.
Luke Chapter 16 Verses 29 – 31
• Its interesting that in the near future, a man named Lazarus (not this man in the story but just someone who shared his name) would indeed be raised from the dead. Lazarus came back from the dead at the command of Jesus. It did not make believers out of the Pharisees. In fact, after that occurred, we read in John 11:53, “Then, from that day on, they plotted to put Him to death.” Abraham was right. No sign, no miracle, no act, no wonder, no occurrence will cause someone, anyone, me or you to turn to Jesus. Only an act of grace through faith, not of works… It is ultimately a decision, not an effect from a cause…ultimately.
• Just like loving your spouse, just like committing to your calling, just like obeying your parents, just like finding joy, success and goodness…just like being saved from the hell that this rich man warns us of today… We have the law, the prophets, the writings of Moses… We have the gospel of grace. We, you and I have everything we require today to do what is right…the gulf that is so often not able to be crossed is our own pride and stubbornness in making a decision that crosses our flesh. But Jesus crossed His just so that I can have the option…
• Finally, as we close, notice, the rich man knows what he missed out on…what he did wrong…what landed him in this terrible destiny. And it is staggering and unavoidable and must be spotlighted… He says here in verse 30, “If one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.” Why is it that you can’t cross that chasm in your own heart, your own life, perhaps you want it with all your heart…begging in your heart of hearts even like this rich man begs Abraham…but still you remain…
• You must make the decision for yourself, not to believe in truth, not to believe in Jesus (the demons and the devil believes), not to trust God at His Word…all of those things are good…but what is required is repentance. Agreement with God about the thing…and you turning yourself…deciding, devoting, resolving…being done with it…and then God will grant you the strength by His Holy Spirit to break free…leap the chasm.
• That is for your situation…whatever circumstance or torment-filled thing you are dealing with…but for your eternal destiny, have you repented from this life of the flesh and called upon the Lord for salvation? Abraham is right, you and I today, to do that, we all have everything we need.