RICH MAN AND LAZARUS.

RICH MAN AND LAZARUS.

LUKE 16.
22. "Now it came about that the poor man died and he was carried away by the angels to Abraham's bosom, and the rich man also died and was buried."

Very interesting conclusion. I never seen in the Bible a place where someone after death was carried by angels into Heaven, except Elijah, but he was taken alive.
I would say that it will be the great honor to be carried by angels into Heaven, and for some reason Lazarus deserved it.
The name of the rich man in this story does not mention, and he was buried in the ground.

23. "And in Hades he lifted up his eyes being in torment, and saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom."

The word Hades often in the Bible means Hell, the place of torment.
"the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Matthew 8.12
"furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Matthew 13.42.50

I remember during morning Bible Study one woman asked a question, "Do people feel pain being in spirit?" Well, it seems that in Hell people do feel pain, but in this occasion the rich man feels extreme thirst.

But the most amazing thing in this verse is that the rich man recognized Abraham! Abraham of curse died long ago before rich man even born, but for some reason the rich man immediately recognized him "far away" and start talking to him. "Far away" certainly means in Heaven.

24. "And he cried out and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, I am in agony in this flame.'

The rich called Abraham as his father. Indeed, the rich man perhaps belongs to Abraham by his genealogy, but not every one who by their physical genealogy belongs to Abraham is his son, because to be the son of Abraham a person must have faith of Abraham and live his life as Abraham did, with fear, admiration, and awe before the Lord his GOD. For this reason, it is written that GOD is able from stones to make children for Abraham: (Matthew 3.9) (Luke 3.8, 16.24) (John 8.33.39.53) (Acts 13.26) (Romans 4.1, 9.7-8) (Galatians 3.29). This means that GOD more interested in spiritual children of Abraham, who lives their life according to spiritual qualities of Abraham rather than physical ones.

25. "But Abraham said, 'Child, remember that during your life you received your good things (Luke 6.24), and likewise Lazarus bad things, but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony."

Having good life is not a sin, and Abraham himself and many of his descendants were wealthy people and had a good life, but they never been indifferent to the poor, to needy, and to strangers, and live honest and decent life before their Lord. Their hearts never been attached to their wealth but only to their GOD. Because rich man was cruel and did not care not only for the poor but even for a single man like Lazarus who died of thirst right under his gate, so the rich man received suffering equivalent to the suffering of Lazarus when he was alive on Earth, and Lazarus received fulfillment of pleasure, peace, and happiness which he never experienced in his life, so justice to both of them have been served.

26. "And besides all this, between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, in order that those who wish to come over from here to you may not be able, and that none may cross over from here to us."

This verse revealed a separation between Heaven and Hell, "between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, in order that those who wish to come over from here to you may not be able, and that none may cross over from here to us."

Both worlds are spiritual worlds, but they are not connected, and to cross over from one world to another is practically impossible.

27. "And he said, 'Then I beg you father, that you sent him to my father's house,

28. I have five brothers, that he may warn them, so they also do not come to this place of torment.' (Luke 13.28).

Only in Hell the rich man came to his senses and asked Abraham to warn his brothers so they would not end up in the same place like he does. Interesting that rich man who has no compassion to anyone else in his life but suddenly revealed compassion to his brothers who were still alive. It indicate that he actually can be a compassioned and merciful man, but only to his own family, which is not enough for admission into Heaven.

29. "But Abraham said, 'They have Moses and the prophets, let them hear them.'

Abraham immediately referred to Moses and the prophets, because this the only Law, Way, and Path, to salvation and eternal life, and numerous passages and verses of the Bible all indicate one thing that without obedience to the Law and the Gospel, were is no salvation and eternal life, and those who hope that they will be saved by the Blood of Christ alone are deeply mistaken.

30. "But he said, 'No father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent!'

The rich man still have hope that if one from the dead, like Lazarus, will appear to his brothers in flesh and alive and warn them about consequences of their life, they will repent, change their life, and save themselves from eternal condemnation.

31. "But he said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone rises from the dead.' (Luke 13.28)

This answer of Abraham was very unique, because Abraham already knew ahead of time how brothers of rich man would react, even if he would send Lazarus to convince them of that awaits them if they do not repent and change their ways, Abraham already knew that they wouldn't.

So, Abraham refused all requests of the rich man, because the judgment of a rich man was final and cannot be turned back, changed, canceled, or stop.