Hell

“There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And 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 thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.”

Luke 16:19-31

The passage above is not written in a manner that suggests that it is symbolic. On the contrary, it should be plain to the honest reader that Jesus was speaking of a real rich man in a real place with real flames. In our present deceitful age, many preachers will not speak this truth. We read the following about those preachers:

“His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.”

Isaiah 56:10

There is something about this man who was (and presently is) in hell that may surprise some of you: he loved his brothers and did not want them to suffer. He had natural human love for his family and this did not keep him out of hell. Think about that. Hell is not just for those whom we might consider “really bad people”; it is for all who will not receive God’s free gift of eternal life.

Have you received God’s free gift of eternal life by repenting of your sin and believing the Gospel?