Book of Luke - Ch. 16, Vs. 26-31 (03/21/2004)

The Rich Man and Lazarus in Torment

Chapter 16 verse 26. We have, we saw that rich man buried last week and he dropped straight into hell. We saw Lazarus and he didn't have a funeral and the angels carried him to paradise. So the rich man woke up in hell in torment, it says.

Bill, where do you think hell is? That's for sure. Russell, where do you think it is? Well, we don't know. It's far away, but there's a great gulf between paradise and the tormenting place. Let's read verse 26.

And besides 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. In other words, there is no going back and forth because of this gulf.

Now it's plain to see that the rich man in torment could see Lazarus in paradise. And Abraham, which is representing the Lord here, can see paradise, see hell. So we have the meaning that there, that no one, there can neither be nor is any commerce or communication or any interconnection between glorified saints and damned sinners.

But the state of the souls at death is unilaterally fixed and stated. Now it seems to me, Bob, that the moment you draw your last breath on this earth, your future is determined. But we like to think we have control until then, but we don't.

It's unalterably fixed and stated. My, what a word. The miserable condition of damned souls in the next world and the blessed condition of glorified souls is unchangeably and inalterably such. The power of God is irresistible and the will of God is invariable.

The oath of God is immutable, unmovable. He doesn't change. I have sworn that they never shall enter into my rest. What's that mean, David? That's right, that's right. Well, we're going to listen to this damned sinner once more.

Then he said, I pray thee, therefore, now this is Father Abraham, that thou would ascend him to my father's house. Now, Bill, he's wanting, it seems on the surface, for someone to go and tell his brothers, because I think he has five of them, for I have five brethren that he may testify unto them, lest they also come unto this place of torment.

Now it seems on the surface, Russell, that he's concerned about his brothers. He's wanting to get them saved, because he doesn't want them to come down there because it's so awful. I don't think that's it.

I think it's for his own self that he is asking that his brothers not come. Still trying to do good works and it works for himself. Bill, you have a brother, don't you? When you were kids at home, oh, let me use somebody that's not real, not here, because I don't know about you, but when one brother gets in trouble and he's caught and he confesses that, does he ever say to the controlling agent that I don't want my other brother to get into this position?

Does he say that so that it will go easier with his other brother, or to keep from getting beat up? I think it's, well, I think that's it. That's right. Absolutely. Thinking, still thinking worldly. He would not have suddenly got religion in hell.

Well, I have five brothers that he may testify unto them, lest they also come unto this place of torment. And what did Abraham answer him? Abraham saith unto him, they have Moses and the prophets, let them hear them.

Moses and the Prophets Are Sufficient Revelation

Now, Moses and the prophets, there was plenty of support for the saving of a soul in the Old Testament. There had to be, and it did not depend upon what you do. This man in hell was not lost because of what he did.

He was there because of his refusal to accept or to receive salvation. He couldn't receive it. He didn't know that. They have the inspired writings of Moses and the prophets, which sufficiently declare the mind and will of God to all mankind.

And therefore, it is unreasonable to expect any further revelation. One thing that we want to be sure and understand, you must accept, you must receive. I keep saying accept. That's not right. Well, to the man in hell, he would have to accept it, but he wouldn't.

It is in this life, prior to death, that your future state is settled. Absolutely. Irrevocably. That a standing revelation of God is evidence sufficient for divine things. It is a more certain way of conveyance and more secure from deception.

No One Is Persuaded by a Resurrection If They Reject Scripture

And he said, nay, father, father Abraham, but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. He could have better than not come down here and beat me up, because that's what's gonna happen. Well, what does father Abraham tell him, Russell?

I have thought many a time, and I've told David, that all of the turmoil in the Mideast, and all of the misdirected religious service, the fanatical service, that if just one could come back and tell that bunch, that it's not so.

Now, he could have fire dripping from him, his ears ablaze, he could be the most awful wretch you can imagine, to suddenly appear and tell this person, all of them, that your religion is not the way. Would it make any difference?

No, it wouldn't, because we've had one come back from the dead. It's true he was never seen by the world, but he is seen by his brethren, you and I. And we tell them, I almost want to force them, but it won't do any good.

It is a thing that has to be on the inside of a man. That's right, and he said unto him, if they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead. And they weren't.

A very awakening text, which speaks dreadfully to persons sitting all their days. Just think about this. People come, not so much in this church, one reason we're very small, but they come and sit all their days, and they listen to the ministry of the gospel, and yet find not their understanding enlightened at all.

People go to church all of their life and think they're saved, and find out too late. The only hopes I have, and what I fall back on all of the time, and rightly so, they won't go to hell if they're God's child.

And whether they're his child or not his child, he decides in this time and in this earth. There are those that I feel very sure will be saved. They don't know it yet. There are those that were saved today, and I'm very happy for them.

There are those that was saved 80 years ago. I'm very happy for them. But whether I'm happy or sad, makes no difference. Well, that finishes the man in hell. Yes. All right. Yes. We all do. Yeah. Thank you.

Literal Interpretation, Torment, and the Nature of Hell

How are we to interpret the Bible, Russell? We're to take it literally unless it tells us differently. They were here. Yeah, but they are here. So why not five others? What would they do? Five more people were wrangled.

And all that for me. If I were to leave that for me, it would be beyond our competence. I ain't got that here. Can you transfer it on me today? Or... Beyond our competence. And I just happen to think not only will everybody be in torment, but there'll be every disease known and unknown to man there.

Sure. He was thinking thinking of himself. We can be sure of this. Russell? That's right. I think so. But that's just my idea. I don't know about the ordaining part. I feel very sure that he will First of all, he'll hate God more every day.

He just hates and hates and hates. And we don't see how that could be, but it will. Just like we will learn and learn and learn. So he'll hate him more. I don't know if that lost person if it would add to his torment, yes.

But I'm just supposition on my part. I don't plan on going there, so I don't know. Yes. No.