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NKJ Luke 16:19 " There was a certain rich man who was clothed
in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. 20 "But
there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was
laid at his gate, 21 "desiring to be fed with the crumbs which
fell from the rich man's table. Moreover the dogs came and licked
his sores. 22a "So it was that the beggar died, and was carried
by the angels to Abraham's bosom.
Note that when the beggar Lazarus died his spirit
(including his soul, Hebrews 4:12) was escorted by angels to
Abraham’s bosom.
NKJ Luke 16:22b The rich man also died and was
buried. 23 "And
being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham
afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
The rich man’s escort is not mentioned in this scripture. Could
it be that if the angels do not come for a dead person’s
spirit then they naturally descend alone to Hell?
NKJ Luke 16:24 "Then 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.'
From this passage, we see that there are literal
flames in Hell that torment its occupants. Furthermore, the occupants have
bodies that contain tongues. Note that the rich man still
has his memory and senses intact in Hell as evidenced by seeing
(he has eyes) and remembering Lazarus. Furthermore, he recognized
Abraham whom he never met. Remember, there were no photographs
or pictures to look at of Abraham in this time. We can then conclude
that we will know more after leaving our bodies not less. This
will be part of the torture of Hell, as everyone in Hell will realize
they had an opportunity to avoid Hell but chose to ignore
it.
NKJ Luke 16:25 "But Abraham said, 'Son,
remember that in your lifetime you received your good things,
and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and
you are tormented.
Hell is a confinement of torment – a torture chamber. A
chamber of horrors! Furthermore, you are all alone in your
suffering. No chance of comfort by complaining to others
of your sorrows. Lazarus did not say we are tormented but
rather I am tormented.
NKJ Mark 9:45 "And if your foot causes
you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame,
rather than having two feet, to be cast into hell, into the fire
that shall never be quenched -- 46 Where their worm dieth not,
and the fire is not quenched.
The worm never dying refers to eternal internal
torment. The
fire never quenched refers to eternal external torment. Perhaps
an analogy would be electrocution except you never die. The
electrical current would be cooking your insides while also burning
your skin. You want to get away from the source of the shock
but can not because you are in its death grip. Imagine being
like this forever…
NKJ Luke 16:26 'And besides all this, between
us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want
to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass
to us.' 27 "Then
he said, 'I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him
to my father's house, 28 'for I have five brothers, that he may
testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.'
29 "Abraham said to him, 'They have Moses and the prophets;
let them hear them.' 30 "And he said, 'No, father Abraham;
but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' 31 "But
he said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither
will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.' "
How true! Jesus has been raised from the
dead and many still do not believe.
NKJ Isaiah 53:1a Who has believed our report?
How then should we live knowing we have been
delivered from this torture chamber? We should live in
awe (fear) of the God who saved us from a certain Hell.
NKJ Luke 12:5 "But I will show you whom
you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power
to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!
NKJ Ezekiel 33:11a "Say to them: 'As I live,' says
the Lord GOD, 'I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but
that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your
evil ways!
NKJ 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise,
as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing
that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
NKJ Romans 10:13 For "whoever calls on
the name of the LORD shall be saved."
NKJ Matthew 13:42 "and will cast them into
the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
NKJ Matthew 13:50 "and cast them into the
furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth." |
