"There was a certain rich man.... And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus.... And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; and in hell (hades) he lifted up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom" (Luke 16:19-31).
This is a descriptive picture of hades, including both paradise where Christ went and tartarus where the unsaved go. But some, who deny that the soul of man in conscious after death, say that this story is only a parable. Some consider a parable as a fable, or fiction. But a parable is based upon true to life facts, something that could and did happen.
If it should be declared that the story is a parable, the truth about the soul in hades is not changed. But when we study carefully, we see "A CERTAIN rich man; a CERTAIN beggar". To deny this story, or to qualify it, is to deny God's word! They were "certain" men! They died!
The rich man and Lazarus both died and both went into hades. The rich man in a place of torment, evidently tartarus. The beggar in Abraham's bosom, evidently paradise.
Then we read in verse 26, we see there is a "great gulf fixed; so that which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence." In hades and eternity, there will be no crossing of the gulf.
Today while we are yet living is the time to prepare for eternity. When our soul has departed from this body and gone into hades, there can be no changing of our destiny. Then, it is fixed for all time and eternity.
But some might say, the rich man was in hell (gehenna) because he was being tormented by flames. The flames are figurative, just as Abraham's bosom is figurative. The rich man was not in hell (gehenna). He was in hades (unseen world of departed spirits) and the division of hades he was in must have been tartarus, because this all happened before the judgement day. We know this because his brothers were still here on earth, and still had time to change their lives if they would but hear Moses and the prophets. But the rich man's opportunities were all gone. His destiny was sealed.
We must prepare while we are alive. Jesus said in John 8:21-24, "for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins. Whither I go, ye cannot come." This shows that those who die in their sins are cut off from the presence of God. There will not be another chance. Because Jesus said in Revelation 2:10, "be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life."
"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad" (II Corinthians 5:10). This shows that we ALL shall be judged for the things done in the body and rewarded accordingly.
Jesus said in John 12:48, "The word I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day." We will be judged by God's WORD, not by what we think is right.
"If ye continue in my WORD...and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:31-32.
"If any man speak let him speak as the oracles of God" (I Peter 4:11).
Don H. Noblin
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