TWO SIDES OF THE GULF. PARADISE AND SHEOL.

[anetazo]

Theirs misunderstandings of hell. Some people giving thier option or expert wisdom. What does Gods word say. Luke chapter 16 :23. And in hell he lifted up his eyes, being in torments and sees abraham far off, and Lazarus in in his bosom. Jesus is giving a anology of paradise and hell. The Richman and Lazarus died at the same time. Richman man ended up in hell, called sheol. Lazarus is in paradise. The lake of fire doesn't exist until judgement. Those in hell, are waiting for judgement day. Thier walking around in confusion, feeling shame, sadness and fear, in sheol. They know they messed up. 16:24. 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. KATAPSUCHO in Greek means = distressed. Luke the apostle was a doctor, and used a medical word here. The Richman was spirtualty bankrupt and didn't know the truth. He listened to traditions of men his whole life, and never acquired substance. God looks at our spirtual condition. This dude's heart has rotted away. But the Richman is narcissist, he thinks he's above Lazarus and can order him around. 16: 25. But abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime received thy good things, and like wise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted and thou are tormented. Abraham told the Richman man the truth. His pride and self centered attitude and lifestyle, got him here. And listening to traditions of men, false doctrine. Richman is having hard time accepting the truth. Is reality setting in ? 16:26. And besides all this, between us and you, is a great gulf fixed : so that they which would pass from hence to you can not ; neither can they pass to us, that would come from hence. Understand, thiers a Gulf separating both paradise and sheol. Neither side can cross over. Sheol is not place you want to go to. There's no love in sheol or hell. Just Shame, distress, and sadness. Get the picture. The Richman mind is destitute of the truth. Its pathetic. 16:27. Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou would him to my father's house. 16:28. For I have 5 brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. No, his family wouldn't listen to Lazarus, if he came back from the dead, and told them the truth. Do you think the religious leaders would believe Jesus, if he came down from the cross. Absolutely not. There hearts are rotted away. That's what pride does. Is reality setting in for the Richman. 16;30. And he said, Nay, father abraham; but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. 16:31. And he said unto him, If they hear not moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead. In the movie with Edward Norton and deniro. They pull off a heist and get millions. But Edward double crosses him in the movie. On the phone, he arrogantly boasts he has the gold. Deniro says, do you really, take a look. He looks in the bag, and the replica is a fake. He is panicking. Deniro says to him on phone, when did you think you were smarter than me ? Each character is a thief. What's the point. Pride and arrogance was his downfall. Is humility and obedience to God the key to paradise ?

 

[BobRyan]

Theirs misunderstandings of hell. Some people giving thier option or expert wisdom. What does Gods word say. Luke chapter 16 :23. And in hell he lifted up his eyes, being in torments and sees abraham far off, and Lazarus in in his bosom.

I love that parable - Jesus applies a very powerful lesson-of-the-parable at the end of it "if they do not listen to Moses - neither will they listen though one rises from the dead". Luke 16. And of course we know someone would indeed be raised from the dead -- Jesus Christ.

The lake of fire doesn't exist until judgement.

very true.

Those in hell, are waiting for judgement day. Thier walking around in confusion, feeling shame, sadness and fear, in sheol.

"The living know that they will die - the dead know not anything" Eccl 9:5
1 Thess 4:13-18
13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as indeed the rest of mankind do, who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose from the dead, so also God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. 15 For we say this to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who remain, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore, comfort one another with these words.

They know they messed up. 16:24. He cried and said, father, abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus

This parable is interesting in that no one prays to God in it - there is only prayers to the dead.
All saints are described in this parable as being in Abraham's lap.

Abraham is the sovereign to whom appeals are made in prayer for those wishing to help their living relatives.

A very interesting parable.

Yet how often is it that the "Lesson of the parable" that Jesus draws out - is completely missed.