The Rich Man in Hell - Luke 16:23

The beloved physician Luke wrote how Jesus said, “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 chapter sixteen and verse twenty-three of his book Luke wrote how Jesus said the rich man, “in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments” where we read:

And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments,

and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

The verse reads, “And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, ...” Luke began with the words, “and in hell” or “and in Hades, the nether world, realm of the dead and grave” “he lift up his eyes” which means “the rich man raised his physical eyes”, “being in torments” or “existing in torture and acute pains”. Luke shared how Jesus said the “rich man” raised “his eyes” while being in great “pain and torture” in “hell”.

The verse goes on to say, “... and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.” Luke continued with the words, “and saw Abraham” or “and perceived, discerned and beheld Abraham whose name means father of a multitude and was the founder of the Jewish nation” “afar off” which means “”from a distance, “and Lazarus” or “and Lazarus whose name means whom God helps and was a beggar” “in his bosom” which means “within the front of Abraham's body and between his arms”. Luke shared how Jesus said the “rich man” observed “Abraham” from a distance and “Lazarus” was within his arms.

When we think through Luke's words in this verse, we learn what happened to the “rich man” and “Lazarus” after they died. “Lazarus” went to “Abraham's bosom”, and “the rich man” went to “hell”. We discover how the “rich man” was able to “observe” “Abraham and Lazarus” from a distance and was aware of his own “torture and pain”. God's desire is to save every person from this horrible fate, and because Jesus shared this story, all who read these words should submit themselves to Him as their personal “Savior and Lord” and avoid this horrific fate of “the rich man”.

Next time Luke shares how Jesus said the rich man, “cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me” so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".