The Suffering Of Hell (Part 2)

THE DAILY WORD
By Jim Seekamp

Friday January 18, 2008

Lets take a ONE MORE LOOK at the account of the rich man and Lazarus.

Luke 16:19-26 (NIV) (Jesus speaking)
19. "There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21. and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. 22. "The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23. In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side.
24. So he called to him, `Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.' 25. "But Abraham replied, `Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.
26. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.'
27. "He answered, `Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father's house, 28. for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.'
29. "Abraham replied, `They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.'
30. "`No, father Abraham,' he said, `but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'
31. "He said to him, `If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.'"

As we pointed out yesterday, the rich man went straight to a place referred to as "hell"; where he was immediately burning in flames! We saw yesterday the torture of the fact that the rich man could actually SEE PARADISE from inside the flames!! He was in agony in the flames, but there was an even WORSE torment that the rich man was suffering, and that all will suffer who reject Christ and end up in hell!

This rich man was obviously very selfish during his life on earth. He saw Lazarus at his gate, begging for food and covered with sores, and yet didn't even think to share even some of his leftover food with him, much less any medicine. And yet suddenly, while this same rich man is burning in the torment of hell, he somehow gains a CONSCIENCE!

The rich man was in great suffering, yet his request of Abraham was not only for HIMSELF, but ALSO for his father and BROTHERS, who were still alive on earth!! The man was obviously agonized by the fact that his FAMILY was heading for the same destination!!

That's really saying something for such a selfish man!! We can therefore only believe that part of his torment had to be the realization that those he loved would most likely be burning in hell with him when they died!! We must believe that-- without the influence of a human body-- no matter how selfish someone is, he still never wants those he loves to suffer any more than he wants to suffer himself!!

The total agony of hell has to be totally overwhelming. There's the pain of burning in the flames, the ability to see paradise at the same time, the knowledge that the punishment will never end, and the knowledge that some loved ones are very likely heading for the same destination!!

Notice also that satan wasn't in hell. Many believe that satan is somehow "in charge" of hell, and his demons are there with him helping with the torture; but that idea is not Biblical!! In fact, hell was CREATED to be the final TORTURE of satan and his demons!

Matthew 25:41 (NIV) (Jesus speaking)
"Then he will say to those on his left, `Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels."

Man was not even meant to share in the suffering of hell with satan; but if someone doesn't choose to believe in Jesus Christ, he sends himself there. God already provided a way out, but we only receive that way out by our own choice!

Revelation 20:14,15 (NIV)
14. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15. If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

Hebrews 12:22-25 (NIV)
22. But you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, 23. to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, 24. to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
25. See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven?

PRAYER
Thank You Father for Your Word that tells me the spiritual truths that will bless my life as well as the lives of others. Thank You for providing us an escape from the suffering of hell. Help me understand Your Word so I can follow Your ways closely.
In Jesus' Name, Amen

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