St. Luke 16: 19 – 31

August 11, 2022

19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:

20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,

21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.

22 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;

23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

24 And 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.

25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.

26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.

27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house:

28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.

29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.

30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.

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.

The gulf. There is no traffic between hell and heaven; this makes supreme sense as why would anyone in heaven want to go to hell, even to see a loved one? Jesus has told us about it several times (for example, Matt 25:41). It’s perfectly understandable why someone in hell would want to go to heaven but had a lifetime in which to steer their lives heavenward and didn’t.

But I also believe that there is no traffic between heaven and earth and so the gulf pertains to us as well. The internet is filled with ‘ghost’ videos and there have been many ‘mediums’ who have become famous on television for their ‘ability’ to speak with the dead. Because of the gulf, what do you suppose the ‘ghost’ videos are about and from where, do you suppose, the speaking with the dead originates? Both, it is my belief, come from the enemy and should be avoided at all costs.

A word to the wise is sufficient.

Advertisement