Luke 16:23 Commentary and Bible Study

But here is the difference as Christ gives it to us. Viewed spiritually, what happen to the rich man? Immediately after he dies, we find that ‘in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.’ The rich man, because he had no belief in God, is seen as being in hell. He's got to face the punishment for his sin, the consequences of his life, and already certain things are happening. All good has been removed from his life. Just think of this experience for this rich man. One day he's gratifying the flesh, everything he wants he has, and probably far more than is mentioned here. Anything he wants to eat, anything he wants to wear, anywhere he wants to go, any kind of entertainment, or possibly even any sensual activity; it is all available to him. But now all that has changed. Suddenly he has no access to any of those things. He is stripped of all the things which he wanted, which he lusted after, and he hasn't got any of them left. What must it have been like for the rich man in his inner soul, as he feels the light of this world go out, and suddenly the light of the next comes on? He realizes that he has been taken out of time and into eternity, and he is filled with horror and alarm, because everybody who crosses into eternity and who does not know the Lord, realises that the day of grace is passed and all opportunity to seek the Lord is passed. This man would have been gripped with terror and with alarm. There are other passages in the Gospels where Christ teaches about torment and punishment and everlasting fire and terrible remorse and anguish. The rich man went directly to hell. He had never grasped it before. He suddenly discovers the value of his soul. It was his body that mattered to him, and he never thought about his soul until it was too late. You may be slim, athletic, intelligent, a great exam passer. You may not be self-indulgent like the rich man. You may pass degrees with first class honours, and do well for yourself. But, if you never think about your soul until it's too late, you are as big a fool as he was. What a tragedy! You have got to die. There are people walking about London who never worship God, never seek him, never have asked for his forgiveness, never think a thing about serving him. They run away from him, and yet they have got the vague idea that one day, if there is a God, they will go to heaven. How can they when they are totally unprepared? Nobody knows more about heaven and hell than Jesus Christ, the Son of the eternal God, the Creator, the Saviour of the world, and the one who will be the Judge of the world. He says there is a place called hell, and it is a place of horror and torment, a terrible place.