A Compassionate Brother’s Plea: A Story of Eternal Destination

Jesus told a story in Luke 16:19–31 about a nameless rich man and a poor man called Lazarus who had grossly varied life experience. The rich man fared sumptuously while the poor man lived in the worst kind of penury. However, there was a leveller, both men died and were buried. It does not matter how you are buried, be it among the rich in ornamented tomb or just wrapped with cloth without coffin.

Behind the scene, that is outside the physical life, the story continued, Lazarus, the poor man found himself in Abraham’s bosom, a place of respite for godly folks who hoped for redemption in Christ while the rich man found himself in torment of Hades, the place of the dead for all outside Christ. Another varied experience. Jesus did not tell why these two men ended up where they did but whatever the reason was did not include their societal standing or wealth. We know that from scripture the gospel is offered to all, “whoever believes”. John 3:16.

Yet, scriptures show us rich people tend to trust in their riches rather than trust in God making it difficult for them to inherit the kingdom of God. Jesus says “…Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” Mark 10:24–25. It does not matter how much money you have, it cannot pay for the redemption of the human life from destruction into life everlasting. The Bible says “the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough — so that they should live on forever and not see decay.” Psalm 49:8–9. God determined the price for life and paid it fully in Christ’s sacrifice.

A third character was introduced, Abraham, indicating this is a real story. And in the ensuing conversation between Abraham and the rich man, he wanted Abraham to release Lazarus to bring him a drop of water to provide him some relief from the torment of Hades. Abraham declined showing how impossible it is to reach out to anyone in Hades because of the great chasm between them.

The rich man knowing that his fate was sealed made a plea to Abraham to send Lazarus to his relatives. He said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’ What compassion from a man in so much pain but who wanted his brothers to avoid the torment of Hades.

Abraham’s response was chilling ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ There are people who God has commissioned to teach the world about his plan through the ages. Even, the Messiah, Jesus taught and gave evidence of his ministry from the writings of Moses and the Prophets. The world must listen to them to avoid the same fate as the rich man.

The rich man had more, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ The man believed that the testimony of the dead would carry more weight than the living Prophets. They would easily believe! But Abraham reinforces God’s eternal plan was that the Prophets would teach the people to know God, announcing the plan of God for their salvation through faith in Christ in advance.

But Abraham had the last word, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’ Jesus in addition to being commissioned by a reputable Prophet, John the Baptist, and endless stream of public miracles, rose from the dead, and that being God’s public declaration of His approval and validation of the scriptures and the Prophets. Yet, much of the world still struggles with Jesus’ testimony of salvation through faith in Him.

God has not changed his method. Jesus commissioned men to ‘Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations,…teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’ Matthew 28:19–20.

He said it like this elsewhere “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.” Luke 24:46–47.

Your life and afterlife depend on this message of Jesus Christ. If you receive salvation Christ offers, you spend eternity with God. If you do not receive it, you spend your afterlife away from God, this is a dangerous end. So, to receive salvation, receive the message. To receive the message, you must receive God’s men.