Jesus said to the Pharisees:
“There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen
and dined sumptuously each day.
And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores,
who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps
that fell from the rich man’s table.
Dogs even used to come and lick his sores.
When the poor man died,
he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham.
The rich man also died and was buried,
and from the netherworld, where he was in torment,
he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off
and Lazarus at his side.
And he cried out, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me.
Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue,
for I am suffering torment in these flames.’
Abraham replied, ‘My child,
remember that you received what was good during your lifetime
while Lazarus likewise received what was bad;
but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented.
Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is established
to prevent anyone from crossing
who might wish to go from our side to yours
or from your side to ours.’
He said, ‘Then I beg you, father, send him
to my father’s house,
for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them,
lest they too come to this place of torment.’
But Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets.
Let them listen to them.’
He said, ‘Oh no, father Abraham,
but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’
Then Abraham said,
‘If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets,
neither will they be persuaded
if someone should rise from the dead.’”
This story about the rich man and Lazarus is truly a humbling story, and it contains a dire warning that we all need to seriously consider.
First, I want to talk about Sheol. Sheol was what the pharisees thought was the afterlife. It was actually just a staging area until the Lord Jesus returned. After He died, He went down to Sheol and brought those good souls up to heaven with Him, and sent the damned souls to hell. Sheol had two divided areas, one was a place of torment called Gahena, and the other was a place of perfect happiness called “the Bosom of Abraham.” Between the two areas, was a great chasm, prevented anyone from going from one side to the other. At the edge of the two sides of that great chasm, is where today’s story takes place.
The other important thing to consider here are the names used in the reading. Names are of immense importance in the Bible and ultimately in Kingdom of heaven. God has a name for you, that He spoke that name when you were created. That name represents your whole essence, the reason that you were made by Him, and why He loves you so much. Names are extremely important. The name Lazarus means “god has Helped” and while he was “untouchable” and “nameless” in this world, in the afterlife he has infinite worth and His name reflects that. Whereas the rich man was probably well liked in this world, everyone knew his name, but he is nameless in the next life, likely because in hell the devil does not care about your name, and only torments you according to your sins. Ricardo Sanchez says it best: “The devil knows your name but calls you by your sin, God knows your sin but calls you by your name.”
Jesus constantly reminds us in His gospels, that the last will be first and the first will be last. This is so important, and we must never forget it. It is the same call that He put on us here today. We must not step over the beggar, and pretend that he does not exist. We need to stop, ask them for their name, and finally try to help them. Even if it is just a small token of help. We can not allow them to go on unnamed in this world any longer. I have helped people when I see them holding signs, but I never ask their names, and this has to change. We have to humanize them, and bring them out of the shadows, and recognize their infinite worth.
This is our call, or we too might end up as one of the unnamed, tormented souls in the fires of hell. Heed the warning, Listen to what abraham said “If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.” Everything you will ever need to know about God and who He is, is in the pages of the Bible. Read it and listen to the words He speaks to you, and pray for God’s mercy that you do not end up like the rich man.
