Luke 16 “Life After Death”

“So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.” (vv.22-23)

This parable of “Lazarus and the Rich Man” is a shockingly clear picture of life after death in Old Testament times. Before the time of Jesus’ death and resurrection those who died beliving in God were comforted, while those who did not believe in God were tormented.  After His resurrection all believers are, as Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:8, “absent from the body and . . . present with the Lord.” Jesus wanted those listening to His parable to understand the serious consequences of living life apart from God.

The rich man and the poor man (Lazarus) lived very different lives on earth, and even when they died, they no doubt received very different types of burials. But neither man was able to escape death, because that great equalizer is no respecter of persons. It doesn’t matter whether you are rich or poor, young or old, black or white, American, European, Asian, or African—death comes to all. It will happen to you and it will happen to me.

However, for those who have trusted in and surrendered to Jesus Christ, there is a wonder-filled promise of being instantly present with the Lord after our death. The only questions are, in what do you place your trust? And, would you bet your eternal life on it?

The Truth:  When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. Before Him will be gathered all the nations, and He will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And He will place the sheep on His right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” Then He will say to those on His left, “Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. . . .  And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” (Matthew 25:31-46)