CAC LIVING WATER DAILY DEVOTIONAL OCTOBER 14, 2021 (LIFE IN HELL (II))
TOPIC: LIFE IN HELL (II)
Read Luke 16:22-31
22 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.
23 And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
24 “Then 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 in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented.
26 And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’
27 “Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, 28 for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’
29 Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’
30 And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 31 But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’ ”
MEMORISE: Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:14-15)
EXPOSITION
Another revelation from the episode of the rich man in torment is that, he had suddenly changed from a cruel rich man who regularly sent his dogs to lick Lazarus’ sores, to a solicitor who didn’t want his brothers to come and join him in hell.
Probably, he thought within himself, “Fine, I have missed it: no remedy; not even a single comfort, such as a drop of water from the fingertip to quench thirst, but I wouldn’t want any of my 5 brothers to come here.” So, he was again caught begging father Abraham to send Lazarus from comfort to his brothers. He wanted someone from the dead to go to them and warn them of the agonies of hell.
It was too much for him to bear, and in his belated repentance, he didn’t want companies, especially of any of his brothers to suffer the same fare as his. If the place is such a nice place wouldn’t he have invited others to join him, at least, to share in his enjoyment or celebration? There is celebration in hell. It is pain upon pain. Don’t be there!
Why would Jesus tell this story? He is a Great Teacher who knows how to drive home his points. One of the ways to get the issues of eternal life and damnation sink into His listeners’ subconscious is to tell this true life story. So the story was told for our sake. Dont just see it as mere story or a parable. It is not a fiction.
Recall that Jesus told one of the thieves hanged on the cross with Him that He would meet Him in paradise. As there is hell, there is place of comfort called Paradise – the blissful abode of God meant for His righteous people.
The Bible says, ‘The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God’ (Psa. 9:17). Hell is real, and heaven is sure. You have to make your own choice; choose life and live!
PRAYER POINTS
1. I refuse to be part of the wicked that would be turned into hell at the end, in Jesus’ name.
2. Lord Jesus, separate from me, everything that can lead me to eternal damnation at the end.
3. Lord, let the consciousness of the reality of the heaven and the determination not to end it up in hell consume us all in our day-to-day living.
EXTRA READING FOR TODAY:
Isaiah 28:4 – 30:13; Philippians 3:16 – 4:16
Author: C.A.C WORLDWIDE
Remain blessed!