On The Eagle's Wings

Proponents of the hell doctrine believe this is not a parable but an actual account of real events. There are however several reasons to believe that it is a parable, for instance the first line typical of a parable and is the exact phrase used in the previous one, "There was a certain rich man..." The subject matter is also the same. Jesus is speaking to the Pharisees as vs. 14 and 15 indicate. In the first parable He speaks into the issue of their love of wealth and in the second He is speaking figuratively about what will be the outcome of their selfish unregenerate hearts.

Let’s look more closely at what is being said.

What exactly is Abraham’s bosom? It certainly is not a literal place where all those who entered a literal heaven are dwelling. This is simply a reference to being united with Abraham. Whose faith was accounted to Him as righteousness and who is considered a father of those who believe. The expression is similar to our saying, "They sure are like two peas in a pod" or this or that politician has "climbed into bed with" another of the same mind.

What does "torments of Hades" mean? Hades which means "grave" is used in scripture in two ways, 1. It refers to the grave where one's body goes after death and 2. It is used also figuratively in reference to being in a state of degradation while still living. For example, Jonah speaks of being in the "grave" while he was in the belly of the whale. Kind of like we would say today "I feel like death warmed over" in reference to being in a very hard or trying time.

Ok, since the parable says that both men died, the assumption is that this is what happens after death, but is that thinking in line with what the rest of Scripture says? Throughout the entire record of the Old Covenant the Hebrew language supports the idea that men’s bodies going to the grave, but not the idea of an after life of torment for the wicked. Everyone goes to "Sheol" which in Hebrew means "grave". There is no other word in Hebrew that is ever used for the place a person goes after death and Sheol (grave) has no other meanings attached to it.

In the New Testament the word "hades" is used in the same way.  The other meaning that is attached to the word 'hades" originates in Greek mythology and is none of our concern.  It would be similar to saying that because God's name is used in vain by much of the English speaking world, Christians are now going to consider it a swear word wherever it is used in scripture.  I hope you can see how ridiculous that would be.  It is equally ridiculous for Christians to assume the word 'hades' in Greek ('sheol' in Hebrew) means "a place of torment".  As for the two men dying in the parable, their death is symbolic of the soon coming end of what they represent.

The passage also refers to a gulf that is fixed, presumably, between heaven and hell. How enjoyable could heaven ever be if when we are there we could look across this gulf and see others being tormented and hear their piercing screams as they are tortured eternally. This could only be another form of hell and certainly not heavenly in any respect. I dare say this one fact alone makes it impossible to believe that this passage is to be understood literally and not as a parable. The rest of scripture does enough in itself to discredit the doctrine of eternal damnation. Sadly this parable is one of the most prominent scriptures used to promote it. It is incredibly grievous to me and at the same time an outrage that our heavenly Father has, for centuries, been depicted as a cruel monster who will torment human beings eternally. Lord forgive us, we haven’t known what we were doing!

This reminds me of the scripture that says "Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. (Matt. 7:21) The "rich man" in this parable is a figure of the Pharisee’s. Even though they were observing many religious rituals and even up to the end of the war when dead bodies were piled high around them and soldiers were attacking them they continued to religiously observe the feasts and festivals of the Old Covenant. This sounds noble but in reality is was simply an extreme depiction of the observing the letter of the law but lacking the Spirit, so that their prayers and calling out to God were not answered by Him because their hearts were wicked. THIS was the gulf that stood between them–UNBELIEF! As much as they cried out ,"Lord, Lord," their unbelief prevented them from entering into the kingdom and from experiencing relief from the fiery ordeal they endured in that day.

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.’

At this point the "rich man" shows remorse and compassion for "his" own family and desired that "Abraham" would have mercy on them and prevent them from experiencing the same punishment. The following words present an interesting response that reveals so much. He is saying they have everything you have had "Moses and the prophets" and they can hear for themselves if their hearts are not hard. This indicates the personal nature of our commitment to the Lord. No one can give it to us,we must seek and find it on our own. Who are those who had Moses and the prophets? Not the Gentiles but the Jews. Some of the Jews believed Christ was the Messiah and were saved and miraculously delivered from the judgement that came, but the majority did not believe.

This was sadly true in that age, those who did not hear Moses and the prophets WERE not persuaded through the One, Christ, who rose from the dead. The fires of Gehenna that Jesus warned them of many times, came upon them because of unbelief.  Over a million unbelieving Jews died in Jerusalem. They were given forty years of warnings, the last of those warnings coming day and night from a prophet who stood by the city for 7 years and 5 months prophesying "Woe to Jerusalem..." There were also many false prophets in that day who deceived many into believing this would be their day of deliverance. Just as Paul prophesied in 1 Thessalonians 4,"While they are saying peace and prosperity, swift destruction came upon them." It is a story of pride, deception, and faithlessness.

Paul gives us an indication, though, of the final outcome of things. God’s punishment is equal to the degree of our disobedience and despite it’s harshness at times it is redemptive and effectual in bringing life out of death. In Romans 11 Paul makes some things clear. He says, " I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved." Even though in that day they were enemies of the gospel, God used this for the salvation of the rest of the nations and He will also graft those Jews who were cut off back into the branch. "For if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness."

God’s mysteries are many and though our hearts cannot understand His ways because they are higher than ours, we can remain confident that victory is found in Him. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God in our rebellion but He is patient and long-suffering not willing that any should perish but that all would come to repentance. He is not only devoted to that end but He also is the One who will do it!