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gate of the rich man, his next look a t th e open door of Paradise. This bodes well for the beggar. (Rom. 8 :IS ) “F o r I re c k o n t h a t th e su ffe rin g s o f th is p re s e n t tim e a r e n o t w o rth y to be com p a re d w ith th e g lo ry , w h ic h s h a ll b e r e v e a le d in u s.” (Phil. 1:21-23) “F o r m e to liv e is C h rist, a n d to die is g a in . “B u t if I liv e in th e flesh, th is is th e f r u it o f m y la b o r; y e t w h a t I s h a ll cho o se I w o t n o t. F o r I a m in a s t r a i t b e tw ix t tw o , h a v in g a d e s ire to d e p a rt a n d to be w ith C h rist; w h ic h is f a r b e tte r .” In Contrast: The rich man died also. Men must die. He had plenty of money w ith which to feast, b u t none to buy off death. There was no doubt a proces sion, hired mourners, spices ,an d oint ments, costly wrappings, a tombstone,— all th a t the world could do, bu t th e re were no angels to m inister to him who had failed to m inister to others. He leached “ his own place” by the law of gravitation. I t was a lonesome journey to a friendless world. His eyes closed on scenes of luxury and opened to th e ho rro rs of hell. His heirs fought over his estate and he fought th e terro rs of conscience. (3 ) (Scene I II )— PERMANENT CON TRAST IN ETERNITY, vs. 23-31. . ; “ In - hell * * * in torm ents * * * seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.” How is this? The rich man is in to r ment. No charge is made against him. He had lived a m erry life, had a good time, looked out for No. 1. His sin was selfishness. He lived for self. He may have fed Lazarus. He had a rig h t to do as he pleased, bu t he must pay th e price. (Heb. 9:27) “I t Is a p p o in te d u n to m en o n ce to die, «Hi a f te r th is th e ju d g m e n t.” In Contrast: Lazarus is in comfort. No account is given of his worth. He was poor, bu t th ere is no v irtu e in rags. The inference is th a t he had made friends w ith God. God was his help. God used him to te st th e rich man. There is consciousness in th e world to
come. No soul-sleeping is ta u g h t here. Dives is conscious. Lazarus is con scious. The rich man begs for help from Lazarus. He probably knew Lazarus to be a kind-hearted man. He him self had shown no mercy, bu t now he begs for it. This is th e only instance in Scripture of a prayer made to th e saints and it is significant th a t it was no t granted. Memory is active in th e n ex t world. He remembers his five b reth ren , perhaps younger th a n himself. He in tim ates th a t God had not been faith fu l w ith them ; th a t they had not been sufficient ly warned. He said in effect, “ If I had been sufficiently warned I would not have been here.” Notice Abraham ’s re ply: “They have Moses and th e proph ets; let them hear them . It would be no use to send one from th e dead.” :1; ‘ When ano ther Lazarus (Jesu s Him self) did rise from th e dead, they would not believe. The etern al sta te is fixed, v. 26: “Be tween us and you th e re is a g reat gulf fixed.” (Eccl. 11:3) “I I th e tr e e f a ll to w a rd th e s o u th , o r to w a rd th e n o rth , in th e p la c e th e tr e e fa lle th , th e r e s h a ll i t be.” We m ust make th e most of our op portunities in th is life, realizing th a t God’s eye is upon us and His salvation is sufficient. Destinies are determ ined h ere and are eternal. There are some im portant lessons for us in th is story. (1) The poverty of riches. There is a lim it to th e purchasing power of money. It cannot buy th e best thing (salvation). T hat is God’s free gift. (2) The riches of poverty. Lazarus had something th a t money could not buy. Poverty did for him w hat money, education and refinement could no t do; it testified of God’s grace. (3 ) Lazarus was always a more w orthy man th an Dives, b u t th e world did not know it. To know a m an’s real standing we must look into God’s “ra te book” .
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