Study #34: AYIN
AYIN: THE 16TH LETTER OF THE HEBREW ALPHABET
THE AYIN WORD: ETZ (TREE) PART 5
IF GOD IS LOVING, WHY HELL? (Part 4)
Jesus painted a picture of Hell in a parable of The Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31).
What does this parable teach us of Hell?
- Our destination – Heaven or Hell – is determined on whether we ignored God during our lifetime.
The rich man was not in Hades after death because he was rich. His sin was that He was oblivious to God’s passion for loving others. He never fed hungry Lazarus or tended his sores.
- Heaven and Hell are real – the only options in the afterlife.
Both places are eternal and final.
There is a permanent separation between Heaven and Hell.
- Hell does not change the sinful character of the unsaved.
In Hades, the rich man was still bossing around. He wanted Lazarus to be his servant. He never expressed a word of regret or repentance. But living with one’s sinful self for eternity is hell – a place of real torture.
- God allows the unsaved to suffer the consequences of their own choices.
Despite the continued arrogance of the rich man, notice Abraham calls him son. But he explains that the rich man is getting what he brought on himself.
- If the Word of God does not persuade you of your need for Christ, nothing will.
ABBA FATHER, this parable of Jesus indicates that Hell is real, eternal, and torturous. But the main lesson is this: the decisions we make during our lifetime will impact our destiny after death.
