Riches or Poverty is No Measure of One’s Worth

“There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day: And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,”…”And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.”  Luke 16:19-20, 22-23

In yesterday’s blog, I wrote that a rich man doesn’t go to heaven or hell because of his wealth, and a poor man doesn’t go to heaven or hell because of his poverty.  As stated many times before, the Jews and the ancients before them believed that if a man was prosperous, he must be a righteous man, but if he suffers afflictions, poverty, or pain, he must be a wicked man.  That was a key theme in the book of Job.  He was a very wealthy man, whom God said that he was upright and God-fearing, but Satan challenged God to afflict him, and he would deny God.  When Job’s friends came, they assumed he had done some horrible sin that brought on his troubles which they had based on the belief of that day as stated above.

In Luke 16, we have the account of two men, one very rich and one very poor.  For someone not familiar with scripture, the old covenant, and the new covenant which commenced when Jesus died on the cross and rose again, this account would tend to make one think that wealth would cause a rich person to go to hell, and poverty would automatically allow a poor person to go to heaven.  However, that is not what this account teaches.  To refresh our memories, or to introduce the account to those who have no knowledge of it, let me briefly give the details.  There are some who would call this a parable, a fictitious story to illustrate a Biblical truth, but Jesus said that there was a certain (assumed real) rich man, and a certain beggar who was named, Lazarus (not the brother of Martha and Mary), thus I believe that these were real people, and that this was a real event.

The rich man had a privileged life.  He wore the most expensive clothes made of purple and fine linen, very costly fabrics.  He had the best food, the nicest house, and we assume lived a life of ease.  He likely had many servants who catered to his every need and demand.  He makes me think of Marie Antoinette, Queen of France, of whom it has been reported, when told of the common people who were starving, said, “Let them eat cake”.  When the rich man saw Lazarus outside of his gate, covered in sores, which were licked by dogs, he ignored him as some peasant who didn’t deserve the crumbs which fell on the floor under the rich man’s table.  Lazarus would have been happy to have those crumbs.  I suppose that is why he placed himself at the rich man’s gate.  “Surely this man who has so much would have pity on me”, Lazarus might have reasoned.  However, the rich man had no compassion whatsoever for Lazarus or probably for any other needy person.

There came a time when both of them died.  The soul of Lazarus was transported by angels to Abraham’s bosom, which was the paradise side of Hades, the place of the dead before Christ died and was resurrected.  However, the rich man went to hell, the other side of Hades where all who died before Christ’s sacrifice without believing in the promise of a Savior and all who have rejected Christ and the plan of salvation after His resurrection are still today until such time as they are resurrected to face God in the great white throne judgment (Revelation 20:11-15).

The rich man, in torments, was able to look up and see Abraham and Lazarus being comforted by Abraham.  Imagine what was going through the rich man’s mind.  Did he have flashbacks of all those times he looked outside his window and saw Lazarus suffering in hunger and pain?  Maybe, maybe not.  He was very concerned about his own comfort.  He begged Abraham to send Lazarus to him with a drop of water on his finger to quench his thirst.  However, Abraham refused and reminded the rich man of all the good times that he had on earth and all the troubles that Lazarus had.  He then informed the rich man that there was a great gulf, a space, between the two parts of Hades that made it impossible for travel back and forth.  The rich man then asked for Abraham to send someone to his five brothers to warn them of this place of torment.  The rich man finally found some compassion.

Abraham replied that Moses and the prophets had been sending out that warning for many, many years.  They could listen to them.  The rich man replied that One who had risen from the dead would cause them to repent.  He understood that folks ignore the warnings, but surely, they would heed the words of One who rose again.  However, Abraham said, Not so.  If hearing Moses and the prophets won’t persuade them, neither will One who rises from the dead.  The rich man didn’t go to hell because he was rich.  He went because he did not honor God, live for Him, and give evidence of his dependence upon God by serving Him and serving his fellowman.  He apparently gave no thought of eternity and lived a selfish, greedy life, not looking for the promise of a Savior to bring forgiveness of his sins, the way of salvation before Christ paid the penalty for men’s sins.  We don’t know much about Lazarus, but he didn’t go to Abraham’s bosom because he was a poor beggar.  God knew his heart and judged him to be a righteous man who looked for a Savior to rescue him.  When Abraham said that people won’t be persuaded to consider eternity even if One rises from the dead, he must have been looking forward 2,000 years.