The Rich Man and Lazarus
Luke 16:19-31
(63) It is evident from the whole setting of this passage that it is a parable. Otherwise the logical
lesson to be drawn from it is that unless we are poor beggars, full of sores, we will never enter
eternal bliss; and that future torment will be our portion if we happen to wear fine linen and purple
and fare sumptuously every day. And, if taken literally, those who are poor are taken, not to
heaven, but to Abraham's bosom. However, the context of this passage shows that Christ in this
parable was teaching a great dispensational truth, namely, the change of favor from the Mosaic
Law Covenant to the Covenant of faith. (Luke 16:16-18; Galatians 3:6-29) If you read
carefully the 32nd chapter of Deuteronomy, you will see that Jesus was merely repeating in vivid
pictorial language what Moses had already said. See particularly verses 20 to 29; and also Paul's
quotation of the 21st verse in Romans 10:19, where he shows that Moses' prophecy referred to
the overthrow of Israel consequent upon Jesus' rejection of that nation.
Notes to paragraph 63:
(a) Jesus was evidently drawing upon something that was in the real world of his day, the apostate Jewish belief which blended the Grecian mythologies into the Bible. Not all the Jewish leaders believe in these mythologies, but many did. Nevertheless, the Pharisees, whom Jesus was speaking to, knew of these beliefs. He used their own beliefs, not to condone their apostate mythology, but to illustrate the change he had just spoken of: "The law and the prophets were until John." -- Luke 16:16.
(b) Some other reasons that this story should be viewed as a parable:
To think that Jesus was supporting the idea of eternal roasting after death by use of this parable is contrary to God's justice, for justice demanded the forfeiture of man's life for sin (Genesis 2:17), for "the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23), and of God it is said (Psalm 145:20): "all the wicked will he destroy." Therefore, it would be an infraction of God's justice for him to preserve the wicked for eternity in order to see them suffer for eternity without end.
Additionally, such a conclusion violates God's wisdom, for wisdom devises plans which useful ends are attained. There is surely no useful purpose in keeping the rich man eternally in a place of torture.
Of course, the parable says nothing about the rich man remaining in hades for eternity, but as Revelation 20:13 shows, all in hades will be brought back for the judgment day, and then hades will be destroyed in the lake of fire. -- Revelation 20:14; See also Hosea 13:14.
If the rich man were in literal flames in hades, this could contradict the entire testimony of the rest of the Bible, which shows that sheol/hades is nothingness, oblivion, silence, destruction. -- Ecclesiastes 9:10; Psalm 6:5; 115:17; 146:3,4; Isaiah 38:18; 63:16; Job 14:21; etc. This has been showned throughout this publication. See also Hell in the Bible
It would contradict God's stated purpose to bless all the heathen in the age to come. -- Genesis 18:18; 22:18; 26:4; Psalm 72:11; 82:8; 86:9; 102:15; Isaiah
2:2; 25:7; 52:10; Galatians 3:8; Revelation 15:4; 22:2.
See: Restoration of All Things
http://reslight.net/restorationofall.html
It would contradict the ransom, which is clearly taught, for example, in 1 Corinthians 15:3,21,22, Hebrews 2:9; 1 Timothy 2:6, which scriptures teach that Christ died (not suffered eternal torment) for our sins according to the Hebrew scriptures. The prophecy of Isaiah 53:4-12 shows that our Lord would bear our penalty (which is death --Genesis 2:17; Romans 6:23 -- not eternal torment), pouring out his soul to death. The effect of this ransom is to be the salvation of all men, not the eternal suffering of the vast majority. (1 Timothy 4:10; 1 John 2:2) See The Ransom for All.
(64) How, then, is this parable to be explained in harmony with what Jesus was
speaking of, and in harmony with the rest of the Bible? The rich man of the parable represented the proud and self-righteous of the Jewish nation in
our Savior's time, seeking righteousness by means of the Law Covenant. (Galatians 2:21;
Philippians 3:9; Romans 9:31,32) The Pharisees seem to be particularly represented by the Rich
Man. (Luke 16:14,15) The scribes and Pharisees sat in Moses seat' (Matthew 23:2) as the
religious leaders and representatives in Israel. (Matthew 23:5-7) The rich nan's clothing of
purple and fine linen represented the honors and privileges accorded to the scribes and Pharisees.
(Matthew 23:5-7) The fine linen represented the self-righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees,
which they claimed by the Law. (John 9:40,41) The purple clothing represented royalty -- not only
was purple the royal color in our Savior's day, but we still speak of royal purple. (Judges 8:26;
John 19:2,3; Mark 15:17,18) The scribes and Pharisees were sitting in Moses' seat, therefore they
had the purple in the sense that to it belonged the honor of being the typical Kingdom of God, and
the promises respecting the future dominion of God as the Kingdom of God. The abundance of
food upon the rich man's table represented the abundance of divine promises and blessings and
instructions given to the scribes and Pharisees. (Romans 9:4,5) It was this table of divine favors
that the apostle referred to saying: "What advantage does the Jew have? Much in every way,
chiefly because to them were committed the oracles of God." (Romans 3:1-3) This was the table
respecting which the prophet and the apostle spoke concerning Israel: "Let their table become a
trap and a snare to them." (Romans 11:9) In other words, the very bounties and blessings of God's
revelations or oracles tended to make them not humble, but proud, and ultimately assisted in their
stumbling and rejection of the Savior due to their insistence of their righteousness by works of the
Law. -- Romans 9:30-32.
(65) The scribes and Pharisees would not so much as eat with any they considered as sinners.
(Matthew 9:11) They viewed Jewish sinners the same as if they were Gentiles, without law. Those
who accepted the Messiah's teachings were of this lowly Jewish class. Matthew, one of his
apostles, was a tax collector, others were common fishermen. (Matthew 10:3; Mark 1:16,19)
None of them were recognized by the religious aristocracy of the time. They were looked down
upon, declared not to be heirs with the holy Pharisees and educated Scribes and Doctors of the
Law. The Pharisees even determined that Jesus himself was not only a friend of publicans and
sinners but an injurious person who must not be allowed to live. (Matthew 12:14) From the
Jewish leaders' standpoint Jesus and his followers were all outside the gates, excluded from the
special privileges and blessings of God through the "righteousness" Law. These lowly Jewish
followers of Jesus were the first of the Lazarus class.
(66) The Lazarus class also later included those Gentiles of humble heart who accepted Jesus,
thus becoming Jews inwardly and participants in the Abrahamic promises. (Colossians 3:11;
Galatians 3:28,29; Romans 2:28,29; 10:12) As an illustration of how these fed on the crumbs that
fell from the rich man's table let us remember Jesus' words to the Syrophenician woman, a
Gentile who came to him entreating for the healing of her daughter. Our Master, to illustrate the
relative position of the Jews and Gentiles from God's standpoint, said to her: "It is not proper to
take the children's bread and give it to the dogs." (Matthew 15:26) In other words, Jesus was
saying: It would not be proper for me to devote my time and energies to the blessing of yourself
and daughter, who are Gentiles, because the Jewish nation is by covenant in the favored place
with God. Any special blessings and favors that God has to give must be given to them first of all.
Non-Jews are not to expect to get the favors I was sent to give to Israel.' We remember his words
to the disciples also: "Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, for I am not sent but to the lost
sheep of the house of Israel." -- Matthew 15:24
(67) The message and blessings and opportunities could not go to the Gentiles until first they had
been offered to the Jewish table (occupied by the rich man) and had been rejected by all except a
remnant the Jewish Lazarus class who would seek righteousness by faith. (John 1:11,12; Romans
1:15; 2:9,10; 11:5; Matthew 22:3-10) But mark that as Lazarus got some of the "crumbs,"
according to the parable, so did the Syrophenician woman. She exclaimed: "True, Lord. Yet the
dogs eat of the crumbs that fall from their masters' table." (Matthew 15:27; Mark 7:28) Jesus
answered her: "'O woman, your faith is great. Let it be to you even as thou desire.' And her
daughter was made whole from that very hour." (Matthew 15:28) Jesus gave her the crumb of
faith from the children's table -- the table being occupied by the rich man.
The Death of Lazarus
(68) In the context of this parable Jesus said the following: "The Law and the Prophets were until
John. Since then the kingdom of God has been preached." (Luke
16:16, the added phrase, "and everyone is pressing into it", does not appear in older manuscripts, and thus we find it doubtful that Jesus added this phrase to the sentence.) To those who view this parable as literal, this statement would seem to be dealing with a
completely different subject. Yet Jesus gave the parable as an illustration of this very statement.
Jesus made a similar statement as recorded in Matthew 11:12,13: "From the days of John the
Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven is pressing forward vigorously and those who are
vigorous seize it eagerly. For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. He who has ears
to hear, let him hear!"
(69) Jesus also stated: "Whoever puts away his wife, and marries another, commits adultery: and
whoever marries her that is put away from her husband commits adultery." (Luke 16:18) Again,
this seems to be unrelated to the parable. However, it has much to do with the parable as we will
see.
(70) The parable tells us: "The beggar died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom."
The death of the beggar illustrates the Jew who puts his faith in Jesus as figuratively dying with
Jesus. Thus Paul says: "Do you not know, brothers, (for I speak to them that know the law,) that
the law has dominion over a man as long as he lives? For the woman which has a husband is
bound by the law to her husband so long as he lives. But if the husband should die, she is released
from the law of her husband. So then if, while her husband lives, she should marry to another
man, she will be called an adulteress. But if her husband should die, she is free from that law; so
she is no adulteress, though she should marry another man. Therefore, my brothers, you also have
become dead to the law by the body of Christ, that you should be married to another, even to him
who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God. For when we were in the
flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit
unto death. But now we have been delivered from the law, because being dead to that in which
we were held, we should serve in a new manner by spirit, and not in the old manner by the letter."
(Romans 7:1-6) Notice how well this parallels Luke 16:18, for like Lazarus, the Jew has to die to law covenant in order to belong to another, that is, Christ, the seed of Abraham. Not only that, the Gentile has to die to the law of his own justification by works in order to be part of the Abrahamic seed of faith.
(71) When Lazarus died, he was taken by the angels to Abraham's bosom. This signifies the
faith-believing Jew becoming part of the true seed of Abraham in Jesus by promise apart from the
Law. "For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham
by promise." (Galatians 3:18) "When the full measure of time had come, God sent forth his Son,
made of a woman, made under the Law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might
receive the adoption as sons." (Galatians 4:4,5) They were being received into the favored
position before God. -- Romans 4:13,14.
(72) Likewise, the believing Gentile also, being a law unto himself, had to die to the Law of Sin
that ruled in his body. (Romans 2:12-15; 3:9-20) Thus both the believing Jew as well as the
believing Gentile are represented in Lazarus.
The Death of the Rich Man
(73) John the Baptist warned the Pharisees and Sadducees: "Even now the ax is laid to the root
of the trees. Therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the
fire." (Matthew 3:10) The Pharisees, the Sadducees, and the scribes claimed to be the
representatives of that Law. (Matthew 12:2; 19:3; 22:34-36; John 7:47-49) As a rich man riding
upon the Law as a means to righteousness, they missed the righteousness of God. "Israel,
pursuing the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness. Why? because
they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law. . . . For they being ignorant of
God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the
righteousness of God." -- Romans 9:31,32; 10:3
(74) Did the Jewish nation, seeking righteousness after the law, continue in the favor of God? Or,
on the other hand did that nation die to special blessings and mercies of God that they previously
so richly enjoyed? Shortly before Jesus died, he wept over Jerusalem and said: "Your house is left
to you in desolation." Thus the parable continues: "The rich man also died, and was buried." With
the rejection of the national polity of Jerusalem, the city of the Jews, rich man died, for he no
longer had any standing before Yahweh. This was signified by the vail being ripped apart in the
temple at Jesus' death. -- Mark 15:38.
The Rich Man in Torments
(75) Then we read that the rich man, in Hades, lifted up his eyes, being in torments, and he saw
Abraham in the distance, and Lazarus in his bosom. So much were the Jewish leaders tormented
by the change of conditions that they persecuted the followers of Jesus, even to putting them to
death. The torment of the Jewish leaders is demonstrated at Acts 5:33, when the high priest, the
captain of the temple, and the chief priests heard the things Peter and the other apostles told them:
"They were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them." They demonstrated a similar torment
at the words of Stephen: "When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they
gnashed on him with their teeth." (Acts 7:54) The fulfillment of this is also well-illustrated by Saul
(before he became Paul the apostle), who was a Pharisee. Paul himself states: "For you have heard
of my past conduct in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of
God, and destroyed it." (Galatians 1:13) "I actually thought to myself, that I should do many
things to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth. These things I did also in Jerusalem, and many of
the saints I put into prison, having received authority from the chief priests. When they were being
put to death, I gave my voice against them. I punished them often in every synagogue, and
compelled them to blaspheme. Being exceedingly angry against them, I persecuted them even in
foreign cities." (Acts 26:9-11) Their torment of feeling the rejection of God by the preaching of
Jesus' followers led them to try to prove that they had not been rejected. A successful revolt
against the Roman yoke would be such a proof.
(76) The rich man asks Abraham to send Lazarus, that he might dip the tip of his finger in water
and cool the rich man's tongue while he is tormented in the flames. (Luke 16:24) The rich nan
is not here really wanting to receive help from the Lazarus class. He speaks, not to Lazarus, but to
Abraham, asking for water from Lazarus. The Jewish leaders began to realize that something was
happening. They did not want to admit that they had missed the Messiah. They wanted Messiah to
deliver them, but on their own terms. Seeing Lazarus at a distance, they desired a Messiah,
someone to deliver them from the torments they had come into. Especially were they seeking
deliverance from the Roman yoke. In May, 66 CE, the group known as Zealots, with whom were
joined Pharisees and Sadducees, openly rebelled against Roman rule. Under the leadership of one
Joseph Ben Matthias, a Pharisee (better known as Flavius Josephus), the Jews repulsed the
Roman armies for 47 days before surrendering the fortress of Jotapata. By seeking deliverance
from another source than through faith in Jesus they in effect were saying to Abraham: "Send
Lazarus over to us, that he may cool our tongue." Returning to the parable, Abraham reminded
the rich man how he had the good things during his lifetime, while Lazarus received bad things.
The rich man had all the favors -- the Law and the Prophets. "To them were committed the
oracles of God." (Romans 3:2) Now Lazarus was comforted with the knowledge of the Good
News, while the rich man was in anguish. -- Luke 16:25; Acts 9:31; 2 Corinthians 1:3-6.
The Chasm
(77) Then Abraham informs the rich nan that there is a great chasm (canyon, gulf) between the
rich man and himself. This chasm represents the difference between faith in Jesus and the seeking
of righteousness through the Law. The rich nan, representing those holding to the Law and
denying Jesus as the Messiah, could not cross over the chasm to the other side in an endeavor to
blend faith in the Messiah with seeking righteousness by Law. Likewise, Lazarus, representing
those who are justified by faith in Jesus apart from the works of the Law, could not cross the
chasm to the other side so as to blend the two opposing parties. Any individual Jew putting faith
in Jesus (apart from the Law) would be represented in the Lazarus class. Any individual Jew who
continued in seeking righteousness according to the Law would be represented by the rich man
class. The Jew could be represented by one or the other, but not both. One could not accept righteousness
through faith in the Messiah and at the same time seek righteousness by Law. Such would be
crossing the chasm, that is, trying to bring salvation by works of the Law over to the side of
Lazarus, or trying to take salvation by faith in the Messiah over to the side of the rich man,
neither of which could be done. -- Galatians 2:16,21.
The Rich Man's Brothers
(78) Next, the rich man, again addressing Abraham, asks for Lazarus to go to his father's house
to warn his five brothers, that they not come into the place of torment he was in. (Luke 16:28) In
the years 67-68 CE many Jews were taken prisoners by Vespasian. A knowledge that God was
punishing the chosen people was growing amongst many of the Jewish people who had been
taken prisoners. Josephus was among these. Another Pharisee, Jochanan ben Zakkai, likewise
began to recognize that it was not God's will for the Jews to be freed from the Romans. These
prisoners and others, in effect, were asking Abraham for a Messiah, not to deliver the remaining
revolting Jews from the Roman yoke, but to warn them of the tragedy that was to come if they
continued in their revolt. In doing this, however, they still did not recognize Jesus as the Messiah
nor his followers as the true Lazarus. They wanted a justification, a Lazarus who would come to
help their "brothers" under the Law. Abraham replied that they had Moses and the Prophets; they
could listen to them. These, we are told, would lead them to the Messiah. (Galatians 3:24) To
send the true Lazarus class to the "brothers" of the rich man, would have necessitated the revoking of
their death to sin and the law. (Romans 6:2,7,8,11; 7:4) To do so would have meant they would
become "twice dead" condemned to death twice by the law of sin. Thus Abraham told the Rich
Man that if his brothers would not listen to Moses and the Prophets, neither would they listen to
one who rose from the dead -- those dead with Messiah, who would have to renounce their death in Christ in order to again be alive to the Law. The remaining Jews in Jerusalem,
Masada, etc., did not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they continued their rebellion until the city
of Jerusalem with its temple was totally destroyed in the year 70 CE. In the year 73 the siege of
Masada ended in disastrous results to the "brothers" of the rich man. Jesus does not take the
narrative any further.
Note to Paragraph 78:
The number of "brothers" used in the parable is a total of six; the one who dies and the five who remain alive. We believe this number -- six -- the number of imperfection, is used to represent the unrighteous condition of the six brothers, that is, they had not been justified in the blood of the lamb.
(79) Some try to show that Abraham's bosom in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus
represents heaven or paradise. They argue: "The fact that at death Abraham's soul went to
heaven is plainly stated in Scripture (Hebrews 11:10,16; cf. Matthew 8:11)" Yet, neither Hebrews
11:10,16 nor Matthew 8:11 say anything about Abraham's continuance of life in heaven while in
death. Those who refer to the scriptures in this manner desire to
read into scripture something which is not there. Matthew 8:10-12 and Luke 13:28-30 depict the
end results of the Jewish rejection of their Messiah in the resurrection. The Kingdom was taken
from them and given to a nation producing its fruitage. (Matthew 21:43) Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob sit in this kingdom because it is this nation that becomes the seed of Abraham. Of course,
the language of the parable is pictorial, not to be taken literally. The children of the kingdom, the
Jews as a whole, were cast out into outer darkness. There they were weeping and gnashing their
teeth. They were cast out when Jesus stated: "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem you who killed the
prophets, and stoned them that were sent to you how often I would have gathered your children
together, as hen gathers her offspring under her wings, but you would not allow it! Look, your
house is left to you in desolation. Truly I say to that you will not see until the time comes when
you will say: Blessed is he who comes in the name of Yahweh!'" (Luke 13:34,35) In all this there
is no reference to a living existence of Abraham going to heaven when he died.
(80) Likewise Hebrews 11:10,16 refers to the city that will come down from heaven in the next
age. (Revelation 21:1-4) Thus it will be in the time when Abraham will be resurrected, and the
time when God himself is spoken of as dwelling with men. Hebrews 11:35 indicates that the
resurrection, not an undieable soul, is referred to. Abraham did not receive the promise, we are
told, nor was he made perfect before the believers in the Messiah. (Hebrews 11:39,40) Nothing is
stated in the scriptures cited nor in the context to the effect that Abraham's soul went to heaven
when he died.
Death and Restoration to Life
(81) When Adam sinned, the sentence of death was passed not only upon him but also upon the
whole human race yet unborn. Many deny this, and say that God would not condemn the whole
race because of one man's sin; but we see this law in operation every day. They overlook the fact
that through the law of heredity children suffer because of the sins of their fathers. As the prophet
expresses it: "The fathers have eaten the sour grape, and the children's teeth are set on edge."
(Jeremiah 31:29) It was a dying life that the dying Adam gave to the race. The stream was
contaminated at its source. Accordingly, "there is none righteous, no, not one." All are guilty
before God, and all therefore, have been justly condemned to death. This is known as the doctrine
of man's original sin. It is exactly what Paul tells us in Romans 5:12: "Wherefore, as by one man
sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have
sinned."; also in the 18th verse: "By the offence of one, judgment came upon all men to
condemnation." Again in I Corinthians 15:22: "In Adam all die." There is nothing more plainly
taught in the Scriptures than this doctrine of man's original sin.
(82) Those who are dead in Adam have been condemned to death because of innate sin. God, the
righteous Judge, is completely righteous. He hates sin, and could not allow any imperfect sinful
being to have eternal life. In this is seen the justice of God; but now, "God commendeth his love
toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, the Anointed died for us." (Romans 5:8) He "so
loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever exercises faith in him should
not perish, but have everlasting life." -- John 3:16.
(83) To believe in Christ does not mean merely that mental form of belief that says: "I believe
that there was such a man as Jesus Christ, and that He was put to death by the Romans," not that
kind of belief, but the kind that is a living faith, that trusts in God and says: "I believe that God so
loved the world that He gave His Son to be the Savior of mankind, and I believe God's promise
that I am justified by my faith. Because of this faith, I further believe that I must obey the
commandments of Jesus in demonstration of my faith." -- James 2:14-26; 1 John 5:1-3.
(84) Those who exercise this living faith in Jesus pass from death unto life. (See John 5:24) Not
that they have actual life; but God reckons, imputes, or counts (Greek, logizomai) it to them
because his justice has been satisfied by the death of the Messiah, and they have accepted
the provision that he has made for them in the Messiah. -- Romans 4:23-25.
(85) Not only this, but even those who lived before the Messiah who exercised faith in God's
promises were reckoned with God to be justified by their faith. Therefore they, too, are counted
as being alive before God. Abraham is a prime example of this. (Romans 4:2,3,16-22; Matthew
22:31,32) Yahweh God, by calling things that are not as though they are (Romans 7:14), could
look at their faith in the promises of the coming Messiah and reckon them justified based on the
coming redemption through the Messiah.
(86) In John 8:51, we find these words of Jesus: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, if a man keep my
saying, he shall never see death." Does this mean that those who believe and obey Jesus are now
never to die? No; if that were the case none of the apostles would have died. But having the
assurance of the resurrection, these are no longer children of wrath as are others, and therefore
view death as only a sleep from which they will be awakened. And as we have already seen, in
God's sight they remain alive.
(87) Therefore we see that in the death-state, there are two classes: the just and the unjust. And it
is these two classes that are to come forth from the dead: "There will be a resurrection of the
dead, both of the just [justified] and the unjust [those not justified]." -- Acts 24:15.
The First Resurrection
(88) Some of the justified, through sacrifice of their justified "bodies", are chosen by God to be
kings and priests with the Lord Jesus. (Romans 8:11; 21:1; Revelation 5:10) This call for
participants in the Kingdom with the Messiah began with the death of John the Baptist. (Luke
16:16; Romans 8:17) However, many are called, but few are chosen. (Matthew 22:14) These few
chosen ones are those who finally make the mark of the high calling. (Philippians 3:13,14) They
are numbered as 144,000 who are sit upon the heavenly Mount Zion with the Lamb, our Lord
Jesus. (Hebrews 12:22; Revelation 14:1-3) In Revelation 7:1-4, we see that the selection of these
joint-heirs end when the winds of destruction begin to blow.
(89) These are those who are counted "dead in the Messiah" because of their reaching the mark
of the high calling in sacrificing their reckoned "living bodies". -- (Romans 12:1) In I
Thessalonians 4:16 we read: "The dead in the Messiah will rise first." And in Revelation 20:6:
"Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection; on such the second death hath no
power, but they shall be priests of God and of the Messiah, and shall reign with him a thousand
years." In Romans 8:17, these are told that they must joint-suffer with the Messiah before they
can be joint-heirs with him. If faithful unto death -- a sacrificial death after the Messiah's likeness,
then these receive the crown of life, and then, when they are reigning with the Messiah they are
like Him, for they will be raised in the likeness of His glorious spiritual body. They are pictured as
standing on the Mt. Zion in heavenly Jerusalem -- Revelation 2:10; I John 3:2; Philippians 3:21;
Revelation 14:1.
The Rest of the Just
(90) But what about those of the justified that do not make the high calling? The term "First
Resurrection" implies that there will be another, and that is exactly what we are told in the
Scriptures. Not all the justified take part in the first resurrection. Those who are called but fail to
make the mark of the high calling still retain their justification, except those that commit the sin
unto death from which there is no repentance. (I John 5:16; Hebrews 6:4-6) If they remain faithful
in the blood of the Messiah, they are still reckoned alive and their bodies are still alive in God's
sight. So when they come forth in the resurrection, it will be not to a heavenly Zion, as the
144,000, but to the earth, and not in a spiritual body but a glorified earthly body. (I Corinthians
15:35,47; Hebrews 2:7) This will be the lot of all the "justified" who lived before the Messiah as
well as those who lived after the Messiah that do not become of the 144,000 chosen ones to reign
on the throne with the Messiah.
The Resurrection of the Unjust
(91) But what about the rest of mankind? The Bible tells us that there will a resurrection, not
only of the just, but also of the unjust. (Acts 24:15) Why are the unjust to be raised? Traditional
theology says they are to be raised simply to be condemned again. That is why the translators of
the King James Version of the Scriptures translated the Greek word krisis in John 5:29, by the
word "damnation," whereas the proper rendering is "judgment" as in the American Standard
Version and many other translations. The King James Version does render krisis as "judgment" in
John 5:22 and John 5:30, as well as many other places: Matthew 10:15; 11:22,24;
12:20,36,41,42; Luke 10:14; 11:31,32,42; John 7:24; 8:16; 2 Peter 2:4,9; 3:7; 1 John 4:17; etc.
What Jesus said was: "Marvel not at this; for the hour is coming in which all that are in the graves
shall hear his voice and shall come forth: they that have done good [the justified before the
Messiah came, as well as those justified through belief in the Messiah] unto the resurrection of life
[their trial is past; they have proved themselves worthy of life by means of their faith]; and they
that have done evil [the unjust], unto the resurrection of judgment." Krisis means a trial or testing
followed by a sentence, which sentence will depend on the person's innocence or guilt. The
English word "crisis" is derived from the Greek krisis. It is used in reference to any condition of
affairs in which the issue is as yet undecided; and those who are interested are in anxious
suspense, watching whether the result will be success or failure, life or death.
(92) After a judicial sentence has passed, the person is no longer on his trial; his judgment is over.
The world in general, the unjust, have never been on trial as individuals. The trial of their federal
head took place at the beginning in the Garden of Eden, and the sentence or condemnation was
passed then. The whole race has been born under the sentence of condemnation, born in sin and
shapen in iniquity,' (Psalm 51:5) and the vast majority have died without having escaped from that
condemnation, and therefore, without any individual trial. Unlike those who have died in the
Messiah, of whom Paul wrote: "there is therefore now no condemnation (Greek, katakrima,
judgment against - Strong's 2631) to them that are in the Messiah Jesus" (Romans 8:1), the unjust
died without any real faith, or without any faith at all "in that only name under heaven given
among men whereby we must be saved." (Acts 4:12) That is why they are called unjust; they have
not been justified. Comparatively few of earth's inhabitants have heard of the Messiah. Think of
the millions who died before the Son of God came to give himself "a ransom for all," and
concerning whom Paul wrote that they had "no hope," and were "without God in the world"!
(Ephesians 2:12) Think of the millions upon millions of people living in so-called heathen lands
today, who, without having heard the name of Jesus, are dying at the rate of more than 100,000
every day! Then again, think of the vast multitude who, though they have heard something about
the message of the Bible, have never understood the Glad Tidings of great joy, which the angel
said would be to all people! None of these have had an individual trial, because the
condemnation to death was passed upon them on account of Adam's disobedience.
(93) They are coming forth from the death-state in order to be judged, to undergo a crisis for
determination for their fitness life or death. We are assured of this, because we are told that Jesus
"by the grace of God tasted death for every man" (Hebrews 2:9), that "He is the propitiation for
our sins, and not for our's [the believers'] only, but also for the sins of the whole world." (I John
2:2) The teaching of the Scriptures is clear that Adam sold the whole race under sin to death
(Romans 7:14), and that the Messiah bought the whole race with His precious blood, and that "to
this end the Messiah both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and
the living." (Romans 14:9) It is clear, also, that the only way by which any can get eternal life is
through faith in the death and resurrection of the Messiah. We are told by Jesus himself: "I am the
way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me" (John 14:6); and again,
Paul tells us that neither Jews nor Gentiles could justify themselves by works, and it was for this
reason that God sent forth His Son the Messiah Jesus "to be a propitiation [satisfaction] through
faith in his blood [death]." (Romans 2:14,15; 3:9,10,25) It was because of this that God our
Savior has arranged that all shall come to a knowledge of the truth. (I Timothy 2:4) That which
enables Him to do this, to be "just and [still] the justifier," is the fact that the man the Messiah
Jesus, the mediator between God and men, "gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified [to all] in
due time." I Timothy 2:5,6.
(94) Remember that we are not the judges as to who have had, and who have not had a full
opportunity for salvation in the present lifetime. It is a good thing for men are prone to be severe
in their judgment of others. You would think that if any have had an opportunity for salvation, the
Jews who impaled the Messiah surely had. They did not merely go to a church and hear a minister
preach about the Messiah; instead they actually saw the Messiah himself, they heard the gracious
message from His own mouth, and they saw the wonderful works that He did, and yet they cried
for his execution! Why, you will say, if anyone had responsibility those Jews had, and if any suffer
eternal condemnation those Jews must. Yet what did the apostle Peter say: "I know that you did it
in ignorance." (Acts 3:17, New King James Version) And Paul said: "Had they known it, they
would not have [impaled] the Lord of Glory." (I Corinthians 2:8) And Jesus said: "If any man hear
my words, and believe not, I judge him not; for I came not to judge the world, but to save the
world. He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word
that I have spoken, the same shall judge [Greek, krino, Strong's #2919] him in the last day." (John
12:47,48) The "god of this world," Satan, "hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest
the light of the glorious gospel of the Messiah, who is the image of God, should shine unto them."
-- 2 Corinthians 4:4.
(95) If God sees that anyone has full knowledge of his responsibilities now but who will not obey
the good news, He will not give such a person a further opportunity. What would be the use? We
must remember, however, that God is full of loving-kindness, "for his mercy endureth forever." In
Hebrews 6:4-6, He has given an indication as to what He regards as a full opportunity. If Yahweh
sees that an individual has never heard or never sufficiently understood the glad message of
salvation, that individual will get an opportunity in the resurrection of judgment.
(96) This does not mean, however, a license for sin or indifference in this lifetime, for we are told
that there will be a measure of future punishment according to the measure of present
responsibility. As a man sows, so shall he also reap. (Galatians 6:7) In the last day it will be more
tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah than for the people of Palestine, for the Sodomites sinned in
much greater ignorance than the Jews. (Matthew 11:23,24) We can leave the matter quite safely
with out loving God, Yahweh.
(97) We have, however, this assurance, that as all men were condemned in the one man, Adam,
and not one of them was asked whether he wanted to be condemned in Adam or not, so all men,
either in this lifetime or in the resurrection, will get the free gift of justification to life because of
the one Savior, Jesus the Messiah. "As by the offence of one judgment came upon ALL men to
condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon ALL men unto
justification of life. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the
obedience of one shall many be made righteous." (Romans 5:18,19) "As in Adam all die, even so
in the Messiah shall all be made alive." -- 1 Corinthians 15:22.
Yahweh's Plan
(98) Yahweh's ways and thoughts are not our ways and thoughts. Yahweh's ways and thoughts
are as much higher than ours as the heavens are higher than the earth. (Isaiah 55:8,9) He is
longsuffering. His plan is to allow mankind to pass through a dreadful night of sorrow and death
as a consequence of sin, and He is waiting till that lesson has been fully learned. In the meantime,
other features of Yahweh's plan are being accomplished. From amongst the early disciples, God
was selecting the a number of joint-heirs to reign with the Messiah. (Hebrews 12:22; Revelation
5:8-10; 14:1-4; 7:1-4; Romans 8:17) Others that did not attain to the mark of the high call to be
joint heirs with Messiah, but remained faithful, are still "heirs of God." (Galatians 3:29; Romans
8:17) And now in these last days there are those who have washed their garments in the blood of
the Messiah, and are being prepared for temple service here on the earth. (Revelation 7:9-17;
21:1-4) All of these share with Jesus in blessing the world as heirs of God.
(99) We have seen, then, that the world in general was condemned in Adam, and that the people
will come forth from the death-state to their first individual trial. That is the purpose for which
Messiah is coming to reign. "Because he [God] hath appointed a day in the which he will judge
[Greek, Krino, Strong's # 2919] the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained
whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead." (Acts
17:31) There is great comfort in that word "assurance"; and notice that the assurance is not to
some but "to all men." What an assurance it is to know that the world is to be judged by the meek
and gentle Jesus! The followers of the Messiah are to be associated with Him in this glorious
work, as we read: "Do ye not know that the saints [dedicated ones] shall judge the world?" (I
Corinthians 6:2) That is the reason why the followers of the Messiah MUST develop the fruits of
the Spirit. -- Galatians 5:22-23.
(100) Those who claim that faith without works is sufficient, are shutting their eyes to the plain
statements of the Scriptures, that faith without works is dead. (James 2:26) In I Corinthians
13:1-3, it is solemnly declared that we may have all knowledge and such great faith we could
move mountains, and yet, if we have not love, it profits us nothing. No one will receive a high
position in the kingdom except that by the help of God he builds on the foundation of faith and
knowledge the superstructure of love. (II Peter 1:3-9) Before we can be entrusted with the work
of judging the world with the Messiah, we must prove that "love" is the great motive power of all
our words and actions. Not that God expects of us perfection in the our present fallen condition,
but we must grow in his loving kindness and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus the Messiah,
becoming "imitators of God" to the best of our ability. -- Ephesians 5:1.
(101) If we do this, trusting in the blood of the Messiah, we will be accepted, not because of our
own merit, but because of the merit of the Messiah. As Paul says: "we are accepted in the
Beloved." (Ephesians 1:6) Those who are faithful unto the end will hear their Lord say to them:
"Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make
thee ruler over many things. Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." -- Matthew 25:21.
The World's Judgment Day
(102) The Judgment Day is usually thought to be a day of twenty-four hours; but Peter, speaking
of that day, says: "Beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord
[Yahweh] as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day." -- II Peter 3:8.
(103) In the "day" of the world's judgment, the thousand-year reign of the Messiah, conditions
will be in most respects the very reverse of what they are now. The present time is a dark night of
sorrow, suffering, and death. (Psalm 30:5) That will be a righteous day, when "sorrow and sighing
shall flee away." (Isaiah 35:10) A false theology has taught the people to dread the day of
judgment, whereas the Scriptures speak of it as a gladsome time "Say among the nations,
[Yahweh] reigns; and, The world shall be established, it shall not be moved; He shall judge the
peoples in uprightness. Let the heavens be glad, let the sea roar, and the fullness of it. Let the field
be joyful, and all that is in it; then the trees of the forest shall rejoice before [Yahweh]; for He
comes; for He comes to judge the earth; He shall judge the world with righteousness, and the
people with His truth." -- Psalm 96:9-13, King James II Version.
(104) In that day the earth will be full of the knowledge of Yahweh as the waters cover the sea,
and it will no longer be necessary for anyone to go from house to house, stand on street corners
or mount a platform to tell the people about Yahweh, for everyone will know Yahweh from the
least of them to the greatest of them. (Isaiah 11:9; Jeremiah 31:34) That will indeed be a glorious
time. It will be a marked contrast to the present time when "darkness covers the earth, and gross
darkness the people." (Isaiah 60:2) Very few indeed know God at this time. Many believe that the
Bible teaches eternal torment. Some time ago, two men were sentenced for throwing a dog into a
furnace and watching its agony till it died. The judge rightfully characterized their conduct as
brutal. Yet many who would shudder at the bare narrative of such brutality, profess to believe that
God is torturing not dogs but human beings, not for a few moments till death ends the scene but
for all eternity! What an awful and blasphemous conception of our Creator!
(105) Our heart rejoices to have the glad assurance of God's Word that in the glorious Millennial
reign of the Messiah, the day of the world's judgment, all men's eyes will be opened to see that
"GOD IS LOVE." See in the twenty-fifth chapter of Isaiah what the prophet tells us of that
glorious Millennial Day! "He will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering that covers
ALL PEOPLE, and the veil [of blindness] that is woven over ALL NATIONS. He will swallow
up death in victory! And the Lord Yahweh will wipe away tears from all faces....And one will say
in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for Him and He will save us. This is Yahweh; we
have waited for Him; we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation." (Isaiah 25:7-9) Notice that it is
AFTER the people come forth from their graves that God will save them!
(106) There are still more privileges for the world of mankind. In the present age the way to life
is narrow, and "few be that find it." Satan still "walks about as a roaring lion," seeking whom he
many devour. But in the Millennial Age a "highway of holiness" will be set up -- not a narrow
difficult way, but a highway, an easy way, in which even fools will not err. And there will be no
"lion" there, for Satan is to be bound during the thousand years. (Isaiah 35:8-10; Revelation 20:2)
Satan's evil influence will be restrained, and then the present aims of making the world a better
place to live will be attained. Neither social ills nor any kind of evil will be any longer permitted.
(107) One important reason why men persist in doing evil in the present time, is because they are
not always punished at once for every sinful act and word. As the wise man said: "Because
sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the hearts of the sons of men is
fully set in them to do evil." (Ecclesiastes 8:11) Is not that true? Why are our jails overcrowded
with prisoners? Simply because that men recognize that the chances of escaping punishment are
great, and they are willing to run the risk of being convicted. When the Messiah is reigning king,
this evil condition will abolished. In Isaiah 26:9, we are told that when the judgments of Yahweh
are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness. In that day Yahweh will no
longer permit wickedness to flourish. There will be a just measure of punishment for every sinful
act and word, and this punishment will bring about reformation of character.
(108) We believe that the Millennial reign of the Messiah is very near at hand, even at the door;
but we are not to understand that perfect peace and righteousness will prevail from its very start.
Many have false ideas with regard the Millennium. They think everything will immediately be
perfect. But this will not be the case. Speaking of the new heavens and the new earth that will be
established when the Messiah takes to Himself His great power and begins to reign, the Prophet
says: "There shall no more come thence an infant of few days, nor an old man that shall not have
full length of his days; for as a lad shall one die a hundred years old; and as a sinner shall be
accursed he who dieth at a hundred years old." (Isaiah 65:20, Leeser's translation.) This shows
that some will be sinners in that Millennial day, and that the incorrigible will possibly get at least a
hundred years' trial. The apostle Paul states plainly (I Corinthians 15:25) that the Messiah "must
reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet." In other words, the Millennium will not be a time
of perfect peace and righteousness; it is the "day" appointed by God for the purpose of
ESTABLISHING perfect peace and righteousness. -- Acts 17:31.
(109) By the end of the Millennium, all mankind will have had restored to them the perfection
that was lost by Adam, the perfect human nature; and the whole earth will be restored to the
former paradise condition of Eden. (Acts 3:21; Isaiah 35) Then, the thousand years being finished,
Satan is to be loosed for a little season. (Revelation 20:3) "Why!" some will say, "that will mar
everything! Why should Satan be loosed after paradise is restored?" When Adam and Eve in the
beginning were placed in the Garden of Eden, they were perfect, but God permitted Satan to
tempt them. Why? In order to test their loyalty to Him and to righteousness. They failed. Sin
entered into the world and death through sin; hence all the present sighing, crying and pain, which
have continued now for six thousand years, and by means of which men have been learning the
bitter lesson of the sinfulness of sin. (Romans 7:13) The Messiah will soon begin his glorious
reign. He will call, and all the dead will come forth from the death-state. Those who in the past
shared the Messiah's sufferings and death will now share his glory, and will with the Messiah reign
over and judge all those who have died in Adam. These will be gradually lifted up to the
perfection lost by Adam, and then, when they have learned the blessings of righteousness and the
value of submission to the Lord Jesus, Satan will be permitted to tempt them. Why? For the same
reason that he was permitted to tempt Adam and Eve -- to test their loyalty to God and to
righteousness. We do not know how many will fail, but surely after the long experiences of both
sin and righteousness, comparatively few will follow Satan, for all will have had practical
experience of the love as well as of the justice of God. Those who do fail will be destroyed in the
second death.
The Second Death
(110) The first death is the death in Adam, but the second death will in no sense be due to Adam.
"In those days they shall say no more, The fathers have eaten a sour grape [of sin] and the
children's teeth are set on edge,' but everyone [who dies] shall die for his own iniquity." (Jeremiah
31:29,30) In the Millennial Age each will receive an individual trial, and all who die will die as the
result of their own sin, no longer because of Adam's sin. This will be their second death, their first
being the death they suffered in the past on account of Adam's disobedience. -- Romans 5:12,18.
(111) The second death is pictured as a "lake of fire and brimstone" (Revelation 21:8), a forceful
figure of complete destruction -- a death from which there will not be a resurrection: for "the
Messiah dies no more," there will not be a second ransom for those who willfully practice sin after
receiving the benefits of the ransom. (Romans 6:9) In the Greek text of the Bible, from which our
translations are made, the second death is sometimes referred to symbolically as "Gehenna", one
of the three Greek words translated "hell" in the King James Version of the Bible. "Gehenna" is
the Greek form of the name "Valley of Hinnom", the valley situated immediately outside
Jerusalem below Mount Zion. It was the garbage dump of the city. Fires were kept constantly
burning in it and brimstone was added for the purpose of aiding the work of destruction. All the
garbage of the city was cast into it; also the bodies of criminals, so as to signify that these were
not worthy of a resurrection.
(112) Jesus used the fires of Gehenna as a symbol -- not of torture, but of destruction. Some,
however, regard the literal fires spoken of in the valley that were continually kept burning as being
a literal description of a supposed life in hell. Yet if Jesus were speaking literally, then we should
expect that the wicked would literally be thrown into the Valley of Hinnom. Actually, the "fire
that is not put out," the "worms," and all the language used in connection with Gehenna is
figurative. God's jealousy for his name and righteousness is never quenched. Yahweh's zeal or
jealousy for righteousness will never be extinguished. Thus we read that "all the earth will be
consumed by the fire of his [Yahweh's] jealousy." (Zephaniah 1:18) "For you must not bow
yourself to another god; for Yahweh, whose name is Jealous, he is a jealous God." (Exodus
34:14) "With foreign gods they moved him [Yahweh] to jealousy; and with idols they provoked
him to anger; they sacrificed to demons, not God." (Deuteronomy 32:16,17) "And Judah did evil
in the sight of Yahweh, and they provoked him to jealousy with their sins that they committed,
more than all that their fathers had done." (1 Kings 14:22) "And my anger will be spent, and I will
make my fury rest on them, and I will be eased. And they will know that I, Yahweh, have spoken
in my zeal, in my fulfilling my fury on them." (Ezekiel 5:13) "Surely I have spoken in the fire of
my jealousy against the rest of the nations." Ezekiel 35:5. Worms (or maggots) that consumed
the body of the criminals thrown into the Valley of Hinnom represents the utter destruction, not
torture, of those thrown therein. These maggots were ever present in the valley. Thus they never
died out. Likewise, those who are symbolically thrown into the fires of Gehenna find that there
are always consuming worms [elements of destruction] ever present to destroy those who prove
themselves unwilling to produce the fruits of the kingdom.
(113) Some believe that Hades and Gehenna are one and the same, as far as the place is
concerned. But when that place is called Hades, they believe it refers is to the abode of the souls of
the wicked before the judgment day; when it is called Gehenna they believe the reference is
generally to the abode of the wicked, body and soul, after the judgment day. Actually
Hades/Sheol is used in reference to the realm of death as mankind has inherited it from Adam.
Gehenna represents the "second death," from which there is no return. Jesus died to redeem all in
Hades/Sheol, but once we have partaken of the deliverance, we are counted dead to Adam's sin
and alive toward God. If then we continue in willfully sin, there is no more sacrifice for sins, thus
we would could be symbolically thrown into Gehenna. We would be "twice dead," entered into
the second death. Likewise, the world of mankind will be made alive during the "last day," the
resurrection day, and if they do not obey they also will be symbolically thrown into Gehenna, the
second death.
(114) Thus we see that there is no idea of eternal torture associated with Gehenna, the second
death. It means a condition of everlasting destruction. This is just what the Psalmist said:
"Yahweh preserves all them that love him; but all the wicked will he destroy", not preserve in any
condition whatsoever. -- Psalm 145:20.
(115) Some would have us believe that the English word "hell" indicates the place of everlasting
punishment for the wicked. It is true that in modern times hell has come to have this meaning. But
it is not the basic meaning of the English word hell. Note the following:
From:
The New Grolier Electronic Encyclopedia (TM) (c) 1991 Grolier Electronic Publishing, Inc.
hell
Hell traditionally denotes the place or state of being of unrepentant souls who are damned to
eternal punishment after death. Derived from the Old Teutonic word hel, meaning "to
conceal" or "to cover," the word hell is used in English translations of the Bible to represent
both the Hebrew Sheol, an ethically neutral underworld for the departed, and the Greek Gehenna,
the underworld for the punishment of the wicked from which the Christian concept of hell
developed.
We have added bold characters for emphasis.
From:
American Heritage Dictionary
Copyright (C) 1982 by Houghton Mifflin Company All Rights Reserved
hell n. 1. The abode of the dead in ancient traditions; underworld. 2. Often Hell. In many
religions, the abode of condemned souls and devils; the place of punishment for the wicked after
death. 3. A place or situation of evil, misery, discord, or destruction: into the hell of battle. 4. a.
Torment; anguish: went through hell on the job. b. Someone or
