This is a story of contrasts. The first scene shows us two men here on earth. The picture of the rich man is easily imagined. Was he 'newly rich'? He ate extremely well and had a magnificent wardrobe. Even the gate mentioned in the story means a gate of beauty. Yet his life was empty. His heart was given to gold instead of to God. Lazarus was the opposite in every thing. He was a beggar, apparently lame, weak in body, desperately in need, almost living on garbage. But Lazarus had something the rich man didn't have. He had faith in the mercy of God. But surely something was wrong. Couldn't God have provided better for Lazarus? Yes, he could but then we don't know all the circumstances. We only know he must have loved God and counted on his mercy. Was there no bitterness, no rebellion in his heart? We don't know, but we do know the Lord knew his name and the rest of the story proves this. Now comes the contrast in their deaths. It seems the beggar died first. There is no record of his funeral, even though he must have had a few friends. What happened to his body doesn't matter. He had finished with it and was living in a new sphere of light and joy. The rich man died and no doubt had a lavish funeral with plenty of mourners. They would really have mourned if they had known where the rich man had gone. The eternal destiny of every human soul is determined here on earth. Lazarus believed in God here. God honoured his faith. The rich man had no time for God. Then God could only allow him to go on into eternity along that same path - isolated from God. |
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