Luke 16: 19-31; Amos 6:1a, 4-7; Psalm 146; I Timothy 6:6-19.
Luke 16 tells the story about the rich man and Lazarus. Recall, the rich man loved wearing his fancy clothes, dining on his rich and satisfying food, glorifying himself in all his wealth and splendor, while the dear poor man, Lazarus, longed to just eat the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. As the story goes, the rich man dies, awakens in Hades while Lazarus also dies and is carried by the angels into the bosom of Abraham which we might assume is a synonym for heaven.
We’re often warned when interpreting Jesus’ parables that usually He is trying to illustrate one key lesson, and we should caution against putting much significance to the periphery of the main lesson. However, this parable is the only one of Jesus’ stories where the key character is given a name. Some commentators suggest that this isn’t just a story but an actual event. With that in mind I would call attention to some very human characteristics that the two characters exhibit in the afterlife. For example, the rich man could recognize both Lazarus and Abraham (whom he never met in life). The rich man could speak as he cried out to Abraham for relief and Abraham could hear him and respond to him. The rich man has some sense of feeling as he cries out in agony. These observations I think add much credibility to the fact of an afterlife and give some glimpse of recognizable human type traits that await us when leaving our human bodies, awaiting our glorified ones.
The 6th chapter of Amos gives us some further insight into this story. Clearly, Lazarus was not carried into the bosom of Abraham just because he was poor, as the rich man was not ushered in Hades because he was wealthy. Amos gives a severe warning to the Old Testament Hebrews.
“Woe to those who are at ease in Zion and to those who feel secure in the mountains of Samaria”
Being at ease and secure isn’t the problem. It’s seemingly enjoying those attributes while ignoring Him who provides them and relishing in them at the expense of fulfilling the needs of their less fortunate neighbors.
Amos goes on the say in chapter 6: 4-7 the outcome of those who are at ease in Zion.
“Those who lie on beds of ivory,
And lounge around on their couches,
And eat lambs from the flock,
And calves from the midst of the fattened cattle,
5 Who improvise to the sound of the harp,
And like David have [a]composed songs for themselves,
6 Who drink wine from sacred bowls
While they anoint themselves with the finest of oils—
Yet they have not grieved over the collapse of Joseph.
7 Therefore, they will now go into exile at the head of the exiles,
And the revelry of those who lounge around will come to an end.”
Those who forget the Provider of the provisions that allow them to be at ease and put their confidence and security in those gifts while ignoring their fellow brothers in need, were the first to go into exile.
I think the lessons are clear here. In our country, the richest by far in the world, it is so easy to fall into a false sense of ease and security. As we constantly see on the daily news, our lives, our ease and our security can be, and is, very fragile and transitory. I would encourage all of us to consistently call to mind the source of our true ease and true security, the Lord Jesus Christ and His merit accrued to us at the cross…and to share that righteous ease and security with our brothers and neighbors in need.
Are you at ease in Zion?
Mark Packer