Witnessing Heaven on the Horizon
By Lynette Kittle "In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side" - Luke 16:23 Although many of us are familiar with the story of the beggar Lazarus and the rich man told by Jesus, our focus is most likely on the rich man's sorrow, suffering, and hopelessness in being eternally separated from God and his family. Our thoughts consider how although he was comfortable and well taken care of on earth, he is found in dire agony after his death. Yet, in reading about his torment, we often overlook that he had a clear view of heaven in his suffering. Although there are discussions over whether there is a difference between Hades and hell, we get the picture. Through Jesus' story, we see how His life, death, and resurrection offer us everlasting life with Him. The Rich Man and Lazarus' Shared History.
From the story, we learn the rich man dressed in the best clothes, which included purple and fine linen of the time, living in luxury every day. In contrast, at the city gate laid Lazarus, a beggar, covered with sores with an empty stomach longing just to eat the leftovers from the rich man's table. It sounds like the only ones who paid Lazarus any comfort were dogs, who offered him some relief by licking his sores (Luke 16:19-21). Yet when the beggar died, angels carried him away to Abraham's side. Unlike Lazarus, when the rich man died, he was buried and found himself in hell. Imagine his surprise when in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham with Lazarus by his side (Luke 16:23). | 
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