The Lord Jesus speaking...
"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 desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his 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.
And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.
Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:
For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.
Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.
And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead." - Luke 16:19-31 KJB.
Two men. Two certain men. One with all the health, wealth, and prosperity this life can offer. The other, filled with infirmity, poor, and needy. Both died.
Let's note some of the details of what Jesus says plainly about the rich man...
The rich man lifted up his eyes in hell after his death.
Hell is real, hell is literal, all on the final authority of the very word of the Lord Jesus. The rich man can see, so his eyes still function beyond the grave in hell.
He is in torments, in a torment of flame, with no water to cool his burning, dry, thirsty tongue. Another one of his senses that remain in tact.
He cried in hell, so he still can both speak and cry out.
He can remember in hell...remembering the good things he had in his life. Those things are all gone forever, and now he is tormented.
There is a great gulf fixed between him, who is in hell, and the poor man who is in Abraham's bosom, a place of safety and comfort. An impassable gulf.
All of his cries and requests in hell are denied.
He asks that Abraham send Lazarus to his five brethren, who are lost, without hope, without God, and are headed for that same place of torment in hell.
Again, request denied. He has full knowledge of his loved ones back living in the world, and their lost estate. In hell, he prays for them to no avail.
He cannot go to them himself, O that impassable gulf is fixed! His lost estate is final!
They have the written Scriptures, but if they hear them not, neither will they repent or be persuaded even if Lazarus went back to them from the dead.
And today many do not hear, wilfully neglect to hear, the written word of God, even the words of the Lord Jesus. Many reject that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again on the third day. They are still not persuaded...even though One rose from the dead. Yet, they still do not repent.
This is no parable, this is a certain warning from the Lord Jesus Himself. There is a hell, and it is not a party place to gather with your friends and family to live it up. It is a place of torment, a place of weeping, and gnashing of teeth. The warning is this...
Repent and believe the Gospel of Christ Jesus the Lord. If one refuses Him and His Gospel, repents not, and believes not, they will surely die, be buried, and then open their eyes...
In hell.
And sadly, their loved ones may follow after them.
"Lest they also come into this place of torment" cried the rich man in hell!
This might be the final warning. Are you saved?
Are your loved ones saved?
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house...
DWD