Supposedly, according to the story I've heard all my life, poor Lazarus gets to go to heaven, while the 'Rich Man' gets to go to hell... and (according to the story) while the Rich Man is there in hell, (presumably roasting and writhing in pain, searing and burning and being tormented), he somehow momentarily rises above the horror that is besetting him, and takes time out to converse with Lazarus who is way off, on the other side of a great gulf.
The rich man is desirous of Abraham to send Lazarus to hell with a little water on his finger to cool the rich man's tongue... yeah, think on this a second...supposedly, Abraham and Lazarus are in heaven, and the rich man is is hell...suffering untold agony, scorching, burning and blistering... yet, they are communicating... ??
---stop-- imagine for a moment.. you are driving down the road and you see a car that has caught fire... there is a person in the car being burned alive... you stop and walk over to the car and the person says, "please, call the fire department... I am really hot in here and I can't get the door open... if you would call the fire Dept I'd appreciate it... they might be able to save my car, and oh yeah, do you have a bottle of Perrier, my throat is really dry... "
IF hell is as bad as most people think, how would anyone have time to have an intelligent conversation between all the wailing and knashing of teeth??? Would a little water on your tongue be enough? Would one bottle of Perrier suffice?
For those who think that Hell is everlasting...or eternal punishment, I have a question. (I know, I've always got a question)... anyway, IF you believe that Hell is a real place, and that God plans to punish some there forever, hypothetically speaking now....
what if....
What if YOU are one who ends up in that 'place'?
and, if you did end up there... wouldn't you want to be somewhere else? ANYWHERE ELSE?
I mean what if...
IF you believe in this terrible 'punishment', what if at some point, along the way, God turned off the heat for a few minutes... and as the flames diminished, . God comes down to hell and says,
..."Well, I've decided to give everyone a chance for RELIEF! This is a one-time offer, so listen up!!! All those who would rather DIE, instead of roasting down here FOREVER, step forward...."
What would YOU do? Would you hang back, or Would YOU jump in line? Would you walk, crawl or hobble or CLAW your way to the front and accept this wonderful offer - Permanent RELIEF of all your misery! -- --the opportunity to DIE and actually be DEAD instead of ALIVE and suffering forever?
Would you be one who chose to END the terrible suffering by dying and being done with it all?
Or would YOU look at God and say, "No thanks! I CHOSE to come here and I deserve this un-ending torture, so just stuff my pockets with popcorn and throw me back into the fire!"
Silly question? Maybe, but what about the rich man? what do you suppose he would say?
What would YOU say?
Standing there, burned and blackened... Blistered and cooked... hair all burned off... simmering in your own juices... would you accept the 'mercy' of death, or reject it for more of the same old... snap-crackle-and pop?
Ask yourself this question in the quietness of your own mind and see what your answer is...
deep down, what choice would you make?
Phil
....When You're Hot, You're Hot... - Jerry Reed
