Whatever may be involved in the separation of soul and body, it is
nevertheless true that the immortal spirit that has not appropriated
the atoning blood must dwell in the confines of the bottomless pit,
which is described in the Scriptures as being in the center of this
earth. Here are the flames by which Dives was tormented when he begged
Abraham to send Lazarus with a drop of water to cool his parched
tongue, and made an appeal for some one to go to his father's house to
warn his five brothers not to come to that place of torment. Abraham
had to refuse both requests, saying, "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, when he wanted some one to go to his
father's house to warn his brothers, Abraham said, "They have Moses
and the prophets; let them hear them." But still the doomed man
continued and said, "If one went unto them from the dead, they will
repent," but he was told, "If they hear not Moses and the prophets,
neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead." How
true this is! After all the influence that can be brought to bear upon
people, they rebel against God and follow their own precepts; and true
to fallen human nature, ask for greater evidence of His power. "The
wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God"
(Ps. 9:17). This and other plain scriptures should be sufficient to
warn men to flee the wrath to come. Optimism and presumption
everywhere characterize the multitudes when it comes to this most
important question concerning the future welfare of the soul.
The man who had allowed the devil to deceive him and take him at last
to his abode in the regions of torment, was still presumptuous and
persistent. He wanted help, which it was impossible for him to
receive, and also warning given to his father's house, which they had
refused to take through Moses and the prophets.
It is necessary at this period of the world's history to have an
object lesson like that of the Yellowstone National Park to convince
people of the infallibility of God's word. It is the time of the
fulfilment of prophecy concerning the last days, of which Paul says,
"This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For
men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud,
blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without
natural affection, truce-breakers, false accusers, incontinent,
fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded,
LOVERS OF PLEASURES MORE THAN LOVERS OF GOD" (2 Tim. 3:1-5).
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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