Like many others, my paternal ancestors came to America 280 years ago arriving in Philadelphia.  Two brothers from southwestern Germany unable to pay their passage fare entered into contract as indentured servants for a period of years before receiving their freedom.  Arriving at their initial destination, they waited for their ultimate destination. The Bible tells a story that shares some of these characteristics.

In the 16^th chapter of Luke’s gospel Jesus provides what appears to be two parables, one on stewardship and a second story on the rights and wrongs of wealth.  The first parable (verses 1-13) was spoken primarily to the disciples and includes a disturbing moment when the objectionable behavior of an unrighteous steward is commended.  The second parable below was addressed to the Pharisees because of their response (verses 14-18) to the first parable.  However, it isn’t really a parable!  The participants in parables don’t have names.  Not only is this an actual account of a real episode, Jesus shares significant insight into the afterlife and the construct of Hades, or hell.

“There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. ²⁰ But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, ²¹ desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. ²² So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. ²³ And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

²⁴ “Then 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.’ ²⁵ But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. ²⁶ And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’

²⁷ “Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, ²⁸ for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’ ²⁹ Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ ³⁰ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ ³¹ But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’ ”

In the Old Testament every reference to hell is the Hebrew word “Sheol” (Strongs H#7585) which means “subterranean retreat, or world of the dead, grave or pit.”  There are many passages in the OT that mention Sheol but it is never fully developed.  However, God reveals that there will be a resurrection of the dead (Isaiah 26:19) and that one day He will swallow up Death (Isaiah 25:8).  The faithful will be rewarded with everlasting life while the rest will experience eternal contempt (Daniel 12:2).

But there are hints of another aspect. When Abraham died he “was gathered to his people.” (Genesis 25:18) and the same words are used when Isaac died (Genesis 35:29).  It is repeated again with Jacob.  “And when Jacob had made an end of commanding his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, and yielded up the ghost, and was gathered unto his people.” (Genesis 49:33)

It is known as “Abraham’s bosom” or the upper chamber of Hades. The rich man was in Sheol, or Hades in Greek, and Lazarus was “far away” in another place or compartment of Hades.  The text says the rich man had to “lift up his eyes” to see it.  Was it also Paradise?

It is interesting that the name Lazarus is the Greek form of the Hebrew name that means “God is my help.”   And this is not the same Lazarus that Jesus raised from the dead.  Also note that the emphasis of his name stands in deliberate contrast to the rich man who probably didn’t even know the beggar’s name.

When Jesus was dying on the cross, the repentant thief said to Him, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”  And Jesus replied to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:42-43)

Jesus died and went to Paradise with the thief that day and on Sunday morning He was resurrected and appeared to Mary Magdalene in the garden.  “Jesus said to her, ‘Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father.” (John 20:17).  Thus, Jesus had been in Paradise earlier, then Paradise cannot be Heaven where God dwells.   Since Jesus had “descended into the lower parts of the earth” (Ephesians 4:9), the Paradise He went with the thief was beneath the earth.

“For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” (Matthew 12:40)

It is interesting also that the rich man “saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom” (Luke 16:23) which most likely means he was reclining with his head on Abraham’s chest.  This is pictured again when John leaned against Jesus at the Last Supper; “Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved” (John 13:23).

Where was the rich man?  He was in the general realm of the dead, those who did not have faith in God and who are kept in what appears to be a lower chamber of Hades that will be emptied at the Great White Throne Judgment (Revelation 20:11-15).  The reminder is that “we have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God” but what separates those to eternal damnation is their rejection of God’s perfect plan of redemption, His Son Jesus Christ who paid the penalty of our sins for all who would believe.

Why were the Old Testament saints there?  Ever since Adam there has been the promise of a Messiah who would come.  Acts 4:12 tells us there is salvation by no other Name and upon His descending into Hades Jesus preached to the spirits in Abraham’s bosom who were waiting for Him (1^st Peter 3:18-20).  Only after hearing and receiving the message of salvation through Jesus could they then enter heaven, the “train ascending on high.”

Today it is commonly understood among most theologians that this upper chamber region or “Abraham’s bosom” was emptied or evacuated after the cross and resurrection (Ephesians 4:8-10).  Christ was the Firstfruits “of them that slept” (1^st Corinthians 15:20).  As a result, for believers today Paul writes that apart from the body we are immediately in the presence of the Lord. (2nd Corinthians 5:8)  There is no “temporary” holding area for Christian believers today upon expiration.

On that Resurrection Sunday, on the Feast of Firstfruits,  Jesus proved that His power over death was not limited to Himself, but by offering the firstfruits to all future resurrections when “the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many” (Matthew 27:52-53).

There are a number of accounts of this miraculous resurrection of the dead that were recorded by the early church fathers, including Clement of Alexandria in his Stromata.  For 40 days they walked among the Israelites of whom many were unnerved and at times terrified of the event.

“I say to you that many will come from east and west, and recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 8:11).

Just as those indentured servants in our colonial times had to wait for their freedom, likewise the Old Testament saints and others (i.e. Matthew 12:41-42) had to wait for their salvation through Jesus Christ.  Only the indentured servants had to earn their freedom through their own wages, whereas the Bible tells us that “the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23). “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8)

Jesus spoke more of hell than of the heaven.  It is a very real place.  C. S. Lewis wrote, “The safest road to hell is the gradual one-the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts.”

Someone today who is presently bound for hell may cross your path.  It has been quoted, “you may be the only Bible that a person ever reads.”  As they cross your path, will they see you…..or the risen Christ in you?

“He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:30)

In the late 1980s it was not uncommon to see counterfeit vendors on the street corners of New York.  They would unfurl carpets and blankets before you that would contain rows of fake Rolex watches, handbags and other items using counterfeit labels of fashionable names associated with haute couture.  The items were definitely counterfeit but they could easily fool the untrained eye.  What are the counterfeits that the Bible warns against?

“And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.” (Matthew 24:4) 

It is a recurring theme in the Bible to be on guard against deception of all types.  Jesus emphasizes this warning in the verse above and it is the only warning He repeats in the Olivet Discourse with the disciples regarding signs of His impending return. “For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.  See, I have told you ahead of time.” (Matthew 24:24,25)

But God’s word tells us there are other things of this world that can deceive us also, His instructions and rejoinders are clear in both the Old and New Testaments.

For example, you deceive yourself into thinking your bad friends won’t lead you astray.  (1^st Corinthians 15:33).

Likewise, we are not to be deceived by worthless things such as idols and riches, that if we are not careful can lead us to bow down and worship other gods. (Job 15:31; Deuteronomy 11:16; Matthew 13:22).

1^st John 1:8 warns us that if we say we have no sin, that we are deceiving ourselves.

Furthermore, being deceived by sin, the practice of sin, can cause you to live in rebellion against God.  Obadiah 1:3 says we can be deceived by our own pride, living in a lofty rock fortress of thinking in our minds.  Be careful.  “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.” (Galatians 6:7)

Drugs and alcohol deceive us.  “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is a brawler, And whoever is led astray by it is not wise.” (Proverbs 20:1)

However, it is the false teachers and false prophets that the Bible emphasizes that we must avoid.  Romans 16:18 tells us that they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting with smooth talk and flattery.  Hebrews 13:9 instructs us to stop being carried away by all kinds of unusual teachings.  Colossians 2:8 says we are to be careful that we are not taken captive through philosophy and empty deceit based on human traditions.  Paul writes in 2^nd Timothy 3:13-14 that in the last days evil people and imposters will go from bad to worse as they deceive others and are themselves deceived.

One of the key deceptive doctrines that is preached around the world today is that of the Word Faith Movement and Wealth or Prosperity teaching which promotes the idea that godliness is a means to financial gain.  In sub-Sahara Africa this has morphed into false prophets who for the equivalent cost of 2-3 weeks of your monthly income, will come and prophesy success and riches upon you.  And if it does not materialize then it is due to your sin or lack of faith.

“…men of depraved mind and deprived of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain.” (1^st Timothy 6:5)

Why does Jesus warn so emphatically about deceivers in the last days?

To examine this, consider for a moment who examines and protects the United States from counterfeit currency.  It is the U.S. Secret Service that is tasked with this responsibility and the long practice has been for its agents to consistently examine true U.S. currency so that the smallest variations found in counterfeit currency becomes easily identifiable upon examination.  Easily understood, right?  Know the “true” so you can spot the “fake.”

Thus, this analogy should prompt the same response from Christians.  If we study and examine the Word of God and build our Biblical acumen, this practice should enable us to be able to detect false teaching when we hear it.  But sadly, today Biblical illiteracy is rampant in our churches and is symptomatic of the Laodicean age we live spoken of in Revelation 3:14-22.

Genuine Bible studies are now hard to find in many churches, instead topical studies dominate.  They know their favorite football team’s record and stats, favorite celebrities, songs, enamored with emojis and memes, social media…but they don’t know anything about the Bible.  And because they don’t know, they are open to deception.

How then can we identify a false prophet if we hear one?  How do we know?

Several years ago, Bible teacher Dr. David Reagan wrote an article on this subject and I have chosen to condense a portion that speaks to this dilemma.  Here’s his checklist:

Peter and John also warned against the danger of false prophets. Peter asserted that false prophets would “introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master” (2 Peter 2:1). John exhorted his brethren to “test the spirits to see whether they are from God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1).

John proceeded to provide a test that should be given to prophets. He said they are to be asked to confess that “Jesus Christ has come in the flesh” and that He is from God (1 John 4:2). He went on to assert that anyone who refuses to confess that Jesus is from God has the “spirit of antichrist” (1 John 4:3).

1) Does the prophet speak in the name of a god other than the true God revealed in Scripture?
If a prophet speaks in the name of another god, you can be assured that he is a false prophet. (Deuteronomy 13:1-3)

2) Does the prophet’s message pass the test of Scripture? (THIS IS CRITICAL)
Does the message align with what the Bible says?  “But even though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we have preached, let him be accursed.” (Galatians 1:8)

3) Does the prophet’s life manifest a commitment to holiness?
If a prophet lives a sinful life, his prophecies are to be doubted.

“Among the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen a horrible thing; the committing of adultery and walking in falsehood… Therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts concerning the prophets, ‘Behold, I am going to feed them wormwood and make them drink poisonous water.’” (Jeremiah 23:14-15)

4) Does the prophet’s teaching produce the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23)?
If the prophet’s followers are motivated to worldly living, the prophet does not speak for God.

“Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits… a good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit.” (Matthew 7:15-16,18)

5) Does the prophet emphasize vain or sensational visions?

Be wary. “Let no one keep defrauding you of your prize by… taking his stand on visions he has seen, inflated without cause by his fleshly mind.” (Colossians 2:18)

6) Does the prophet deliver only positive messages?
Think on this.  If the prophet never issues a call for repentance, he is to be suspect.

“Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘Do not listen to the words of the prophets who are prophesying to you. They are leading you into futility; they speak a vision of their own imagination, not from the mouth of the Lord. They keep saying to those who despise Me, ‘The Lord has said, ‘You will have peace…” They say, ‘Calamity will not come upon you.’” (Jeremiah 23:16-17)

7) Does the prophet appear to be greedy for monetary gain?
If the prophet operates in a manner that makes it appear that his greatest interest is money, he is to be avoided.  (Jeremiah 8:10-11)

8) Does the prophet focus on the exaltation of Jesus?
If a prophet tries to bring attention to himself or focuses on the Antichrist or the sensational, he is to be questioned.

“The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” (Revelation 19:10)

(Excerpts from Dr. David Reagan, “How to recognize a false prophet” Aug. 7, 2015)

There is a movement underway throughout the world that is predicated upon beliefs that 1) the Bible is insufficient as the authority in what regards faith, doctrine, necessitating that a new revelation from God must come leaving the Scriptural canon inherited behind.  2) The word of God is not limited by the canon that is expressed in the Scripture, but goes beyond it.  3) Thus, they believe that within this new revelation “Sola Scriptura” cedes its place to “Sola Experience.” 4) There is heavy emphasis on “signs and wonders” and the “Second Apostolic Age” which includes “Super Apostles” who not only are equal to the original Apostles but express new revelations from God.  5) In large stadium events, in the style of rock concerts, there are men and women who are introduced as “Apostles” and “Prophets” who speak of a “third wave of the Holy Spirit.”  6) “Kingdom now” is spoken as a form of Dominionism, in that the Church must establish the Kingdom of God on earth itself before Jesus Christ can return.  Beware.

“For such are false prophets, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.  And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.  Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.” (2^nd Corinthians 11:13-15)