We have the Parable of Jesus to indicate where the dead in Christ go to. "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."( Luke 16:22-23). Abraham's bosom and the depths are alike in the heavenly places. In Job 41 we have a clue to the rich man's discomfort. "Out of his nostrils goeth smoke, as out of a seething pot or caldron./His breath kindleth coals, and a flame goeth out of his mouth." (41:20-21) The place has another name 'bottomless pit' which is guarded by an angel Abbadon/Apollyon.(Re.9:11) As Abraham explains to the rich man in torment "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."( Luke 16:26) This fixity is like a door shut after the rapture. This is illustrated in the Parable of the Five Foolish Virgins' where the peril of negligence is very clear. "And the door was shut./Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us./But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not."(Matt.25:10-12)
The direct line of vision does not ever change. While alive the beggar was in direct line of vision the rich man could see him at the gate. After death we find the rich man from his place could see Lazarus resting in the bosom of Abraham. There is another instance this direct line of vision is rather brought out indirectly. Moses brings people to meet God and when He descends the mountain quaked. "And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because theLorddescended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly."(Ex.19: 16-18) . The same smoke from the bottomless pit, "and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace"(v.2
We have the Parable of Jesus to indicate where the dead in Christ go to. "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."( Luke 16:22-23). Abraham's bosom and the depths are alike in the heavenly places. In Job 41 we have a clue to the rich man's discomfort. "Out of his nostrils goeth smoke, as out of a seething pot or caldron./His breath kindleth coals, and a flame goeth out of his mouth." (41:20-21) The place has another name 'bottomless pit' which is guarded by an angel Abbadon/Apollyon.(Re.9:11) As Abraham explains to the rich man in torment "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."( Luke 16:26) This fixity is like a door shut after the rapture. This is illustrated in the Parable of the Five Foolish Virgins' where the peril of negligence is very clear. "And the door was shut./Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us./But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not."(Matt.25:10-12)
The direct line of vision does not ever change. While alive the beggar was in direct line of vision the rich man could see him at the gate. After death we find the rich man from his place could see Lazarus resting in the bosom of Abraham. There is another instance this direct line of vision is rather brought out indirectly. Moses brings people to meet God and when He descends the mountain quaked. "And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because theLorddescended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly."(Ex.19: 16-18) . The same smoke from the bottomless pit, "and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace"(v.2
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