When the rich man asked Abraham to send Lazarus to dip his finger into the water and put into his mouth did he still look at Lazarus as a beggar even when he was in Hell?
Let us read this true and instructive story, which is found in Luke 16:19-31. “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.”
To answer your question, we are not told in the Scriptures if the rich man still looked at Lazarus as a beggar or not. However, it would appear that the rich man did not look at him as a beggar. My reason for writing this is that usually a person does not ask a beggar for help. It is usually the beggar who asks for help, just as Lazarus hoped to get crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. Now the roles were reversed and the rich man was asking for help from Lazarus.
There is a very important lesson in this story. It does not matter if we are rich or poor in this life. None of us can take one dollar with us after we die. What matters is where we spend eternity. If we confess our sins and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior, then we will be with Lazarus in heaven. However, if we ignore or refuse the free gift of salvation, then we will go to hell and be eternally tormented. As we read in John 3:16-18, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”
If you have not yet trusted in the Lord Jesus as your Savior, please do so today! How wonderful it will be to be forever with the Lord someday! Do not delay coming to Christ. None of us are guaranteed tomorrow. As we read in 2 Corinthians 6:2, “now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” (252.6) (DJ)