jaareshiah
Member
Upon Lazarus death, where was he ? Jesus, before arriving in Bethany, had told his disciples that "Lazarus our friend has gone to rest, but I am journeying there to awaken him from sleep."(John 11:11) His disciples felt that perhaps Jesus meant literal sleep from being sick, but he informed them that "Lazarus has died."(John 11:12-14) Thus Jesus likened death to "sleep". It is also to be noted that Abraham was not alive and "in heaven", as some suppose, but that he was in the grave, awaiting a resurrection. (John 3:13)
The apostle Paul told the Corinthians that Jesus Christ was the first person resurrected from the dead for life in heaven, saying that "now Christ has been raised up from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep in death."(1 Cor 15:20) In addition, Paul further said that "the way of entry into the holy place (heaven itself ) by the blood of Jesus, which he inaugurated for us as a new and living way through the curtain, that is, his flesh."(Heb 10:19, 20) Thus, until Jesus died, the "entry" into heaven was closed, with Jesus being the "firstfruit" to "appear before the person of God."(Heb 9:24)
Jesus would not have spoken of Lazarus as being "asleep" if he were alive, "awake". As mentioned earlier, the Bible likens death to a deep sleep, saying that "the living are conscious that they will die, but as for the dead, they are conscious of nothing at all."(Ecc 9:5) Therefore, all who have died, including Jesus while in the "memorial tomb" for "three days"(Matt 12:40), are totally unaware of time nor events, for Eccesiastes 9:10 says that "there is no work nor devising nor knowledge nor wisdom in Sheol (mankind's common grave)".
Hence, ' Abraham's bosom' did not picture literally Abraham being alive, with "Lazarus" being with him, but rather God's favor. If one will more closely analyze the account (without preconceived bias) of Luke 16 concerning "Lazarus and the Rich man", it can be noted that Jesus spoke of the "rich man" as in "torments", and that he requested the "Father Abraham have mercy on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in anguish in this blazing fire."(Luke 16, 23, 24)
Could a drop of water from the ' tip of his finger cool his tongue ' ? No. Many feel that Jesus was speaking of "torments" in hellfire, but such was not the case, for Jesus used "fire" in many instances as meaning everlasting destruction.(Matt 7:19; 13;40; 18:8) Instead, Jesus was illustrating the "torments" the religious leaders felt from being exposed by him and his disciples for what these religious leaders were, as wicked, not righteous in God's eyes. Jesus likened himself to "light" and said that "this is the basis for judgment, that the light has come into the world but men have loved the darkness rather than the light, for their works were wicked."(John 3:19)
The religious leaders were wickedly angry to the point of wanting to kill Jesus and Lazarus.(John 11:49, 53; 12:10) These felt as if they were in a "blazing fire", being tormented by the hard pelting judgments from Jesus and refused the Kingdom message taught by him and his disciples. These later stoned Stephen for exposing them and telling them straightforwardly: "Obstinate men and uncircumcised in hearts and ears, you are always resisting the holy spirit...Which one of the prophets did your forefathers not persecute ? Yes, they killed those who made announcement in advance concerning the coming of the righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become."(Acts 7:51, 52)
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such an one caught up to the third heaven. 
