Question:
In Luke where the rich man is in torment, why does he ask for Lazeras to come and dip his finger in water to cool his thirst from the heat. If we are absent from the body and present with the Lord, why does it sound like he has a physical body..
Answer:
This was prior to the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. The unsaved dead go to the heart of the earth to a place called ‘hades’ where they experience torment until after the 1,000 year rule of Christ and then they will be cast into hell. See Revelation 20:11-15 which says, ‘And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.’