Chasm

Chasm by Flyleaf (<-- click the name to hear the song)

When I first heard this song, the only part that really stood out to me was the chorus:

"Please, give me something, I'm so thirsty, I'm so thirsty.

Please, let me warn them, don't you come here, don't bring anyone here."

I had just been going through the whole CD not paying too much attention to all the lyrics of each song, but these words rang clear as I drove around Arlington that day. I played it again trying to figure out what on earth the song was talking about. I actually googled the meaning later to see how other people had interpreted the song. In doing this I found the most likely explanation to be that she was talking about hell. Still, that song was kind of weird to me and I wasn't exactly sure what to think of it.

This all happened a year ago or so, but this past Sunday I was reminded of this song again. My pastor gave a sermon on hell and the reality of it as he was countering beliefs of universalism currently being spread by people such as Rob Bell. One of the scriptures he referenced was Luke 16:19-31, which is the story of the rich man and Lazarus. It is a very interesting passage and I encourage you to read it.

If this can give you any kind of glimpse into the eternal torment of hell, just imagine what kind of fate we are all rescued from (when I say "all", I mean fellow believers, that is not a universal statement). It just boggles my mind the kind of request that the rich man asks of Abraham: "Have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire." (v. 24) Just the tip of his finger?? That's the kind of refreshment the rich man is looking for? How desperate of a state must he be in to see a touch of a wet finger as some sort of relief?

Reading on as the man finds out that a great chasm has been fixed so that no one may cross over between heaven and hell, you'll see that he asks,

27"'Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father's house,

28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.'

29 Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.'

30 'No, father Abraham,' he said, 'but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'

31 He said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.'"

Wow, can you imagine the regret he has for having not believed when he was alive on the Earth and had the chance to be saved? And how desperate he is to see his family saved! But it is true that we have the Word of God here telling us the truth and it is up to us to believe it. Does this stir anything in you as you consider the fates of so many people we are sharing this Earth with today?? We are on a rescue mission. We need to beg of them to consider the gospel.

Do you see how this story matches up with the lyrics? I just find it all very interesting, and that song seems very artistic now.