Luke 16:29-31
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.

Even in hell, this rich man sure has audacity.  Perhaps he still thinks he can be in control, even though he’s never had less control over his circumstances and what is happening to him.  But still, he tries to get Lazarus to give him one drop of water, and he wants Lazarus to go back and tell his brothers the truth about hell.  And even here, he disputes with Abraham about the value of the Word of God, asking for a sign instead, something that he feels would actually be able to make a difference for his brothers.

Perhaps that prideful attitude is what got him here in the first place—the attitude that God and His Word isn’t enough, that it isn’t important or worth following, that it’s not worth taking time for, that there is little value in it, or that it couldn’t have made a difference for him and his family.  And consumed by his riches and occupied with all his stuff, he had no room for God’s truth.  Maybe he thought he had no need for it, that those ancient stories did not apply to him, that they couldn’t benefit him at all.

Too often today, people are dismissive of God’s Word.  Even Christians don’t always value it or take advantage of what it offers us.  They don’t have time for it because they are pursuing other things.  Or they want something more than God’s own words to us, some spectacle or experience rather than this intimate fellowship with Him.  Too often people have the same attitude as this rich man that God’s Word isn’t good enough, that it’s not something worthwhile to look into, that it can’t add value to their lives or help them in any way.

But the truth is, the Scriptures offer us everything we need.  They contain the answers to every issue of life.  They lead us straight to the heart of God and show us the way to life.  In his life, this rich man ignored the Word of God.  He never considered those most basic truths that would have changed the state of his eternity.  He had no room for it among all his riches, and now he would pay the price of his unbelief.  But while we yet live, let’s not ignore the voice of God calling out to us through His Word.  Let’s not take it for granted, but seek to know everything He will speak to us.  It will make a difference in our lives today and in our future eternity.