Participants:
Series Code: TDY
Program Code: TDY190015A
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00:01 I want to spend my life
00:07 Mending broken people 00:12 I want to spend my life 00:19 Removing pain 00:24 Lord, let my words 00:30 Heal a heart that hurts 00:34 I want to spend my life 00:40 Mending broken people 00:46 I want to spend my life 00:51 Mending broken people 01:09 Hello, friends, welcome to 3ABN Today. 01:12 My name is John Lomacang, 01:13 thank you so much for taking the time 01:14 to tune in for very special program. 01:17 And today we're gonna be addressing 01:18 a very challenging part of Scripture. 01:24 The rich man and Lazarus, 01:26 it is a parable 01:28 that have confused so many clergy 01:31 and membership alike. 01:34 I've heard so many different interpretations. 01:37 And we're gonna do our part today 01:39 in some cases not to muddy the water, 01:42 but to clear it up. 01:43 And to make it very clear about what the Bible teaches 01:46 as to the nature of man, what happens when he dies, 01:50 his mortal condition and a number of other things. 01:52 So stay tuned and get your Bibles 01:54 and invite your friends to join us. 01:56 And if you're a pastor, we would strongly suggest 01:58 that you start writing notes, 02:00 we're gonna go to a lot of scriptures today, 02:02 because one of the things 02:03 that we are very importantly concerned about 02:05 is that the Word of God be communicated clearly 02:09 that we don't teach scriptures in the Bible 02:11 that conflict with the weight of evidence. 02:15 The Bible says a number of things 02:17 about what happens when you die. 02:18 But when you give pictures that conflict, 02:20 then you create confusion 02:21 and God is not the author of confusion. 02:24 Today we have... 02:26 I have with me actually, 02:27 my good friend, Pastor Ryan Day. 02:28 Good to have you, Ryan. Yes, sir. 02:30 And I've said this before, 02:32 Ryan is not the new kid on the block any longer. 02:34 He's been here for... 02:35 How long have you been here now? 02:36 Well, this June will be one year, 02:38 so about ten months. 02:40 Glad to have you here. Amen. 02:42 And, but I found you to be a man of the word. 02:44 Amen. 02:45 An excited evangelist 02:46 and Ryan is a part of not only 3ABN's family, 02:49 he's a great musician, singer, 02:51 one who's dedicated his life to the Lord 02:53 and his wife is the principal of our school. 02:55 That's right. 02:56 We appreciate Stephanie, very, very much. 02:58 Yes. Amen. 02:59 And, but before we go any further, Ryan, 03:01 I think because you opened in the Bible, 03:02 we should have word of prayer. 03:03 So I'd like you to have that for us. 03:05 Yeah, sure thing. 03:06 Father in heaven, 03:07 Lord, we take this time very serious. 03:10 We recognize that this is not just another time 03:12 to just talk about Your word, even though it's so fun to do. 03:18 Lord, we need Your Spirit to lead and guide us 03:20 because we recognize that while we may think 03:24 we know everything on this subject, 03:25 there's still so much more light, 03:27 so many more connections 03:29 that You want us to make and, Lord, 03:30 we just thank You so much for truth, 03:33 and for the opportunity 03:34 to be able to preach and to teach 03:36 and to communicate this powerful message 03:39 to a lost and dying world. 03:41 So I pray, Lord, that You will give us 03:42 the spiritual eyesight, the spiritual hearing, 03:45 and of course, the spiritual mind of Christ 03:47 to be able to rightly divide Your word of truth 03:50 during this hour 03:51 and may there be someone who's watching 03:53 be blessed by this and be led to your truth, 03:56 and most importantly led to Jesus Christ. 03:59 We praise You, and we thank You as always, 04:01 and we ask this in Jesus' holy Name. 04:03 Amen. Amen. 04:05 Thank you, Ryan. Wonderful prayer. 04:06 And as I mentioned moment ago, 04:08 get your Bibles because we're gonna be talking 04:09 about the scriptures today and when we open the Bible, 04:13 we want the Word of God to speak. 04:16 Let's go right to the heart of the issue, Luke Chapter 16, 04:20 and you'll find in the gospels, 04:22 this particular story has become the foundation 04:28 for all kinds of... 04:30 Ryan, I could say misguided conclusions 04:33 about what Jesus actually said about death, 04:36 what the Bible teaches about death. 04:39 And so here's the premise, 04:42 either the rest of the Bible has to endorse this, 04:47 or this has to be the only thing we listened to 04:51 and ignore the rest of the Bible. 04:52 Right. 04:53 Because when you go into court, 04:55 the judge, or the jury, or the defense and prosecution, 04:58 they make decisions based on the preponderance 05:00 of the evidence, 05:01 and so you speak to that for a moment. 05:04 Yeah, absolutely. 05:05 So, you know, first of all, 05:08 someone gave me an illustration years ago, 05:11 and I've never forgotten it. 05:12 And that's the fact that, you know, 05:14 there are multiple dozens of Bible texts 05:17 that communicate the topic of the state of the dead, 05:20 what happens to us when we die, 05:21 the afterlife, things like that, 05:23 just to give an example. 05:24 But a lot of times, 05:27 there will be an enormous amount 05:30 of proof and harmony on a particular subject. 05:34 And then every once a while, 05:36 you might run into one or two or three texts 05:38 that seems to be, 05:39 may be pointing in a different direction. 05:41 And we know that God does not lie, 05:43 God is not the author of confusion. 05:44 So it may seem as if it is on the surface, 05:47 but we know that that text, 05:49 it does fall in harmony with the rest of Scripture. 05:52 I remembered the illustration that someone showed with me, 05:54 or showed to me, or gave to me years ago. 05:56 They used a fence post, 05:58 they said, if you're putting up fence post 06:00 and say you have ten fence post, 06:01 and you're putting them in a straight line, 06:03 but then you know, you get down the line, 06:05 you put your 10th post in the ground, 06:07 and then you look and you see 06:08 that there are one or two that are, you know, offline, 06:12 do you move the two to meet the other eight 06:15 or do you move the eight to meet the two? 06:17 Obviously, it just makes sense 06:19 that the two are out of line with the eight. 06:21 But that is just an illustration 06:22 to show the simplicity of Scripture 06:25 that we don't have to take something 06:27 out of context, or misunderstand something, 06:29 or formulate our own doctrine, or a new theology on something. 06:32 God's Word is harmonious. 06:34 And if we simply just allow the harmony of Bible 06:37 to speak to us 06:39 and rightly divide the word of truth, 06:40 as 2 Timothy 2:15 tells us, then we will be safe. 06:44 So we don't... 06:45 We're not gonna take the one post 06:47 that's out of line and put all the other 06:49 in harmony with it 06:50 because we're gonna take the one post 06:53 that's out of line 06:54 and put it in harmony with the eight. 06:55 Right. 06:57 Because the preponderance of evidence is amazing. 06:58 Let's begin by going right to Luke Chapter 16, 07:00 and we're gonna walk through the story together. 07:02 It's an amazing story 07:03 or as Ryan would say an incredible story. 07:04 An incredible story. 07:06 You know, I just, I've heard that phrase 07:08 and I said, that's definitely, 07:09 if I ever want to figure out 07:11 whether or not Ryan is saying it 07:12 lift up the word incredible. 07:13 But let's look at Luke Chapter 16, 07:15 and we'll break this down together, 07:17 starts in verse 19 and we'll go back and forth 07:21 and, "There was a certain rich man 07:24 who was clothed in purple and fine linen 07:28 and fared sumptuously every day. 07:30 But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, 07:34 who was laid at his gate, 07:37 desiring to be fed with the crumbs 07:39 which fell from the rich man's table. 07:41 Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 07:44 So it was that the beggar died, 07:46 and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. 07:49 The rich man also died and was buried. 07:52 And being in torments in Hades, 07:55 he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off 07:58 and Lazarus in his bosom." 08:01 I mean, already, 08:02 the symbolism starts to jump out. 08:03 Oh, absolutely. Okay, begin... 08:05 Take the next verse. 08:06 Sure, 24, it says, "Then he cried and said, 08:08 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, 08:10 and send Lazarus 08:12 that he may dip the tip of his finger in water 08:14 and cool my tongue, 08:16 for I am tormented in this flame.' 08:18 But Abraham said, 08:20 'Son, remember that in your lifetime 08:22 you received good things, 08:23 and likewise Lazarus evil things, 08:27 but now he is comforted and you are tormented. 08:30 And besides all this, 08:32 between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, 08:35 so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, 08:38 nor can those from there pass to us.'" 08:42 And then he now breaks it into... 08:44 He gives the picture now of what happens to the both. 08:47 Here's the fate of the rich man, 08:49 here's the fate of the beggar. 08:50 Now, they go back to the symbolism. 08:53 Right. 08:54 Verse 27, "Then he said, 'I beg you therefore, father, 08:57 that you would send him to my father's house, 09:02 for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, 09:06 lest they also come to this place of torment.' 09:09 Abraham said to him..." 09:10 Now this is Abraham speaking, 09:13 "They have Moses and the prophets, 09:15 let them hear them." 09:16 Now would you got to get in the story now, 09:17 this is also suggesting that Abraham is still alive. 09:20 Right. 09:21 Because Abraham died a long time ago, 09:23 not only is it suggesting 09:24 that the poor man is in Abraham's bosom, 09:27 but now Abraham is talking, 09:29 who had been dead by this point for thousands of years. 09:31 Right. He's talking in this story. 09:35 "They have Moses and the prophets, 09:38 let them hear them. 09:40 And he said, 'No, father Abraham, 09:44 but if one goes to them from the dead, 09:47 they will repent. 09:49 But he said to him, 09:50 'If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, 09:52 neither will they be persuaded 09:53 though one rise from the dead.'" 09:56 And the ultimate resurrection was the resurrection of... 09:58 Absolutely. Of Jesus. 10:00 Jesus, absolutely. 10:01 And they didn't believe. 10:03 So let's go and break it down. 10:04 Let's start with some of the symbolism. 10:05 Sure. 10:07 And when you've heard this kinda, you would knew. 10:08 Right. 10:09 You came out of a church 10:11 that believe differently on this topic. 10:12 Oh, absolutely. So what is your transition? 10:14 I would just like to address the fact that, 10:15 you know, in the church that I was raised in, 10:17 and not just the church that I was raised in, 10:19 I was primarily raised in the Pentecostal faith, 10:21 but in many, many, many other denominations today, 10:24 many people want to apply that this particular parable 10:29 is not, as we would call it, a parable, 10:32 a figurative story or symbolic story, 10:34 but rather a literal story. 10:35 And as you were reading, 10:37 just then as we were reading through, 10:38 we could see some of the symbolism 10:39 been communicating and pouring out. 10:41 I just want to highlight the fact 10:42 that from the opening line of this particular passage, 10:45 we know that this has to be some type of parable or story 10:49 that Christ is telling that is not entirely true 10:53 or in the sense that it did actually happen. 10:55 For instance, you noticed the first few words, 10:57 there was a certain rich man, 10:59 Jesus often began, if you go back, 11:01 just one chapter Luke 15:11, notice what He says here, 11:05 again, the parable of the lost son, 11:07 He started with a certain man. 11:09 And so we know that this language communicates 11:11 to us that we're dealing with a parable, 11:13 Christ is using a symbolic story 11:15 of some sort, a short story to teach a moral lesson 11:19 and so we know that's the case. 11:20 And in the sense, it's an allegory. 11:22 Absolutely. 11:23 You find allegories, Jeremiah talked about the allegory 11:24 where the trees are talking to each other. 11:26 Right. 11:27 And so this allegorical language 11:29 also can be parabolic language he's illustrating to... 11:31 And one of the keys is, who's he talking to 11:34 is a big key factor. 11:36 Oh, absolutely. 11:37 So let's start with, who's he talking to. 11:38 Sure. 11:40 And let's start with verse 19 and to give further foundation, 11:42 verse 19, go to the Book of Exodus Chapter 39 11:47 and we're gonna look at verse 22 to 24. 11:49 We're gonna see where this picture came from. 11:52 There was a certain rich man 11:54 who was clothed in purple and fine linen, 11:57 and fared sumptuously every day. 11:59 Sure. Read Exodus 39:22-24. 12:02 Sure. Exodus 39. 12:04 By the way, this is talking 12:05 about the garments of the priest. 12:06 Sure, yeah, absolutely. 12:08 Exodus 39:22, 12:10 "He made the robe of the ephod of woven work, all of blue. 12:15 And there was an opening in the middle of the robe, 12:18 like the opening in a coat of mail, 12:21 with a woven binding all around the opening, 12:24 so that it would not tear. 12:26 They made on the hem of the robe 12:28 pomegranates of blue," 12:30 here comes the next color, "purple and scarlet, 12:33 and fine woven linen." 12:35 Okay. Okay. 12:36 So right there is what we're gonna take verse 22. 12:38 Sure. 12:40 So purple and fine woven linen, 12:42 describing the garment of the high priest. 12:44 Absolutely. 12:45 So when you see here, 12:46 at the very opening of the story, 12:49 it says, 12:50 the rich men were clothed in purple and fine linen. 12:54 And when you look at the hierarchy 12:55 of the Jewish economy, 12:57 the high priest, I mean, the high priest. 12:59 Right. 13:01 He is as high as you can go, he's the high priest, 13:03 and his garments were very well tailored, 13:05 if I could use that, 13:07 but all the colors had symbolism in them. 13:09 And so right away, Jesus is connecting. 13:11 He's talking to the Pharisees, He's talking to the scribes, 13:13 He's talking to the religious leaders, 13:15 and right away it should jump out at them, 13:19 "Is he talking to us?" 13:21 Okay. 13:23 Absolutely. Is he talking to us, okay. 13:25 But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, 13:29 who was laid at His gate. 13:31 Now this part, this is an amazing part, 13:33 also beggar. 13:36 When you look at the story, 13:38 the rich man has something that the beggar wants. 13:41 Right. 13:42 And let's find out what that is. 13:43 Verse 21 13:45 Verse 21 says, "Desiring to be fed with the crumbs 13:48 which fell from the rich man's table. 13:50 Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores." 13:53 Okay, now where do you get crumbs from often? 13:57 Where does crumbs come from? From food. 13:58 Right, from food. 14:00 Or specifically, 14:01 Jesus is referred to as the blank of life. 14:02 And the bread. The bread of life. 14:04 Absolutely. 14:05 They've been given the bread. 14:07 They had the bread for... 14:09 Oh, at this point about 2,000 years. 14:12 Right. 14:13 They had the bread, they wouldn't share the bread. 14:15 So the beggars, those who want to be fed. 14:17 Right. 14:19 And the big, the sad reality of the gospel, Ryan, 14:21 is when you have the bread of life, 14:23 and you don't share it, 14:24 and there are people begging for it. 14:25 Right. 14:27 And they'll say, if you just give me some crumbs, 14:29 but let's look at the symbolism. 14:30 Go to Matthew 7:6, 14:33 let's look at the crumbs and the dogs. 14:35 We're gonna start with Matthew 7, 14:38 and we're gonna start with verse 6. 14:39 We're gonna stay in Matthew 7 14:40 because Jesus brings this out very carefully. 14:42 Look at verse 6 about the dogs, start there. 14:45 Okay, verse 6 says, 14:46 "Do not give what is holy to the dogs, 14:48 nor cast your pearls before the swine, 14:51 lest they trample them under their feet, 14:53 and turn and tear you in pieces." 14:56 Okay, and now we're gonna give a picture now 14:58 of what he meant by dogs. 15:00 Sure. Look at verse 27 and 28. 15:02 So the Bible says in Mark 7:27, 15:06 "But Jesus said to her, 15:07 'Let the children be filled first, 15:09 for it is not good to take the children's bread 15:11 and throw it to the little dogs.'" 15:12 And verse 28. 15:14 Verse 28, "And she answered and said to Him, 15:15 'Yes, Lord, 15:17 yet even the little dogs 15:19 under the table eat from the children's crumbs.'" 15:22 Here it is. Right. 15:23 Dogs and crumbs, 15:24 where they're saying, 15:26 children, the children had the bread. 15:28 Absolutely. 15:29 The Lord gave the bread to His children 15:31 but this woman is saying, 15:33 who's begging to be fed, she wants the gospel. 15:35 Right. 15:37 And I just have to add here 15:38 also Christ is in this particular parable 15:40 in Luke 16, 15:42 the audience that He is speaking to, 15:44 if you go back up in the previous verses, 15:46 in Luke Chapter 16, you'll find out 15:48 that He's speaking directly to the Pharisees. 15:50 The Pharisees are kind of his small audience here. 15:54 And it's interesting that He would use a story 15:56 in this particular story, the rich man and Lazarus, 15:58 He would use a story that would have often been told 16:01 by the Pharisees to communicate the opposite 16:03 of what Jesus is speaking, right? 16:04 That's right. 16:06 In the Pharisee's story, it would always be the rich man 16:08 that, of course, was blessed by God, 16:09 and he would end up going to Abraham's bosom. 16:12 And then, of course, the beggar who was poor, 16:14 he must have been cursed, 16:15 he would have been one that would end up 16:16 in an eternal burning hell. 16:18 But it's interesting that right here 16:20 in this particular verse, when you're mentioning the, 16:21 you know, the crumbs and, you know, 16:23 the Lazarus was wanting the crumbs 16:25 and the dogs came and licked his sores. 16:27 And you take us back to the story 16:28 of this woman who came to Jesus here in Mark Chapter 7. 16:32 It's interesting that that woman 16:33 was a Canaanite woman. 16:35 That's right. 16:36 she was not a Jew, and so the symbolism here 16:37 that we're already seeing as Christ has flip-flopped 16:40 this particular story around, 16:42 and He's trying to communicate the moral story 16:44 to the Pharisees and saying, 16:46 no, no, it's not the always 16:47 like the way you say it's gonna be. 16:49 In fact, let me tell you a story. 16:51 You see, the Jews often found themselves 16:53 as a higher or much more important 16:57 or much more worthy of the goodness of God 16:59 than that of the Gentiles 17:01 and so this Canaanite woman, in Mark 7, 17:03 she makes that point to Christ. 17:04 He says, yeah, but even the dogs get the crumbs, 17:07 the little dogs get the crumbs that fall from the table. 17:09 In other words, the symbolism here 17:11 as Christ is saying, you know what, 17:13 let me flip-flop this around for you 17:14 just because you may be rich, and you may be thinking, 17:17 you think that you're blessed of God 17:18 doesn't necessarily mean 17:20 you're gonna end up in Abraham's bosom. 17:22 And, you know, 17:23 so He's flip-flopping this around 17:24 to show that the relationship 17:26 between the Jews and the Gentiles 17:27 exactly what He would show Peter 17:30 in the vision, Acts 10, 17:32 when the sheet came down, 17:33 He would reach him and say to him, 17:34 look, you know, these are My people, too, 17:36 and My crumbs, My bread, 17:38 My bread of life is just as much 17:40 for them as it is for you. 17:41 And I'm glad you cited Acts Chapter 10 17:43 because in Acts Chapter 10, that's another story 17:45 that people take and twist it. 17:47 Make him seem like Jesus said eat anything. 17:49 But if you remember when the sheet came down 17:51 with all kinds of unclean foods, 17:53 Peter said, I've never eaten anything common or unclean. 17:56 And then later on when he went to Cornelius's house, 17:58 he said to Cornelius, 18:00 "God has shown me 18:01 that I should not call any man common or unclean." 18:04 Absolutely. 18:05 It's amazing how stories get twisted today 18:07 and all these false doctrines come out of it. 18:08 We're trying to clear up the false teachings. 18:10 Another thing is, 18:12 the Jews never saw any other nation 18:13 as worthy of the gospel. 18:15 That's why at the well, 18:16 the woman that spoke to Jesus here 18:18 in John Chapter 4. 18:19 Look at another example, John 4:9 18:23 And all through the life of Jesus, 18:25 He continued to make example, He's continued to show the Jews 18:29 how unthankful and grateful they were. 18:31 This is John 4:9, 18:34 "Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, 18:36 'How is it that You, being a Jew, 18:38 ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman? 18:40 For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.'" 18:43 See, and then not only that, 18:45 the 10 lepers in Luke Chapter 16, 18:48 the 10 lepers, none of them were Jews. 18:51 But look what happened to the 10th one. 18:54 Luke 17:16, 18:57 "And fell down on his face at His feet, 19:00 giving Him thanks. 19:02 And he was a Samaritan." Right, right. 19:03 So you see, continually, 19:05 Jesus tried to break down this wall of prejudice 19:09 that the Jews had against other nations. 19:12 Absolutely, and I just want to kind of... 19:14 I don't want to certainly interrupt 19:15 what you're saying there. 19:17 But I want to kind of give lead way 19:18 into the fact that the fact 19:19 that Christ is addressing the Pharisees, 19:21 this was their mentality. 19:22 They were the leaders, 19:23 they were the religious teachers, 19:25 they would have been the, you know, 19:26 the theologians of the day. 19:27 And the fact that Christ has to turn the tables 19:29 to the religious leaders, 19:31 the ones who should know better more than anyone, 19:33 and He's having to instruct them, 19:35 and He's having to reprove them and correct them. 19:37 It's fascinating also to mention here, 19:39 the fact that He is speaking to the Pharisees, 19:43 because Christ in teaching this particular parable, 19:46 as we're gonna continue through this particular parable. 19:49 You will notice that there's lots of symbolism 19:51 and you'll notice that off the cuff. 19:53 If you don't know the rest of the story of Scripture, 19:56 then you will quickly get an understanding 19:58 that as if Christ believed in what He was saying, 20:00 in a sense, that as soon as you die, 20:03 you either end up in one of two places, 20:05 but what Christ was using was, He was using their story, 20:09 their interpretation, their understanding. 20:11 I was doing a little bit of research not too long ago, 20:13 and I found this Flavius Josephus, okay? 20:15 Okay. 20:16 Flavius Josephus was also a Pharisee, 20:20 he was a Jewish historian 20:21 and he was born sometime around, I think, 36, 37 AD. 20:26 So in and around the time 20:27 that Christ and the early church 20:29 had just begun. 20:30 And it's interesting to notice 20:32 that he writes in his book War on the Jews 20:34 pertaining to the belief in the soul, okay. 20:37 That's right. 20:38 Pertaining to the Pharisees 20:39 because he himself was a Pharisee. 20:41 This is what he writes in Wars of the Jews, page 11. 20:44 Notice what he says, he says, 20:45 "They" speaking of the Pharisees, 20:47 "say that all souls are incorruptible, 20:51 but that the souls of good men only 20:54 are removed into other bodies." 20:57 And then he goes on to say, 20:58 "But that the souls of bad man," 21:00 notice the opposition here, 21:03 notice that the souls of bad men 21:05 are subject to eternal punishment. 21:07 But notice, he mentions the Sadducees 21:09 but the Sadducees take away the belief 21:11 of the immortal duration of the soul, 21:13 and the punishment and rewards of Hades. 21:15 So He's using this comparison 21:18 between the Pharisees and Sadducees 21:20 that the Pharisees believed in the immortality of the soul. 21:23 That's right. 21:24 And they believed exactly what Christ was communicating, 21:25 hence why Christ was using the picture, 21:28 and the wording, and the symbolism 21:30 that He was using here to communicate a moral point. 21:32 In fact, we're gonna get to this 21:34 probably in just a few moments, 21:35 but Christ never told this parable 21:37 for the purpose to communicate the truth 21:38 about hellfire and the state of the dead. 21:41 No, He tried to... 21:42 He was undoing what they already believe. 21:43 Exactly, and so but the fact that He was using this... 21:48 It's powerful to note that He was basically... 21:53 This message was flying in the face of the Pharisees 21:55 who believed in the immortality of the soul. 21:57 But their idea, of course, as I said earlier, 21:59 was that if you were rich, if you were well often, 22:02 if you were a Jew, 22:03 it's almost like you have an automatic right 22:05 into the kingdom of God. 22:06 And Christ was turning that around 22:07 about him saying, no, no, no, let me clarify this for you. 22:10 And it's powerful how He uses the imagery 22:13 and the symbolism to communicate the opposite 22:16 of what these religious leaders actually believed. 22:17 That's right. 22:19 And matter of fact, they even referred, 22:20 anytime they didn't agree with Jesus, 22:22 they called Him of another race. 22:24 Right. 22:25 You know, they said in John 8:48 22:26 when the Jews answered and said to Christ, 22:28 "Do we not rightly say 22:30 that You are a Samaritan and You have a demon?" 22:31 Oh, yeah. 22:33 You know, whenever they didn't agree with Jesus, 22:34 they linked Him into another race. 22:36 Yeah, you're not a Jew. 22:37 You're not, you can't be a Jew because of Your behavior. 22:39 And so, we continually see 22:40 that picture drawn in the Bible. 22:41 But there's a point that you made a moment ago, 22:43 and I want to talk about this just a brief second. 22:46 The reason why this is so important 22:47 for Jesus to undo as there was a teaching, 22:49 today, it's called Neoplatonism. 22:51 Yes. 22:52 If you look up that Neoplatonistic ideology, 22:54 it came from Plato, 22:56 who taught that the soul was immortal by nature. 22:58 And that's why Jesus stayed away for four days 23:03 before He raised literal Lazarus. 23:05 Right, right. 23:06 He stayed away for four days 23:08 because the Jews in this Neoplatonistic belief. 23:10 Look it up Neoplatonism. 23:13 P- L-A-T-O-N-I-S-M Neo. 23:16 They believe that three days the soul made an attempt 23:19 to get back into the body, which you just pointed out. 23:22 And if it was successful, the person came back to life, 23:24 but if they didn't succeed, 23:26 then the person was deemed to death. 23:27 Right, right. 23:29 Jesus stayed away for four days to confirm, to say to them, 23:31 okay, let me let you realize 23:34 that souls don't bring bodies back to life. 23:36 I am the resurrection of life. 23:39 So you see clearly, 23:40 Jesus was having to come to His own people, 23:42 His own children with the bread, 23:45 who wouldn't even share the crumbs 23:47 and had to untwist so much 23:49 of what they twisted through years. 23:50 Absolutely, absolutely. 23:52 Let's go to the next symbolism here. 23:53 What verse are we now? 23:55 Verse 22, I think. Yes. 23:57 Verse 22, let's go that one now. 23:58 Sure. 23:59 So verse 22 says, "So it was that the beggar died, 24:01 and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. 24:04 The rich man also died and was buried. 24:07 And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes 24:10 and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom." 24:13 Now I have to add here just for a moment, 24:15 because many people want to apply 24:17 or read into this something that's not here. 24:20 Thank you. 24:21 And that is the fact that, notice that, 24:23 Christ often in His ministry and in His words, 24:25 if something were to happen, immediately following an event, 24:27 He would use the word immediately. 24:29 And you'll notice that the word immediately 24:31 is not found here. 24:32 In other words, we cannot apply the fact 24:33 that Christ was communicating 24:35 that these particular individuals 24:36 went immediately upon the point of death 24:39 to again, heaven or hell 24:40 as the symbolism is communicating here. 24:43 But rather, He is just simply stating the fact, 24:46 just the fate of the two, 24:48 and it's not specified in the text, 24:50 whether or not it happened immediately or not. 24:51 In fact, you can't read that in here at all. 24:54 Thank you. 24:56 So that's another thing, 24:57 this immediate departure to your destination. 25:00 Right. 25:01 And we know we'll see about this in John Chapter 5 25:02 in just a moment here. 25:04 But I want to point out something, 25:05 the other symbolism jumps up in these two verses. 25:07 Right, absolutely. Watch this. 25:10 Is Abraham's bosom the cemetery? 25:13 Absolutely not. 25:15 I mean, it brings a smile to our hearts... 25:16 It does, sure. 25:17 That they're being buried in Abraham's bosom. 25:20 Why Abraham, 25:21 why does he continually bring Abraham 25:24 into the picture? 25:25 Now we're gonna address that right now. 25:27 Absolutely. 25:29 And then we're gonna see how many times 25:30 Abraham is talked about further on. 25:31 But let's go to Matthew 3:9, 25:35 once again, the Jews thought it 25:37 since we have Abraham as our father 25:39 and you see in the Old Testament, 25:40 the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 25:42 The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 25:44 Right. 25:45 And they held that as a, you know, an armband, a pride, 25:47 almost like a medal in the Olympics. 25:49 Sure. 25:50 But Jesus had to break down this idea 25:52 that you are not any different than any other nation. 25:55 Only that I chose you like the post office 25:57 to deliver the package 25:59 but you have the same blood, the same heart, 26:00 when you die you have the same fate. 26:02 Look at Matthew 3:9, 26:05 and this is one of that lead us to the attitude they have. 26:09 Sure, the Bible says, 26:10 "And do not think to say to yourselves, 26:12 'We have Abraham as our father.' 26:15 For I say to you 26:16 that God is able to raise up children 26:19 to Abraham from these stones." 26:21 Okay, right away, they're boasting, 26:22 don't say that whatever you do, 26:24 don't say Abraham is your father, 26:26 please don't go there. 26:27 Sure, sure. 26:29 And so this ideology, once again, 26:30 the preferential ideology is, 26:32 Abraham is our Father 26:34 and then also they talked about Jesus. 26:37 Look at John 8:57. Yes. 26:39 They said to Jesus, 'cause Jesus came 26:41 continually trying to reveal Himself to them, 26:43 and they couldn't get it that He's the Messiah, 26:45 they kept going back to their progenitors. 26:48 Right, absolutely. 26:50 Oh, I have to just say, 26:51 just let's look at verse 56 along with this, 26:53 so Christ makes the point here, 26:55 "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, 26:58 and he saw it and was glad." 27:00 And of course, the response in 57 27:02 and the Jews said to Him, 27:03 "You are not yet 50 years old, and have You seen Abraham?" 27:06 And then, of course, verse 58, 27:08 "Jesus said to them, 'Most assuredly, I say to you, 27:10 before Abraham was, I AM.'" 27:12 Right, He's showing, hey, you keep saying Abraham, 27:14 but the reality of it is, I have preceded him, 27:18 and I'm here after him. 27:19 Right. 27:20 I'm pre and post Abraham, only God can do that. 27:22 Absolutely. 27:24 So once again, he's breaking down 27:25 this preferential ideology 27:27 and Galatians 3:29, 27:31 because once again, 27:32 the Jews thought that since Abraham is, 27:35 since they're of the seed of Abraham, 27:36 then surely we have the right, 27:38 but look at what Paul says in Galatians 3:29. 27:41 Actually, I think verse 28 and 29. 27:43 Sure, absolutely. 27:44 Verse 28, 29, says, 27:45 "There is neither Jew nor Greek, 27:47 there is neither slave nor free, 27:49 there is neither male nor female, 27:51 for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 27:54 And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, 27:57 and heirs according to the promise." 27:59 Nothing could burn a Jews collar more than that. 28:02 Paul is saying, "If you're in Jesus, 28:05 you are heir of Abraham." 28:06 Absolutely. 28:07 You are gonna benefit from that seed, 28:09 and nothing could burn the Jews more. 28:11 That's why they resisted Him so much, 28:13 like in Antioch Chapter 30, 28:15 Antioch in the Book of Acts 13:40-46. 28:18 You read a story 28:20 when Paul and Barnabas was in Antioch preaching, 28:21 the Jews were excited 28:23 until the Gentiles came the next Sabbath 28:24 to hear the sermon. 28:26 And then they began to contradict 28:27 and blaspheme them 28:29 and turn the entire town against Paul and Barnabas. 28:31 So once again, the symbolism here 28:32 is preferential treatment that Jews believe they had 28:35 and the Lord is breaking it down 28:37 in this parable. 28:38 Absolutely, in fact, the irony of this 28:39 is if you go back to John Chapter 8, 28:41 just referencing it, 28:42 you read that particular chapter, 28:44 Christ is actually condemning, 28:46 and He's rebuking the Pharisees 28:48 because again, they're calling themselves 28:50 seeds and heirs of Abraham, but Christ says, look, 28:53 you know what, you can't really call yourself that 28:54 because you don't believe in Me, 28:56 you don't believe in My Word. 28:57 I give you My Word, you don't trust in it. 28:59 I tell you, who I am, you don't believe who I am, 29:01 and I think of, you know, 29:03 we're gonna get to this in just a little bit 29:05 and apply some emphasis to this. 29:06 But the fact that, you know, 29:08 those first five books of the Bible, 29:09 this is what they live by. 29:10 They live by that Torah, that Pentateuch, 29:12 the first five, Genesis, Exodus, 29:14 Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy 29:15 which again, Moses wrote, 29:17 and they were all about the writings of Moses, 29:19 they were all about the prophetic and the promises 29:22 that Moses had to give of the Messiah, 29:24 but when the Messiah showed up, 29:25 Jesus says, look, he spoke of me. 29:28 In those writings, Moses spoke of me, 29:30 but yet you do not believe. 29:32 Read John 5:39, 29:33 that's a very point you're making 29:34 because the Jews, and Jesus is standing, 29:37 now how obvious can it be. 29:40 Jesus is standing right there in the flesh 29:42 and the religious leaders are reading, 29:45 reading the prophets, 29:47 reading the Book of Moses to, 29:49 you know, as you just mentioned the first five books. 29:51 They're locked into the law and the Torah. 29:53 And look what Jesus said. 29:55 Jesus says in John 5:39, it says, 29:58 "You search the Scriptures, 30:00 for in them you think you have eternal life, 30:02 and these are they which testify of Me." 30:04 And notice, He didn't say, 30:06 for in them you have eternal life, 30:07 he says, in them you think you have eternal... 30:10 You think, He says, you think. 30:11 So we often read this chapter to get people to rear it. 30:14 We often recite this verse 30:15 to get people to study their Bibles. 30:17 Here's the point, when you study your Bible, 30:19 don't think that eternal life is in your Bible, 30:20 it's still in Jesus. 30:22 It's still in Christ. Absolutely. 30:23 That's what I was gonna say to them. 30:25 So let's go to the next part of the story. 30:26 Sure. 30:27 It's an amazing story, Jesus is having 30:29 and the hardest thing, 30:30 the hardest thing that He did, 30:31 and by the way, you know, the Daniel 9, 30:34 there was that 70-week prophecy. 30:35 Sure. 30:37 Jesus came in the first, 30:38 the last three and a half years to try to get to the first 30:40 go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 30:42 He even told His disciples, 30:44 first go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel 30:45 'cause they're still lost. 30:47 But they have three and a half years left 30:48 of that last one week, before I cut them off. 30:51 Absolutely. 30:52 So He is trying to break through to them. 30:54 And even the last evidence is when Stephen was stoned, 30:57 and then Paul said, 30:58 now the gospel's gonna to the Gentiles. 30:59 Absolutely. 31:01 But you find now, very next verse 31:02 where we are is, 31:03 and he's gonna talk about the conditions, 31:05 the conditions that are often 31:07 the fate of those who ignore the Lord. 31:08 And the conditions of those who embrace the Lord. 31:11 Verse 24 and 25 31:12 Verse 24 says, he... 31:14 I just want to pause this for a moment. 31:16 Just look at also the wording, the previous verse, verse 23. 31:18 And being in torments in Hades, we mentioned this earlier, 31:22 Hades obviously comes from Greek mythology. 31:24 So you can see this Greek Hellenistic mentality 31:27 that Christ is using to further communicate this. 31:30 He's not saying He believes in this, 31:31 He's not confirming that this is His mentality 31:33 or His theology, 31:34 but yet He's using this to communicate the story. 31:37 And then we have some context clues for that. 31:39 Notice verse... But he's using their language. 31:40 Absolutely. 31:42 So he's trying to say, does it sound like 31:43 if somebody comes from Australia and say, 31:46 The New York Knicks, your President, 31:49 the White House, Congress, 31:51 we're saying why are they talking that way? 31:52 They're trying to come, you Americans 31:54 and then all of a sudden, yeah, they're talking about us. 31:56 The Lord is using their language 31:57 to get a message to them. 31:59 Go ahead. Absolutely. 32:00 Verse 24 and onward, it says, "Then he cried and said, 32:04 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me 32:06 and send Lazarus 32:08 that he may dip the tip of his finger in water 32:12 and cool my tongue, 32:13 for I am tormented in this flame." 32:17 And I don't smirk in fact... You can't get past that. 32:18 Yeah, I don't smirk in the fact that he's in these flames, 32:22 just the symbolism, 32:23 the fact that someone could believe that 32:24 this is a literal story. 32:26 If this is a literal story, 32:27 then we have to apply every single line upon line, 32:29 precept on precept as a literal application 32:32 and I'm just thinking, 32:34 he really goes on to say and cool my tongue, 32:36 for I'm tormented in this flames. 32:37 Have you? 32:38 And I use this in my evangelistic series. 32:40 I tell people, imagine you're standing 32:42 in flaming fires, 32:44 will you first of all, it just amazes me 32:46 that this guy has the intelligence 32:49 and a coherent mind to be able to communicate these things. 32:50 Right. 32:52 Because, you know, that this is symbolic 32:53 because you go put yourself in flames 32:55 and try to hold 32:56 an intelligent conversation with someone, 32:58 it's just not gonna happen. 32:59 It's just, it's definitely not gonna happen. 33:01 But the fact that, you know, the irony of this, 33:03 that he would say, 33:04 "All I need is a drop to cool my tongue 33:06 and to help me from these torments." 33:08 We know that obviously, there's something parable. 33:11 And if you burn your hand in the sink, 33:12 which is turning on the hot water too quickly. 33:14 You're not gonna stand there... 33:15 But you please just dip a little, 33:17 you'd be screaming. 33:18 It's just not a coherent moment. 33:19 Absolutely. Verse 25. 33:21 Verse 25 continues. 33:22 Look at the connection once again, back to the Jews. 33:24 Back to Abraham "But Abraham said, 33:26 'Son, remember that in your lifetime 33:29 you received your good things, 33:30 and likewise Lazarus evil things, 33:33 but now he is comforted and you are tormented." 33:37 Showing how the story flips. 33:39 You thought you had the right but He's the one. 33:41 And that's why Jesus said when the Pharisees saw, 33:43 I'm sitting with the publicans, 33:44 the harlots, the tax collectors. 33:46 Jesus said, 33:47 they'll make the kingdom before you, 33:49 because they will continually seen as unworthy. 33:51 But they accepted Jesus, 33:53 they were in the company of Jesus. 33:54 And then Jesus said to them, 33:56 if you were sick, I could help you. 33:58 But since you don't need a physician, 34:00 I can't do anything for you. 34:01 Absolutely. 34:03 They wouldn't admit their sinful condition. 34:04 It's fair to state that Christ was a rebel. 34:06 He was not a rebel to the kingdom of God 34:09 and God's agenda. 34:10 He was a rebel to this manmade false system 34:13 that had been established and continued forward, 34:17 influenced by the Hellenistic in Greek 34:19 and Roman mythologies and philosophies of the day. 34:23 So Christ is now coming in 34:25 as a rebel against their agenda, 34:27 and He's saying, look, let me clear this like, 34:28 let me clear the air, let me set the record straight. 34:31 This is not how you think it is. 34:34 It's actually this way. 34:35 And so that's what we're seeing here. 34:36 This is just one example of that. 34:38 And I'm gonna continue verse 26. 34:39 Before we read verse 26, 34:41 you'll begin to see right away 34:43 when in death, in the judgment, 34:46 there will be no connection between the two sides. 34:48 Right, absolutely. 34:49 There will be no connection, 34:51 nobody is gonna be leaving there 34:52 and coming over here and nobody leaving... 34:53 There'll be no connection in the judgment. 34:56 When the 1,000 years is done 34:58 and just before the lake of fire, 35:00 which is described in this story, 35:01 there'll be no communication on both sides. 35:03 And it says that in verse 26, 35:05 "And besides all this, 35:06 between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, 35:10 so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, 35:14 nor can those from here pass to us." 35:17 In other words, we can't even connect. 35:19 And then the righteous, the Bible says in Hebrews, 35:21 it's appointed unto men once to die, 35:24 and after that the judgment, so there is no... 35:26 And you'll see clearly, 35:27 we're gonna wrap this in Scripture 35:29 right after these next few verses. 35:31 Then he said, another symbolistic language, 35:33 once again, going back to Abraham. 35:36 Then he said, I beg you, therefore Father 35:38 that you would send him to my father's house, 35:41 for I have how many brothers? 35:43 Five brothers. 35:45 List those books again, Genesis, Exodus... 35:47 Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. 35:50 The five books 35:51 that the Jews put their heaviest weight on. 35:52 That's right. 35:54 The Torah, the Pentateuch, the five books. 35:56 They put all their, 35:57 that's what John 5:39 was all about, 35:59 you're searching these books looking for eternal life. 36:02 So now they're saying, we have five brothers. 36:04 And notice what it says, that they may testify to them. 36:07 That's why the Lord says, 36:09 these are they which testify of me. 36:11 Those books testified of Jesus, 36:12 but you're ignoring him, He's right here. 36:14 He said, well, send somebody that they may testify, 36:18 that they may give a clearer message. 36:19 And then He says, 36:21 lest they also come to this place of torment. 36:23 Right. 36:25 And once again, this conversation with a man 36:26 that's dead, Abraham. 36:28 Abraham said to him, they have Moses and the what? 36:31 Prophets. 36:33 Look at Luke 24:27. 36:35 Now once again, he's clearly, this is the clear delineation, 36:40 a clear description of who He's talking about. 36:41 Yes. 36:43 They have Moses and the prophets, who? 36:45 The Amalekites, the Hittites, the Jebusites, the Amorites, 36:48 the Perizzites, the Hivites, 36:50 none of them had Moses and the prophets. 36:52 The Israelites had Moses and the prophets, Luke 24:27? 36:56 Luke 24:27 says, 36:58 "And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, 37:00 He expounded to them in all the Scriptures 37:03 the things concerning Himself." 37:04 That's right. It's powerful. 37:06 And this is the story in the Road to Emmaus. 37:07 That's right. 37:08 He's communicating to a disciple, 37:10 beginning at Moses and the prophets. 37:11 And then you'll find later on, 37:13 this Moses and the prophets seems to be their foundation 37:16 on which they based their eternal hope. 37:18 That's right. 37:19 He says, you can have all the books in the world. 37:21 Let me just put a pin right here. 37:23 Don't find... 37:25 Don't think your foundation is in learning. 37:28 Learning is important. 37:29 Teach them to observe all things I command you. 37:31 But our foundation of salvation is in Jesus. 37:33 Sure. 37:35 That's what the Lord is trying to communicate. 37:36 You're stuck in this ecclesiastical mindset 37:39 that you could teach yourself in. 37:41 That's why they called the disciples ignorant 37:43 and unlearned. 37:44 But what was the key, they were with Jesus. 37:46 Absolutely, and I just want to add to that the fact that, 37:49 you know, we know that, as you said earlier, 37:51 very clearly, and I agree 100%, 37:53 that the Word of God in and of itself 37:55 does not have that power other than Christ Himself. 37:58 He's the one that has the power. 37:59 But Christ did say, speaking of Himself, 38:01 He said, "I am the way the truth and the life." 38:04 And, of course, 38:05 when He was praying in John 17:17 38:10 when He was praying in the Garden of Gethsemane 38:11 before being arrested and taken on to put to trial. 38:14 He says, Thy word. 38:16 He says, sanctify them by Thy truth, 38:18 Thy Word is truth. 38:20 So the Word of God holds the power in as much 38:22 that it points us to the Savior. 38:25 And that's exactly what was happening here, 38:27 this particular man, though he was rich, 38:30 and though he was abundant in all of the delicacies 38:32 and the wonderful things in the world, 38:34 he had rejected the truth, 38:36 he had rejected the Word of God. 38:38 But Lazarus, though he was poor, 38:40 and he was a beggar, he did not, 38:41 he had a pure heart, and God found him worthy. 38:44 The Pharisees in the same way, they were rich. 38:47 Of course, we read, of course, earlier, 38:49 the fine linens and the things that they wore, 38:51 but they rejected the truth when it was brought to them. 38:53 And I just want to pull out here, 38:55 you had just read verses 27 38:57 and through 29, 39:00 where he says there at the end of verse 29, 39:02 they have Moses and the prophets, 39:04 let them hear them, 39:05 you know, to me right there the response 39:07 and I'm gonna speak again, 39:09 my good friend Dennis Priebe, he would say, 39:11 the only two words in the human language 39:12 we should learn is, "Yes, Lord." 39:14 Exactly. 39:16 His response should have been, Ah, I got it, okay, yes, Lord, 39:19 you know, and that's it. 39:20 But what was his response? 39:22 Notice verse 30 here. That's right. Read the two. 39:24 And he said, no, I just want to pause there, 39:27 even though he continues to say, Father, Abraham, 39:29 and he continues the sentence his response to, again, 39:32 what appears to be this divine figure symbolically, 39:36 no, that's not good enough for me. 39:39 And I just want to, you know, testify to the point 39:42 that this particular parable, 39:45 and many other truths in the Bible, 39:47 God's Word is so clear. God's Word is so plain. 39:49 God is not the author of confusion, 39:51 He does not want to confuse us, His word is harmonious. 39:54 He's not gonna say one thing over here, 39:55 and then turn around 39:57 and say another thing over here, 39:58 but yet many people in that fence 39:59 post that I described earlier, 40:01 they would rather go and manipulate, 40:03 and twist, and skew, 40:04 and pervert the two that seems to be off 40:07 and fit their own and create their own theology, 40:10 rather than going with the eight 40:11 that's in harmony with each other. 40:14 And they create their own theology, 40:16 and I cannot count and my heartbreaks, 40:17 cannot count the times I have, 40:19 I've witnessed to people 40:21 and they would have some type of skewed 40:24 or twisted misunderstanding of Scripture. 40:25 And I would go to them and say, 40:27 you know hey, look, the Bible says this, 40:28 you know, notice how clear and harmonious the scriptures 40:30 and the response is, "No, I don't believe that" 40:33 or no, they reject the truth. 40:35 And so very similarly, in the experience 40:37 of what this rich man is going through here, 40:39 he rejected the word that he wanted a dead man. 40:42 That's why in verse 30... 40:44 But before you go to the verse, notice what he asked instead, 40:47 he's asking for a miracle instead. 40:51 And so many people today 40:52 would rather a miracle than the Word of God. 40:56 That's right. 40:57 That's why the Bible says, 40:58 Many false christs and false prophets will rise 41:00 and will deceive many, 41:01 they'll show great signs and wonders." 41:03 Matthew 24. 41:04 "They'll show signs and wonders to deceive." 41:06 Right. 41:07 So don't look for miracles over God's Word. 41:09 If God's Word says it, thank you. 41:11 If God's word says it, 41:12 don't say, hey, well, do a miracle, 41:15 then I believe it. 41:16 And that's the problem with Christianity today. 41:17 They prefer miracles, give me two pills, 41:20 and call me in the morning. 41:21 Take two and call me in the morning 41:22 rather than let God's word speak. 41:24 And by the way, Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 2:13, 41:29 "The Word of God effectively works 41:31 in those who believe." 41:32 So if the Word of God is in you, 41:34 and you believe it, if you let the Word of God in, 41:36 it'll work in you. 41:37 Amen. But you gotta believe it. 41:39 Don't put miracles above the Word of God. 41:40 And verse 31, let's transition... 41:42 Yeah, let's continue on to verse 30 here, 41:44 he says, "And he said to him, 'No, Father Abraham, 41:47 but if one goes to them from the dead," 41:50 and I want you to notice the wording here, okay, 41:52 "if one goes to them from the dead, 41:56 they will repent." 41:57 But then notice verse 31, 41:59 but he said to him speaking of... 42:01 This is Abraham's response. 42:03 But he said to him, 42:04 "If they do not hear Moses and the prophets," 42:06 in other words, if they will not accept 42:08 the plain truth of God's Word as it is. 42:09 That's right. 42:10 Neither will they be persuaded though one, 42:13 notice the word here, rise from the dead, 42:16 there's a different... 42:17 Christ is actually communicating in this parable, 42:20 the differentiation between the belief 42:22 that the Pharisees had and the belief that He had. 42:24 In other words, the Pharisees believed 42:26 in the immortality of the soul. 42:27 And the fact that 42:28 the dead people could come from the dead 42:30 as a dead person, 42:32 as a spirit, as a ghost 42:34 and speak and communicate to the people, 42:35 but notice the opposition that Christ communicates here 42:39 that the truth is, He said, 42:41 neither what they believe will be persuaded though one, 42:44 here's the word, rise from the dead. 42:45 Christ believed in the resurrection of the dead 42:49 rather than someone coming as or from the dead. 42:51 Exactly, those go to them from the dead, see. 42:54 Right. 42:55 You're dead, you're not going anywhere, 42:57 so on this particular note, 42:58 you clearly see they believe in one thing, 42:59 that's why reiterate right here. 43:01 That's why Jesus stayed away for four days 43:04 because they were waiting for someone 43:05 to come from the dead. 43:07 And then that's also the belief 43:08 that's why they guarded the tomb. 43:10 When Jesus died, 43:12 they didn't want Him to come from the dead. 43:13 But He didn't come from the dead, 43:15 He is the resurrection and the life, 43:17 there's a difference all together. 43:19 People when... 43:20 So let's hit, we have about 10 minutes left. 43:22 Sure, sure. 43:23 Let's go ahead and hit this right on the head. 43:24 Let's start with some sound Bible verses. 43:27 Let's first start with John 5:28 and 29. 43:30 What does the Bible say about what happens when you die? 43:32 And this is important. 43:34 Once again, we're gonna wrap this parable. 43:35 This was a parable that Jesus was communicating 43:39 to the leaders of the Jewish nation, 43:41 the scribes the Pharisees, the Sadducees, 43:44 because of the distorted belief they had, 43:45 He was saying, brethren, 43:47 don't think yourself better than other people. 43:49 Because those that you ignore 43:50 will make the kingdom before you 43:52 and all the advantages you had, all the word I gave you, 43:55 all the years that I've taught you, 43:56 all the clothing you wear 43:58 will not give you preferential treatment 44:00 over those that you ignore. 44:01 That's right. 44:02 Take care of the needs, 44:04 the Samaritans that they ignored 44:05 were licking the sores of the beggar. 44:07 He said, those people that you think are outcast, 44:09 they're taking care of the community's needs. 44:11 Absolutely. 44:12 They are feeding the hungry, and clothing the naked, 44:14 and taking stuff to the poor. 44:15 You're not doing anything 44:16 and you think you're gonna make the kingdom. 44:18 That's why Matthew 25 says, 44:19 when you do it to the least of these, 44:21 you've done for Me, that's the measure 44:23 and not necessarily what you have. 44:24 Absolutely. 44:25 John 5:28 and 29, 44:28 Jesus says, "Do not marvel at this, 44:30 for the hour is coming 44:31 in which all who are in the graves 44:33 will hear His voice." 44:35 And come forth that rise factor 44:37 that Christ is talking about in the parable, 44:39 though, notice this, 44:41 "Those who have done good to the resurrection of life, 44:43 and those who have done evil 44:45 to the resurrection of condemnation." 44:47 That's right. And the other thing that... 44:49 So you see the two resurrections, 44:51 the resurrection of life, 44:52 the resurrection of condemnation. 44:54 So those are the resurrections that are coming in the future. 44:57 This is not something that happens when you die. 44:58 Absolutely. Look at another thing. 45:00 And by the way, the symbolism and the story was about fire. 45:03 Let's see what the Bible says about fire. 45:04 What happens to the wicked when they die, 45:06 and when will there be fire? 45:07 Sure. 45:09 When will those who are gonna be destroyed in the fire? 45:11 When is it gonna happen? 45:12 Look at Matthew 13:40-42. 45:15 Yes, I was hoping you were gonna go there. 45:17 This is the parable of the wheat and the tares. 45:19 That's right. 45:20 And what verse did you say again? 45:22 Verse 40-42. 45:23 So 40-42, this is speaking 45:25 of the explanation of the tares. 45:26 That's right. 45:27 And Christ says beginning in verse 40, 45:29 "Therefore, as the tares are gathered, 45:30 and burned in the fire, 45:31 so it will be at the," notice, "end of this." 45:34 And the New King James Version says, 45:36 end of this age, 45:37 only the King James Version uses the same thing 45:39 at the end of this world. 45:40 That's right. 45:42 And so when is the end of this world, 45:43 that would be the question. 45:45 But he goes on to say in verse 41. 45:46 "The Son of Man will send out His angels, 45:47 and they will gather out all of His kingdom 45:50 and all that offended, 45:51 and those who practice lawlessness, 45:53 and will cast them into the furnace of fire. 45:56 There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth." 45:58 And there was wailing 45:59 and gnashing of teeth of the man 46:01 who was in torment in the parable. 46:02 And so when would this happen? 46:04 Christ doesn't say it once. 46:05 He says it again, also, in verse 49, 46:08 notice what Jesus says again in verse 49, 46:10 "So it will be at the end of the world." 46:13 So when will the wicked be the judged? 46:16 When will the righteous be brought forth 46:18 from the graves? 46:19 It's at the end of this world at the second coming of Jesus. 46:21 That's right. 46:22 And they're not gonna be in there saying, I'm thirsty, 46:25 could you give me some water? 46:27 It's really hot over here. 46:28 That's not gonna be the case, 46:29 because they will not exist continually. 46:31 And also, there's something else 46:33 that people insert in this. 46:34 Years ago, I got a pamphlet, 46:35 I still have this book from a pastor, 46:37 I won't say the denomination. 46:38 But he said, well, he start to presuppose 46:40 and this is called eisegesis, adding what's not there. 46:43 Exegesis is expounding on what is there. 46:46 Eisegesis is adding what's not there. 46:48 He said, "Well, this story was about the souls 46:52 of each of those." 46:54 Not once did you find the word soul in the story at all. 46:56 That's right, absolutely. 46:57 Because how can a soul be tormented 46:59 when it has no dimensions. 47:01 Absolutely. 47:02 This is bodily torment of the man as we speak, 47:03 this is bodily discomfort 47:05 that's talked about in the story. 47:06 So let's see what happens? What actually happens? 47:08 Malachi Chapter 4. Yes. 47:10 This is the most rapid fire story 47:11 you've ever had in the short program. 47:13 Absolutely. 47:14 Malachi 4:1 and 3, 47:16 look what the Bible says about the fate of the wicked. 47:18 "For behold, the day is coming" 47:19 Malachi 4:1, "burning like an oven, 47:22 and all the proud, yes, 47:25 all who do wickedly will be stubble. 47:28 And the day which is coming," not at the end of the death, 47:31 "shall burn them up, says the Lord 47:34 that will leave them neither root nor branch," 47:35 in verse 3. 47:37 What about the wicked? Yes. 47:38 "You shall trample the wicked, 47:40 for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet 47:43 on the day that I do this, 47:44 says the Lord of hosts." 47:45 And, Ryan, I want you to go to Psalm 37. 47:48 Go to Psalm 37 47:50 Psalm 37. Verse 18-20. 47:51 Because here's another thing showing you 47:53 that the wicked are not gonna be hanging around. 47:55 They're not gonna be hanging around 47:56 throughout eternity. 47:57 There's not gonna be some eternally burning hell, 47:59 because the Bible made it very clear. 48:01 They're gonna be ashes under the soles of our feet. 48:03 They're gonna be burned up 48:04 but look what David the Psalmist says, 48:06 Psalm 37:18-20. Sure. 48:08 So 18-20 says, "The Lord knows the days of the upright: 48:12 and their inheritance shall be forever." 48:14 The upright forever. Right, right. 48:16 Okay, verse 19, 48:18 "They shall not be ashamed in the evil time, 48:21 and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied." 48:24 And then notice verse 20, 48:26 the wicked says, "But the wicked shall," 48:28 notice the word perish... 48:30 That's right. 48:31 "And the enemies of the Lord, 48:33 like the splendor of the meadows, shall vanish. 48:35 into smoke they shall vanish away." 48:37 That's right. 48:38 So this end result of the wicked is into smoke. 48:41 Right. Malachi says ashes. 48:44 Look at verse 10, read Psalm 37:10. 48:47 "For yet a little while 48:48 and the wicked shall be no more, 48:50 indeed, you will look carefully for his place, 48:53 but it shall be no more." 48:56 In fact, I'm thinking of another text also 48:58 exactly what they just said 48:59 that the wicked shall be no more. 49:01 I'm thinking of Obadiah 1:15-16, it says, 49:04 "For the day of the Lord is near upon all the heathen 49:07 and they shall be as though they had not been." 49:11 That's right. And so... 49:13 To perish, what does that mean? 49:14 I was also thinking of John 3:16. 49:16 The most beautiful passage. 49:18 Let's read it together. 49:20 "For God so loved the world 49:21 that He gave His only begotten Son, 49:23 that whoever believeth in Him should not perish 49:27 but have everlasting life." 49:29 So the wicked don't have everlasting life. 49:31 So the wicked, 49:33 if you don't have everlasting life, 49:34 you can't be burning everlasting. 49:36 Absolutely 49:37 There's no everlasting burning 49:39 to those who don't have everlasting life. 49:40 The righteous receive everlasting life. 49:42 What do the wicked? 49:44 They perish. Sure. 49:45 Into smoke shall they vanish away, 49:48 they shall perish, 49:49 they shall be as though they will be no more. 49:51 Psalm 37:10 and so another one, 49:54 Revelation 21:8. 49:56 I'll hit this very quickly. 49:57 "But the cowardly, unbelievable, abominable, 50:01 murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, 50:04 and all liars shall have their part in the lake 50:07 which burns with fire and brimstone, 50:09 which is the second death." 50:11 Right, absolutely. 50:12 That's that eternal death. 50:13 And in very simple passage, Romans 6:23, for the... 50:18 Wages of sin is death. 50:19 But... 50:21 But the gift of God 50:22 is eternal life in Christ Jesus, our Lord. 50:24 Okay, there are the two comparisons, 50:26 the wages of sin is death. 50:27 Right. 50:29 The gift of God is eternal life. 50:30 Amen. 50:31 The wicked don't receive eternal life, 50:33 they receive death. 50:34 And what's death... The second death. 50:37 The second death is being banished, 50:40 being destroyed in the lake of fire. 50:41 And you look for them and they'll be no more. 50:44 That's why Jesus said in the parable... 50:46 Matter of fact, in the Beatitudes, 50:47 the meek shall inherit the earth. 50:49 Right, absolutely. 50:50 You know, we have a couple of minutes here. 50:52 I know we're getting close to the end of this time. 50:53 But I just got to say this, 50:54 in pertaining to this particular topic. 50:57 This is one of those topics 50:58 that many people really struggle with, 51:01 because of what has been programmed into their mind 51:03 over the years. 51:05 They feel like there's a sense of vengeance, 51:06 there's a sense of justice, 51:08 in knowing that again, God, not the devil, 51:10 but God is now in charge of hell, 51:13 as the Bible does say, God, not the devil is in charge, 51:15 but God is in charge, but that God would, 51:17 you know, pour out all of His wrath 51:19 for all eternity upon these people. 51:22 And I find that to be inconsistent 51:25 with the fact that 1 John 4:8 says, God is love. 51:29 Thank you. And He is so loving. 51:31 I'll tell you this, this is the truth. 51:32 You know, we've already established 51:34 that the wicked will not burn forever 51:36 in the verses that we just read. 51:38 But really quickly, you know, 1 Peter, excuse me, 51:40 2 Peter 2:9 tells us this, 51:43 "The Lord knows how to deliver the godly 51:45 out of temptations." 51:46 "And to," notice, "reserve the unjust unto the," 51:50 notice this, 51:52 "the day of judgment to be punished." 51:54 That's right. 51:56 There's a single day at the end of time. 51:58 That's right. 51:59 And I just want to bring out the fact that God is love. 52:01 He will bring in into sin, 52:03 but He takes it and He does it in a single day, 52:06 not for all eternity. 52:07 And lastly and not leastly, 52:10 Satan himself will be devoured, 52:12 Ezekiel 28:18 and 19. 52:14 "The Lord will devour him by bringing a fire forth 52:17 from the midst of him, and he shall be," 52:20 the Bible says in Ezekiel 28:19, 52:23 "And shall be no more forever." 52:25 Amen. 52:26 If the devil is not gonna exist anymore, 52:28 why would those who were wicked exist 52:30 in eternal flames? 52:32 Friends, we try to make it clear. 52:33 We're gonna take a short break 52:35 and we'll be back after this news break 52:37 for a few closing thoughts, 52:40 so don't go away. |
Revised 2019-04-30