seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Luke 16:19 “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20 At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21 and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.
22 “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24 So he called to him, ‘Father 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.’
25 “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’
27 “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, 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.’”
Yesterday, while I was writing about the preachers who change the gospels, so they don't upset the rich. I was thinking, maybe God wasn't happy that Jesus had to go to earth to fix the issue with death that Adam and Eve caused. Maybe Jesus offered over and over and over again, but God wouldn't let Him. Until Jesus just did it, until He did come to earth, on His own. You know a kid can get missing in the wink of an eye. I was thinking, no..... I was always taught God wanted Jesus to come to earth. God had it in His plan. But this morning.... I read verse 31. See it there?
"‘they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”
I bet God told Jesus that same statement over and over and over again.See, Jesus didn't come here to save everyone. Not everyone will see Heaven. Some of the people who bother to read my posts, just read them, yell at me through the computer screen and go on about their way, peeved that my rantings took up so much time and energy.
After all, I'm always bashing the rich and the corrupt in the church. To them Jesus is really only the martyr in a book. To them, church is the place to be seen, and a good place to practice sleeping with the eyes open.
Now... check out verse 26. See it there? Do you see the word "want".
There is a great chasm [verse 26] between the rich guy in hell, and Lazarus. It's there to separate them so Lazarus, or some other kind soul, won't make life in hell a little easier. Lasarus would have wanted to make life easier for someone else, after all, that's why he laid at the rich man's gate, so someone would see him and make an effort to make his life a little easier. Lazarus understood suffering and pain.
Lazarus would have probably taken the rich guys place in Hades. After all, he was used to a wretched life, the rich man, not so much.
The preacher I first heard this scripture from, said the rich guy was so parched, he would have settled for some spit from Lazarus' tongue. Now let me ask you, what would happen if a beggar walked up to a rich man, put his finger in his mouth, gathered up a good amount of saliva and offered it to the rich man? The preacher said, "in Hades, that would be life changing". It would be life changing here too.... it would get a body locked up!!! right?
These are the verses that inspired the statement....
"People in hell want ice water!"
I wonder, is that what was behind the song "you can't always get what you want"?.There is one thing I think there will be plenty of in Hades.... "wants".
