If a man dies
shall he live again?
00:00:01.23\00:00:04.60
What does it mean to
be absent from the body
00:00:07.37\00:00:10.04
and present with the Lord?
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Did Jesus go with a thief
to Paradise on Good Friday?
00:00:13.78\00:00:18.10
Did the souls of
dead people really cry out
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from below the altar?
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Pastor Bohr answers
these questions and more
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in the amazing series,
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Shall we bow our
heads for prayer?
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Father in Heaven, once
again we're thankful for the
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privilege of being here.
00:00:43.22\00:00:44.39
And as we open Your Holy
Word, we ask for the guidance
00:00:44.42\00:00:47.85
of Your Holy Spirit.
00:00:47.88\00:00:48.91
We realize that in these last
days there is much mishandling
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of Your Holy Word.
00:00:54.54\00:00:55.57
We just ask that You will
help us to handle Your Word
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with reverence recognizing
that it's holy from a Holy God.
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We thank you, Father, for the
privilege of opening its pages.
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And we thank You
for hearing our prayer,
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for we ask it in the
precious name of Jesus. Amen.
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In our study today we're going
to discuss a parable of Jesus
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known as the parable of
the rich man and Lazarus.
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And I'd like to begin by reading
this parable so that we have a
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clear picture of what
the parable is all about.
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I'm reading from Luke 16:19-31,
and I'm not going to make any
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remarks, I just want you to have
the parable clear in your mind.
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And then we will make some
remarks about several aspects
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of the parable. It says there:
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This is the famous parable
of the rich man and Lazarus.
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Now some people question whether
this was really a parable.
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And really, there's no reason
to question whether it was
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a parable or not,
because this formula,
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there was a certain
man, was used repeatedly
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in the gospel of Luke
to describe a parable.
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Let me just read you one
example, other than this one,
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from Luke 16. Let's turn
in our Bibles to Luke 15:11.
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This is very similar in its
introductory formula. It says:
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Clearly this is a parable, and
it's introduced in the same way,
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as the parable of
the rich man and Lazarus,
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with the formula,
there was a certain rich man.
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So there's no doubt that
the story of the rich man and
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Lazarus is a parable.
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It is not an actual story
that took place in real life.
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Now many times Jesus would
take the parables that existed
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in His day, and He would turn
them upside down and give them
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a strange twist. This parable
of the rich man and Lazarus
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was not invented by Jesus.
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It was actually a well-known
story that was used by the
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Rabbis. But for the Rabbi's
the poor man Lazarus was the one
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who would end up
burning in the fires of hell,
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whereas the rich man, who
had enjoyed the blessings of God
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in this life, would
end up in Abraham's bosom.
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Jesus simply took their common
story; he turned it upside down
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and He gave it
an unexpected twist.
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Now it's important to realize
that this parable was actually
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told because of the Pharisees.
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Jesus was actually speaking to
the Pharisees in this parable.
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Notice Luke 16:14. Immediately
before the parable we find
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this statement
about the audience
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that Jesus was speaking to.
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It says there: Now the
Pharisees, who were lovers of
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money, also heard these
things, and they derided him.
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So the special audience
that Jesus is speaking to
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is the Pharisees. Incidentally,
this parable is found
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in the gospel of Luke.
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And according to the scholars
Luke was written especially
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to those of Greek mentality.
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It was written to the Greeks,
and therefore the anthropology
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of this parable fits
very well with the Greek idea
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of an immortal soul that flies
off at the moment of death.
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Jesus is taking a story
that is used in His day and age.
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He's not saying that the story
is true, He's simply speaking to
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these people in a language
that they can understand.
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Now I need to say a few
things about the Pharisees.
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Flavius Josephus, who
was himself a Pharisee,
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, told us very
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clearly what the beliefs of
the Pharisees were regarding
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the nature of man. I read
from the book, Wars of the Jews,
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this following
statement from Josephus:
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In other words, the
Sadducees did not believe in the
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immortality of the soul.
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They did not
believe in the afterlife.
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The Pharisees believed that
all souls are incorruptible.
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They believed in the
immortality of the soul.
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By the way, the
Bible corroborates the view
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that Josephus is expressing.
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In Acts 23:8, Acts
23:8, the Apostle Paul says,
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So in other words, if Jesus
had told this parable to the
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Sadducees, it wouldn't
have made any sense to them.
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Jesus is using the frame
of reference of the Pharisees
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to get a great truth across.
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He's using the belief system
that they have to teach a great
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truth, which we're going
to notice in a little while.
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Now Ellen White is in harmony
with both the book of Acts
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and Josephus on the issue
of whom Jesus was addressing
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in this parable. In the
book, Christ's Object Lessons,
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page 263, we
find this statement:
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In other words, He took
their preconceived ideas,
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and He framed this parable to
teach them a great truth within
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their frame of thinking.
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Incidentally, even the disciples
of Jesus had assimilated this
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false view that there were
ghosts, or spirits of the dead,
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hovering over the earth.
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Notice, for example, Mark 6:49.
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This is when Jesus is walking
on the sea, and the disciples
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were frightened. And I
want you to notice why they were
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frightened. It
says there in Mark 6:49,
00:10:13.34\00:10:16.69
So even the disciples of
Jesus had assimilated this idea
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that the soul of man is
immortal, leaves the body
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at the moment of death, and
can come back as a disincarnated
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spirit, or as a ghost.
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Now it's interesting to notice
the description that Josephus
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gives about what happened,
according to the Pharisees,
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when a person died. And I'm
going to read as it is described
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by a scholar, the belief system
of the Pharisees about what
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happened immediately
at the moment of death.
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By the way, this is in Josephus'
work, Discourse to the Greeks
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Concerning Hades.
Here is the description:
00:11:04.92\00:11:08.02
In this work Josephus explains
that Hades was a subterraneous
00:11:08.06\00:11:16.18
region which has
two compartments.
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One compartment, or region,
contained a lake of unquenchable
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everlasting fire. And the other
was called the bosom of Abraham.
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So you have this idea
of a subterraneous region.
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It's divided into two parts: the
bosom of Abraham, (by the way,
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it's on the right side), and the
other side is a lake of burning
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everlasting fire. This scholar
continues saying, According to
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this view, when the
wicked and the righteous died,
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they were taken down a
descent where there was a gate
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guarded by an archangel,
accompanied by a host of angels.
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At the gate the wicked
were taken by the angels to the
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compartment which was
located on the left side.
00:12:06.83\00:12:10.89
There was the lake of
unquenchable fire where they
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were to suffer
everlasting punishment.
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The righteous, on the other
hand, were guided by the angels
00:12:18.19\00:12:22.90
to the compartment on the right
side, where the bosom of Abraham
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was located. Between these two
regions there was a great gulf
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which did not allow the
righteous to pass to the region
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of the wicked, or the wicked
to the region of the righteous.
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Now is it obvious that Jesus is
picking up on this idea that is
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being expressed by
Josephus in his work,
00:12:46.99\00:12:49.75
Discourse to the
Greeks concerning Hades?
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Obviously, yes. Jesus does
not believe in this concept.
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Jesus is simply speaking within
their own frame of reference.
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Now I want you to remember the
details of what Josephus says
00:13:01.86\00:13:06.20
happens to the dead when
they die, because we're going to
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come back to this in the
light of what the New Testament
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teaches about what
occurs to man when man dies.
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Now the question is, does
the Bible really speak about two
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regions where the dead are
retained; one eternally burning
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in the lake of fire, and the
other in the bosom of Abraham?
00:13:28.36\00:13:33.10
The fact is, the Bible does
not have anything even close to
00:13:33.14\00:13:37.80
this idea. The Bible is very
clear that when a person dies,
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they go to the grave.
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Let's notice what Jesus said.
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John 5:28, 29, John 5:28, 29.
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Here Jesus says this:
00:13:54.87\00:13:56.51
By the way, if they're
in the bosom of Abraham,
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or they're in the everlasting
fire at the moment of death,
00:14:09.20\00:14:12.89
why would Jesus call them
from their graves? Verse 29:
00:14:12.92\00:14:16.58
Now we need to ask the question,
according to the New Testament,
00:14:26.98\00:14:31.03
when are the
wicked cast into the fire?
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Are they cast into the
fire at the moment of death,
00:14:35.26\00:14:39.02
or are they cast into the
fire at the end of the age?
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The fact is that with
this one possible exception,
00:14:43.35\00:14:47.04
the story of the rich man
and Lazarus, this parable,
00:14:47.07\00:14:50.69
all of the other references in
the New Testament state clearly
00:14:50.73\00:14:55.28
that the wicked are cast into
the fire at the end of the age,
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never at the moment of death.
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Lets notice a few examples.
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Matthew
13:40-43, Matthew 13:40-43.
00:15:04.07\00:15:12.06
This is a famous parable
of the wheat and the tares.
00:15:12.10\00:15:15.72
By the way, they
represent the wicked.
00:15:18.89\00:15:20.42
Now remember what Josephus said.
00:15:33.51\00:15:35.68
When are the wicked
gathered by the angels?
00:15:40.26\00:15:42.63
Josephus says at the
moment of what? of death.
00:15:42.67\00:15:45.01
What does the Bible teach?
00:15:45.04\00:15:46.66
It's at the moment
of the end of the world,
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or the end of the age.
00:15:49.47\00:15:51.14
And so it says here,
00:15:51.17\00:15:52.80
Let me ask you, was the
rich man wailing and gnashing
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his teeth as he was
in the fires? Yes he was.
00:16:12.62\00:16:15.37
The parable seems to indicate
that it was at the moment of
00:16:15.40\00:16:18.71
death. But the rest of the New
Testament teaches very clearly
00:16:18.74\00:16:22.01
that the wailing and
gnashing of teeth is future,
00:16:22.04\00:16:25.93
at the end of the age.
00:16:25.97\00:16:27.28
And then notice the last verse.
00:16:27.31\00:16:29.32
When is it that the righteous
are going to be in the kingdom
00:16:35.98\00:16:38.86
of the Father? At
the end of the world.
00:16:38.89\00:16:41.05
When are the
wicked cast into the fire?
00:16:41.08\00:16:43.21
At the end of the world.
00:16:43.24\00:16:44.75
So it does not happen
at the moment of death.
00:16:44.78\00:16:47.83
Notice also Matthew 25:31-34,
and then we'll also read
00:16:47.87\00:16:54.08
verse 41 and verse 46.
00:16:54.11\00:16:56.43
Matthew 25:31. Do you
remember that Josephus says
00:16:56.46\00:17:01.95
that the angels would actually
take the wicked, and they would
00:17:01.98\00:17:06.03
throw them down the left
side into the everlasting fire;
00:17:06.07\00:17:09.59
and they would take the
righteous, at that point,
00:17:09.63\00:17:12.26
and they would place
them in the bosom of Abraham?
00:17:12.30\00:17:14.87
Well, the question is, when
is it that the righteous are
00:17:14.90\00:17:18.24
going to be
placed at the right hand?
00:17:18.27\00:17:19.90
And when is it that the wicked
are going to be placed at the
00:17:19.94\00:17:22.32
left hand? And whose
right hand, and whose left hand?
00:17:22.36\00:17:25.27
Notice Matthew 25:31:
00:17:25.30\00:17:29.06
By the way, when is that?
00:17:31.56\00:17:32.73
Is that at the moment
of death? Of course not.
00:17:32.77\00:17:36.65
That's the
coming of Jesus, right?
00:17:41.09\00:17:43.59
When will they be separated?
00:17:52.85\00:17:54.27
Is it at the moment of
death that they go either to the
00:17:54.30\00:17:56.57
bosom of Abraham, or
to the everlasting fire?
00:17:56.60\00:17:58.88
Absolutely not. It's when He
sits on the throne of His glory.
00:17:58.92\00:18:02.70
He will separate them one from
another, as a shepherd divides
00:18:02.73\00:18:06.48
his sheep from the goats.
00:18:06.52\00:18:08.32
When is it that the righteous
are placed on the right hand,
00:18:15.15\00:18:18.11
and the wicked on the left?
00:18:18.15\00:18:19.28
It's when Jesus
comes in His Kingdom.
00:18:19.31\00:18:22.02
Then let's jump
down to verse 41.
00:18:31.88\00:18:34.12
By the way, later on in this
series we're going to deal with
00:18:52.34\00:18:55.55
the issue of
everlasting punishment
00:18:55.59\00:18:57.60
and everlasting fire.
00:18:57.64\00:18:59.07
So put a hold on that.
00:18:59.11\00:19:00.47
The point that I want us to
notice now is that the wicked
00:19:00.51\00:19:04.04
are cast into the fire,
not at the moment of death,
00:19:04.07\00:19:07.69
but at the moment in which Jesus
Christ comes in His Kingdom
00:19:07.72\00:19:13.76
at the end of the age.
00:19:13.80\00:19:15.21
That's when He places the
righteous on His right side,
00:19:15.24\00:19:18.47
and the wicked on His left side.
00:19:18.50\00:19:20.58
Notice also Revelation 21:8
on when the wicked are cast into
00:19:20.61\00:19:25.24
the fire.
Revelation 21:8. It says here:
00:19:25.27\00:19:30.69
When is it that the
wicked are cast into the fire?
00:19:53.35\00:19:55.87
At the moment of their first
death, or at the moment of their
00:19:55.90\00:19:59.05
second death? It's second death.
00:19:59.08\00:20:01.92
And second death always takes
place after the millennium,
00:20:01.96\00:20:05.74
after the thousand
years of Revelation 20.
00:20:05.77\00:20:08.65
So if they're cast into the lake
of fire, and this is the second
00:20:08.69\00:20:12.16
death, after the millennium,
it means that they were not cast
00:20:12.19\00:20:15.63
into the fire at the
moment of their death.
00:20:15.67\00:20:18.99
Also Revelation 20:11-15, we're
not going to read this passage,
00:20:19.02\00:20:24.56
by the way, but I'm
just going to refer to it.
00:20:24.60\00:20:26.62
Revelation 20:11-15 tells us
that all of the nations will be
00:20:26.65\00:20:30.82
gathered before the throne of
Jesus Christ, and at that time
00:20:30.86\00:20:35.00
Jesus Christ is going to open
the books, and He's going to
00:20:35.03\00:20:39.06
show the wicked why they
are outside the Holy City;
00:20:39.09\00:20:42.59
why they are lost.
00:20:42.62\00:20:44.90
In other words, there's going
to be a judgment of the wicked
00:20:44.93\00:20:47.80
who are outside the Holy City.
00:20:47.83\00:20:49.42
And then we're told, at the
end of that passage in verses 14
00:20:49.45\00:20:53.34
and 15, that after the wicked
have been judged they see why
00:20:53.37\00:20:56.99
they were left
outside the Holy City.
00:20:57.02\00:20:58.64
Then they are taken and
cast into the lake of fire.
00:20:58.67\00:21:02.06
Listen folks, those individuals
who's say that a person goes
00:21:02.09\00:21:05.68
to hell when they die, what
they're doing is they're saying
00:21:05.71\00:21:09.48
that they're going to hell
without having a fair judgment
00:21:09.51\00:21:14.25
to show that they
deserved to go to the fire.
00:21:14.28\00:21:17.80
God will not condemn the wicked
to the fire until He has given
00:21:17.83\00:21:21.72
them due process; until He
has given them a fair trial.
00:21:21.75\00:21:26.11
Now let's go to another issue.
00:21:26.14\00:21:28.74
When is it, according to the
Bible, that the righteous will
00:21:28.77\00:21:32.54
be gathered together?
00:21:32.57\00:21:34.34
Josephus said, well, the
righteous will be gathered
00:21:34.37\00:21:37.68
at the moment of death by the
angels to the bosom of Abraham.
00:21:37.71\00:21:42.08
But according to the
Bible when do the angels gather
00:21:42.11\00:21:46.05
the righteous, and to whom
do they gather the righteous?
00:21:46.08\00:21:49.12
Matthew 24 and
let's notice verse 31.
00:21:49.15\00:21:53.22
It says here,
speaking about Jesus:
00:21:53.26\00:21:57.30
By the way, what event
is being described there?
00:22:02.27\00:22:04.95
The second coming of Jesus. Yes.
00:22:04.99\00:22:07.70
What? When is it
that the angels gather?
00:22:13.10\00:22:16.27
Not at the moment of death.
00:22:16.30\00:22:18.91
They gather people at
the second coming. It says:
00:22:18.94\00:22:22.10
And, by the way, who are
the righteous gathered to?
00:22:35.78\00:22:39.05
They are not gathered
to the bosom of Abraham.
00:22:39.08\00:22:42.29
They are
gathered to Jesus Christ.
00:22:42.33\00:22:45.72
We're told in 1 Thessalonians
4 that we'll be caught up in the
00:22:45.76\00:22:50.19
clouds to meet
the Lord in the air.
00:22:50.23\00:22:52.71
Jesus said, In my Father's
house are many mansions,
00:22:52.74\00:22:56.01
and then He says, I
will gather you unto Myself,
00:22:56.05\00:22:59.24
so there's no such idea as the
angels, at the moment of death,
00:22:59.28\00:23:02.66
gathering the righteous
to the bosom of Abraham.
00:23:02.70\00:23:05.62
The New Testament teaches
that the angels will gather
00:23:05.65\00:23:08.59
the elect, will
gather the righteous,
00:23:08.62\00:23:10.59
but they will gather
them to Jesus Christ,
00:23:10.62\00:23:13.19
not at the moment of death,
but at the end of the age.
00:23:13.22\00:23:16.49
Furthermore we noticed in our
last study that God forbade the
00:23:16.52\00:23:21.06
idea of trying to communicate
with what? with the dead.
00:23:21.09\00:23:25.99
Have you noticed in this parable
that, actually, dead people are
00:23:26.02\00:23:30.83
talking to each other?
00:23:30.87\00:23:32.07
Notice Leviticus
20:27, Leviticus 20:27.
00:23:32.10\00:23:38.09
Even Abraham, in this parable,
is talking to the rich man.
00:23:38.13\00:23:42.93
Would God allow Abraham
to violate the idea of not
00:23:42.96\00:23:47.72
communicating, the dead not
communicating with other dead
00:23:47.75\00:23:52.24
people, or with living people?
00:23:52.27\00:23:53.74
Of course not!
Notice Leviticus 20:27.
00:23:53.78\00:23:57.20
Another interesting detail about
this parable is that the rich
00:24:09.73\00:24:15.61
man is in the fires of
hell with all of his body parts.
00:24:15.65\00:24:20.82
Now I want you to
notice Genesis 3:19.
00:24:20.85\00:24:25.50
What happens to the
body when a person dies?
00:24:25.54\00:24:28.23
You know, as a
minister, I've done dozens,
00:24:28.27\00:24:30.89
and dozens of funerals,
and I can certify one thing,
00:24:30.93\00:24:34.27
and that is that the person
who dies, their body is in the
00:24:34.31\00:24:38.85
casket, and their
body goes into the ground.
00:24:38.89\00:24:42.48
I can see it! So the body
does not go anywhere except
00:24:42.52\00:24:46.87
into the casket,
and into the ground.
00:24:46.91\00:24:48.94
Keep that in mind.
Now notice Genesis 3:19.
00:24:48.97\00:24:51.75
God said what was going
to happen as a result of sin.
00:24:51.79\00:24:54.82
God says to Adam:
00:24:54.86\00:24:56.36
Now let me ask you, did Lazarus
die, and was he buried? Yes.
00:25:10.16\00:25:15.81
Did the rich man die, and
was he also buried? Absolutely.
00:25:15.84\00:25:21.46
Notice Luke 16:22,
Luke 16:22. It says:
00:25:21.49\00:25:27.99
So the question is, where would
the body of the rich man be
00:25:40.38\00:25:45.49
if he was buried? The body of
this man would be in the grave.
00:25:45.53\00:25:50.61
So the question is, what is he
doing with all of his body parts
00:25:50.65\00:25:55.48
in the burning fire?
00:25:55.52\00:25:56.72
Are you
understanding what I'm saying?
00:25:56.76\00:25:58.78
Now go with me to Luke 16:23,
Luke 16:23. It says there:
00:25:58.81\00:26:06.43
His what? But wait a minute!
00:26:13.15\00:26:16.61
When he died
where did his eyes go?
00:26:16.64\00:26:20.56
His eyes are part of his body.
00:26:20.59\00:26:23.17
They went to the grave, right?
00:26:23.20\00:26:25.74
But here in the
fires he has what? eyes!
00:26:25.77\00:26:30.37
By the way, this parable never
says that the rich man died
00:26:30.40\00:26:34.99
and he immediately
went to the fires of hell.
00:26:35.02\00:26:37.85
That is an assumption that
people make that in the parable
00:26:37.89\00:26:41.93
the rich man died and
immediately he went to burn
00:26:41.97\00:26:44.82
in the fires. The parable
does not say he immediately went
00:26:44.85\00:26:48.04
to burn in the fires.
00:26:48.08\00:26:49.11
The evidence seems to indicate
that because he has body parts
00:26:49.14\00:26:52.15
this did not happen at
death, but it will happen when?
00:26:52.19\00:26:55.46
It will happen at
the end of the age.
00:26:55.49\00:26:57.79
Notice also Luke 16:24.
00:26:57.82\00:27:00.91
Once again the idea of
body parts in the fire.
00:27:00.94\00:27:03.70
If this is at the moment
of death, why are body parts
00:27:03.73\00:27:07.54
in the burning fires?
00:27:07.57\00:27:08.72
The body parts
should be in the grave.
00:27:08.75\00:27:10.38
It says here in Luke 16:24:
00:27:10.41\00:27:13.15
Oh, so Lazarus, after he dies
he has fingers. Interesting!
00:27:24.61\00:27:28.43
Cool my what? Oh, the rich
man has a tongue there, too.
00:27:31.01\00:27:34.02
I thought that would have
gone to the grave. It says:
00:27:34.05\00:27:36.98
Let me ask you, when is it that
the body will be cast into the
00:27:41.37\00:27:45.61
fires of hell? Is it
as the moment of death,
00:27:45.64\00:27:48.30
or is it at the moment that
Jesus comes in power and glory,
00:27:48.34\00:27:52.91
after the
judgment of the wicked,
00:27:52.94\00:27:54.80
that they are
cast into the fires.
00:27:54.84\00:27:56.62
Notice Matthew 5:29,
30, Matthew 5:29, 30.
00:27:56.66\00:28:01.97
The Bible is clear that
the body is cast into the fires
00:28:02.01\00:28:05.75
at the end oft the age,
which means that this is not
00:28:05.78\00:28:09.46
describing the rich man going
directly to hell at the moment
00:28:09.49\00:28:13.00
of death, because
he has body parts.
00:28:13.04\00:28:15.41
This must be describing the rich
man being punished later on.
00:28:15.44\00:28:19.44
The parable does not say that he
went to the fires immediately.
00:28:19.48\00:28:23.44
Notice what we find
in Matthew 5:29, 30.
00:28:23.47\00:28:27.74
If your right eye
causes you to sin,
00:28:27.78\00:28:31.91
pluck it out,
and cast it from you:
00:28:31.95\00:28:36.01
for it is more profitable for
you that one of your members...
00:28:36.05\00:28:39.95
That is one of the
members of your body.
00:28:39.99\00:28:41.93
What is it that's cast
into hell? The whole body.
00:28:47.42\00:28:50.83
Can that happen at death?
00:28:50.87\00:28:52.25
No, because at
death the body goes where?
00:28:52.28\00:28:54.93
It goes to the grave.
00:28:54.96\00:28:56.23
Notice verse 30. And if your
right hand causes you to sin,
00:28:56.27\00:29:00.42
cut it off, and cast it from
you: for it is more profitable
00:29:00.46\00:29:03.97
for you that one of your
members perish, than for your,
00:29:04.00\00:29:07.48
once again, your whole
body to be cast into hell.
00:29:07.51\00:29:12.16
Now this problem of body parts
in the burning fire has led
00:29:12.19\00:29:17.73
an individual called
Robert Morey, who, by the way,
00:29:17.77\00:29:21.48
is a staunch defender of
the idea of the immortality
00:29:21.51\00:29:25.17
of the soul. In fact,
he wrote a book called,
00:29:25.20\00:29:28.02
Death and the Afterlife,
where he tries to prove,
00:29:28.06\00:29:30.81
to the utmost of his ability,
that people have immortal souls
00:29:30.84\00:29:36.13
that go to heaven when
they die, if they were good,
00:29:36.17\00:29:38.51
or they go to hell
if they were wicked.
00:29:38.54\00:29:41.33
I want you to notice
the admission that he makes
00:29:41.37\00:29:43.93
regarding this parable.
00:29:43.97\00:29:45.16
Everyone, says Robert Morey,
understood that these parables
00:29:45.20\00:29:52.46
and dialogues did
not literally take place.
00:29:52.50\00:29:56.37
It was understood that the
Rabbi's used imaginative stories
00:29:56.40\00:30:04.91
and dialogues as
a teaching method.
00:30:04.94\00:30:08.43
It was understood by
all that these dialogues
00:30:08.46\00:30:12.60
never took place.
What is he saying?
00:30:12.63\00:30:15.71
He said this
story never took place.
00:30:15.75\00:30:18.76
He continues saying, Jesus
was merely using the dialogue
00:30:18.79\00:30:23.63
method to get across the
concept that there is no escape
00:30:23.66\00:30:28.41
from torment; no second
chance, and we must believe
00:30:28.45\00:30:32.59
the scripture in
this life unto salvation.
00:30:32.62\00:30:37.14
And this man wrote a book.
00:30:37.17\00:30:39.33
By the way, I have the
book, and I've answered every
00:30:39.36\00:30:42.35
argument with a
fine toothed comb;
00:30:42.39\00:30:44.57
every argument that he
uses in favor of the immortality
00:30:44.60\00:30:48.90
of the soul in favor of the idea
that the souls of the righteous
00:30:48.93\00:30:53.29
go to Heaven at death; the idea
that the souls of the wicked go
00:30:53.33\00:30:57.66
to hell at the moment of death.
00:30:57.69\00:30:59.47
Every single thing that he says
has a clear Biblical answer,
00:30:59.51\00:31:03.42
but it's interesting that
he finds it necessary to admit
00:31:03.46\00:31:07.33
that this story
never actually took place.
00:31:07.36\00:31:10.55
So the only story in all of the
New Testament that would seem
00:31:10.58\00:31:15.31
to indicate that a person
went to suffer in the flames
00:31:15.34\00:31:19.97
at the moment of
death cannot be used,
00:31:20.01\00:31:22.58
because it never took place.
00:31:22.61\00:31:23.96
All of the rest of the
statements in the New Testament
00:31:23.99\00:31:27.94
point to the fire punishment
taking place at the end
00:31:27.98\00:31:31.85
of the age. Now let's talk
just a moment about the bosom of
00:31:31.89\00:31:36.23
Abraham. What does this rich
man represent, or who does this
00:31:36.27\00:31:40.40
rich man represent? Let's talk
first of all about the bosom;
00:31:40.44\00:31:44.53
what the bosom means.
00:31:44.56\00:31:45.68
John 1:18, John 1:18.
00:31:45.71\00:31:51.54
The word bosom
represents closeness.
00:31:51.58\00:31:54.74
What do we do with the baby?
00:31:54.77\00:31:56.21
We hug the baby close to
our what? close to our bosom.
00:31:56.25\00:32:00.93
It's a sign of closeness.
00:32:00.96\00:32:02.31
It's a sign that
this baby is our child;
00:32:02.35\00:32:05.57
that there's a special
link between us and our child.
00:32:05.61\00:32:09.14
Now notice John 1:18 on the
idea of the bosom. It says here:
00:32:09.18\00:32:15.19
Where is Jesus? He is
in the bosom of the Father.
00:32:30.31\00:32:33.43
Why are we told here that Jesus
is in the bosom of the Father?
00:32:33.47\00:32:36.48
Because Jesus has a special
what? a special closeness
00:32:36.52\00:32:40.58
to His Father. By the way,
the arguments sometimes is used
00:32:40.62\00:32:44.12
even by Adventist preachers
that, Oh, the bosom of Abraham;
00:32:44.15\00:32:47.90
that has to be an awful
big place for everybody to fit
00:32:47.93\00:32:51.61
on Abraham's chest. But the
fact is, that Josephus did not,
00:32:51.64\00:32:55.50
literally mean that people were
taken real close to the chest
00:32:55.54\00:32:59.62
of Abraham. What he meant is
that there was a region called
00:32:59.66\00:33:03.71
the bosom of Abraham, where
those who had a close link,
00:33:03.74\00:33:07.52
or connection with
Abraham were taken.
00:33:07.56\00:33:10.39
Now, what does the
rich man represent?
00:33:10.43\00:33:13.31
There are clear
clues in this passage.
00:33:13.34\00:33:16.16
Go with me to Luke 16 and we're
going read verse 24, 25, 27
00:33:16.19\00:33:21.15
and then verse 30. Notice what
it says beginning in verse 24.
00:33:21.18\00:33:26.10
The rich man.
00:33:26.14\00:33:27.28
Let me ask you, who
claimed Abraham as father?
00:33:32.91\00:33:37.94
The Jews, and more
particularly the Pharisees.
00:33:37.97\00:33:42.97
Hum, this is a
father/son relationship.
00:33:59.40\00:34:03.47
Who would
Abraham have called sons?
00:34:03.51\00:34:07.54
His descendents, his seed.
00:34:07.58\00:34:09.66
And who was the seed of
Abraham? The Jews, exactly.
00:34:09.69\00:34:14.15
See, once again,
the idea of father.
00:34:31.01\00:34:32.93
So the rich man has
what? five brothers.
00:34:44.91\00:34:47.50
And he says to Abraham, send
Lazarus to my father's house,
00:34:47.54\00:34:51.19
so that he can warn them so that
they don't come to this terrible
00:34:51.22\00:34:54.64
place. Now notice:
00:34:54.68\00:34:56.55
Let me ask you, who
were the ones who had Moses
00:35:00.43\00:35:02.67
and the prophets? The Jews.
00:35:02.70\00:35:05.57
By the way, I believe that what
we have here, the five brothers
00:35:05.61\00:35:10.17
represent the different
denominations of Judaism
00:35:10.20\00:35:13.58
in the days of Christ:
the Pharisees, the Sadducees,
00:35:13.62\00:35:17.39
the Herodians, the
Essenes, the Scribes.
00:35:17.42\00:35:20.88
In other words, his
brothers are those who have
00:35:20.91\00:35:23.85
Moses and the prophets.
00:35:23.89\00:35:25.02
The Jews were the ones
who claimed to have Moses
00:35:25.05\00:35:27.44
and the prophets. In fact, Jesus
said in John 5, If you believe
00:35:27.48\00:35:31.35
Moses you would believe
Me, for he wrote about Me.
00:35:31.39\00:35:34.91
And then notice verse 30:
00:35:34.94\00:35:37.08
And there it is again.
00:35:40.06\00:35:41.09
And now notice this:
00:35:42.77\00:35:44.24
Now there's a very,
very important point,
00:35:49.80\00:35:52.42
perhaps the most important point
of this whole presentation.
00:35:52.45\00:35:57.71
I want you to notice here that
in the last verse, in verse 30,
00:35:57.74\00:36:02.97
that the rich man says, No
father Abraham, but if one goes
00:36:03.01\00:36:08.61
to them from the
dead they will repent.
00:36:08.65\00:36:12.11
Let me ask you, did
the rich man believe in the
00:36:12.15\00:36:14.53
immortality of the soul?
00:36:14.57\00:36:15.76
Yes, he says, send
Lazarus to my brothers,
00:36:15.79\00:36:26.38
from the dead,
so that he can what?
00:36:26.41\00:36:29.22
So that he can warn
them and testify to them.
00:36:29.26\00:36:31.95
So the rich man is saying,
Send this dead man Lazarus
00:36:31.99\00:36:35.37
to speak to my five brothers.
00:36:35.40\00:36:37.14
From the dead it says.
00:36:37.17\00:36:40.15
But I want you to
notice the answer of Jesus.
00:36:40.18\00:36:42.82
The answer is found in verse 31.
00:36:42.86\00:36:45.22
And he said, No father Abraham:
but if one goes to them from
00:36:45.25\00:36:51.05
the dead, they will repent.
00:36:51.09\00:36:52.32
That's verse 30; verse 31:
00:36:52.83\00:36:54.55
Are you catching... Did
Jesus believe in the immortality
00:37:04.70\00:37:07.85
of the soul? No, Jesus
says, I will send someone,
00:37:07.89\00:37:11.60
but someone who
rises from the dead.
00:37:11.63\00:37:13.99
The rich man is saying,
send someone to my brothers from
00:37:14.02\00:37:17.10
the dead. Are you
catching my point?
00:37:17.13\00:37:19.01
You're saying,
well, it's a technicality.
00:37:19.05\00:37:21.08
No it isn't. You see, there's
a word, a very important little
00:37:21.11\00:37:24.95
Greek word that is used in verse
31 that is not used in verse 30,
00:37:24.99\00:37:28.80
and that's the
word rise from the dead.
00:37:28.84\00:37:32.23
You see, the rich man
says, Send him from the dead.
00:37:32.26\00:37:34.70
Jesus says, Send one
who has risen from the dead.
00:37:34.73\00:37:39.10
By the way, if you want
to notice that expression,
00:37:39.13\00:37:41.47
rise from the dead,
Luke 24:46, It says:
00:37:41.50\00:37:45.86
So did the rich man believe
in the immortality of the soul?
00:37:55.19\00:37:57.85
Of course he did. He
says, send Lazarus from the dead
00:37:57.88\00:38:00.65
to my brothers. Did Jesus
believe in the immortality
00:38:00.68\00:38:03.91
of the soul? He says, No, if
I send someone it's going to be
00:38:03.94\00:38:06.80
someone that
has risen from what?
00:38:06.83\00:38:08.60
Someone that has
risen from the dead.
00:38:08.63\00:38:11.64
So what does the
rich man represent?
00:38:11.67\00:38:14.08
The rich man
represents the Jewish nation.
00:38:14.11\00:38:17.40
Particularly what
sect of the Jewish nation?
00:38:17.43\00:38:21.22
Particularly the Pharisees.
00:38:21.25\00:38:23.33
Now the question is,
what does Lazarus represent?
00:38:23.36\00:38:26.74
You know, there's a strange
thing about this parable.
00:38:26.77\00:38:30.16
One argument that people use
to say that this isn't a parable
00:38:30.19\00:38:34.53
is the fact that you have a
proper name in this parable.
00:38:34.56\00:38:38.77
You see, the parables
never give proper names.
00:38:38.80\00:38:41.50
They say there was a certain
man; they never give the name
00:38:41.53\00:38:43.94
of the person. But in the
parable of the rich man and
00:38:43.97\00:38:46.30
Lazarus, you have an exceptional
case, because you have the name
00:38:46.33\00:38:51.00
of Lazarus. The rich man is
not named, but Lazarus is named.
00:38:51.03\00:38:54.81
Why would you have a proper
name here if this was a parable?
00:38:54.84\00:38:59.67
Well, we'll notice that in a
moment, but I want you to notice
00:38:59.70\00:39:03.33
what this beggar,
Lazarus, represents.
00:39:03.36\00:39:07.38
Go with me to Matthew
15:26, 27, Matthew 15:26, 27.
00:39:07.41\00:39:15.23
This is speaking about
the woman who came to Jesus.
00:39:15.26\00:39:18.27
She wanted her daughter healed.
00:39:18.30\00:39:19.63
She kept coming after Him,
and Jesus finally acceded to her
00:39:19.66\00:39:24.82
wish. And before He acceded to
the wish, I want you to notice
00:39:24.85\00:39:29.55
what Jesus said to her.
00:39:29.58\00:39:31.59
This is verse 26.
But He answered and said,
00:39:31.62\00:39:35.74
It is not good to take the
children's bread and throw it
00:39:35.77\00:39:39.79
to the little dogs. Do you
remember that Lazarus was at
00:39:39.82\00:39:43.61
the bottom of the
table of the rich man,
00:39:43.64\00:39:45.50
and crumbs fell from the table,
and the dogs came and licked
00:39:45.53\00:39:49.38
his sores? Now notice this:
It is not good, Jesus says,
00:39:49.41\00:39:53.73
to take the children's bread
and throw it to the little dogs.
00:39:53.76\00:39:56.41
By the way, this
woman was a Canaanite woman.
00:39:56.44\00:39:58.38
She was not a
Jew. She was a Gentile.
00:39:58.41\00:40:00.86
But notice the faith of
this woman: And she said,
00:40:00.89\00:40:04.54
Yes, Lord, yet even the little
dogs eat the crumbs which fall
00:40:04.57\00:40:10.93
from their Master's table.
00:40:10.96\00:40:12.41
So let me ask you,
what does Lazarus represent?
00:40:12.44\00:40:15.08
Lazarus represents the Gentiles.
00:40:15.11\00:40:18.58
This woman was a Gentile.
00:40:18.61\00:40:20.00
You have the same terminology:
you have dogs, you have crumbs,
00:40:20.03\00:40:24.45
you have the idea of the table,
you have the idea of poverty.
00:40:24.48\00:40:28.87
In other words, this Canaanite
woman is what is represented
00:40:28.90\00:40:34.18
by Lazarus in this story.
00:40:34.21\00:40:36.79
By the way, it's important to
realize that those who read this
00:40:36.82\00:40:41.36
parable many times add concepts
and ideas that are not found
00:40:41.39\00:40:45.53
in the parable. Let me read you
the parable as many Christians
00:40:45.56\00:40:49.33
like to read it. They add ideas.
00:40:49.36\00:40:51.63
This is their
reading of the parable.
00:40:51.66\00:40:54.35
Now it was that the baker died
and immediately his soul was
00:40:54.38\00:41:00.08
carried by the
angels to Abraham's bosom.
00:41:00.11\00:41:03.04
The rich man also died
and his body was buried.
00:41:03.07\00:41:06.33
And being in torments in
the everlasting flames of Hades,
00:41:06.36\00:41:10.50
he lifted up his eyes and saw
the soul of Abraham afar off,
00:41:10.53\00:41:14.34
and the soul of
Lazarus in his bosom.
00:41:14.37\00:41:17.30
Is that what it says?
00:41:17.33\00:41:19.68
Of course not! Then his
soul cried out and said,
00:41:19.71\00:41:23.45
Father Abraham, have mercy
on my soul, and send the soul
00:41:23.48\00:41:28.37
of Lazarus that he may dip
the tip of his finger in water
00:41:28.40\00:41:32.24
and cool my tongue, for my soul
is tormented in this everlasting
00:41:32.27\00:41:36.92
flame. Is that the way it reads?
00:41:36.95\00:41:39.54
That's the way
Christians read it.
00:41:39.57\00:41:41.67
They add the word soul,
and everlasting, and fire.
00:41:41.70\00:41:44.05
You know, they put all
kinds of concepts into it.
00:41:44.08\00:41:46.36
But Abraham said, Son remember
that in your lifetime you
00:41:46.39\00:41:50.17
received your good things, and
likewise Lazarus evil things.
00:41:50.20\00:41:54.10
But now his soul is comforted
and your soul is tormented.
00:41:54.13\00:41:59.24
The parable doesn't
say any of those things.
00:41:59.27\00:42:01.49
But that is the way in which
it is interpreted by Christians.
00:42:01.52\00:42:06.57
By the way, as I was mentioning,
there is no proof that this
00:42:06.60\00:42:10.33
takes place
immediately after death.
00:42:10.36\00:42:12.77
The word
immediately is not used there.
00:42:12.80\00:42:15.14
We've already noticed that
body parts go into the fire
00:42:15.17\00:42:18.60
at the end of the age.
00:42:18.63\00:42:19.84
So this man, according to
Jesus, must have been punished
00:42:19.88\00:42:23.09
in the fires when? at the end
of the age with all of his body
00:42:23.12\00:42:28.30
parts. By the way, let me tell
you the reason why the name of
00:42:28.34\00:42:33.49
Lazarus is used;
there's a specific function.
00:42:33.52\00:42:36.82
Jesus wanted to connect
this parable with something that
00:42:36.85\00:42:40.27
was shortly going to
happen in His ministry.
00:42:40.31\00:42:43.25
You say, what event was that?
00:42:43.29\00:42:44.91
Well, the fact is that a short
while after Jesus told this
00:42:44.94\00:42:51.08
parable, a man called Lazarus
was resurrected from the dead.
00:42:51.11\00:42:59.13
Let's read about it in
John 11: 43, 44, John 11:43, 44.
00:42:59.16\00:43:11.18
Now when He had
said these things,
00:43:11.21\00:43:14.88
he cried with a loud
voice, Lazarus, come forth!
00:43:14.92\00:43:21.71
And he who had died...
00:43:21.75\00:43:24.86
By the way, he had
been dead four days.
00:43:24.90\00:43:26.50
...And he who had died
came out, bound hand and foot
00:43:26.54\00:43:31.59
with grave clothes: and his
face was wrapped with a cloth.
00:43:31.63\00:43:35.18
Jesus said to them,
Loose him, and let him go.
00:43:35.21\00:43:38.56
They will not believe
even though someone what?
00:43:38.60\00:43:41.38
rises from the dead.
00:43:41.41\00:43:43.80
What was his name?
His name was Lazarus.
00:43:43.83\00:43:48.48
Believe in whom?
The parable doesn't say.
00:43:48.51\00:43:53.09
They won't believe even if
someone raises from the dead.
00:43:53.12\00:43:56.37
This story tells us that
they did not believe in whom?
00:43:56.40\00:43:59.62
They did not believe in Jesus.
00:43:59.65\00:44:02.02
By the way, to whom did
Moses and the prophets point?
00:44:02.06\00:44:05.66
They pointed to Jesus.
00:44:05.69\00:44:07.54
Jesus said, if you believe
Moses you will believe Me,
00:44:07.58\00:44:10.92
because he wrote about Me.
00:44:10.96\00:44:12.97
Now, when Lazarus
was resurrected that was
00:44:13.01\00:44:16.18
the greatest sign of
the Messiahship of Jesus.
00:44:16.22\00:44:18.83
Imagine someone
resurrecting a dead person.
00:44:18.86\00:44:22.57
Did the Pharisees
believe in Jesus when Lazarus
00:44:22.61\00:44:26.25
was resurrected? By the way,
did Lazarus, in a certain way,
00:44:26.28\00:44:31.03
go to these men and preach
the truth about the resurrection
00:44:31.06\00:44:35.78
of Jesus? He most certainly did.
00:44:35.81\00:44:37.45
But he didn't go from the
dead, he came after he had risen
00:44:37.48\00:44:43.89
from the dead. Are
you with me or not?
00:44:43.92\00:44:48.33
Now notice, John
11:46-50, John 11:46-50.
00:44:48.37\00:44:52.75
But some of them went
away to the Pharisees...
00:44:52.78\00:44:56.75
See, the Pharisees are in view.
00:44:56.78\00:44:58.15
...and told them
the things Jesus did.
00:44:58.18\00:45:00.67
That is that He had
resurrected Lazarus.
00:45:00.70\00:45:03.16
See, there's
the Pharisees again.
00:45:06.24\00:45:07.37
What? believe.
If they do not what?
00:45:20.18\00:45:23.76
If they do not accept
Moses and the prophets
00:45:23.80\00:45:28.25
they will not what? believe even
if someone rises from the dead.
00:45:28.29\00:45:32.00
Who were they
supposed to believe in? Jesus!
00:45:32.04\00:45:34.90
In other words, instead of
believing in Jesus, they said
00:45:59.69\00:46:03.10
we've got to
get rid of this man.
00:46:03.13\00:46:05.15
Was Jesus right when He said,
if they don't believe Moses
00:46:05.19\00:46:08.23
and the prophets, they won't
believe even if a man called
00:46:08.27\00:46:11.28
Lazarus rises from the dead?
00:46:11.31\00:46:13.01
His words were proven true.
00:46:13.04\00:46:14.67
See, if Jesus had not
used the name of Lazarus,
00:46:14.71\00:46:16.93
He could have not
connected the two events:
00:46:16.97\00:46:18.90
The parable and
what actually happened.
00:46:18.94\00:46:20.80
By the way, do you
know that they also wanted
00:46:20.84\00:46:23.39
to kill Lazarus? Notice
John 12:9, 10, John 12:9, 10.
00:46:23.43\00:46:32.34
It says here:
00:46:32.38\00:46:33.83
Poor Lazarus, they wanted
to have him die another time.
00:46:58.35\00:47:01.02
So it says:
00:47:01.05\00:47:04.87
Notice the reason why.
00:47:10.35\00:47:11.60
There's the word again!
00:47:16.96\00:47:17.99
Is this clear? Go
with me now to John 12:19.
00:47:21.27\00:47:27.40
Look at the complaint of the
Pharisees, because after this
00:47:27.43\00:47:32.21
miracle everybody wants to
follow Jesus, because Jesus
00:47:32.24\00:47:36.99
has resurrected
someone from the dead.
00:47:37.02\00:47:38.53
Notice, John 12:19. The
Pharisees therefore said among
00:47:38.57\00:47:44.29
themselves, You see that
you are accomplishing nothing?
00:47:44.32\00:47:50.01
Look, the world
has gone after him.
00:47:50.04\00:47:54.76
They're complaining about
the fact that the whole world
00:47:54.79\00:47:58.07
is following whom?
is following Jesus.
00:47:58.11\00:48:01.39
By the way, were the Pharisees
really children of Abraham?
00:48:01.42\00:48:08.69
They were not
really children of Abraham.
00:48:08.72\00:48:11.29
You say, why weren't
they children of Abraham?
00:48:11.32\00:48:13.61
Well, literally they were
children of Abraham, okay?
00:48:13.65\00:48:16.58
They were descendents
of Abraham literally,
00:48:16.61\00:48:18.66
according to the flesh,
but they were not truly,
00:48:18.70\00:48:21.37
in the spiritual
sense, sons of Abraham.
00:48:21.41\00:48:24.00
You say, Why not?
Let's look at it this way,
00:48:24.04\00:48:25.82
and we're going to
read a text in a moment.
00:48:25.85\00:48:28.20
Abraham, according to
John 8, saw the day of Jesus,
00:48:28.23\00:48:34.85
and he rejoiced. He longed for
the day when Jesus would come.
00:48:34.89\00:48:41.22
He saw in his son, Isaac, a
symbol of the death of Jesus,
00:48:41.25\00:48:45.76
and the
resurrection on the third day,
00:48:45.80\00:48:47.48
according to Hebrews 11:17, 18.
00:48:47.52\00:48:50.03
He believed that
the Messiah, Jesus,
00:48:50.07\00:48:53.69
would resurrect from the dead.
00:48:53.72\00:48:54.85
And so we find here
Abraham, believing in Jesus,
00:48:54.89\00:49:03.27
who was to come, but those
who were living in the days
00:49:03.31\00:49:06.54
of Jesus, particularly
the Pharisees, what did they
00:49:06.57\00:49:09.77
want to do with Jesus?
00:49:09.80\00:49:10.83
They didn't
long to see Him come.
00:49:10.86\00:49:13.32
They weren't happy
about seeing His day.
00:49:13.36\00:49:15.21
They wanted to get rid of Him.
00:49:15.24\00:49:16.78
So let me ask you, were
they really sons of Abraham? No!
00:49:16.82\00:49:20.57
Jesus says, If you were sons
of Abraham, you would love Me,
00:49:20.60\00:49:24.31
because Abraham loved Me.
00:49:24.34\00:49:26.25
He rejoiced to see my day.
00:49:26.29\00:49:28.16
And you, say that
you're the children of Abraham,
00:49:28.19\00:49:30.77
and you hate Me. How can Abraham
love Me, and you say you're his
00:49:30.81\00:49:33.81
children and you hate Me?
00:49:33.84\00:49:35.00
Are you with me? How is it
that Abraham believed in Me,
00:49:35.03\00:49:41.31
and you who claim to be
the children of Abraham,
00:49:41.35\00:49:44.92
don't believe in Me?
00:49:44.95\00:49:46.72
So notice what Jesus
said in John 8:44, John 8:44.
00:49:46.75\00:49:52.02
You know, Jesus... We usually
think of Jesus as loving,
00:49:52.06\00:49:57.26
and kind, and merciful, and He
was all of that, but Jesus was
00:49:57.29\00:50:00.61
never politically correct.
00:50:00.64\00:50:02.03
He told things
the way they were.
00:50:02.06\00:50:04.97
With love, yes,
but straight- forward.
00:50:05.00\00:50:09.96
Jesus said, You are
of your father the devil.
00:50:09.99\00:50:13.54
He's speaking to these people.
00:50:13.57\00:50:15.84
And the desires of
your father you want to do.
00:50:15.87\00:50:19.44
He was a murderer from the
beginning, and does not stand
00:50:19.47\00:50:24.15
in the truth, because
there is no truth in him.
00:50:24.18\00:50:27.11
When he speaks a lie he
speaks from his own resources,
00:50:27.15\00:50:31.00
for he is a liar
and the father of it.
00:50:31.04\00:50:34.23
And, by the way, when
Jesus pronounced His woes
00:50:34.27\00:50:38.18
upon the Scribes and
the Pharisees in Matthew 23
00:50:38.21\00:50:42.05
we find these words in the woes
on the Scribes and Pharisees.
00:50:42.09\00:50:46.19
Jesus called them
serpents, brood of vipers.
00:50:46.22\00:50:53.63
I mean who was the
great serpent? the devil.
00:50:53.67\00:50:58.03
So if they were serpents
where were they born from?
00:50:58.07\00:51:01.60
They were born from Satan.
00:51:01.63\00:51:04.22
That's right. Who wanted
to see Jesus dead? Satan.
00:51:04.26\00:51:08.52
They wanted to see Jesus dead.
00:51:08.55\00:51:10.98
So the spirit of who
were they reflecting?
00:51:11.01\00:51:14.61
The spirit of their father.
00:51:14.65\00:51:16.38
That's right. Now notice
this: serpents, brood of vipers.
00:51:16.42\00:51:22.11
How can you escape
the condemnation of hell?
00:51:22.14\00:51:26.40
Where were they going to end up?
00:51:26.44\00:51:28.69
In hell according to this.
00:51:28.72\00:51:32.18
When? At the very moment
they died they were going to go
00:51:32.21\00:51:34.79
directly to hell? Of course not.
00:51:34.83\00:51:37.08
We've already noticed
Jesus saying, serpents, brood of
00:51:37.11\00:51:40.85
vipers because you
do not believe in Jesus,
00:51:40.89\00:51:44.61
even though He resurrected
the man called Lazarus.
00:51:44.65\00:51:47.19
You are going to end up where?
00:51:49.56\00:51:51.13
You're going to end
up in the fires of hell.
00:51:51.16\00:51:53.78
But He's not saying
at the moment of death.
00:51:53.82\00:51:56.40
He speaking about
the end of the age.
00:51:57.78\00:51:59.36
By the way, if you go
with me to Matthew 8:11, 12,
00:51:59.39\00:52:03.47
Matthew 8:11, 12. It speaks
about what's going to happen
00:52:03.50\00:52:07.42
at the end of the age.
00:52:07.45\00:52:08.48
Do you notice in this
parable that there's a reversal
00:52:08.51\00:52:12.95
of roles? Where
does the rich man end up?
00:52:12.98\00:52:18.54
The one who claimed
to be the son of Abraham,
00:52:18.57\00:52:21.06
the one who had
enjoyed all of the privileges,
00:52:21.10\00:52:23.58
and the covenants, and
the temple, and the blessings
00:52:23.61\00:52:25.78
of God; where did
he end up? In hell.
00:52:25.81\00:52:28.71
Where did the poor old
Gentile, Lazarus, who, you know,
00:52:28.75\00:52:33.97
was cast aside, ate the crumbs
that fell, the crumbs of bread
00:52:34.00\00:52:38.65
of spiritual truth that fell
from the table of the rich man,
00:52:38.68\00:52:42.45
where did he end up?
00:52:42.48\00:52:44.03
He ended up in
the bosom of Abraham.
00:52:44.06\00:52:47.05
There was a reversal of roles.
00:52:47.09\00:52:48.74
Now notice what Jesus
says in Matthew 8:11, 12.
00:52:48.78\00:52:52.97
And I say to you that many
will come from East and West...
00:52:53.00\00:53:01.95
Who do you think these are that
will come from East and West?
00:53:01.98\00:53:06.50
They are the Gentiles.
00:53:06.53\00:53:08.74
You say, how do we know that?
00:53:08.77\00:53:09.80
Because immediately before this
Jesus has healed the servant
00:53:09.83\00:53:16.30
of a Centurion;
a Roman Centurion.
00:53:16.34\00:53:18.83
And Jesus says, I haven't
found so much faith like this
00:53:18.87\00:53:22.46
in Israel, because the Centurion
says, You don't have to come
00:53:22.49\00:53:26.03
to my house.
Just speak the word.
00:53:26.06\00:53:28.01
I believe You're the Messiah.
00:53:28.04\00:53:29.28
Just say it and it will happen.
00:53:29.31\00:53:31.96
Jesus says, I haven't
found faith like this in Israel.
00:53:31.99\00:53:34.89
And then He says, And
I say to you that many...
00:53:34.92\00:53:38.10
That is Gentiles,
like the Centurion.
00:53:38.13\00:53:39.95
...many will come
from from East and West...
00:53:39.99\00:53:43.88
And notice this. ...
and sit down with Abraham.
00:53:43.91\00:53:47.77
Who are the ones who were
going to sit down with Abraham?
00:53:47.81\00:53:50.97
The Jews or the Gentiles?
00:53:51.00\00:53:52.96
Hum, the Gentiles
who accepted Jesus.
00:53:53.00\00:53:55.51
By the way, also the
Jews who accepted Jesus.
00:53:55.55\00:53:58.22
I say to you that many will come
from East and West, and sit down
00:53:58.25\00:54:04.25
with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
00:54:04.28\00:54:05.89
Where? In the kingdom of Heaven.
00:54:05.92\00:54:09.80
Now notice, but the
sons of the kingdom...
00:54:09.83\00:54:12.97
Who are the sons of the kingdom?
00:54:13.00\00:54:14.11
Those who descended from
Abraham according to the flesh,
00:54:14.14\00:54:19.14
but were not spiritually
children of the Lord,
00:54:19.17\00:54:22.99
but the sons of the
kingdom, will be cast out
00:54:23.03\00:54:32.47
into outer darkness.
00:54:32.50\00:54:36.15
There will be weeping
and gnashing of teeth.
00:54:36.18\00:54:41.84
When does the weeping and
gnashing of teeth take place?
00:54:41.87\00:54:44.32
It takes place immediately when
they were going to die, right?
00:54:44.35\00:54:48.05
No! It's when the righteous sit
with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
00:54:48.08\00:54:51.75
in the kingdom. Then is the
wailing and gnashing of teeth.
00:54:51.78\00:54:55.25
But listen to what I'm going
to say. Many Christians say,
00:54:55.28\00:54:58.70
they actually add a word
here where it says there will be
00:54:58.74\00:55:02.13
weeping and gnashing of teeth.
00:55:02.16\00:55:03.40
They say, there will be eternal
weeping and gnashing of teeth.
00:55:03.43\00:55:08.41
The fact is that the
word eternal is not there.
00:55:08.45\00:55:11.47
Is there going to be
weeping and gnashing of teeth
00:55:11.51\00:55:14.50
when the wicked
go into the fires,
00:55:14.53\00:55:16.79
and are suffering
separated from God?
00:55:16.82\00:55:19.24
Yes, but it does not say
everlasting weeping and gnashing
00:55:19.28\00:55:22.94
of teeth. And, by the way,
this takes place at the end
00:55:22.98\00:55:26.60
of the age. The crying
out o the rich man does not
00:55:26.63\00:55:29.32
take place
immediately after his death.
00:55:29.35\00:55:31.21
It takes place at the end of the
age, according to this verse.
00:55:31.24\00:55:34.42
Let's compare another one.
00:55:34.46\00:55:37.75
Luke 13:28, Luke 13:28.
00:55:37.79\00:55:41.05
This is a parallel passage
to the one that we read from
00:55:41.08\00:55:45.85
Matthew 8:11, 12. It
says there, Jesus is speaking.
00:55:45.89\00:55:50.59
There will be weeping and
gnashing of teeth when you see
00:55:50.62\00:55:58.29
Abraham, and Isaac, and
Jacob, and all the prophets
00:55:58.32\00:56:03.10
in the kingdom of
God, and yourselves what?
00:56:03.14\00:56:06.87
Yourselves thrust out.
00:56:06.90\00:56:09.77
When is it that the wicked
are going to be trust out?
00:56:09.80\00:56:12.34
When is it that the righteous
are going to sit with Abraham,
00:56:12.37\00:56:14.98
Isaac, and Jacob in
the kingdom at God's table?
00:56:15.01\00:56:17.97
It is going to be at the end
of the age, not at the moment
00:56:18.00\00:56:22.85
of death. One final point that
I would like to make is this:
00:56:22.88\00:56:28.60
This punishment of fire
that is spoken of in the parable
00:56:28.63\00:56:34.32
actually was fulfilled
literally with the Jewish nation
00:56:34.35\00:56:39.35
in the year 70. Do you know
what happened in the year 70?
00:56:39.38\00:56:44.30
In the year 70 the Roman legions
came to the city of Jerusalem.
00:56:44.34\00:56:52.54
They surrounded it, and
there was a siege, actually,
00:56:52.57\00:56:56.74
that lasted from the
year 68 to the year 70.
00:56:56.77\00:57:01.15
It was a long siege, because
those inside the city did not
00:57:01.19\00:57:05.52
want to give up. But eventually
the Romans were able to break
00:57:05.55\00:57:09.85
through the barriers.
00:57:09.88\00:57:11.50
They entered the city and they
burned the city, and they burned
00:57:11.53\00:57:17.08
the temple all
the way to the ground.
00:57:17.11\00:57:20.23
In other words, just
like the parable says,
00:57:20.27\00:57:23.28
Jerusalem was destroyed by fire.
00:57:23.31\00:57:27.00