Have Mercy on Me - Luke 16:24

The beloved physician Luke wrote how Jesus said, “There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day. And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, and desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores, And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried. And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom”, and in chapter sixteen and verse twenty-four of his book Luke wrote how Jesus said the rich man, “cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me” where we read:

And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.

The verse reads, “And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, ...” Luke began with the words, “and he cried and said” or “and the rich man emitted a sound, spoke with a loud voice and called aloud and uttered, declared and proclaimed”, “Father Abraham” which means “male ancestor, forefather and founder of the nation Abraham which means father of a multitude and was the founder of the Jewish nation”, “have mercy on me” or “bring help and aid to me, the rich man”. Luke shared how Jesus said the “rich man” began to “beg” “Abraham” to have “pity” upon him and to give him “help and aid”.

The verse continues, “... and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.” Luke added the words, “and send Lazarus” or “and dispatch and assign Lazarus whose name means whom God helps and was a beggar”, “that he may dip of his finger” which means “so he, Lazarus, may immerse his physical finger” “in water” or “in water like rainy water”, “and cool my tongue” which means “and refresh and cool down the rich man's physical tongue”; “for I am tormented” or “because, since and on account that I, the rich man, exist in intense pain, anguish and distress” “in this flame” which refers to “within the blaze in which the rich man was located”. Luke shared how Jesus said the rich man “begged” Abraham to “dispatch” “Lazarus” to him with his finger “dipped in water” so he could “refresh and cool down” the rich man's physical “tongue”. The rich man desired this because he was “in intense pain, anguish and distress” in the “blaze”.

When we think through Luke's words in this verse, we learn how Jesus taught those who read His words about the “after life”. The “rich man” was so “tormented” that he began to speak to “Father Abraham” who was a distance away. He desired “Abraham” to send “Lazarus” to him with his finger dipped in water just so he could relieve his “tongue” because he was in such pain and anguish from the “flame” that surrounded him. God does not want any person to go to “hell”, and only those who refuse to receive His Son Jesus as their personal “Savior and Lord” shall experience this horrible place. Those who listen to Jesus' words concerning this “rich man” and “Lazarus” are wise not only to His words but also be certain they yield themselves to Him.

Next time Luke shares how Jesus declared how, “Abraham said, Son, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things” so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".