Hearing If One Rose From the Dead - Luke 16:30

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 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. But Abraham said, Son, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and you are tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from here to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from there. Then he said, I pray you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house. For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham said unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them”, and in chapter sixteen and verse thirty of his book Luke wrote how Jesus declared how the rich man said, “No, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent” where we read:

And he said, No, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.

The verse reads, “And he said, No, father Abraham:” Luke began with the words, “and he said” or “and the rich man uttered, declared and proclaimed”, “no, father Abraham” which means “neither and in no way, progenitor and male ancestor Abraham whose name means father of a multitude and was the founder of the Jewish nation”. Luke shared how Jesus said “the rich man” disputed “Father Abraham's” answer as he proclaimed the following words.

The verse continues, “but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.” Luke added the words, “but if one went unto them” or “however, nonetheless, notwithstanding and moreover whether a person departed, traveled and journeyed to the rich man's five brothers” “from the dead” which means “separated and apart from the spiritually destitute of life, inanimate, departed and deceased”, “they will repent” or “the rich man's five brothers would change their mind for better and heartily amend with abhorrence their past sins”. Luke shared how Jesus said the “rich man” thought if someone like “Lazarus” were to return from the dead and speak to his brothers, they would turn from their wicked ways.

When we meditate upon Luke's words in this verse, we see how the “rich man” was negotiating on his five brothers' behalf. He believed if someone were to return from the “dead”, his five brothers would believe them. Many people believe like this “rich man”. They think if someone were to come back alive and tell them what it was like to be in “heaven or hell”, they would change their ways. We shall see what Jesus says about this in our next verse, but let it suffice us to know this story tells of one who “returned from the dead”, and those who are wise will yield their lives to Jesus Christ who is able to “forgive” their sins and grant them “everlasting life” with God in Heaven.

Next time Luke shares how Jesus declared how Abraham said, “if they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead” 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".