They Have Moses and the Prophets - Luke 16:29

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”, and in chapter sixteen and verse twenty-nine of his book Luke wrote how Jesus said, “Abraham said unto him, they have Moses and the prophets” where we read:

Abraham said unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.

The verse reads, “Abraham said unto him, They have Moses and the prophets;” Luke began with the words, “Abraham said unto him” or “Abraham whose name means father of a multitude and was the son of Terah and the founder of the Jewish nation uttered, declared and proclaimed to the rich man”, “they have Moses” which means “the rich man's five brothers possess Moses whose name means drawing out and was the legislator of the Jewish people” “and the prophets” or “and the men who were moved by the Spirit of God and hence his organ or spokesman who solemnly declared to men what they have received by inspiration, especially concerning future events, and in particular such as relate to the cause and kingdom of God and to human salvation”. Luke shared how Jesus said “Abraham” told the “rich man” how his “five brothers” had “Moses” or “the law of Moses” and the “prophets” or the prophetic words available to them.

The verse goes on to say, “let them hear them.” Luke continued with the words, “let them” or “allow and permit the rich man's five brothers to” “hear them” which means “attend to, consider, understand and perceive what Moses and the prophets have declared”. Luke shared how Jesus said “Abraham” told the “rich man” his “five brothers” should listen to what “Moses and the prophets” had to say.

When we consider Luke's words in this verse, we understand the importance of the “law of Moses” and the words of “the prophets”. Both of these venues declared God's salvation through His Son Jesus who was to be the “Messiah and Christ”. God's desire is to save people from their sins, and when they yield their lives to His Son Jesus, they shall be forgiven of their sins and receive everlasting life in Heaven with Him. Those who are wise will carefully study the scriptures, even those in the Old Testament, and discover God's plan of redemption for mankind within the “law and the prophets”.

Next time Luke shares how Jesus declared how the rich man said, “No, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent” 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".