Insights From The Parable of The Rich Man And Lazarus (Lu. 16:19-31)

Read Luke 16:19-31.

1. Every person is going to die. 
2. Every person, regardless of his lot in life, continues existence after physical death.  There is no truth to the false teaching called annihilationism.
3. Today matters.  Choices made today, especially concerning salvation and holiness, affect your destination.  No one avoids Hell by convincing himself and others that he is a good person.  No one avoids Hell unless he walks the path of holiness!  There is no truth to the false teaching called universalism.
4. What a hindrance money can be.  Beware self-righteousness, self-sufficiency, etc.  A rich person in Hell suffers as much as a poor person!
5. God's Word, not your opinion or experience, is the ultimate witness.  Will that witness be for you or against you on Judgment Day?
6. There are at least fifteen things you will not find in Hell:  grace, mercy, second chance, erasure of memory, relief, adequate excuse, joy, peace, a party, satisfaction, inability to feel pain, loss of awareness, bargaining, silence, change of venue (moving from Hell to Heaven because the sentence has been altered).

If you are a pastor, you could develop a powerful evangelistic sermon from point #6.

Trouble's Final Word (2 Kin. 4:18-37) (Part 2)

1. WHEN TROUBLE CAME, THE SITUATION DIDN'T HAVE THE FINAL WORD. 

FOR THE MOTHER, DEATH DID NOT HAVE THE FINAL WORD. The story began with a death but ended with a resurrection. That's a dramatic turnaround, wouldn't you say?

For the mother, death did not have the final word; likewise, FOR A CHRISTIAN, DEATH DOES NOT HAVE THE FINAL WORD (1 Cor. 15:51-57).

2. WHEN TROUBLE CAME, HUMAN EMOTION DIDN'T HAVE THE FINAL WORD.

FOR THE MOTHER, GRIEF DIDN'T HAVE THE FINAL WORD. She felt sad, empty, angry, and disappointed, but she didn't allow grief to shut her down.

Not only did grief not have the final word but, FOR THE MOTHER, FEAR DIDN'T HAVE THE FINAL WORD. She didn't entertain “what if” scenarios.

• What if all this happened to let me know that God is displeased?
• What if I become the talk of the town, having no son to support me and love me as I get older?
• What if my husband won't let me go to see Elisha the prophet?
• What if Elisha won't agree to return with me?

If neither grief nor fear should have the final word, then what should? While the ultimate answer will be given near the conclusion, here is an answer for now. FOR A CHRISTIAN, FAITH SHOULD HAVE THE FINAL WORD. What you feel should not have the final word. Being led around by your feelings can be condemning, disruptive and confusing.

The Seven Seals (Rev. 6:1-17; 8:1) (Part 7)

6. SIXTH SEAL > cosmic, geographic and internal disturbances > Mt. 24:7b, 29

^“I looked when He broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black

as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood; and the stars of the sky fell to the

earth, as a fig tree casts its unripe figs when shaken by a great wind. The sky was split apart like a

scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. Then the

kings of the earth and the great men and the commanders and the rich and the strong and every slave

and free man hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains; and they said to the mountains and to the rocks, 'Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the

throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able

to stand?'” (Rev. 6:12-17)

First, let's consider the cosmic disturbances in the heavens. Notice the words 'as' and 'like.' The alert us to metaphorical language. The purpose of a metaphor is to instruct us about what we don't know by using what we do know.

• “ . . . the sun became black as sackcloth made of hair . . .” Metaphor > black sackcloth > solar eclipse
• “ . . . the moon became like blood . . .” Metaphor > blood (red) > blood moon
• “ . . . the stars of the sky fell to the earth as a fig tree casts its unripe figs . . .” Metaphor > figs in a windstorm >meteorite shower
• “The sky was split apart like a scroll when it is rolled up . . .” Metaphor > rolled up scroll > provide a glimpse of what the heavens were 'hiding'

Joel 2:30-31; Isa. 13:6-13; 34:4

Second, let's consider the geographic disturbances on the earth. Notice the absence of the metaphorical words 'as' and 'like.' In other words, John isn't making analogies; he is stating facts.

• “ . . . there was a great earthquake . . .” Fact: Either an earthquake happens or it doesn't.
• “ . . . and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.” Fact: Either every mountain is moved or it isn't; either every island is moved or it isn't.

Third, let's consider the internal disturbances in people's hearts. No status of man was exempt. No title, rank, position or amount of wealth could exempt someone from experiencing the outpouring of God's wrath. “Then the kings of the earth and the great men and the commanders and the rich and the strong and every slave and free man . . . .” Mankind discovered something that was more terrifying than death: “ . . . the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb . . .”

What a contrast Scripture presents! Those who are God's children look forward to seeing Jesus; this is their hope (1 Jn. 3:2). Those who are God's enemies dread seeing Jesus; this is their terror (Rev. 6:16; Heb. 10:31).

Notice the four things that the people know.

• They know they have just seen God, as they refer to “the presence of Him who sits on the throne.”
• They know they have just seen Jesus, as they refer to “the wrath of the Lamb . . . .”
• They know they are experiencing wrath, as they mention that “the great day of their wrath has come . . . .”
• They know they are insufficient to withstand what they see and what they are experiencing, so they cry out for death.

They would rather die in an avalanche of rocks than face the terror of the Lord! Those who will not fear of the Lord now will fear Him later! Read 2 Cor. 5:11.

Fourth, let's consider the wrong response to God's presence and the Lamb's wrath. Those on the earth decide they would rather die by an avalanche of rocks than to look upon the presence of God and endure the wrath of His Son, Jesus. That sounds like an attempt at reverence, doesn't it? Unfortunately, Rev. 9:20-21 reveals that, instead of reverence and repentance, the inhabitants will choose rebellion. Never underestimate the propensity of the human heart toward rebellion. Even an outpouring of the Lamb's wrath, along with an awareness of its source and reason, couldn't entice human hearts away from rebellion. The best way to guarantee you won't have a hard heart later is to make sure you have a soft heart now.

The Seven Seals (Rev. 6:1-17; 8:10 (Part 6)

5. FIFTH SEAL > martyrdom

^“When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained; and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, 'How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?' And there was given to each of them a white robe; and they were told that they should rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed even as they had been, would be completed also.” (Rev. 6:9-11)

The question is often asked, "Will people be saved during the Tribulation?"  Verses 9-11 provide the answer. Yes. Jews and Gentiles will be saved (Rev. 7:4-17). They are referred to as “the souls of those who had been slain.”

If people can be saved and will be saved during the Tribulation, then what's the big rush to bet right with God now? First, you aren't guaranteed your next breath, let alone awareness of when the Tribulation starts. You might not live long enough to be here for the Tribulation!

• 2 Cor. 6:2 > “Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”
• Deal with the matter of salvation right now and “do not receive the grace of God in vain” (2 Cor. 6:1).
• Isa. 55:6 > “Seek the LORD while He may be found; call upon Him while He is near.”

Second, the ones who get saved during the Tribulation -- they will be martyred. What a deal you have right now! If you repent of your sin right now and surrender your life to Jesus Christ right now, you get to live until God grants your last breath You could be martyred; it isn't impossible but it also isn't automatic, as it will be during the Tribulation. If you won't repent of your sin now and surrender your life to Jesus Christ during this time of religious freedom, why would you think you will be able to do these things while defying world culture and law? Remember, this will become a world domineered by a possessed totalitarian who will manipulate religion for his purposes. Right now there is little fallout from declaring yourself a Christian. You might get laughed at or called a name or two. It will be a whole different ball game when your life is on the line. During the Tribulation it will be, “Deny Jesus Christ or die right here, right now.”

Notice why the martyrs were killed. The martyrs were killed, bottom line, because they pledged and maintained allegiance to God and not to the world dictator. More specifically, the martyrs were killed for two reasons.

• Reason #1 > the word of God
• Reason #2 > the testimony of Jesus

“Love makes the whole difference between an execution and a martyrdom.” (Evelyn Underhill)

John probably saw the blood of these loving martyrs under the altar. This is significant, as blood was always poured out at the base. Lev. 4:7 > “The priest . . . shall pour out [blood] at the base of the altar of burnt offering which is at the doorway of the tent of meeting.” A man's shed blood demanded payment (Gen. 9:5-6).

When you read the martyr's question, it brings up a matter called 'theodicy.' Theodicy is the study and attempted explanation of why God allows bad things to happen to good people, knowing that He could have prevented them yet didn't. In this case, why didn't God step in and prevent the suffering, torture and execution of His followers? Here is a summary of God's answer to the martyrs:

Though you don't understand My timing, My purpose and My plan, I'm asking you to keep waiting. My delay doesn't mean My disinterest in your question, My denial of your request or My delight in what happened to you.

• “ . . . God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” (Rom. 8:28)
• Isa. 55:8-9 > “'For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,' declares the LORD. 'For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.'”
• Admit that you don't know God's purpose, don't understand God's plan, and have a limited perspective of things.
• Prov. 3:5 > “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding.”

The Seven Seals (Rev. 6:1-17; 8:1) (Part 5)

4. FOURTH SEAL > death, hades > Mt. 24:7b

^“When the Lamb broke the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, 'Come.' I

looked, and behold, an ashen horse; and he who sat on it had the name Death; and Hades was

following with him. Authority was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and

with famine and with pestilence and by the wild beasts of the earth.” (Rev. 6:7-8)

The vicious, downward spiral of judgment continues. After war, murder and other forms of violence remove peace from the earth, the inhabitants experience skyrocketing inflation and never-before-seen food shortages. While people are starving – most of them, not the elite wealthy – an unprecedented number of people will die prematurely at the hands of this rider called Death. 

Death itself isn't what worries a person. What worries a person is how he will die, when he will die and what happens after he dies. The remainder of verse 8 answers some of these questions. The verse establishes that a person will die. This is in keeping with Hebrews 9:27, which says, “It is appointed for men to die once . . .” As a consequence for sin, each person is promised physical death, that death that I just mentioned in Hebrews. Because no one is exempt from sin, no one is exempt from physical death.

• Rom. 6:23a > “For the wages of sin is death . . .”
• Ezek. 18:4 > “The soul who sins will die.”
• Rom. 3:23 > “ . . . all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

Notice that the rider, Death, is associated with a color. One commentator said that the color 'ashen', also translated 'pale', “refers to the color of a corpse, or the blanched appearance of a person struck with terror.” If people will be terrified by the impact of the four horsemen, what will it be like when those same people see a glimpse of God on His Throne? We will discuss that more in the sixth seal.

Notice that the rider, Death, has company:  "Hades was following with him." This is what causes concern. While Death claims the material part of a person (his body), Hades claims the immaterial part of a person (his soul, his spirit).

• When a believer in Jesus Christ dies, the immaterial part is not kept in Hades but goes right away to live with Jesus (2 Cor. 5:8).
• When a person who does not believe in Jesus Christ dies, the immaterial part is kept temporarily in Hades.

Why do I emphasize the word 'temporarily/" One should wish that Death was the end of an unbeliever's body and Hades was the end of an unbeliever's soul/spirit! Rev. 20:6 talks about a second death. Rev. 20:11-15 gives us the sobering reality.

Verse 8 concludes by stating that twenty-five percent of the earth's population will die. Let's say that, after the Rapture of the Church, the world population shrinks from 7 billion to 6 billion. I have no reason to use that particular number, except for math purposes. I'm hoping that many more than a billion people will go in the Rapture! If we're left with six billion people after the Rapture, that means that the population decreases to 4.5 billion. To picture a population decrease of 1.5 billion people, imagine a world without any people living in North America (including Greenland), South America (including all of Central America), Europe and Australia.¹

What will bring about such dramatic population decrease? Four culprits will be responsible.

• Sword. That's the rider on the red horse.
• Famine. That's the rider on the black horse.
• Pestilence. That means virulent, epidemic disease. In the past few years we've heard about outbreaks of Ebola, Avian Bird Flu, West Nile Virus, and now the latest – Zika Virus.
• Wild beasts.

1Based upon projected populations (by continent) for 2016. http://www.ecology.com/world-population-continent/ (accessed 4-9-16)

Physical and Spiritual Death (2 Sam. 14:14)

"Like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be recovered, so we must die. But that is not what God desires; rather, he devises ways so that a banished person does not remain banished from him" (2 Sam. 14:14, NIV)

1. Physical death is guaranteed and irreversible, except the Rapture happens (Rom. 6:23; Heb. 9:27: 1 Thess. 4:13-18).

2. God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked (Ezek. 18:32). He does seem to take pleasure in the death of the righteous (Psa. 116:15).

3. God provided a way for the banished one. That way is Jesus (Jn. 3:16; 14:6; Heb. 9:12,14).