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Friday, March 20, 2015

Though One Rose From the Dead



Even If Someone Rises From the Dead

Most everyone should be familiar with the New Testament story of the rich man and Lazarus.  If it is a story, a parable, or the truth is a matter of opinion and there are many opinions. Regardless of its state, there is much truth contained within it.  The rich man lived “high on the hog” / “the life of Riley” / very well.  He had the best clothes, a gated house, “sumptuous” food, and certainly much more material wealth than is listed.  The poor man had no food, no home to live in, was covered with sores that stray dogs licked, and sat by the gate of the rich man perhaps as a beggar.

"There was a rich man who dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. But at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus whose body was covered with sores,   (Luke 16:19-20 NET)

The rich man apparently had no compassion, sympathy, or charitable thoughts and passed Lazarus most every day hoping he would disappear or at least go away.  Later in the story, both the rich man and Lazarus die and are taken into separate areas or compartments of a place apparently designed for the dead such as Hades, but is referred to as Abraham’s bosom in this scripture story.

The Abode of the Dead
Facts and information concerning the temporary resting place of the dead are sketchy in the Biblical scriptures which may explain the many suppositions available today.  Mythologically, Hades is the place where the dead are taken, and this appears to also be the resting place referred to in the Bible as well.  Current opinions and theology of the location of the dead are mostly based on conjecture and wishful thinking.

Traditional, conservative thinking teach that the righteous dead go directly to heaven to be with the Lord.  However, that concept is never directly taught in the scriptures and the idea is based on supposition of a few scripture verses.  The Bible does teach that people die and are considered in a state of “sleep”.

And the LORD said unto Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers; (Deuteronomy 31:16 KJV)

Otherwise it shall come to pass, when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers,  (1 Kings 1:21 KJV)

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.   (1 Thessalonians 4:14 KJV)

When a person dies, the soul and/or spirit goes to be with the Lord as hinted in the 1 Thess. 1:21 scripture listed above.  That verse does not teach the dead will be sitting on a cloud playing a harp, but that all will be resurrected just prior to the return of the Messiah.  Another hint or indication is found in Revelation 6:9.  These souls are protected by God and are allowed to briefly speak.  These souls do not have a glorified body standing around the throne of God singing praises.  They are under the altar or in Abraham’s bosom which may be a compartment of Hades.

And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:   (Revelation 6:9 KJV)

The Book of Enoch, which is non-canonical, describes compartments or sections in Hades similar to the story in Luke.  The locations of the rich man and Lazarus notes two different sections but there may be a total of four.  According to 2 Peter 2:4 the angels who mated with women (Watchers) were imprisoned in Tartarus, which is rumored to be the lowest part or section of Hades.

For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell (tartarus),   (2 Peter 2:4 KJV)

For if God did not spare sinning angels, but giving them over to chains of darkness, thrust them down into Tartarus   (2 Peter 2:4 KJ3)

Ninety percent of the Nephilim (human/angel hybrids) were imprisoned into the third section of Hades.  The spirits of the remaining ten percent of the Nephilim are allowed to roam the earth as demons until the day of judgment.

Unrighteous humans are placed into the second compartment generally referred to as “hell”, which is not the final lake of fire.  According to the story in Luke, this hell is apparently not air conditioned and there is a definite lack of water.  Unlike many popular stories, this scriptural hell is not inhabited by the devil and his demons with fire raging in all directions.  It is a place for souls awaiting the final judgment with a complete lack of creature comforts.

The first compartment, called Abraham’s bosom, is the abode of the righteous dead and may be the place called Paradise by the Lord Jesus to the thief on the adjoining cross.  At His death and prior to His resurrection, Jesus did go to Hades.  It is unknown if He visited every compartment, but He surely visited Paradise.  Many expositors believe He emptied Paradise and took them to Heaven, but that is highly doubtful (in my opinion).  When Jesus said to the thief, “To day shalt thou be with me in paradise” He literally meant Paradise and not Heaven because Jesus did not go to Heaven until several weeks later at His ascension.  All the saved being in heaven after the death of Jesus is an important issue with the pre-tribulation rapture theorists

Moses and the Prophets
The rich man inquired if Abraham would send Lazarus to testify to his five brothers so they would not be sent to the place of torment.  Abraham answered the former rich man saying his brothers have Moses and the prophets.  That is all they need if they will merely pay attention to the writings and follow His words.

Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.  (Luke 16:29 KJV)

The laws of God are the rules of righteousness.  The laws were written as the rules of righteousness.  With the salvation of Jesus the laws are written on our hearts with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit giving us direction.

Though One Rose From the Dead
The rich man apparently knew his brothers did not pay any attention to Moses and the prophets so he requested that a resurrected person go to them and they would listen due to their amazement.

And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.   (Luke 16:31 KJV)

Abraham basically told him that if his brothers will not pay any attention to the scriptures they will not acknowledge a person raised from the dead.  It that statement was true in the day of Jesus, what about current times?  It is still a true statement.  Very few pay any attention to the scriptures.  Even many who occasionally go to church do not read the Bible.  Very few are involved in intense study of the scriptures.  Many consider the Bible to be myth; not the word of God; prophecies written after the fact; Isaiah written by two people; Hebrew roots people considering Paul to be a heretic; preterists believing all prophecy was fulfilled at 70 AD; others considering the Old Testament to be outdated.  Many comments are made using material from old and new Babylonian sources, the Koran, Hindu sources, and many other totally non-scriptural sources.

If the majority of today’s current population maintain a low opinion of the Bible, it should be certain their opinion of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is equally as low.  Most may have the opinion of Thomas Jefferson – that Jesus taught a good moral code but was not the son of God.  Below is a quote from Thomas Jefferson:

From a letter to General Alexander Smyth dated January 17, 1825:
“It is between fifty and sixty years since I read it (the book of Revelation) and I then considered it as merely the ravings of a maniac, no more worthy nor capable of explanation than the incoherences of our own nightly dreams.”

Some will claim Jesus as the resurrected Son of God.  They may even go to church on Easter Sunday, but they live their lives as daughters and sons of the whore of Babylon.  Even the demons know that Jesus is the son of God, but knowing is not the answer.

The good news is that many will be able to view a resurrection from the dead.  It is my view and opinion that we are either near or close to the 70th week of Daniel.  Almost everyone knows something about the antichrist, 666, rapture, tribulation, and the wrath of God (usually they know very little but think they know a lot).  By the same token, many have heard of the return of Jesus Christ – they will either say it will happen; consider it a myth; or claim it may happen but not in my lifetime or my children’s lifetime.  It will perhaps occur way in the future when the world looks like downtown Damascus.

What will occur prior to the advent of the 70th week of Daniel?  There will be wars (check); There will loss of food leading to famines (check); Liberties and freedoms will be taken away (check); The world will be divided into ten regions (check);

What will occur during the 70th week of Daniel?  The Jewish temple will be rebuilt (if not prior); One leader will subdue three world regions; This leader will be killed; This leader will be resurrected (ascend from the abyss) However, many people including myself could be mistaken.  The beast may rise from the abyss at the beginning of his career as a recognizable once-dead individual (no one really knows – they just think they do – but we will see soon enough); Everyone who previously considered the Bible as myth and the resurrection of Jesus a fraud or fairy tale will be amazed beyond understanding and get in line to accept the mark of the resurrected Nimrod/Apollo/Osiris/Asshur/Baal and eventually burn in the lake of fire.  Amen – not that I am happy for you who qualify but that is the complete context and content of the matter.

And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.  (Revelation 13:3 KJV)

And I saw the head of the beast as if his ancient or recent death had been caused by a head wound; however his deadly head wound is now healed and he is appearing alive and well: because of this the complete population of the world were amazed beyond understanding at the death and resurrection of the beast. (Personal Version)

Is it necessary to go to church, parade down the aisle during the invitation hymn and whisper in the ear of the preacher (or someone else)?  You can, but that is only one method to make your confession public.  The Messiah, Yeshua (Jesus in Hebrew) came preaching the establishment of the Kingdom of God with miracles and physical healings.  He fulfilled all facets of the Mosaic law.  To be a part of the Kingdom of God one must believe that Yeshua is the son of God; that he was crucified, buried, and resurrected; then one must live their life and change one’s thoughts as God intends by living the law as a reminder of His moral attributes.  John the Baptist proclaimed, “repent and be baptized.”  Repent of your immorality and evil thoughts and then be baptized.  Water is a symbol of death and resurrection, but the real baptism is repenting and receiving a new life as a new forgiven person in the Kingdom of God.  As Jesus said to Nicodemus, “You must be born again (from God who gives you the Holy Spirit).”  That is:  you must die to the old self and be reborn (or resurrected in a sense) as a new person and a member of the Kingdom of God.

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