The Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-26)
Luke:16:19"Now there was a rich man, and he habitually
dressed in purple and fine linen, joyously living in splendor every day.
20"And a poor man named Lazarus was
laid at his gate, covered with sores,
21and longing to be fed with the
crumbs which were falling from the rich man's table; besides, even the dogs were
coming and licking his sores.
22"Now the poor man died and was carried
away by the angels to Abraham's
bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried.
23"In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom.
24"And he cried out and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.'
25"But Abraham said, 'Child, remember that during
your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but
now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony.
26'And besides
all this, between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, so that those who
wish to come over from here to you will not be able, and that none may cross
over from there to us.'
The best wording I have found for the Remedialist doctrine concerning Luke 16:19-26 (see link at Luke 16:24-26 ) is part of an article written by a friend. It is as follows:
In earth life, one person may suffer from cancer and, another, tuberculosis and still another leprosy. In none of these does a normally rational person conclude that an infuriated God is seeking vengeance and inflicting torment. He recognizes that such illnesses and suffering are the natural outcome of the violation of the law of physical well-being. Similarly with the soul in Hades, it is but enduring the inevitable outcome of violating God's laws. (Ezek. 18:4) The soul dies because the rules for its health were not observed.
Father Abraham told the rich man that there was balance in God's plan for His offspring. (Lk. 16:25) But the Greek word translated "tormented" never should have been rendered in that way. At the worst, its meaning is pain. The lexicon gives the meanings of "pain of mind, grief, distress." However, the indoctrinated translators of Scripture lost no opportunity for paralyzing the people with stark terror of a demon-God. It should also be pointed out that the Greek word translated "torment" in Lk. 16:23 can lend itself to that rendering, yet that is not true to its original meaning. Originally it had to do with the applying of a touchstone to gold for trying its genuineness. By analogy and with reference to people, it had to do with cross-examination and/or the placing under duress to obtain a true confession.
In this parable, the Lord was pointing out how the rich man found himself in duress to obtain a true confession. This applies even to the trying of the gold with the touchstone, because gold symbolizes spirit. Here the spirit's genuineness and worth were being tried, as it was forced to shed its refuge of lies. It should be clear to any thinking person that the laws of God are designed to bring about balance. The rich man had enjoyed the good of the earth, though we may surmise that he misused the blessings. As a result, the balances swung toward the counterbalance beyond death. During the process, the rich man had ample time to reflect upon and come to an understanding of God's immutable laws of Truth and justice. During the earth life, Lazarus endured much, and yet through it he had found his Redeemer and his God, as shown in the meaning of his name--whom God helps. Thus, beyond death, the balances swung toward Lazarus being consoled.
EXPERIENCE IN PARADISE
Lazarus is a type for people who are “born-again” believers in Jesus, those who have formed a contract with the Lord during their earth-life. Father Abraham continued to explain that, between his own realm and the lower zone of the unsaved, there had been fixed a "great chasm" so that there was no passage from one zone to the other for dwellers in either zone. Of course, balance could not be realized by those in the unseen world, if all would be able to intermingle and partake of the same conditions. Therefore, there was a gulf between them. Bear in mind how the Lord said that, after death, Lazarus was carried by the messengers into the bosom of Abraham. (Lk. 16:22) By himself in the comparative density of his soul body, Lazarus was no more able to ascend into Paradise than the fish of the sea to soar up onto the mountains where the birds nest.
But in Paradise, there is a learning about the environment. In the fullness of their time, as Abraham has done, those of the Lazarus type learn to master the lower soul strata - even as some birds, such as geese, are masters of the high airways as well as the water depths. But such power and proficiency in travel cannot be granted the Lazarus types until they have come to understanding, rising far beyond the shallow and agonizing confines of the "me and mine" which are so ingrained within the realm of Lucifer, Otherwise, their paradise would soon be transformed into hell. In the parable, Abraham had entered into that understanding, being able to dispassionately behold his son suffering in the nether realm. Observe that we are not told of Lazarus, nor any of his bedfellows, beholding the rich man. In an earthly parallel, we understand that light penetrates the water depths and can be seen by those within the water, but the birds in the upper air see little, except the blackness of the ocean.
Posts
