Even people who say they don't believe in God will often say a
prayer when they are in serious trouble! The man in this story was
in the very worst of trouble when he prayed, but his prayers didn't
help!
Jesus Christ wanted us to know about these prayers, and He is the
only One who could have known about them. You see, this man did not
say these prayers until after he had "died and was buried..
In Hell, where he was in torment, he looked up" 1*. and began to pray.
During his lifetime he had been very rich, but was now in a
very poor and sorry state, begging for help. "Far away" he
could see a beggar called Lazarus whom he had ignored when he had
lived beside him on earth. Lazarus had also died, but the angels
had carried him to Abraham's side in a place of pleasure and
delight.
The tormented man prayed, `..Have pity on me and send Lazarus to
dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am
in agony in this fire.'" 2*. But he was told there was no way he could be
relieved from God's awful judgment! 3*.
I wonder how many millions of people are going on living as he did!
Perhaps he never even believed there was a Hell - until he found
himself in it! Jesus tells us that MANY will end up in that
terrible place of eternal judgment, 4*. where their prayers will be too late to
obtain mercy and grace from God. 5*.
The condemned man couldn't bear the thought of his brothers
following him to that terrible place of judgment. He prayed, "…
Send Lazarus to my father's house, for I have five brothers. Let
him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of
torment.'"
The answer that came back said, `They have Moses and the Prophets;
let them listen to them.'' But he knew well that his brothers were
not taking God's written message seriously; just like so very many
people around us today who take no interest in the message of God -
the Holy Bible.
The tormented man pleaded, "If someone from the dead goes to them,
they will repent." But he was told, "If they do not listen to Moses
and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises
from the dead.'" 6*.
There was no excuse for any of them because God's message had been
made known throughout the Old Testament of the Bible.
So, how much more will you and I deserve to be condemned if we
don't take seriously the wonderful message that is available to us
in the complete Bible. 7*. There we learn of One who DID come back from the
dead. Jesus, the Son of God, whom the Bible had said would die for
our sins 8*. but
would not rot in the grave, 9*. DID EXACTLY AS WAS PROPHESIED ABOUT HIM IN THE
BIBLE!
You will be without excuse if you refuse to trust in Jesus as your
only Priest and Saviour who can bring you to God. 10*.
Trust Him before it is too late!
Read about the uselessness of prayers from
Hell in Luke chapter 16, verses 22-31.
Bye for now,
John Nixon, Ballincollig, Cork, Ireland. P31HD98. Contact: jnixonj@gmail.com
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---------------oOo---------------
Bible quotations from N.I.V.
1 Luke
16:22-23.
2 Luke 16:23-25.
3 Hebrews 9:27. 10:31.
4 Matthew 7:13. 25:41,
46.
5 See Genesis 6:3,
5-7.
6 Luke 16:27-31.
7 Hebrews 2:1-4.
8 Isaiah 53:4-6.
9 Psalm 16:10. Acts
2:22-36.
10 1st Peter 3:18. John
3:16-19.
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