Luke 16:19-31
¹⁹Now there was a rich man, and he HABITUALLY dressed in PURPLE and FINE LINEN, joyously LIVING IN SPLENDOR every day.
We are not told how this man got this rich, so he could continually dress and live like this. Maybe the man was in trade, or inherited it from his father, or maybe the rich man got his estate by fraud, or oppression.
This was not relevant to the story, but Christ shows, that a man may have a great deal of the wealth, and pleasure of this world, and still perish for ever under God’s wrath and curse.
This story is an eye opener for those who believe that if you follow the Christ you should be blessed and be rich, and if you are poor, or sick, you must be living under a curse.
It clearly shows that this teaching in the “word of faith movement” is besides the truth.
The sin of this rich man was that he selfishly was providing for himself only. He didn’t care that there were others, even at his own doorstep, who had absolutely nothing.
We are not told that the rich man did any harm to Lazarus, but on the other hand we are also not told that he had any care for him.
²⁰And 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.
On the extreme opposite of the life of this rich man Jesus tells us of a poor, sick, hungry, and crippled man, who had to be laid at the door of this rich man.
Different from other parables, Jesus mentions the names of the persons. The rich man is not named, but the poor man is named Lazarus. From the Greek Λάζαρος Lazaros ( pronounced as lad’–zar–os) which means “whom God helps” (it is a form of the Hebrew name Eleazar).
Although he lived in human eyes a miserable life, he testifies with his name that God is his helper. He was a man who believed in God and who would live hereafter happy for ever.
Now he was still in the depth of distress, which is often the lot of some of the dearest of God’s saints and servants. Many of them are greatly afflicted in this world.
How are you living? What is your situation?
Whatever your situation is, ALWAYS stay close to the Lord!
To be continued
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