599th Post Jesus Said Concerning Parables Con't. - Parables of First will be Last Con't. - Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus Con't. 3rd post - Luke 16: 19 - 33.

Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus Continued 3rd Post Luke 16: 19 - 33.
Jesus told this parable to explain what the place of the dead was like, and to tell the people that there was more to serving God, than just attending Temple to sacrifice for sins committed and going to Synagogue.  The Jews had forgotten that God wanted a personal relationship with them.  That was the lesson God was trying to teach them with the Tabernacle. God made the people of Israel aware of taking care of the widows, orphans and strangers, as part of His Law.  It was this, and other things God required of them, that made the Jews different from their neighbors in other lands.  Clearly, the rich man forgot this when it came to Lazarus.  It was the lack of care shown to Lazarus that helped put the rich man into torment.  This parable gives the living an insight into the place of the dead.  In the parable, Jesus told of two sides, one had the righteous, and the other the wicked.  It is interesting that the good and bad, could communicate with one another there.  They just could not reach each other.  Remember that Jesus told this parable toward the end of His earthly ministry.  Jesus explains this place of the dead, but yet Jesus Himself does not go there when He dies a short time later.  We know this, from the account of what Jesus said from the cross.  One of the thieves that was being crucified with Him, asked Jesus to remember him.  Jesus turned to this man, and said "Today, you will be with Me in Paradise."  When we look at Sheol (Hades), Jesus talked about, Father Abraham, seems to be the one in charge there.  If this place was Heaven, God would be in charge not Abraham.  It is interesting to look at the word Hades in Greek, if you do a word study Hades in the Old Testament says it is the place of the dead; but if you look at the meaning of Hades in the New Testament it means only hell, the place of the wicked.  I have run out of room again continued next post.