We considered just how it is that the Lord seeks to teach us of the approach of His return.
We talked a little of the swallows and the hawthorne tree and how they tell us summer is coming. Likewise the Lord has given us signs of the nearness of His return.
This is a subject very dear to the Saviour. That is evident in the many references that He makes to the His return.
Furthermore, it may be seen in the many references He had His prophets make to His return.
“Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began,” Acts 3:21.
Note Peter says all of His ‘holy prophets’! Just how important this subject is.
* We must watch for the signs given us be like unto the watchful householder as he guards his property against the thief, verse 43. Where there is danger we watch carefully! There is a danger that we may be carried away by carelessness and fail to rightly watch and wait for Christ’s return.
The Lord Jesus was ever warning sinners of hell, verses 10-13.
This parable is all about understanding the times in which we live.
I believe that it is the privilege of God’s people to share in a knowledge of God’s present purpose on this earth and what He purposes to do in the future. Furthermore, He desires to share this knowledge with the boys and girls who take the time to read and pray over His Word.
Please note:
* In Matt 24:32, our observance of the prophetic times is paralleled with our telling of the earthly seasons by what we may observe with our eye.
* The time of the end will be observable because it will see a repeat of what happened before in the days of Noah as judgment drew near, 37-39.
We come to the final section of the parable, verses 27-31.
We sang a lovely hymn this morning.
There’s a peace in my heart that the world never gave,
A peace it cannot take away;
Tho’ the trials of life may surround like a cloud,
I’ve a peace that has come there to stay!
Constantly abiding, Jesus is mine;
Constantly abiding, rapture divine;
He never leaves me lonely, whispers, O so kind:
“I will never leave thee,” Jesus is mine.
I did not choose the hymn but it fits what I have to say very well. The peace spoken of in the hymn, those sinners in hell can never know!
“Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house: for I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.”
We have been thinking of the knowledge the rich man in hell possessed. He believed a lot of things now that he had rejected while alive. However, there has not been that ‘renewing of his mind’ that conversion brings. As Paul said: “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God,” Romans 12:2. That being so, this poor damned sinner cannot grasp the gospel! The soul that is born again by the power and grace of the HolyGhost is renewed and can understand!
Notice that this man argues with Abraham. He contradicts Abraham! “Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent,” verse 30. He has still that natural, fallen, rebellious mind that took him to hell in the first place! He knew better than such an one as Abraham! Hell is a place of arguments still!
Now I said on Tuesday past, that his thinking is the same as many, many people today.
They would readily tell you that if someone were to come back from the dead they would believe! No they wouldn’t. They did not believe when Christ raised the dead etc.
“Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter,” Acts 17:31-32. But Jesus did rise fo=rom the dead! Proof is found in Mark 15:43-45.
Men always believe that they can improve on God’s means of saving souls. Rich man had a better way than God’s way – he thought! “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God,” 1 Corinthians 1:18.
