Peace in Christ.
Again, the rich man is the rich pastor/shepherd who rules (being clothed in purple) over the spiritually poor congregation (the beggar) that is experiencing a severe famine of hearing the Word of Truth under his “pastoring” of them.
He rejoices that he is getting his daily, earthly needs met from his spiritually poor congregation…he fares sumptuously “every day”.
He is clothed in fine linen…that is, he appears as a minister of righteousness. 2nd Corinthians 11:15 . “Fine linen”= works of righteousness. Revelation 19:8.
He comes in sheep’s clothing but is inwardly a ravenous wolf. Matthew 7:15 .
Luk 16:19-21
(19) There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared (REJOICED) sumptuously (brilliantly) every day:
The spiritually poor congregation lays at his “gate”…that is, at the mouth of the rich pastor.
They want to hear the Word of Truth from his mouth but only receive crumbs of the Truth that fall from his table where he is feeding only himself. The rich pastor is only preaching himself. He is only shepherding himself. He is not feeding the flock that he is pastoring.
The rich man is the shepherd who is only feeding himself literally as he is getting his daily, earthly needs met from those who he preaches to. He rejoices brilliantly "every day" by it.
Because of this, he has no understanding of the Scriptures and cannot feed anyone with the meat of the Truth and so the congregation is a spiritually poor “beggar” who is full of sores….experiencing many problems in their lives. The crumbs are not enough to feed the congregation. The Word of Truth is not being heard.
The rich man rejoices in this situation though as he is getting good things from his congregation while the congregation only receives bad things in their lives. The drum beat of his rejoicing heart drowns out the cries of his spiritually poor congregation that is experiencing many problems in their lives. They are full of sores and are not hearing the Word of Truth from the rich pastor.
(20) And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,
(21) And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
The dogs came and licked the sores of Lazarus….that is, the rich pastors superficially smooth over (with their tongues) the problems of their congregations with words such as “peace, peace” (prosperity, happiness, etc.) when there is none of these things.
“Peace”= “shalom” which encompasses peace, wholeness, completeness, harmony, well-being, and prosperity. Their pastors do not truly care for their spiritually poor congregations as they are all given over to covetousness and only superficially “heal” the hurt of their congregation. They just want things to keep going as they are (for their sakes) as they make light of the problems that their congregations face.
Jer 6:13-14 KJV
(13) For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely.
(14) They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.
“Lazarus” means “God helps”. God will deliver His people from their “pastoring”…where they are only feeding themselves. Ezekiel 34:8 . He will deliver them from their mouth (Lazarus laid at the gate…at the mouth of the rich pastor). Ezekiel 34:10 .
The “beggar” died off….Greek: apothnēskō - From G575 and G2348; to die off (literally or figuratively): - be dead, death, die, lie a-dying, be slain (X with). “Apo” = off.
Notice it is not “Lazarus” who died off but the “beggar” did. There will be a reversal of fortunes here so to speak. Lazarus will no longer be a spiritually poor beggar. He will no longer receive bad things in his life as the “beggar” status dies off. He will then receive good things in life AWAY from the rich pastor.
Luk 16:25 KJV
(25) But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
This is not about the “after life” but about how life is experienced now in this earth in this age we are currently living in.
He was carried by the angels…that is, the messengers. The messengers are Moses and the prophets as interpreted by Christ.
“Lazarus” will hear the testimony of Christ and believe as He opens up the Scriptures (Moses and the prophets) to his understanding and will be carried off from the man-based churches (where the rich pastors are) into Abraham’s bosom….that is, they will then inherit the promises that were made to Abraham which brings good things to them.
Luk 16:22-23
(22) And it came to pass, that the beggar died off, and was carried off by the angels (messengers) into Abraham's bosom: the rich also died off, and was buried;
The “messengers” are Moses and the prophets that we are to hear and believe when Christ opens up the Scriptures…the Word of Truth.. to our minds. We are told who the angels/messengers are in Luke 16:29: Moses and the prophets.
“Lazarus” will believe in what he hears and will come out from among the unbelievers (away from the rich man who will not hear and believe). He will rise from the dead ones (plural)….the unbelievers of the man-based churches who will not be persuaded. The unbelievers will not change their minds (repent).
But the believer will be carried away from them with belief in what he hears as Christ (who did rise from the dead) interprets the words of the messengers who are Moses and the prophets.
Luk 16:29-31 KJV
(29) Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
(30) And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.
(31) And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.
God spoke in times past unto the fathers THROUGH the prophets….the “angels”…that is, the messengers. This is the key verse to understand that the prophets are the angels talked about in the rest of these verses here in Hebrews chapter 1.
The prophets = the angels/messengers of God whom He sent and spoke through to the fathers. They are messengers whom God spoke through. That is what messengers do...they relay the message to the people that are supposed to receive it.
The Son....who is superior to the angels... interprets Moses and the prophets who are the “angels”.
Heb 1:1-5 KJV
(1) God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
(2) Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
(3) Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
The “angels” here in Hebrews chapter 1 is the “prophets” who spoke unto the fathers in times past. The Son was made some much better than the angels….that is, the prophets who were messengers to the fathers in times past.
(4) Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.
The prophets…the angels/messengers…were not the Son who obtained a more excellent name than they. God did not call Moses His Son nor did He call any of the other prophets His Son. That honor is only for Jesus Christ...the Son of God....of whom we are part of.
(5) For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?
Moses and the prophets (the “angels” of God) worship the Son. They wrote of Him in times past as they looked forward to His arrival in this world.
(6) And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.
Moses and the prophets (the angels…the messengers) were made spirits.
(7) And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.
(8) But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.
(9) Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
(10) And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands:
All of the prophets did mortally perish. They did wax old here on this earth. But they were then changed by God into ministering spirits. They served their purpose on this earth while they lived here. They died but were changed into ministering spirits for us today.
(11) They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment;
(12) And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.
(13) But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?
all of the prophets of the Scriptures who had mortally perished are all ministering spirits to us who are heirs of salvation. They did get old and perished from off this earth but were changed into ministering spirits according to God’s plan for them for our benefit today.
(14) Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?
The “angels” …the prophets….now desire to look into these things now. The prophets…the “angels”…did minister unto us the things which are now reported unto you by those who preach the gospel (the Word of Truth) with the Holy Spirit sent down from Heaven. The prophets wrote the Scriptures as they were moved by the Spirit.
1Pe 1:9-16 KJV
(9) Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
(10) Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:
(11) Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.
(12) Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.
It is His Son now who speaks to us from Heaven in the Spirit of Truth. We are to hear and believe in Him as He opens up the words of Moses and the prophets (the “angels”) to our minds so that we might understand them. It is the revelation…the disclosure..of Jesus Christ. The angels worship Him as they did write the words of the Scriptures with Him as their focus. They wrote of Him...and Christ interprets their words (the revelation/disclosure of Jesus Christ) which makes them ministering spirits.
(13) Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
We are to be found of Him (as He opens up the Scriptures that were written by Moses and the prophets and apostles) being “obedient”...that is, to HEAR subordinately. We are to take heed on how we hear…attentive hearing. We are not to be found of Him behaving badly like we did in the man-based churches that we attend in our ignorance of the Word of Truth.
(14) As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:
(15) But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
(16) Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
Again, the rich man is the rich pastor/shepherd who rules (being clothed in purple) over the spiritually poor congregation (the beggar) that is experiencing a severe famine of hearing the Word of Truth under his “pastoring” of them.
He rejoices that he is getting his daily, earthly needs met from his spiritually poor congregation…he fares sumptuously “every day”.
He is clothed in fine linen…that is, he appears as a minister of righteousness. 2nd Corinthians 11:15 . “Fine linen”= works of righteousness. Revelation 19:8.
He comes in sheep’s clothing but is inwardly a ravenous wolf. Matthew 7:15 .
Luk 16:19-21
(19) There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared (REJOICED) sumptuously (brilliantly) every day:
The spiritually poor congregation lays at his “gate”…that is, at the mouth of the rich pastor.
They want to hear the Word of Truth from his mouth but only receive crumbs of the Truth that fall from his table where he is feeding only himself. The rich pastor is only preaching himself. He is only shepherding himself. He is not feeding the flock that he is pastoring.
The rich man is the shepherd who is only feeding himself literally as he is getting his daily, earthly needs met from those who he preaches to. He rejoices brilliantly "every day" by it.
Because of this, he has no understanding of the Scriptures and cannot feed anyone with the meat of the Truth and so the congregation is a spiritually poor “beggar” who is full of sores….experiencing many problems in their lives. The crumbs are not enough to feed the congregation. The Word of Truth is not being heard.
The rich man rejoices in this situation though as he is getting good things from his congregation while the congregation only receives bad things in their lives. The drum beat of his rejoicing heart drowns out the cries of his spiritually poor congregation that is experiencing many problems in their lives. They are full of sores and are not hearing the Word of Truth from the rich pastor.
(20) And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,
(21) And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
The dogs came and licked the sores of Lazarus….that is, the rich pastors superficially smooth over (with their tongues) the problems of their congregations with words such as “peace, peace” (prosperity, happiness, etc.) when there is none of these things.
“Peace”= “shalom” which encompasses peace, wholeness, completeness, harmony, well-being, and prosperity. Their pastors do not truly care for their spiritually poor congregations as they are all given over to covetousness and only superficially “heal” the hurt of their congregation. They just want things to keep going as they are (for their sakes) as they make light of the problems that their congregations face.
Jer 6:13-14 KJV
(13) For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely.
(14) They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.
“Lazarus” means “God helps”. God will deliver His people from their “pastoring”…where they are only feeding themselves. Ezekiel 34:8 . He will deliver them from their mouth (Lazarus laid at the gate…at the mouth of the rich pastor). Ezekiel 34:10 .
The “beggar” died off….Greek: apothnēskō - From G575 and G2348; to die off (literally or figuratively): - be dead, death, die, lie a-dying, be slain (X with). “Apo” = off.
Notice it is not “Lazarus” who died off but the “beggar” did. There will be a reversal of fortunes here so to speak. Lazarus will no longer be a spiritually poor beggar. He will no longer receive bad things in his life as the “beggar” status dies off. He will then receive good things in life AWAY from the rich pastor.
Luk 16:25 KJV
(25) But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
This is not about the “after life” but about how life is experienced now in this earth in this age we are currently living in.
He was carried by the angels…that is, the messengers. The messengers are Moses and the prophets as interpreted by Christ.
“Lazarus” will hear the testimony of Christ and believe as He opens up the Scriptures (Moses and the prophets) to his understanding and will be carried off from the man-based churches (where the rich pastors are) into Abraham’s bosom….that is, they will then inherit the promises that were made to Abraham which brings good things to them.
Luk 16:22-23
(22) And it came to pass, that the beggar died off, and was carried off by the angels (messengers) into Abraham's bosom: the rich also died off, and was buried;
The “messengers” are Moses and the prophets that we are to hear and believe when Christ opens up the Scriptures…the Word of Truth.. to our minds. We are told who the angels/messengers are in Luke 16:29: Moses and the prophets.
“Lazarus” will believe in what he hears and will come out from among the unbelievers (away from the rich man who will not hear and believe). He will rise from the dead ones (plural)….the unbelievers of the man-based churches who will not be persuaded. The unbelievers will not change their minds (repent).
But the believer will be carried away from them with belief in what he hears as Christ (who did rise from the dead) interprets the words of the messengers who are Moses and the prophets.
Luk 16:29-31 KJV
(29) Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
(30) And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.
(31) And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.
God spoke in times past unto the fathers THROUGH the prophets….the “angels”…that is, the messengers. This is the key verse to understand that the prophets are the angels talked about in the rest of these verses here in Hebrews chapter 1.
The prophets = the angels/messengers of God whom He sent and spoke through to the fathers. They are messengers whom God spoke through. That is what messengers do...they relay the message to the people that are supposed to receive it.
The Son....who is superior to the angels... interprets Moses and the prophets who are the “angels”.
Heb 1:1-5 KJV
(1) God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
(2) Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
(3) Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
The “angels” here in Hebrews chapter 1 is the “prophets” who spoke unto the fathers in times past. The Son was made some much better than the angels….that is, the prophets who were messengers to the fathers in times past.
(4) Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.
The prophets…the angels/messengers…were not the Son who obtained a more excellent name than they. God did not call Moses His Son nor did He call any of the other prophets His Son. That honor is only for Jesus Christ...the Son of God....of whom we are part of.
(5) For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?
Moses and the prophets (the “angels” of God) worship the Son. They wrote of Him in times past as they looked forward to His arrival in this world.
(6) And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.
Moses and the prophets (the angels…the messengers) were made spirits.
(7) And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.
(8) But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.
(9) Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
(10) And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands:
All of the prophets did mortally perish. They did wax old here on this earth. But they were then changed by God into ministering spirits. They served their purpose on this earth while they lived here. They died but were changed into ministering spirits for us today.
(11) They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment;
(12) And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.
(13) But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?
all of the prophets of the Scriptures who had mortally perished are all ministering spirits to us who are heirs of salvation. They did get old and perished from off this earth but were changed into ministering spirits according to God’s plan for them for our benefit today.
(14) Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?
The “angels” …the prophets….now desire to look into these things now. The prophets…the “angels”…did minister unto us the things which are now reported unto you by those who preach the gospel (the Word of Truth) with the Holy Spirit sent down from Heaven. The prophets wrote the Scriptures as they were moved by the Spirit.
1Pe 1:9-16 KJV
(9) Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
(10) Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:
(11) Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.
(12) Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.
It is His Son now who speaks to us from Heaven in the Spirit of Truth. We are to hear and believe in Him as He opens up the words of Moses and the prophets (the “angels”) to our minds so that we might understand them. It is the revelation…the disclosure..of Jesus Christ. The angels worship Him as they did write the words of the Scriptures with Him as their focus. They wrote of Him...and Christ interprets their words (the revelation/disclosure of Jesus Christ) which makes them ministering spirits.
(13) Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
We are to be found of Him (as He opens up the Scriptures that were written by Moses and the prophets and apostles) being “obedient”...that is, to HEAR subordinately. We are to take heed on how we hear…attentive hearing. We are not to be found of Him behaving badly like we did in the man-based churches that we attend in our ignorance of the Word of Truth.
(14) As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:
(15) But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
(16) Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
