The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-04-22
SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
APRIL 26.
Lesson Text. "The Rich Man and
lazarus" Luke xvi, 1891
Golden Text: Luke xvi,
13-Commentary.

10. "There was certain rich man." There
Is probably something dispensational. some
thing Of Jew and gentle, In this, in the
record In this lesson; but inasmuch as the
two preceding chapters treat largely OF man
trea 'nent Of tho love Of God and mans ma
tural blindness to his eternal welfare con-
trasted with Gods abundant provision and
desire for mans welfare, we will so consider
1t. AS there Is nothing in the record to in-
dicate that this is a parable prefer to take
1t as q record Of facts, of events which ac-
tually trauspired. This rich man makes us
think OF the rich fool of xiii, 20, the rich idol
ater Of xvlii., 20, and the rich publican OF
xix, 2, and 1t would be we'll to compare
these records. The rich man Of this lesson
may be called "The Rich Skeptic"
20. Sand there WAS certain beggar.' AS
there is nothing necessarily sinful in being
rich, for Abraham and David and other good
men were very rich, go there is nothing neces-
sarily pious in being poor, yet the words OF
our Lord are, "How hardly shall they that
have riches enter into the kingdom of God"
(chapter xviii, 24). Not many wise or
mighty or noble are called q Cor l., 1920,
but God hath chosen the poor Of this world,
rich In faith and heirs Of the kingdom which
He hath promised to them that love Him
(Jas. H., s..
21. "And desiling to be fed with the
crumbs which fell from the rich mans
table," Things are often very unevenly
divided In this life. Some have more than
they can use, while others have not the neces-
saries OF life, and dogs seem more kind than
men, It may have seemed charity to allow
the beggar to lie at the gate and receive the
crumbs from the table, though the record
does not say that he received them, but only
that he desired to. If the rich man had only
been true child of Abraham, and as such
ministered to this poor one, what different
future he would have hadi 90
20. "And it came to pass that the beggar
died, The rich man also died." 1t Is ap-
pointed unto men once to die (Heb. *, 2D,
and while In the past Enoch and Elijah have
been excused from keeping this appointment,
and at the coming of Christ tor His saints
they will all be caught up without dying,
vet up to this time the great enemy continues
his work upon rich and poor, high and low.
without respect of persons. Thank God for
the ministering angels (Heb. l., 14), who
will welcome us If called to leave the body
AMI bear or guide US to the presence OF the
Lord.
%. "And in hell (bades) he lift up his eyes,
being in torments." To the believer IN
Christ, whether rich or poor, ITO die Is
(Phil. l., 21, 23), but to the unbeiever to die
is to be in torment, not that Of the lake OF
fire which comes after the resurrection OF
the bodies OF the wicked at the time OF the
great white throne Judgment (Rev. xx..
11-15). but possibly that which Is referred to
in II Pet. H., 4. The condition of both be-
levers and unbelievers between death and
resurrection, while that Of conscious hap
piness or misery, is evidently. az inter-
mediate state while waiting for the body.
"a. II am tormented in this fame" This
word translated flame" Is used but few
times, and generally in reference to the eyes
Q: cS: Lord Jegss Gh ffist as in Rev: l., IA;
H., Is; XIX, 12. May it not suggest tnal part
Of the torment Of the lost between Oath an91
resurrection consists OF the memories or
wasted life, laid bare by these searching
eyes and no possibility OF forgiveness?
o5. "Son, remember" This confirms the
thought OF memory doing its awful work In
that dread interval. The rich man could re-
member, and his memories we're anything
but pleasant. The wasted life, the oppor-
tunities forever gone, the vain regrets, the
unavoidable doom. We need none OF US to
have this experience, but the only way fs to
remember now the loving kindness OF the
Lord and believing His love to US receive
Him as our Saviour.
26. "Between US and you there Is great
gulf fixed" The Scriptures nowhere teach
the possibility Of the salvation OF lost soul
after death; but, as In this verse, Just the
contrary. because there Is wrath beware
lest He take thee away with His stroke, then
a great ransom cannot deliver thee" (Job
xxxvi., 18). "Neither their silver nor their
gold shall be able to deliver them In the day
of the Lords wrath" (Zeph. l., 1s).
81. "Send him to My Fathers house" DO
.hos otb rd N
a prayer TO departed saint, and II those
who pray to the dead and for the dead
would remember the teaching OF this lesson
they might perhaps see the folly and sin OF
their conduct. II those who pray to Mary
would think Of Mary's song. "My spirit hath
rejoiced in God, my Saviour, they would see
that Mary herself needed to be saved like
other sinners.
2s. "Testify unto them lest they also come
into this place Of torment" II he had never
been anxious for his own souls welfare
while he lived on the earth, he was now
desirous for the welfare OF his brethren, VINO
were still there. There are evidently no
skeptics after death. They all believe the
hard facts then.
29. "They have Moses and the prophets.
Let them hear them" Here We see the
cause OF this mans lost condition. He, too,
had Moses and the prophets while he lived
on the earth, but he had evidently despised
them. We have no evidence that he had
been an openly wicked man. Perhaps ne
was very moral man and good citizen,
but he was an unbeliever and Indifferent to
God and His word, and apart from God there
Is no life.
80. "If one went unto them from the dead.
they will repeat" Just so do many talk
even here. They say: "No one has ever
come back to tell Us about the hereafter.
How do we know" They do not seem to
realize that by such thoughts and words they
make God liar q John ", 10). He has told
us in His word, and the Son Of God has come
down from heaven to tell US OF these unseen
realities and to deliver US from going down
to the pit. If We despiss the written word,
we also despise tho living Word. and II We
despise the Son we despiss the Father.
81. "If they hear not Moses and the
prophets, neither will they bo persuaded.
though one rose from the dead" This is
conclusive testimony bv one who knows.
Our Lord Jesus told these facts. and Hs
knows all men and all that is in man (John
H., "a, 25,. All unbelief is simply rebellion
against God, and His love, and His Son:
The one thing to do is to believe God and
accept His Son. and do it quickly lest 1t be
too late.-Lesson Helper.