THE HARDNESS OF UNBELIEF

There was a certain Rich man,

Who (habitually) clothed himself in purple and fine linen,

And Feasted and made merry in Splendor every day.

And at his Gate there was (carelessly) dropped down and left

A certain utterly destitute man, name Lazarus,

(Reduced to begging alms) and covered with (ulcerated) sores.

He [eagerly] desired to be satisfied with what fell from the Rich man's table;

Moreover the dogs even came and licked his sores.

And it occurred that the man (reduced to) begging alms) died

And was carried by the angels to Abraham's Bosom.

The Rich man also died and was buried.

And in Hades [the realm of the dead],

Being in Torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham Far Away

And Lazarus in his Bosom.

And he cried out and said,

Father Abraham, have Pity and Mercy upon me,

And send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water

And to cool my tongue;

FOR I AM IN ANGUISH IN THIS FLAME.

But Abraham said,

Child, remember that you in your lifetime fully received

(What is due you) in Comforts and Delights,

And Lazarus in like manner the Discomforts and Distresses;

But now he is Comforted here, and you are in Anguish.

And besides all this,

BETWEEN US AND YOU IS THERE IS A GREAT CHASM FIXED,

In order that those who want to pass from this [place] to you

MAY NOT BE ABLE,

And No One may pass from there to us.

And [the man] said,

Then, father, I beseech you to send him to my father's house,

For I have five brothers,

So that he may give (solemn) Testimony and Warn them,

Lest they too come into this Place Of Torment.

But Abraham said,

THEY HAVE THE MOSES AND THE PROPHETS;

LET THEM HEAR AND LISTEN TO THEM.

But he answered, No, father Abraham;

But if some one from the Dead goes to them,

They will Repent

(Change their minds for the better and heartily amend their ways

With Abhorrence of their Past Sins).

He said to him,

If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets,

NEITHER WILL THEY BE PERSUADED AND CONVINCED AND BELIEVE

If some one should Rise from the Dead.

(Luke 16:19-31)

Who, today, is hearing what the Spirit is saying to mankind.

They have Moses and the Prophets and the Christ of God

And the Completed Word of God to mankind;

Are they Convinced and Believe,

Any more than the Five Brothers of the Rich man,

Of the Reality of Eternal Destination;

Of Hell and of Heaven?

Christ Rose from the Dead, and speaks to All who can hear,

But who believes Him?