Shem, Ham and Japheth

In Gen. 10:21 it states that Japheth was the elder brother. I always thought that their birth order was a given:  Ham, Shem, and Japheth. Am I wrong? ~ Marilyn LaStrape A look at an interlinear Bible illustrates that the order of words in the original biblical languages does not correspond to the ordinary order of words to express the same thing in English. This principle is true respecting Genesis 10:21. The relationship of words to each other in the biblical languages must be considered as the translating process renders verses into another language, in our case, English. Some translations, therefore, better accomplish that task in various passages than other translations. Respecting Genesis 10:21, several translations better translate it and show the correct relationship between the words in the verse. As a case in point, note the following rendition of Genesis 10:21 from the American Standard Version: “And unto Shem, the father of all the children of Eber, the elder brother of Japheth, to him also were children born.” The birth order appears to be Shem, Ham and Japheth (Genesis 5:32; 6:10; 7:13; 9:18; 10:1). “The true rendering is, ‘the oldest brother of Japheth’”1 1 Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary, Electronic Database. (Seattle, WA:  Biblesoft) 1997.

Tarry One for Another

Brother Rushmore: Do you think in 1 Corinthians 11:33,34 where it states that they “tarried” (waited) until ALL were assembled before they partook of the Supper, that it CANNOT be done until all of the congregation is gathered together? If it is true that they did, where do we get the authority to offer it at two different times, i.e., once in the morning service and then again, in the evening service? Is the tarrying being done for the Lord’s Supper or for the common meal? In Him, Rea Buttermore The Corinthian church erred, among other things, regarding fellowship meals and observance of the Lord’s Supper. The apostle Paul addressed these two errors in 1 Corinthians 11:17-34. They couldn’t even eat together correctly and they also corrupted the Lord’s Supper. Specifically, the Corinthians intermingled eating a common meal with the spiritual feast of the Lord’s commemorative Supper. In the process, more well to do Christians ate of the corrupted meal they had devised to the exclusion of participation by Christians less well to do. The apostle proceeded to (1) separate the common meal from the spiritual feast and (2) restore the spiritual feast. The assembly of the church for worship is described in verses 17-18, 20, 33-34 with the phrase “come together.” Nowhere in the context does it state that they all had to be assembled before they partook of the Lord’s Supper, which supposition fueled the question of the validity of offering the Lord’s Supper at a second worship assembly on …

Deacon and
Elder Qualifications

Brother Rushmore, Can a Person live so rotten before becoming a Christian that that would disqualify him from becoming an elder or deacon? ~ Al Lawson Included in the qualifications of elders are stipulations that address your question. First Timothy 3:2 states that a “bishop” or an elder “must be blameless.” (See also Titus 1:6-7). Blameless here means not worthy of rebuke or not culpable. Especially in contrast to a similar reference in verse seven of the same context that pertains to the way non-Christians perceive of a candidate to be an elder, verse two specifically represents the esteem in which members of the church hold a man being considered for appointment as an elder. In verse seven, the phrase “must have a good report of them that are without” notes that those outside of church membership must also consider a candidate for appointment to the eldership as blameless or not culpable. A man whose past sins still overshadow his esteem in the minds of brethren and non-Christians lacks the esteem or confidence by brethren and non-Christians to be appointed to so important a responsibility as an elder in the Lord’s church. It may be that those past sins have been forgiven by God and man, yet the consequences of the past sins may persist and make it impossible to serve in some capacities in at least the areas in which those things are known. However, if one’s past sins, for which he has been forgiven, do not undermine the confidence of the congregation over which …

Cultivating Marital Love

While visiting with a fine Christian couple that lived in a community several miles from my home, they began a conversation about the problems existing in their son’s marriage. As I listened, it was easy to detect the deep sadness that filled the hearts of these parents. The father mentioned that he had been concerned for some time since he thought that his son and daughter-in-law had not been trying to improve their relationship. He said, “Love that is not cultivated will soon die.” I could not forget that statement from a Christian father who was a farmer by profession. This expression is filled with many pertinent points regarding the necessity of permitting love to mature. In oriental countries, the custom has been, in times past, for the parents to select their children’s future mates. It seems that the couple enters marriage with a nominal amount of love, but with the passing of the years, that affection is cultivated and matures. Whereas, so many of our young folk get married in the heat of passion and their love subsides in a few years. The divorce rate is proof that there is a wholesale failure of so many marriages in this country. There is a need to cultivate marital love. Webster defines the word cultivate as follows: “1. To prepare and use soil, land, etc., for growing crops; till. 2. To break up the surface soil around (plants) in order to destroy weeds, prevent crusting, and preserve moisture … to improve …

The Old Testament Types and the New Testament Antitypes

Our discussion of the types and antitypes of the Bible will be confined to those that have special relevance to the scheme of redemption and to those things that the Bible reveals as types and antitypes. Even those of us who have preached many sermons on such subjects as “The Ark As a Type of the Church” need to realize that although we can properly use the ark to illustrate many things about the church, the fact that Peter says in 1 Peter 3:21, “The like figure (antitupon) whereunto even baptism doth also now save us” does not mean that we can properly say the Bible sets forth the ark as a type of the church, but only that their salvation by water was a type of our salvation by water. The denominational quibble that it could not be a type of salvation by baptism because they were saved from the water by the ark, not saved by the water, and that they were not even touched by the water has no relevance for two reasons. First, when the Bible says a thing is a type or antitype it is, whether or not you can reason or quibble yourself around it. Second, the water saved them from the ungodly world as it washed that sinful world away. That is the type and antitype, not that the ark saved them from the flood of water. So, Peter is not talking about the ark as a type of the church, but their …

God’s Response to
Excuse-Making Is Always Anger

Anger is a God-given emotion. We know that because the apostle Paul in his letter to the Ephesians said, “Be angry, and do not sin” (Ephesians 4:26, NKJV). Therefore, there are times when anger is totally appropriate. Anger gains the attention of one whose words or actions have been wrong, hurtful or selfish. What is anger? Vine’s Expository Dictionary says, “originally any natural impulse, or desire, or disposition, came to signify anger, as the strongest of all passions.” Webster says, a “strong feeling of displeasure and belligerence aroused by a real or supposed wrong.” Have you ever noticed what makes God angry? Have you ever noticed that God’s response to excuse-making is always anger? Have you ever noticed the biblical accounts where God has given a command to an individual or a group and excuses begin to “fly”? A “so called” reason is offered, but is not a reason at all. This need we feel to “beg off” as we act in self-interest has been with us for centuries. We first read of Moses and the excuses that he attempts to offer God for why he could not deliver the Israelites from Egyptian bondage in Exodus 3:11-4:10. Moses had four excuses that in essence were: (1) to whom was he to go; (2) what was God’s name; (3) nobody would believe him; and (4) he could not speak well. His real reason was expressed when he said, “Oh my Lord, please send by the hand of whomever else You may send” (Exodus 4:13). Can’t you hear …

God’s Faithfulness

Haggai 2:4-5 records a portion of a message of Jehovah to those trying to lead in the rebuilding of Jerusalem after the captivity. God, through Haggai, says: ‘Yet now be strong, Zerubbabel,’ says the Lord; ‘and be strong, Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest; and be strong, all you people of the land,’ says the Lord, ‘and work; for I am with you,’ says the Lord of hosts. ‘According to the word that I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt, so My Spirit remains among you; do not fear!’ (NKJV) It is the second part of the statement that was so eye-catching to me. If ever there was a bold statement of the faithfulness of God, couched in a command to be faithful to him in return, this is it. After the exile from their homeland, many Jews had been allowed to return to Judah and Jerusalem. They eagerly began reconstruction of the temple, but fell into a fear-filled delay when their enemies raised a fuss over it. The incidents are recorded in the first chapters of Ezra, and chapter four, verse twenty-four concludes with this sad recognition: Thus the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem ceased, and it was discontinued until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia. I guess we shouldn’t, as fellow human beings, be too hard on those folks who discontinued the work. After all, the opposition was persistent and vociferous. But, God, in …

The All-Knowing God

The attributes of God are tremendous to the thoughts of mortal man. They are spectacular in nature partly because no person on earth possesses all these qualities. The God of heaven is loving, patient, merciful, vengeful and all knowing. The one attribute that is often overlooked is the all-knowing side of the Mighty God. Do we really believe that God can see and know everything that happens at every moment on earth? As children, we do things that we think our parents never know about simply because we do not see them. A young child that is told to stop screaming goes into another room, where he cannot see his parents, and then proceeds to scream. This is how we look at God. We do not sin in the worship service but will engage in any sin that we please when we leave the church grounds. We may be able to hide our actions from man, but not from God. Notice two examples, one from the Old Testament and one from the New Testament, which demonstrate the power of God to know all things, even though man may not. David & Bathsheba, 2 Samuel 11-12 This is a story of deception, adultery and sin. This is one instance that makes the Bible so unique in its nature. Even though David is the chosen king of Israel and described as a man after God’s own heart, his sin is not omitted from the pages of inspiration. The Bible tells us that …

Who Decides What You Wear?

The third chapter of Genesis communicates many rich lessons for today, but one principle that seems largely ignored is the distinct difference in opinion between man and God as to what is appropriate clothing. After Adam and Eve sinned and realized that they were naked, they covered themselves with fig leaves (Genesis 3:7). When God confronted them and pronounced their sentence, it says, “Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them” (Genesis 3:21). It is interesting that Moses did not write that God “re-clothed them” or “added additional clothing.” As far as God was concerned, they were not clothed. Though they had made some effort to cover themselves, God determined that they had not done so adequately. The Hebrew word for “coats” denotes a garment that went from the shoulders to the knees.  Therefore, we can know for certain that this amount of covering pleases God. However, in today’s world, far too often, Christians and their children let summertime temperatures, the latest fads and fashion, and worldly friends have more influence on their choice of clothing than God does. How can we possibly be “clothed with Christ” (Galatians 3:27) when we do not let him influence our “other clothing”?

Have You Thought Enough About Sinning?

I listened to her sob over the phone, “This isn’t supposed to be happening to me — I’m a Christian wife and mother!” The very sound of her voice made my heart feel like lead. For months, she had been involved in an affair with a man she had met at work. A friendly chat had evolved into dinner, then intimacy. Now her adultery had been exposed. She was pregnant with her lover’s baby and could no longer hide her burgeoning figure. Everybody knew — her non-Christian friends at work, her family, her church family, her husband and her God. She lamented her behavior and wanted ever-so-desperately to turn back the clock — to undo her illicit deeds. Then, too, she worried about how her future would unveil. “Where will I live?” she asked. “Who will take care of me and the baby?” “What about my other children?” I wanted to say some magic words. I wanted to alleviate her grief and mend her broken heart. Most of all, I wanted to see her restored to the Lord and her marriage repaired. My last wish wasn’t possible. Having severed her sacred trust with her husband, he had filed for divorce. In a few days, the legal work would be completed and their eleven year bond would be dissolved in a court of law. I didn’t say it to her on the phone, but I couldn’t help ponder later, “She should have thought more about sin.” That’s right! She should have …

The Importance of the Book of Acts

The 39 Old Testament books and the 4 Gospels look forward to the Book of Acts, and the succeeding 22 New Testament books look backward to the Book of Acts. It is the support, the fulcrum, on which all the other Bible books are balanced, and without which one would wonder why the other books were written. Sad it is that some Gospel preachers, who formerly preached the importance of the Book of Acts, now say that the Book of Acts is only “the shadow or the reflection of a ham sandwich [the four Gospels],” and “you won’t get much nourishment eating the shadow or reflection of a ham sandwich.” On such a “substanceless shadow,” writes a veteran Gospel preacher, the restoration movement has been fed and “long ago starved to death. We are a dead movement.” He continues, “Plugging into any part of the Scripture except the Gospels” is “like plugging an electric motor into a reflection of a power outlet.” On the other hand, in God’s sight, the whole of the Old Testament (cf. 2 Peter 1:21; Revelation 19:10) and the four Gospels are prologues to the Book of Acts. All of those books, 43 of them, antedate “the beginning” of the “new covenant” (Jeremiah 31:31; 2 Corinthians 3:6; Hebrews 8:8), which beginning is first described in the Book of Acts (11:15). Before “the beginning” of the “new covenant,” John the immerser (Matthew 3:1) preached that sinners “should believe on the One coming after him, that is, on …

Is There Life After the Prom?

I believe the headlines say it all; “How to Have the Most Romantic Night Ever,” “Tonight Will Last Forever,” “Sex — It’s Your Call.” These are the messages being marketed to teens regarding the age-old high school tradition called the Prom. These are the headlines of such magazines as Seventeen, Young & Modern and Modern Bride which all published special issues promoting the prom. I believe that these popular teen magazines are sending our young people some rather disturbing messages about priorities as well as sexuality. Ultimately, it is the place of the parents to decide if their children should attend the prom. This article is intended to bring to light some things parents as well as young people ought to have considered. First of all, there is the issue of dancing that must be considered. Is dancing wrong? Not necessarily. There is no sin in moving one’s feet to the rhythm of music. Not all dancing involves indecent dress, unchaste contact or illicit movement. In fact, the Bible records instances when righteous men danced as an expression of their joy (1 Chronicles 15:25-29). However, dancing that calls for close bodily contact between unmarried males and females is wrong. Dancing that involves indecent and suggestive bodily movements is wrong. And dancing that involves impure handling of a dance partner is wrong. The kind of dancing that God’s Word condemns is the kind of dancing that stirs one to have impure thoughts, and act in impure ways. But now, that’s where we have a problem. The …

Snow

According to Richmond’s local newspaper, we have had twelve days in which measurable snow has fallen on our ground this winter. For the uninformed, that is well above average. We have seen many snowfalls since moving to the Old Dominion, including two meteorologists dubbed “blizzards,” and to this point I have refrained from even writing on the subject. Today, that changes. Did you know that the Bible references the word “snow” at least twenty-one times (24 in the KJV)? The considerable majority of these occurrences are in the Old Testament. Several interesting attributes, both literal and figurative, about it are used by the Holy Spirit to teach spiritual lessons. The Bible takes note of the COLOR of snow. It is difficult to imagine snow without thinking of its color. Often implied and occasionally stated outright, the brightness and whiteness of snow is used to depict leprosy (cf. Exodus 4:6) and also the white, clean appearance of the soul brought on by forgiveness (Psalm 51:7; cf. Isaiah 1:18; Daniel 7:9; Matthew 28:3; Mark 9:3; Revelation 1:14). The Bible takes note of the CHALLENGE of snow (2 Samuel 23:20). Try walking, much less running, in deep snow. Having been nearly stranded in a recent winter storm, I regained appreciation for how difficult it is to travel in the white stuff. It was in a snowy pit that Benaiah, one of David’s mighty men, was able to kill a lion. How often has this short story been used, rightly, to illustrate how the …

A Love Letter

Dear friend, I have been contemplating this letter for a long time, and have only now gotten up the courage to write it. Even as I pen these words, my stomach churns in nervous anticipation. The reason for it is quite simple. I want you to know about the very best thing that has ever happened in my life. I want to make sure before I die that I introduce you to my “first love.” You often comment that I seem so happy all the time. Allow me a few minutes to explain why. But before I explain, let me share with you why it has taken me so long to write this letter. Our relationship stretches back through many smiles and many tears, and throughout that time, I knew that you were someone I could count on. Each one of those smiles and tears represents a lifetime of cherished memories. You know my favorite foods, that I love lasagna and don’t like liver. You stood by my side on several occasions when it seemed like the entire world was against me. You have lifted my hand high as we celebrated victories and held my hand through my defeats. In many ways, we are like two peas in a pod. And it’s this relationship that has kept me from writing this letter. I cherish our relationship so much that I don’t ever want anything to jeopardize it or see it falter. So, I beg you to read the remainder of …

A Workman Who Does Not Have to be Ashamed

The books of First and Second Timothy along with the book of Titus constitute a very special portion of the Holy Scriptures so far as the preacher of righteousness is concerned. It can be fairly stated that these books were written first and foremost to those who preach the Gospel of the risen Son of God. This does not mean, however, that there are no messages in these books for the rest of those who make up the body of Christ on earth. Since preachers are both human and Christian, we need the Bible to keep us zealous, loving, kind and to warn us away from those things that would do more harm than good for the body of Christ. And since like other humans we experience heartache, disappointment and discouragement, we need such books as First and Second Timothy and Titus to keep us traveling in the path of righteousness. In 2 Timothy 2:14-26, Paul gave Timothy a long list of things to do, and things not to do as a preacher of righteousness. He was told to remind and charge the brethren that they were “not to strive about words to no profit…” nor were they to “strive about words to the ruin of the hearers. “In other words, Paul commanded this preacher not to wrangle about things that will not profit the children of God spiritually. And in this context, he gave several other admonitions regarding the shunning of profane and vain babblings which increase ungodliness like …

Congregational Temperature

[Christian Bible Teacher, Vol. 44, No. 7, July 2000, page 161] You know, my wife serves food that’ll melt in your mouth…I sure wish she’d thaw it first. Congregations get that way — the need to “thaw out.” I, honestly, do not believe that a congregation of the Lord’s People intentionally puts forth a “coldness.” I believe that this malady (a cold congregation) is simply a case of humanity. If we (humans) are not careful we “end up” being busy, about serious and important things, while, at the same time, overlooking other things. On Sunday morning, at the church building, preachers and teachers are getting their “tools of the trade” all together for class. Other saints are enjoying the fellowship with other saints whom they have missed during the week. Men are “checking and making sure” that those who have been selected to “wait on the table,” lead singing, have opening and closing prayers, are all there. Thus, visitors, guests, are sometimes overlooked. Not intentional, but still it occurs. What to do? Well, first of all, we can: Assign Faithful Families to be the Spotters The reason for using the phrase “Faithful Families” is simply because they would know who are members and who are guests. Nothing is more detrimental to “congregation warmth” than for a member of the same congregation to ask another member if they are a visitor! (I was standing “off to one side” when I heard such a confrontation; it produced a “tense” situation!) Then, there …

Be a Worthy Citizen

Many of the ancient cities took counts of their citizens. It was considered high praise to be counted as a citizen of the city. Not just anyone was allowed to become a citizen. Sometimes it required fulfilling certain strict requirements. And as a citizen of the city, one was expected to behave in a certain way. Most of the time there was a pledge that one took. In Philippians 1:27, we read, “Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.” The phrase “let your conversation” is translated in some versions as “let your manner of life.” The actual Greek word means, “to live as a citizen.” Christians are citizens of the heavenly Jerusalem, the church (Hebrews 12:22-23). Not just anyone is a citizen of the church. One has to fulfill certain requirements to become a citizen of the heavenly Jerusalem. Then one has to continue to live as a proper citizen. Notice that the Gospel is connected with this citizenship. One must read, study and obey the Gospel to be a proper citizen. Then one is obeying the King of the city, the Lord. A Christian pledges to live worthy of the Gospel. When one becomes a Christian, he pledges to live like Christ. He is stating that he will have …

Be a Palm Tree in the King’s Court

The palm tree grows slowly, but steadily, from century to century. It is not influenced by seasons which affect other trees. It flourishes whether it has a lot of rain or whether it gets little. It tends to grow straight even if weights are tied to it. The winds do not make it grow crooked. The palm tree will continue to produce fruit even when very old. It was a custom in many of the societies of ancient times to plant palm trees in important places. Because they were considered beautiful and the fact that they lived so long they were planted in most palaces and in the courtyards of temples. Solomon even covered the walls of the Holy of Holies with carved palm trees. In Psalm 92:12-13, we read, “The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God.” The psalmist is saying that those who follow God will be like the palm tree. They will grow and be fruitful in the courtyard of God. I want to be like the palm tree. I know you do too. You must read your Bible. You must study it and obey what God wants you to do. It is then that you will be like that tall and strong palm tree. You will be well planted in the court of the Great King, God. Until next time, …

Real Religion

Sometimes I hear people ask, “What is religion?” To be sure, religion is more than “going to church” as we often say. In the old days before air conditioning when people kept the doors and windows of the church building open, dogs were known to wander in among the worshipers. If “going to church” made one religious, I suppose then that the dogs would qualify. Of course, it is much more than attending services. The word religion is found only five times in the King James Version of the New Testament. Three times it is used in reference to the Jew’s religion (Acts 26:5; Galatians 1:13-14). In James 1:26, reference is made to one who appears religious. In James 1:27, reference is made to “pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father.” Our English word religion comes from a Latin term meaning, “To bind together again.” True religion, then, is that which binds a person back to God. People who are lost in sin are separated from God and need to be bound together again with him (Isaiah 59:1-2). So, if somebody says, “I’m not a particularly religious person,” they are saying more than just, “I’m not a church-goer.” What they are really saying is, “I am not close to God.” If they are not close to God, then, they are close to the devil. It is either one or the other. James wrote, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and …

A Vision for the Future

Imagine for a moment, if you will, a congregation of the Lord’s people where the people are truly united — not only in worshipping in spirit and truth, but in spiritual work, goals and priorities (John 4:24; 1 Corinthians 15:58; Philippians 3:13-14; Colossians 3:1-2). Imagine a congregation where the people enjoy Christian fellowship so much that they long for it throughout the week and create opportunities to be together more on their own (Romans 12:10). Imagine a congregation where the youth group not only presents a united front for Christ and against sin but also is involved together with their parents in teaching their friends (Proverbs 22:6; 2 Timothy 3:14-15). Imagine a congregation where the minute someone becomes disorderly in any way all Christians immediately take action in order to try to restore that lost soul (2 Thessalonians 3:6; Galatians 6:1). Imagine a congregation where children come with lessons prepared, ready to participate and soak in a Bible lesson (2 Timothy 2:15). Imagine a congregation full of people trying to prepare themselves for greater service in the kingdom at every opportunity (2 Peter 3:18). Imagine a congregation so knowledgeable of the Bible that individual Christians can teach the truth and correct misunderstandings their friends have on the spot (Hebrews 5:12-14). Imagine a congregation free from strife, bickering and complaints, exhibiting Christian love and Christian attitudes toward one another and toward all men (Philippians 2:14; John 13:34-35; Matthew 22:39). Imagine a congregation that is teaching the lost on a daily basis …

Going Home

Many people do not ever have a question as to where they will be buried. They have lived their whole lives basically in the same place and expect to be buried in the family plot. This sounds similar to Jacob’s words at the end of his life. “Bury me not, I pray thee, in Egypt: But I will lie with my fathers, and thou shalt carry me out of Egypt, and bury me in their burying place” (Genesis 47:29-30). Although on the surface we might think that Jacob simply had a sentimental attachment to the family cemetery, his words hearken back to the promise that God made to him that his family would grow to be a great nation and prosper in the land of Canaan. Jacob had lived for seventeen years in Egypt, but he never considered it home. He was reminding the family that they were only sojourners in that land, and that God had promised them a home somewhere else. This is the same attitude we need to have today. We are strangers and pilgrims upon this earth (1 Peter 2:11) who are traveling through life, however long our stay, in order to reach our ultimate destination of heaven, the place of our citizenship (Philippians 3:20). Too often, we are so wrapped up in where we are that we forget who we are and where we want to go. It does not matter so much where you are buried upon this earth, but it does matter whether or not, …

The Bible Concept of Hell

There is no more unpopular subject to teach than that of, yet it is a Bible doctrine. Yet, like Paul, we feel compelled “to declare all the counsel of God” (Acts 20:27), even the unpleasant. Preachers of old were known for preaching hellfire and brimstone, so that people often could imagine the stench of the smoke as they left the church building after services. Some have suggested this to be too extreme, but we must ask, how extreme is? Is it not extreme enough that we should go to any length to warn the lost and erring of their impending doom? The Scriptures mention  some 54 times in the Old and New Testaments, but a cautionary word is advisable here. There are different original words used in different places throughout the Scriptures that have been translated “,” and sometimes the word would have been better translated, “grave” or “Hades.” Let us consider some scriptural facts about this important Bible doctrine. To begin, one must come to the realization that “” and “Hades” are not the same place. Sheol in Hebrew Old Testament corresponds to Hades in the Greek New Testament. Both terms refer to the place departed spirits go after death. These have been rendered “grave” (31 times), “” (31 times) and “pit” (3 times) in the KJV. These are unfortunate translations. There is a place within Hades called “torment,” (basanos) and also a place referred to alternately as “Abraham’s bosom” or “paradise.” Luke 16:23 reads, “And in he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar …

The Benefits of Hell

Luke 16:19-31 Apparently, some outside the Lord’s church as well as some brethren must desire the benefits of. It is also much easier to travel the broad way through the broad gate to than it is to travel the narrow way through the narrow gate to heaven (Matthew 7:13-14). Further, most or all of some people’s friends will be in, and to be with them eternally, they will have to go there, too. There is no restrictive law filled with prohibitions by which one must order his life on earth in order to arrive in someday. In addition, note some of the benefits of. There will be no preaching in. For some folk, even Christians, no preaching in will be a definite advantage. Often mankind considers Bible preaching as mere foolishness (1 Corinthians 1:18-21). Non-Christians and Christians alike sometimes consider distasteful biblical doctrines as merely the opinions of men (1 Thessalonians 2:13). However, God’s preachers must preach the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27; 2 Timothy 4:1-2). Yet, many consider preaching as meddlesome in their personal lives, too tedious and boring and unnecessarily long (Matthew 14:1-12; Acts 6:8-7:60; 20:7; Ephesians 4:15). Though there will be no preaching in, there will be preachers in. Many false prophets, preachers and teachers will be in (Revelation 20:10; 1 John 4:1; Romans 16:17-18; James 3:1). The rich man of Luke 16:19, in the part of Hades that is a foretaste of, illustrates that the inhabitants of will desire to hear preaching with the subsequent opportunity to respond, …