Luke 16: 19-31 This was a story of real people. Jesus gave a real name of a real person, \"Lazarus\" This is indeed a truthful account of something that happend. Names were very important, and those he was speaking to (Luke 16: 14) The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus in an earler dicourse that day. So Jesus continued addressing those who loved \"money\" and sneered at Him, by giving the truth, telling them about Lazarus and the rich man. Do you think this rich man was a Pharisee? A good guess would be yes, as Abraham calles him \"son\" in v. 25. This would be a man that knew the laws of Moses. But the Word choses not to mention \"who\" the rich man really is, ALL people who love money luxuries **OVER** the giving of mercy and love to fellow mankind. Do not be so bold to ignore the truth behind Christ\'s message here to the Pharisees as not an actuall event. I trust in Jesus that he is telling a truthful event. This rich man was dressed in \"fine purple linen\" and \"lived in luxury every day.\" Lazarus, \"a begger covered in sores\" was \"laid\" down by people at the rich mans gate to hopefully receive some comfort from the wealthy man therein. Lazarus \"longed\" to just \"eat the scraps\" that fell from the rich mans table. He was not given such luxury, you do not \"long\" for something you have received. The dogs that roamed came and licked Lazarus\'s sores. Would the dogs be able to lick Lazarus\'s sores if he was taken up by the rich man and given the care he so desperatly needed? Christ was telling the Pharisees that even the dogs showed more compassion to Lazarus then this man of great worldly wealth. Such a sight was this at the front of a rich mans gate, especially to those who \"laid\" him down there.... To lay a man down in such a way and not go hide him off in some unclean or lepper colony; Why do you think he would of been given such care? Was Lazarus some one that was hated, or someone that was loved? And if he be loved, who do you think would of loved him? Wealthy people or people that did not have the means themselves to care for Lazarus? There is much information given in V\'s 19-21. Knowing Christ and the compassion he has for the poor, you can see what he was saying here. Woe to them in another speech. Luke 11: 37-54 Talking to these same rich men, the \"Pharisees.\" Lazarus was loved by the poor and the meek, he was laid down in front of a rich mans gate, left there for what reason? They hoped that he would be cared for. But he did not receive a fallen morstle from the rich mans table, the dogs were left to tend to his sores. In this view, who would God\'s mercy fall favor on in salvation? There Lazarus died at the gate, and the Angels collected him to Abrahams side. The rich man died and was buried in hell. A hell where he was in torment. A tormented place were he could talk to Abraham, one that he knew. Was this a Gentile apart from the law? The rich man knew who Abraham was.... he called to him \"Father Abraham\" v, 24 again, who do you think this rich man was? This place that is discribed is real. v. 22-25 Abrahams side is the place were all those went that were good and righteous in Gods sight, kept the law, those that listened to the Prophets and Moses and waited for the coming Messiah. There is that place called Abrahams Bosom. There is that place that Christ decended to collect those with Abraham that died before the arrival of the \"new covenant\" with Christ Jesus. Jesus decended into the earth for 3 days, raising from the dead. Luke 24: 45 He did not emediatly raise to God the Father when his fleshly body ceased to work. For three days, he decended to the dead according to the scriptures. This is the place discribed by Jesus and given in the name and discription through the Pharisees clan; Abraham. This information of Lazarus and the rich man and where they were after their physical death occured is a real place. Christ fullfilled the forgiveness of sins of the Old Testiment by collecting those who repented by the laws given Moses. Those rightious men and women were kept with Abraham awaiting for the promise of the given Messiah to be fullfilled. Those on the other side of this place are seperated from God in eternal death. Those men and women now are in heaven, Lazarus is in heaven. The rich man remaines in hell while Christs chruch is being fullfiled now on earth. mi_heritage