Beggars

Narrator: Chris Genthree
 •  1 min. read  •  grade level: 9
In the Old Testament earthly prosperity was a sign of blessing. The Psalmist said that during the whole of his life he had not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread (Psa. 37:2525I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. (Psalm 37:25)); whereas of a wicked one, typical of Judas, it is said, “Let his children be continually vagabonds and beg” (Psa. 109:1010Let his children be continually vagabonds, and beg: let them seek their bread also out of their desolate places. (Psalm 109:10)); but in bringing in strength and salvation Jehovah “lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes” (1 Sam. 2:88He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the Lord's, and he hath set the world upon them. (1 Samuel 2:8)). The law made many provisions for the poor. In the New Testament we read of several beggars who were also blind, who received blessing (Mark 10:4646And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimeus, the son of Timeus, sat by the highway side begging. (Mark 10:46); Luke 18:3535And it came to pass, that as he was come nigh unto Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the way side begging: (Luke 18:35); John 9:88The neighbors therefore, and they which before had seen him that he was blind, said, Is not this he that sat and begged? (John 9:8)); and in the parable the Lord spoke of the beggar named Lazarus who was carried into Abraham’s bosom (Luke 16:20, 2220And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, (Luke 16:20)
22And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; (Luke 16:22); compare Acts 3:22And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; (Acts 3:2)).