Lazarus Raised

Then Jesus…came to the tomb…He cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.”

John 11:38-44

Jesus is shown the tomb where Lazarus’ body has been laid. Martha has joined Mary with Jesus as they show Him the tomb. At Jesus’ command to remove the stone covering the tomb’s entrance, Martha reminds Jesus that by now, 4 days after Lazarus died, there would “be an odor.” Remember, Jesus intentionally delayed His coming to Bethany because of a Jewish superstition that the human “spirit” hovered over the dead body for 3 days in case life would return to the body. So, everybody present now knows Lazarus is dead! Then, Jesus tells Martha that He has already told her that, if she believes, she will “see the glory of God.” With the tomb now opened and, Jesus saying a prayer, He calls “with a loud voice” and, Lazarus, still wrapped in the grave “clothes, hops out of the tomb and Jesus calls for others to remove the wrappings and let Lazarus go. Here, Jesus commands a dead body to return to life and “come out” of the tomb. This same call Lazarus “heard” from the Lord is the call each Christian will hear someday when the skies will be rolled back as a scroll; the Lord Himself will descend; He will call His Bride, the Church, to “come up” to Him, meeting in the air to be with Him forevermore. Those who have “fallen asleep,” died, will rise from their grave and, those who are still alive will rise with the dead to be glorified and live in eternal existence with our Savior and Lord. What a great and blessed day that will be when Jesus we shall see for we shall see Him just as He is because we will have glorious bodies that will be able to view our Savior and Lord without being destroyed!

Source: S C Ball March 20, 2023


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