Lazarus 11:11

Jesus asks for the stone to be rolled

It all, started for me with 1111. Many people around the world, have experienced this sequence And some who have, say it's all about Angels. Let's say, I kept searching for years but I would get no satisfactory answer. This is how God got me to understand and relate, God's sequence of numbers, to God's word. As you continue to read, you will understand what 11:11 means. All glory to God!

But men and women had a will of their own, and they rebelled against God. That rebellion is called sin. Because of sin death came. It is a judgment upon mankind. We sinners are all under the sentence of death.

Lazarus' sickness was not to end in death, since we know the sickness did kill him. John 11 

We learn why death is not natural or beautiful, the difference between resurrection and resuscitation and the deeper meaning of Jesus’ miracles or ‘signs’.

Jesus had one particularly beloved family and they were Mary, Martha, and their brother Lazarus. The Gospel begins with, two sisters from Bethany, Mary and Martha who send word to Jesus that their brother Lazarus is ill: “Lord, he whom you love is ill.” John 11:3

When Jesus receives word of the illness of Lazarus, He says, “This illness is not unto death; it is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified by means of it.” John 11:4

It was a surprise to all that Jesus did not come immediately when He heard that Lazarus was ill. Jesus explained to His disciples that this sickness would not end in death. 
Jesus would raise him up from the dead (grave). The raising of Lazarus is meant to manifest the glory of God and also point to the future resurrection of the Lord Jesus thus causing the disciples to believe in Who Jesus was. 

Jesus heals the blind man. John 9:2-3 “And His disciples asked Him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" Jesus answered, "It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be made manifest in him.  

Jesus spat on the ground and made clay of the spittle and anointed the man's eyes with the clay, telling him, to, wash in the pool of Silo'am". He came back seeing. Scripture says he was born blind that works of God may be displayed in him. 

The healing of the deaf-mute man. Mark 7:32-37 “And taking him aside from the multitude privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue; and looking up to heaven, he sighed, and said to him, ‘Ephphatha’, that is ‘Be opened’”.

Jesus takes the sick man aside ensuring that at the moment of healing Jesus and the deaf man are on their own. The Lord touches the sick man’s ears and tongue, the specific sites of his infirmity. Jesus uses His fingers and even His saliva. The man is healed, his ears are opened and he can speak plainly. 
The people are astonished beyond measure. It is the people’s last remark after the miracle has been performed is: “He has done all things well”. Mark 7:37

Jesus says: “Our friend Laz′arus has fallen asleep, but I go to awake him out of sleep.” John 11:11

Jesus, knew that Lazarus would die, yet Jesus chose to leave after 2 days. He told His disciples that they should go, thus reaching the destination, on the 4^th day of Lazarus death. “Lazarus is dead; and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. John 11:14-15

The scriptures state that both Elijah and Elisha raised the dead. However, Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead after the 4th day in the grave was truly a miracle. The resurrection miracle would point towards Jesus being the Messiah, yet would also lead to His crucifixion-physical death.

It was extremely significant that Lazarus had been dead for 4 days. Judaic law taught that a deceased person’s spirit remains around the body for up to three days-after death, before departing. 
On the 4th day, there was no hope for life without a miracle. Also, by the 4^th day in Israel’s hot climate, advanced decay would set in the body and the stench would have been unbearable. 
When Jesus called Lazarus to life from the dead the people knew that He was the true Messiah, performing genuine miracles as the prophets had foretold! 
Many of the Jews … began to believe in Him.

Jesus knew what He was going to do. When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled; and he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” Jesus wept. John 11:33-35 

When Jesus met a distraught Mary and her weeping companions, He did not rebuke them for crying. No, He wept with them, on approaching the tomb.

Abba Father had never intended for us to experience death. He forbade Adam and Eve one thing–a fruit that would make them subject to it.

Death came into the world through the envy of the devil, not through the plan of God. Death rips loved ones from the embrace of their families. So in the presence of those wounded by death’s sting, Jesus weeps.

Jesus’ compassion for the suffering, His miraculous works in the Gospels are signs because they point to something even greater He will do for the benefit of all.

This is why Jesus allowed Lazarus to die. Because when He called him forth from the tomb, Jesus was making clear why He had come.

Jesus cured many but people still would have to face death. Jesus, had to save us from the grave, and this salvation would have to be eternal. Lazarus’ resuscitation was only a stay of execution. A few years later, death would become him once again.

Jesus is glad about all the benefits raising of Lazarus will have for us. We hear Martha explain Jesus’ power. “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. And even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” John 11:21-22

We hear Martha tell us about Jesus and the resurrection on the last day. We also get to hear the most comforting words of Jesus to Martha: “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die.” John 11:25-26

A while back, Mary was the one who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to His teaching while Martha was distracted with much serving. It is Martha now who greets Jesus, while her sister Mary sat at home. Martha seems to have pondered over the Lord’s gentle rebuke.

The dialogue between Martha and Jesus about the death of Lazarus brings about a strong statement of faith from Martha. “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God” John 11:27  It is the same faith that with which Simon Peter replied in Matthew 16:16, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Lazarus had been dead for 4 days. Jesus asked for the stone to be rolled away. Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it. Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to Him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.” 

Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone.

And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. I knew that thou hearest me always, but I have said this on account of the people standing by, that they may believe that thou didst send me.” John 11:38-42
With this prayer Jesus wanted to show us that this God who so loved man and the world that He gave His Only Begotten Son. John 3:16. He is the God of Life, the God who brings Hope and can reverse humanly impossible situations.

Jesus’ prayers, reveal the deep connection between the love of God and love of one’s neighbour.

We pray to God to grant us strength to open our heart to the needs of those beside us.

Jesus the Son of God, always in union with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit.

Jesus cried out in a loud voice: “Lazarus, come out!” John 11:43

The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with bandages, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.” John 11:44

Resurrection & the Life

In the presence of the crowd, Jesus called Lazarus out of the tomb. This power over death was a sign of Jesus’ own coming resurrection, and of Lazarus and ours as well. It demonstrated to His enemies just how great a threat He was. They had to act fast to stop this sort of thing from getting out of hand.

Jesus lay His life down willingly, experienced the horrible torture of crucifixion, the bitter wrenching of body from soul. He accomplished a victory over death that is eternal.

Many of the people believed in Jesus when they saw Lazarus raised from the dead. The Pharisees called the high council together to discuss the situation. ‘What are we going to do?’ they asked each other. ‘This man certainly performs many miraculous signs’” John 11:45-47.

The High Council decision:-Such a miracle happening before the crowds, so close to Jerusalem, did not go unnoticed, especially when Jesus was already under close scrutiny from the temple officials. So when the leaders met to decide what to do about this miracle, the end result of their discussions was a decision that Jesus must die for the good of the nation.

The confessional has been referred to a tomb, where a repentant, confessing his sins, willing to make amends by the power and grace of Jesus Christ, shows how we are restored to life by absolution. The priest says:

God the Father of mercies, through the death and resurrection of His Son, has reconciled the world to Himself and sent the Holy Spirit among us for the forgiveness of sins; through the ministry of the Church, may God give you pardon and peace, and I absolve you from your sins in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Jesus had said “Lazarus come out!”, and Lazarus came out! As our Lord says, he who believes in Me will live, even if he dies.

Paul explains in 1 Corinthians 15:

“50 Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “Death is swallowed up in victory. 55 O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; 57 but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

We will lose this mortal, perishable body and put on an immortal, imperishable body. This will happen because death has been conquered by our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ. 

                     

REMEMBER: Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness, and that is why Jesus died on the cross. “The blood of Jesus (God’s) his Son cleanses us from all sin”. 1 John 1:7
Jesus had to die so that we could live.

Death has already been defeated. It was defeated at the cross and at the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Please continue to read…

The unforgettable walk to Emmaus!