Thursday: The Resurrection of Lazarus
Daily Lesson for Thursday 10th of October 2024
John 11:1-57 is filled with sadness—the sad news of a dear friend’s illness (John 11:1-3); the weeping over his death (John 11:19,31,33); the sisters’ lament that Lazarus would not have died if Jesus had been present (John 11:21,32); and Jesus’ own tears (John 11:35).
But Jesus had delayed two days before starting His journey to Lazarus (John 11:6), even indicating that He was glad that He had not gone earlier (John 11:14-15). This action was not from any cold-heartedness. Rather, it was to reveal God’s glory.
Image © Review & Herald Publishing at Goodsalt.com
By the time we get to John 11:17-27, Lazarus had been dead four days. After four days, his body would already be rotting and, as Martha said , “ ‘Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days’ ” (John 11:39, NKJV). No doubt, Jesus’ delay only helped to make the miracle that followed even more astonishing. To raise a rotting corpse? What more proof could Jesus have given that indeed He was God Himself?
And, as God, as the One who created life to begin with—Jesus had power over death. Thus, Jesus uses this opportunity, that of Lazarus’s death, to reveal a crucial truth about Himself. “ ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die’ ” (John 11:25-26, ESV).
Read John 11:38-44. What did Jesus do that supported His claim?
Just as Jesus showed He is the Light of the world (John 8:12, John 9:5) by giving the blind man sight (John 9:7), so here He raises Lazarus from the dead (John 11:43-44), demonstrating that He is the Resurrection and the Life (John 11:25).
This miracle, more than any other, points to Jesus as the Life-Giver, as God Himself. It provides strong support for John’s theme that Jesus is the divine Son of God and that, by believing, we can have life through Him (John 20:30-31).
However, by the time we get to the end of this incredible story (John 11:45-54), in which many who saw believed (John 11:45), a powerful but sad irony unfolds. Jesus shows that He can bring the dead back to life, and yet, these men think that they can stop Him by killing Him? What an example of the foibles of humanity in contrast to the wisdom and power of God!
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The Southeastern portion of the USA has been experiencing devastating loss in the midst of Hurricane Helene, and now Hurricane Milton is approaching. One story of a 7-year-old boy reminds me of this Biblical story of Lazarus and his sisters. The family had crawled up onto their house roof. Then the house fell apart. And as the flood waters swept them all away, the Mom, the only survivor, recalls how her little son Micah called out to Jesus to save him.
She says, “You know, I’m so proud of my son, because in his last moments, he wasn’t screaming for me. He was screaming, ‘Jesus.’ ‘Jesus, save me.’ ‘Jesus, I hear you.’ ‘Jesus, I’m calling upon you,’ He reached for something past flesh, past human, past anything that even grown adults, I think, would reach for. My son called out to the one God Almighty.”
Lazarus' sisters were crying out to Jesus for help. They didn't think He could hear them because He was far away by foot travel. And then Lazarus died. The worst happened. They lost their brother. This grieving mom in North Caroline has lost her small son, and also her parents. The worse imaginable has happened for her.
Then Jesus becomes visible on the scene. Jesus says, "Whoever loves me will be loved by my Father and I will love him and manifest myself to him" (John 14:21). Martha and Mary become aware of Jesus with them through their grief. Little Micah was aware of Jesus with him in the middle of the inky cold, churning, raging waters.
That's how He loves us. In the days of darkness and suffering and loss, when all around us is giving away, Jesus loves us by giving Himself to us. He gives us eternal life...and He shows us that the essence of eternal life is knowing God the Father through God the Son (John 17:3). We have to understand, God does not mainly love us in this life by sparing us from pain, suffering, and death. Mainly, God loves us by showing us all that He is for us in Jesus, and by giving Himself to us. Jesus is with us, Jesus empathizes, He's experienced it all Himself, Jesus is for us (Heb. 4:14-16).
This Mom, Meghan Drye, caught in the storm recalls that she was in the water for five hours, including times when she was trapped in trees and dragged under the surface, until she heard a voice telling her to let go. She did, and she eventually drifted toward rescuers who got her out. She shares her faith with us in her news interview, saying,
Mary, Martha, the mourners all accuse Jesus of not being there when He was needed most. He tells them all, just as He told Meghan Drye, "Let go. Don't cling to anything in the storm but Me."
And He promises all of us,
Hello Esther, there are absolutely heart breaking and heart touching stories coming out of that storm. It also is revealing the heart of humanity, as the citizens are mobilizing to rescue the perishing, since the government agencies have been slow to respond. We need to do what we can do to help relieve their suffering. Donations to reputable organizations on the ground is the best way, that combined with prayer.
Now with a second hurricane, Milton, bearing down, we as believers in the Risen Lord should exercise our God given faith, and rebuke this storm, as Jesus did. I have been praying against this storm since it started growing into a "monster storm". I have been praying that God would arise and His enemies be scattered. I have been praying that the world would be amazed at the Power of the Almighty over the power of the storm. Whatever the source of these storms, ultimately the devil, we know, that our God is bigger, greater, and mightier, than anything the devil can do. Make sure that your faith is anchored to the Rock that cannot move, because the devil is shaking this world like a snow globe.
"Storm, be tossed into the depth of the sea! That's enough! In Jesus' Name! Amen!"
THank you brother Tim for the prayer.
John 9:1–3
Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. 2 And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, awho sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, Neither this man nor his parents sinned, bbut that the works of God should be revealed in him.
Through the storm or hurricane, perhaps the glory of God will be revealed in ways we can't yet see. It may even open doors to reach those we once thought were unreachable. So many possibilities, so many "maybes."
May God's will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven. And may He give us the strength to accept it, trust it, and faithfully carry it out.
Me too!
Esther, Amen🙏 God is so amazing that we can't even comprehend His ways of helping, healing and restoring. I thank God for your contribution. I felt His love and power in your contribution. May God comfort the mom and continue to grow her faith in Him.
Amen, dear Sister Sansha, thank you for reminding us that God has ways of helping, healing and restoring beyond what we notice or comprehend. Each day He looks out for us and we don't even know what trials and dangers were averted through His intervention and care.
I was grateful to read this morning that even though Hurricane Milton and the tornadoes around it have caused damage, the storm was downgraded from a Category 5 to a Cat 3 as it made landfall, and then weakened to a Cat 2 less than two hours after it made landfall.
As we pray for that mom and for all who are grieving, the hymn, Day by Day, comes to me...
Hello Esther, I love the backstories behind the hymns. So many of the hymns were written following profound loss, by people who had a deep abiding faith in God. "Day by Day", is no exception. I share this short backstory from Wikipedia, on that hymn.
Is our own faith strong enough to weather the storms of life and go through them singing? Would we "throw in the towel" and give up on God, shaking our fist at Him?
Wow, what a powerful testimony of faith! Thank you for sharing, Tim!
Thank you Ester and Tim, for sharing God's beautiful song and backstory! I am sure that God heard the prayer of us all and reduced the wind's terrible destructive power. He also brought the storm to shore before the highest tide, lowering the level of water rushing onto the coast. We love you heavenly Father with all our being - You are merciful and gracious!
[Moderator's Note: We normally do not publish comments that consist of a link as we have to check them out and that takes time.]
My soul is anchored in the Lord
https://youtu.be/uDW_15uo8Cs?si=sapFm3JduCFi1M-F
Questions come to mind as I see the matter of Lazarus’ resurrection a bit more nuanced, more as the testimony to demonstrate the Father’s Glory, using this occasion of Lazarus’ death as a testimony for ”… that they may believe that You sent Me.”
John 11:40-42 records this remarkable communication between Jesus and His Father. He 'thanks the Father for having heard Him' before He calls Lazarus out of the tomb. His Father had talked with Him about this matter already and used this occasion to demonstrate the Glory of GOD.
If permitted, I want to ask some questions regarding the 'Glory of God' which raised Lazarus. If Jesus is God, who’s Glory/Power was demonstrated with the resurrection of Lazarus? I have always been curious about why Jesus did not refer to Himself as God, but rather as the Son of Man. He speaks to His Father and does not refer to Himself as the ‘God who created all things’, though later He will receive full authority from God over creation - 1 Cor.15:27 AMP.
In all instances, throughout His life, He stayed in close communion with God the Father, demonstrating that He needed to consult Him in everything, praying and careful to do His Father’s Will to bring salvation to all mankind.
As He was dying on the cross, how am I to understand His call to His Father asking Him ‘why He had forsaken Him’, when He Himself was the God of all creation? How could the ‘God of all creation’ die and His creation continue to exist without Him? If someone can point out Scripture so I can learn who's Glory/Power resurrected Lazarus, I would appreciate this. Was Lazarus resurrected by the Glory of Jesus, the Son of Man, Jesus Christ the Son of God, or God the Father?
Jesus came to Earth to teach us how we should live. How to trust God. I would question if that were possible should He have used his own power. We can call on our Father exactly like Jesus did. He had questions just like we will. He didn't use His power because we have none. His Father supplied power as needed. And, He still does that. So glad Jesus didn't use His power. That means there is hope for me.
https://m.egwwritings.org/en/book/821.1476
Two EGW comments: First, on Calming the Storm, Desire of Ages pp334-336:
On the returning to life of Lazarus:
Desire of Ages, p. 536
From the first time I believed that Christ exercised the same faith we can and must have in the Father, my own faith has grown! I've learned to be persistent in my requests, per God's will, and, praise God, He has listened and acted on the prayers offered by this one "feeble" follower! As the hymn says, "That's why I love him so!"
Brigitte, concerning the question that you ask in the last paragraph, does Philippians 2:5-10 help you understand what Jesus gave up to come to this earth?
Once again Jesus proves His divinity by raising Lazarus from death
Elsie, please read Lorayne Riley's comment just above yours.
Jesus lived His life on this planet as a *human* even though He was also divine.
That Jesus Christ raised Lazarus from the dead was evidence of His close relationship with the Father. He worked miracles as a *human* totally dependent on the Father. His miracles were not "proof of divinity." Satan can work miracles too. He might not be able to *genuinely* raise people from the dead, but he surely can fake it - and onlookers can't tell the difference.
If we depend on miracles as "proof" of God's approval of the miracle worker, we are likely to be deceived.
The greatest "proof" of Christ's relationship with the Father was His living out the law of self-renouncing love in His own life. Thus He demonstrated the character of the Father.
The miracles of Jesus are not proof that He is God, rather that
*he is the divine Son of God, the Christ, who should come, as the miracles fulfill messianic prophecies such as Isa 35:4-6.
Note "You will do even greater works.." so miracles alone are not an evidence of divinity.
*they show his connection to, and dependence on God, his Father "I can do nothing... The Father doeth the works...etc
*they show that Christ is the divine channel between God and man, see Desire of Ages ch 1.
Note also, God uses lesser ministers to do His works...
"The angels of God are ever moving up and down from earth to Heaven, and from Heaven to earth. All the miracles of Christ performed for the afflicted and suffering were, by the power of God, through the ministration of angels. Christ condescended to take humanity, and thus he unites his interests with the fallen sons and daughters of Adam here below, while his divinity grasps the throne of God. And thus Christ opens the communication of man with God, and God with man. All the blessings from God to man are through the ministration of holy angels." Review and Herald, January 21, 1873, par. 16
https://m.egwwritings.org/en/book/821.1476
This lesson can be very confusing. Many other people raised the dead, e.g. Paul, Elijah, Peter etc. Does that prove they are God(s)? Christ's divinity is premised on His sonship first, as the only begotten Son of God. This miracle is great indeed, but it is not the defining proof of Christ's divinity. Also, the lesson risks being seen as teaching modalism. Teachers will need to re-examine and reconsider this lesson very carefully.
The lessons are supposed to be incentives to Bible study. They are not catechisms.
And lesson authors are humans. No humans are perfect. Therefore we need to do our own study while we ask the Holy Spirit to speak to us through Scripture.
The lesson is about " *Signs of divinity* ", the only being that can be applied to is God. Many human being have done the "resurrection miracle" including Satan, but who is devine? As God said to Moses ‘I AM WHO I AM’ ” (Exodus 3:14). Jesus applied this title directly to *Himself* , in such statements as “ ‘ *I am* the way, the truth, and the life’ ” (John 14:6), and “ *‘I am* the *resurrection* , and the *life* ’ ” (John 11:25).
The question is are we seeing that *divinity* in Jesus Christ Son of God,or just a mere miracle giver?
" ...._This crowning miracle, the raising of Lazarus, was to set the seal of God on His work and on His claim to *divinity* ._ {Desire of Ages 529.1}
_....The *divinity* of Christ is the believer’s assurance of *eternal life*.”_—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 530.
How do teacher explain this Jesus to be is what maters, some learners wonder if Jesus can heal the born blind, then teacher say they even don't know where He is from (John 9:29).
*Teachers are to preach the Gospel untill learners see the saviour without doubt.*