“So the two sisters(Mary and Martha) sent a message to Jesus telling him, “Lord, your dear friend is very sick.” But when Jesus heard about it he said, “Lazarus’s sickness will not end in death. No, it happened for the glory of God so that the Son of God will receive glory from this.”  So although Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus,  he stayed where he was for the next two days.  Finally, he said to his disciples, “Let’s go back to Judea.”

The raising of Lazarus is arguably one of the greatest miracles Jesus did. Jesus’ intervention occurred after 4 days, leaving no room for doubt that indeed Lazarus was cold as dead and not in a sort of comatose state.

If Jesus came when Lazarus was still alive and suffering, the insistence of the sisters and his friend Lazarus would have probably caused Him so much grief and sadness that He would have probably intervened to heal Lazarus. But this was not the Father’s plan, the death of Lazarus had to serve God’s purpose and reinforce the ministry of Jesus and mission.

In the old testament, the prophet Elijah prayed God to raise a young boy from death (1 Kings 17:17-24) and Elisha did the same for the son of Shunammite woman (2 Kings 4:32-37)

The similarities between Elijah, Elisha and Jesus are that they all had a special relationship with the dead person’s family. The mothers or sisters all called for help to Elisha, Elijah and Jesus. They all held them responsible in a way or another of their pain. These situations were quite difficult for Elijah, Elisha and Jesus due to the close relationship they had.

“Let her alone, for her soul is desperate and troubled within her; and the Lord has hidden the reason from me and has not told me.” Then she said, “Did I ask for a son from my lord? Did I not say, ‘Do not give me false hope’?”2 King 4:27

The widow of Zarephath said to Elijah, “What [problem] is there between you and me, O man of God? Have you come to me to bring my sin to mind and to put my son to death?” 1 King 17:18

After Elijah raised her son she recognised that he was a man of God.

“Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is truth.” 1 Kings 17:24

It was the same for the Shunammite woman who demonstrated gratitude to Elisha

She came and fell at his feet, bowing herself to the ground [in respect and gratitude] 2 King 4:37

When these people were raised from the dead, this inevitably gave glory to God and reinforced the authority of Jesus, Elijah and Elisha. One difference though is that Jesus was aware that Lazarus would die – which was not the case for Elijah and Elisha to whom God kept it secret to them.

God will not raise from the dead every man who dies unless this miracle would serve His own purpose.

As the saying says “As sure as death” so is the resurrection of the dead. For ages, there has surely been great mourning when love ones have passed and it will surely continue until the return of Christ.

Jesus rose Lazarus after 4 days but when He will return He will do a greater miracle, He will raise humans who have been dead thousands of years ago and bring them before the throne of God to give an account (Rom. 14:12).

In Ezekiel 37, there was an astounding vision which happened. God spoke to Ezekiel and told him to speak to dry bones. Lazarus flesh was still there when Jesus raised him from the dead but in the vision Ezekiel had, we have an image of a God who can raise from the dead even dry bones, make flesh come upon them and make them living creatures.

When it’s all over and no sign of life but just a morbid feeling of dry bones all around, remember who is the Creator. Remember who made everything out of nothing. Failure, sickness and death are not the end. When all has been said and done, remember that God will always have the last word.

When God will raise every dead to face judgment, no one will escape. The sea and the earth will give up every human body it has taken for them to face their Creator.

“And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done.  Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire” Rev. 20:13

The power of the resurrection that God deployed when raising Christ from the dead will be again demonstrated soon.

This is a living hope that believers who died have (not had). Death is not the end but the start of an eternal journey with God and Christians should eagerly await for the resurrection to happen and encourage each other with this hope. Paul said:

“And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves. Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. So encourage each other with these words. ” 1 Thess. 4:13