Christ, The Resurrection And The Life. (John 11.25, 26).

by J. DORRICOTT | Category: General | Mar 1952

Lazarus of Bethany had two sisters, named Martha and Mary; and it is recorded, "Now Jesus loved Martha, and Mary and Lazarus." When the Lord was beyond Jordan, they sent a messenger to Him saying, "Lord, he whom Thou lovest is sick." When He heard it He said, "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified thereby. " He does not go forthwith to Lazarus, but abides in the same place. It looked as though the Lover of their souls did not care for this loved one, as though He had but little sympathy for them in the hour of their greatest need. But how different this was from the Jove of His heart we know very well, for He loves with an unchanging love, and cares with an unfailing care! But He had before Him God's glory, and how the Father was g6ing to glorify the Son, and bring abiding good to the family at Bethany. Lazarus dies, and the sisters are filled with sorrow. Three days come and go, and still He has not appeared in response to their urgent message. What a trial of faith! Does He really love and care? unbelief would have said. Is our confidence in Him misplaced? the enemy may have insinuated. So the trial of their faith "which is much more precious than gold which perisheth, though it is proved by fire " went on. But the Lord had said to His disciples, "Lazarus is fallen asleep; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep." We know their reply, and He has to tell them plainly "Lazarus is dead.' He proceeds on His journey to Bethany, and when He arrives Lazarus has been in the tomb for four days. Martha goes forth to meet Him and says, "Lord, if Thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. And even now I know that whatsoever Thou shalt ask of God, God will give Thee. Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. Martha saith unto Him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day."

Martha had faith, that even now God would hear His prayer, and hinted to the Lord to make a request to Him for her brother's restoration to life. She knew of a resurrection at the last day, like many today, who know of a resurrection of the dead, but not a resurrection from among the dead. She had to learn with her sister Mary, that our Lord can and will bring His own out of death, yea, that He is what He says of Himself-" I AM THE RESURRECTION." He has in Himself the power to raise the dead. She had also to learn that He was "THE LIFE."

"In Him was life," in us are the seeds of death. The Resurrection" points to Himself as raising from amongst the dead those that have died in Christ, and "The Life," points to Him as changing the living saints to live with Him for ever. The former answers to1" though he die yet shall he live" ; the latter answers to, "he that liveth and believeth on Me shall never die." We have before us, in this Bethany family, a picture of the saints at our Lord's second coming-in Lazarus those that have died in Christ, in Martha and Mary those that are alive and remain at the coming of our Lord. This resurrection and coming for His saints will bring untold glory to God, and the Son of God will be glorified thereby.

The place also has its lessons as well as the family. The Lord had left Judea because the Jews had sought to stone Him, and He left this family behind Him, which pictures .forth to us the Church which is His Body. (Like all shadows, of course, it is incomplete). During His absence Judea was to them " the valley of the shadow of death," "a vale of tears," because their Lord was away; He had been rejected by the Jews, but embraced by this family in whom He found His pleasure and delight. He was away, but they still could send] messages. After "a little while," He starts the journey to come to J raise His sleeping friend. But His disciples say, "The Jews sought to] stone Thee (in Judah) and goest Thou thither again?" Yes! He comes again to the territory where they sought His life. To reach this family He comes only part of the way-to Bethany, and not to Jerusalem in the first place. After proving to those of Bethany, that He is the Resurrection, and the Life of those who believe on Him (chapter 11.), we see in chapter 12. they are seated with Him (figuratively) in glory and joy.

He then continues His journey to the actual place of His rejection (where they took up stones), Jerusalem (John 8.59; John 12.12), and enters it in triumph as the King of Israel, amidst the shouts of Hosanna and the flourishing of the branches of the palm trees. But this was before His crucifixion, and is only a miniature picture shadowing forth the time when "He whose right it is" shall reign gloriously, and "whose dominion shall be from the river unto the ends of the earth." He shall come thither again to the scene of His rejection. as Zion's King.

Now turn to 1 Thessalonians 4. and 1 Corinthians 15. where plainly you will see the two things our verse shows forth: The Resurrection and the Life. Also they will show His coming hither again, part of the way first (as to Bethany) to the air, to raise those that have died in Christ, those that have fallen asleep in His absence, when so to speak the stone will be rolled away, and the sleeping ones shall come forth at the shout of the Lord. Then will be fulfilled truly, "He that believeth on Me, though He die yet shall He live," and " this corruptible shall put on incorruption." "Then we that are alive, that are left (the living and believing ones) shall together with them be caught up in the clouds ("and this mortal shall put on immortality"), to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord."

This is not a resurrection at the last day, but a resurrection from among the dead. We cannot in this article deal with other resurrections at a later stage; they are in the Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ, search them out for yourselves and you will grow and be strong. May the Lord bless these few thoughts to your souls, and may you be as those that wait for their Lord!

J. DORRICOTT | Mar 1952
General