Home |Choose Life Everlasting! | Open Letters from God | Truth Growed Hymns | How God Stuff Works | Truth Blog
|
The Raising of Lazarus
Life everlasting is like the raising of Lazarus by Jesus (John 11:1-45):
Jesus was led to the tomb where Lazarus, brother of Mary and Martha, lay dead for four days. Jesus told the people who had gathered there to take away the stone that covered the tomb's entrance. While they did this, Jesus lifted his eyes toward heaven and prayed to the Father. He then said in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth". And Lazarus arose and came forth from the tomb wrapped hand and foot like a mummy---his face bound about with a cloth. Jesus then commanded the ones who had taken away the stone to free Lazarus from the wrappings of death so he might be free.
This is the meaning of the miracle: Lazarus represents all unbelievers residing in spiritual death (Eph.2:1) in a dark place hid from the light of the gospel (2Cor.4:3-4, Eph.4:18). Those who took the stone away at the Lord's bidding are believers, and the Holy Spirit working through believers, by whom the light of the gospel shines on the unconverted (2Cor.4:6). We also see the calling (kletos 2Th.2:14), "Lazarus" and calling out (eklektos - Matt.22:14) , "come forth" , of a sinner to forgiveness and life everlasting (Rom.8:29-30, Eph.2:5). The praying of Jesus to the Father before the raising of Lazarus depicts the unified work of the Father and Son in the salvation of each sinner ( Jn.6:37-38). Those who the Lord commands to unwrap Lazarus illustrate believers---the Holy Spirit working through their spiritual gifts--- who are commanded to serve one another (Eph.4:11-13) so that we might hear (1Cor.2:9-10), see (Eph.1:18) and speak (Eph.4:15,29) with faces unbound by darkness---serving with hands unwrapped by things of the flesh (Jn.12:26) and walking with feet unfettered by the course of the world (Eph.2:2)---being instead set fast to the word of God and there set free indeed (Jn.8:36, Jn.12:46).
© 2014 ChooseLifeEverlasting.com