In John 11 it says that Lazarus from Bethany, a friend of Jesus, was sick and dying, whereby Jesus, after hearing the news to come to Lazarus, waited another two days at His location without going to Lazarus immediately (cf. John 11:1-4.6-7).
John 11:1-4.6-7:
1 Now a man named Lazarus was ill. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha.
2 (This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay ill, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair.)
3 So the sisters sent word to Jesus, ‘Lord, the one you love is ill.’
4 When he heard this, Jesus said, ‘This illness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.’ …
6 So when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed where he was two more days, 7 and then he said to his disciples, ‘Let us go back to Judea.’
Being Led by the Holy Spirit and Waiting
It is crucial that we allow ourselves to be led by the Holy Spirit in the truth of God’s Word and pay attention to His instructions and put them into practice in our lives. Jesus did not act according to what people were expecting from Him or demanded of Him, but only did what He saw the Father do (cf. John 5:19).
John 5:19:
19 Jesus gave them this answer: ‘Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. …’
Meanwhile Lazarus was dying, but Jesus knew that the Heavenly Father would show His glory in the life of Lazarus and glorify Him (Note: Jesus) as His Son (cf. John 11:11-14.17.39-45).
John 11:11-14.17.39-45:
11 After he had said this, he went on to tell them, ‘Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.’
12 His disciples replied, ‘Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.’
13 Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep.
14 So then he told them plainly, ‘Lazarus is dead, …
17 On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. …
39 ‘Take away the stone,’ he said. ‘But, Lord,’ said Martha, the sister of the dead man, ‘by this time there is a bad odour, for he has been there four days.’
40 Then Jesus said, ‘Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?’
41 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, ‘Father, I thank you that you have heard me.
42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.’
43 When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out!’
44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth round his face. Jesus said to them, ‘Take off the grave clothes and let him go.’ 45 Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him.
Because Jesus waited for the Father’s time, it followed that Lazarus became the sign of Jesus’ resurrection power and as a result many Jews recognized Jesus as their Messiah, whereby the religious leaders wanted to kill Jesus and Lazarus (cf. John 12:9-11).
John 12:9-11:
9 Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead.
10 So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, 11 for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and believing in him.
These passages reveal to us that it is necessary to wait patiently for God’s predetermined time. It is about being in the right place with the right saints in order to experience the visitation of God as well as His intervention and to be led in abundance (cf. Luke 24:49 i.c.w. Acts 2:1-4).
Luke 24:49:
49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay [Note: wait] in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.’
Acts 2:1-4:
1 When the day of Pentecost [Note: Shavuot] came, they were all together in one place.
2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.
3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.
4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
The Number 2, the Time of Life and Death
With reference to the raising of Lazarus from the dead, it shows that the number ‘2’ on the side of Jesus’ time was linked to ‘life’ and the number ‘2’ on the other side of Lazarus’ time was linked to ‘death’. This is because Lazarus had already been sick for two days and Jesus waited another two days, so that by the time He arrived, Lazarus had already been dead for four days and the process of decay had already begun (cf. John 11:4.6-7.14.17.39).
John 11:4.6-7.14.17.39:
4 When he heard this, Jesus said, ‘This illness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.’…
6 So when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed where he was two more days, 7 and then he said to his disciples, ‘Let us go back to Judea.’ …
14 So then he told them plainly, ‘Lazarus is dead, …’
17 On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. …
39 ‘Take away the stone,’ he said. ‘But, Lord,’ said Martha, the sister of the dead man, ‘by this time there is a bad odour, for he has been there four days.’
4 When he heard this, Jesus said, ‘This illness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.’…
6 So when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed where he was two more days, 7 and then he said to his disciples, ‘Let us go back to Judea.’ …
14 So then he told them plainly, ‘Lazarus is dead, …’
17 On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. …
39 ‘Take away the stone,’ he said. ‘But, Lord,’ said Martha, the sister of the dead man, ‘by this time there is a bad odour, for he has been there four days.’
It means to be spiritually in the right ‘house’, which is that we do not operate from the ‘house of misery – Bethany’, but from the ‘house of devotion in the form of praise – on the way to Judea’. This is revealed to us by the number ‘2’, which is linked by its numerical value to the Hebrew letter ‘Beth’, which represents a ‘house’.
When the two days ‘of life’ meet the two days ‘of death’, an ‘open door’ can be recognized, which is represented by the ‘four days of death’ of Lazarus. The numerical value ‘4’ is associated with the Hebrew letter ‘Daleth’ and represents an ‘open tent door’. The entrance and exit door frame covered with the blood of the lamb was also at the center at Passover. This was associated with life and death (cf. Exodus 12:7.13.29).
Exodus 12:7.13.29:
7 Then they are to take some of the blood and put it on the sides and tops of the door-frames of the houses where they eat the lambs. …
13 The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are, and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt. …
29 At midnight the Lord struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh, who sat on the throne, to the firstborn of the prisoner, who was in the dungeon, and the firstborn of all the livestock as well.
7 Then they are to take some of the blood and put it on the sides and tops of the door-frames of the houses where they eat the lambs. …
13 The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are, and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt. …
29 At midnight the Lord struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh, who sat on the throne, to the firstborn of the prisoner, who was in the dungeon, and the firstborn of all the livestock as well.
Since these numerical values just mentioned are associated with time in days in this context with the resurrection of Lazarus and time as a dimension cannot be literally touched, we can recognize a spiritual appeal in this.
The Current Decline in Values and the Importance of Worship
Even though it seems that there is currently a literal economic and moral decline in values in our society and globally because governments are no longer reaching out and living according to the biblical standards of values, it is crucial that we as saints move forward in the sonship of Christ.
Especially we should not allow ourselves to be unsettled by apparent circumstances of decline. It is necessary that we, like Christ, have the Heavenly Father before our eyes in His actions and act accordingly. This requires patience on our part, which springs from pure love (Greek: agạpē) for God (cf. Galatians 5:22-23).
Galatians 5:22-23:
… 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
… 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
We should not be irritated in our walk by reactions from believers in our immediate environment who, because of their faith, have a certain one-sided perspective because they carry a more horizontal view of social circumstances. The horizontal spiritual orientation reveals that there is no faith for the present moment, that God can bring about the impossible. This is expressed by the statement of Thomas, Martha and Mary, which is about unbelief, reproach, faith in the eternal promise, but not in the literal raising of Lazarus from the dead in the temporary time (cf. John 11:16.21-27.32).
John 11:16.21-27.32:
16 Then Thomas (also known as Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, ‘Let us also go, that we may die with him.’ …
21 ‘Lord,’ Martha said to Jesus, ‘if you had been here, my brother would not have died.
22 But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.’
23 Jesus said to her, ‘Your brother will rise again.’
24 Martha answered, ‘I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.’
25 Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?’
27 ‘Yes, Lord,’ she replied, ‘I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.’ …
32 When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.’
16 Then Thomas (also known as Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, ‘Let us also go, that we may die with him.’ …
21 ‘Lord,’ Martha said to Jesus, ‘if you had been here, my brother would not have died.
22 But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.’
23 Jesus said to her, ‘Your brother will rise again.’
24 Martha answered, ‘I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.’
25 Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?’
27 ‘Yes, Lord,’ she replied, ‘I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.’ …
32 When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.’
Based on the raising of Lazarus from the dead, the significance lies in Jesus’ focus on going to Judea, which means ‘praise’. It means that Jesus went to Judea again. The word ‘again’ points to an intensification of what you have already experienced within previous worship or praise and in which you begin to perceive even more of what you did not know before or did not know enough (cf. John 11:6-7).
John 11:6-7:
6 So when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed where he was two more days, 7 and then he said to his disciples, ‘Let us go back [Note: again] to Judea.’
6 So when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed where he was two more days, 7 and then he said to his disciples, ‘Let us go back [Note: again] to Judea.’
It is an increase in quality in worship that contributes to a divine ‘reboot’ of the ‘help of God’, which is what the Greek name ‘Lazarus – My God is help’ means, who in Hebrew bears the name ‘Eliezer’. This help from God includes an intimate spiritual relationship with the Heavenly Father, similar to Moses, with whom God spoke like a friend in the center of Revelation, namely face to face (cf. Exodus 33:11a).
Exodus 33:11a:
11a The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. …
11a The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. …
Considering the realm of brotherhood and sisterhood in Christ represented by Lazarus and his two sisters, the tomb of Lazarus in this case can be seen as a womb for the new wineskin that brings support for the future. Based on the first Hebrew letter of ‘Eliezer – Lazarus’ and the first Hebrew letter of Martha and ‘Mary – Miriam’, we get the Hebrew word ‘`ēm – אֵם’ for ‘mother’ (Note: word explanation taken from the Elberfelder Study Bible with the word key number: H533).
It is the mother who is destined by God to conceive and give birth to new life.
The increase in the quality of God’s help includes greater discipleship, greater works of righteousness and an increasing quality in the relationship with God the Father, which results in a stronger prophetic impact (cf. John 11:44).
John 11:44:
44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth round his face. Jesus said to them, ‘Take off the grave clothes and let him go.’
44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth round his face. Jesus said to them, ‘Take off the grave clothes and let him go.’
Our spiritual focus should constantly remain aligned in worship to the LORD in challenging situations, cooperating with the open heavens by aligning ourselves spiritually ‘vertically’. This results in the perspective of harvest in times of challenge (cf. John 11:41b i.c.w. Colossians 3:1-2 Luke 21:28; John 4:35).
John 11:41b:
… 41b Then Jesus looked up and said, ‘Father, I thank you that you have heard me. …’
… 41b Then Jesus looked up and said, ‘Father, I thank you that you have heard me. …’
Colossians 3:1-2:
1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
Luke 21:28:
‘… 28 When these things [Note: birth pangs] begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.’
‘… 28 When these things [Note: birth pangs] begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.’
John 4:35:
35 Don’t you have a saying, “It’s still four months until harvest”? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.
35 Don’t you have a saying, “It’s still four months until harvest”? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.
From our devotion to God, which expresses our trust in Him, springs the increase of our faith in the visible realm to speak the will of God, which makes the impossible possible (cf. Luke 18:27).
Luke 18:27:
27 Jesus replied, ‘What is impossible with man is possible with God.’
27 Jesus replied, ‘What is impossible with man is possible with God.’
It is our choice being active in the sonship of Christ in the way of praise that will produce shaking so that there is a revealing of the true condition within government and society. Where it has been implemented to cover ‘death’ in the system in the form of the result of sin (Note: sin gives birth to death; cf. Romans 6:23), the intervention of the Son of God becomes active through the prayers of the ecclesia. It follows that ‘the stone’ will roll and the hidden things will come to light that the evildoers have tried to conceal and of which it is even shameful just to speak (cf. Ephesians 5:12-14).
Ephesians 5:12-14:
12 It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret.
13 But everything exposed by the light becomes visible – and everything that is illuminated becomes a light.
14 This is why it is said: ‘Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.’
12 It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret.
13 But everything exposed by the light becomes visible – and everything that is illuminated becomes a light.
14 This is why it is said: ‘Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.’
This will lead to great upheaval in society as the power of God’s help on earth intensifies and cooperates with the sons of God in Christ Jesus. This will also result in greater persecution of those who align and live according to the standard of God’s Word (cf. John 11:38-44 i.c.w. Matthew 26:4; John 12:10-11).
John 11:38-44:
38 Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance.
39 ‘Take away the stone,’ he said. ‘But, Lord,’ said Martha, the sister of the dead man, ‘by this time there is a bad odour, for he has been there four days.’
40 Then Jesus said, ‘Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?’
41 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, ‘Father, I thank you that you have heard me.
42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.’
43 When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out!’
44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth round his face. Jesus said to them, ‘Take off the grave clothes and let him go.’
38 Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance.
39 ‘Take away the stone,’ he said. ‘But, Lord,’ said Martha, the sister of the dead man, ‘by this time there is a bad odour, for he has been there four days.’
40 Then Jesus said, ‘Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?’
41 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, ‘Father, I thank you that you have heard me.
42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.’
43 When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out!’
44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth round his face. Jesus said to them, ‘Take off the grave clothes and let him go.’
Matthew 26:4:
… 4 and they schemed to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him.
… 4 and they schemed to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him.
John 12:10-11:
10 So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, 11 for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and believing in him.
10 So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, 11 for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and believing in him.
The rolling away of the ‘stone’ is accompanied by the exposure of abominable sins, which include the term of sin unto death (cf. 1 John 5:16c i.c.w. Matthew 18:6).
1 John 5:16c:
… 16c There is a sin that leads to death. …
… 16c There is a sin that leads to death. …
Matthew 18:6:
6 ‘If anyone causes one of these little ones – those who believe in me – to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung round their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.
6 ‘If anyone causes one of these little ones – those who believe in me – to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung round their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.
We will see the power of redemption active in the age to come with the component of God’s righteous judgments, which will shake many believers.
This is probably because they do not understand the way of God’s judgments due to their lack of closeness to God. Some of them may not have recognized their false expectations in evil-based alliances in time, which is why it must shock them. Humanism paved the way for unspeakable evil, not the power of God.
Maranatha!
Amen and Amen.
In His Wisdom,
Daniel Glimm
