Tarry for the Light (Part 2)
Joh 11:1
Now a certain man was
sick, named
Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.
Joh 11:2 (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and
wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.)
Joh 11:3 Therefore his sisters sent unto him,
saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.
Joh 11:4 When Jesus heard that, he
said, This sickness is not unto death, but
for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.
Note 1: When Jesus heard the sad news of Lazarus’s sickness he made a
pronunciation of victory: He said that this sickness is not unto death…” We
must be so victory conscious that when we hear contrary news our response must
be words of victory.
Joh 11:5 Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and
Lazarus.
Joh 11:6 When he had heard therefore that he was
sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was.
Joh 11:7 Then after that saith he to his disciples, Let us go into Judaea again.
Joh 11:8 His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late
sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither again?
Joh 11:9 Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he
stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.
Joh 11:10 But if a man
walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.
Note 2: He loved Lazarus, but he did not jump up and get on the road to
go heal him, because the whole situation was a bait by satan to make him act
emotionally and run to save Lazarus and then fall into the hands of the Jews
who wanted to stone him. He waited 2 days where he was, and then was ready to
go. What did he do in those two days? We shall see as we read on.
Joh 11:11 These things said he: and after that he
saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I
go, that I may awake him out of sleep.
Joh 11:12 Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep,
he shall do well.
Joh 11:13 Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they
thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.
Joh 11:14 Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.
Joh 11:15 And I am
glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe;
nevertheless let us go unto him.
Joh 11:16 Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus,
unto his fellow disciples,
Let us also go, that we may die with him.
Note 3: Jesus had earlier declared words of
victory, saying Lazarus will not die in verse 4. But now He said, Lazarus
sleeps, because he did not want to speak defeat, even though He knew by inspiration that
Lazarus was dead. But the disciples misinterpreted it and he had to speak
plainly. This happens even today, we declare words of victory but we see
something contrary. However, the difference between most of us and Jesus is
that Jesus already knew what to do, so he said “Lazarus Sleeps … I will go and
wake him up”. This is not fake it till you believe it. This is something he has
seen in the place of prayer.
On a lighter note, I had always thought
Thomas was a doubter because he was trying to confirm if it was really Jesus
that resurrected and had appeared to Him and the disciples. But in verse 16,
the brother said, let us also go, that we may die with him… hahaha. Because the
Jews wanted to kill Jesus, and Jesus was going to that same place of danger.
You would think Thomas was a better candidate to betray Jesus, but I think He
was just the guy in the room that was bold enough to say what the others were
thinking but too scared or respectful to say sometimes. In his heart, he loved
Jesus.
Joh 11:17 Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days
already.
Joh 11:18 Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about
fifteen furlongs off:
Joh 11:19 And many of the Jews came to Martha and
Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother.
Joh 11:20 Then Martha, as soon as she heard that
Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house.
Joh 11:21 Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou
hadst been here, my brother had not died.
Joh 11:22 But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou
wilt ask of God, God will give it thee.
Joh 11:23 Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.
Joh 11:24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall
rise again in the resurrection at the last day.
Joh 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that
believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
Joh 11:26 And whosoever
liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
Joh 11:27 She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe
that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the
world.
Note
4: Now there is a difference in Jesus’ confidence between the time he had to go
to the festival of booths (Chapter 7) and this time. At both times the Jews
wanted to kill him, yet earlier he went to the festival of booths secretly, but
this time he came openly. Something had changed.
What
changed was that Jesus had received a new revelation of who he was, He now knew
that he was the ‘Resurrection and the Life’ … Death, whether physical or
Spiritual had been placed under his power. And He was going there to
demonstrate His new level of power. That is why we say he laid down His life
for us, it wasn’t taken by force from Him. He said it better:
Mat 26:53 Thinkest thou
that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than
twelve legions of angels?
Mat
26:54 But
how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?
Joh 11:28 And when she had so said, she went her way,
and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth
for thee.
Joh 11:29 As soon as she heard that, she
arose quickly, and came unto him.
Joh 11:30 Now Jesus was not yet come into the town,
but was in that place where Martha met him.
Joh 11:31 The Jews then which were with her in the
house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went
out, followed her, saying, She goeth unto the grave to weep there.
Joh 11:32 Then when Mary was come where Jesus was,
and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst
been here, my brother had not died.
Joh 11:33 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and
the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was
troubled,
Joh 11:34 And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord,
come and see.
Joh 11:35 Jesus wept.
Joh 11:36 Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved
him!
Joh 11:37 And some of them said, Could not this man,
which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not
have died?
Note 5: You can see how focused Jesus was at first,
when Mary and everyone were crying. He knew his mission: to raise Lazarus. But even
He was overcome with emotion at some point and he wept. He had the solution. But
he still mourned with those who mourned. He didn’t go there pretending to be
some hard guy. I pray God gives me a compassionate heart like Jesus and you as
well.
Also, see how the same Jews were saying that Jesus
ought to have healed Lazarus and prevented him from dying. And if you and I were
there we will probably say the same. But “the wind blows where it chooses, and
you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it
goes. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” John 3: 8. Selah!
Joh 11:38 Jesus therefore again groaning in himself
cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it.
Joh 11:39 Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him
that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been
dead four
days.
Joh 11:40 Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest
believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?
Joh 11:41 Then they took away the stone from the place where
the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.
Joh 11:42 And I knew
that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.
Joh 11:43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with
a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.
Joh 11:44 And he
that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face
was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose
him, and let him go.
Note 6: Here we see a
snippet of what Jesus did those 2 days he tarried. Verse 41 and 42. When he
came to the grave he started to pray. But then in his prayer he said something
interesting. He said Father I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew
that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it…
In other words, Jesus was saying Father we have already sorted this issue in
prayer those two days when I tarried with you. But am only praying here so that the
people will know that it is you that sent me.
Jesus spent those two days praying. But Jesus did not pray like some of us do, where we are just talking to God, but not hearing from him. Prayer is communicating with God. And so when we pray we should expect and be ready to hear from Him. Jesus received a higher grace from God as the resurrection and the life from a place of prayer.
Note 7: There is someone reading
this that either you or someone you care for needs deliverance, healing and
restoration. God is saying that you should tarry with him and pray and listen
for instruction. God is saying that you should shout and declare that “In the
name of Jesus of Nazareth, Son of the Most-High God, the Resurrection and the
Life (The name by which death and demons know and tremble); Deliver me, heal me
and restore me now, completely and permanently (or insert loved one’s name).
Say it repeatedly and then praise and worship God for the victory. Listen for
any instructions. Read your bible.
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