1655. The Sign of the Resurrection of Lazarus

The Sign of the Resurrection of Lazarus

"Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?" (Joh_11:40).

1. Lazarus was dead. There was great sorrow among the people, and there were two brokenhearted sisters, when Lazarus was pronounced dead. His death, however, as well as his resurrection, was one of the eight great signs which John records.

In Joh_11:47-48 (A. S. V.), we read:

"This man doeth many signs. If we let Him alone, all men will believe on Him."

Israel, as well as Lazarus has been entombed; her grave is among the nations.

Ezekiel was set down in the midst of a valley of dry bones. After the Spirit of God had entered into these bones, they lived; first, there was a noise and a shaking and the bones came together, bone to its bone; then the sinews and the flesh came up upon them and the skin covered them; then God breathed life into them and they did live.

The interpretation of this vision is plain, the bones were the whole House of Israel. They said: "Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts" (Eze_37:11).

God replied: "Behold, O My people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel" (Eze_37:12).

The burial of Lazarus, is a type of Israel buried in the nations.

2. The cry: "Come forth." The Lord Jesus stood before the grave of the man who had been four days dead, and He cried: "Lazarus, come forth" (Joh_11:43).

Then he who had been dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes.

Israel has been long buried in the midst of the nations, but she shall yet come forth.

Jesus Christ, the Son of God, will cry with a loud voice; He will sound the trumpet of jubilee; His people will surely be brought forth out of their graves, whither He hath driven them. They shall come back to their land.

3. Loose him, and let him go. When national Israel is quickened and her graveclothes removed, God will leave her no memory of the days of her anguish. She shall put off the robes of her entombment; she shall go forth in a new sphere of service and of labor; she shall become a blessing throughout the whole wide world.

In all of this, we have the sign of Jesus Christ, the restorer of His people.

"And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, O My people, and brought you up out of your graves, and shall put My Spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the Lord have spoken it, and performed it" (Eze_37:13-14).

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR