Jonh eleven

This chapter deals with the account of Jesus raisin Lazarus from the dead.

This portion of scripture is a wealth of illumination about, the Glory of God, persecution, the workings of God and the suffering that comes from showing forth God’s glory.

The Bible relates that when the report came of his sickness, at this point it is expedient to note that Jesus had healed many sick people and was known to heal.

 The first thing the Master did was to neutralize the negative report with a prophetic Word: “This sickness shall not end in death but is for the Glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified in it.”

Immediately after the scriptures tell of how much Jesus loves Martha, Mary and Lazarus, the Word tells of Jesus deciding to remain there two more days.

In verse 11 Jesus explains what is happening with His friend and what He is going to do, note that this is the point when Jesus speaks life over the situation.

Bethany, the place where Lazarus died, was only two miles from Jerusalem.

When the news of his death was broadcast, “MANY” of the Jews had come to comfort the family, now if he just fell sick and Jesus came to heal Him, it would not have been as big a spectacle as it is now.

Till now Jesus was known to heal, but no one knew Him as the resurrection and the Life. Interesting to note that Jesus used the death of his beloved friend to reveal one of His most glorious attributes, what an honor.

In verse 41 Jesus talks to the Father and thanks Him that He always hears Him, but the only time Jesus ever vocalized what He intended to do in this situation, is recorded in Verse 11(a lesson to be learned here is that every word we speak in our situations, God hears) the power of the tongue.

Long story short, Lazarus is raised from the dead, and “MANY” believed on Jesus that day, unless Lazarus had died, I doubt that as many people would have believed. It will not end in death but in the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified in it.

Something very interesting happens in verse 53, because of this one act, we are told that it was from this time that the religious authorities began plotting the death of the Messiah.

The greater the victory, the greater the glory in attaining it but also the greater the discontent of your enemy thus the greater the persecution to follow, the adversary will always seek to snuff out those beacons of God’s wondrous glory that burn the brightest.

Like a good business man, God will always protect His investments and use what the enemy meant for harm for the good of them that love Him and are called according to His purpose.

So the next time you are confronted by all of hell, don’t despair but rather be reminded of how great is the Glory of God invested in you.

Shalom