Come Forth!

Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, “Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days.” Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.” Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!” And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Loose him, and let him go.” John 11:38-44

There are several points that I want to touch on in this passage. This is a very familiar passage and most know of the story of Lazarus but there are some human and divine characteristics in Jesus that are revealed in this passage that I want to point out. There are also some comparisons between Lazarus and us before and after coming to Christ that I noticed.

Jesus experienced three human emotions on His way to and at the grave of His friend Lazarus. He felt sadness for the people around who thought that He wept for His dear friend. He was sad because of their unbelief, because they could not see that the One they had waited for was before them. He felt compassion because they were like lost sheep and He being the Good Shepherd had come to find them and bring them back to the fold. He felt compassion for their physical, mental, emotional, and most importantly spiritual needs. He felt frustration because there were many that walked with Him that had not yet grasped who He really was and what He had the power to do. He was frustrated that the people would not believe in the love and mercy that brought Him to them without signs and miracles and even then, most did not receive what He came to offer.

In His divinity He could see the thoughts and intents of every heart standing there. In His divinity He knew the outcome of that scenario before He got there and He knew those who would believe and those who wouldn’t. I imagine this knowledge would bring on all three human emotions at once. After all, though He is the Son of God, He walked among men as a man. Experiencing all the emotions that men feel, experiencing pain as man feels it, yet without sin.

Jesus knew that Lazarus would not be dead long even after he was buried yet it had to happen this way to glorify the Father and so that those that would believe would have their opportunity to witness the glory of God. Martha, although she knew the Lord and believed that whatever He asked the Father was His, needed to witness this event so that she would fully understand that Jesus is the Messiah she was waiting for. That is why He tells her “if you believe, you will see the glory of God.” In this passage He reminds her of what He said in a question. Didn’t I tell you?

At the tomb, Jesus prays to the Father before calling Lazarus for the benefit of those around Him, that they would understand that the Father sent Him, that He was not just an ordinary prophet. He wanted them to understand that He was among them because He was sent from above, that He was the One the Scriptures spoke about, the Messiah.

Ever think about why Jesus called Lazarus by his name when He could’ve just said come forth and why He waited four days to do it? He called him by name because although their may have been many Lazarus’s in that time, there was only one Lazarus who knew the voice of Jesus. Had he said come forth possibly all those who walked with Him before would have risen so He specifically called him by his name. He waited four days so there would be no doubt that Lazarus was dead when Jesus resurrected him.

Now if you look at the last two verses, 43 & 44, this is where I see a comparison and at the same time the reason Jesus came into our world. The bible says that Lazarus was bound from head to foot. Think about where you were before you turned to Jesus, you were bound from head to toe in bondage and sin. Jesus called Lazarus by name just as one day He called you and I by name and set us free from our bondage. Lazarus or should I say the dead Lazarus is a type of the man without Jesus. He is bound by worldly lusts and desires, bound by the desires of his flesh. Bound by Satan’s grip, not knowing how to escape or be free. What a wonderful and marvelous thing Jesus did for us, that He came to set us free!! Praise God! Jesus told those around Him, to loose him and let him go. The same way Jesus tells Satan, when a person comes to Christ and receives salvation, “loose him and let him go.” Oh my God, my God, my God!!! How awesome is our Lord and Savior!!!!! All glory and honor belong to Him for all eternity!! He sets us free from bondage!!!! Satan has to loose us and let us go because we are now the property of Christ!!! Bought by His precious blood!!! Hallelujah!!! Oh my God! I am feeling the presence of God in such a powerful way right now that I just want to shout!

Lazarus’s resurrection had to come to pass to show us what Jesus truly came for! He came to set the captives free!!!! To save the lost, heal the sick, and deliver those captive!!!! Thank you Jesus!!! You see, when we are in sin, we are spiritually dead, we are bound as Lazarus was in graveclothes that represent the chains that had us bound, but when we receive Jesus as Lord and Savior, we are like Lazarus coming out of the grave of spiritual death and resurrecting as new creatures in Christ!! The old Lazarus did not come out of that grave but the new Lazarus who knew His Lord. Our old man is buried and our new man, our spirit man is resurrected to glorify Almighty God!!!! Santo!!! Praise the Lord!!!

If you are walking with Christ, take this moment to praise Him for His sacrifice for you and me and thank Him for setting you free. If you don’t know Christ, I ask you this – why would you want to live in chains when you can be set free and live life abundantly? Jesus is knocking on your door, will you let Him in and dine with Him or will you ignore the knocking in hopes that it will go away? Receive His free gift today because tomorrow is not promised and you may not have another opportunity. Don’t put off for tomorrow what you can do today. Jesus is calling you by name, answer Him with a “yes Lord” and allow Him to set you free. God bless you!