Lazarus:  A Picture of One Rescued   from Spiritual Death

© 2019 by Tom Boynton (editing by Kathy Boynton)

Throughout Scripture God uses physical truths to help us understand spiritual truths.  Physical light, life, and death are used to convey understanding of the spiritual aspects of these three realities.

This is dramatically demonstrated in the Biblical account of Lazarus found in John chapter 11.  Lazarus, brother of Mary and Martha from Bethany, was sick.  While dying, his sisters sent for Jesus to heal him.  Jesus purposely delayed His arrival till after Lazarus had been dead four days.

When Jesus arrived at the tomb He commanded those present to remove the stone from the tomb’s doorway.  They immediately objected to this action because they knew people who had been dead that long don’t smell nice.  However, after Jesus urged them so that they could “see the glory of God,” they obeyed.

What Jesus did next is a powerful illustration of the miracle God performs when He quickens (makes alive) a person born spiritually dead.

Lazarus was dead!  He had no capability to choose or refuse what happened next.  All the people there knew this.  Mary and Martha were distraught that Jesus hadn’t arrived in time to heal him.

If Jesus had preached like many today, He would have probably started pleading with Lazarus to listen carefully to His emotional graveside call.  Perhaps he would tell a sentimental story to convince Lazarus to choose life.  He certainly would avoid anything controversial.  In fact, if Lazarus caught on to the fact that Jesus thought he was dead, Lazarus might be offended.  Jesus might have even tried to convince Lazarus that it was up to him to use his “free will” to choose life.

But Lazarus was dead.  He couldn’t see.  He couldn’t hear.  He couldn’t feel his need.  Everyone there knew Lazarus could do nothing to cooperate with Jesus.  Lazarus was  dead, bound, and lying in a tomb.

With His sovereign power as God, Jesus then spoke life into Lazarus with the following simple, but powerful words.

“Lazarus come forth”! (John 11:43)

Having now received life, Lazarus obeyed!

This physical example illustrates the miraculous nature of a spiritual rebirth.

“For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.  So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.” (Romans 9:15-16)

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