Resurrection of Lazarus
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pierced with the pain of the human family of all ages and in all lands.
The woes of the sinful race were heavy on his soul, and the fountain
of his tears was broken up, as he longed to relieve all their distress.
Seeing the tears and hearing the groans of Jesus, those who stood
about said, “Behold, how he loved him!” Then they whispered among
themselves, “Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind,
have caused that even this man should not have died?” Jesus groaned
within himself at the unbelief of those who had professed faith in him.
They thought his tears were because of his love for Lazarus, and that
he who had done such mighty works had been unable to save Lazarus
from death. Burdened by the blind infidelity of those who should have
had faith in him, Jesus approached the grave, and in tones of authority
commanded that the stone should be rolled away. Human hands were,
on their part, required to do all that it was possible for them to do, and
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then divine power would finish the work.
But Martha objected to the stone being removed, and reminded
Jesus that the body had been buried four days, and that corruption
had already commenced its work. Jesus answered her reproachfully:
“Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest
see the glory of God?” The stone was then taken away, and the dead
was revealed to sight. It was evident to all that refaction had really
commenced. All is now done that lies in the power of man to do. The
friends gather round with mingled curiosity and awe to see what Jesus
is about to do. Lifting up his eyes, the Saviour prayed:—
“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, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.” The hush that
followed this prayer was broken by Jesus crying out with a loud voice,
“Lazarus, come forth.” Instantly life animates that form which had
been so changed by decay that the friends of the deceased recoiled
from looking upon it. Lazarus, bound hand and foot with grave-clothes,
and with a napkin about his face, rises, obedient to the command of his
Saviour, and attempts to walk, but is impeded by the winding-sheet.
Jesus commands his friends to “loose him, and let him go.”
Human hands are again brought into requisition to do the work
which it is possible for them to do. The burial clothes which bear
evidence of the corruption of the body are removed, and Lazarus
stands before them, not as one emaciated from disease, and with
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