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Raising of Lazarus
313
Sorrow entered the peaceful home where Jesus had rested.
Lazarus was stricken with sudden illness, and his sisters sent to
the Saviour, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom Thou lovest is sick.”
They saw the violence of the disease that had seized their brother,
but they knew that Christ had shown Himself able to heal all manner
of diseases. They made no urgent demand for His immediate pres-
ence but thought He would be with them as soon as He could reach
Bethany.
Anxiously they waited. As long as the spark of life was in
their brother, they prayed and watched for Jesus to come. But the
messenger returned without Him. Yet he brought the message, “This
sickness is not unto death,” and they clung to the hope that Lazarus
would live. When the sufferer died they were bitterly disappointed,
but they felt the sustaining grace of Christ.
When Christ heard the message, He did not manifest the sorrow
the disciples expected Him to show. He said, “This sickness is not
unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be
glorified thereby.” For two days Jesus remained in the place where
He was. This delay was a mystery to the disciples, for His strong
affection for the family at Bethany was well known.
During the two days, Christ seemed to have dismissed the mes-
sage from His mind. The disciples thought of John the Baptist. With
the power to perform miracles, why had Jesus permitted John to
languish in prison and die a violent death? The Pharisees presented
this question as an unanswerable argument against Christ’s claim to
be the Son of God. The Saviour had warned His disciples of trials,
losses, and persecution. Would He forsake them in trial? All were
deeply troubled.
[352]
After waiting two days, Jesus said, “Let us go into Judea again.”
The disciples questioned why, if Jesus were going to Judea, He had
waited two days. But anxiety for Christ and for themselves was now
uppermost in their minds. They could see nothing but danger in the
course He was about to pursue. “Master,” they said, “the Jews of late
sought to stone Thee; and goest Thou thither again? Jesus answered,
Are there not twelve hours in the day?” I am under the guidance of
My Father; as long as I do His will, My life is safe. I have entered
upon the last remnant of My day; but while any of this remains, I
am safe.