John 11:38-44
Let’s remember to pray for Jim and Marty.
“Notice what you notice.” I’ve often wondered how tightly sealed these 1st-century tombs could have been. When Martha said in verse 39, Lord, by this time there will be a stench, for he has been dead four days, I wonder that there would not already be a stench because of the difficulty of sealing these tombs. Was it only a stone rolled in front of a cave, or was it sealed off somehow with some stench-free fibers or fabrics? Not a big item, just wondering…
Something interesting, connecting two verses together… Here’s today’s verse 40: Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” But what had Jesus actually said to Martha? Go back two days to John 11:23-26: Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” So if you put these verses together, the “glory of God” that Jesus mentions in verse 40 could be either (1) His raising of Lazarus from the dead, or (2) the eternal life that believers have – or BOTH!!
The raising of Lazarus is the last of the “seven signs” in John’s Gospel; clearly Jesus saved the best for last. GLORY!
Slava Bohu!