The Background: Delay and Despair

Lazarus, Mary, and Martha were close friends of Jesus, living in Bethany, just outside Jerusalem.

• The Plea: When Lazarus fell ill, his sisters sent an urgent message to Jesus: “Lord, behold, he whom you love is ill.” They expected Jesus to rush back and heal him immediately.

• The Deliberate Delay: Jesus’s response was unexpected. He declared: “This illness does not lead to death, but to the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” Then, He deliberately remained where He was for two more days. By the time Jesus arrived in Bethany, Lazarus had been in the tomb for four days.

• The Despair: Martha met Jesus with the anguished but trusting statement: “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” (John 11:21) This shows the tension in their faith—they trusted His power but questioned His timing. By the fourth day, Jewish belief held that the soul had completely departed, making the situation undeniably hopeless.

I. The Miracle: The Declaration and the Command

This miracle is framed by Jesus's profound theological declarations about His identity.

• The Great Claim: Before raising Lazarus, Jesus made one of the most essential claims of His deity: “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.” (John 11:25–26) This declared that life and resurrection are not simply things He does, but things He is.

• The Human Emotion: Jesus went to the tomb, and seeing the grief of Mary and the bystanders, He was deeply “moved in his spirit and greatly troubled,” and He “wept.” (John 11:35) This displays Christ's genuine compassion and humanity alongside His divinity.

• The Command: After the stone was rolled away, Jesus prayed a short, powerful prayer to the Father. Then, He issued the definitive command: “Lazarus, come out!” (John 11:43) Instantly, the man who had been dead for four days walked out of the tomb, still wrapped in his grave clothes.

II. The Character Trait: Trusting God's Timing

The miracle proves Jesus's ultimate authority and teaches the necessity of trusting His process.

• Absolute Authority: By raising a man who was decaying, Jesus proved His power over the decay of the flesh and the finality of death. This sign was the final straw for the religious leaders, who immediately plotted to kill both Jesus and Lazarus.

• Purpose in Delay: Jesus's delay served a crucial purpose: it removed all human doubt that Lazarus was truly dead. The greater the delay, the greater the glory of God when the resurrection finally occurred. It teaches us that God’s timing is always perfect, even when it feels painful or slow.

Applying the Truth Today

The Raising of Lazarus is the ultimate guarantee for the new Christian that Christ has overcome death and is the key to eternal life. If you are facing a situation that seems "dead"—a broken relationship, a lost hope, or a persistent struggle—remember that Jesus is the resurrection and the life.

When you feel despairing, trust that Jesus’s delay does not mean denial. It means He is preparing a situation that will bring about His greater glory. Place your ultimate hope not in life without problems, but in Christ's power that extends beyond the grave.

Reflection Questions for Your Journey:

1. "If You Had Been Here." What hope or promise of God are you struggling to trust right now because you feel He has delayed His help?

2. I Am the Resurrection. What "dead" area of your life do you need to surrender to Jesus, believing His identity as the resurrection and life can bring it back to spiritual or actual life?

3. The Greatest Glory. How can your current adversity, which seems impossible, be a platform for the glory of God to be displayed, just as Lazarus's death was?

Your Reading Guide

To grasp the miracle and the claim, read John 11:21–27 and John 11:38–44. Next, read the hope of resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15:20–22. Finally, read the promise of eternal life in 1 John 5:11.