Discussion with His disciples v7-16.
Jesus used every incident to further the faith of His disciples. Firstly, we should note the delay was for two
days. In a prophetic sense this is
significant. Two days appears in scripture
a number of times, and on each occasion it prefigures and symbolises the spiritual
revival of Israel. The references are;
Hosea 6v2 “after two days will He revive
us; on the third day, He will raise us up and we shall live in his sight.” This is referring to Israel in the
future. In the story of the Good
Samaritan in Luke10v30-37 it is recorded that the Samaritan found the Jew half
dead, and he revived him and took him to an inn and left enough payment for two
days (two pence is what he paid, and since one pence or denarius was the wages
of a man for one day, it equates to two days money), at which time he would
return. This again links the two days to
the revival of Israel and the return of the. Saviour. Now here in John chapter 11 the delay of
Christ is for two days which will culminate in the resurrection of Lazarus,
symbolic of the revival of the nation. This is not the primary interpretation
but the scriptures present things beyond the actual incidents. We cannot escape the fact that 1000 years is
with the Lord as one day-2nd Peter 3v8 from Psalm 90v4. And so,
two days would symbolise 2000 years. This has been, already, almost the length
of the period of grace in the calendar of God.
For sure we are on the cusp of His return and that will mean the revival
of Israel as God’s people. Beyond the resurrection
of Lazarus is the greater picture of the resurrection of His people, when He returns
just as He said He would.
“Then
after that saith He to his disciples, Let us go into Judea again. His disciples say unto Him, Master, the Jews
of late sought to stone thee and goest thou thither again?
They
were concerned for His safety, for He was a wanted man in Jerusalem. But Jesus was resolute and His answer was that
He still had a work to do. He says, “Are
there not 12 hours in the day? If a man
walk in the day, he stumbleth not because he seeth the light of this world. But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth
because there is no light in him.”
He seems
to be indicating that right now he had the freedom to move, but the time would
come when he would not-reference to day and night. He is expressing the importance of using time
wisely, which is a major bible topic. He
is also indicating the night is coming, speaking of the Cross which was now
looming large in His sight. He could
have raised Lazarus remotely without going to Jerusalem. But that was where He must go, and that was
where He had set His face. Jesus was
keenly aware of the passage of time, as we should be, and He stressed the need
to use opportunities when they came for time was limited. He is saying here His work was not yet done
and so must continue, regardless of the threats.
“These
things said He, and after that He saith unto them, our friend Lazarus sleepeth;
but I go that I may awake him out of sleep. Then said His disciples Lord, if he sleepeth
he shall do well. Howbeit Jesus, spake
of his death, but they thought that he had spoken of taking rest in sleep. Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is
dead; and I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent the ye
might believe; nevertheless let us go unto him.”
Shocked,
as they were at the news, Thomas responded with a declaration of courage,
saying to his fellow disciples “let us also go that we may die with Him.” With some commentators, Thomas has become a
bit of a joke amongst the disciples, many labelling him “doubting Thomas”, but
they tend to forget this incident where he declared that he was prepared to die
with Jesus. It is wonderful how
Scripture always gives the other side of a person’s character. Any
doubts that Thomas had was because he was not gullible, and he was not prepared
to accept anything unless he knew it to be true. There can be no doubting his devotion and he
is, in fact, credited with the greatest declaration of belief when he uttered
reverently, in the upper room, “My Lord and my God”- John 20v28.
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