Chapter 34 - The Resurrection of Lazarus

CHAPTER 34

THE RESURRECTION OF LAZARUS

IT WAS shortly after noon when Martha started out to meet Jesus as he came over the brow of the hill near Bethany. When Martha met Jesus, she fell at his feet, exclaiming:

• "Master, if you had been here, my brother would not have died!"

When she had spoken, Jesus reached down, and lifting her upon her feet, said:

• "Only have faith, Martha, and your brother shall rise again."

Then answered Martha:

• "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection of the last day; and even now I believe that whatever you shall ask of God, our Father will give you."

Then said Jesus, looking straight into the eyes of Martha:

• "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me, though he dies, yet shall he live. In truth, whosoever lives and believes in me shall never really die. Martha, do you believe this?"

And Martha answered the Master:

• "Yes, I have long believed that you are the Deliverer, the Son of the living God, even he who should come to this world."

Jesus inquired for Mary, Martha went at once into the house, and whispering to her sister, said:

• "The Master is here and has asked for you."

Many of those present were Jesus' bitter enemies. That is why Martha had come out to meet him alone, and also why she went in secretly to inform Mary that he had asked for her. Martha led Mary to Jesus, and when she saw him, she fell at his feet, exclaiming:

• "If you had only been here, my brother would not have died!"

And when Jesus saw how they all grieved over the death of Lazarus, his soul was moved with compassion.

At the Tomb of Lazarus

After Jesus had spent a few moments in comforting Martha and Mary, apart from the mourners, he asked them:

• "Where have you laid him?"

Then Martha said:

• "Come and see."

The small group assembled before Lazarus's tomb little realized the presence near at hand of a vast concourse of all orders of celestial beings assembled under the leadership of Gabriel and now in waiting, by direction of the Personalized Adjuster of Jesus, vibrating with expectancy and ready to execute the bidding of their beloved Sovereign. When Jesus spoke those words of command:

• "Take away the stone,"

The assembled celestial hosts made ready to enact the drama of the resurrection of Lazarus in the likeness of his mortal flesh. Such a form of resurrection involves difficulties of execution that far transcend the usual technique of the resurrection of mortal creatures in morontia form, and requires far more celestial personalities and a far greater organization of universe facilities.

Said Martha:

• "Must we roll away the stone? My brother has now been dead four days, so that by this time decay of the body has begun."

As they hesitated to roll away the stone, Jesus said:

• "Did I not tell you at the first that this sickness was not to the death? Have I not come to fulfill my promise? And after I came to you, did I not say that, if you would only believe, you should see the glory of God? Wherefore do you doubt? How long before you will believe and obey?"

When Jesus had finished speaking, his apostles, with the assistance of willing neighbors, laid hold upon the stone and rolled it away from the entrance to the tomb.

The Resurrection of Lazarus

As this company of some forty-five mortals stood before the tomb, they could dimly see the form of Lazarus, wrapped in linen bandages, resting on the right lower niche of the burial cave. While these earth creatures stood there in almost breathless silence, a vast host of celestial beings had swung into their places preparatory to answering the signal for action when it should be given by Gabriel, their commander.

Jesus said:

• "Father, I am thankful that you heard and granted my request. I know that you always hear me, but because of those who stand here with me, I thus speak with you, that they may believe that you have sent me into the world, and that they may know that you are working with me in that which we are about to do."

And when he had prayed, he cried with a loud voice:

• "Lazarus, come forth!"

Though these human observers remained motionless, the vast celestial host was all astir in unified action in obedience to the Creator's word. In just twelve seconds of earth time the hitherto lifeless form of Lazarus began to move and presently sat up on the edge of the stone shelf whereon it had rested. His body was bound about with grave cloths, and his face was covered with a napkin. And as he stood up before them -- alive -- Jesus said:

• "Loose him and let him go."

All, save the apostles, with Martha and Mary, fled to the house. Lazarus greeted Jesus and the apostles and asked the meaning of the grave cloths and why he had awakened in the garden. Jesus and the apostles drew to one side while Martha told Lazarus of his death, burial, and resurrection. Then went Lazarus over to Jesus, and with his sisters, knelt at the Master's feet to give thanks and offer praise to God. Jesus, taking Lazarus by the hand, lifted him up, saying:

• "My son, what has happened to you will also be experienced by all who believe this gospel except that they shall be resurrected in a more glorious form. You shall be a living witness of the truth that I spoke -- I am the resurrection and the life. But let us all now go into the house and partake of nourishment for these physical bodies."

Gabriel dismissed the extra groups of the assembled heavenly host while he made record of the first instance on Urantia, and the last, where a mortal creature had been resurrected in the likeness of the physical body of death.