Jesus Raises Lazarus from the Dead: A Meditation on Hope and Resurrection

In our daily devotionals, we are meditating on the Lord Jesus' supernatural acts. Today, we focus on the raising of Lazarus from the dead:

Facing the Reality of the Grave (John 11:38-44)

³⁸Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. ³⁹“Take away the stone,” he said. “But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.” ⁴⁰Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” ⁴¹So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. ⁴²I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.” ⁴³When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” ⁴⁴The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go” (John 11:38-44).

The Stench of Death vs. The Glory of God

Lazarus, a beloved friend of Christ, had died. Jesus had now arrived at the tomb and told the disciples and onlookers to remove the stone blocking the entrance. Martha, still in disbelief, warned against removing it, fearing the smell of decay since Lazarus had been dead for four days (v. 39). The tomb was probably not airtight, as it was a simple rock-cut cover. When they moved the stone, a foul smell likely emanated from Lazarus's decayed body inside, as nothing miraculous had yet occurred. Imagine if we were watching this unfold again—what would we see? Can you picture the crowd gathered around the tomb at that moment?

As they moved the stone away, it’s likely that they caught the scent of the decomposing body and scoffed at the idea of Lazarus emerging from that tomb, as the Israelites did not practice Egyptian embalming techniques. However, they did wrap the body in aromatic spices. Merrill Tenney, in his book, The Reality of the Resurrection, discusses the customary procedure for burial:

Biblical Burial Customs and the Power of the Miracle

The body would have been washed and straightened before being bandaged tightly from the armpits to the ankles in strips of linen about a foot wide. Aromatic spices, often of a gummy consistency, were placed between the wrappings or folds. They served partially as a cement to glue the cloth wrappings into a solid covering. After the body was enclosed, a square piece of cloth was wrapped around the head and tied under the chin to keep the lower jaw from sagging.^[1]

"Lazarus, Come Out!" – A Preview of Our Future Hope

Jesus looked up to heaven, prayed to His Father, then called out loudly, “Lazarus, come out!” (v. 43). Without explicitly calling his name, the witnesses might have seen all the dead in the area rise from their graves. How long did it take for the smell to subside and for Lazarus to appear? One thing is certain: when Lazarus arrived at the tomb door, still wrapped in grave clothes, there were gasps of astonishment and screams of delight. Death has been and is conquered! We have a Savior who overcomes death and the grave! The Scriptures tell us that many Jews were present to witness the miracle and placed their faith in Him after what they saw (John 11:45).

The Ultimate Praise Party: Lessons for Believers

I wish John had shared more about the celebration at Martha’s. Unlike the usual funeral, where they simply reminisced about Lazarus’s life, everyone was eager to hear about his experience of dying and being in heaven. I wish I could have been a “fly on the wall” at that gathering! I would have loved to hear their conversation and see the relief and joy of the sisters as they wept and embraced their brother. I’m sure Lazarus and the family enjoyed recounting the entire story, from when they thought they had lost him to when he emerged from the tomb at Jesus’ command. There must have been a lively praise party for the Lord. It will be similar for all believers in Christ at the resurrection; we will see Jesus’s face when we are raised from the dead. What a day that will be! I look forward to seeing you then! Keith Thomas

Continue Your Journey…

If you found this meditation meaningful, there is much more to explore about God’s plan in our free-to-read or download 66 studies in the Gospel of Luke, study 22, Jesus raises Lazarus from the Dead.

YouTube video teachings at: https://www.youtube.com/@keiththomas7/videos

^[1] Merril C. Tenney, The Reality of the Resurrection (New York, NY: Harper and Row Publishers, 1963, Page 117.