LESSON 5 *October 22–28
Resurrections Before the Cross
Sabbath Afternoon
Read for This Week’s Study: Jude 9, Luke 9:28–36, 1 Kings
17:8–24, Luke 7:11–17, Mark 5:35–43, John 11:1–44.
Memory Text: “Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the
life. The one who believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone
who lives and believes in me will never die forever. Do you believe
this?’ ” (John 11:25, 26, LEB).
The Old Testament references to the resurrection that we have looked
at so far were largely based on personal expectations (Job 19:25–27,
Heb. 11:17–19, Ps. 49:15, Ps. 71:20) and on future promises (Dan.
12:1, 2, 13). However, we also have the inspired records of cases in which
people actually were raised from the dead.
The first resurrection was of Moses (Jude 9, Luke 9:28–36). During
Israel’s monarchy, the son of the widow of Zarephath (1 Kings 17:8–24)
and the Shunammite’s son (2 Kings 4:18–37) also were resurrected. Christ,
when here in the flesh, resurrected the son of the widow of Nain (Luke
7:11–17), Jairus’s daughter (Luke 8:40–56), and then Lazarus (John 11).
Except for Moses, all these people were raised as mortals who eventually
would die again. These cases also confirm the biblical teaching of the
unconsciousness of the dead (Job 3:11–13; Ps. 115:17; Ps. 146:4; Eccles.
9:5, 10). In none of these accounts, nor in any other biblical resurrection
narratives, is there any mention of a supposed afterlife experience.
This week we will reflect more closely on the resurrections that occurred
before Christ’s own death and resurrection.
* Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, October 29.
EGW Notes — SATURDAY ↓
Sabbath Afternoon, October 22
Lesson 5 - Resurrections Before the Cross
Abraham’s unquestioning obedience was one of the most striking
instances of faith and reliance upon God to be found in the Sacred Record.
With only the naked promise that his descendants should possess Canaan,
without the least outward evidence, he followed on where God should
lead, fully and sincerely complying with the conditions on his part, and
confident that the Lord would faithfully perform His word. The patriarch
went wherever God indicated his duty; he passed through wildernesses
without terror; he went among idolatrous nations, with the one thought:
“God has spoken; I am obeying His voice; He will guide, He will protect
me.”—Testimonies for the Church, vol. 4, p. 524.
All created beings live by the will and power of God. They are
recipients of the life of the Son of God. However able and talented,
however large their capacities, they are replenished with life from the
Source of all life. He is the spring, the fountain, of life. Only He who alone
hath immortality, dwelling in light and life, could say, “I have power to lay
it [my life] down, and I have power to take it again” (John
10:18).—Selected Messages, book 1, p. 301.
To talk of religion in a casual way, to pray without soul hunger and
living faith, avails nothing. A nominal faith in Christ, which accepts Him
merely as the Saviour of the world, can never bring healing to the soul.
The faith that is unto salvation is not a mere intellectual assent to the
truth. He who waits for entire knowledge before he will exercise faith,
cannot receive blessing from God. It is not enough to believe about Christ;
we must believe in Him. The only faith that will benefit us is that which
embraces Him as a personal Saviour; which appropriates His merits to
ourselves. Many hold faith as an opinion. Saving faith is a transaction by
which those who receive Christ join themselves in covenant relation with
God. Genuine faith is life. A living faith means an increase of vigor, a
confiding trust, by which the soul becomes a conquering power. . . .
Our confession of His faithfulness is Heaven’s chosen agency for
revealing Christ to the world. We are to acknowledge His grace as made
known through the holy men of old; but that which will be most effectual
is the testimony of our own experience. We are witnesses for God as we
reveal in ourselves the working of a power that is divine. Every individual
has a life distinct from all others, and an experience differing essentially
from theirs. God desires that our praise shall ascend to Him, marked by
our own individuality. These precious acknowledgments to the praise of
the glory of His grace, when supported by a Christ-like life, have an
irresistible power that works for the salvation of
souls.—The Desire of Ages, p. 347.
SUNDAY October 23
The Resurrection of Moses
Read Jude 9 and Luke 9:28–36. What evidences do you find in these
texts for the bodily resurrection of Moses?
* Your notes will not be saved!
Some Greek Church Fathers from Alexandria argued that, when Moses
died, two Moseses were seen: one alive in the spirit, another dead in the
body; one Moses ascending to heaven with angels, the other buried in the
earth. (See Origen, Homilies on Joshua 2.1; Clement of Alexandria,
Stromata 6.15.) This distinction between the assumption of the soul and the
burial of the body might make sense to those who believe in the Greek
concept of the immortal soul, but the idea is not in the Bible. Jude 9
confirms the biblical teaching of the resurrection of Moses’ body, because
the dispute was “about the body of Moses” and not about any supposed
surviving soul.
Deuteronomy 34:5–7 tells us that Moses died at 120 years of age, and
the Lord buried him in a hidden place in a valley in the land of Moab. But
Moses did not remain for very long in the grave. “Christ Himself, with the
angels who had buried Moses, came down from heaven to call forth the
sleeping saint. . . . For the first time Christ was about to give life to the
dead. As the Prince of life and the shining ones approached the grave, Satan
was alarmed for his supremacy. . . . Christ did not stoop to enter into
controversy with Satan. . . . But Christ referred all to His Father, saying,
‘The Lord rebuke thee.’ Jude 9. . . . The resurrection was forever made
certain. Satan was despoiled of his prey; the righteous dead would live
again.”—Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, pp. 478, 479.
A clear evidence of Moses’ resurrection is found at the Transfiguration.
There Moses appeared with the prophet Elijah, who had been translated
without seeing death (2 Kings 2:1–11). Moses and Elijah even dialogued
with Jesus (see Luke 9:28–36). “And behold, two men talked with Him,
who were Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of His
decease which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem” (Luke 9:30, 31,
NKJV). Moses’ appearance, proof of Christ’s coming victory over sin and
death, is depicted here in unmistakable terms. It was Moses and Elijah, not
their “spirits” (after all, Elijah hadn’t died), who had appeared to Jesus
there.
Moses was not allowed to enter the earthly Canaan (Deut. 34:1–4) but
was taken into the heavenly Canaan. What does this teach about how
God “is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or
think, according to the power that works in us” (Eph. 3:20, NKJV)?
EGW Notes — SUNDAY ↓
Sunday, October 23
The Resurrection of Moses
A wilderness grave was the goal of [Moses’] years of toil and heartburdening
care. But He who is “able to do exceeding abundantly above all
that we ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20), had in this measure answered His
servant’s prayer. Moses passed under the dominion of death, but he was
not to remain in the tomb. Christ Himself called him forth to life. Satan
the tempter had claimed the body of Moses because of his sin; but Christ
the Saviour brought him forth from the grave. Jude 9.
Moses upon the mount of transfiguration was a witness to Christ’s
victory over sin and death. He represented those who shall come forth
from the grave at the resurrection of the just. Elijah, who had been
translated to heaven without seeing death, represented those who will be
living upon the earth at Christ’s second coming, and who will be
“changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump;”
when “this mortal must put on immortality,” and “this corruptible must
put on incorruption.” 1 Corinthians
15:51-53.—The Desire of Ages, p. 421.
The Father chose Moses and Elijah to be His messengers to Christ, and
glorify Him with the light of heaven, and commune with Him concerning
His coming agony, because they had lived upon earth as men; they had
experienced human sorrow and suffering, and could sympathize with the
trial of Jesus, in His earthly life. Elijah, in his position as a prophet to
Israel, had represented Christ, and his work had been, in a degree, similar
to that of the Saviour. And Moses, as the leader of Israel, had stood in the
place of Christ, communing with Him and following His directions;
therefore, these two, of all the hosts that gathered around the throne of
God were fittest to minister to the Son of God.—Ellen G. White Comments,
in The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 5, p. 1096.
Christ came to this world for no other purpose than to manifest the
glory of God, that man might be uplifted by its restoring power. All power
and grace were given to Him. His heart was a wellspring of living water, a
never-failing fountain, ever ready to flow forth in a rich, clear stream to
those around Him. His whole life was spent in pure disinterested
benevolence. His purposes were full of love and sympathy. He rejoiced
that He could do more for His followers than they could ask or think. His
constant prayer for them was that they might be sanctified through the
truth, and He prayed with assurance, knowing that an almighty decree
had been given before the world was made. He knew that the gospel of the
kingdom would be preached in all the world; that truth, armed with the
omnipotence of the Holy Spirit, would conquer in the contest with evil;
and that the bloodstained banner would one day wave triumphantly over
His followers.—That I May Know Him, p. 37.
MONDAY October 24
Two Old Testament Cases
Read 1 Kings 17:8–24 and 2 Kings 4:18–37. What similarities and
differences do you see in these two resurrections?
In Hebrews 11, we read that by faith “women received back their dead
by resurrection” (Heb. 11:35, NASB). This was the case in the two
resurrections depicted in the texts for today.
The first one (see 1 Kings 17:8–24) occurred during the great apostasy
in Israel, which happened under the influence of King Ahab and his pagan
wife Jezebel. As a severe drought was ravaging the land, God commanded
Elijah to go to Zarephath, a town outside of Israel. There he met a poor
Phoenician widow who was about to cook a paltry last meal for herself and
her son—and then die. But their lives were spared through the miracle of
the flour and the oil, which didn’t run out until the drought was over.
Sometime later her son became sick and died. In despair, the mother pled
with Elijah, who cried out to the Lord. “The LORD listened to the voice of
Elijah, and the life of the boy returned to him and he revived” (1 Kings
17:22, NASB).
The second resurrection (see 2 Kings 4:18–37) took place in Shunem, a
small village south of Mount Gilboa. Elisha had helped a poor widow to
pay her debts through the miracle of filling many vessels with oil (2 Kings
4:1–7). Later, in Shunem, he met a prominent married woman who had no
children. The prophet told her that she would have a son, and it happened as
predicted. The child grew and was healthy, but one day got sick and died.
The Shunammite woman went to Mount Carmel and asked Elisha to come
with her to see her son. Elisha prayed persistently to the Lord, and finally
the child was alive again.
These women had different backgrounds but the same saving faith. The
Phoenician widow hosted the prophet Elijah in an extremely difficult time
when there was no safe place for him in Israel. The Shunammite woman
and her husband built a special room where the prophet Elisha could stay
while passing through their region. When the two children died, their
faithful mothers appealed to those prophets of God and had the joy of
seeing their children come to life again.
These are great stories, but for each of these two accounts, how many
untold others didn’t end with something so miraculous? What should
this sad fact teach us about just how central to our faith is the
promised resurrection at the end of time?
EGW Notes — MONDAY ↓
Monday, October 24
Two Old Testament Cases
In this poverty-stricken home the famine pressed sore, and the pitifully
meager fare seemed about to fail. The coming of Elijah on the very day
when the widow feared that she must give up the struggle to sustain life
tested to the utmost her faith in the power of the living God to provide for
her necessities. But even in her dire extremity she bore witness to her
faith by a compliance with the request of the stranger who was asking her
to share her last morsel with him. . . .
The widow of Zarephath shared her morsel with Elijah, and in return
her life and that of her son were preserved. And to all who, in time of trial
and want, give sympathy and assistance to others more needy, God has
promised great
blessing.—Conflict and Courage, p. 206.
The mother would not be satisfied till Elisha himself came with her. “As
the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee,” she declared.
“And he arose, and followed her.” . . .
When they reached the house, Elisha went into the room where the
dead child lay, “and shut the door upon them twain, and prayed unto the
Lord. And he went up, and lay upon the child, and put his mouth upon his
mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands: and he
stretched himself upon the child; and the flesh of the child waxed warm.
Then he returned, and walked in the house to and fro; and went up, and
stretched himself upon him: and the child sneezed seven times, and the
child opened his eyes.” . . .
So was the faith of this woman rewarded. Christ, the great Life-giver,
restored her son to her. In like manner will His faithful ones be rewarded,
when, at His coming, death loses its sting and the grave is robbed of the
victory it has claimed. Then will He restore to His servants the children
that have been taken from them by death. “Thus saith the Lord; A voice
was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rachel weeping for
her children refused to be comforted for her children, because they were
not. Thus saith the Lord; Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes
from tears: for thy work shall be rewarded, . . . and they shall come again
from the land of the enemy. And there is hope in thine end, saith the Lord,
that thy children shall come again to their own border.” Jeremiah
31:15-17.—Prophets and Kings, pp. 238, 239.
TUESDAY October 25
The Son of the Widow of Nain
Read Job 1:6–2:10. What caused Job’s suffering?
The Bible says that Jesus “ ‘went about doing good and healing all who
were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him’ ” (Acts 10:38, NASB).
Indeed, all the Gospels are full of accounts of Jesus ministering to many
needy and hurting souls, which is why later many Jews came to believe that
Jesus was the promised Messiah.
“There were whole villages where there was not a moan of sickness in
any house, for He had passed through them and healed all their sick. His
work gave evidence of His divine anointing. Love, mercy, and compassion
were revealed in every act of His life; His heart went out in tender
sympathy to the children of men. He took man’s nature, that He might reach
man’s wants. The poorest and humblest were not afraid to approach Him.
Even little children were attracted to Him.”—Ellen G. White, Steps to
Christ, pp. 11, 12.
Read Luke 7:11–17. What important difference is there between
what happened in this resurrection and in the ones we looked at
yesterday?
During His ministry in Galilee, Jesus healed the sick and expelled
demons. One time, He and His followers were approaching the gates of
Nain when a funeral procession was going through those gates. In the open
coffin was the only son of a widow, who was weeping inconsolably. Full of
compassion for the grieving mother, Jesus said to her, “ ‘Do not weep.’ ”
Then Jesus turned to the dead son in the coffin and ordered him, “ ‘Young
man, I say to you, arise.’ ” The son came to life, and Jesus “presented him
to his mother” (Luke 7:13–15, NKJV). The presence of Jesus completely
changed the whole scenario, and many people who had witnessed the
miracle knew not only that something astonishing had happened but also
that someone special (they called Him “a great prophet”) was among them.
Both the Phoenician widow (1 Kings 17:8–24) and the Shunammite
woman (2 Kings 4:18–37) had asked for help—from Elijah and Elisha,
respectively. But the widow of Nain was helped without even asking for it.
This means that God cares for us even when we are unable or feel unworthy
to ask Him for help. Jesus saw the problem and dealt with it—so typical of
Jesus through all His ministry.
True religion involves caring for orphans and widows around us
(James 1:27). Though, obviously, we won’t be able to do the kind of
miracles Jesus did, what can we do to minister to those who are
hurting around us?
EGW Notes — TUESDAY ↓
Tuesday, October 25
The Son of the Widow of Nain
Your compassionate Redeemer is watching you with love and
sympathy, ready to hear your prayers and to render you the assistance
which you need. He knows the burdens of every mother’s heart and is her
best friend in every emergency. His everlasting arms support the Godfearing,
faithful mother. When upon earth, He had a mother that struggled
with poverty, having many anxious cares and perplexities, and He
sympathizes with every Christian mother in her cares and anxieties. That
Saviour who took a long journey for the purpose of relieving the anxious
heart of a woman whose daughter was possessed by an evil spirit will hear
the mother’s prayers and will bless her children.
He who gave back to the widow her only son as he was carried to the
burial is touched today by the woe of the bereaved mother. . . . He is
woman’s best friend today and is ready to aid her in all the relations of
life.—The Adventist Home, p. 204.
He who stood beside the sorrowing mother at the gate of Nain, watches
with every mourning one beside the bier. He is touched with sympathy for
our grief. His heart, that loved and pitied, is a heart of unchangeable
tenderness. His word, that called the dead to life, is no less efficacious now
than when spoken to the young man of Nain. He says, “All power is given
unto Me in heaven and in earth.” Matthew 28:18. That power is not
diminished by the lapse of years, nor exhausted by the ceaseless activity of
His overflowing grace. To all who believe on Him He is still a living
Saviour.—The Desire of Ages, p. 319.
When our noble Henry died, at the age of sixteen,—when our sweet
singer was borne to the grave, and we no more heard his early song,—ours
was a lonely home. Both parents and the two remaining sons felt the blow
most keenly. But God comforted us in our bereavements, and with faith
and courage we pressed forward in the work He had given us, in bright
hope of meeting our children who had been torn from us by death, in that
world where sickness and death will never
come.—Life Sketches, p. 165.
We should anticipate the sorrows, the difficulties, the troubles of
others. We should enter into the joys and cares of both high and low, rich
and poor. “Freely ye have received,” Christ says, “freely give.” Matthew
10:8. All around us are poor, tried souls that need sympathizing words and
helpful deeds. There are widows who need sympathy and assistance. There
are orphans whom Christ has bidden His followers receive as a trust from
God. Too often these are passed by with neglect. They may be ragged,
uncouth, and seemingly in every way unattractive; yet they are God’s
property. They have been bought with a price, and they are as precious in
His sight as we are. They are members of God’s great household, and
Christians as His stewards are responsible for
them.—Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 386.
WEDNESDAY October 26
Jairus’s Daughter
The resurrections prior to Jesus’ own death and resurrection were not
limited to any specific ethnic group or social class. Moses was perhaps the
greatest human leader of God’s people ever (Deut. 34:10–12). By contrast,
the poor Phoenician widow was not even an Israelite (1 Kings 17:9). The
Shunammite woman was prominent in her community (2 Kings 4:8). The
widow of Nain had only one son, upon whom she was probably dependent
(Luke 7:12). In contrast, Jairus was a ruler of the synagogue, probably in
Capernaum (Mark 5:22). Regardless of their different cultural backgrounds
or social status, all of them were blessed by God’s life-giving power.
Read Mark 5:21–24, 35–43. What can we learn about death from
Christ’s words “ ‘The child is not dead, but sleeping’ ”? (Mark 5:39,
NKJV).
Jairus’s 12-year-old daughter was lying deathly sick at home. So, he
went to Jesus and begged Him to come to his home and lay His healing
hands on her. But before they could get there, someone already brought the
sad news “ ‘Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?’ ”
(Mark 5:35, NKJV).
Then Jesus said to the grieving father, “ ‘Do not fear, only believe’ ”
(Mark 5:36, NRSV). Indeed, all the father could do was trust totally in
God’s intervention.
Arriving at the house, Jesus said to those who gathered there, “ ‘Why do
you make a commotion and weep? The child is not dead but sleeping’ ”
(Mark 5:39, NRSV). They ridiculed Him because (1) they knew that she
was dead, and (2) they did not grasp the meaning of His words. “The
comforting metaphor by which ‘sleep’ stands for ‘death’ seems to have
been Christ’s favorite way of referring to this experience ([Matt. 9:24; Luke
8:52;] see on John 11:11–15). Death is a sleep, but it is a deep sleep from
which only the great Life-giver can awaken one, for He alone has the keys
to the tomb (see Rev. 1:18; cf. John 3:16; Rom. 6:23).”—The SDA Bible
Commentary, vol. 5, p. 609.
After the resurrection of this girl, those who saw it were “overcome with
amazement” (Mark 5:42, NRSV). No wonder. For now, death is final,
absolute, and seemingly irreversible. To have seen something like this with
their own eyes surely must have been an amazing, life-changing experience.
Jesus’ words, “ ‘Do not fear, only believe’ ” (Mark 5:36, NRSV), are
still meaningful for us today. How can we learn to do that, even amid
fearful situations, which are the most important times to keep
believing?
EGW Notes — WEDNESDAY ↓
Wednesday, October 26
Jairus’s Daughter
While they were still on the way, a messenger pressed through the
crowd, bearing to Jairus the news that his daughter was dead, and it was
useless to trouble the Master further. The word caught the ear of Jesus.
“Fear not,” He said; “believe only, and she shall be made whole.”
Jairus pressed closer to the Saviour, and together they hurried to the
ruler’s home. Already the hired mourners and flute players were there,
filling the air with their clamor. The presence of the crowd, and the tumult
jarred upon the spirit of Jesus. He tried to silence them, saying, “Why
make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth.” They
were indignant at the words of the Stranger. They had seen the child in the
embrace of death, and they laughed Him to scorn. . . .
Jesus approached the bedside, and, taking the child’s hand in His own,
He pronounced softly, in the familiar language of her home, the words,
“Damsel, I say unto thee, arise.”
Instantly a tremor passed through the unconscious form. The pulses of
life beat again. The lips unclosed with a smile. The eyes opened widely as
if from sleep, and the maiden gazed with wonder on the group beside her.
She arose, and her parents clasped her in their arms, and wept for
joy.—The Desire of Ages, pp. 342, 343.
It is the privilege of Christians to know indeed that Christ is in them of
a truth. “This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.” All
things are possible to him that believeth; and whatsoever things we desire
when we pray, if we believe that we receive them we shall have them. This
faith will penetrate the darkest cloud and bring rays of light and hope to
the drooping, desponding soul. It is the absence of this faith and trust
which brings perplexity, distressing fears, and surmisings of evil. God will
do great things for His people when they put their entire trust in Him.
“Godliness with contentment is great gain.” Pure and undefiled religion
will be exemplified in the life. Christ will prove a never-failing source of
strength, a present help in every time of
trouble.—Testimonies for the Church,
vol. 2, p. 139.
[God’s] voice is heard, “I have loved thee with an everlasting love”
(Jeremiah 31:3). “With everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee”
(Isaiah 54:8). How amazing is this love, that God condescends to remove
all cause for doubt and questioning from human fears and weakness and
takes hold of the trembling hand reached up to Him in faith; and He helps
us to trust Him by multiplied assurances and securities. . . . What more
could our Lord do to strengthen our faith in His
promises?—That I May Know Him, p. 262.
THURSDAY October 27
Lazarus
Read John 11:1–44. In what sense was Jesus “glorified” by the
sickness and death of Lazarus (John 11:4)?
Here, too, Jesus uses the metaphor for sleep in talking about death.
“ ‘Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him
up’ ” (John 11:11, NIV). When some thought He was talking about literal
sleep (John 11:11–13), Jesus clearly stated what He meant: “ ‘Lazarus is
dead’ ” (John 11:12–14, NIV). Actually, when Jesus arrived in Bethany,
Lazarus had been dead four days; his corpse already was rotting (John
11:17, 39). By the time a body starts decomposing badly enough to smell,
there’s no question: the person is dead.
In this context, when Jesus told Martha, “ ‘Your brother will rise from
the dead’ ” (John 11:23, NASB), she reaffirmed her belief in the final
resurrection. But Jesus declared, “ ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The
one who believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives
and believes in me will never die forever. Do you believe this?’ ” (John
11:23–26, LEB). And Jesus added, “ ‘If you believe, you will see the glory
of God’ ” (John 11:40, NASB). Martha believed, and she saw the glory of
God in the resurrection of her brother.
The Bible says that by God’s word life was created (Gen, 1:20–30, Ps.
33:6), and by His word life can be re-created, as in the case of Lazarus.
After a short prayer, Jesus ordered, “ ‘Lazarus, come forth!’ ” (John 11:43,
NKJV). Right then and there these people saw the life-giving power of God,
the same power that spoke our world into existence, and the same power
that at the end of the age will call the dead back to life in the resurrection.
By raising Lazarus, Jesus proved that He had the power to defeat death,
which, for beings like us, who inevitably die—what greater manifestation
of God’s glory could there be?
Read John 11:25, 26. In one line Jesus talks about believers dying,
and in the next He talks about believers never dying. What is Jesus
teaching us here, and why is the understanding that death is an
unconscious sleep so crucial in understanding Christ’s words? And
why do His words offer us, as beings destined to the grave, so much
hope?
EGW Notes — THURSDAY ↓
Thursday, October 27
Lazarus
Christ had not only the loved ones at Bethany to think of; He had the
training of His disciples to consider. They were to be His representatives
to the world, that the Father’s blessing might include all. For their sake He
permitted Lazarus to die. Had He restored him from illness to health, the
miracle that is the most positive evidence of His divine character would
not have been performed.
Had Christ been in the sick-room, Lazarus would not have died; for
Satan would have had no power over him. In the presence of the Lifegiver,
death could not have aimed his dart at Lazarus. . . . He permitted Lazarus
to pass under the dominion of death, and the suffering sisters saw their
brother laid in the grave. Christ knew that as they looked on the face of
their dead brother, their faith in their Redeemer would be severely tried.
Thus He was pruning the branches, that they might bring forth more fruit.
He knew that because of the struggle through which they were now
passing, their faith would shine forth with far greater
power.—Sons and Daughters of God, p. 92.
“Take ye away the stone,” Christ said. Thinking that He only wished to
look upon the dead, Martha objected, saying that the body had been
buried four days, and corruption had already begun its work. This
statement, made before the raising of Lazarus, left no room for Christ’s
enemies to say that a deception had been practiced. In the past the
Pharisees had circulated false statements regarding the most wonderful
manifestations of the power of God. When Christ raised to life the
daughter of Jairus, He had said, “The damsel is not dead, but sleepeth.”
Mark 5:39. As she had been sick only a short time, and was raised
immediately after death, the Pharisees declared that the child had not been
dead; that Christ Himself had said she was only asleep. They had tried to
make it appear that Christ could not cure disease, that there was foul play
about His miracles. But in this case, none could deny that Lazarus was
dead.—The Desire of Ages, p. 534.
Because Christ was one with the Father, equal with Him, He could
make an atonement for transgression, and save man—not in his sins, but
from his sins. . . .
[In] the words spoken to God’s faithful ones, “Come, ye blessed of my
Father,” Christ says, “inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the
foundation of the world.” Then from the host of the redeemed there rises
the triumphant chorus, “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy
victory?” O that our minds could comprehend the greatness of the theme
and the wonderful importance of the occasion.
“Whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.” “If a man keep
my saying, he shall never see death.” God’s chosen ones may fall at their
post of duty, but they have only fallen asleep, to rest till Jesus awakes
them to share with Him an eternal weight of
glory.—The Upward Look, p. 272.
FRIDAY October 28
Further Thought: Read Ellen G. White, “The Death of Moses,”
pp. 469–480, in Patriarchs and Prophets; “The Voice of Stern Rebuke,” pp.
129–142; “A Prophet of Peace,” pp. 237–243, in Prophets and Kings; “The
Centurion,” pp. 318, 319; “The Touch of Faith,” pp. 342, 343; “ ‘Lazarus,
Come Forth,’ ” pp. 524–536, in The Desire of Ages.
“In Christ is life, original, unborrowed, underived. ‘He that hath the Son
hath life.’ 1 John 5:12. The divinity of Christ is the believer’s assurance of
eternal life. ‘He that believeth in Me,’ said Jesus, ‘though he were dead, yet
shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die.
Believest thou this?’ Christ here [in John 11:25, 26] looks forward to the
time of His second coming. Then the righteous dead shall be raised
incorruptible, and the living righteous shall be translated to heaven without
seeing death. The miracle which Christ was about to perform, in raising
Lazarus from the dead, would represent the resurrection of all the righteous
dead. By His word and His works He declared Himself the Author of the
resurrection. He who Himself was soon to die upon the cross stood with the
keys of death, a conqueror of the grave, and asserted His right and power to
give eternal life.”—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 530.
Discussion Questions:
-
1. Many people died during the prophetic ministries of Elijah and
Elisha, as well as during Christ’s own earthly ministry. Only a few
were resurrected. (See Luke 4:24–27.) Thinking, too, about the
experience of all of the dead, whether resurrected in the past or at the
Second Coming, what difference does it make, at least in regard to
what it was like to be dead?
-
2. Many writers over the centuries have written about the futility of
a life that ends always in death. Along with other living creature s—
chickens, beavers, oysters, et cetera—we all die. However, for
humans, in a sense our predicament is worse than for the animals,
because we know that we are going to die. (See Eccles. 9:5.) Chickens,
beavers, and oysters don’t. Why, then, is the promise of the
resurrection so crucial to us?
-
3. If you think that the soul is immortal and that the dead,
especially the righteous dead, live on in heaven after they die, what
need is there for the resurrection at the end of time?
-
4. If someone called and asked, “Is Sally there?” you might answer,
“Yes, but she’s sleeping.” If, however, someone called and asked, “Is
Sally there?” you are not going to answer, “Yes, but she’s dead.” Why
not? What does this teach us about the nature of death?
EGW Notes — FRIDAY ↓
Friday, October 28
For Further Reading
Our High Calling, “Come Unto Me,” p. 97;
The Desire of Ages, “Lazarus, Come Forth,” pp. 524–536.
INSIDE STORY
Christ’s Ambassador
By BENJIE LEACH
One of my goals as chaplain of Forest Lake Academy in Orlando,
Florida, was to become acquainted with each student. It was a challenge in
a school with 450 students in the mid-1970s.
At the beginning of the school year, a student came up to me and asked,
“Have you had a chance to become acquainted with Paul yet?” I had not.
“You need to get acquainted,” the student said. “Just ask where he is
from.”
My curiosity was aroused, so I invited Paul to my office. He turned out
to be a rather shy 16-year-old. “So, Paul,” I asked, “where are you from?”
“I’m from a little town in Georgia called Plains,” he said.
My mouth dropped open. “What?” I said. “That is where the president of
the United States—Jimmy Carter—lives!”
I had to ask. “Paul,” I said, “do you know the president?”
“Oh, yes,” he said.
Early that summer, he had needed a job to pay for his tuition at Forest
Lake Academy, and he had gotten a job at a peanut warehouse, the main
industry, in Plains. He was excited about finding work and thought that he
had made it clear about taking Sabbaths off. But his work supervisor
stopped him when he left on Friday with a promise to return on Monday.
“No,” the supervisor said. “You come tomorrow. We are open Saturday.”
“But, you see, I’m a Seventh-day Adventist,” Paul said.
“Come tomorrow, or you won’t have a job anymore,” the supervisor
said.
Paul thought for a moment. “Can I speak to the owner?”
“But that’s the president!” the supervisor exclaimed.
“Is he in town?” Paul asked.
“Yes, but I don’t think that it’s going to make any difference.”
Paul went to the Carter home. He had to go through the Secret Service,
but he was able to sit down with the president. Jimmy Carter listened
attentively as he explained the situation and his observance of the seventhday
Sabbath. “I respect any young person who has convictions and stands
up for what he believes,” the president said. “You can have your Sabbaths
off.”
And the soft-spoken, 16-year-old teen became Christ’s ambassador to
the U.S. president.
You and I also are ambassadors for Christ. “Now then, we are
ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us”
(2 Corinthians 5:20, NKJV). Let us, with Christ’s help, be faithful
ambassadors.
This mission story illustrates Mission Objective No. 1 of the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s “I Will
Go” strategic plan, “To revive the concept of worldwide mission and sacrifice for mission as a way
of life.” Read more: IWillGo2020.org.
Provided by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission, which uses Sabbath School
mission offerings to spread the gospel worldwide. Read new stories daily at
AdventistMission.org.
