And what joy is described in these passages! For example, when Jesus raised a young girl from the dead, her parents “were beside themselves with great ecstasy.” ( Mark 5:42) Yes, Jehovah had given them a cause for joy that they would never forget.ġ1. They teach us that God is not partial, for the resurrected ones include young and old, male and female, Israelite and non-Israelite. a To read and study these accounts is a delight. The resurrection of Lazarus is just one of nine miracles of this kind recorded in God’s Word. ) This was not the only time that Jehovah used his power in this way. In his prayer just before calling out to Lazarus, he made it clear that Jehovah was the Source of the resurrection. (a) How did Jesus reveal the Source of his power to resurrect Lazarus? (b) What are some of the benefits of reading the Bible’s resurrection accounts?ĩ Jesus did not claim to perform this amazing miracle on his own. But Jehovah God is able to fight and overcome that enemy! Let us see what God enabled Jesus to do.Įlijah resurrected a widow’s son.- 1 Kings 17:17-24ĩ, 10. It teaches us that Jesus and his Father, Jehovah, hate death. ( John 11:3, 4) Still, he felt the pain and sorrow that death brings.Ħ In a way, Jesus’ grief is encouraging to us. In fact, Jesus knew that something wonderful was about to happen. He “groaned within himself and became troubled.” Then, the account says, “Jesus gave way to tears.” ( John 11:33, 35) Did Jesus’ grief mean that he had no hope? Not at all. (a) How did Jesus respond when he was with Lazarus’ grieving family and friends? (b) Why is Jesus’ grief encouraging to us?ĥ How did Jesus feel about losing his friend? The account tells us that Jesus joined Lazarus’ relatives and friends as they grieved over this loss. The Bible says: “Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.” ( John 11:5) As we learned in the preceding chapter, though, Lazarus died.ĥ, 6. ( John 14:9) When he was in Jerusalem, Jesus used to visit Lazarus and his sisters, Mary and Martha, who lived in the nearby town of Bethany. Jesus, who perfectly reflected his Father, knew the pain of losing someone in death. ) The Bible helps us to understand how Jehovah and Jesus feel about death. At such times, we need to go to God’s Word for comfort. (a) Why does Jesus’ reaction to the death of a loved one teach us about Jehovah’s feelings? (b) Jesus developed what special friendship?Ĥ Have you lost a loved one in death? The pain, the grief, and the feelings of helplessness can seem unbearable. ( Isaiah 26:19) They will be brought back to life. You see, Jehovah promises that the dead will live again. Doing this will help us to appreciate something that will make us happy. The Bible teaches: “The last enemy, death, is to be brought to nothing.” ( 1 Corinthians 15:26) That is good news!ģ Let us take a brief look at how the enemy death affects us when it strikes. And he promises to destroy this enemy, death, once and for all. He is the loving Rescuer who has already shown that he can defeat this enemy. But Jehovah is far more powerful than death. Most of us have seen this enemy claim the lives of people dear to us. None of us can outrun it or fight it off. As we learned in the preceding chapter, the Bible calls death an enemy. How relieved that makes you feel!Ģ In a sense, you are being pursued by such an enemy. He is far more powerful than your enemy, and he promises to help you. Suddenly, though, a rescuer appears at your side. No matter how hard you try to outrun him, he keeps getting closer. You know that he is merciless because you have seen him kill some of your friends. He is much stronger and faster than you are. IMAGINE that you are running away from a vicious enemy. What enemy pursues all of us, and why will considering what the Bible teaches bring us some relief?
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