Who Was Lazarus?
A certain man named Lazarus
Lived in Bethany
With sisters Mary and Martha
Friends of Jesus, three.
Now Jesus had gone from Bethany
Beyond Jordan was where He went.
Lazarus had gotten very sick
So to Jesus the message was sent.
“Lord, he.whom thou lovest is very sick.”
From the sisters, the message was clear
At times when sickness came to their home,
They wished friend Jesus was near.
When Jesus heard the sad news
It’s all for God’s glory, He said.
That the Son of God might be glorified
He envisioned Lazarus’ rise from the dead.
But Jesus delayed His departure,
He tarried two days where He’d been
Then He said to His disciples
“Let us go into Judaea again.”
The disciples were concerned for His safety,
He had earlier conflict with the Jews.
They had sought to stone Him
The disciples felt there was too much to lose.
Jesus said, “Our friend Lazarus sleepeth.”
I must go and get him awake.
The disciples said it is well that he sleeps,
But it was of his death Jesus spake.
Then Jesus told them plainly “Lazarus is dead.”
For your sakes I’m glad I was not there,
To the intent that ye may believe.
Let us go and God’s glory share.
Then Thomas, who is called Didymus,
Spake to his fellow disciple men.
Let us also go and die with Him
For he saw death awaiting them.
Now Bethany was near to Jerusalem,
About fifty furlongs off.
Many Jews came to Mary and Martha,
To comfort them concerning their loss.
Martha went to meet Jesus.
She met Him there in the way.
She said, if Jesus had been there,
My brother would be alive today.
Jesus then offered words of comfort,
“Thy brother shall rise again.“
He was speaking of the future
And not how things might have been.
Then Martha lovingly answered the Lord,
“I know he will rise again.”
But that is the resurrection of the last day
And for now, we’ll be missing him.
“I am the resurrection and the life.”
To Martha then Jesus said,
He that believeth in me shall live,
Even though he were dead.
Then Martha sincerely answered Him,
Yea Lord, I believe that thou art-
Jesus the Christ, the Son of God,
I believe it with all of my heart.
Then she went and secretly called Mary
She said, “The Master calleth for thee.”
Then Mary arose and came quickly
To Jesus of Galilee.
Now Jesus had not yet come into town
But was where He and Martha did meet.
Then when Mary was come where Jesus was,
She fell down at Jesus’ feet.
Mary said, “Lord if thou hadst been here,
My brother would not have died”
These were the same words as Martha,
Who was right there by her side.
When Jesus therefore saw her weeping
And the Jews who came, weeping there
He groaned and was troubled in spirit,
The sorrow was too much to bear.
Then Jesus asked, “Where have you laid him?”
“Lord, come and see,” said they.
Being moved with compassion, Jesus wept.
And began to move toward the grave.
The Jews said, “Behold, how He loved him.”
And some of them openly said,
Could not this man who opened the blind man’s eyes,
Have caused that this man not be dead?
Jesus again, groaning in Himself
Cometh to the grave.
Upon the grave lay a stone,
The grave was really a cave.
Jesus said, “Take ye away the stone.”
But Martha was alarmed, how He thinketh,
For Lazarus had been dead four full days
And by this time, he certainly stinketh!
Then Jesus said, “Saith I not unto thee-
That if thou wouldest truly believe-
Thou shouldest see the glory of God?”
So your sorrow will be greatly relieved.
Then they took away the stone
From the grave where it was laid.
Then Jesus lifted up His eyes
And to the Father He prayed.
Father, I thank thee, that me thou has heard
For I know that you always hear.
I said it for the people that stand by,
That they may know that you sent me here.
When He finished His prayer to God,
“Lazarus, Come forth,” He did say,
He cried with a loud, powerful voice
And Lazarus came forth from the grave!!
With graveclothes he was bound hand and foot
A napkin bound ‘round his face.
Jesus said, “Loose him, and let him go”
Life restored by God’s wonderful grace!
Then many of the Jews that comforted Mary
Had seen the deed that was done,
They believed on Jesus, the Son of God
And so many souls were won.
So the purpose for this has accomplished
What Jesus said it would do
It was to bring glory to the Father
And the Son was to be glorified too!
So if you are reading this today
Put your faith in the Glorified Son.
Live for Jesus every day
“Til the crown of life be won!
Search the Bible from cover to cover
Find what He wants you to do.
He is willing to help you
The rest is up to YOU!
D. Arbaugh