We all remember in a previous article, I discussed the name of Almighty God, "I AM" given to Moses at the burning bush, and given to the children of Israel as God proclaims His Ten Commandments. I then related this name to 10 times in the Gospel of John whereby Jesus refers to Himself as "I AM".
Almighty God, makes a covenant with His Children the people of Israel a promise of resurrection from the dead and sends His prophet Ezekiel to speak His covenant promise to the people. We know that a covenant with Almighty God is a promise He cannot and will not break, for God cannot lie, and always keeps His Word.
EZEKIEL: 37: 12-13; v.12: "Therefore prophesy and say unto them, ‘Thus sayeth the Lord God; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. v.13: And ye shall know that ‘ I AM ‘ the Lord when I have opened your graves, O my people and brought you out of your graves.
We are all aware of the story of Lazarus, and how Jesus goes to Bethany after Lazarus dies, waiting 4 days. Jesus waits 4 days, to ensure that Lazarus is dead, so that God’s Prophesy to Ezekiel could be proved to have been fulfilled.
Often when we as Christians recount this story we are in awe, and we think that Jesus has performed yet another awesome miracle for all to see and be witness to. Infact it is not Jesus performing the miracle, but Almighty God using Jesus to perform the miracle.
Jesus tells us the truth: JOHN: 5: 19-21; "Verily verily, I say unto you, ‘ The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for whatever He doeth, these also doeth the Son likwise ‘. For the Father loveth the Son and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he shall shew him greater works than these that ye may marvel."
JOHN: 5: 30-32; " I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear I judge, and my judgement is just because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.
The story of Lazarus being resurrected from the grave, as promised by Almighty God through His prophet Ezekiel, offers incontrovertible proof that Almighty God is a God of His Word.
Jesus states to Martha at JOHN: 11: 39-44; "Jesus said, ‘ take the stone away ‘ Marth the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days. Jesus saith unto her, ‘ Said I not unto thee, that if thou wouldest believe; thou shouldest see the Glory of God? Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid, and Jesus lifted up his eyes and said: ‘ Father I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always: but, because of the people which stand by I said it that they may believe that thou has sent me. ‘ And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead, came forth."
Jesus proves two extremely important thing to the people with this one act. First He shows the people that God when he makes a covenant with man God keeps his promise. Second Jesus establishes Himself as the Son of God and proves it in answer to the question asked by the people gathered there in JOHN: 11: 37.
What we truly need to fully understand with this story is that Almighty God, keeps every promise he makes. Yes Jesus is the "Son of God". Yes Jesus is the Word, He is the "I AM " but in order to establish that Almighty God is three persons, Jesus honours the Father and does not perform this miracle on his own, rather he permits the Father His glory. In fact every miracle reported done by Jesus, Jesus performs through the Father as He offers a prayer of thanksgiving first.