MARY, MARTHA, AND LAZARUS: A LIVING PARABLE SOWING THE WORD OF GOD JANUARY 31, 2017

Transcription

1 MARY, MARTHA, AND LAZARUS: A LIVING PARABLE SOWING THE WORD OF GOD JANUARY 31, 2017 In the book of John, Messiah spoke of what He called the Helper, which is the Holy Spirit, or Ruach HaKodesh in Hebrew. He said that the Father would send the Helper to us to abide with those who believe in Him and love Him by keeping the Father s Word and commands. After Messiah s death, burial, and resurrection the Helper, the Ruach HaKodesh, would come to teach us all things. The Helper would teach us the spirit of the Father s word, help us to walk in His commandments, and testify of Yehoshua Messiah. The Helper would manifest Himself to those who love Yehoshua Messiah, and keep the Father s word. John 14:15-29 If you love Me, keep My commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever 17 the 1

2 Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. 19 A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also. 20 At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. 21 He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him. 22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world? Yehoshua answered and said to him, If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. 24 He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father s who sent Me. 25 These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. 28 You have heard Me say to you, I am going away and coming back to you. If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, I am going to the Father, for My Father is greater than I. 29 And now I have told you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe. John 15:26 But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. John 16:5-7 2

3 But now I go away to Him who sent Me, and none of you asks Me, Where are You going? 6 But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. 7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. 8 And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 of sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10 of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; 11 of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. 12 I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. 15 All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you. 16 A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me, because I go to the Father. 17 Then some of His disciples said among themselves, What is this that He says to us, A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me ; and, because I go to the Father? 18 They said therefore, What is this that He says, A little while? We do not know what He is saying. 19 Now Yehoshua knew that they desired to ask Him, and He said to them, Are you inquiring among yourselves about what I said, A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me? 20 Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy. 21 A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. 22 Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you. 23 And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My 3

4 name He will give you. 24 Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. Messiah, in so many words, told us that in order for us to receive the Helper He first would have to die, but the Helper would return to us in His name and speak to us not of His own words, but the words of the Father. The Hidden Mystery We re all very familiar with sisters Mary and Martha, and their brother named Lazarus whom Messiah raised from the dead. What we may not have seen or heard before is the spiritual message the very lives of these individuals are telling us, a living parable if you will. This very mystery is an example of why the Helper was sent to us, He reveals the secrets and mysteries of God s word to those who diligently seek Him. It is the Helper, through Yehoshua Messiah, who teaches us how to see and hear what is spiritual. John 4:23-24 But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. 24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth. To uncover this mystery, we ll begin in the book of Ezekiel where we learn of how the two houses of Israel rebelled against Yehovah (God), and forsook Him by forsaking His covenant with them, forsaking His law (Torah), and choosing to follow after the ways of the gentile nations worshipping false gods. The word translated as Law into English, is the Hebrew word Torah. The Law / Torah, as we know it, is made up of the first five books of the Scriptures; Genesis 4

5 through Deuteronomy. The word Torah comes from a word that means to instruct or teach, so the Law / Torah is simply God s instruction to His people. Something we must understand is that if we turn away from God s instruction and do not hear, keep, and do what He says, we are no different than our fathers before us whose hearts turned from Him. If we do not worship Him in the way that He s instructed us to, we place our own will above God s will and essentially make gods of ourselves. Therefore, anyone who forsakes the instruction of Yehovah is not doing Yehovah s will, and does not truly know Him. If we do not worship Yehovah in the way that He commanded us to worship Him, it demonstrates that we do not know Him. 1 John 2:3-7 Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 He who says, I know Him, and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. 6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. 7 Brethren, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning. Keep this in mind, we will come back to it again shortly. Two Rebellious Sisters: Oholah and Oholibah Ezekiel is given a parable from Yehovah about two rebellious and unfaithful sisters. Ezekiel 23:1-4 The word of the Lord came again to me, saying: 5

6 2 Son of man, there were two women, The daughters of one mother. 3 They committed harlotry in Egypt, They committed harlotry in their youth; Their breasts were there embraced, Their virgin bosom was there pressed. 4 Their names: Oholah the elder and Oholibah her sister; They were Mine, And they bore sons and daughters. As for their names, Samaria is Oholah, and Jerusalem is Oholibah. In verse 3, Yehovah tells us that these two sisters committed harlotry in Egypt. This is our first clue that He is speaking of the children of Israel, the twelve tribes whom He brought up out of the land of Egypt, out of a land of bondage, and slavery, and from their worship of false gods. Yet, the children of Israel continuously rebelled against Yehovah in the wilderness. Many years after this, David s son Solomon of the tribe of Judah, reigned over all of Israel. However, Yehovah split the house of Israel in two because of King Solomon s sin. Solomon transgressed the Torah and followed after the gods of the wives he multiplied unto himself, continuing in unfaithfulness and rebellion to Yehovah. Ten of the twelve tribes were taken from the king of Judah and given to a man named Jeroboam. They retained the name of Israel but are also referred to as Joseph, or Ephraim throughout Scripture. As we read in verse 4, Oholah (Israel / Samaria) is called the elder sister. This word elder in Hebrew is Gadol and means great or greater. As you can see, Israel was greater in number than the two tribes that were left to Judah who stayed in Jerusalem with Solomon s son king Rehoboam. 6

7 The ten tribes of Israel established themselves in the area called Samaria. 1 Kings 16: In the thirty-first year of Asa king of Judah, Omri became king over Israel, and reigned twelve years. Six years he reigned in Tirzah. 24 And he bought the hill of Samaria from Shemer for two talents of silver; then he built on the hill, and called the name of the city which he built, Samaria, after the name of Shemer, owner of the hill. Again, after many years, the ten tribes of Israel were given over to the captivity of Assyria for continued rebellion and unfaithfulness unto Yehovah and for worshipping and sacrificing to the gods of the gentile nations. The two tribes of Judah, who lived in Jerusalem, were also eventually given over to the captivity of Babylon for the same sins. Per Ezekiel 23:4, Samaria (or the ten tribes of Israel) was given the name Oholah, and Judah (or two tribes of Jerusalem) was given the name Oholibah. Oholah means her tent, or her own tent. Oholibah means, my tent is in her. The tabernacle, or tent, of the congregation was with the whole house of Israel as they wandered in the wilderness for forty years. This tabernacle remained with them in Jerusalem where Yehovah placed His name, and therefore, His tent was in Jerusalem. Yehovah s tent remained with Judah in Jerusalem even when the ten tribes of Israel left. Israel (Samaria / Oholah), was a tent unto herself, in that Jeroboam, the first king over the ten tribes of Israel after Solomon s reign, decided to make his own feast unto Yehovah out of his own heart, like the feast in Judah (Jerusalem), in his own land. 1 Kings 12:

8 Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the mountains of Ephraim, and dwelt there. Also he went out from there and built Penuel. 26 And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now the kingdom may return to the house of David: 27 If these people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will turn back to their lord, Rehoboam king of Judah, and they will kill me and go back to Rehoboam king of Judah. 28 Therefore the king asked advice, made two calves of gold, and said to the people, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods, O Israel, which brought you up from the land of Egypt! 29 And he set up one in Bethel, and the other he put in Dan. 30 Now this thing became a sin, for the people went to worship before the one as far as Dan. 31 He made shrines on the high places, and made priests from every class of people, who were not of the sons of Levi. 32 Jeroboam ordained a feast on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, like the feast that was in Judah, and offered sacrifices on the altar. So he did at Bethel, sacrificing to the calves that he had made. And at Bethel he installed the priests of the high places which he had made. 33 So he made offerings on the altar which he had made at Bethel on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, in the month which he had devised in his own heart. And he ordained a feast for the children of Israel, and offered sacrifices on the altar and burned incense. In the Torah, Yehovah instructs all of Israel to go up to Jerusalem three times in a year to observe His appointed feast days. His Torah also says that only those of the tribe of Levi could be priests unto Him and offer sacrifices. This is an excellent example to those who rail against keeping the Torah. Often times the question of why we no longer sacrifice today is the first thing we hear from those who contend with Torah pursuant believers. However, it is clear that we are not to offer sacrifice unto Yehovah first, because we aren t Levites, and second, sacrifice was only to take place in the Tabernacle or Temple in Jerusalem, which no longer exists. Ultimately, Messiah Yehoshua was our final sacrifice for sin, and while we are in dispersion we should be following the example 8

9 of men like Daniel who did not sacrifice in a foreign land but rather, offered up prayers to Yehovah on the altar of his mouth at the time of sacrifice (See Daniel 9:20-21.) Like Jeroboam, if we were to attempt to offer sacrifice of ourselves, on our own altar, and in a foreign land, we would be worshipping in our own way and sinning against Yehovah. Jeroboam chose to worship Yehovah in his own tent, by worshipping in a way not prescribed by Yehovah, and causing Israel to remain in his own land. Mind you, that he ordained his own feast, on his own date, with his own priests, with his own altar. He asked men for advice, rather than seeking Yehovah s word, and fashioned two golden calves. Like the sin of the golden calf in the wilderness many years before, Jeroboam did not make the calves in order to worship a foreign god, but in order to worship the one true God in his own way. This was a very bad choice, and the very choice that caused all of Israel and the kings of Israel after him to fall into this same inherited sin. We continue in Jeroboam s sin to this very day as we make and keep our own feasts unto Yehovah, devised out of a man s heart, instead of keeping the appointed feasts given to us by Yehovah. For example, Yehovah appointed the Passover, Unleavened Bread, and First Fruits, but we created something like the feasts in Judah out of our own hearts, and on our own date, and we called it Good Friday and Easter Sunday. These things were done in order to separate Christians from Jews (Judah) and their doctrine while continuing to worship the one true God in our own way. We continue in our inherited sin by making our own images like crucifixes, statues, and monuments, paying reverence to them in the name of the one true God, in spite of His instructions that command us not to do such things, and many such things we do. The phrase by which he made Israel to sin, is said of king Jeroboam at least twentyfour times throughout the books of 1 and 2 Kings, and sadly his sin is still alive and well among believers to this very day. Many still do not recognize this pattern. 9

10 Ecclesiastes 1:9-11 That which has been is what will be, That which is done is what will be done, And there is nothing new under the sun. 10 Is there anything of which it may be said, See, this is new? It has already been in ancient times before us. 11 There is no remembrance of former things, Nor will there be any remembrance of things that are to come By those who will come after. Israel decided to make a tent unto herself so she could worship Yehovah in her own way, and not in the way that the Jews do it. Perhaps this is the very meaning behind the name Oholah, she is her own tent. 2 Kings 17:34-41 To this day they continue practicing the former rituals; they do not fear the Lord, nor do they follow their statutes or their ordinances, or the law (Torah) and commandment which the Lord had commanded the children of Jacob, whom He named Israel, 35 with whom the Lord had made a covenant and charged them, saying: You shall not fear other gods, nor bow down to them nor serve them nor sacrifice to them; 36 but the Lord, who brought you up from the land of Egypt with great power and an outstretched arm, Him you shall fear, Him you shall worship, and to Him you shall offer sacrifice. 37 And the statutes, the ordinances, the law (Torah), and the commandment which He wrote for you, you shall be careful to observe forever; you shall not fear other gods. 38 And the covenant that I have made with you, you shall not forget, nor shall you fear other gods. 39 But the Lord your God you shall fear; and He will deliver you from the hand of all your enemies. 40 However they did not obey, but they followed their former rituals. 41 So these nations feared the Lord, yet 10

11 served their carved images; also their children and their children s children have continued doing as their fathers did, even to this day. If Israel had truly feared Yehovah, they would have obeyed His Word and He would have helped them by delivering them from the hand of their enemies. Yehovah s help has always been contingent upon His people hearing and doing the words of His Torah. But because they did not fear and obey Him, Israel and Judah severed the help of God and both were ultimately delivered into the hands of their enemies and their idols which they lusted after. Continuing in Ezekiel, we learn more about Oholah / Samaria, or the ten tribes called Israel, their sin, and how Yehovah removed His help from her by giving her over to the Assyrians. Ezekiel 23:5-10 Oholah played the harlot even though she was Mine; And she lusted for her lovers, the neighboring Assyrians, 6 Who were clothed in purple, Captains and rulers, All of them desirable young men, Horsemen riding on horses. 7 Thus she committed her harlotry with them, All of them choice men of Assyria; And with all for whom she lusted, With all their idols, she defiled herself. 8 She has never given up her harlotry brought from Egypt, For in her youth they had lain with her, Pressed her virgin bosom, And poured out their immorality upon her. 11

12 9 Therefore I have delivered her Into the hand of her lovers, Into the hand of the Assyrians, For whom she lusted. 10 They uncovered her nakedness, Took away her sons and daughters, And slew her with the sword; She became a byword among women, For they had executed judgment on her. Next, we learn more about her sister, Oholibah / Jerusalem, or the two tribes called Judah. Judah not only followed after the same sin of Israel by joining herself with the Assyrians, they also joined themselves with the Babylonians increasing their unfaithfulness, and thereby became even more corrupt than Israel. Ezekiel 23: Now although her sister Oholibah saw this, she became more corrupt in her lust than she, and in her harlotry more corrupt than her sister s harlotry. 12 She lusted for the neighboring Assyrians, Captains and rulers, Clothed most gorgeously, Horsemen riding on horses, All of them desirable young men. 13 Then I saw that she was defiled; Both took the same way. 14 But she increased her harlotry; She looked at men portrayed on the wall, Images of Chaldeans portrayed in vermilion, 15 Girded with belts around their waists, 12

13 Flowing turbans on their heads, All of them looking like captains, In the manner of the Babylonians of Chaldea, The land of their nativity. 16 As soon as her eyes saw them, She lusted for them And sent messengers to them in Chaldea. 17 Then the Babylonians came to her, into the bed of love, And they defiled her with their immorality; So she was defiled by them, and alienated herself from them. 18 She revealed her harlotry and uncovered her nakedness. Then I alienated Myself from her, As I had alienated Myself from her sister. 19 Yet she multiplied her harlotry In calling to remembrance the days of her youth, When she had played the harlot in the land of Egypt. 20 For she lusted for her paramours, Whose flesh is like the flesh of donkeys, And whose issue is like the issue of horses. 21 Thus you called to remembrance the lewdness of your youth, When the Egyptians pressed your bosom Because of your youthful breasts. Notice in verse eighteen, because of their adultery (idolatry) Yehovah alienated Himself from the two sisters. The word alienate is the Hebrew word Yahkah, and means to be alienated, sever oneself, dislocate, abandon, or impale. Yehovah s help was literally cut off from these two rebellious sisters, and they were given over to their own desires and sin. The very nations they went lusting after would be the ones who would bring them into captivity and bondage. 13

14 Do Not Quench the Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:19) The Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit), is likened to fire in the Scriptures (see Matthew 3:11, Acts 2, Isaiah 4:4, 1 Thessalonians 5:19, just to name a few.) The Spirit, or fire, of Yehovah cannot dwell in a house of sin and rebellion. King David sinned when he committing adultery with his neighbor Uriah s wife, and then sent Uriah into the frontlines of battle where he would be killed. Afterward, David wrote a Psalm of repentance after Nathan the prophet told him what he had done. Psalm 51:1-11 To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David when Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. Have mercy upon me, O God, According to Your lovingkindness; According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, Blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin. 3 For I acknowledge my transgressions, And my sin is always before me. 4 Against You, You only, have I sinned, And done this evil in Your sight That You may be found just when You speak, And blameless when You judge. 5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me. 6 Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, And in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom. 14

15 7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 8 Make me hear joy and gladness, That the bones You have broken may rejoice. 9 Hide Your face from my sins, And blot out all my iniquities. 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. The man whom David had killed was named Uriah, Uriah means Flame of Yah (Yah is a shortened form for Yehovah.) David killed the Flame of Yah. It was David s sin that quenched the flame (Spirit) of Yah, this could be why he pleaded with Yehovah not to take His Spirit away from Him in his Psalm. Is this what happens when we do not believe in God s Word? When we sin and rebel against Yehovah and against His instruction we are demonstrating disbelief. The Spirit of Yehovah is cut off because He cannot dwell in a tabernacle of unrepentant sin. Two Rebellious Sisters: Martha and Mary Now you may be asking yourself at this point what this has to do with Martha, Mary, or Lazarus, or perhaps you are beginning to see the picture that is being painted. Martha and Mary are Greek translations of Hebrew names. Mary is Miriam, in Hebrew, and Martha is Martah. The name Miriam is found in the TaNaKh and is defined as follows. 15

16 (TaNaKh stands for Torah, Nevi'im, Ketuvim in Hebrew, and means: Law, Prophets, Writings. This is what many refer to as the Old Testament.) H4813 Miryam rebellion Comes from H4805 Meree rebellious, bitterness Comes from H4784 Marah bitter, resist, contentious, disobedient, rebellious The name Miryam means rebellion or rebellious. It comes from H4784, which also means bitterness and disobedience. Although we cannot find the proper name Martah in the TaNaKh, we can find the spelling of her name. The name Martha in Hebrew is spelled Mem, Reysh, Tav, Hey, and there are three places in the TaNaKh that this word is used. Exodus 15:23 Now when they came to Marah (Martah), they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter. Therefore the name of it was called Marah. Although the name Marah is used three times in this verse, only the first use is spelled Martah in the Hebrew text. This word is defined as: Hebrew H4785 Marah - bitter The second and third usage are below. Hosea 13:16 Samaria is held guilty, For she has rebelled (Martah) against her God. They shall fall by the sword, Their infants shall be dashed in pieces, 16

17 And their women with child ripped open. Jeremiah 4:16-18 Make mention to the nations, Yes, proclaim against Jerusalem, That watchers come from a far country And raise their voice against the cities of Judah. 17 Like keepers of a field they are against her all around, Because she has been rebellious (Martah) against Me, says the Lord. 18 Your ways and your doings Have procured these things for you. This is your wickedness, Because it is bitter, Because it reaches to your heart. Interestingly, the two Scriptures above where the name Martah is used, are in reference to the rebellion of Samaria and Israel, and the rebellion of Jerusalem and Judah. The word for rebelled as used in these two Scriptures is also the Hebrew root H4784, which is the same root word of her sister Miriam s name. We can now see how Martha and Mary are two rebellious sisters, just like Samaria (Israel) and Jerusalem (Judah). Rebellion finds its root in bitterness, a common theme in the wilderness as the children of Israel wandered in rebellion against Moses and Yehovah. Of the two sisters, it is commonly believed that Martha was the eldest, mostly due to the fact that it was her home that Messiah and His disciples were welcomed in to. Also, she was the one serving them as Mary sat at the Messiah s feet hearing His word. Luke 10:

18 38 Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Yehoshua feet and heard His word. 40 But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me. 41 And Yehoshua answered and said to her, Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. 42 But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her. The Greek word for serving and serve, as used above, is the same word used for minister or ministering. There could be an underlying message that Martha represents those who become distracted doing a lot of ministry or service for others, while Mary may represent those who sit at the feet of the Rabbi s to hear the Word of God; the instruction (Torah) of the Father. This is not to say there was anything wrong with the fact that Martha was serving others, in fact, it is a good thing. Messiah doesn t rebuke her for this, but gently corrects her by telling her of the one thing that is needed and good, and that is hearing the Word of God. Mark 12:28-30 Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, Which is the first commandment of all? 29 Yehoshua answered him, The first of all the commandments is: Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first commandment. Romans 10:17 18

19 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed our report? 17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. We ll put this on the back burner for just a moment while we take a look at the account of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus in the book of John. Lazarus is Dead Notes interjected in italics are mine, we ll address these side notes afterward. John 11:1-46 Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 It was that Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. 3 Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick. 4 When Yehoshua heard that, He said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it. 5 Now Yehoshua loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was. 7 Then after this He said to the disciples, Let us go to Judea again. 8 The disciples said to Him, Rabbi, lately the Jews sought to stone You, and are You going there again? 9 Yehoshua answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. 10 But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him. 11 These things He said, and after that He said to them, Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up. 19

20 Note: Messiah was basically saying, Let us go to the Jews again. Messiah went in again to His own people, the Jews, but this time He goes to wake Lazarus. Perhaps this time they will believe. 12 Then His disciples said, Lord, if he sleeps he will get well. 13 However, Yehoshua spoke of his death, but they thought that He was speaking about taking rest in sleep. 14 Then Yehoshua said to them plainly, Lazarus is dead. 15 And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe. Nevertheless let us go to him. 16 Then Thomas, who is called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, Let us also go, that we may die with Him. Note: It was Thomas who expressed doubt that Yehoshua Messiah would be able to do anything now that Lazarus was dead, but he was still willing to follow Messiah into possible death. 17 So when Yehoshua came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days. Note: Messiah intentionally waited until the fourth day to come to Lazarus. 18 Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles away. 19 And many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. 20 Now Martha, as soon as she heard that Yehoshua was coming, went and met Him, but Mary was sitting in the house. Note: Martha went out to meet the Messiah as soon as she heard He was coming, but Mary and the Jews stayed in the house. 20

21 21 Now Martha said to Yehoshua, Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You. 23 Yehoshua said to her, Your brother will rise again. Note: Martha says, if you had been here, my brother would not have died, but immediately follows her statement with a proclamation of faith when she says, But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You. Messiah responds to her affirmatively saying, Your brother will rise again. 24 Martha said to Him, I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day. 25 Yehoshua said to her, I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. 26 And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this? 27 She said to Him, Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world. Note: Messiah is sure to confirm the professing of Martha s faith (belief) in Him and in His word before He resurrects Lazarus. However, Martha believed without needing to witness the miracle first. 28 And when she had said these things, she went her way and secretly called Mary her sister, saying, The Teacher has come and is calling for you. 29 As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly and came to Him. 30 Now Yehoshua had not yet come into the town, but was in the place where Martha met Him. 31 Then the Jews who were with her in the house, and comforting her, when they saw that Mary rose up quickly and went out, followed her, saying, She is going to the tomb to weep there. 32 Then, when Mary came where Yehoshua was, and saw Him, she fell down at His feet, saying to Him, Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. 33 Therefore, when Yehoshua saw her weeping, and the Jews who came 21

22 with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled. 34 And He said, Where have you laid him? Note: Notice that Mary said the exact same thing that Martha said to Messiah, if you had been here, my brother would not have died, but makes no proclamation of faith. As a result, Messiah responds to her quite differently being troubled in His spirit saying, Where have you laid him? They said to Him, Lord, come and see. 35 Yehoshua wept. 36 Then the Jews said, See how He loved him! 37 And some of them said, Could not this Man, who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from dying? 38 Then Yehoshua, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. Note: Mary and the Jews with her did not come to Him until after Martha had borne witness to her of His coming, and that He was calling her to come out of the house. She came, but there is still disbelief among Mary and the Jews who were with her. This may be why Messiah wept and groaned within Himself, due to their lack of faith. 39 Yehoshua said, Take away the stone. Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days. 40 Yehoshua said to her, Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God? Note: If you believe you will see the glory of God in the fourth day. 41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Yehoshua lifted up His eyes and said, Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. 22

23 42 And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me. 43 Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth! 44 And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Yehoshua said to them, Loose him, and let him go. Note: Lazarus was bound by death and the grave, but Yehoshua Messiah freed Him. 45 Then many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen the things Yehoshua did, believed in Him. 46 But some of them went away to the Pharisees and told them the things Yehoshua did. Note: Some of the Jews believed after witnessing the restoration of Lazarus to his sisters by Yehoshua Messiah. Help of God is Dead The proper name of Lazarus in Hebrew is Elazar and means: H499 Elazar God is Help, or Help of God It is made up of the words: H410 El (as in Elohim) strength, mighty, God and H5826 Azar surround, protect, aid, or help. Lazarus (God s protection or help) was dead. Let s review the side notes from the account above. 23

24 Note: Messiah intentionally waited until the fourth day to come to Lazarus. Why did Messiah wait until Lazarus (Help of God) had been in the tomb for four days before He came to Him? Scripture tells us that a day in the sight of God is as a thousand years, and a thousand years is as a day. Psalm 90:3-6 You turn man to destruction, And say, Return, O children of men. 4 For a thousand years in Your sight Are like yesterday when it is past, And like a watch in the night. 5 You carry them away like a flood; They are like a sleep. In the morning they are like grass which grows up: 6 In the morning it flourishes and grows up; In the evening it is cut down and withers. 2 Peter 3:8-9 But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. It was in the four thousandth year since the time of the creation of this earth age, to the time when Messiah came into the world to heal us and to tabernacle among us; the word of God made flesh. 24

25 John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. Psalm 107:20 He sent His word and healed them, And delivered them from their destructions. If a thousand years is as a day, then Messiah came into this world on the 4 th day since the creation of this earth age. When Adam and Eve sinned against God in the garden, not only could God no longer walk with them, but we are told that in the day that they disobeyed they died. Genesis 2:16-17 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die. Note: Lazarus was bound by death and the grave, but Yehoshua Messiah freed Him. The Help of God was bound by death and the grave, not because the Spirit of God died, but because we did. It had been four days since death had entered into the world, and it was on the fourth day that Yehovah sent Life into the world, His word of Life Yehoshua Messiah, who came to set us free. Note: If you believe you will see the glory of God in the fourth day. 25

26 By dying in our place and rising again, Yehoshua Messiah glorified the Father, and restored the Helper (Help of God) to all who believe. John 17:1-5 Yehoshua spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, 2 as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Yehoshua Messiah whom You have sent. 4 I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. 5 And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was. Note: Messiah is sure to confirm the professing of Martha s faith (belief) in Him and in His word before He resurrects Lazarus. Martha believed without needing to witness the miracle first. Before Messiah resurrected Lazarus (Help of God), He asked Martha if she believed. John 11: Yehoshua said to her, I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. 26 And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this? 27 She said to Him, Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world. This is important to take note of, because without faith in Yehoshua Messiah, Mary and Martha would not have been reunited with Lazarus. Matthew 13:

27 But Yehoshua said to them, A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house. 58 Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief. Without faith in Yehoshua Messiah, the two rebellious houses (Judah and Israel) cannot be reunited with the Help of God. Note: Martha went out to meet the Messiah as soon as she heard He was coming, but Mary and the Jews stayed in the house. There are a couple of interesting things to take note of here. First, Martha is presumably the elder of the two sisters. In the book of Luke, the text tells us that she received Messiah into her house. Her house is also symbolic for the house of our bodies. John 1:11-13 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. In John 11, Martha was the first to receive Messiah, and ran to Him as soon as she heard he was coming. Note: Martha says if you had been here, my brother would not have died, but immediately follows her statement with a proclamation of faith when she says, But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You. Messiah responds to her affirmatively saying, Your brother will rise again. Martha believed that Yehoshua could raise her brother from the dead. 27

28 She also professed belief that Yehoshua was the Messiah, the Son of God, without needing to witness any miracles first, whereas Mary and the Jews who were with her seemed to doubt until they witnessed the event. Why might this be important? When we begin to understand who the ten tribes of Israel and the two tribes of Judah were and who they became, and whom Martha and Mary represent, we begin to see a vital connection to our world today. Recall that Oholah was Samaria, and the ten tribes of Israel in Ezekiel 23. Both Israel and Judah (Ohalah and Oholibah) were of the same house of God in Jerusalem before the tribes split. After their split, like Martha, it was the ten tribes of Israel that went out of the house first. Israel eventually settled in a land they called Samaria where they became a tent unto themselves. In John 4, Messiah went into the land of Samaria where He met a Samaritan woman at a well. It is in this account that we learn that the rivalry between Samaria and Jerusalem (Israel and Judah) was still alive and well. The woman at the well let us know that the Samaritans worship in their own tent, so to speak, by worshipping in their own mountain, rather than in Jerusalem as the Jews do and as God had commanded according to His Torah. In verse 22, Messiah then tells her, You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. As mentioned at the beginning of this study, and as Messiah Himself indicated above, when we worship God in our own way, rather than in the way He instructed us to, it demonstrates that we don t really know Him. 1 John 2:3-6 Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 He who says, I know Him, and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoever keeps His 28

29 word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. 6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. If we don t keep the Father s commands, the truth is not in us. What is truth? Psalm 119:142 Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, And Your law (Torah) is truth. John 17:17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. He who says I know Him, but does not keep His commands is a liar, because the Torah of Truth is not written on his heart. Keep this in mind, as we ll revisit this concept again shortly. Again, in Hosea we see Israel claiming to know God, in spite of the fact that they have transgressed and rebelled against His covenant and His Torah. They set up images in His name which only angers Yehovah demonstrating that they truly do not know Him at all. Hosea 8:1-6 Set the trumpet to your mouth! He shall come like an eagle against the house of the Lord, Because they have transgressed My covenant And rebelled against My law (Torah). 2 Israel will cry to Me, My God, we know You! 3 Israel has rejected the good; The enemy will pursue him. 29

30 4 They set up kings, but not by Me; They made princes, but I did not acknowledge them. From their silver and gold They made idols for themselves That they might be cut off. 5 Your calf is rejected, O Samaria! My anger is aroused against them How long until they attain to innocence? 6 For from Israel is even this: A workman made it, and it is not God; But the calf of Samaria shall be broken to pieces. In the same way, many will come to Messiah claiming to know Him but He will tell these lawless people that He never knew them. Matthew 7:21-23 Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name? 23 And then I will declare to them, I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness! The Greek word for lawlessness is: G458 Anomia Without law, violation of law, transgression of law, wickedness, iniquity, unrighteousness. 1 John 3:4 Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. 30

31 Recall in 1 Kings 12, that Israel made golden calves, idols, in order to worship Yehovah. According to Hosea 8:3 above, Israel had rejected the good. Proverbs 4:1-2 Hear, my children, the instruction of a father, And give attention to know understanding; 2 For I give you good doctrine: Do not forsake my law (Torah). Could this be related to how Martha did not choose the good part, as her sister did, of hearing the good doctrine of the Father? Luke 10:39, And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Yehoshua s feet and heard His word. 41 And Yehoshua answered and said to her, Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. 42 But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her. Even though the Samaritans in Messiah s time in John 4, and were still worshipping Yehovah in their own way, in their own tent, they immediately received the Messiah with joy and gladness, whereas most of the Jews in Jerusalem still did not. The ten tribes of Israel have been scattered and lost, or perhaps hidden, and have not been returned to the land. These lost sheep were scattered because of their rebellion and sin. They are lost among the gentile nations, they have joined themselves with the gentiles, believing themselves to be gentiles. But the Messiah came to find that which was lost. Matthew 15:24 31

32 But He answered and said, I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Although there are many Christians today who worship God in their own way, in their own tent, rather than according to His Torah, they immediately received the Messiah with joy and gladness, whereas most Jews still do not. However, as a result of their devotion to Messiah coming into their life, like Martha, they become distracted spending much of their time serving others, which is indeed good, but many haven t found time to stop long enough to sit at the feet of their Messiah to hear the Torah of the Father, and learn how to worship Him in His way by hearing and doing what the Word of God says. Perhaps, like Martha, they demonstrate great love for their neighbors as themselves, but in doing so have left the good part, the first and greatest command; they have left their first love and His instruction. Martha, Martha Revelation 2:2-5 I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; 3 and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name s sake and have not become weary. 4 Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. 5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place unless you repent. Many have lost the first and greatest command because they do not Hear, O Israel. Therefore, they ve lost the means of how to love the Lord their God with all of their 32

33 hearts, because they do not keep His commands, have a skewed perspective of what it means to keep the commands, or believe they only need to keep some of them. Mark 12:28-30 Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, Which is the first commandment of all? 29 Yehoshua answered him, The first of all the commandments is: Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first commandment. Messiah was quoting from the Torah, which tells us what it means to Yehovah to love Him with our whole heart. It means hearing, keeping, and doing these words which I command you today, which is His Torah, and the very same word that Israel rebelled against. Deuteronomy 6:4-9 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one! 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. 6 And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. Like the ten tribes of Israel, many Christians have left the Torah, and the very words of God by which we are to show our love for Him; words that were to remain written in our hearts. John 14:

34 Yehoshua answered and said to him, If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. 24 He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father s who sent Me. 1 John 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. It is through the New Covenant by Messiah s blood that the Helper (Help of God) may come and write the Torah in our minds and on our hearts so that we may hear it and do it from the heart, and this is how we will truly know Yehovah. Jeremiah 31:31-34 Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah 32 not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the Lord. 33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law (Torah) in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 34 No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord, for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more. Matthew 26:27-28 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink from it, all of you. 28 For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. 34