Sixteen years ago the Lord gave me a promise about Lazarus. He said, "I will raise him up." Now is the time! I want to tell you about Lazarus and his long journey, for you may have loved ones who fit this category. The following are the scriptures the Lord gave me at the time of the promise. They dovetail together to tell his story.

LAZARUS LIKE THE 200 OF DAVID'S MEN

1) The story of Lazarus is likened unto the 200 men who stayed behind at the brook of Besor where David was told to take back what was stolen from them. When others were moving forward in the Lord and flourishing, "Lazarus" [like the 200 men] was too tired to go on.

"And the LORD told him, "Yes, go after them. You will surely recover everything that was taken from you!" So David and his six hundred men set out, and they soon came to Besor Brook. But two hundred of the men were too exhausted to cross the brook, so David continued the pursuit with his four hundred remaining troops." (1 Sam 30:8-10 NLT)

DRY AND WITHOUT REFRESHMENT

2) As the years grew, "Lazarus" grew dryer and without refreshment.

Besor was a dry water bed, and with the cloudbursts, it became a torrent. This is symbolic of where "Lazarus" has camped since the 80's, totally dependent upon the mercy of God's rain.

A PROMISE TO REPLACE HOPELESSNESS

3) In the process of waiting for God's refreshing touch, "Lazarus" grew sick and hopeless. But the Lord gave "Lazarus" a promise.

"Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth." (Hos 6:1-3 KJV)

THE ANSWER'S DELAY

4) "Lazarus" grew so sick that his loved ones made desperate pleas to the Lord on his behalf. But even though the Lord heard the pleas, He delayed answering.

"So the two sisters sent a message to Jesus telling him, "Lord, the one you love is very sick." But when Jesus heard about it he said, "Lazarus's sickness will not end in death. No, it is for the glory of God. I, the Son of God, will receive glory from this." Although Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, he stayed where he was for the next two days and did not go to them." (John 11:3-6 NLT)

WEARY "END" OF THE CALLING

5) In the process of waiting, "Lazarus" became so weary that he and his calling were finally put to spiritual sleep.

"Then he said, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but now I will go and wake him up." (John 11:11 NLT)

DISAPPOINTMENT AND REASSURANCE

6) This sleep caused great disappointment for those that loved "Lazarus." But the Lord continued to reassure with His promise.

"When Martha got word that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him. But Mary stayed at home. Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask." Jesus told her, "Your brother will rise again." (John 11:20-23 NLT)

DOOR OF HOPE

7) When the day came, God sent His Word and the door of hope was opened. The tomb door opened by removing the stone of hopelessness. Hope was once again stirred among disappointed and waiting hearts.

"And again Jesus was deeply troubled. Then they came to the grave. It was a cave with a stone rolled across its entrance. "Roll the stone aside," Jesus told them. Jesus responded, "Didn't I tell you that you will see God's glory if you believe?" So they rolled the stone aside. Then Jesus looked up to heaven and said, "Father, thank you for hearing me. You always hear me, but I said it out loud for the sake of all these people standing here, so they will believe you sent me." (John 11:38-44 NLT)

"But I will court her again and bring her into the wilderness, and I will speak to her tenderly there. There I will give back her vineyards to her and transform her Valley of Troubles into a Door of Hope. She will respond to me there, singing with joy as in days long ago in her youth after I had freed her from captivity in Egypt. "In that coming day," says the Lord, "she will call me 'My Husband' instead of 'My Master.'" (Hos 2:14-16 TLB)

RISING FROM DEATH

8) "Lazarus" rises to the Word of the Lord. He hears the Word, he obeys the Word, even though he is still bound in personal captivity.

"Then Jesus shouted, "Lazarus, come out!" And Lazarus came out, bound in grave clothes, his face wrapped in a headcloth. Jesus told them, "Unwrap him and let him go!" (John 11:43,44 NLT)

THE HIDDEN CALLING

9) The company of "Lazarus" is bound in grave clothes.

"Lazarus" face is bound. He can not see what is going on, even though he knows something radical is taking place, for suddenly God is speaking into his life and he is once again responding. No one can see him either, for even though he is rising up to the Lord's Word, his calling is hidden to himself, and to the world.

He is wrapped with grave clothes symbolic of death and preservation. "Lazarus" followed the Lord's will even to the point of death to self. In the process of death, in order to preserve "Lazarus" from his own self destruction during the wait, "Lazarus" was allowed captivity, enough to severely restrict his movements.

"LOOSE HIM AND LET HIM GO!!"

10) And the Lord said, "Loose him and let him go!"

BINDING AND LOOSING:

The following scriptures use the same Greek words:

[Words with the a given number are exactly the same word as the other words with that same number. ]

And he that was dead came forth, bound [1210] hand and foot with grave clothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose [3089] him, and let him go. (John 11:44 KJV)

And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound [1210], lo, these eighteen years, be loosed [3089] from this bond on the sabbath day? (Luke 13:16 KJV)

And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind [1210] on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose [3089] on earth shall be loosed in heaven. (Matt 16:19 KJV)

TO BIND: NT:1210 deo (deh'-o); a primary verb; to bind (in various applications, literally or figuratively): KJV - bind, be in bonds, knit, tie, wind. See also NT:1163, NT:1189.

[note the word wind here_ as though to wind around like graveclothes.]

TO LOOSE: NT:3089 luo (loo'-o); a primary verb; to "loosen" (literally or figuratively): KJV - break (up), destroy, dissolve, (un-) loose, melt, put off. Compare = NT:4486.

REWARD FOR THOSE WHO WAIT

11) The reward given to Lazarus for waiting.

Just like the men who waited by the brook of Besor, the "Lazarus people" shall be given everything that was lost back to them and they shall have a part in the increased spoils of war.

"David got back everything the Amalekites had taken, and he rescued his two wives. Nothing was missing: small or great, son or daughter, nor anything else that had been taken. David brought everything back. His troops rounded up all the flocks and herds and drove them on ahead. "These all belong to David as his reward!" they said. When they reached Besor Brook and met the two hundred men who had been too tired to go with them, David greeted them joyfully. But some troublemakers among David's men said, "They didn't go with us, so they can't have any of the plunder. Give them their wives and children, and tell them to be gone." But David said, "No, my brothers! Don't be selfish with what the LORD has given us. He has kept us safe and helped us defeat the enemy. Do you think anyone will listen to you when you talk like this? We share and share alike--those who go to battle and those who guard the equipment." From then on David made this a law for all of Israel, and it is still followed." (1 Sam 30:18-25 NLT)

THE JOURNEY'S PURPOSE

12) What is the purpose of "Lazarus'" journey?

Why the miserable journey of sickness, is it only to be raised up healthy once again with the addition of spoils? NO. We find the purpose of "Lazarus'" sickness hidden in both Jesus' promise and the meaning of Lazarus' name.

FOR HIS GLORY

First, Jesus promises that the testimony of Lazarus' life, death and raising will be for the glory, honor, and testimony of Jesus Christ. "Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick. When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby." (John 11:3,4 KJV)

FOR HIS HEALING

Second, his purpose is found in his name. We can see that its meaning is a direct opposite of his sickness. Lazarus' name comes from a Hebrew word that is built upon several layers of words, all based upon an original word. Following is a Word Study for you to see for yourself. However, for simplification, here is a condensed version:

The Hebrew words and origins of Lazarus literally means: God (is) helper; strength; mighty; especially the Almighty (but used also of any deity): strength; hence, anything strong; specifically a chief (politically); also a ram (from his strength); a pilaster (as a strong support); an oak or other strong tree: to twist, i.e. (by implication) be strong; the body (as being rolled together); also powerful: to surround, i.e. protect or aid.

The origins of the word Lazarus is translated as the following words: - God (god), goodly, great, idol, might (-y one), power, strong. mighty (man), lintel, oak, post, ram, tree, mighty, strength, help, succour.

So now we see the true calling and nature of "Lazarus." He was called to be a mighty one in the Lord's temple, and his very name was a challenge to the enemy. Because his calling and purpose are so important in last day events, his flesh had to be stripped so that he trusted not in his own strength, but the Lord.

WORD STUDY ON THE "HEBREW" ORIGINS OF THE WORD LAZARUS

13) Word Study

HEBREW LAZARUS OT:499 'El`azar (el-aw-zawr'); from OT:410 and OT:5826; God (is) helper; Elazar, the name of seven Israelites: KJV - Eleazar.

OT:410 'el (ale); shortened from OT:352; strength; as adjective, mighty; especially the Almighty (but used also of any deity): KJV - God (god), X goodly, X great, idol, might (-y one), power, strong. Compare names in "-el."

OT:352 'ayil (ah'-yil); from the same as OT:193; properly, strength; hence, anything strong; specifically a chief (politically); also a ram (from his strength); a pilaster (as a strong support); an oak or other strong tree: KJV - mighty (man), lintel, oak, post, ram, tree.

OT:193 'uwl (ool); from an unused root meaning to twist, i.e. (by implication) be strong; the body (as being rolled together); also powerful: KJV - mighty, strength.

OT:5826 `azar (aw-zar'); a primitive root; to surround, i.e. protect or aid: KJV - help, succour.

THE LORD IS CALLING YOUR LOVED ONES

If you are among the statistics or have loved ones that fit this description, have hope! For Lazarus is stirring, as the Lord is calling, "Lazarus, come forth!"

Lovingly,
Sandy