Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. It was the Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. So the sisters sent word to Him, saying, "Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick." But when Jesus heard this, He said, "This sickness is not to end in death, but for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified by it." Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So when He heard that he was sick, He then stayed two days longer in the place where He was. Then after this He *said to the disciples, "Let us go to Judea again." The disciples *said to Him, "Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone You, and are You going there again?" Jesus 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. "But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him." This He said, and after that He *said to them, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I go, so that I may awaken him out of sleep." The disciples then said to Him, "Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover." Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that He was speaking of literal sleep. So Jesus then said to them plainly, "Lazarus is dead, and I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, so that you may believe; but let us go to him." Therefore Thomas, who is called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, "Let us also go, so that we may die with Him" (John 11:1-16) [Emphasis Added].
The raising of Lazarus from the dead is one of the most amazing events in our Lord’s earthly ministry. What an awesome display of God’s power over life and death. However, let us focus on the disciples’ emotional state prior to the raising of Lazarus.
Clearly the disciples were fearful of going back to Judea where they tried to stone Jesus. Can you identify with their fear? The threat was so real Thomas assumed they would all die.
However, Jesus says something very important. If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him. What is He telling us?
Simply put, as long as you are doing the task God has providentially appointed you to accomplish, you will be able to accomplish it. Jesus was going to do the ordained task of raising Lazarus from the dead and nothing could thwart that mission.
Contrary, walking in darkness ie. looking at human wisdom for direction will lead to all sorts of stumbling and failure to accomplish the Lord’s will. Had Jesus listened to the disciples, we would not be able to read of this wonderful encounter. I speak as a man.
Knowing the wiles of the devil, it is important for you to know this is not an argument for you to run out recklessly into dangerous situations. Jesus had perfect knowledge. We do not have perfect knowledge. However, this does teach us that there is safety in God’s will. Seek to understand God’s will through the reading of Scripture and prayer.
Jesus *said to her, "Your brother will rise again." Martha *said to Him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day." Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies (John 11:23-25).
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