John 12:42-50 – The Punishment

 

Summary:

The chiefest ruler was a Sadducee (Acts 5:17), so the “chief rulers” (John 12:42) probably were too. “Many” suddenly believed because the Lord just raised Lazarus from the dead, breaking the back of this religious system that said “that there is no resurrection” (Mt.22:23).

But even though these believers were “rulers,” they didn’t confess Him because they feared the Sadducees. Does that give you any idea of the power of religious intimidation? Rulers have always feared religious leaders, as when Henry IV, the king of France waited outside in the snow three days before Pope Gregory VII forgave him. If these Saducees hadn’t kept silent, it might have brought an end to the Sadducee heresy, and if we don’t keep silent about the grace message, it might bring an end to a lot of other heresies.

The fear of man brought them a snare (Pr.29:25), but knowing the Word (Isa.66:5) would have helped them. As it was, if they never confessed Christ, they paid the ultimate price (Mt.10:32,33). No wonder the “fearful” will end up in the lake of fire (Rev.21:8). If leaders seek the praise of men, they’ll never find the truth (John 5:44).

In reminding them that the Father sent Him (John 12:44), He was reminding them who they should really fear! In reminding them that if they saw Him they’d seen the Father (v.45), He was reminding them that He was the image of the Father (Col. 1:13-15; Heb. 1:3), something He’d told them before (John 1:18). He also repeated Himself in Verse 46 (cf.John 8:12). Why so much repeating? He was a prophet like unto Moses (Deut.18:15), and in his last public address, Moses preached the gospel (Deut.30:15-19), and this was Christ’s last public address, so He did too.

As far as prophecy goes, the Lord “came into the world” to save Israel (Mt.1:21) but to save Israel, He had to save the world (Jo.12:47). The “treasure” in Matthew 13:44 was Israel (Ex. 19:6), the field was the world (Mt.13:38), and the Lord was the man who sold all (gave His life), but to buy Israel He had to buy the world. In order to become a Jew to die for Jews, He had to become a man to die for men. So He came “to save the world” (John 12:47).

He didn’t come to judge men (12:47) or accuse them (5:45). But if He didn’t come to judge men, why do we read that God committed all judgment to Him (5:22)? He was making a dispensational statement. He didn’t come to judge the world in His first coming, but He will in His Second Coming (Rev.19:11).

Notice the Lord will judge men “in the last day (John 11:48). There will be a last day. That doesn’t mean that everything will cease to exist, for God existed (Ps.90:2) before “the first day” (Gen.1:5), and so things can exist after the last day. “The last day” is associated with resurrection (John 6:40,44,54; 7:37; 11:24). Believers will be rewarded on their last day day, and unbelievers will be judged on their resurrection day (Rev.20:11,12).

What “word” did the Lord speak that judged men (John 12:48)? Well, He goes on to say “for I have not spoken of Myself” (v.49). Since He spoke about Himself plenty, He was saying the words He spoke were wordswhich the Father “commanded” He speak (v.49), and that this commandment gave “life everlasting” (v.50). He was talking about the words of the gospel, and the words of the gospel that gave eternal life in the kingdom program were “Jesus is the Christ” (John 6:67-69).

But the gospel that must be obeyed in this dispensation isn’t “Jesus is the Christ,” it is “Christ died for our sins” (ICor.15:1-4). That’s why Paul says that God will judge the secrets of men according to his gospel. That’s the word that men will be judged by in this dispensation.

Believing the gospel is a commandment to be obeyed (IJo.3:23). This is an interdispensational truth, for they had to be obedient to the faith under the kingdom program (Acts 6:7) as well as under the grace program (Romans 1:5). If the gospel is not obeyed, men will be judged (IIThessalonians 1:8).

John 12:31-36 – Judgment Day Now

 

Summary:

The Lord was able to say that “Now is the judgment of this world” (12:31) because the sins of the world were judged as He hung on the cross. But how could He say “now,” when He was still hours from the cross? The same way He could say what He said in John 16:5; 17:11,13—He “call-eth those things which be not as though they were” (Rom. 4:17). Since there would be no backing out on His part, in His mind, His payment for our sins was as good as done!

Just because the world’s sins were judged doesn’t mean everyone is saved, because as our Passover (ICor.5:7) His blood has to be applied by “faith in His blood” (Rom.3:25).

“The prince of this world” (John 12:31) is Satan (14:30 cf. IICor.4:4). How was He cast out? The first time this phrase was used, it referred to how Ishmael was cut off from his inheritance (Gen.21:10). The Canaanite nations were heirs of the promised land until God cast them out (Ex.34:24). The Levites were once cut off from their inheritance in the priesthood by being cast out (IIChron. 13:9), and Coniah was cast out from his inheritance in the throne (Jeremiah 22:28). Jews will be cast out of their inheritance in the kingdom if they don’t believe (Mt.8:12).

Satan became heir of the world when Adam sold his birthright for a piece of fruit. But the Lord “spoiled” him of his inheritance at the cross (Col.2:14,15). You see, sin was the thing that spoiled Adam of his inheritance, and once the Lord paid for our sins, He reclaimed Israel’s in-heritance in the earth and ours in heaven. Satan’s casting out will take effect in the middle of the Trib (Rv.12:7-9).

The Lord explained what He meant by being “lifted up” (John. 12:32) in the next verse. His death on the cross (v.33) was like the lifting up of the serpent in the wilderness (John 3:14). People looked to Moses to save them, but he represented the Law and couldn’t. The brass of the serpent represented judgment (Deut.28:15,23), and the serpent itself represented how He was “made sin” for us (IICor.5:21).

What did the Lord mean He’d “draw all men” to Himself? He’d been drawing Jews for years, but in context, when some Gentiles wanted to see Him (12:20-22) He said He had to die before He could draw Gentiles to Himself (23-24). Gentiles weren’t supposed to come to Him until the kingdom (Isa.2:2-4), which couldn’t come until after He paid for our sins. Were all men drawn to Him? A Jew was (Luke 24:42), as was a Gentile (Mt.217:54). They were drawn as God always drew men, with love (cf. Ho.11:4).

When He was lifted up, men knew He was the Christ (John 8:28) by the prophecies He fulfilled, and that’s what men had to know to be saved at that time.

The Law did say Christ would abide forever (Jo.13:34 cf. IISam.7:4-13; Isa.9:6,7; Ezk.37:24,25), specifically that “the son of man” would (Dan.7:13,14). But these verses didn’t say He wouldn’t die first, and other verses did (Isa.53:8; Dan.9:26), verses Jews like these chose to ignore.

The Lord doesn’t argue, He just reminded them He was the light of the world (John 12:35) and that while the physical light of the world abides forever (Ps.89:20,36), it goes away every night, suggesting that just because He had to go away didn’t mean He wouldn’t abide forever. He told them to walk in the light because that was the gospel, that of faith plus the work of following Him. This would make them the lights to the Gentiles that God always wanted them to be (v.36).

The arm of the Lord (John 12:38) is His strength (De.26:8), and Christ showed His arm in His miracles, which men refused to believe (John 12:37,38). They couldn’t believe (v.39) because God closed their eyes (v.40) by giving them so much light that they closed their own eyes (Mt.13:14, 15). God closes eyes by making hearts “fat” with knowl-edge (Isa.6:10). They “couldn’t believe” because they didn’t want to believe (cf. Gen.37:4). God hardened their hearts (John 12:40) the same way, by giving men too much light, as God gave Pharaoh (Ex.14:8 cf. 8:32). Because of this they couldn’t be converted (John 12:40 cf. Ps.51:13) or healed from their sins (John 12:40 cf. Psalm 41:4).

 

John 12:17-30 – The Testimony of Lazarus

 

Summary:

The people who heard that the Lord raised Lazarus from the dead “bare record” of Him (John 12:17,18) by greeting Him as their king (v.12-16). When the Pharisees told one another, “perceive ye how ye prevail nothing” (v.19) you’ll remember they tried to convince people to turn Him in (11:57), but in this they didn’t prevail in stopping Him.

When they said “the world is gone after Him,” this was a figure of speech. It is important to recognize when the Bible uses them, and when it doesn’t. Since our Calvinist friends believe Christ died only for the sins of the elect, they say that John 1:29 is a figure of speech, and compare John 11:19 for proof. But IJohn 2:2 proves it’s not.

When “certain Greeks” wanted to see the Lord (Jo.12: 20), we must remember He wasn’t sent to Gentiles (Mt.15:24). But there were two reasons the Lord was sent to the Jews, the second of which was so that “the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy” (Ro.15:8,9). God planned for the Gen-tiles to be drawn to Israel’s rise (Isa.60:1-3) in the kingdom of heaven. We just saw a type of Israel’s rise when the Lord raised Lazarus, and now we’re seeing a type of Gentiles being drawn to Israel’s rise with these Gentiles.

These Gentiles are not a type of what is happening today, when Gentiles are coming to God through Israel’s fall, not her rise (Rom.11:11). Paul says what is happening today is part of the mystery (Rom.11:11,26). And the mystery cannot be portrayed here in John, not even in the types.

These Gentiles approach Philip about seeing the Lord (John 12:21) probably because he has a Gentile sounding name (cf. Luke 3:1). But rather than getting the Lord for them, Philip confers with Andrew (John 12:22). He wasn’t prejudiced against Gentiles; he more likely remembered the Lord saying that He wasn’t sent to Gentiles.

So what made them decide to approach the Lord for them? They probably knew Isaiah said that Gentiles would come to Israel’s rise, and they’d just seen Israel rise up to greet the Lord with shouts of hosanna! Israel seemed to have risen higher than ever before, so they figured it might be time for the Gentiles to come.

The Lord “answered” (John 11:23) by talking about dying and being “glorified” in resurrection (cf.Acts3:13). He was telling them that it was almost time for the Gentiles, but that He had to die first and rise again in the kingdom. There is no indication He saw these Gentiles.

The Lord know His hour had come (John 12:24) from Dan-iel’s prophecy (9:25,26), which worked out to the “day” He rode into Jerusalem (cf.Luke 19:38-41,42). Knowing Daniel said He’d be “cut off” at this time, He started talking about dying. He was the “corn of wheat” that had to die (Jo.12:24) to bring forth fruit among the Gentiles.

Israel had to die and rise too (Psalm 72:16), and then the nations would run to Israel because God glorified her (Isa. 55:5). If Gentiles wanted to come to the Lord before that, they had to be willing to die in the Tribulation (Jo.12:25). This is what the Lord told Peter (Mt.16:21-25). He had the middle of the Tribulation in mind (Rev.12:7-11), when fol-lowing Him meant being willing to die rather than take the mark of the beast (John 12:26). That’s what taking up your cross was all about (Mt.16:21-23) The Promised Land was a type of the kingdom, and to get in you had to follow the Lord (Num.14:24; 32:11).

The Lord wasn’t “troubled” (John 12:27) because He feared dying, He feared being “made sin” (IICor.5:21) and “being made a curse for us (Gal.3:13). But He knew that was why He came (John 12:27), so didn’t ask to be saved.

God glorified His name in the past when Israel was bad and He punished her (Neh.9:33; Dan.9:14). If He didn’t, it would have shamed His name. He was about to glorify it again when He punished His Son because we were bad.

The Lord’s voice is associated with thunder (John 12:29 cf. Job 37:2-5; 40:9; Ps.29), and the giving of the Law (Ex.19: 16-18) and the Lord was about to become a lawbreaker.

John 12:1-11 – God Can Use You Too

 

Summary:

Six days before the Lord’s final Passover (12:1) the Lord went back to Bethany to visit Lazarus, and they held a sup-per in His honor (12:2) a few days later at the home of Sim-on the Leper (Mark 14:1-3). He was probably a bachelor, so Martha served (John 12:2). The Lord had probably cleansed him years earlier, but he was still called a leper for the same reason Rahab was still called a harlot even after she became a seamstress (Joshua 2:1; 2:6). Once you get a reputation as a sinner or unclean person, it is hard to shake!

You wouldn’t think you’d find Martha serving after the Lord told her that Mary made a better choice (Luke 10:38-42), but there’s nothing wrong with serving—only in making it a priority over hearing the Word.

Lazarus having supper proves he rose bodily from the dead, just as the Lord’s supping proved (Luke 24:38-43).

Supping with the Lord is symbolic of reigning with Him (Luke 22:29,30; Rev.3:20,21). The king’s business was no doubt discussed at the king’s table. So what we’re seeing here is a type of how, after kingdom saints rise from the dead, symbolized by Lazarus, they reign with Him in the kingdom, symbolized by his supping with the Lord here., cleansed from all uncleanness, as symbolized by Simon. Mephibosheth was so grateful that David let him sit at his table (ISam.9:6,7) that he felt he could never ask for anything else (IISam.19:28). God has similarly set you at His table (Eph.2:6) and we will reign with Him. How could we ask for more? David would have given Mephibosheth anything, but he was ashamed to ask for anything. If God never did anything else for you, He’s done enough.

“Spikenard” was associated with a king (Song of Solomon 1:12) and was administered by the king’s wife (v.13). This king (Solomon) was a type of Christ in the kingdom, just as David before him was a type of the warrior Christ at the Second Coming. That makes Solomon’s wife a type of the bride of Christ in the kingdom for anointing him with spikenard, and Mary a type of the bride for anointing the Lord. The ointment was nearly a year’s wages for a man (John 12:5 cf. Mt. 20:1,2), the most valuable thing she owned. Yet she used it on His feet, a type of the elders who cast their crowns at His feet (Rev.4:10,11). These crowns were their glory, yet they cast them at the Lord’s feet, and Mary’s hair was her glory (ICor.11:15). The odor of the ointment filling the house (John 12:3) is a picture of the glory of the praise of the saints that will fill the future house of God (Rev. 5:8-13), just as the glory of God filled the Old Testament house of God (IKi.8:11).

Judas is identified as Simon’s son (John 12:4), and in this context, probably the son of Simon the Leper. Simon is Greek for Simeon (which means “heard”), meaning his fa-ther heard the Lord and believed and was cleansed from his uncleanness, but his son did not. Judas’ statement (12:5) was picked up first by a few of the disciples (Mark 14:4) then by all of them (Mt.26:8,9). Does that tell you anything about the power of a negative influence (ICor.15:33)? By the way, there was nothing wrong with remembering the poor (Ps.41:1), it was Judas’ motive that was wrong (John 12:6). He just didn’t want to part with the money, so tried to make himself look good by what he said (Pr.29:7). The “bag” (Jo.12:6) was where they put contributions (Lu.8:2,3), but Judas was thieving from it (Acts 1:16-18).

Anointing the Lord for His burial (Jo.12:8) shows Mary had been listening when He said He had to die, while the disciples had not. It is good to help the poor (Deut.15:11) but if you can only do one thing, do the spiritual thing is better, as Mary did.

The chief priests planned to kill Lazarus (Jo.12:9-11) because they were Saducees (Acts 5:17) who didn’t believe in resurrection (Mt.22:23) and he was living proof that their faith was wrong! There was no evidence that he was any great preacher, but his testimony threatened them, and so had to be silenced. Does that give you any idea of the power of your testimony? And the best testimony of all is believing every word of God. That’s what made Mary’s faith famous (Mt.26:13).

John 11:45-57 – Seein’s Believin’!

 

Summary:

Some of the Jews who witnessed the raising of Lazarus be-lieved on Him (v.45 cf. 2:23,24), but some didn’t (v.46), proving Abraham was right (Luke 16:31). This is a type of people in the millennium who will see Old Testament saints raised but won’t believe. If you think your friends would believe if they saw a miracle, think again. The gospel is the power of God to salvation (Ro.1:16;10:17).

The “chief priests” were probably Sadducees (Acts 5:17) who didn’t get along with the Pharisees (Acts 23:8)—except when they agreed here to reject Christ. Gentile enemies also got together to reject Him (Luke 23:12), all of which fulfilled Psalm 2:1-3. These religious leaders asked what to do about Christ (v.47), just as they asked later about the apostles, for they couldn’t deny these miracles (Acts 4:16). When miracles are legitimate, even God’s enemies can’t deny them—unlike the “miracles” performed by modern religious leaders. When these leaders determined to keep men from believing on Christ (v.48), it explains how the devil takes the word out of men’s hearts (Luke 8:12) when he can’t enter our minds or know our thoughts (IKi.8:39)—he uses men, religious men, to do so.

Why would the Romans care if all men believed on Christ (v.48)? Well, remember how Herod considered himself king of the Jews, and so tried to kill the One whom people were saying was king of the Jews (Mt.2:1-16)? The current Herod would do it again if the people made Him king (cf. John 6:15). These leaders feared the Romans would take away their “place” (11:47), their place in Israel’s government (cf.Dan.2:35; Eph. 6:12; Rev.12:7).

While these leaders didn’t know what to do about Christ, the high priest did (11:49)! He pointed out that Christ had to die (v.50). Now it sounds like he is saying that Christ would die for the sins of the nation Israel, and you could read it that way. As John points out in an editorial note, he was speaking as the high priest, and so was making a legitimate prophecy (v.51). God honored this wicked man because he held a legitimate seat in Israel’s government. Remember, no matter how wicked the man in charge of your government, he is still ordained of God (Rom.13:1-7).

So dying for the sins of Israel wasn’t what he meant to say, but it is what the Spirit meant to say through him. God says of the prophets that “holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (IIPet.1:21). Caiaphas wasn’t a holy man, but neither was Balaam, and despite his wicked-ness he spoke what God wanted him to say (Num.22:38), and so did wicked Caiaphas. He meant something evil by what he said, but God meant it for good (cf. Gen. 50:20).

Notice though that this high priest only prophesied that Christ would die for “that nation” (11:51), i.e. the nation of Israel. This is all the prophets knew (Isa.53:8; Mt.1:21; 20:28) until Paul (ITim.2: 5,6). It sounds like John is saying otherwise (11:52) but “the children of God” can’t be Gentiles, for they were not children of God (Mt. 15:26). These were Jews who were “scattered abroad” (11:52 cf. Ezek.11:15-17), who will be gathered into the kingdom when the Lord returns and fills them again with His Spirit (Ezek. 11:19,20).

When these religious leaders determined to kill the Lord (11:53) it showed His trial was a sham. But did you ever wonder how the Lord “knew” their plan (v.54)? We just read a private backroom conversation, but the Lord was a prophet (Deut.18:18) and they just knew things like this (cf. II Ki. 6:11,12). In response to this plot, he left town to fin-ish training the apostles (11:54), and live to fulfill proph-ecies like Zechariah 9:9. He knew His Bible, and so knew if He left town the heat would die down (cf.IISam.27:4). He also left town as a judgment on those leaders (cf. Isa. 30:20). The worst judgment God can give is to withdraw teachers of His Word, which means that teachers are the best blessing He can give—a good reason to be in church!

Ephraim (11:54) meant to be fruitful in the land of affliction (Gen.41:52), and the Lord was bearing fruit among the apostles during this time of His affliction. The religious people coming to purify themselves (11:55) would soon be calling for His blood—that’s religion for you!

John 11:38-44 – The Blame Game

 

Summary:

Ever wonder how God feels about getting blamed for everything from babies with cancer to rainy weekends? The Lord groaned after getting blamed for not saving Lazarus (11:37,38). But groaning isn’t complaining, it is mourning with pain. It hurts God when He is blamed for things. Of course He could fix your life, and He will at the Rapture, but before you blame Him for tarrying, remember He is waiting to rapture us so more will be saved (cf.IIPe.3:9,15).

The raising of Lazarus is a type of Israel’s spiritual resurrection from the virtual death she’s been in for 2,000 years, and the stone that kept Lazarus from rising is a type of the stone that is keeping Israel from rising, the Law written in stone (Ex.24:12). Just as the Lord told the unbelievers that they must roll this tone away (Jo.11:39), so unbelieving Jews must roll away the stone of the Law before they will believe on Christ.

When Martha warned the Lord about the stink of her brother’s body, it was her way of saying, “It is too late to raise him.” We know this because He scolds her (v.40). He or-dered these men to roll away the stone (v.39), and when it says “then” they rolled away the stone in Verse 41 it shows Martha’s unbelief had stopped them in their tracks when they were about to obey. Unbelief always does! It is why you need to be in church, around people of faith instead!

The Lord lifted up His eyes to pray (v.41) because the Jews did this to get mercy from the Lord (Ps.123:1-3). He Himself didn’t need mercy, of course, but the publican knew he did, but was so humble he didn’t dare lift his eyes (Luke 18:13). But you already have mercy (Tit.3:5), so you don’t have to lift your eyes when you pray to ask for it.

How’d the Lord know the Father heard Him (Jo.11:41) if He asked Him to raise Lazarus and he hadn’t yet risen? He was a Jew under Law, and only sin kept their prayers from being heard (Ps.66:18)—and He was no sinner! What if He prayed not to die? The Father would have saved Him (Mt.26:53). Aren’t you glad He instead prayed John 12:27?

He prayed aloud to show those who thought He was in league with the prince of devils who He was really in league with (cf. Mt.12:24).

“Come forth” (Jo.11:43) is usually what is said to people coming out of countries and cities (De.4:46; Ju.1:24), not to people rising from the dead. Remember, Lazarus is a type of when the Lord will raise Israel from their 2,000-year virtual death out of all the cities and countries of the world, to enter the kingdom. Of course, it fits Lazarus also, who was coming from Abraham’s bosom, another literal place.

When the Lord raised Lazarus it showed Jews who knew their Bible that He was God because only Jehovah raises the dead (ISam.2:6). His bindings and napkin symbolize Israel’s spiritual condition, blind to what God wants them to do and powerless to do it.

When Lazarus couldn’t rise through his bindings like the Lord could (John 20:6,7) it showed he just got his old life back, meaning he sinned again. But before you judge him for this, remember that you too sin after being raised from the dead (Eph.2:1). Lazarus’ windings were a reminder that the world still had a hold of him, and they restricted his movements, as sin restricts your spiritual movements. Why not lose the grave clothes of sin? The 3 Hebrews didn’t smell like smoke (Dan.3:27), and after he unwound, Lazarus didn’t stink like corruption any more. This is a type of how God delivers completely, but it is the challenge of the Christian life to make our state match this perfect standing.

The command to “let him go” would be hard for those with questions about life after death, but the Lord didn’t want him telling them about his life before he was raised from the dead. When you give your testimony, remember not to glorify the details of your life before you were raised from spiritual death!

Finally, I doubt Lazarus was glad to be “disquieted” (cf.ISam.28:15). Your lost loved ones would similarly be unhappy with you for bringing them back. Though your heart is heavy, let’s all wait together for the Rapture.

John 11:20-29 – Jesus Is Coming!

 

Summary:

If Lazarus is a type of Israel, and his resurrection is a type of Israel’s future resurrection, who do Martha and Mary represent? Well, you’ll notice that neither one seems to be married; they live with their brother, and no husbands are mentioned. Since both seem godly, that would make them virgins, similar to the 10 virgins in Matthew 25. When Martha went out to meet the Lord (Jo.11:19), it was similar to when the ten virgins went out to meet Him (Mt.25:1,6).

There were ten virgins marrying one groom because they represent Israel, who will someday marry the Lord (Rev.19:7-9)—that’s why Matthew 25 calls Him the bridegroom. Spiritual virgins (Rev.14:4) who have not been defiled with the harlot of Babylon, the church of the Antichrist (Rev.17:1-5), will be eligible for this marriage.

But the parable of the ten virgins teaches us that it is not enough to not be involved with the Antichrist, you must also have “oil,” a type of the Spirit (ISam.16:13). He came at Pentecost and filled those saints, and He will fill the Tribulation saints as well. Then, like Martha, those virgins will go out to meet the Lord.

Where did she go meet Him? She lived in Bethany (John 11:1), which is where the Lord was coming to raise Lazarus (11:17-19). So when Martha went out to meet Him, He was on His way to Bethany, a type of how He’ll come back to Bethany at His 2nd Coming. Remember, He ascended from Bethany (Lu.24:50,51) and will return the same way (Acts 1:11). His feet will touch down on the Mount of Olives (Zec.14:4) a short distance away, and they’ll go meet Him.

Martha heard the Lord was coming, but how will the Jews hear the Lord is coming? John the Baptist announced His first coming, calling Him the Bridegroom (John 3:28-31). Elijah the prophet, a man like John (Luke 1:13-17), will announce the Lord’s 2nd Coming (Mal.4:5) to people prepared of the Lord with the oil of the Spirit, who like Martha will go out to meet Him. Mary is “still” (John 11:20), a picture of death (Job 3:11-13), so she is a type of kingdom saints who will die before the Lord comes, unable to go out to meet the Lord till He calls her, as he does later.

Martha is not complaining (John 11:21) as some suggest. She knew the Lord couldn’t have been there to save Lazarus since he died before He heard about it. The spiritual virgins she represents won’t complain when the Lord comes, they’ll express the faith she expressed (v.22) that He can raise Israel from the spiritual death they’ve been in for 2,000 years. He’ll have to ask His Father for this, just as He asked Him for the Gentiles (v.22 cf. Ps. 2:7,8). In that day, Israel will “arise” (Isa.60:1-3) and shake off the dust of 2,000 years of virtual death (Isa.52:1,2). Of course if, as many say, God gave Israel’s blessings to us, He’ll have some explaining to do to Israel in that day!

When the Lord told Martha her brother would rise again (John 11:23), she knew this from Scripture (Ps.49:14,15; Dan.12:2). The saints who die before He comes will need Him to be “the resurrection” (John 11:25), but those who live to see Him come will need Him to be “the life.” It could be said of the believing Jew who might die: “yet shall he live.” But it is also true that “whosoever liveth” to see the Lord come “shall never die,” but will be infused with new life that is incapable of dying again, and enter the kingdom. This is one of several times in John that He claimed to be the “I am” of Exodus 3:14. Jews had to be-lieve that’s who He was, and Martha did (John 11:26,27).

If Martha represents those who live to see the Lord come, and Mary represents those who die before He comes, why is Martha calling Mary (v.28)? This is a picture of Ezekiel 37:1-11. By the way, notice that she calls the Lord “Mas-ter.” That’s what believers called Him (John 13:13). No one ever called Him “Jesus” to His face (John 20:16).

Since Mary represents the Jews who will rise from the dead, she comes to the Lord as soon as she is called (v.29 cf. 5:28,29). How about you? When sin causes your Christian experience to die (Ro.8:13), and the Lord calls you to awake to righteousness (ICor.15:34 cf. Eph.5:14) do you answer as soon as He calls?

Pastor Paul M. Sadler’s Homegoing

April 2016

Dear Ones,

Pastor Paul M. Sadler

On Thursday, March 31st, Pastor Paul M. Sadler went home to heaven to be with His Savior. This soldier for the Lord Jesus Christ was a tireless worker in the ministry who had a tremendous impact on the lives of many. His dedication to the Word of God rightly divided, consistent soundness in doctrine, valued writings, teaching, preaching, and wise counsel greatly honored His Savior. His example in godliness and faithful service to the Lord Jesus Christ is one we all appreciated and can seek to follow in our own lives. Praise be to God for the spiritual impact of this faithful soldier of Christ. Our lives are richer for having known him.

Through the outreach of social media and telephone calls, many learned within minutes of being posted on Facebook that Pastor Sadler had graduated to glory. We wish to thank you for your prayer support for the family in recent weeks and for the tributes of many kind words. It is the express wishes of Pastor Paul Sadler’s loved ones that no flowers are sent. Instead, they are asking those who wish to express their hearts do so by a gift to the ministry of the Berean Bible Society. In their words, “This is what he would have wanted.”

A Memorial Service has been planned for Friday, April 29th, 2016, at Falls Bible Church in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin. The service will begin at 7:00 PM. At the family’s request, no testimonials will be given during the service as it was the desire of Pastor Sadler to focus the attention primarily on the Lord Jesus Christ. A time of refreshments and fellowship will begin at 6:00 PM, in the basement of the church, preceding the memorial service. We are sending this letter to let you know you are welcome to attend and participate.

We thank you in advance for your continued prayer support for the family, staff, and the Berean Bible Society. Thank you for your interest. May the God of all comfort strengthen all our hearts at this time.

In Grateful Appreciation,

The Board of Directors of the Berean Bible Society

 

A message from Kevin Sadler:

Pastor Paul M. Sadler passed away today and entered the presence of his Savior and Lord. Thank you so much for your…

Posted by Berean Bible Society on Thursday, March 31, 2016

 

Photos of Pastor Sadler from the BBS 75th Anniversary Conference and Open House:

Berean Searchlight – April 2016


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