HIS VOICE

To me one of the most exciting miracles Jesus ever performed whilst on earth was raising Lazarus from the dead.

Imagine - four days dead.

And Jesus knew about his being sick well before his death and could have been there in time if He had wanted to. But He postponed His visit on purpose so that this glorious resurrection could take place and be recorded for our benefit also.

In Bible study at church, we are currently studying the spiritual world, and two weeks ago we were discussing the fact that even though the rich man was in Hades, after having died and being buried, he was still able to hear, see, converse...see Luke 16.

Now Lazarus, the friend of Jesus, is dead... very dead... in fact, his sister Martha says he already smells.

And Jesus arrives, stands in front of the grave, prays to God, His Father, and then calls Lazarus:

        "He cried with a loud voice, 'Lazarus, come forth!'" John 11:43

"... with a loud voice... "

And Lazarus heard his beloved friend, Jesus, calling him and came forth! Lazarus was very well acquainted with the voice of Jesus. He had heard it on many occasions when Jesus visited them, talked to him and his sisters. He heard Him when He was addressing the crowds, when He healed people, including his sister, Mary, when He prayed... Yes, Lazarus certainly knew the voice of His friend. He also trusted the person to whom that voice belonged; he knew that He could rely on Him.

And now, being in the realm of the dead, he hears that voice again... calling him to come forth... "Lazarus, come out of your grave; I am here to visit you, I am here to set you free, I am here to give you life!"

And Lazarus, knowing the power and authority behind the name of Jesus, steps out of his grave! I am sure quite a few people stepped backwards in fear when that man walked out of that grave!

There is another place in the Word where we read of the voice of the Lord:

       "Behold, I stand at the door and I knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I
        will come in to him and dine with him and he with Me." Rev. 3:20

What I love about this Scripture is that the person inside does not open the door because of the knocking, but because he/she "hears My voice and opens" because of recognizing the voice of the person standing on the outside of that door knocking...

Have you opened the door yet? Only you can do so, because you are the occupier... and it is very important that you do so, because there is another Scripture that is even more exciting than the resurrection of Lazarus:

         "But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep,
          lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose
          again, even so God, will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you,
          by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord
          will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descent from
          Heaven with a shout: with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And
          the dead in Christ will rise first." 1 Thess. 4:16

There is going to be a time when Lazarus is going to hear the voice of the Lord calling him yet again to come forth from the grave!! And if the Lord tarries until you and I have passed away, we had better be acquainted with His voice, so that when He calls with a shout, we will recognize who is calling and come forth from
the grave! There is an overwhelming excitement knowing that I am included in the Shout of the Lord.

Do you realize that you will one day experience a Lazarus resurrection? Some of us will definitely be more
than four days dead!

Thank You, Jesus, for the power and authority that there is in Your name. Thank You, Lord, that You are personally going to call us from the grave so that we will KNOW that it is You and we will rise... we will rise... to be with You eternally!