When one comes to the end of his way he has a great need, he is faced with a crisis. Circumstances causing the crisis may appear unavoidable and escape unobtainable. The mind becomes beset with fears, and the heart is tempted to despair and bitterness. The whole soul and body of the man are in warfare until a merciful Providence intervenes, some sought after provision is granted, and the distress passes. The ultimate crisis which every man must face, however, is one that he can neither avoid nor overcome, as the wise Preacher in Ecclesiastes shows: “There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it.” (Eccl. 8:8). Upright men and wicked sinners alike fall before the power of death, therefore the Lord Jesus Christ chose this enemy of man’s health and happiness to display His divine power to His unbelieving disciples and friends and all other observers.
The gospel writer John records an instance in the Lord’s life in which a dear friend of His whose name was Lazarus became sick. Lazarus’ sisters Mary and Martha called for Jesus to come heal their brother, but instead of responding immediately to their request, He continued two days in the place where He was. When Jesus arrived with His disciples at the home of His friends, Lazarus had been dead four days and was buried. Martha encountered Jesus, saying, “Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.” (Jn. 11:21). Jesus tells her that her brother will rise again, and Martha assumes He is speaking of the day of judgment that is yet future; but “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?” (vs. 25,26). By this amazing claim Jesus draws Martha’s attention away from her sorrow to Himself, and she confesses, “Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.” (v. 27). Martha did not fully understand what Jesus was about to do in raising her brother from the dead, but her trust was in Him alone.
Jesus did indeed command Lazarus to come forth from his grave, and he came forth still bound with graveclothes. When Jesus arose victorious from the tomb where He was later buried, His graveclothes remained behind in the tomb, showing the difference between His and Lazarus’ resurrections. Lazarus rose to die again, but Jesus shall die no more for ever, as He declares, “I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.” (Rev. 1:18). The writer of Hebrews enlarges upon the reasons for Christ’s death and what was accomplished by it: “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” (Heb. 2:14,15). When a sinner’s conscience becomes convinced and convicted of his guilt, he fears death as the worst thing that could happen to him, as the one thing that would forever cut him off from God’s mercy. He may begin seriously to reform his conduct according to God’s law, but finds his bondage to sin only increasing because he discovers that his nature as well as his actions is sinful. In this crisis and calamity in his soul the Word of God promises him, “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Rom. 5:6,8). When the heart trusts in Christ the conscience is cleansed by the power of His blood, faith takes the place of tormenting fear, and willing obedience to the Saviour takes the place of grudging service to the law of God.
Reader, have you encountered a crisis that threatens your soul with eternal death? Look to the Object of true saving faith, the Lord Jesus Christ, Whose resurrection power is able to fill you with light and joy.