<TITLE>04. Par 13-17</TITLE>L-13 As It says, "Then Jesus came." That was perhaps, as anyone knows the context of this, that we will not have time to unfold tonight to you in the cold room. But it was during the time of the death of Lazarus, His friend. Martha and Mary had been His bosom friend. And He was associated with them. And one time Jesus received a vision from the Father, and He... God had told Him to leave the place and go to another place for Lazarus was going to die.
Now, you say, "Brother Branham, that's not written in the Scripture." But in Saint John 5:19, Jesus said, "I do nothing, except My Father shows Me first. I do nothing in Myself. The Son can do nothing, but what He sees the Father doing: that doeth the Son." And if you notice Him, how the great vision, He went away for four days. And they sent for Him to come, that Lazarus was sick.

L-14 Now, we don't know just what his sickness was, but some historian has said that he died with hemorrhages in his lungs. However, he grew sicker, and the physician, perhaps, could do nothing for him. And then after a bit, he got so sick until he died. And when he died, Jesus said, "Our friend Lazarus sleepeth."
And they said, "Well, if he's asleep, he doeth--doeth well." Now, see they don't get, and we don't today many times, what the word of death means. "Death" means "separation," doesn't mean that that you die forever. You're just separated from your friends. You're alive somewhere else.
And notice, the disciples said, "Well, now, if he sleepeth, he doeth well."

L-15 Jesus told them in their own understanding, "Lazarus is dead. And for your sake, I'm glad I wasn't there, but I go wake him." Oh, what a marvelous thing. Not, "I'll go and see if I can wake him. I'll go and wake him."
Could you imagine the disappointment in that little family? They had been excommunicated from their church of worship where their fathers had worshipped, because they had accepted Jesus as the Messiah. And here I can hear the mocking scoffs of the unbelievers, saying, "Where is your evangelist, your healer? Oh, when it comes time to His own buddy, He lets him die."

L-16 But we're taught that all things work together for good to them that love the Lord. God is making everything move just according to His great timepiece as it's ticking around.
Then when the darkest hour that little family had ever seen, excommunicated from their church, degraded in the societies of their church, their Friend that they had put so much confidence in had failed them, seemingly, and all hopes was gone... Lazarus was dead and buried four days.
Corruption sets in in seventy-two hours, three days. Perhaps his nose had already fallen in on his face. That's the first thing takes place; the nose turns, and falls in. And the skin worms had set in into his body. And then it's just at that great strategic moment, when the darkest hour they had ever seen, then Jesus came by. Oh, that's just like Him to do that. He comes in that darkest moment. Jesus came by.

L-17 But then again I'll take just a moment longer to say this, that when Jesus comes by, if He's not accepted, then it doesn't do Him any good to pass by your way. But when He is so good to come by and show Himself, then you should be so thankful that you would receive Him, that you would believe Him.
Now, little Martha had been very much dilatory about spiritual things. Mary was the one who set and listened at the feet of Jesus. But I think in this passage, Martha showed just exactly what she was made out of. She heard that Jesus come, and she started through the streets to meet Him. Now, seemingly she had a right to upbraid Him, and say, "Why didn't You come when we called You?" But to Martha it wasn't a question of whether He come, or whether He did not come. The thing was that finally He was there.


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