Ezekiel 31-33; John 11
Teaching a lesson to the king of Egypt, God recounts the rise of Assyria, its pride, and God’s punishment for it: “Therefore I gave it into the hands of the ruler of the nations, for him to deal with according to its wickedness. I cast it aside” (Ezek. 31:11).
Prophetic ministry is a very challenging task, with the greatest difficulty lying in responsibility before God: “When I say to the wicked, ‘You wicked person, you will surely die,’ and you do not speak out to dissuade them from their ways, that wicked person will die for their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood” (Ezek. 33:8).
Prophetic ministry is important even when people do not heed it: “My people come to you, as they usually do, and sit before you to hear your words, but they do not put them into practice… Indeed, to them you are nothing more than one who sings love songs with a beautiful voice and plays an instrument well, for they hear your words but do not put them into practice. But when all this comes true—and it surely will—then they will know that a prophet has been among them” (Ezek. 33:31-33).
John 11
The resurrection of Lazarus is the most significant miracle proving the divinity of Jesus Christ. It is associated with several important points:
• While loving the world in one sense and being saved for a particular reason, Jesus loved Mary, Martha, and Lazarus even more especially (John 11:5).
• Jesus delays after being informed of Lazarus’s illness. The reason is to create conditions to strengthen the faith of the disciples and others: “And for your sake, I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him” (John 11:15).
• Martha agreed with Christ’s words based on her faith in His divinity: “She said to Him, ‘Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world’” (John 11:27).
• Although Jesus knew Lazarus would be resurrected soon, He weeps with the loved ones of the deceased (John 11:33).
• The resurrection of Lazarus had such a powerful effect that the Jews made a final decision to kill Jesus: “If we let Him go on like this, everyone will believe in Him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our temple and our nation” (John 11:48).
• Even the most cruel actions can be justified with supposedly noble reasons: “You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish” (John 11:50).
Prophetic ministry is a very challenging task, with the greatest difficulty lying in responsibility before God: “When I say to the wicked, ‘You wicked person, you will surely die,’ and you do not speak out to dissuade them from their ways, that wicked person will die for their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood” (Ezek. 33:8).
Prophetic ministry is important even when people do not heed it: “My people come to you, as they usually do, and sit before you to hear your words, but they do not put them into practice… Indeed, to them you are nothing more than one who sings love songs with a beautiful voice and plays an instrument well, for they hear your words but do not put them into practice. But when all this comes true—and it surely will—then they will know that a prophet has been among them” (Ezek. 33:31-33).
John 11
The resurrection of Lazarus is the most significant miracle proving the divinity of Jesus Christ. It is associated with several important points:
• While loving the world in one sense and being saved for a particular reason, Jesus loved Mary, Martha, and Lazarus even more especially (John 11:5).
• Jesus delays after being informed of Lazarus’s illness. The reason is to create conditions to strengthen the faith of the disciples and others: “And for your sake, I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him” (John 11:15).
• Martha agreed with Christ’s words based on her faith in His divinity: “She said to Him, ‘Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world’” (John 11:27).
• Although Jesus knew Lazarus would be resurrected soon, He weeps with the loved ones of the deceased (John 11:33).
• The resurrection of Lazarus had such a powerful effect that the Jews made a final decision to kill Jesus: “If we let Him go on like this, everyone will believe in Him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our temple and our nation” (John 11:48).
• Even the most cruel actions can be justified with supposedly noble reasons: “You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish” (John 11:50).
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