ALIVE: Chapter 163, Lazarus Alive

There was such a hubbub around Lazarus and his sisters that even the angels quaked. Shock, joy, fear, curiosity.

Once Lazarus was completely unwrapped and the friends had gotten past the shock, the people wanted to know what he felt? Did he go to Hades? Who else was there? What was it like to be dead?

The crowd surrounding Lazarus and Jesus needed to be dispersed. There was nothing to say yet. Besides, the shock of the event superseded words.

Peter took control.

“Everyone needs to go home now! Please. This man needs to be washed and go home too.” He shouted to the people. “Please, Lazarus needs to go home and we will see you in the synagogue tomorrow or the next day. Please, go home and pray about what you witnessed asking for wisdom from our Lord! Thank you, please, GO HOME.”

Most of the witnesses agreed on many fronts and quietly walked away, heads bowed down, knowing that the sisters and Lazarus needed to be alone and talk to Jesus about what just happened. It was all too fresh to be comprehended on any level.

But three neighbor-men went directly to Jerusalem to tell the Pharisees who were as shocked as if they had been present and immediately called a meeting of the Sanhedrin.

The disciples went into formation, surrounding Lazarus, Mary, Martha, and Jesus to allow them to walk back to their home in peace and quiet. The sisters patiently waited to be in the comfort of their home. Jesus was calm as if what just happened wasn’t as shocking as it was to everyone else, however, of all the miracles He had performed, bringing Lazarus back from Hades was by far the most astounding. He knew that it would raise the ire of His enemies, but that one of the reasons He did it. Also, raising Lazarus showed the people what He meant when He said that He was the resurrection and the life. Those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death have no light in themselves. In fact, the light hurts their eyes, so to speak. They recoil from the light. That was the reaction of those who went to the Pharisees and a few of the neighbors. The eyes of their dark unbelieving souls hurt with shock and confusion. The hurt quickly turned to outrage to pacify their egos.

When the family reached their home, and they entered it, there were five people still there waiting for the sisters to return. When Lazarus walked in, one lady fainted. They were flabbergasted. Lazarus said, “Excuse me, I must get dressed.” And went into the bedroom to find his tunic.

Martha rushed up to the fainted woman with a wet cloth for her forehead to wake her up. “It’s okay, my brother lives! The Lord God raised him from the dead! Jesus has power over the dead!”

The others stood up and  went over to touch Lazarus, who was sweaty and sticky, but he didn’t smell bad. “I’m okay, but please don’t touch me.”

Once her patient had recovered Martha asked the guests to go home and thank God. “Please leave us.” said Martha.

They took one good long look at Lazarus, then at Jesus and then at the sisters and nodded compliance, leaving the home was what they wanted very much to do; it was too intense in there. “Good bye.”

One man kept mumbling “amazing” over and over to himself as he left the house without saying good bye.

Finally alone with the disciples and Mary Magdalene outside guarding the doors, Jesus sat down with Mary. Mary stared at Him in wonder. She flashed back to the day she poured perfume on Him and wiped His feet with her hair. How could she love Him more than that? What more could she do for Him to expressed her admiration and now her awe. Jesus closed His eyes. Mary wondered if He was simply resting or seeking guidance from His Father. She too was drained from all the emotion of the day. She also felt ashamed for her doubt.

Jesus knew how the Pharisees would react. Giving life to Lazarus was the equivalent of taking an ax to the religious system they had built for themselves over the centuries, using the law when it supported their finely built power structure that had less to do with truth and faith and more to do with hubris. Jesus had just put a spear in the eye of the dragon and it would certainly lash out.

Martha ushered her brother into the bedroom and gave him a bowl of water to bathe and dress. Lazarus was obviously weak but gradually getting stronger. He looked around his home as if for the first time. He wondered if he was dreaming. “How could this have happened? I’m actually alive again! And I am healed!” But he wasn’t happy. He was more perplexed. So overwhelming, so shocking was the experience of death. He had just seen so many dead people that he knew, even his grandparents, and everyone of them was miserable. It was as if they were all in a dim prison. Spirits like holograms wandering around but recognizable, expressionless, or with severe pain of regret in their ever-living consciousness. This wasn’t sleep. This was something else. It was to be alert, but not on earth with its nature and all manner of animal life. There was no life anywhere at all, just consciousness, sorrow, regret, some of the spirits were angry, others afraid, others melancholy. Lazarus shuddered at the memories that flooded his mind while he was dressing. Fully dressed and hair combed, Lazarus walked back into the parlor to see Jesus.

“How do you feel brother?” asked Jesus.

Lazarus replied, “Do you know where I was?”

Jesus said, “Yes and no. Yes, I know what befalls man in death. I know because My Father created Hades as the place of death, just as He created this living planet. But neither My Father, nor I can be there, I will go there someday, because and only because I am human. I was born and I must know death. That’s all I can say now.” Jesus looked deeply into Lazarus green eyes and said “Are you okay?”

Before he could answer Mary asked, “Where did you go? What did you see?”

Lazarus replied, “It was truly frightening. There were spirits of people. No bodies, but I could distinguish one soul from another by a spirit form, like an impression of who they were.”

Martha asked, “Did you see anyone you knew? Did you see Mama and Ababa?”

“Yes, but no one was talking, everyone was somber or miserable there. It was horrible. I guess that’s what God meant when He told Adam and Eve that they would surely die. Death is not sleeping. It is horrible. Then all of a sudden, I heard Jesus call me, and so I floated to the sound of His voice, and I found my body! So I entered it again, without thinking, it was almost natural that I would do that. Then I had to make it move, so I could obey Jesus. At first, I could only move in my mind. I couldn’t make my body move. Then slowly, very gradually I gained the strength to move my body. Here I am. I never want to go back there again. It was wretched.”

Jesus looked at Lazarus and said, “You won’t have to, my brother.”

Lazarus looked back at Him curiously? “How is that possible? I must die again, I know that.”

Jesus replied, “I am the resurrection and the life. Let’s just leave it at that for now. But I have to warn you, we have enemies. The people are amazed and happy now to have seen you alive again, but it won’t last. You need to leave Judea, go as far away as you can. Go to Greece.”

“What are You going to do?” replied Lazarus.

“Don’t worry about Me. I have my own mission.”

“Jesus, I’ll never forget what I saw.” whispered Lazarus loud enough only for Jesus to hear.

“You will. Trust Me.”

Mary and Martha listened to this conversation with mixed emotions of fear about what Lazarus described, concern for Jesus, and lamenting that their brother had to go away again. Martha, who couldn’t take the intense conversation any more, stood up. “Lazarus, you must be hungry, you haven’t eaten in days. Let me prepare a meal for you men. Mary, come and help me.”

“Thank you,” said Jesus. “Can you send something out to My men too?”

“Oh! I forgot that we have guards. Yes, of course. We have plenty of food from the funeral still.” replied Martha, suddenly realizing how strange that sounded.

Mary stood up and shot a sorrowful expression at both Jesus and Lazarus. She knew that she just had to trust God, no matter what would happen next.

Lazarus said, “What should we do? We have to face the people again.”

Jesus thought for a moment and replied. “First we will announce a community feast to celebrate your return. At the feast you will announce that you must go away to tell the world what God did for you. But you mustn’t linger. You should leave within a few days. Go to Cyprus; it isn’t far and after two years God will send someone to tell the people about your resurrection and mine.”

“Yours?”

“Never mind.”

The people of Bethany will understand, and send you off with plenty for your journey. In fact, they will be glad to see you go. The story will be enough to hold them for the rest of their lives. Having you here will be too much of a reminder of death for them, they will hound you and never let you rest. But more, the Pharisees will want to kill you.”

“Okay. Not my will but God’s will be done.” replied Lazarus.

Meanwhile, outside the home flocks of villagers stood waiting to speak with Lazarus. They were desperate to know what death was like. The disciples formed a barricade at the front door which the people respected. Every once in a while a person would ask one of the disciples to go inside and see if Lazarus will be coming out. After an hour or so, Andrew relented and knocked on the door.

Martha opened it ajar to see who it was. When she saw Andrew, she let him in. He said to Martha, “The people are getting restless, will Lazarus and Jesus ever come out to speak with them?”

Jesus heard Andrew and Martha and said, “Tell them to go back and prepare a feast for tomorrow. Cook two or three lambs tonight, and tomorrow we will gather to pray and thank God, and Lazarus will be ready to speak to you.

Martha nodded, then shut the door and turn back into the quiet room.

Lazarus was still reeling from the experience. Jesus sensed it and said, “My brother, you have been given a great gift. Let’s thank our Father.”

Lazarus nodded and bowed his head. He knew that prayer was his only refuge and calm.  Mary and Martha drew near to the men and started chanting softly which reminded Jesus of his mother’s chanting, so melodic and beautiful. Surely, the Father would be pleased to receive such a heartfelt gift of song. At that moment the Father, was glad He made man and man made music. The angels enjoyed the chanting too. The little group spent the rest of the day and evening with very few words and much wordless prayer and communion with the Father God, and He with them. It was an evening that Jesus would cherish well into His most painful and unjust days on earth. It was truly His best day, before His Passion.

…

After the feast where Lazarus described to the people the lifelessness of Hades, the hopelessness and misery of the people, he announced that he would be going on a journey and would probably never see them again. The women cried, the men who understood why, agreed that it was for the best for everyone, and the children were oblivious.

Martha spent that evening washing Lazarus’ second tunic and packing his favorite food and a few items her brother would would need. She was losing him again, but this time she consoled herself to know that he was alive and that Jesus indeed loved him and would send an army of angels to protect him for the rest of his life.

…

A few years later Lazarus met Paul of Taurus and Barnabas on the island of Cyprus where Lazarus settled. In Cyprus, he learned from Paul about Jesus crucifixion, the people from Hades walking around Jerusalem and Jesus’ amazing resurrection. Not until then did he understand what Jesus meant about never having to go to Hades again.

After that, Lazarus taught the Cypriots about Jesus, Whom he never saw on earth again. They were amazed at the story of Lazarus and Jesus. They believed his story, and in the One True God who revealed Himself to each person in a personal way after Pentecost. They put away all their idols, who never really helped them anyway. It was always a one way relationship with those statues.

And yet, Lazarus never laughed again because what his soul had seen in Hades was so horrific. From what Lazarus learned, and for the following eighteen years of his life, Lazarus looked forward to dying, to be able to see and talk with His best friend and Savior, Jesus the Messiah again, in paradise.