Shalom, my dear brothers and sisters and dear friends. We are studying together in the Gospel of John and in this ministry meeting we are going to deal with John chapter 11 and verses 1 to 16 to remind you once again that the gospel of Yohanan this gospel of John present before us the divine nature of our Lord Yeshua HaMashiach he is the eternal son the eternal God who took humanity with His divine nature, and enter into this world in order to provide redemption for mankind. For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whosoever believeth on Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.

And here we are, in chapter 11, we learn how the Lord Yeshua, the Messiah, is desiring to stir up trust and faith in Him. In this 11th chapter, we see the object of the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, is to develop faith in the hearts of those that seek to follow after him and so we read in verses 1 to 16 of John chapter 11 now a certain man was sick named lazarus of bethany the town of mary and her sister Martha it was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair whose brother Lazarus was sick therefore his sisters sent unto him saying Lord behold he whom thou lovest is sick when Yeshua heard that he said this sickness is not unto death but for the glory of God that the son of God might be glorified thereby now Jesus loved martha and her sister and Lazarus.

When he had heard, therefore, that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was. Then after that, saith he to his disciples, let us go into Judea again. His disciples said to him, Master, the Jews of late sought to. Stone thee, and goest thou thither again? Yeshua answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleeth not, because he seeth the light of this world. But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him. This thing said he, and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus, this is Eliezer in Hebrew, sleepeth, but I go that I might awake him out of sleep.

Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well. How bet Yeshua spake of his death, but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep. Then said Yeshua unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead and I am glad for your sake that I was not there to the intent ye may believe, nevertheless let us go unto him. Then said, Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellow disciples, let us also go that we may die with him. I'm going to stop here in verse 16. And you notice, beloved brothers and sisters and dear. Friends, how the Lord Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah said in verse 15 of this John chapter 11, I am glad for your sakes, that I was not there, to the intent that ye may believe, nevertheless, let us go unto him.

You see, my dear friend, in this 11th chapter of the Gospel of John, we see how the Lord Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah will raise Eliezer, Lazarus, Eliezer, from death. The word Eliezer, the name of Eliezer, is Eli, my God, Ezer is my help, my God is my help. And indeed, it is through the help of God that Eliezer rose from dead. It says in this passage that Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah, is the one that was away from Bethany, Beit Oni, and that in this Beit Oni is a town where Eliezer and Miriam and Marta lived. You will notice, as we are going to look through these verses, that the theme and the thought of faith is very important.

It is essential for salvation to believe. John 3.16, Whosoever believeth on him shall not perish, but have everlasting life. But in the context of this 11th chapter is not so much belief unto salvation, but belief unto spiritual growth in the lives of those that follow the Lord Jesus, Yeshua HaMashiach. In fact, in John 11, we see the emphasis of emunah, or faith. You remember what we read in the book of Hebrews, Hebrews chapter 11, the chapter that speaks specifically concerning the men and women of faith, we read, but without faith it is impossible to please him. Verse 6 of Hebrews chapter 11, for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

So we need faith, emunah in Hebrew unto salvation, but also emunah, faith, in order to follow the Lord Yeshua HaMashiach. And so the Lord Jesus sought to strengthen the faith of his disciples the faith of the sisters of Eliezer, Miriam and Martha and the faith of the Jewish people who came to this place in Bethany to comfort the family of eliezer of lazarus beautiful passage this 11th chapter of the gospel of John but in the first 16 verses we have specifically desire of the Lord Jesus the Messiah to strengthen the faith of the Talmidim of the disciples. Yeshua of course was right now when Eliezer died, he was in Beit HaAvera.

Beit HaAvera or Beit HaArava, it is really a day or so trip from there to Bethany. So, it was about 20 miles long, about 30 kilometers from Beth Avera to Bethany, and Yeshua was some 30 kilometers further than the place and the home where Eliezer and his sister lived. And so you notice, in the first three verses of this chapter, Miriam and Martha, Mary and Martha, they are sending to the Lord Jesus, to the Lord Yeshua, someone to tell him what happened to Eliezer, to Lazarus. You notice it says in verse 1, now it says here, a certain man was sick by the name of Eliezer, of Bethany, in a town of Mary, Miriam, that is, and her sister, Martha.

So here we have the man. His name is Eliezer. The Lord is my help. My God is my help. And he lives in Bethany, Beit Oni. Beit Oni is a house of affliction. Beit in Hebrew means a house. Oni means being poor or being afflicted. And it's the house of affliction. And he lives in this village, in this town, with his sisters. But apparently, Eliezer became sick. And so what do the sisters of Eliezer do? According to verse 2, they have sent, this is Mary, we read, the one that anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair. This is where Lazarus, that was sick, lived.

And then we read that, therefore, his sisters, verse 3, sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick. Oh, wonderful to know that the Lord Jesus loved, loved mankind. In the context, of course, in the Gospels, he loved the nation of Israel, and he came unto his own, to the nation of Israel. And you see, there were those that sensed the love of God and the love of Yeshua, Jesus, the Messiah. Apparently, these two sisters could say to the person who have gone all the way to some 30, 35 kilometer distance, they wanted him to give that message to Yeshua, Jesus, the Messiah. What is the message?

He whom thou lovest is sick. Now, amazing how they even express this. He whom thou lovest. You see, my dear friend, God loves the world. God loves mankind. Anyone who is in touch in some small way with the Word of God and with the things of the Lord recognize this once and again the love of God towards mankind we find here that these three individuals Mary, Martha and Eliezer lived in the same home and it is interesting because in this second verse the Spirit of God tells us it was that Mary Mary, which anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Eliezer was sick.

What we really learn, that it's not only that the Lord loved Eliezer, but in return, it's so beautiful to see that Miriam loved Yeshua, Jesus, the Messiah. It was not only Miriam, but also Marta and also Eliezer. This was a family in Israel that loved the Mashiach, loved Yeshua the Messiah. I'm sure that they felt opposition. They felt that there was many, many deliberations concerning him. Is he the Son of God? Is he the Messiah? Or is he not is he just a rabbi just a good teacher that just a prophet in Israel or is he indeed the Messiah and so here we learn from this 11th chapter how Yeshua Jesus the Messiah desired to strengthen to encourage to develop the emunah the faith in him and the trust in him first of all to develop trust in him by the disciples secondly to develop trust in him by the two sisters Miriam and Marta whose brother Eliezer initially was sick and later on he died and also thirdly to develop trust in him by the Jewish individuals who came to comfort the family so what we really see in this 11th chapter how Yeshua is seeking to develop that which will have all to trust in him not to remind you my dear friend that here in this 11th chapter of the gospel of John we find out that the man that was sick and ultimately he died and it is important to bear in mind that enemy the greatest enemy of us all is really death itself according to first.

Corinthians chapter 15 and verse 26 we read written by the divine inspiration which the apostle Shaul Paul wrote to the Corinthians in verse 26 of first Corinthians chapter 15 that the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death death is the enemy of us all and it is appointed unto man wants to die and after this the judgment death is part and parcel of that which we have inherited because of the same nature which we all possess to remind you that God did say to Adam our father Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden the day that thou will eat out of this three, thou shalt surely die and indeed death came upon all because all have sinned because Adam disobeyed God and plunged the human race into sin and therefore Shaul Paul said in Romans chapter 5 therefore by one man sin entered into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned.

And therefore we learn that the enemy that is death was still we might say alive because we see that death is the portion of all the human race unless God in a supernatural way will rapture those whom he wishes to take to be with him in glory he took away Enoch as we read of him in the book of Genesis he took to glory Eliyahu Hanavi Elijah the prophet and he will rapture the assembly the ecclesia the called out ones he will rapture in the future day before the tribulation day will occur so God is the one that may allow some not to go through death but death is the enemy that is still affecting all humanity as it is appointed unto man once to die and after this the judgment and once the Lord defeated death when he died on the cross.

But Paul reminds us when he wrote to the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians chapter 15 Paul, Shaul wrote in verse 26 that the last enemy is death because death is still affecting the human race including Lazarus, Eliezer as we read of Him in John chapter 11. But you see, we also read that the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Himself, our hope is found in Him, and in Him our hope is beyond death, beyond the grave. In 1 Corinthians 15, the same chapter, in verse 19 we read, If in this life only we have hope in Christ, in a Messiah, we are of all men most miserable. But now the Messiah, Christ, is risen from the dead and He became the first fruits of them that slept.

In other words, there are more to rise from the dead because the Messiah, Jesus, paid for the sin of this world and God had raised Him from among the dead and placed him in the pinnacle of the universe and he said to him, sit thou at my right hand until I am going to make thine enemies thy footstool. And sure enough, one day death will no longer have power over all men, all, because death, even death, will eventually be defeated. It was already defeated at the cross for the believer, as we read a little bit later in 1 Corinthians chapter 15, we do read, my dear friend, that death is defeated because of the work of Christ.

O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be unto God, which gives us the victory through our Lord, Yeshua HaMashiach, our Lord Jesus Christ. And so, for the believer, death becomes a servant to usher them into the presence of the Lord. But still, there is that enemy that is called death. And this enemy is the last enemy, as Paul, Shaul said in 1 Corinthians chapter 15 and verse 26. And here, beloved brothers and sisters and dear friends, we learn here in these next verses that as Martha and Mary sending unto him, saying, Lord, whom thou lovest is sick, which is found in verse 3, we learn how the Lord Jesus the Messiah loved this person by the name of Eliezer and he loves you and he loves me and he loves the world a little bit later on we find once again in verse 5 now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus, Eliezer wonderful to know a little bit later on in verse 36 we read, then the Jewish people said, behold how he loved him.

It was evident that Yeshua loved this family. He loved you, my dear friend. He loved you even to the extent that he was willing to give his life a ransom for you to become the one who will die for your sins so it is so precious to remember this as we study here this 11th chapter of the gospel of John now it does say also. That it was that Miriam, verse 2, which anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped them with her hair, whose brother Eliezer was sick. Apparently in the Word of God there are three women that anointed Yeshua and it very well may be one of these women that are found in the Scripture.

According, of course, to chapter 12 in the next chapter, in verses 1 to 3, we see Mary anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the order of the ointment. That happened in the next chapter. We also read in Matthew chapter 26 and Mark chapter 14 of the woman in the house of Shimon, of Simon, who also came to Yeshua in a poor and alabaster box of ointment, and she also have anointed him with this ointment. We read in Mark chapter 14 and verse 3 of that woman, it says in verse 3 of Mark chapter 14, and being in Bethany, notice that, in the house of Simon, the leper, this is not now in the house, in the own house of Eliezer, in the house of Mary and Martha, but in the house of Simon, the leper, according to Mark chapter 14 and verse 3.

And then we read, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard, very precious, and she broke the box and poured it on his head. Amazing, when we see what this woman has done, she broke that alabaster box of ointment and poured it on his head. In the Gospel of Luke in chapter 7, there we find out of another woman that is called a sinner. In Luke chapter 7 and verse 36 we read and one of the pharisees desired him that he would eat with him and he went into the pharisee's house you notice in Mark he went to the one who was a leper and in Luke 7 36 he went to one to the pharisee and his own house and as he was sitting down verse 37 behold a woman in the city which was a sinner when she knew that Yeshua sat at meet at the Pharisee's house she brought an alabaster box of ointment and she stood at his feet anointing and she began to wash his feet with tears and to wipe them with the hair of her head and she kissed his feet and she anointed them with the ointment in other words we have these three women found here in the gospel in John 12 1 to 3 it was definitely Miriam in Mark 14 verses 3 to 9 it was in the house of Shimon Simon the leper she was a woman but then in Luke chapter 7 it was in.

Another house of the man that was a pharisee and there we read that she was a sinner now interesting to see how the Scripture remind us of that person that woman by the name of Miriam which anointed the Lord with the ointment and she wiped his feet with her hair and so as the the Spirit of God presenting before us, number one, Eliezer, number two, Miriam, number three, Marta, this is the family, and this is the family that Yeshua, Jesus, the Messiah loved, and they were in a town that is called Bethany, Beit Onya, the house of affliction. So in verses four, 5 and 6 as they sent this individual to come to him to give him the news concerning Eliezer we find out the words Yeshua's words to his disciples and he delayed to go back to Bethany he doesn't seem to rush to go back because it says in verse 4 when Jesus heard that he said this sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified.

Thereby. So he's saying to the disciples, Lazarus, of course, we heard that he was sick, but this sickness is not unto death. And so we read that Yeshua said to them these words, And now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Eliezer. This is verse 5. And you notice in verse 6 we read, When he had heard, therefore, that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was. Now, why didn't he go right away? If Lazarus is very sick, and if his sisters ask him to come, Why did Yeshua delay and tarry yet away and did not quickly hasten to come to Eliezer in the town of Bethany?

Now notice this, you have already said in verse 4 that this sickness is not unto death. And that this sickness is for the glory of God that the Son of God might be glorified thereby. In other words, the Lord has sometimes allowed things to happen in the life of His people. And even that event was for the purpose that God will be glorified and that He, the Lord Himself, will be glorified. And so this sickness, He said, is not unto death but for the glory of God. God is going to show the disciples that everything that he allowed in the life of his people ought to be understood that it is for his own purpose and for his own glory.

You know, my dear friends, sometimes the Lord allows you and I to experience some trials in our life. And you wonder, why, Lord, you allow us to go through these trials that are so unnecessary, you and I might say. But notice the words of the Lord. Yeshua is saying, This sickness is not unto death, but it is for the glory of God. Why? That the Son of God might be glorified thereby. So, his love towards Martha, Miriam, and Eliezer was unquestionable. But he delayed his return and he remained two days. Notice the word two days in verse 6, still in the same place where he was.

He didn't rush to come back. He delays coming, and it somehow reminds us that from time to time as we pray and we ask God, we ask Abba, we ask our Father, we ask the Lord, help me with this, answer this prayer. And sometimes he delays. And God might say yes, God might say no, and God might say wait. And our difficulty is simply to wait on the Lord. And that's the answer that we may not like. But here we find that the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, delayed his return. When he had heard, therefore, that he was sick, he delayed, he tarried, he abode two days.

Till the same place where he was while the disciples may not understood what he was doing but he was teaching the disciples he was teaching the sisters he was teaching all the Jewish community in the land those who sought to follow after him the importance of faith and to be strengthened in our faith and so for us today my dear brothers and sisters and dear friends we also need to be strengthened in our most holy faith we have this emunah this faith unto salvation because we believe that Yeshua is indeed the Mashiach that he is the Christ the anointed one the one who died for our sins and we have accepted him and we receive forgiveness of sins but we also need day by day trust in him in order to move forward in spiritual growth trust in the Lord with all your heart Shlomo said and lean not unto thine own understanding he continued to say in all thy ways acknowledge him Shlomo instructed Israel and he will direct thy path.

That was Solomon instructed Israel by the word of the Lord and we as well need to trust in the Lord and they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. And so as we move along in our chapter you will notice that in the next verses the verses that are right here ahead in verses 7 on We find that the Lord Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah, He is again now, He began to go back to Judea, to Jerusalem, to return there now to go to this town called Bethany. And so you notice that we read in verse 7, Yeshua said, let us go to Judea again. Notice that in verse 7, let us go to Judea again.

He's now telling his disciples, well, two days passed by. Eliezer, Lazarus, was sick. The Lord Yeshua delayed his coming. He didn't come as soon as he could but as to remind you that this sickness was for the glory of God as he said to his disciples so it is important to bear in mind that he's telling them to go now let us go to Judea again in other words he wanted them to realize that his love for Lazarus was true his love for Lazarus was real it was not that he was careless in not coming to meet the need of the brother of Miriam and Martha but he wanted to have all weight on him and trust Him and to have faith that the Lord will come to give the needed help.

Now I would like us to remember that the Word of God always teaches us the important lessons of the love of God. In fact, my dear friend, we read in John 3.16 that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth on Him shall not perish but have everlasting life. God loves the world. And so this aspect is presented before us in the Gospel of John, this very same Gospel in verse 16. But there is also other aspect of the love of God in relation to His people, whether it is collectively or whether it is individually. In fact, in Ephesians chapter 5 5 and verse 25 and 26 we read of a specific love that the Messiah had towards the assembly the church the ecclesia in chapter 5 and verse 25 of the book of Ephesians we read husband love your wives how even as Christ as the Mashiach has loved the church and gave himself for it you see God's love for the whole world is seen through the verse that the Lord spoke in John 3 16 that God loved the whole world but we also read that God have a specific unique love towards the assembly towards the ecclesia husbands love your wives Ephesians 5 25 as the Messiah love the assembly the church and he gave himself for the assembly you see the Lord Jesus Yeshua the Messiah gave himself for the assembly the ecclesia the called out one Jew and gentle who are united together in the body of Christ in the body of the Messiah in Jeremiah chapter 31 we read in verse 3 Jeremiah by the word of the Lord said to Israel.

The Lord has appeared of old unto me saying, Jeremiah speaking to Israel yea I have loved thee with an everlasting love therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee God speaking to Israel and again we read in verse 4 Again, I will build thee, and thou shalt be built, O virgin of Israel. Thou shalt again be adorned with thy temperates, and shalt go forth in the dance of them that make merry, that rejoice. So, again, is an aspect of God's love specifically for the ecclesia, the church, and specifically for the nation of Israel. It's even further, beloved brothers and sisters and dear friends, the Apostle Paul said in Galatians chapter 2 and verse 20, he said when he was writing to the Galatians he said I am crucified with Christ with the Messiah nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life which I now live the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me and so what we learn from these beloved brothers and sisters and dear friends that even though sometime God delay in providing answers for each and every one of us because of the burden that we experience in our life we should never for a moment neglect to trust him and to understand that his love never diminished for a moment and that his love for you his love for me is eternal and God knows best for each and every one of our lives so while he delayed he's coming to Bethany according to the information that he received that the one whom.

Our love is sick, Yeshua delayed his coming, not because he loved Eliezer less, but he's teaching the importance of the disciples to trust in him, to wait on him and to learn from him so that they will grow in appreciation of the things of God, and so you notice that now, we read in verses 7 to 10, that now the Lord said to the disciples, let us go unto Judea again, verse 8, his disciples said to him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee, and goest thou tither again, they said to him, you know they wanted to stone you their religious leaders and you're going to return now back to Jerusalem once again because Bethany was not far from the city of Jerusalem so are you going to go there again notice in verse 9 Yeshua answered and look at a beautiful answer he said to the disciples in this next verse it says there in verse 9 he answered are there not 12 hours in the day.

If a man walk in the day he stumbles not because he sears the light of this world but if a man walk in the night he stumbles because there is no light in him and so in verses 9 and 10 the Lord Jesus the Messiah was on a mission and he knew the timing in which he was supposed to go to the city of Yerushalayim he was living his life in communion with God the father and he did not walk one step outside of the will of God as man he was an obedient man and so we read that he said are there not 12 hours in the day he's in a mission he's obeying the father he has a schedule to go by and he says are there not 12 hours in the day well obviously and so the Lord knew what he was going to do and so as we read here in verse 9 and then verse 10 the father's will was in the.

Mind of Yeshua the Messiah he said my meat and my drink is to do the will of him of him that sent me and to finish his work so a man need to walk in the light of God's direction and not in the light of my own that's what he's really saying God the father gave him that which he is to do and the Lord Yeshua the Messiah is obeying the word of God and submitting to his authority and so how wonderful to see here in these verses 7 8 9 and 10 how Yeshua Jesus the Messiah is returning now to Judea in his time not in anybody else time and then saying are there not 12 hours in the day well how wonderful there is 12 hours in the day there's 12 hours in the night and together we have a whole day, a whole night and day, and the Lord was occupied with the will that God the Father gave him to do.

Notice if we go back to John chapter 4 and verse 34, what. We read there in verse 34, Jesus said unto them, my food is to do the will of him that sent me and to finish his work in chapter 6 and verse 38 we read i came down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of him that sent me and this is the will of him which sent me that of all which he has given unto me I should lose nothing but should raise it up again at the last day wonderful to see this what the Lord Yeshua was walking in the light of his fellowship with God the father in chapter 8 and verse 29 we read and he that sent me is with me the father has not left me alone for I do always those things which pleases him beloved friend we read in John 10 and verse 17 therefore thus my father love me because I lay down my life that I might take it again how wonderful to see in the life of Yeshua the Messiah in such a communion he was when he.

Walked here in this world with his Abba, his God the Father. Remember that he took humanity with his divine nature. And while we know that he is God the Son, Yeshua is presented here before us as an obedient man. An obedient man that knows the time in which he is to stand, to wait, and the time in which he is to go. And so he said, let us go into Judea again, verse 7. And then in verse 9, are there not 12 hours in the day? There are 12 hours, and I am intending to use these 12 hours for the glory of my Father. Is that what Yeshua the Messiah is saying?

So as we move along, from verses 11, John 11, 11 to 16, the Lord Jesus the Messiah now says plainly to his disciples that Lazarus, or Eliezer, is really fallen into the sleep of death. Meaning that as a believer in Yeshua, he died. As anyone would die naturally, it is appointed unto men once to die. But for the believer, death is like sleeping because one who is a believer is ushered immediately to the presence of God. Because once we have accepted Yeshua, Jesus, we have forgiveness of sins. And so we read in verse 11, John 11, verse 11, These things said he, and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Eliezer, sleep, but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.

See, the Lord is using this expression to sleep for his child, Because sleep, for the believer, death is sleeping. The body is sleeping. But the soul and the spirit is returning to God in the presence of the Lord and waiting the day when the resurrection of the body will come to fruition. And so that thought of sleep is important for us to understand. In Luke chapter 8, in verse 52, we read, And all wept, and bewailed her, but he said, Whip not, she is not dead, but sleepeth. See how wonderful this has to do with the girl that died. But as far as the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, this daughter was only sleeping because he was going to raise her from the dead.

It says in Luke chapter 8 and verse 53, they laughed at him to scorn, knowing that she was dead. But he put them all out and he took her by the hand and he called saying maid arise maid arise in verse 54 and so we do read my dear friend that notice that and her spirit came again and she arose and straightway and he is commanded to give her food and her parents were astonished but he charged them that they should tell no man what was done This is in Luke chapter 8 and verse 54. In the Hebrew language, the word here, when it's verse 54, Yalda kumi, maid, rise. The word Yalda is a little girl, rise up, kumi, arise.

And sure enough, he raised her from the dead. But you notice that as far as the Scripture is concerned, in Luke 8 and verse 52, he said to them, do not cry. She's not dead, but she's asleep, but she really died physically. But the Lord raised her from death. And that's why we can see that for the believer, death is only to sleep temporarily until the resurrection of the body. Remember, my dear friend, we are speaking about the body that is sleeping. The soul and the spirit never sleep the soul and the spirit are eternal and the soul and the spirit of the believer is going to be absent from the body and present with the Lord but the soul and the spirit of the unregenerated one unbeliever going into the to hell and eventually into the lake of fire that's why it is so important to believe on the Lord Jesus the Messiah in order to be saved to receive forgiveness of sins and so in verse 12 of John 11 we read then said the disciples.

The Lord if he sleep he shall do well however Jesus spake of his death but they thought that he had spoken of a rest of sleep you see they didn't quite grasp it but the Lord was going to teach them an important lesson because for the believer the death is only a time in which the body sleep waiting the day of resurrection and so we read in the verse 13 of our chapter John 11 and verse 13 however Jesus spake of his death this is lazarus death but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep now i want to emphasize something that is very very important for all of us to understand death in Hebrew the word is mavet mavet simply speaks of separation separation the word of God teaches us of three kinds of separation three kinds of death we have the spiritual death spiritual separation in the word of God we also are taught in the word of God of physical death, physical separation, but we also taught in God's Word of eternal death and.

Eternal separation. Now, if you remember, in the Garden of Eden, when God said to Adam, in the day that you will eat out of this tree, thou shalt surely die. In Genesis chapter 2, In verse 15, we read that Adam eventually, because of his sin and disobedience, he died. Let me read you first of all in Genesis 2 and verse 15. And the Lord took men and he put him in the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. And the Lord had commanded the men, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou may freely eat, But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it.

For, listen to verse 17, In the day that thou eatest the robe, thou shalt surely die. Notice the word die, death. God said it to Adam. And he is the federal head of the human race. In chapter 3, in verses 6 and 7, we see when Adam disobeyed God and he died. Notice that, Genesis chapter 3 and verse 6, When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eye, and the tree to be desired to make one wise, She took of the fruit thereof and did eat and gave it unto her husband with her and he did it. Well, God just said in chapter 2 that if you will eat from that, you will surely die.

Well, notice in verse 7 it says, And the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked, and they sawed fig leaves together and made themselves aprons. And then verse 8 said, And they heard the voice of the Lord walking in the garden in the cool of the day, And Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord. God among the trees of the garden. Now notice what happened. They died, they were separated spiritually. Spiritual death, spiritual death is simply spiritual separation from God. We all, when we were born, we have inherited Adam's nature and we were dead in trespasses and sins.

That is found in Genesis 2 and 3 concerning initially spiritual death. But then we notice immediately after that in Genesis chapter 3 that after they have sinned and they were spiritually separated from the Lord it does say that eventually Adam will die also physically notice what it says in Genesis 3.19 and in the sweat of thy face thou shalt eat bread listen to this until thou shalt return to the ground for out of it was thou taken for dust thou art and unto dust thou shall return here is the physical death now he died spiritually first Adam and his wife Adam and here in chapter 3 in verse 19 you are not going to only die spiritually but you because of this sin will die physically, this will be a separation between the body and the soul and the spirit.

So notice, spiritual death is a total separation from a holy and a righteous God because sin is in our life. Physical death is separation between the body of a person and the soul and the spirit. The body returned to the ground, and as we read in Ecclesiastic, the soul and the spirit returned to the one who had given it unto us. So, this is now the spiritual separation which ultimately led to physical separation. According to Ecclesiastes chapter 12 and verse 7, we do read, Then shall the dust return to the earth, as it was, and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it. And so we find out that we have spiritual death, which led to physical death.

But, beloved and dear friend, there is also a third separation, a third death, And that has to do with eternal separation. And this eternal death, eternal separation is given and placed upon those who are not a forgiven people. People who live their life here and rejected the offer of salvation. And of them we read, in Revelation chapter 20 and verse 15, we read, Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. In chapter 21 and verse 8 we read, But they are fearful, and they are unbelieving, and they are abominable, and the murderers, and the homogers, and the sorcerers, and the idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death, meaning the eternal death.

And how wonderful if you are a believer, if you trust in Yeshua the Messiah, you receive forgiveness, whosoever believeth on him shall not perish, God promised, but have everlasting life, not everlasting death. This is wonderful to know as we share the word of God with all who are willing to heal. And so, my dear friend, as we find out of the truth here that we have in John chapter 11 and in verse 13 we read however Jesus spake of his death but they thought that he had spoken of taking a rest of sleep a rest in sleep the Lord spoke of his physical death Eliezer was a believer he is no longer spiritually separated from God and he will never become eternally separate from God.

But the physical death is still upon us today. But for the believer, physical death is a servant to usher us to the presence of the Lord. But in this passage, we see the Lord Jesus the Messiah raising Lazarus from the dead. And that's why he delayed his return to Judea because he said in verse 4 this death is for the glory of God that the son of God might be glorified thereby there was a reason why Yeshua have allowed Eliezer to die and he delayed not returning for two days there is a purpose behind it because he wanted the disciples to wait on him and to trust him that he is the resurrection and the life and so we read in the last portion for this ministry meeting in verses 14 15 and 16 Yeshua explained to his disciples of Lazarus death And he said to them, notice this verse 14 and 15 of John 11.

Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead. And I'm glad for your sakes, it's for your sakes that I was not there. For they intend that ye may believe. Now remember, these disciples were already believers. They have acknowledged that he was the Mashiach the Messiah of Israel the Savior of the world the one that was promised throughout the history of of the nation of Israel the Messiah will come the Messiah will come the Mashiach will come he will be born to a virgin he will be born in the city of Bethlehem he will live a life that will be pleasing to God he will be the servant of Jehovah and he will come to fulfill that which God have sent him to do to pay for the sin of this world so they believe that he will be the one that will die and be buried and will rise again even though they were limited in their understanding but now he's saying to them I want you to believe in order to develop your faith and your trust in me you and I need the very same thing today as believers in the Lord Jesus in the Lord Yeshua the Messiah we also need the very same spiritual growth I am glad verse 15 for your sake that I was not there.

To the intent that ye may believe nevertheless let us go unto him he is dead verse 14 but his death is reckoned as a sleep lishon or shenayin Hebrew let's go to him and the Lord Jesus the Lord Yeshua wanted them to see who he was that he was much more than just another ordinary man that he was the resurrection and the life that he was the eternal son and that he was the one that came to this world from heaven he was the eternal word all things were made by him and without him nothing was made which was made in him was life and the light was the light of man and the light shineth in darkness and the darkness comprehended it not so here beloved friend in verse 16 you can see that Thomas the Hebrew word is Teom and Teom simply means a twin in verse 16 Thomas bold faith of self-confidence really when he said let us go also that we may die with him.

It is important not to have self-confidence but to have confidence in the son in the Messiah and so notice what we read in verse 16 and with this we're going to stop in this ministry for this time then said Thomas which is called Didymus unto his fellow disciples let us also go that we may die with him you notice that the Lord exactly sought to teach us not to have self confidence but we have confidence in the Lord Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Lean not unto your own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct thy path. Not trust in yourself, but trust in the Lord.

But Thomas, which is called Didymus in Greek, in the Hebrew, twin, he said to his disciples, his fellow disciples, let us go. That we may die with him is self-confident. And you see, my dear friend, the Lord doesn't want us to have self-confidence. He wants us to have Messiah confidence. And it is not for no reason that the name Thomas is mentioned here and the person Thomas is mentioned here. Why? Because Thomas, in Hebrew, Teom, the meaning is twins. Each and every one of us are twins. To Thomas, doubting Thomas, who didn't believe. Later on, you will see that in John chapter 21, here he said, let us go with him, that we will die with him in this 11th chapter in verse 16.

By the time that we read in the last chapters, a few chapters in the gospel of John, we read, listen to this in John chapter 20, we read, listen to this, I'm just going to read that, it is in the first day of the week, verse 1, we read that Mary and Magdalene came earlier, when it was dark, she went to the sepulcher, and then later on we read again about the Lord, it says here, a little bit further on in our chapters, you notice that we read again concerning Thomas in chapter 20. I'll read verse 22. And when he had said this, he breathed unto them and he said unto them, Receive ye the Holy Spirit whosoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them, and whosoever sins ye return, they shall return.

But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with the disciples. He was not with them when Jesus came you see Jesus the Messiah the same day and evening in verse 19 the first day of the week he came and he stood with his disciples. And he said to them Shalom Shalom Aleichem peace be unto you but Thomas was not there and so we read the other disciples therefore said unto him we have seen the Lord verse 25 of John chapter 20 and notice Thomas said unto them except I shall see in his hands the prints of the nails and put my finger into the print of the nails and thrust my hand into his side I will not believe then eight days later the Lord have appeared once again when the disciples were within and Thomas with them this time Yeshua came and the doors being shut verse 26 and he stood in the midst and he said shalom aleichem peace be unto you then says he to Thomas reach hither thy finger and behold my hand and reach hither thy hand and thrust into my side and be not faithless but believing and Thomas answered and said unto him my Lord and my God my Lord and my God you notice here in chapter 11 and verse 16 we see the self-confidence of.

Thomas in chapter 20 in verse 24 on we see the unbelief of thomas that's why the Lord Yeshua the Messiah revealed himself to Thomas eight days after once again when he was with the disciples and Thomas came to recognize that Yeshua indeed was that one that rose from among the dead and he said to him, my Lord and my God. And my dear friend, my dear brothers and sisters, the Lord want to teach us all not to have self-confidence but to have Christ-confidence. Messiah confidence, to trust in Him with all our hearts and not to lean unto our own understanding. He wants us that our faith will be strengthened.

Our trust in Him will be developed so we will grow in appreciation of who our Lord Jesus the Messiah is. Well, may the Lord help us because we need His help in order to do so, to be able to trust in Him. We need the help of the Holy Spirit of God to be the one that directs our hearts to the person of Yeshua, our Messiah. Well, God bless you, dear brothers and sisters, and encourage you and strengthen you as we all together grow in grace and in trusting in the person of the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, in our life with all the challenges and the trials that each and every one of us is experiencing during this lifetime.

God bless you and Shalom, Shalom.