"THE TRUTH IS..."
"Revived" "Raised" "Resurrected" What is the difference in these three expressive works of faith? In the Old Testament there were only two prophets (that I recall) who revived the dead. Elisha revived the son of the Shunammite woman (2 Kings 4:36). Elijah revived the son of the widow of Zarephath (1 Kings:17:22). Remember, this was in the Old Testament - before the birth of Jesus - before Calvary, before the Resurrection and the Ascension of God Almighty, and before Pentecost. Signs, miracles and wonders did not wait for Pentecost. The Holy Spirit of God was, is and always will be the source of all life, and whereever a man of faith dwells and speaks life, there will be signs, miracles and wonders (Note the contrast in faith for life and the culture of death the world pushes today). Pentecost fell on the 120 believers assembled in Jerusalem to give divine power to the developing Church. It would fall on all believers as the church grew. Our God is a faith God. He is moved by the faith of men, and men are moved by the Grace of God. Sudden death posed no challenge in Elijah's day and it isn't a challenge for the believer that walks the faith walk today. However, unconfessed sin will always stand between the believer and the miracle he needs. One must first go to the Throne with any unconfessed sins before he can cast out sickness or the spirit of death. Following Jesus' Resurrection and Ascension, after the Holy Spirit was given at Pentecost, Peter revived Dorcas the seamstress in the hours that followed her death. Paul revived the young man who fell from the upper floor window ledge and died on impact. All of the Lord's appointed Apostles demonstrated their faith in their ministries of signs, miracles and wonders. Jesus "revived" Jairus' daughter, the widow's son at Cain and the young man who had the epileptic seizures - among the many many healings and deliverances of His ministry. But He "raised" Lazarus... And then He was crucified, buried, and Resurrected... What is the difference in these three expressive works of faith? Okay - here it is - The Jews bury their dead on the day of death before sundown. If they are "awakened" before they are buried, before they are entombed in the earth, they are "revived." Jesus said Jairus' daughter was not dead, "She sleepeth." She was awakened by the command and touch of the Master. Lazarus on the other hand was "raised from the dead." He had been dead four days, was in a tomb and, according to his sister, "stinketh by now." Decay had already begun its work of melting away his flesh inside the burial wrappings. But Jesus was and is and always will be the Almighty God, Creator of heaven and earth and all things that were made by Him and for His pleasure. That includes the blueprint for man... This was no more difficult for Jesus than the revival of the widow's son. But it would be a show stopper for the neighbors and friends that had gathered to mourn the death of Lazarus. Jesus lifted His eyes and whispered, "Father I thank you that you always hear me. I said it for the people's benefit, so they would believe and know that you have sent me." Now the people did not hear that last part so Jesus positioned himself and commanded the stone to the tomb be rolled out of the way. Then with majestic authority, He thundered: "LAZARUS, COME FORTH." And Lazarus came forth, still wrapped in burial clothes, a napkin on his face, his physical form restored and every whit whole, and Jesus commanded again, "Loose him and let him go." The difference here and in the case where the Jews were burying a man not quite a year after Elisha died (2 Kings 13:20-21). They spotted a band of Moabites and so they tossed the man into Elisha's tomb and when the body fell onto Elisha's bones, the dead man was "revived" and he stood up on his feet. This man was "revived" whereas Lazarus was "raised." The man revived by Elisha's bones had died that day, hours ago, whereas Lazarus had been dead and entombed four days. A work is done in "raising" - a work of raising new flesh and blood whereas reviving is "awakening." The story of Elisha's bones is another story altogether. Already covered in A Midnight Tale of Graveyard Bones in the previous articles on my website, near the end of the list. Now, Resurrection is totally different. It is neither a revival nor a raising. It is a transformation. Jesus had been in the tomb (and in hell) for three days. He was not raised in a physical body to continue his life on this earth as were those that were "revived" or "raised." God had given Jesus the power to release his spirit and power to take it up again. The Holy Spirit, who never leaves us nor forsakes us, the same Holy Spirit that is the Spirit of Prophecy and the Spirit of Christ, burst open the gates of hell and revived Our Lord with new strength. Then Jesus and the Holy Spirit made an open show of Satan's cohorts, blasted open the prison doors and entered the walls of the Garden tomb with a glorified body of flesh and bones but no blood. Jesus now had a body prepared for heaven, a body that could walk through walls, appear and disappear at will. This body could eat, walk, talk and had all mental faculties as when he walked the earth. And the same Holy Spirit that resurrected Jesus will resurrect you and me. Remember - it is a transformation as well as an awakening. Meanwhile, He is available for the Great Commission - heal the sick, cast out devils and raise the dead. "Revived" - awakened in the hours after death. "Raised" - awakened days after death. "Resurrection: Awakened and raised with a glorified body, not of this world, but of the next. In all three cases, the spirit of death has to be bound, rebuked and commanded to loose the body. It is a process that involves utter faith. In the cases of Jairus' daughter and the widow's son, Jesus didn't have to issue any commands. His touch alone caused the spirits of sickness and death to flee. Will we ever be like Jesus, Peter and Paul whose shadow alone healed the sick and raised the dead? I would like to believe so... Joan Krempel
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