PARABLES OF THE BIBLE :

When God wrote the Bible He wrote to us from His point of view. However, when we read things, we have a tendency to look at what we read through rose colored glasses. If we take off those glasses and look at things through God's eyes instead, we may see things we really don't like about ourselves.

We are corpses, that's what God Himself call us in Eph 2:5, 5:14, and Col 2:13. These are some of the many verses that address our spiritual estate before salvation. God demands we look at the whole Bible in this light and when we do, He then shows us more.

Lazarus in Jn 11:1-44 is God's spiritual explanation, a parable, of you and me before salvation and then God's salvation comes. He was dead, he stunk, how much more descriptive does God have to make it, he was a rotting corpse!

He could not see, he could not hear, he could not walk, nor think nor speak, nor move on his own, yet Jesus calls him by name and he simply comes forth as he was commanded to do.

God then describes a little bit more about Lazarus' death. He was bound with grave clothes. In the literal account of the raising of Lazarus, this is what he was buried in. But it's the spiritual account that teaches us what God sees. Take off those rose colored glasses and look at the account as God wants us to see it, not as we prefer, seeing only a physical miracle performed by God and not looking at the miracle of salvation that this parable teaches us.

He didn't have on Christ's robe of righteousness, he wore his own sinful estate (Zec 3:3-5). Once we are saved, God gives us a change of clothes/heart (Eze 36:26) and we now wear Christ's robe of righteousness (Isa 61:10) not our old filthy clothes/sins (Zec 3:4). Loose him. Same word "loose" used in Mt 16:19; 18:18. He was now freed from the bondage of Satan Lu 13:16. The people were more concerned about his physical death, Jesus spoke about his spiritual death and rebirth in this chapter. He literally raised the dead but it pointed to the spiritual. Not to be funny but Jesus didn't say, "Lazarus, open one eye and listen to what I'm offering you." The parable here is one of complete death, no life within at all. Therefore no response. The wicked cannot change on their own Jer 13:23. God choose Lazarus' physical death to show us what He sees inside us when He looks. The point is very straightforward, complete death, no life at all. If you are unsaved, God is telling you that there is nothing you can do on your own to save yourself nor help with your salvation, while unsaved, you don't even know you are as a dead man. God must do everything, including choosing you for salvation.

The Gospel call goes out to all mankind, repent. Yet God knows full well that no one will, therefore He did all the work involved with our salvation. This is very fair, no one will be able to say, "you never called me to repentance", He did but they would not repent. Ps 19:1-3 all mankind knows, Rom 2:14, 15 all of us know, it is written in our hearts, but our hearts are now wicked, Jer 17:9. No one will have an excuse on Judgment Day. God calls us to Himself. He has already determined who is saved and only those are made alive, they get called and like Lazarus cannot resist, we have no say in our salvation.

Looking again at Lazarus, we should now see ourself in his place, we too are dead. What can you do to respond to God when He calls? Nothing. If, as God tells us in Rom 3:11, no one seeks God, we certainly cannot come to Him to start with. (The use of the number 4 in the Lazarus parable; 4 days; points to the universality of the situation, north, east, south, west. Rev 5:9, kindred, tongue, people, nation. Psalm 107:2, God calls His redeemed from all lands, vs 3, from the east and the west, from the north and the south. Lazarus is a picture of all mankind, they all get the Gospel message but only God's elect will hear the rest stay in the tomb.) If He calls to all of us and we are dead, we cannot respond to Him either. That's why we're told in Jn 6:44 that God draws us. If we're dead how do we say yes or no? We do as we are commanded, like Lazarus. This is why He used Lazarus as our example. The command went out but Lazarus was dead, no response on his part, he couldn't mull over God's offer. So God now does all the work. Lazarus simply comes back to life. It looks like he is doing something, he was told to rise. But he couldn't hear the offer, he was dead, his ears didn't work. So God gave him life, no choice on Lazarus' part.

The valley of bones in Ezekiel 37 is even more stark. Prophesy to the bones, i.e., declare the Gospel to them. We are the bones, we have no life. The bones are dry, the opposite of wet. Once God saves us, we now have the water of life in us, Jn 4:14; 7:38. The bones are no longer dry and a miracle now happens, they come back to life. They couldn't hear nor resist, they were long dead. This is even more stark then Lazarus coming back to life, these were only bones, their flesh was long gone. Yet God simply grants them life. We are the house of Israel, Gal 6:16, all those who become saved from the beginning of time till the last day, we are made heirs by adoption, Eph 1:5; Rom 2:29. The Israel of God represents all whom God will save. We were those dead dry bones but God has raised us up just like He did to Lazarus in John 11. This theme is found many times throughout the entire Bible if we look for it, if we really want to see it through God's eyes.

The miracle of Lazarus' resurrection is still nothing less than a miracle, even in light of what God is teaching us spiritually in this parable. But when we take off our man made rose colored glasses and ask God to give us sight instead, we will find we see things more clearly than ever before and we'll see things as God sees them, not as we prefer to see them. Has God raised you from the spiritual dead yet as He did with Lazarus?

Jn 15:16
Ps 47:4

2 Timothy 3:15 - "...that from a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures..."
Luke 13:1-5 - "...but except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish."
Luke 13:10-17 - "And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity"
Isaiah 35:6 - Has God hidden truths in the Bible from you?
Mt 24:24 - Signs and wonders, false Christs, false prophets, and the tongues movement in our day.
John 8:7 - Biblical judgment, are Christians allowed to cast stones?
Joshua 6 - The fall of Jerico, 91 trumpets sound the warning of judgment
Hebrews 10:25 - "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together...as ye see the day approaching"
Acts 27 - The ship represents the church in this parable, but what is the time frame?

Hymns of the 1500's - A Mighty Fortress is our God, an awakening across the land.
Hymns of the 1600's - God's grace made known to all mankind.
Hymns of the 1700's - We are soldiers of the Cross, the Gospel marches on.
Hymns of the 1800's - The message of the Bible, the same yesterday and today.
Hymns of the 1900's - Still building on the faith of the Apostles and saints of old.

Caveat - The links mentioned here can serve the Christian well, but please use discernment! I only mention these for the Godly things that can be gleaned from them, this does not mean I wholeheartedly endorse all the sites or all the information found at these sites. Let His Spirit guide you as you search for Godly Wisdom on the Internet, He protects His own from spiritual harm.

KJV Bible software developed by Dr. Maged Nabih Kamel, contains both the OT and NT for Windows 95/98. - This software allows you to search for text in the KJV, copy and paste, Notepad and even has maps. I have use this software for several years.

This site offers the KJV Bible in HTML format. - This e-text in HTML is derived from the original file bible11.zip which contains a single text file of the entire King James Version Bible. The text in bible11.zip was typeset beautifully by the Project Gutenberg and released on Easter 1992.

RealAudio - RealPlayer software site  - This is the latest version from RealAudio called RealPlayer G2 Beta, they also have other versions of RealAudio to match your particular operating system.

Family Radio, a non profit Christian organization with radio and TV broadcast facilities - Family Station, Inc. has been broadcasting the Gospel since 1958. Although Reformed in doctrine they are supported by many denominations worldwide. Bible studies, RealAudio library, books, tapes, a shortwave schedule for worldwide reception.

Focus on the Family - What can I say. At one time or another we've all stumbled onto this ministry while tuning the radio dial. Some programs are exceptionally good, others leave you shaking your head. Let God lead you in all discernment.

The Orthodox Presbyterian Church - Searching for a church to attend, one that has strong convictions of the Reformed faith? I've attended many denominations over a 16 year period of time and have found the OPC to be a true Bible believing church of God.

Sermons of Charles H. Spurgeon - The outstanding majority of Baptist churches of today bear virtually no resemblance to the one Spurgeon taught in. He was noted for being a very good teacher/preacher and his words of long ago still echo true, if not truer today. He spoke from the heart rather than bore parishoners with technical or sugar coated sermons as so many pastors do today.

Fire and Ice: Puritan and Reformed Writings - I've only started to browse this site for sermons by the authors listed, Boston, Edwards, Flavel, Owen, Spurgeon, and have no opinion of it yet, let the reader beware and let the Lord be your guide.

Biblical Resources Sermons from the 1600's - Another site that offers insight as to how they preached hundreds of years ago. Perhaps you'll find comfort in it.