Please explain John 11:40.
John 11:1-44 tells us about the death of a man named Lazarus. Verse 5 indicates that Lazarus, along with his two sisters had a close, personal relationship with the Lord. That says simply, “Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.” We read of a few instances where the Lord Jesus spent time in the home of Lazarus, Mary, and Martha. I encourage you to read the entire account in John 11. It is a touching story of the love and power of the Lord Jesus.
Most of us are already familiar with this incredible event, when the Lord reached Lazarus, he had been dead for four days. Verse 39 says, “Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.” The Lord intended to raise Lazarus from the dead, but his sisters pointed out that by this time, his body had already begun to decay, and would smell bad.
There are so many lessons to be learned from this portion, but let’s look at the question before us and try to understand what verse 40 means. That verse says, “Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?” This was the Lord’s response to Martha’s remarks in verse 39. His words are interesting and instructive to us. It was obvious that everyone there was about to witness a strange occurance. In just a few minutes they would all see Lazarus walk out of the tomb…a dead man brought back to life. But, to the eye of faith, those who believed would witness the ‘glory of God.’ Those who had faith in the Lord would see the power and goodness of God revealed in the resurrection of Lazarus…a glorious work!
To those who did not believe, they saw a man walk out of a tomb, but probably claimed that Lazarus was not really dead. When we refuse to see the Lord in our situations, we come up with excuses and defective reasoning. If we have no faith, we will believe the most foolish lies!
The Lord had said to Martha in verses 25-26, “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?” My friend, do you believe? Have you trusted the Lord Jesus Christ as your savior, or are you still believing foolish lies like ‘there is no God’ or ‘I will get to Heaven by my works’ or ‘everyone will go to Heaven’? There is only one way to be saved, and that is through putting your faith in the finished work of Christ on the cross when He sacrificed His life to save us.
One more thought before we close…let’s read John 12:9-10, “Much people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there: and they came not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead. But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death.” After being raised from the dead, some of the religious leaders wanted him to die again. He was a walking testimony of the love and power of the Lord, and they had no heart for that. They wanted to kill him. There is a great hatred in the world against those that live Godly lives and speak about the Lord. Let’s tell the world about the Lord Jesus anyway. Perhaps they may “turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.” (Acts 26:18) (205.6)