"Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles away. And many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother.
Now Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met Him, but Mary was sitting in the house. Now Martha said to Jesus, ' Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.'
Jesus said to her, ' Your brother will rise again.' Martha said to Him,' I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.' Jesus said to her, ' I am the resurrection and the life, He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.'" (John 11:18-26)
The Bible goes on to tell us what happened next; when Jesus came to the tomb where Lazarus lay:
"Jesus said, ' Take away the stone.' Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, ' Lord by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days.'
Jesus said to her, ' Did I not say to you that if you would believe, you would see the glory of God?'
Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was laying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, ' Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.'
Now when He had said these things, He cried out with a loud voice, ' Lazarus, come forth!' And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with grave clothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth.' Jesus said to them, ' Loose him, and let him go.'" (John 11:39-44)
Just as the grave was not able to hold Lazarus because of Jesus, neither will the grave be able to hold any of God's children. There is another time and another place for those who have fallen asleep in death in the Lord. The Bible says this about the Resurrection:
" But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep (died), lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep (dead). For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord."
(1 Thessalonians 4:13-17)
►If you would like to know more of what it is to enter the next life through the
narrow gate, click here.
►If you would like to know what lies ahead for those who choose to enter the next
life through the wide gate that leads to destruction, click here.
