Entrusting Faithful Men

At the end of John 10:40, we are told that Jesus and his disciples went from Jerusalem to the “place where John had been baptizing at first”. Across the Jordan was the land of Perea (south) or Decapolis (north), an area outside the jurisdiction and control of the Pharisees. It was a relatively safe place, given that the Pharisees were seeking to arrest Jesus for equating Himself with the Father (John 10:38). John records the place as “Bethany across the Jordan” (John 1:28), the exact location of which is debated by archeologists. Certainly on the east side of the Jordan, it is unclear how far south or north the location rests. Most scholars suggest a fiord crossing the river with the road leading to Bethany (where Mary, Martha, and Lazarus lived) and Jerusalem. This would be only a few miles east of Bethany. Others suggest as far north as the area of Bashan, closer to the Sea of Galilee. Rather than a town or village it may refer to a mostly uninhabited area, understood by John’s readers. Bethany means “house of misery” or “house of depression”. Given the wilderness lifestyle of john the Baptist, one might expect this to be a desolate area. The timeline of the messenger coming, Jesus delaying two days and then traveling to Bethany (opposite the temple on the east side of the Mount of Olives), and Lazarus being in the tomb four days would seem to indicate a travel period of two days by foot for a period of six days for this to unfold:

When Jesus receives the message, the tense of “is ill”, “this illness does not lead to death” and “when Jesus heard that Lazarus was ill” seems to me indicate that Lazarus has not yet died. All three verbs are in the present tense. If the journey were only one day, Jesus would have arrived three days after the death of Lazarus, and Lazarus could not have been in the tomb four days! The fact that John distinctly differentiates between the Bethany (near Jerusalem) and the Bethany across the Jordan may lead one to believe these are not necessarily in geographic proximity. Given the apparent two days travel, leads me to believe that the location of Bethany across the Jordan was further north. Men who are much more studied than I would disagree with the premise, and if it is Bethabarah in Perea, considerably further east of the Jordan (as many suggest), then it would be about 20 miles from Bethany. Nevertheless, its exact location of course is unimportant to the details and lesson of the story. Let us focus on the fact that Jesus tarries so that by the time He arrives, Lazarus has been in the tomb for four days.

So here’s the situation. Mary and Martha have dispatched a messenger to Jesus that Lazarus is ill (or powerless and feeble). From what we are told the message doesn’t specifically suggest that Jesus come or that they expect Jesus to heal their brother (though the expectation in Martha’s mind is clear in John 11:21). Jesus makes it clear that there is a PURPOSE in the situation. Jesus sees a greater opportunity than the obvious healing of Lazarus. He will bring greater glory to Himself than what others are asking for. His power is even greater than what those who knew Him well attributed to Him! And so he intentionally delays to accomplish His purposes.

God’s timing is always perfect, but rarely does it line up with our timetable. My wife likes to say, “God is rarely early, but He’s never ever late.” Consider the following references:

• Isaiah 30:18 (ESV) — Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him.

• 1 Peter 5:6 (ESV) —Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you,
• Habakkuk 2:3 (ESV) — For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.
• Isaiah 64:4 (ESV) — From of old no one has heard or perceived by the ear, no eye has seen a God besides you, who acts for those who wait for him.
• 2 Peter 3:9 (ESV) — The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

Waiting requires trust and faith that God’s timing is better than ours. We are anxious in our fears. His purposes are usually greater than our expectations, and it is in waiting that we see His purposes much more clearly and receive the blessing of His will. The lesson here is “Don’t take matters into your own hands, but wait on the Lord.” This is true is waiting for His provision of a mate, a job, a home, the easing of a financial burden, or the solution to a problem. Even Jesus waits on the Father. He only does the will of the Father. His return to come for his Bride (the Church) is dependent on the Father’s timing. We are called to wait his timing and His purposes . . .

• Psalm 25:3–5 (ESV) — 3 Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame; they shall be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous. 4 Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. 5 Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long.
• Psalm 37:7 (ESV) — Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!
• Psalm 27:14 (ESV) — Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!
• Lamentations 3:25 (ESV) — The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.
• Jude 20–21 (ESV) — 20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life.
• Romans 8:23–25 (ESV) — 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.