Tag: Bethany
Faith to move mountains!
Scripture reading for October 18th: Mark 11-13
In 1995 my son Marshal and I went on a study trip to Israel. While in Israel, we visited Bethany and walked the road over the Mt. of Olives that went to the temple. It was a walk that made this portion of scripture come alive!
Mary, Martha, and Lazarus lived in Bethany and Jesus often stayed with them. Jesus had come to Jerusalem to prepare for Passover week. Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the colt of a donkey as Zechariah had predicted. He arrived at the temple but simply looked around and left. This would have been on Sunday, the first day of the week.
He returned to Bethany and the next morning as He walked back over the Mt. of Olives. Seeing a fig tree, He went to find early fruit. He found none on the tree and spoke a curse, stating that no one would ever eat fruit from that tree again. He went on to the temple and drove out the money-changers. He went back to his friends’ house for another evening. The next morning they went by the fig tree and it had withered from the roots! (Mark 11:20-21)
Mark 11:22-25 “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, that whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”
As we walked up the mount of Olives in 1995, we could see Bethlehem and a place nearby called the “Herodium” where King Herod, in the years just before Jesus walked that path, had moved a mountain! He took one hill and put it on top of another using thousands of slave laborers. In the distance we could also see the Dead Sea glistening in the valley below. When Jesus spoke that parable, He had an object lesson for his disciples! As Herod had used thousands of slaves to move the mountain, their faith in God would empower them to move mountains with their words!
“Lazarus, come out!”
Scripture reading for November 1st: John 9-12
My son Marshal and I visited Bethany as a part of our Bible history and geography study trip. At Bethany, we visited a place that was a probably similar to the tomb that Lazarus was laid in. Marshal and I went down a narrow passageway carved out of the rock and entered the musty cave where there were some niches carved in the wall as places to lay the bodies. The tomb was illuminated by an electric light. After reading the Scriptures, I left first and took my camera and called out, “Marshal, come out!” I got a great picture and a real visual of what that might have looked like to those gathered around that tomb with Jesus!
Jesus often stayed at Lazarus’ home in Bethany, less than two miles from the temple in Jerusalem. (John 11:18) Lazarus had two sisters, Mary and Martha, who also loved Jesus and their brother. They had sent word to Jesus that their brother was deathly sick, but Jesus purposely delayed coming. (John 11:3-6) When Jesus arrived, Lazarus was already dead and entombed for four days. Martha came to meet Jesus and told Him that if He had been there, Lazarus would not have died. She also made another key statement, “But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.” (John 11:22)
Jesus gave her a Word of knowledge: “Your brother will rise again.” (John 11:23) Martha’s understanding of the resurrection had come from studying the Old Testament Scriptures. (Possibly Daniel 12:1-3, 13) Jesus spoke again to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26) This time Martha confessed that she believed that Jesus was the Christ, Son of God!
Jesus went to the tomb and as He stood there, He wept! (John 11:35) The Author of Life was weeping over Lazarus swallowed by the grave and death! He was the “resurrection and life” and was about to demonstrate the power of faith. Jesus was deeply moved a second time and ordered the stone taken away. Martha protested, but Jesus reassured her faith! He is the Author and Finisher of our faith and helps us when our faith falters! (John 11:40) Jesus spoke, “Lazarus, come out!” Lazarus came out, grave clothes and all!