Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!” And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “loose him, and let him go.” (John 11:43-44)

This is by far one of the creepiest things that Jesus had done. I remember seeing the face of my dead uncle in a coffin. His face was bloated because he had tried to burn himself. My mother and grandmother wept loudly right after they had seen the body. My dead uncle’s brother said that as he was sleeping in the funeral parlour one night, he dreamt that my dead uncle climbed out of the coffin and ran. I remember seeing all the ceremonies that went on for the dead – the priest, the music, the chanting, and the offerings. I was just a small boy then. Until today, I still feel that the funeral parlour is a very creepy place. I must’ve been traumatized.

Imagine… A man, who was dead for 4 days, coming out from his tomb, still wrapped in his graveclothes? Man… I would’ve fainted. I’m sure there must’ve been people who did not know how to react when they saw Lazarus coming out like that. Maybe some must’ve gone hysterical. Some could’ve gone into shock. I wonder how mixed the atmosphere must’ve been, between a sense of rejoicing and of fright.

If you have a friend that just walked out of his tomb after 4 days, how will you react to him? Can you bring yourself to talk to him normally again? Maybe you still cannot accept the fact that he is alive again. Or maybe your mind still needs some time to register what you have seen, and match the supernatural with reality. Perhaps you may want to poke at his flesh to see if it is the same. Maybe you’ll want to run far, far away, because the emotional toll is too great. Imagine having spent days trying to come to terms with the loss of a dear friend, trying very hard to get closure… And suddenly, he walks again?!

Imagine how will it be like if you were Lazarus. I wonder… Will you be feeling hungry? Will you have any recollection of the last thing that happened before you woke up and found yourself wrapped in grave clothes? Did you get to see heaven for the past 4 days? Or were you in hell for 4 days? If you were in heaven, how does it feel like to be back on earth? Or if you were in hell, how does it feel like to get a second chance?

This one miracle is so amazing, it utterly astounds. It wasn’t anything like healing a man from a flu or a fever. It was raising someone who was dead for 4 days back to life again! Imagine how it affects people emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. Imagine the effect on human relationships and human psyche in seeing such a thing! If there was such a thing as insurance policies at that time, the insurance agents would have a big headache!

Just before Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, He said this:

“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 11:25-26)

Then, he asks:

“Do you believe this?” (John 11:26)

Martha did. So did many Jews.