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Realizing the presence, promise, and power of the Kingdom of God.
The DEEP

Avoiding Suffering

or not.

John 11:38–44

Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. 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 lying. 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 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.”

Martha says it best in the King James translation—“He stinketh.” That’s the point. That was the purpose of Jesus’s delayed arrival. Once someone stinketh you know for certain that they aren’t just in a coma. He’s dead and everyone knows it. Jesus leaves no room for uncertainty. He’s ruling out that distraction.

So, Jesus calls out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!” And Lazarus emerges looking like a mummy in a low budget horror movie. It about as memorable a moment as you could possibly imagine.

Mission accomplished.


This whole sequence of events displays the same set of divine priorities that is the central lesson of the book of Job. Avoiding suffering is simply not what floats God’s boat. If it was, the cross would be the last thing He would ever even consider.

The suffering here is less than the suffering in Job, but it’s for a similar purpose—to teach. In Job, the lesson being taught is humility. Job thinks he understands things. He’s wiser than his friends, but his wisdom could still use a tune-up.

And the tune-up comes at enormous cost. People die. From our human perspective, that’s not a reasonable tradeoff. Teaching Job humility isn’t worth that much pain and tragedy.

But God has higher purposes. Those purposes don’t always make sense to us. That’s our limitation, not His.

But the death and resurrection of Lazarus adds a new angle. Some of the suffering is endured by God Himself. That’s why “Jesus wept” is such a profound verse.

It breaks the ice on a concept that will reach its full measure at Calvary.


These Monday—Friday DEEPs are written by Mike Slay. The Saturday DEEPs are written by Matt Richardson. To subscribe to all the DEEPs click here:

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The weekly study guides, which include the Monday–Friday devotionals plus related questions for discussion or meditation, are available for download here:

https://www.ailbe.org/resources/itemlist/category/91-deep-studies

Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. ESV stands for the English Standard Version. © Copyright 2001 by Crossway. Used by permission. All rights reserved. NIV stands for The Holy Bible, New International Version®. © Copyright 1973 by International Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved. KJV stands for the King James Version.

Mike Slay

As a mathematician, inventor, and ruling elder in the Presbyterian Church in America, Mike Slay brings an analytical, conversational, and even whimsical approach to the daily study of God's Word.

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