Final Confrontation

by D. Brian Shafer

  CHAPTER 15

  “Lazarus, come forth!”

  “Jesus!” she called out when she saw Him in the distance. “My Lord!”

  She embraced Jesus, then pulled back from Him.

  “Why didn’t You come sooner?” she asked. “My brother might have lived. The boy told me You decided to wait two days—and now he is dead.”

  She looked at the men with Him. They somehow felt ashamed—as if it were their fault they had delayed and that this woman had lost her brother. Some of them averted their eyes at her gaze. She looked back into the eyes of Jesus.

  “I know God gives You whatever You ask,” she said hopefully.

  Jesus smiled at her.

  “Your brother will rise again,” said Jesus. “I promise.”

  “I know, Lord. He will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”

  “Martha, I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me, even if he is dead, shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

  She was wiping away her tears now and nodded.

  “Yes, Lord. I believe You. I believe You are the Christ, the Son of God!”

  She left to tell Mary that Jesus was coming into their house. She hurried into the room, motioning for Mary to come with her into the kitchen. When they were alone, she told Mary, “The Master is calling for you!”

  At that, Mary went into the other room, and, apologizing to their guests, hurried out the door. The guests agreed among themselves that she was headed to the grave to weep in private. A few followed her.

  Mary found Jesus at the same spot where Martha had indicated. She had a mixed feeling of happiness and disappointment: Happiness because she loved Jesus; disappointment that He had not arrived in time. She fell at His feet and began weeping.

  “If You had been here on time my brother would not have died,” she said, crying as she spoke. “Jerusalem is such a short distance away!”

  He looked up and saw some of the Jews from the house with her. They were weeping for the loss of Lazarus whom they all loved. A few, who had heard of the raising of the widow’s son at Nain, muttered that He should also have saved Lazarus. Upon seeing all these people crying, Jesus Himself wept.

  “Jesus crying?” said Rugio, who stood in front of the tomb of Lazarus. “Finally we are beginning to see some results!”

  The angel thanked him and hurried back to continue his assignment with Jesus. Rugio looked at Kara.

  “It seems you were right,” Rugio admitted. “Jesus is beginning to break under the strain of losing first John, and now Lazarus.”

  Rugio walked over to the tomb and knocked on the large stone which sealed it shut. The tomb was typical of stone sepulchers, although larger. Lazarus had built the tomb for his father who had recently died. As it turned out, he requested burial near his father’s tomb in Hebron. And so the tomb lay empty…until now.

  “You still in there Lazarus?” Rugio asked. He then stuck his head through the rock and into the tomb and quickly pulled back out. “Yes, he is still there, albeit changed in form!”

  Kara snickered. “When this is all over I suspect Jesus will have changed a bit Himself!”

  “Still, I wonder…” Rugio mused.

  He called for Nathan, who was standing by. Nathan, one of Rugio’s most loyal warriors, appeared before his commander.

  “I want more angels on this tomb,” he ordered. “I’m not sure what Jesus might have in mind. But I don’t want any chance of His trickery. This tomb must remain shut.”

  Nathan nodded and vanished.

  “Having doubts?” purred Kara. “Not like a warrior.”

  “Just careful, Kara,” answered Rugio. “Jesus is quite a different problem to deal with—as you have found out so many times!”

  Before Kara could answer, Nathan reappeared with several dozen warriors, who stationed themselves in and around the tomb.

  “The tomb is sealed,” Nathan reported. “Nothing will get in there short of the Most High Himself!”

  “That’s what concerns me,” said Rugio, as he saw Jesus approaching the tomb.

  As Jesus neared the rocky place, Nathan commanded his angels to beware any tricks of the enemy. They were so thick by that time that to Jesus they appeared as a black fog ahead of Him on the path.

  “Here they come,” he shouted, noticing an increasing number of holy angels descending upon the area.

  Lucifer stood to the side of the tomb, along with Kara, Rugio and Pellecus. They were all interested in how Jesus would handle the situation. Opposite them, on the other side of the tomb, were Crispin, Michael and Gabriel. They, too, had heard what was taking place and came to observe.

  “Your test seems to have attracted much attention, my prince,” said Pellecus, noting the great number of angels coming in. “They have all heard about Lazarus.”

  “There seems to be a sense of urgency among the Host,” said Kara, looking at Crispin and the other holy angels. “Perhaps even a bit of doubt?”

  “Perhaps,” agreed Lucifer. “I told you this should prove a most interesting dilemma for the Messiah. If He unseals the door and enters the tomb, He shall become unclean. We shall see where the loyalties of Jesus lie—with His friend or with His Father!”

  “Where did you place him?” Jesus asked, recovering from His distress.

  “That one there,” one of the men of Bethany replied, pointing to the large sealing stone which blocked the entrance of the tomb. “We sealed it ourselves.”

  Jesus looked at the stone for a moment and then turned to the crowd which had followed Him. He saw the teary eyes of Mary and Martha looking back at Him. Someone in the crowd remarked that Jesus surely loved the man.

  “Yes,” agreed another. “But if He truly could heal a blind man why couldn’t He have saved Lazarus?”

  One of Crispin’s aides looked at his master. Crispin looked back at him and noticed that there were several angels with the same puzzled expression on their faces

  He smiled in anticipation of their question.

  “The human poses an interesting question, hmm?” he asked.

  The angels nodded. Michael and Gabriel turned to see how their former teacher would handle the question which was on all of their minds: Why did Jesus not arrive earlier and save Lazarus?

  “I have an answer for you,” said Crispin. “But I’m afraid you won’t like it. The answer is—I don’t know.”

  The stunned angels looked to him for more.

  “It’s true,” he continued. “I could speculate as to why the Most High does what He does. I can only tell you that whatever He does and whenever He does it—He is always right! No matter what the outcome, no matter how He does it; no matter what He does, the Most High is always right. It is foolishness and vanity for the creature to question the Creator.”

  Michael gave Gabriel a knowing look.

  “You mean to say it was right for Lazarus to die?” asked one of the angels.

  Crispin looked at the angel.

  “I am saying the Most High’s actions are not to be questioned by His creatures,” Crispin said. “That He allowed Lazarus to die is obvious. It is the result of a fallen world driven by fallen natures. Now, if you are asking me why He permitted this to happen, I’m afraid I am back to ignorance. I can only say, again, that the Most High is always right and that His will shall ultimately prevail.”

  “A good question,” interjected Michael, who enjoyed watching Crispin challenged in matters of knowledge. “Perhaps ‘Why?’ is one of the greatest questions in Heaven!”

  Crispin nodded at Michael.

  “True, Michael,” he said. “But there is an even greater answer to a creature asking ‘Why?’ of his Creator.”

  “And what is that answer, good teacher?” asked Gabriel, taking the bait.

  “Simple,” said Crispin smiling in a sly way. “The answer is…Because!”

  “Remove the stone!”

  The astonished crowd stared in disbe
lief. Martha looked around at the others then stepped out and approached Jesus, who stood in front of the tomb. She took Him aside and whispered to him.

  “My Lord, I know you loved Him,” she said. “And he loved You. But do not do this thing. It will be offensive. He has been dead four days!”

  Jesus looked at her with compassion.

  “Martha, I once told you your sister was looking for something glorious while you were busy with the distractions of this world. Again I tell you: If you only believe, you will see the glory of the Father.”

  She looked into His eyes and stepped back. Turning to the crowd she ordered, “Do as He says. Open the tomb!”

  “Here it comes,” said Nathan. “Be ready!”

  Nathan’s angels prepared to hold the tomb door in place. Rugio also joined them in the effort, determined not to allow the seal to break.

  “No! No!” commanded Lucifer from where he stood.” Rugio! Allow the seal to be broken! Give them all a glimpse of their rotting friend!” He turned to Kara and Pellecus. “Perhaps the odor of their recently departed friend will convince them that the fragrance of life Jesus offers them is not as sweet as He has preached!”

  The angels moved away from the entrance as the men of the community broke the seal and rolled the large, flat stone away. Everyone watched Jesus, curious as to what He would next do. Would He actually go into the tomb? Wouldn’t that violate the Law by exposing Him to a dead body? Jesus looked up to heaven and began praying aloud:

  “Father, I thank You that You have heard My words. I know You always hear My words, but I wanted these people standing here to hear My words as well. I want them to hear Me call You ‘Father,’ so they might also believe!”

  “HE IS GOING TO RAISE HIM!” shrieked Lucifer.

  “Rugio! Nathan! Hold Lazarus! Get on him. Jesus intends to raise him!”

  In a flurry of orders, Lucifer commanded his angels to move into the tomb and hold back the power that was to oppose them. Rugio and Nathan entered the tomb, followed by hundreds of demons. They surrounded the body of Lazarus, whose burial linens were still fresh and tightly wrapped around his body.

  “LAZARUS”

  Upon the booming voice of Jesus, the demons were rocked as if shaken by an invisible earthquake. They held fast to Lazarus, determined not to allow him to respond.

  Rugio and Nathan stood by his head, holding it down with all their might.

  “LAZARUS!”

  The place shook again, this time more violently, tossing several demons around the tomb. But they would not relent and came to order immediately. Rugio barked orders at them: “Hold him! We still have him!”

  “COME FORTH!”

  Upon these words a tidal wave of power, like circles of light crashed through the cordon of demons, scattering them throughout the tomb. Rugio and Nathan noticed that the eyes under the linens were beaming lights, and that a brilliant glow could be seen piercing the linens and lighting up the tomb.

  Outside the tomb the people gasped in astonishment as the darkness lit up in a brilliant white light. Some fell to the ground in fear. Mary and Martha held on to each other. They watched as Jesus said once more:

  “COME FORTH!”

  Rugio and Nathan could no longer contain the power that was surging around them and the body suddenly began to move and sat upright. Rugio cursed at Lazarus, but was powerless as he and the other demons watched the man, who a second ago was dead and rotting, sit up and slide his feet onto the ground.

  “Here he comes!” someone called out.

  The people could not believe what they were seeing: a man dressed in burial linens slowly coming out of the tomb. Mary and Martha ran to their brother. Jesus ordered that the bandages be removed.

  “It really is Lazarus,” said another, as the face was uncovered. The people crowded around, praising God and celebrating the return of their friend. Mary and Martha could only embrace their brother, who didn’t seem to remember much at all.

  “Glory to God!” someone cried from the crowd.

  “Welcome back!” said another.

  Lazarus looked up, dazed and confused.

  “Welcome back?” he asked. “Have I been gone?”

  The crowd burst out in laughter and tears.

  Lucifer watched the demons scattering in defeat. He looked at his commanders. All of them were silent. Finally Rugio managed to join the group and explained that the power was so compelling it was impossible to contain.

  “Then how can we ever stop the power that Jesus possesses?” asked Kara.

  Lucifer watched as Jesus and the crowd escorted Lazarus back to his home. He looked at the bandages which once imprisoned the body of Lazarus lying on the ground. He picked up a single piece of linen and held it in his hand.

  “Jesus has the power to heal the sick,” he said, tearing off a strip of bandage.

  “He can make blind men see, the deaf hear.”

  He ripped the linen once more.

  “He can dispossess our spirits from humans, and teaches a message of love and Kingdom. And He can raise the dead!” he ripped off a final piece, leaving a single strand in his hand, which he held up in illustration.

  “These funeral bandages represented death’s hold on Lazarus, and now he is free. It occurs to me we have played this the wrong way all along.”

  “How so?” asked Pellecus. “What are you suggesting?”

  “I am suggesting that perhaps this burial cloth was on the wrong man all along. I am suggesting that once we remove the Healer, the sick will perish. I am suggesting that once we remove the Deliverer, our angels need not fear being cast out. I am suggesting that once we remove the Teacher, the Kingdom will have no voice.”

  He dropped the linen to the ground.

  “I am suggesting it is time for another burial,” Lucifer said, a reddish tinge in his eyes. “But this time a more permanent one!”

  Chronicles of the Host

  Dark Plans

  And so it was that many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did that day, put their faith in Him and the power of the Kingdom of which He spoke. But others, driven by a dark desire to perpetuate the power of human reason and religion, went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. And so the chief priests of the nation, along with the leading Pharisees of the Sanhedrin met to discuss the growing threat they perceived in Jesus…

  “What are we accomplishing, meeting like this?” a Pharisee named Bazael asked. “Here is this Man Jesus performing many miraculous signs. It makes us look like fools to oppose Him. And yet, if we let Him go on like this, everyone will believe in Him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation!”

  “It always comes down to Rome with you, Bazael,” snapped Zichri. “We will survive Rome just as we have survived the Greeks, Persians and Babylonians. But we will not survive the destruction of our faith!”

  Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, stood up and spoke. “My brothers. We cannot argue among ourselves. But Zichri is correct. I have tried to remain aloof from this matter. But now it is becoming increasingly dangerous to us all.”

  He looked at Bazael.

  “You know nothing at all! You do not realize it is better for you that one Man die for the people than for the whole nation to perish.”

  Zichri smiled.

  “And so He must die, my priest?”

  Caiaphas looked at the men in the darkened room in his home in which they were meeting. The lamp gave an eerie glow so that only their faces shown in the light. He shook his head in dismay.

  “This is a rotten business,” he said resignedly. “But for the good of the nation we must find Jesus and have Him arrested and charges brought.”

  The group grunted in affirmation.

  “I am appointing Zichri in charge of the effort,” he continued. He looked at Zichri’s black eyes. “Find a way, Zichri. But not until after the coming Passover! Otherwise there shall be a riot among the fools who love Him.”
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  “Finding Jesus is not the problem,” said Zichri. “One need only follow the crowds. He is even now in Bethany where a dinner is being given in honor of the great miracle there.”

  “Lazarus,” muttered Caiaphas.

  “Yes, Lazarus,” said Zichri. “Ever since he was supposedly raised from the dead, many Jews have been going to Bethany to see for themselves. And many are believing.”

  The High Priest nodded grimly.

  “Then perhaps it becomes expedient that two must die for the good of the nation,” said Caiaphas. “As I said, this is a rotten business.”

  Zichri bowed his head in agreement.

  “I will see to Lazarus as well,” he said.

  “Now—as to Jesus. I suggest we have our best opportunity immediately after the Passover,” Caiaphas continued. “That is when they shall all be together.”

  “It’s only Jesus we want,” said Caiaphas. “He will come to Jerusalem for the feast. Once their Shepherd is killed, the sheep will scatter!”

  “Yes! Find where they shall celebrate the Passover!” someone said.

  “Set spies throughout the city,” said another.

  “Enough!” said Caiaphas. “Zichri will handle this discreetly.” He turned to Zichri. “What will you need from us?”

  “What we need is help from someone who knows Him,” mused Zichri. “Someone who shares His meals. An intimate of His would be ideal.”

  “A traitor among the disciples?” said Bazael doubtfully. “They have declared their lives to Him.”

  “Yes,” said Caiaphas. “But have we not heard a rumor of one who is perhaps disappointed with Him…One who is not quite with Him… someone who has borne His life but no longer bears Him love.”

  “Yes, my lord,” said Zichri. “In fact, I have heard of such a one…”