Introduction: The Bible records Old Testament prophets who
raised the dead to life. The New Testament tells us that
Jesus raised the dead to life, and that Peter and Paul did
also. What purpose do these resurrections serve? Those who
were raised to life appear to have died later. Why is that?
On the other hand, we have Moses who was raised to life, and
he appears to be immortal because he is seen again a
thousand years later. Let’s dive into our study of the Bible
and see what we can learn regarding these extraordinary
miracles!

I. Old Testament: Moses.

A. Read Jude 9. The resurrection of Moses is
surrounded by contention and a dispute with Satan.
Is this the first resurrection recorded in the
Bible? (Yes. Assuming this is close to the time of
Moses’ death, other Old Testament resurrections
are much later.)

1. What do you think is the nature of the
dispute? (Since this is the first
resurrection, the dispute is likely over the
authority of God to raise Moses to life.)

B. Read Hebrews 2:14. Who does the Bible say has the
“power of death” at that time? (Satan! We can
reasonably speculate exactly what Satan was
saying: “Moses was a sinner. He died. I have the
power of death and you (God) have no authority to
defy my power and raise him to life.”)

C. Look at Jude 9 again. What does it mean that
Michael did not “presume to pronounce a
blasphemous judgment?” (Blasphemy is understood as
a vilification of God. Satan is likely contending
that he is the “god” of the earth. Michael does
not get into a debate on this, but merely rebukes
Satan.)

D. Let’s look at a parallel situation. Read Zechariah
3:1-2. This is another Old Testament story in
which Satan is accusing a religious leader. How
does God answer Satan’s accusations? (As with
Moses, He rebukes him but does not debate him.)

E. Read Zechariah 3:3-5. What is the issue? (The
sinfulness of the High Priest.)

1. How does God cure the problem of Joshua’s
sinfulness? (Read Isaiah 61:10. Joshua is
given a robe of righteousness. This is
righteousness by faith alone.)

2. What does Joshua’s ability to be clothed with
a robe of righteousness depend upon? (Jesus’
victory at the cross.)

3. What is the parallel between the debate over
Moses and Joshua? (The authority of God to
perform these actions turns on the future
actions of Jesus. I don’t think God wanted to
get into a detailed discussion of this at that
time, so He simply rebukes Satan.)

F. Why do you think that God brought Moses to life?

II. Old Testament: Widow of Zarephath’s Son

A. Read 1 Kings 17:17-18. The first part of this
chapter records how God saved the lives of Elijah,
this widow, and her son by working through Elijah
to supply them all with oil and flour through a
famine. In light of that, why would this widow
speak so harshly to Elijah? Why would she accuse
the person who saved her son with later killing
him? (She believed that God worked through Elijah,
and if her son died Elijah must have had a hand in
it.)

B. Read 1 Kings 17:19-22. What did Elijah believe was
the reason for the boy’s death? (He also thinks
God caused this death.)

1. Why do you think that God raised the boy to
life? (1 Kings 17:22 says that God listened to
Elijah. It seems that God is vindicating His
own reputation.)

C. Read Deuteronomy 32:50-51. Why did Moses die? (He
died as a punishment by God.)

D. Do you see parallels between the death of Moses
and the son of the Widow of Zarephath? (Both are
seen as dying at the hand of God.)

III. Old Testament: Shunammite’s Son

A. Read 2 Kings 4:28 and 2 Kings 4:32-35. If you read
this chapter, you will find that the parents of
this son built a place for Elisha to stay when he
was in the area. In gratitude, Elisha asked what
they would like him to do for them. What they
wanted was to have a son, and Elisha promised they
would have one (2 Kings 4:16). Why did God perform
this miracle?

B. Compare 2 Kings 4:16 with 2 Kings 4:28. What is
the accusation made against Elisha and God? (They
have lied to the mother. They told her that she
would have a son, and now God has broken this
promise by allowing the son to die.)

C. Why do you think God raised the son to life?
(Again, God is vindicating His name.)

IV. New Testament: Jairus’ Daughter

A. Read Mark 5:22-24. If you were Jairus, what would
your expectation be about Jesus healing your
daughter?

B. In this crowd is a woman who has been sick for
twelve years. She has had lots of medical care,
but her chronic illness is getting worse. Read
Mark 5:27-29. What is this woman’s goal? (To touch
Jesus and be made well.)

C. Read Mark 5:30-32. Is this woman’s goal in
conflict with the goal of Jairus? (Yes. The
disciples think Jesus is being silly, and Jairus
is considering screaming in frustration over this
interruption.)

D. Read Mark 5:34-35. What is Jairus thinking? (Jesus
has no common sense. He does not take into account
emergencies. Jesus does not do what Jairus
believes that Jesus agreed to do.)

E. Read Mark 5:41-42. Why did Jesus perform this
resurrection? (One reason would be to vindicate
His reputation with Jairus.)

V. New Testament: Lazarus

A. Read John 11:1-3. What is the expectation of Mary
and Martha? (Jesus would heal Lazarus because He
loves him.)

B. Read Luke 10:38-39. Why would Jesus love Lazarus?
(They provided a place for Jesus and His disciples
to stay. This reminds us of our shelter stories
for Elijah and Elisha.)

C. Read John 11:20-21 and John 11:32. What accusation
is made by both sisters against Jesus? (His delay
results in the death of Lazarus.)

1. Of what does this remind you? (It reminds us
of the charges against God made to Elijah and
Elisha.)

D. Why do you think Jesus brought Lazarus to life?
(God is again vindicating His reputation.)

1. Let’s look a little deeper. Read John 11:40-
42. Why does Jesus say that He wants to
resurrect Lazarus? (So that the people “may
believe that [God the Father] sent Me.”)

2. Read John 11:4. What reason does Jesus give to
His disciples? (It provides glory to God and
Jesus.)

VI. The Why

A. In every resurrection we have discussed, except
that of Moses and Jairus, God’s reputation was
specifically under attack. Think about the life
and death of Moses and decide whether God’s
reputation was at stake there? (Moses was God’s
man to bring His people out of Egypt and into the
Promised Land. When God punished Moses by
depriving him of the Promised Land and sending him
to his death, this might well tarnish God’s
reputation. Satan would argue that God was unfair
in His treatment of this leader.)

B. Read 1 Corinthians 15:22 and 1 Corinthians 15:24-
26. Will your resurrection be a vindication of
what happened in Eden? Will your resurrection,
among other things, be a vindication of the
reputation of God?

C. Why are only some resurrected to eternal life? (If
you are taken to heaven, then you have access to
the Tree of Life and thus eternal life. Revelation
22:2.)

D. Friend, God is the author of life. He gave us life
originally, and if we choose Him, He will give us
life again. Will you choose Him? Will you help to
bring glory to God?

VII. Next week: He Died for Us.

Copr. 2022, Bruce N. Cameron, J.D. Scripture quotations are
from the ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard
Version ), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing
ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All
rights reserved. Suggested answers are found within
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