What Old Testament events foreshadow Jesus' command to remove the stone in John 11:39? Setting the Scene John 11:39: “Take away the stone,” Jesus said. Why Look Back? Throughout the Old Testament the Lord repeatedly “rolls away” or commands others to remove barriers so that life, deliverance, or covenant blessing can break through. Those moments become prophetic signposts pointing to the day Jesus would stand outside Lazarus’s tomb―and later His own―and order the obstacle gone. Key Old Testament Foreshadows • Genesis 29:1-10 – Jacob at the Well – “A large stone covered the mouth of the well.” (v 2) – When Jacob “rolled the stone from the mouth of the well” (v 10), living water flowed to thirsty flocks. – Picture: a bride-groom removes a stone, provides water, and sets the stage for a wedding. Centuries later, the greater Bridegroom removes a stone so resurrection life can flow. • Joshua 5:9 – Gilgal – “Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.” – Gilgal literally means “rolling.” The wilderness shame is taken away just before Israel enters the land. Jesus’ command outside Bethany—and later the empty garden tomb—proclaims that the greater reproach of sin and death is about to be rolled off God’s people. • Joshua 10:18-27 – The Cave of the Five Amorite Kings – First: “Roll large stones against the mouth of the cave.” (v 18) – Later: “Open the mouth of the cave and bring out those five kings.” (v 22) – Stones seal the enemies of God; stones are removed so judgment and victory can be seen. Jesus reverses the picture: the stone is removed so the enemy (death) is defeated and the friend (Lazarus) is freed. • Daniel 6:16-23 – Daniel in the Lions’ Den – “Then a stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den.” (v 17) – At dawn the king hurried to have the stone removed (implied in v 19). Daniel walks out alive. – A righteous man emerges unharmed from a sealed cave, previewing Lazarus and foreshadowing Jesus’ own resurrection. • Prophetic Echo – Ezekiel 37:12-13 – “Behold, I will open your graves and bring you up from them, O My people… Then you will know that I am the LORD.” – No literal stone mentioned, yet the vision promises graves opened at God’s word—the very scene outside Bethany. Common Threads We Notice • A physical barrier must be moved before life or victory emerges. • God involves human hands (“take away,” “roll away,” “open the cave”) to highlight faith-obedience. • Each episode accents covenant faithfulness—whether to patriarchs, Israel, or faithful individuals—culminating in Christ’s greater covenant act. • The removal of stone or seal publicly displays God’s power so no one can deny the miracle. Take-Home Reflections • Obstacles to God’s life are never permanent when He speaks. • Our small act of obedience (moving the stone) makes room for His incomparable act of resurrection. • Every Old Testament “rolling away” builds anticipation for the day when another stone would be found already moved (Luke 24:2-3), declaring once for all that Jesus is “the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25). |
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