John 11:25-27 KJV, “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.”
John 11:41-44 KJV, “Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with grave clothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.”
EG White, SOP Vol 2, 1877, p. 366, “This crowning miracle of Christ caused many to believe on him. But some who were in the crowd about the grave, and heard and saw the wonderful works performed by Jesus, were not converted, but steeled their hearts against the evidence of their own eyes and ears. This demonstration of the power of Christ was the crowning manifestation offered by God to man as a proof that he had sent his Son into the world for the salvation of the human race. If the Pharisees rejected this mighty evidence, no power in Heaven nor upon earth could wrest from them their Satanic unbelief.”
P. 371, “It is not the plan of God to compel men to yield their wicked unbelief. Before them are light and darkness, truth and error. It is for them to decide which to accept. The human mind is endowed with power to discriminate between right and wrong. God designs that men shall not decide from impulse, but from weight of evidence, carefully comparing scripture with scripture. Had the Jews laid by their prejudice, and compared written prophecy with the facts characterizing the life of Jesus, they would have perceived a beautiful harmony between the prophecies and their fulfillment in the life and ministry of the lowly Galilean.”
John 11:47-50 KJV, “Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles. If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation. And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all, Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.”
Jesus, the Son of God, resurrected Lazarus from the grave. The chief priest and the pharisees were plotting to murder Christ. Envy blinds the heart. Doubt exalts self above the Word of God. Hate solidifies its hold. Self love justifies their evil plans. Nothing can stop the Satanic spirit that possessed these “religious” leaders except free will. But they were afraid they would lose their place and power. So they pursued it.
If the heart will not yield to Christ, the enemy will take his position there.
The fact that you and me believe the Scripture and affirms the Spirit of Prophecy is a miracle in itself. That we choose to believe in Jesus as indeed the literal Son of the Only True God. Thus we resolve that this truth must be scattered. There will be others who will reject the message. But we take heart that our faith will produce the miracle of seeing others receive Christ, the Son of the Living God.
Sincerely in the Blessed Hope.