The Bible tells us to rejoice with those who rejoice, and to mourn with those who mourn.
We mourn with the Lim family for the loss of Elliott Lloyd Hescock Lim. He was three years and 11 months old.
Death is a sobering reality in this life. That pain of being separated from our loved ones can be overwhelming. The truth is, this hurt will linger even after a few months down the road when the fact that Elliott is gone sinks in.
The little things that remind us of him may hurt the most. His empty chair left behind in the dinner table, the distinct scent of his clothes in the cabinet, his favorite toys which he arranged by himself on the shelf, and the funny stories which once made us laugh may be the very thing which makes us cry.
But it is okay to cry. John 11:35 tells us that Jesus wept. Jesus did not just become teary-eyed, but truly and very deeply experienced the sorrow that death brings.
Crying doesn’t mean our faith is weak. Jesus was the purest example of masculinity and strength and yet, He wept. Jesus was a man of sorrows, acquainted with the deepest grief.
In this time of grief, we must turn to Christ and His Word for comfort. Paul calls Christ in 2nd Corinthians 1 “the God of all comfort”, and oh yes, He is the God of all comfort.
In John 11, Jesus’ friend Lazarus is sick, and He is asked to come and heal him, but Jesus delays his trip, and Lazarus dies. When Jesus arrived, he raises Lazarus from the dead.
The Gospel of John records seven of the countless miracles Jesus performed during His earthly ministry. The raising of Lazarus was the last miracle before His crucifixion. This was one of the most powerful demonstrations of God’s power and glory. Jesus performed many miracles, but this one would be the most dramatic.
When Jesus heard that Lazarus was ill, he said, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”
In other words, the purpose of this sickness was not just to end Lazarus’ life, but that his illness would bring glory to God.
Verses 5 and 6 of John 11 says, “Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.”
John tells us that Jesus loved this family. But what did he do when he heard that Lazarus was very ill? Does he go straight to them? Does he rush to Lazarus’ rescue? No. He intentionally delays going over to Lazarus for another 48 hours.
The Bible says Jesus loved this family. But it also says that he delayed responding to their cry for help. Why would he do that? Isn’t rushing to their aid the most loving thing He could to?
The two-day delay meant that by the time Jesus would arrive, Lazarus would have already been dead for four days.
When Jesus came, Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” (John 11:21)
We can understand her words in two different ways. First, Martha could be saying, “Where were you? What took you so long? You would have been able to stop this. Why weren’t you there?” We’ve all said those words as well, right?
When life hits rock bottom, we can’t help but question God in the same way.
Second, Martha’s words could also be revealing her faith. She said those words because she knew what Christ was capable of.
The question remains: Why didn’t He go immediately?
Jesus delayed his arrival so that when He raised Lazarus from the dead, there would be absolutely no doubt that this was a real resurrection.
This wasn’t just a resuscitation. If Jesus were to raise Lazarus within a day or two of his “death”, the witnesses could easily shrug it off and say, “Well, maybe Lazarus wasn’t really dead. He was merely unconscious or in a deep, deep sleep. Jesus’ arrival and Lazarus regaining consciousness was just well timed.”
But because it had been four days, they could not explain away the resurrection with that reason. Jesus had raised others from the dead during his ministry, but Lazarus had been in the grave for so long. It was a miracle that could not be denied by the Jews.
In fact, when Jesus commanded that they would open the tomb, Martha said, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.”
Lazarus’ body was already decomposing. And so, when he ordered the tomb opened, Jesus exclaimed the life-giving words “Lazarus come forth” and breath returned to Lazarus.
Just as God in creation breathed life into dust to create man, Jesus brought life back to this once-dead man.
And by doing so, Jesus revealed that He is the same One in creation. Through this, Jesus revealed that He is God.
This is what He meant when He said, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”
Through this miracle, Jesus revealed who He is. He revealed His glory to Martha and Mary.
Jesus loved them enough to show them that the glory of God is worth far more than their immediate comfort through Lazarus’ healing. He loved them enough to let their brother die.
To JB and Matti, you have heard this a billion times, and it’s probably the most cliché of encouragements, but Jesus loves you. He loves you enough to let Elliott die.
To behold Christ in His glory, and to know Him is more important than health.
Elliot’s illness does not lead to death. The purpose of the Leukemia, the complications, and all that was not death. The purpose was the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.
This is what it means to live for His glory. It means that you are willing to hold God’s glory supremely above your own comfort, your own life, and in this case, your own child.
As JB has testified about his son’s death previously, “The death of my son is not cruel of God. There is nothing more loving than this.”
Just as Job said when he lost all of his children, “The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” (Job 1:21b)
It is possible for us to rejoice in death because Jesus himself is victorious over death. It’s one thing to raise someone else from the dead, it is another thing to raise yourself from the dead. Jesus did both.
Even in Elliott’s death, we are assured of God’s love.
That is why Jesus said to Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.” (John 11:25-26a)
Jesus did not just say “I am able to resurrect people.” He said, “I am the resurrection and the life.”
Elliott is no longer with us. He is absent from the body. And because he is absent from the body, he is present with the Lord. That is far better.
We’ve been praying that the LORD would heal Elliott. The LORD has granted us even more. He is healed. No more needles. No more chemo. No maintenance. No blood transfusions.
Elliot has only changed residence. Yes, there is a biological, physical death. But Elliott’s existence continues in the presence of God. That’s true life. And now, he shall never die. He is enjoying the sweet fellowship of our Lord and Savior Jesus; more alive than any of us here.
Paul says in Philippians 1:23, “My desire is to depart and be with Christ.”
You’ve seen Elliott happy. When he was opening a Christmas gift, playing with mongo seeds, or laying beside his mom Matti. He is now happier with the LORD. Happier than the happiest person on the planet right now. Through his death, God has spared Elliott from the suffering of this fallen world.
Jesus has freed us from the fear of death. He became a man so that he could take our place on the cross to die for our sins, and defeat the one who has the power of death. Then, Jesus rose again triumphant over sin and death.
Lazarus’ resurrection was a preview of the real deal. Jesus also had a tomb, and his tomb was also opened as He defeated death.
Jesus rose, not only for himself, but for you, for me, and for Elliott.
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Elliott Lloyd was the only child of Edrei “JB” Lim & Matilde Irene Hescock-Lim.