Psalm 128: Who Else Did They Want To Kill At Passover?

"They came not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom He had raised from the dead. But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death"

The siblings Martha, Mary and Lazarus were among the closest friends of the Messiah (see The House of Martha and Mary). He visited their home in Bethany, near Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives, many times - and ascended to heaven after His resurrection not far from their house (see The Ascent From Bethany)

The Messiah's raising of Lazarus from the dead (the only recorded incident of the Messiah weeping was at the grave of Lazarus: "^11:35 Jesus wept. ^11:36 Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!" (John 11:35-36 KJV) is one of the most well-known events of Bible history. It wasn't however merely a chance occurrence. The Messiah deliberately did not heal Lazarus to save his life - so that He could then raise Lazarus from the dead as yet-another proof and prophecy of the Messiah's own resurrection that occurred only a few days later at Passover: "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby."

"^11:1 Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. ^11:2 (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.) ^11:3 Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.

^11:4 When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby. ^11:5 Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus. ^11:6 When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was." (John 11:1-6 KJV)

^11:17 Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already. ^11:18 Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off: ^11:19 And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. ^11:20 Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house.

^11:21 Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. ^11:22 But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee.

^11:23 Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.

^11:24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.

^11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: ^11:26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

^11:27 She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.

^11:28 And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth for thee. ^11:29 As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came unto him. ^11:30 Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met him. ^11:31 The Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying, She goeth unto the grave to weep there.

^11:32 Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.

^11:33 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, ^11:34 And said, Where have ye laid him?

They said unto him, Lord, come and see.

^11:35 Jesus wept.

^11:36 Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him! ^11:37 And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died?

^11:38 Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it. ^11:39 Jesus said, Take ye away the stone.

Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.

^11:40 Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?

^11:41 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. ^11:42 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.

^11:43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. ^11:44 And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin.

Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go." (John 11:17-44 KJV)

There were many witnesses of the resurrection of Lazarus. Most of them became believers in the Messiah. A few however, for their own personal, political or religious reasons, ran to "the chief priests and the Pharisees" so that they would do something to stop it. Their response displayed their "beside themselves" logic - they viewed the miracles as a personal threat ("the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation"), while at the same time seeming to realize that Jesus was the Messiah. Nevertheless, because of the miracle done for Lazarus, "from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death."

"^11:45 Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him. ^11:46 But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done. ^11:47 Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles. ^11:48 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.

^11:49 And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all, ^11:50 Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.

^11:51 And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation; ^11:52 And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad. ^11:53 Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death." (John 11:45-53 KJV)

It wasn't just the Messiah that they then decided to assassinate to cover up the miracles. "But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death."

The Bible does not record whether Lazarus was killed, but it seems highly-likely. Lazarus is not mentioned from that time on. As well, if he had been alive, Lazarus would definitely have been a highly-qualified candidate as an apostle replacement for the traitor Judas Iscariot. Along with his own resurrection experience, Lazarus perfectly fulfilled the stated qualifications: "^1:22 Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection." (Acts 1:22 KJV)

"^12:1 Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead. ^12:2 There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him. ^12:3 Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.

^12:4 Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray him, ^12:5 Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? ^12:6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.

^12:7 Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this. ^12:8 For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always.

^12:9 Much people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there: and they came not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead. ^12:10 But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death; ^12:11 Because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus." (John 12:1-11 KJV)

The Psalms are, more than anything, prophecies of the Messiah (see Psalm 86: What Did King David Really Say About Zion? and Psalm 76: Salem In History And Prophecy) and true Christianity (see Psalm 70: The Day Of Reckoning For The Living and The Dead and Psalm 29: The Patriotism Prophecy. They observed Passover because they knew Who Passover was all about (see (see Psalm 95: The Identity Of The LORD God).

"^128:1 A Song of degrees [see also A Song Of Degrees].

Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways. ^128:2 For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee. ^128:3 Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table. ^128:4 Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the LORD.

^128:5 The LORD shall bless thee out of Zion: and thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life. ^128:6 Yea, thou shalt see thy children's children, and peace upon Israel." (Psalm 128:1-6 KJV)

Fact Finder: How and when did Christian Passover originate?
See The First Passover

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This Day In History, March 30

598: During their campaign in the Balkan, the Avars lifted their siege at Tomis, a Byzantine stronghold.

1282: The Sicilians rebelled against King Charles I of Sicily.

1296: Edward I sacked Berwick-upon-Tweed during the war between Scotland and England.

1492: King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella signed a decree to expel all Jews from Spain - with one possible exception. Some historians believe that Christopher Columbus was of Jewish ancestry (see also Jews - Three Tribes and Three Meanings). Although most well-known for their employment of Columbus (who actually "discovered" only the inhabited islands of the Caribbean - Columbus never set foot in what today calls itself "America"; for a map of the actual voyages of Columbus, see Thanksgiving In History and Prophecy), King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella were also the originators of the infamous Spanish Inquisition that imprisoned, tortured (present-day "water boarding" and suspending prisoners of war from their arms tied behind them to cause excruciating pain were invented during the Spanish Inquisition) and executed thousand of people who had set themselves free of the Church of Rome's antichrist doctrines.

1533: King Henry VIII of England divorced his first wife, Catherine of Aragon (Catherine was the Spanish-born daughter of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain - the Spanish monarchs for whom Christopher Columbus was an explorer). It was Henry's divorces that led to Britain's eventual break with the Roman Catholic Church.

1806: Joseph Bonaparte (brother of Napoleon Bonaparte) was proclaimed king of Naples.

1814: Sixth Coalition forces entered Paris during the Napoleonic Wars.

1856: The Treaty of Paris was signed to end the Crimean War.

1863: William, Prince of Denmark, was recognized as king of Greece and took the title George I.

1867: A treaty for the purchase of Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million, approximately two cents an acre, was submitted to the U.S. Senate.

1870: Texas was readmitted to the Union with the Reconstruction after the U.S. Civil War. Texas first rebelled against Mexico to join the U.S., then rebelled against the United States to join the Confederate States.

1917: The Russian provisional government accepted the idea of an independent Poland.

1936: Britain announced a naval construction program of 38 new warships, the largest construction program in 15 years.

1939: The German Heinkel He 100 fighter set a world airspeed record of 745 kilometers per hour (463 mph).

1941: The German Afrika Korps under General Erwin Rommel began its first offensive against British forces in Libya.

1972: During the Vietnam civil war ("north" and "south" Vietnam were a creation of French colonial forces in the 1950s), 120,000 North Vietnamese troops and thousands of Vietcong guerrillas launched a massive 3-wave invasion deep into South Vietnam.

1973: The U.S. military involvement in the Vietnam civil war came to a formal end when the last U.S. prisoner was released and the last soldier left.

1981: U.S. President Ronald Reagan, press secretary James Brady, and secret service agent Timothy McCarthy were shot by John Hinckley in Washington. Despite being shot by John Hinckley, Ronald Reagan broke the "year zero curse" when he became the first U.S. President since 1840, who won a Presidential election in a year ending in a zero, to leave office alive: