Where did Lazarus go during those 4 days when he was dead? Did he go to heaven? If so, why did Jesus bring him back to life?

[Pingju]

John 11:38-44 :

38 Then Jesus, again groaning in himself, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. 39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.”
Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to him, “Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days.”

Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?”41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. 42 And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.”43 Now when he had said these things, he cried with a loud voice,“Lazarus, come forth!” 44 And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Loose him, and let him go.”

Thank you so much for opining : )

Updates

+1 y

I think it would have been cruel of Jesus to bring Lazarus back to life on earth if he really had been in heaven during those 4 days : P

[Anonymous]

He ceased to exist. The bible clearly states when a person dies they don't exist. He couldn't have went to heaven because Jesus' ransom sacrifice opened the way for annointed Christians to have a place in heaven after their death. Jesus hadn't given his life as a ransom yet , when Lazarus was alive and died.

Jesus came to early solely for two reasons. One to give his life as a ransom sacrifice, and two to teach people the truth about his father, God and his future Kingdom. He resurected Lazarus and performed other miracles as a foreshadow of things to come. Which would be during his millenial reign as king of Gods Kingdom. He showed on a small scale of the things he will do on a worldwide scale after Armageddon. He proved he was given the power by his father to restore death and undo other human sufferings. He proved he had the power over mankinds worst enemy... death. This would be possible in the future only through Jesus' human sacrifcial death

[abundantlyrich]

It sounds like gospel story. I dont take anything as truth from the bible.

[Pingju]

I think it would have been cruel of Jesus to bring Lazarus back to life on earth if he really had been in heaven during those 4 days : P

[abundantlyrich]

Heaven doesn't exist.

[HandsomeRaj]

Do we even know if heaven is a fact or a wishful thinking by us? :)

[abundantlyrich]

Raj. ... I think there are different realms according to how evolved , a soul is. If thre is even one... Heaven could be the highest realm for all there is but people still have live, learn and experience on earth. Heaven isn't free for all.

[Pingju]

@HandsomeRaj

[HandsomeRaj]

Where I come from young lady, I view them all as symbolic :) They exist alright but right out here too :) can't comment on something I'm not aware of - I'm end of the day just a mortal :D

[Pedantic]

A worthy consideration of Luke 16 is whether THAT Lazarus was THIS Lazarus (same first name of two different people or one man?). In any case, John 11:1-3 tells us how Lazarus is related to Martha & Mary, and the extent of Mary's friendship to Jesus. On this anecdotal evidence, I suspect he probably took the 'good' side of the valley of the shadow (Psalms 23:4) [I prefer this naming of it to avoid doctrinal conflicts] and therefore likely to be the same Lazarus (but remember Jesus didn't die yet, so the valley wasn't closed & heaven opened yet).

But in any case, you get a nice description of pre-crucifiction death there in Luke 16. I think I already covered that with you in another question/comment series. You didn't have any additional questions, so I figured you were fine with it.

[Pedantic]

Oh, and if its not obvious, old testament sacrifice simply covered sin, not removed it. Obviously a holy God isn't going to allow sin into his demesne. The way God reacts to sin, and how revolting it is to Him, is fairly well documented through the bible. It wasn't until Jesus that the sin could be completely removed, and thus heaven's doors could open up. The OT law was abolished (the curtain actually tore in the holy of holy's in the temple the moment Christ died). His words were fitting: It's Finished. :P

[Pingju]

@but remember Jesus didn't die yet, so the valley wasn't closed & heaven opened yet
I agree with you. So Lazarus couldn't have gone to heaven during those 4 days. Neither could he be tormented in hellfire, right? So where did he/his soul go during those 4 days? O_o
I have been wondering about this! : D

[Pedantic]

Correct, Lazarus could not have gone to heaven or hell. He went to the pre-sacrifice place, which I nickname the valley of the shadow or the center of the earth because of the psalms reference and other biblical reference, but I've heard it called all sorts of things like purgatory, limbo, and so on but that results in a visit to doctrine land which is Bad (tm). Just stay close to the bible; doctrine written by ordinary men is unfruitful.

Oh just read it already :) You get a description of it, with the chasm and the divide, the side of torment (of the rich man) and the side of comfort (Lazarus & Abraham were there).
I'll even give you a link to your favourite bible gateway - www.biblegateway.com/.../

Although it might make more sense in Mandarin to you.

[Pedantic]

You can call it Hades too, but that doubles with the Greek myth of the same name.

[Pingju]

@Oh just read it already
I always check the scriptures you cite
: )
Do you know of other scriptures that link Hell/Hades/Sheol with torment?
I still don't think that the soul is immortal : )

[Pingju]

I think what is described in Luke 16:19-31 is a parable. I don't think the fire was literal since Lazarus wasn't literally in the "bosom of Abraham". Also, a literal drop of water wouldn't really bring any comfort in a literal hell. I don't think there is a literal "chasm" separating hell and heaven over which the good and bad can hold conversations. Haha : P
I think all these features are symbolic so I don't think the fire mentioned here are literal : )

[Pingju]

so I don't think the fire mentioned here is* literal

[Pedantic]

John 13:23 shows that bosom leaning was not uncommon among the affectionate portions of Jewish culture, so he may have very well been in Abraham's bosom.

But in any case! You asked the magic words. I seldom get this wonderful opportunity actually requested for me.
@Do you know of other scriptures that link Hell/Hades/Sheol with torment?

I am SO glad you asked me that question. ALSO, feel free to read above and below each scripture for context and additional details since I'll just be pulling out the punchlines for now.

Matthew 13:49-50 (pain / wailing), Matthew 25:41-46, Isaiah 14:9-11, Rev 21:8, 2nd Thes 1:9, Jude 1:7, Rev 20:13-14, 2 Peter 2:9 (a punishment), Hebrews 10:29-31 (a punishment).

This is mostly what I have on the punitive nature of Hell (suffering). I also have another set that alludes to judgement, which are connected with these. I am sure there is more I missed.

[Pedantic]

I also have a set that refers to the 'fires of hell', but out of concern that you would consider the fires to allegorically mean something else, I refrained from putting them in.

[HandsomeRaj]

1. If you don't convert to Christianity then for sure one day you're going to be a doctorate on the religion :D
2. Wow this is something. Obviously I can't shed any light on something that is beyond my understanding & power but one takes these as a matter of faith
3. It's not about Christianity but certain things I've always wondered about
3.1. Jerusalem where Jesus (a man/god/son of god) who always professed peace, has always been torn with strife for eons now
3.2. Christ always spoke about peace and unity while the primary followers started up the Crusades (resulting in unrest till date across the globe)
All this makes me think and wonder a lot about followers contorting facts in religious texts to suit their own ambitions

[Pingju]

Haha, don't make me laugh : D
I think it would have been cruel of Jesus to bring Lazarus back to life on earth if he really had been in heaven during those 4 days : P

[HandsomeRaj]

'Heaven' could well be just symbolic i. e. a state of comatose where one is (assumed) free of all worldly woes in which case again everything is a matter of perception :)

[JackKerouac77]

He went into... The Interzone

arttattler.com/.../06-william-s-burroughs.jpg

[Nathand]

Break away from this myth.

If we could use the power we use for religion but use it to help many communities we'd be unstoppable. Religion is a distraction of myths.

[Anonymous]

He faked it the whole time--kind of like Jesus did later.

[Anonymous]

I don't believe in fairytales