We Can Wake Up From Death!

IF WE die, will God want to resurrect us, that is, bring us back to life?— The good man Job believed that God wanted to. So when Job thought he was about to die, he said to God: “You will call, and I myself shall answer you.” Job said that Jehovah God would yearn, or want very much, to resurrect him.​—Job 14:14, 15.

Jesus is just like Jehovah God, his Father. Jesus wants to help us. When a man sick with leprosy said to him, “if you just want to, you can make me clean,” Jesus answered: “I want to.” And he healed the sick man from his leprosy.​—Mark 1:40-42.

Jesus learned from his Father to have love for children. On two occasions long ago, Jehovah used his servants to resurrect little ones. Elijah begged Jehovah to resurrect the son of a woman who had been nice to Elijah. And Jehovah did it. Jehovah also used his servant Elisha to resurrect a small boy.​—1 Kings 17:17-24; 2 Kings 4:32-37.

Isn’t it wonderful to know that Jehovah loves us so much?— He doesn’t think of us just when we are alive. He also remembers us if we should die. Jesus said that the Father even considers dead ones whom he loves to be alive! (Luke 20:38) The Bible says that ‘neither death nor life nor things here nor things to come will be able to separate us from God’s love.’​—Romans 8:38, 39.

When Jesus was on earth, he showed that Jehovah cares for little children. You will remember that Jesus took time to talk to children about God. But did you know that God gave Jesus the power to bring young ones back from the dead?— Let’s talk about the time Jesus resurrected the 12-year-old daughter of a man named Jairus.

Jairus lives with his wife and their only child near the Sea of Galilee. One day the young girl gets very sick, and Jairus can see that she is going to die. He begins to think about Jesus, that wonderful man Jairus has heard about who can heal people. So Jairus goes to look for him. He finds Jesus on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, teaching many people.

Jairus makes his way through the crowd and falls at Jesus’ feet. He says to Jesus: ‘My little daughter is very sick. Will you please come and help her? I beg you to come.’ Right away, Jesus goes with Jairus. The crowd that has come to see the Great Teacher also follow along. But after they go a distance, some men come from the house of Jairus and tell him: “Your daughter died! Why bother the teacher any longer?”

Jesus overhears the men say this. He knows how sad Jairus is to lose his only child. So He tells him: ‘Do not fear. Just have faith in God, and your daughter will be all right.’ They keep on going until they come to Jairus’ house. Here friends of the family are crying. They are sad because their little friend has died. But Jesus tells them: ‘Stop weeping. The young child has not died, but she is sleeping.’

When Jesus says this, the people begin to laugh, for they know that the girl has died. Why, then, do you think Jesus says that she is sleeping?— What lesson do you think he wants to teach the people?— He wants them to know that death can be like a deep sleep. He wants to teach them that by means of God’s power, he can bring a dead person back to life just as easily as we can wake a person up from sleep.

Jesus has everyone leave the house except his apostles Peter, James, and John and the girl’s father and mother. Then he goes in where the young child is. He takes her by the hand and says: ‘Young girl, get up!’ And right away she gets up and begins walking! Her father and mother are just filled with joy.​—Mark 5:21-24, 35-43; Luke 8:40-42, 49-56.

Now think about this. Since Jesus could bring that young girl back to life, can he do the same for others?— Do you think he will really do it?— Yes, he will. Jesus himself said: “The hour is coming in which all those in the memorial tombs will hear [my] voice and come out.”​—John 5:28, 29.

Do you think Jesus wants to resurrect people?— Another example in the Bible helps to answer that question. What happens one day near the city of Nain shows how Jesus feels about people who are grieving at funerals.

A woman is in the funeral procession for her son as the crowd leaves Nain. Earlier her husband died, and now her only child is dead. How sad she is! Many of the people of Nain are following along as her son’s body is carried outside the city. The woman is weeping, and the people can do nothing to comfort her.

On this day, Jesus and his disciples happen to be coming toward the city of Nain. Near the city gate, they meet the crowd going to bury the woman’s son. When Jesus sees the weeping woman, he is moved with pity for her. His heart is touched by her great sadness. He wants to help her.

So with tenderness and yet with firmness that makes her listen, he says: “Stop weeping.” His manner and action cause everyone to watch him with interest. As Jesus goes over to the body, all must wonder what he is going to do. Jesus speaks, commanding: “Young man, I say to you, Get up!” Right away, he sits up! And he starts to speak.​—Luke 7:11-17.

Imagine how the woman must have felt! How would you feel to receive a dead loved one back again?— Doesn’t this show that Jesus truly loves people and wants to help them?— Just think how wonderful it will be in God’s new world to welcome people back to life!​—2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:3, 4.

At that time some of those resurrected will be people we knew before, including children. We will know who they are just as Jairus knew his daughter when Jesus resurrected her. Others will be people who died hundreds or thousands of years ago. But God will not forget them just because they lived long ago.

Isn’t it wonderful to know that Jehovah God and his Son, Jesus, love us that much?— They want us to live, not for just a few years, but forever!