The Resurrection (The Story Of Lazarus)

When Jesus arrived in Bethany, Lazarus had already been dead and in the tomb for four days. When Martha discovered that Jesus was on his way, she went out to meet him. "Lord," she said, "if you had been here, my brother would not have died."
- John 11:1-45

The Bible contains many interesting stories which even a non-believer could read and study about them. Jesus performed many miracles in the New Testament but the most intriguing and fascinating to me must be the scene when He raises Lazarus from the dead. This pivotal event is a precursor to His own impending death and resurrection.

I was playing in a rock band named 'Overture' in the late 1990s. We wrote our own songs and even produced a demo on cassette. i wrote the lyrics to the songs which we then jam and added music to make them complete. Thinking back, the source of inspiration for the lyrics i wrote could be found in the things i read or experience around me.

It was in early 1999 that our band wrote possibly the best and last song before we disbanded. It was the year before the new millenium and there were a lot of talk about 'the second coming' and all that cryptic soothsayer and doomsday messages passing around the whole year. I was deeply affected by it and around that time, our guitarist Lionel had just completed a catchy guitar riff and tune which he played and recorded on a tape and pass it to me, in the hope that i could pen lyrics around it. On first listen, it seems to fit in to what i felt about the whole talk about 'the second coming' and very soon, i just sat in my living room and pen the entire words to it. The lyrics came easily to me and it was quickly penned down in less than five minutes.

The Resurrection (Overture)

Don't you think the sky is telling a story
One that makes you cry, one that makes you happy
We waited a thousand years just for today
The day you will be judged and i pray it's ok

Stop telling lies 'cos they tell none
Go on tell your friends the One's coming
Close your eyes, shut the doors
Brace yourself for The Resurrection

In the dead of the night and you woke up
You're drenched in cold sweat and your heart's pounding fast
Ask your heart what have you done lately?
Or have your sins caught up but you're blinded completely

Stop telling lies 'cos they tell none
Go on tell your friends the One's coming
Close your eyes, shut the doors
Brace yourself for The Resurrection

And when everything's gone
Will we still be here?
To live the human spirit that we hold so dear
Times when you feel lost and running out of time
Rest assured Love will keep us alive


The tone of the song spoke strongly of the coming of Christ though i had not intended the lyrics to sound that way when i wrote it. I sometimes wondered eerily how the lyrics could somehow take a shape of its own as i wrote it. Though the song sounded dark both musically and lyrically in many sense, i am glad that it ended in a positive tone with that line 'Rest assured Love will keep us alive'

I was again listening to this song frequently in the past week and with a pinch of nostalgia, it sort of coincide with Good Friday which i thought i may just gel the two events together and come out with this latest post on the blog. I am also sharing with work colleagues often about how in the lives we lead, we constantly 'die' (in the spiritual sense) everyday from the frustrations and difficulties we face in our daily lives, in our work, relationships and in all facets of human problems but are 'reborn' the very next day to face the challenges again. At least that is how i am feeling each day at the moment. But i also believe that it is how we re-emerge stronger or are 'reborn' from life's obstacles that matters, in the same way that Jesus does the impossible by raising Lazarus from the dead.

Jesus told Martha, "Your brother will rise again."

- John 11:1-45