World Blog by humble servant.Men Chosen and Approved by God to Raise the Dead By The Humble Servant, February 13, 2019 (Inspired by Johnnie Ellington II, December 11, 2011)

Men Chosen and Approved by God to Raise the Dead

By The Humble Servant, February 13, 2019 (Inspired by Johnnie Ellington II, December 11, 2011)  

Throughout the scriptures, God has demonstrated His power over life and death through men He has chosen and approved. These servants—Elisha, Elijah, Jesus of Nazareth, Ezekiel, and others—performed miracles and delivered visions of raising the dead, not by their own might, but by the authority and power of God working through them. These acts stand as undeniable signs of divine approval, testifying to their roles as God’s instruments among men. Let us explore these accounts and draw further proof from the Word of God.

Elisha: A Prophet Empowered by God

In 2 Kings 4:32-35, we see Elisha, a man anointed by God, entering a house where a child lay dead on his bed. Elisha shut the door, prayed to the Lord, and stretched himself upon the child. The child sneezed seven times, opened his eyes, and lived again. This was no mere coincidence—it was a miracle wrought by God through Elisha’s faith and obedience. Furthermore, in 2 Kings 13:21, even Elisha’s bones carried the residue of God’s power. As a dead man was hastily cast into Elisha’s sepulcher, he touched those bones, revived, and stood on his feet—a testament to the enduring approval God placed upon His servant, even after death.

Elijah: The Voice Heard by God

Elijah, another mighty prophet, displayed God’s authority over death in 1 Kings 17:19-22. When the son of a widow with whom he sojourned died, Elijah cried out to the Lord, questioning, “O Lord my God, hast Thou also brought evil upon the widow...by slaying her son?” In fervent prayer, he pleaded, “Let this child’s soul come into him again.” The Lord heard Elijah’s voice, and the child’s soul returned—he revived and was restored to his mother. This miracle affirmed Elijah as a man chosen by God, through whom divine power flowed to conquer death.

Jesus of Nazareth: A Man Approved by God with Signs and Wonders

In Acts 2:22, Peter declares to the men of Israel, “Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by Him in the midst of you.” Among these miracles was the raising of the dead. In John 11:43-44, Jesus called Lazarus, who had been dead four days, out of the tomb with a loud voice: “Lazarus, come forth!” Bound in graveclothes, Lazarus emerged alive, a profound sign of God’s approval upon Jesus. Likewise, in Luke 7:14-15, Jesus touched the bier of a widow’s son in Nain, saying, “Young man, I say unto thee, Arise,” and the dead man sat up and spoke. These acts, performed by God through Jesus, confirmed Him as the ultimate servant of divine will.

Ezekiel: The Prophet of Life Restored

Ezekiel, a priest and prophet in exile, was also chosen by God to reveal His power over death. In Ezekiel 37:1-14, God brought Ezekiel in a vision to a valley of dry bones, representing the hopeless state of Israel. When God asked, “Son of man, can these bones live?” Ezekiel replied, “O Lord God, Thou knowest.” Commanded to prophesy, Ezekiel spoke God’s words: “Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live.” As he obeyed, the bones assembled, flesh covered them, and breath revived them into a living army. Though a vision, this act through Ezekiel symbolized God’s authority to resurrect and restore, marking him as a man approved to bear witness to divine life-giving power.

Additional Proof: Apostles Carrying the Mandate

The power to raise the dead extended beyond the Old Testament prophets and Jesus to His chosen apostles, further proving God’s pattern of working through approved men. In Acts 9:36-41, Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, raised Dorcas (Tabitha) from death. After praying and saying, “Tabitha, arise,” she opened her eyes and sat up, restored to the saints and widows who mourned her. Similarly, in Acts 20:9-12, Paul revived Eutychus, a young man who fell from a window and was taken up dead. Paul embraced him, declaring, “Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him,” and the young man lived. These miracles underscore that God continued to approve and empower His servants in the early church.

Summary of Men Approved by God

The scriptures reveal a consistent thread: God selects and approves certain men to manifest His power over death, affirming their divine calling through undeniable signs. Here is a summary of these chosen servants:  

Elijah - Raised the widow’s son (1 Kings 17:19-22), showing God’s responsiveness to his cry and his role as a prophet of power.  

Elisha - Raised the Shunammite’s son (2 Kings 4:32-35) and, posthumously, a man touching his bones (2 Kings 13:21), doubling the miracles of Elijah as a sign of God’s double portion upon him.  

Jesus of Nazareth - Raised Lazarus (John 11:43-44), the widow’s son at Nain (Luke 7:14-15), and Jairus’ daughter (Mark 5:41-42), fulfilling His mission as the Son of Man approved by God with unmatched authority.  

Ezekiel - Prophesied to the dry bones, which lived again in a vision (Ezekiel 37:1-14), symbolizing God’s power to resurrect and restore, affirmed as a prophet through whom God spoke life to a dead nation.  

Peter - Raised Dorcas (Acts 9:36-41), continuing Christ’s work as a foundational Apostle.  

Paul - Raised Eutychus (Acts 20:9-12), extending God’s power to the Gentiles as an Apostle chosen by Christ.

These men, though distinct in time and calling, share a common mark: they were vessels through whom God displayed His sovereignty over life and death. Their miracles and visions were not of their own making but were acts of God, confirming their approval as His humble servants. As it is written in Hebrews 2:4, “God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to His own will.” Let us marvel at the Lord’s power and honor those He has chosen to carry His authority.