“Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.” (Colossians 2:8 NKJV)
Undertakers are people whose profession is preparing the dead for burial or cremation and managing funerals; they are also known as funeral directors (Collins Eng. Dict.).
Unfortunately, some ministers of God today are nothing but spiritual undertakers who make much material or financial gains from pampering, entertaining, and preparing spiritually dead souls for an eternity of sorrows, pains, and torments in hellfire.
The Church no longer needs the service or ministry of spiritual undertakers whose only interest is to manipulate and exploit God’s people, amass much wealth, and make sinners feel very comfortable in their present terrible spiritual condition.
But we urgently need great revivalists who can wake us from our deep spiritual slumber. We have certainly endured long enough the empty or superficial charismatic displays and performances of spiritual undertakers.
In the first part of this series, we began examining the ministry of spiritual undertakers by drawing parallels from how the physical undertakers attended to the remains of Lazarus, even though the Lord Jesus was on His way to revive him.
The Scripture revealed they wrapped Lazarus’ face with a cloth, bound his hands and feet with graveclothes, buried him in the cave, and laid a stone against its mouth (John 11:44).
Let us consider the spiritual implications of their actions.
First, they wrapped Lazarus’s face with a cloth.
Similarly, spiritual undertakers in our day have cast veils or coverings of religion, human tradition, and philosophy upon the minds of many believers in the Church today, so that they might continue to manipulate, dominate, exploit, and defraud them.
Spiritual undertakers are ministers who constantly feed the people who gather to them with mere fables, enticing words of human wisdom, philosophy, or vain traditions rather than providing them with the truths of God’s Word.
Their goal is to keep the people spiritually blind, ignorant, undiscerning, or immature so they may continue to exploit, manipulate, defraud, and abuse them.
Second, they bound Lazarus’ hands and feet with grave clothes.
Likewise, spiritual undertakers in our day have bound or kept in perpetual bondage many souls through their improper use of the Old Testament laws as a basis for a loving and intimate relationship with God or as a means of earning God’s love, acceptance, salvation, or blessings.
As a result of the false teachings of spiritual undertakers, many believers today are struggling and striving hard under the laws of Moses rather than thriving and flourishing well under the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 6:14).
Spiritual undertakers spoil, cheat, make prey, seduce, or lead astray spiritually immature, ignorant, and undiscerning souls “through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ…” (Col. 2:8 KJV).
The Scripture warns about them, saying, “By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber.” (2 Pet. 2:3 NKJV).
Third, they laid Lazarus’ remains in a cave.
Having wrapped Lazarus’ face with a cloth and having bound his hands and feet with grave clothes, the undertakers laid him in a cave for his remains to decompose away from the sight of men.
Many of our churches, gigantic cathedrals, or impressive worship centers today are merely “modern spiritual caves” constructed, designed, and run by spiritual undertakers to host, hold, or contain spiritually slumbering people or the spiritually dead.
Sadly, today, many “churches” can be aptly described as “the valleys of dry bones.” While the people inside today’s modern spiritual caves are full of physical or religious life, they are void of Christ’s life.
However, God is raising and calling forth a prophetic generation to storm these caves with God’s Word and Spirit, to revive spiritually dead and dry souls, and to release and deploy them as God’s end-time army (Ezek. 37:1-14).
Lastly, they set a large stone across the mouth of Lazarus’ cave.
Having laid Lazarus’ remains in the cave, the undertakers laid a massive stone against the mouth of the cave to secure it and contain his stench within the cave.
Even when the Lord Jesus commanded that they take away the stone, Martha, Lazarus’s sister, protested and said to Him, “Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days.” (John 11:39 NKJV).
However, Martha’s protest or unbelief could not stop the Lord Jesus from reviving and calling Lazarus from the cave. Praise God!
Similarly, many souls are trapped in “spiritual caves” today because spiritual undertakers have set “huge stones” at the mouths of those caves.
Many believers today, though famishing, starving, or dying spiritually, cannot leave their “caves” (churches or denominations) because of fear of their spiritual undertakers (pastors or prophets).
Many souls are shut inside their caves by diverse stones employed by spiritual undertakers, such as threats, curses, strange oaths or covenants, bogus prophecies, strange visions or dreams, human doctrines, enticing words, titles, or positions.
Beloved, the Lord Jesus Christ is coming very soon to revive, restore, and deliver His sheep trapped in several caves (churches or denominations) owned and run by wicked spiritual undertakers in our generation.
Despite the huge stones they have laid against their caves, or the means they have employed to secure God’s people in their caves to keep them in perpetual darkness and bondage. Yet, when the Lord comes, He will command the stones to be taken away, and as He called Lazarus to come forth, He will call His people to come out from their caves (John 11:43-44, Eze. 37:12-14).
Friend, are you presently trapped in a spiritual cave with a massive stone blocking your exit?
The Lord Jesus is calling you now to come forth from your cave or bondage, just as He called Lazarus to come forth from his cave.
John 5:25 – NKJV
25 Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live.
Like Lazarus, may you hear the Lord’s voice today and come forth from your cave to enjoy complete liberty in Christ and to begin to dine with the Lord and proclaim His praises as Lazarus did after his resurrection (John 12:1-2).
Prayer:
My Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for calling me from the cave where the spiritual undertakers have hidden me. I declare today that I am out of the cave of false religion, human traditions, and doctrines of demons to enjoy complete liberty in Christ, in Jesus’ name. Amen.