“Verily, verily, I say to you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; and hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.” John 5:25-27

While many misunderstand these words of Jesus to be a reference only to His raising of all the dead and His judgment on the last day, Jesus here speaks of the power of His Word to raise up those in spiritual darkness and death to spiritual life.

The Apostle Paul also speaks of this when he wrote to the Ephesians (Eph. 2:1-7): “And you hath he made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins; in which in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: among whom also we all had our manner of life in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath made us alive together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.”

Jesus pointed out that the hour was coming and now is that the spiritually dead would hear the voice of the Son of God calling them to faith through His Word, and those who hear Jesus calling them to faith in Him and His cross would be raised up from spiritual darkness and death to light and life eternal through faith in His name.

Jesus also told His apostles in Luke 10:16: “He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me.”

What are we to make of this? Jesus is calling us with His life-giving Word. When ministers faithfully preach and teach the Word of Jesus, Jesus is speaking through them. He is calling the spiritually dead to faith and life in Jesus through faith in His name.

Of course, not all who read the Bible or hear the words of faithful preachers hear Jesus’ voice calling them to repentance and faith through the Word. Many take His Word lightly and do not take it to heart and believe. They remain dead in their sins and under the wrath of God. But those who hear Jesus’ voice calling on them to repent of their sins and trust in Him and His atoning sacrifice on the cross for pardon and forgiveness are raised up to spiritual life and live — eternally! Cf. John 3:14-18.

Jesus explains: “For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; and hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.”

In the same way as God the Father raises people up from spiritual death to spiritual life through His Word, so also God the Son gives life to those who hear His voice and place their faith in Him.

So, not only is Jesus given the authority to be our judge on the last day, He now raises the spiritually dead and gives life — spiritual and eternal — to all who hear His voice calling them to repentance and faith through the Scriptures. And those who hear and heed His voice now will not be condemned in His judgment on the last day because they have “passed from death to life” (John 5:24).

Dear Lord Jesus, open my ears that, when the Bible is read and proclaimed, I may hear Your voice calling me to repent of my sinful ways and look to You and Your cross in faith for pardon, forgiveness, and life everlasting. Amen.

[Scripture is quoted from the Revised 1833 Webster Version of the Bible.]