The Altar of Bethany

The Altar of Bethany 

Anchored in John 11

"At the altar of Bethany, resurrection life met human limitation and glory broke through the grave. Your tomb moments are not your end; instead, they are the stage where resurrection is revealed. Death doesn’t get the last word. Jesus does." 

The Death of Lazarus

The death of Lazarus is one of the most well-known miracles in the Bible. It transcends our limited human understanding, as even today, few have seen or experienced anything quite like it. But before Lazarus is resurrected, we witness several layers of activity in the form of interactions, emotions, and responses to the tragedy.

To begin with, this miracle takes place in Bethany, the village where Martha and Mary lived. A quick search reveals that Bethany means “house of affliction.” A place of affliction is naturally where despair rises, but here, we see that the “house of affliction” becomes an altar where God’s glory is made manifest.

So your Bethany moments are your tomb moments or seasons where it appears that death, destruction, or decay is final. These are moments of complete despair and hopelessness, where death seems like the only option. That despair can present itself as depression or suicidal thoughts. But Jesus is showing us that these very morbid moments can become altars of resurrection if we yield fully to Him.

At Bethany

Outlining what happens in Bethany can help us understand how affliction is turned into an altar of surrender. In John 11 verses 5 & 6, we see a paradox: love and delay. Jesus delays visiting Bethany even though He loves Lazarus and his sisters. This shows us that delay is common in Bethany and it represents seasons where God seems silent. But delay also exposes how we interpret circumstances. Do you see life through the system of death, or the system of glory?

Many of us equate God’s love with quick answers. But in Bethany, Jesus reveals a superior system: the resurrection life. His love doesn’t always rush in to fix things. Sometimes, His love lets things die so He can raise them in glory. Can you trust Him enough for that?

Bethany is also filled with different characters, each reacting to Lazarus’s death in unique ways:

• The disciples grapple with why Jesus would return to Judea, where He’d been threatened.

• Martha runs to meet Jesus full of hope, but still limited in understanding. She believes in resurrection, but only in the future.

• Mary, in contrast, sits still in grief until Jesus calls for her. When she sees Him, she collapses at His feet in worship and surrender, pouring out her pain. So in your Bethany moment, don’t hide your grief. Pour it out at His feet in full surrender and experience resurrection life.

• Then there are the onlookers; the Jews who say, “Couldn’t He have healed Lazarus?” They assume love means preventing death, but Jesus reveals that true love brings greater glory. We need to shift our mindset: delay isn’t rejection, and death isn’t the end.

Why the Altar of Bethany?

Bethany isn’t just a village, it’s a prophetic picture. It sits between Jerusalem (the place of confrontation and judgment) and the wilderness (a place of testing and solitude). It's the threshold place where death is overturned, worship is released, and resurrection is revealed. 

Bethany in Scripture always carries these prophetic layers:

1. House of Affliction (John 11)

• A place where death tried to sit on the throne (Lazarus' tomb).

• But Jesus revealed Himself as the Resurrection and the Life.

This means, If you’re in a Bethany season one of delay, loss, affliction, then resurrection power is near.

2. House of Worship (John 12; Mark 14)

• Bethany became a place of extravagant worship (Mary's anointing).

• In Bethany seasons, you pour out even when misunderstood.

• Costly worship becomes prophetic preparation.
  
  

3. House of Retreat (Matt. 21:17; Mark 11:11–12)

• Jesus often retreated to Bethany during His final days.

• Bethany seasons are intimate seasons, hidden, but holy.

• They’re a place of rest before public assignment.
  
  

4. Threshold to Ascension (Luke 24:50–51)

• Jesus ascended to heaven from Bethany.

• Bethany is the place of transition and promotion.

• It prepares you for elevation, even when it feels quiet.

Bethany as a Prophetic Place

In short, Bethany seasons are hidden but holy. They carry pain, but also resurrection, worship, and ascension. These are the seasons where you choose:

• Resurrection life, by holding on to Jesus’ words.

• Or death, by letting despair have the last say.

You could be unemployed, with bills piling up—this is your Bethany.
Your children may be out of school, and there seems to be no way—this is your Bethany.
You could be lying on a hospital bed, feeling abandoned—this is your Bethany. 

But whether or not it becomes an altar of life or death depends on what you choose. Choose life. Declare like Jesus: “This [situation] does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it” (John 11:4).That’s how you build an altar at Bethany (at the place of your affliction).