9 That which hath been is that which shall be; and that which hath been done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.
So yes, prior to Jesus riding into Jerusalem He raised Lazarus (Eleazar -- the helper -- the Spirit looking for a bride for Jesus) from the dead. Certainly seems like a rapture.
Second, it seems that this rapture woke up many believers, so this could not be any kind of "mid tribulation rapture" because after that there is no saints waking up. Also the second half of the gospel would also be for believers, so I have to believe that this is a picture of a pre-tribulation rapture, especially since they don't start planning to kill Jesus (christians) until after Lazarus is raised.
12:1 Jesus therefore six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus raised from the dead.
This does not say that Jesus raised Lazarus six days before Passover, it says He came to Bethany six days before. Based on the fig tree prophecy I expect all things to take place before May 2029, so Passover of 2029 is plausible as the Lord's triumphant return to Jerusalem. If six days before refers to six years before that would be 2023. However, I am not looking at this meal as a meal with the raptured saints. Instead the viewpoint I have is that the rapture takes place prior to the tribulation. This event wakes up many believers. At first they are ashamed and turn and repent for being lukewarm, or unbelieving, or for whatever it is they need to repent of. But this is where the salvation of those Christians left behind begins. If this is six days before does that mean that Passover is the seventh day? These numbers are confusing, six days before Passover could be the 8th day of Nisan. It is the first month of the year, the 8th day refers to both a new beginning and to Jesus. The tribulation will begin at the Feast of Trumpets six months later, but still in the same year. So I don't see this as a reference to the day of the rapture but rather the year. If it is then it is pointing to this year. The 8th of Nisan would be the 9th of April (granted there are several interpretations of how to calculate dates, this is still the one I subscribe to).
2 So they made him a supper there: and Martha served; but Lazarus was one of them that sat at meat with him. 3 Mary therefore took a pound of ointment of pure nard, very precious, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odor of the ointment.
This is weird, we heard she had already done this before in verse 11:2. In other words think of the church having two rows. The front row was raptured. In that row you have "Mary" who wiped the Lord's feet with her hair and anointed his feet with costly ointment. Now in the second row, once the first row is gone we also have "Mary" who wipes the Lord's feet and anoints them with costly ointment. Once these saints wake up they also will pour themselves out, worship the Lord, serve the Lord and function in the same way that those who were raptured did. I look at it like the Lord pulls the first string off the field and puts the second string on. The second string linebacker does the same thing that the first string linebacker did.
4 But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples, that should betray him, saith, 5 Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred shillings, and given to the poor? 6 Now this he said, not because he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and having the bag took away what was put therein. 7 Jesus therefore said, Suffer her to keep it against the day of my burying. 8 For the poor ye have always with you; but me ye have not always.
They must deal with false prophets as all believers in history have had to.
So yes, prior to Jesus riding into Jerusalem He raised Lazarus (Eleazar -- the helper -- the Spirit looking for a bride for Jesus) from the dead. Certainly seems like a rapture.
Second, it seems that this rapture woke up many believers, so this could not be any kind of "mid tribulation rapture" because after that there is no saints waking up. Also the second half of the gospel would also be for believers, so I have to believe that this is a picture of a pre-tribulation rapture, especially since they don't start planning to kill Jesus (christians) until after Lazarus is raised.
12:1 Jesus therefore six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus raised from the dead.
This does not say that Jesus raised Lazarus six days before Passover, it says He came to Bethany six days before. Based on the fig tree prophecy I expect all things to take place before May 2029, so Passover of 2029 is plausible as the Lord's triumphant return to Jerusalem. If six days before refers to six years before that would be 2023. However, I am not looking at this meal as a meal with the raptured saints. Instead the viewpoint I have is that the rapture takes place prior to the tribulation. This event wakes up many believers. At first they are ashamed and turn and repent for being lukewarm, or unbelieving, or for whatever it is they need to repent of. But this is where the salvation of those Christians left behind begins. If this is six days before does that mean that Passover is the seventh day? These numbers are confusing, six days before Passover could be the 8th day of Nisan. It is the first month of the year, the 8th day refers to both a new beginning and to Jesus. The tribulation will begin at the Feast of Trumpets six months later, but still in the same year. So I don't see this as a reference to the day of the rapture but rather the year. If it is then it is pointing to this year. The 8th of Nisan would be the 9th of April (granted there are several interpretations of how to calculate dates, this is still the one I subscribe to).
2 So they made him a supper there: and Martha served; but Lazarus was one of them that sat at meat with him. 3 Mary therefore took a pound of ointment of pure nard, very precious, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odor of the ointment.
This is weird, we heard she had already done this before in verse 11:2. In other words think of the church having two rows. The front row was raptured. In that row you have "Mary" who wiped the Lord's feet with her hair and anointed his feet with costly ointment. Now in the second row, once the first row is gone we also have "Mary" who wipes the Lord's feet and anoints them with costly ointment. Once these saints wake up they also will pour themselves out, worship the Lord, serve the Lord and function in the same way that those who were raptured did. I look at it like the Lord pulls the first string off the field and puts the second string on. The second string linebacker does the same thing that the first string linebacker did.
4 But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples, that should betray him, saith, 5 Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred shillings, and given to the poor? 6 Now this he said, not because he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and having the bag took away what was put therein. 7 Jesus therefore said, Suffer her to keep it against the day of my burying. 8 For the poor ye have always with you; but me ye have not always.
They must deal with false prophets as all believers in history have had to.