John 11:1 Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.
This chapter gives us a picture of the church age. During the entire church age Jesus is healing those that are sick and raising us up to walk in the resurrection life.
2 (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.)
This is significant. We have a covenant relationship with the Lord. When you make a covenant there is a sacrifice that each party makes. They are highlighting the sacrifice that Mary made because that covenant relationship is the basis for us to pray for healing and salvation for others.
3 Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.
In other words, Satan is trying to destroy someone that belongs to Jesus. That is a great prayer to make because it is illegal for Satan to steal something that belongs to the Lord and will certainly prompt a quick response from the Lord.
4 When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.
We need our attitude adjusted. When things happen in your life think of them as an opportunity for Jesus to be glorified, the same way a boxer is glorified when he wins the title. In order to win the title there must be a championship fight. Look at cancer, a job loss, or being broke as an opportunity for the Lord to be glorified. Therefore, before any of those happen make sure you are pouring out everything that is within you onto the Lord as fragrant perfume. No one can out give the Lord, Mary poured out costly ointment on the Lord and He in turn poured out costly ointment on Mary and her family.
5 Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.
Jesus waits until Lazarus dies because He loved Martha, Mary and Lazarus. He wanted this to be special.
6 When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was.
We can liken these two days to the two thousand years of the church age. Hosea 6 indicates that Jesus steps down on the Mount of Olives exactly 2,000 years after He ascended. If Jesus ascended in 32 AD we expect He will return in 2032 AD. We also expect that seven years prior to that the seventieth week for Israel will begin. That would be in 2025.
7 Then after that saith he to his disciples, Let us go into Judaea again.
During the church age the Jews were scattered to the four winds and the gospel turned to the nations. After the two days Jesus once again turns the gospel back to Israel. The math is quite interesting, because we can also look at a period of seven weeks of years, or 49 years as a single unit. If we do that then 1,960 years after 70 AD is 2030. This is when the gospel turns back to the Jews.
8 His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither again?
This is a reference to the apostolic church in Jerusalem. James was killed, Peter was imprisoned, and there was much persecution against the church as well as Jesus crucifixion.
9 Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.
Jesus was crucified and laid in the tomb as the sun was setting. The sun set on the Jews and rose on the Gentiles. But then, at the end of the church age the sun will be setting on the Gentiles and will be rising on the Jews.
10 But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.
The word of God is a light unto our path. During the seventieth week Antichrist will do all in his power to eliminate the word of God so that everyone in the world is walking in darkness. However, this will not impact the Jews as every synagogue has a scroll and most orthodox jews also have a printed torah.
11 These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.
We discover that at the end of the age there are a lot of people who need to be woken up. Satan uses mass media as a way to sing a lullabye to people to put them to sleep.
12 Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well.
Consider the confusion in this chapter between sleep and death and it seems intentional on the Lord's part.
13 Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.
The rapture will cause the dead in Christ to rise, it will also wake up those who have been sleeping and not paying attention to what the Lord is doing.
14 Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.
Presumably when they sent the message to Jesus Lazarus was still alive. If they were walking twenty miles is a very good journey for a day's walk. So if they were 80 miles or more from Jerusalem it could have taken Jesus four days to get there. That would indicate He waited two days until Lazarus died. Four days is an interesting period since the first half of the tribulation is 3 1/2 years and then the Jews have to flee Jerusalem. So Jesus returning to Bethany could be at the midpoint of the seven year period when "they die". Again indicating it could be 2028 when we get to the midpoint of the seven year period.
15 And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him.
Jesus returning to the Mount of Olives in glory will help many to believe.
16 Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellowdisciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him.
I think Thomas is a clear reference to the tribulation saints. The tribulation saints will die with the Lord in the first half of the tribulation.
