Could it be that God in his great preciseness for detail, and in a demonstrative action in the raising up of Lazarus from the grave portrayed a preview of Israel's journey on the seas of Gentile waters, and its resurrection from the valley of death?

      God, who knows the end of all things from the beginning, and has appointed symmetrical bounds to all the divisions of human history, also authored the Bible with that same type of ingenuity.

      From the creation of the First Adam to the arrival of Abraham, ( Abrahamic Covenant ) Biblical history records a span of about 2000 years. Then proceeding from Abraham ahead till the advent of Second Adam ( Jesus ), history records still yet another 2000 years. Could there be an analogy gleamed from these eras of 2000 year periods that would reflect an established pattern of some dramatic world event?

      The concept that the proportioning of this present age of dispensation might parallel the previous great divisions within Biblical history is worth analyzing.

      Might Jesus have portrayed that epic division of the ages of mankind when he raised Lazarus from the grave, making it to be yet another sign to Israel that he would also do the same for them at some future appointed date. (an acceptable time, see Isaiah 49:8)

      Thus saith the Lord, In an acceptable time have I heard thee; and in a day of salvation have I helped thee: and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages

     . Certainly Israel has never yet come to the acceptable time for finding salvation, nor to be recovered from its desolation.

      But in John 11 verses 6-7 we find this statement about Lazarus:

      When he had heard therefore that Lazarus was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was.

      Then, after that saith he to his disciples, Let us go into Judea again.

      Why would God go to the trouble to give us the exact length of time that our Lord tarried, even lingered outside of Judea after he had received the information that Lazarus, a man verse 36 indicates that Jesus greatly loved, was nigh unto death?

      There is nothing superfluous or meaningless within the Bible, and I don't think God minces or wastes his words on trivial information. I surmise that the inclusion of this information may have a much deeper meaning than that which appears on the surface.

      Then when we read down in verse 17 that the beloved Lazarus had already lain in the grave for four days when Jesus finally arrived, I have to wonder why Jesus would have tarried for two whole days when he knew that his friend was in such an urgent condition? And why did Jesus relate that Lazarus’s sickness was not unto death in verse 4, only to arrive and find Lazarus dead? Wouldn’t Jesus have known that his delay in arriving would result in Lazarus death, after all, Martha remarked to Jesus when he finally did arrive; “Lord, had you been here Lazarus would not have died”?

      And again, why is there so much inclusion of precise tidbits of information given in this account? Why would anyone ever need to know exactly how long Lazarus had been dead, or how long Jesus lingered away from Bethany if the only intent of this event is the portrayal of the great miracle of Jesus raising Lazarus from the grave?

      The name of Lazarus means, “God has rescued”!

      Perhaps, Lazarus typified the condition of mankind as a whole, and national Israel in general, when it finally came to be that the Son of Man visited Israel 2000 years ago. When Jesus came, he found mankind dead in their trespasses and sins. Mankind, at that epic stage of history had been in that fallen condition from the time of Adam, or for 4000 years.

      Lazarus, not only typified the state of natural man in his spiritually dead condition, but by being the one whom Jesus wept over, because he loved him so much, Lazarus also typified the nation that God chose, Israel. Jesus wept over the rejection he would receive in the city of Jerusalem in much the same fashion that he wept over the death of his beloved Lazarus.

      So, when Jesus finally says; “let us go down again (2nd time ) into Judea,” after he has tarried outside that land for two whole days; it typifies the reality of Jesus being absent from the land of Israel for past two thousand years, then returning back unto Israel; to restore and regenerate life to his nation in the last days.

      This analogy is in perfect harmony with the quote from Old Testament prophet Hosea 6:2

      After two days ( two thousand years ) he will revive us, ( Israel ) and in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.

      Remember that Hosea's wife had committed whoredoms, in typical fashion as Israel did; yet Hosea loved her enough that he bought her back; and in like manner, so God at an acceptable time will buy Israel back.

      Four days ( four thousand years ) from Adam to the first advent of Jesus, followed by the two days of his absence, marks a total of 6000 years, which parallels human history precisely, and also the amount of time Lazarus had lain in the grave. And then at the appointed time when the Lord returns to usher in the seventh day, or the Millennium, then shall the sick be healed and the dead will be raised. In like pattern, Israel will also be raised from the grave, symbolized by the valley of dry bones vision in Ezekiel 37, and then God will breathe new life into the body of Israel!

      The when we read the following by Peter:

      II Peter 3: 8 says: But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

      And also from the Psalms:

      Psalms 90:4 also: For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.

      Jesus said regarding Lazarus, that his sickness was not unto death, but that the real intent of his death was that all may believe; still yet Lazarus withered away, but alas at the appointed time Jesus raised him back up to life. Israel's sickness likewise is not meant unto death; yet Israel also withered away, even unto a valley of dry bones; but.....Hallelujah

      Just as Jesus called out to Lazarus to come forth up out of his dry, dusty grave, Jesus is calling for all mankind to come up out of the grave of sin, and both symbolically signify the Last Days cry of Jesus for "Israel to Come Forth".

      In 1948 Israel indeed came forth, and it will be at the acceptable time that God will breathe the breath of life into Israel; just like he did with Lazarus! Lazarus Came Forth! Israel is Coming forth!