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The Gospel of John, The Period of Conflict, Jesus Urged to Go to the Feast of Tabernacles, Part III, John 7:8-13 - Lesson 50
Read Verses John 7:6-8
John 7:8, Go ye up unto this feast: I go not up yet unto this feast: for my time is not yet full come. John 7:9 (KJV) When he had said these words unto them, he abode still in Galilee.
Christ did not say that he would not go up to the feast.
He simply says that he would not go then.
He declines to go with his brothers.
He will not lend himself to a show as his brothers desired.
Had he set a time his brothers might have thought they had influenced him.
He is in control.
He is to do his Father's will, not his brothers will.
He tells the brothers, who answered to their own will, the brothers whose time is always ready, to go anywhere at any time, to go to the feast.
But Christ, ever true to the Father's will, awaits guidance as to the proper time to go to the Feast of Tabernacles.
John 7:10, But when his brethren were gone up, then went he also up unto the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret.
So Jesus Christ does not join his brethren but goes to Jerusalem in secret.
He avoids the publicity that a caravan of people would naturally receive upon entry into the city.
He is not interested in doing his brother's will and showing off his powers in miracles and signs and wonders.
But he was interested in doing the Father's will and the Father's will was already expressed in the law that all males keep the feast of Tabernacles.
Jesus kept the law perfectly and he was obligated to be in Jerusalem at this festival.
So even though the Jews sought to kill him he went to the place of the Father's will.
Jesus' example to us is that when the Word of God plainly tells us go in a certain way, we are to do so, regardless of the consequences.
God will care for us!
John 7:11,12, Then the Jews sought him at the feast, and said, Where is he? And there was much murmuring among the people concerning him: for some said, He is a good man: others said, Nay; but he deceiveth the people.
See the diversity of opinions regarding the Son of God.
Think of the variety of opinions there is today about Jesus Christ.
There is nothing new under the sun.
How current this is. Read the Jan. 10, 1994 issue of Time magazine, pages 38 and 39.
The beginning sentence to the article is a quote from Matt. 16:15, where Christ asks the disciples, But whom say ye that I am?
The author of the article quotes several new authorities and their views which state that since:
Jesus was a carpenter he probably was illiterate and belonged to a low caste of artisans, he did not preach salvation from sin through sacrifice, he never said, Blessed are the peacemakers, never delivered the Sermon on the Mount, and never even asked the question which started the article, never cured any diseases, made no loaves and fishes, made no water into wine, did not raise Lazarus, had no resurrection, and his body was probably consumed by wild dogs.
How do these experts come to these conclusions?
If anything, the opinions of Jesus in this day are even more fanciful and varied then they were on the day he went to Jerusalem for the feast of Tabernacles.
But how many today will believe this claptrap, this trash?
How many will believe these theories so that they do not have to face their sin?
How man loves darkness and error instead of light!
There was much discussion at the feast as to whom Jesus was.
They reasoned among themselves.
Some said that he was John the Baptist, other said that he was Elijah, and others said he was one of the prophets.
But others said that he was simply a deceiver.
Some thought that his deeds of mercy and power were a smokescreen to cover up his real intentions.
This was the view that became the official view and that led to his crucifixion.
No need to discuss any further though because when Peter said that "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God, Jesus Christ blessed him for it.
End of discussion and reasoning about Jesus Christ.
The obligation now, the obligation today, is simply to receive him.
Discussion is over.
Today is the day of Salvation.
And yet the world is still discussing who Jesus is.
The world is ever learning, but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
Never able, no hearing ears!
John 7:13, Howbeit no man spake openly of him for fear of the Jews.
Proverbs 29:25, The fear of man bringeth a snare.
How often this fact brings silence to our lips.
When we have an opportunity to stand up for Christ are we like these crowds of old time and we keep silence for fear of those who hate Jesus Christ?
We need to pray for a holy boldness and a strong backbone so that when those opportunities come we have the power of the Holy Spirit to be fearless of man, for if God be for us who can be against us?
How we faint in times of adversity!
By the grace of God we don't have to! |