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The Gospel of John, The Period of Crisis, The Visit of the Greeks, Part X, John 12:29-33 - Lesson 107
Read Verses John 12:26-28, for review: If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honor. Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour. Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.
John 12:29-30, The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him. Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes.
This is the third time the Father spoke audibly to the Son and in each case it was in view of his death.
At the Jordan, Christ went down into the water symbolically into the place of death; on the mountain Elijah and Moses had talked to him of his decease and here Christ had just announced that his hour was at hand.
The Father thundered from heaven: I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.
The Father is an ever present help.
He hears his Son.
Some of the people had ears to hear thunder, some said that an angel had spoken to him.
The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit.
But the thunder, the noise at the moment that Jesus asked the Father that his name be glorified was for the sakes of those who were there.
It was the drum before the announcement that the prince of this world was to be cast out.
As Jesus continues in: John 12:31,32, He pronounces three things.
1) Now is the judgment of this world: 2) now shall the prince of this world be cast out. 3) And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.
His judgment on the world is doom for the world.
There is no hope for the world.
The world rejects the Son of God.
The Son of God will save his people from the world because they are not of the world.
Because the world has been found wanting.
Secondly the prince of this world will be cast out by Christ's work on the cross.
The Lord's death is God's means of tearing down Satan's world system.
The first stage of this casting out took place at the cross.
He will next be cast out of heaven into the earth.
Then he will be cast into the bottomless pit, and finally cast into the lake of fire and brimstone.
Thirdly by his being lifted up on the cross all men will be drawn to him.
All men will be drawn to the cross to make a decision.
Everyone has to decide on which side of the cross to stand.
If you are not for him, you are against him.
He said he would be lifted up in John 12:33: signifying what death he should die.
Jesus Christ fulfilled all the scripture.
He would die by crucifixion according to Psalm 22 and 69.
He would die on an accursed thing during this last week before returning to the Father.
He would defeat death, judge the world, cast out the prince of this world and set the captives free.
The hour was at hand! |