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In this passage it is time for the Festival of Booths which was one of the important feasts that the Jews celebrated. It was in remembrance of their time in the desert where they lived in tents. It was celebrated in September or October, two months prior to the Feast of Dedication. It is called the "Feast of Booths" because people live din leafy shelters to remember God's faithfulness to Israel during her wilderness wanderings (Lev. 23:42-43) It was also a time of celebration and thanksgiving for the harvest (Lev. 23:39-41; Deut. 16:13-15).
I love the part where the temple guards were sent to arrest Jesus, yet they returned empty handed. Their response: "No one ever spoke like this man." (46) Evidence when people listen to Jesus' words they see/hear the difference. The Pharisees wouldn't really listen to Jesus' words so they never completely understood, yet these temple guards did.
A reminder to us that we need to listen to Jesus' words with open minds and hearts and not be caught up in religious ideas and attitudes. (I'm speaking to me, if this fits you too great)
Have a blessed day
After studying The book of James using Beth Moore's study, the verse that says His brothers didn't believe in Him really jumps out at me! James ended up being a leader in the New Testament church. Amazing how God can change a heart!
ReplyDelete"38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'" 39 Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified."
ReplyDeleteI love this image.
John 7
ReplyDelete6-8 Jesus told them, “Now is not the right time for me to go. Any time is right for you. The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I say that what everyone does is evil. Go to the festival. I’m not going to this festival right now. Now is not the right time for me to go.”
John 15
22-25 If I hadn’t come and spoken to them, they wouldn’t have any sin. But now they have no excuse for their sin. The person who hates me also hates my Father. If I hadn’t done among them what no one else has done, they wouldn’t have any sin. But now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. In this way what is written in their Scriptures has come true: ‘They hate me for no reason.’
17 Those who want to follow the will of God will know if what I teach is from God or if I teach my own thoughts.
John 14
10 Don't you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I speak are not my own, but my Father who lives in me does his work through me.