John 7:1 – After these things Jesus was walking in Galilee, for He was unwilling to walk in Judea because the Jews were seeking to kill Him.
“After these things.” After the healing of a man in Bethesda on the Sabbath who had been suffering for thirty-eight years (almost the life-span for a man in those times) and they persecuted Him for that. After saying that He was equal with God they wanted to kill Him. After He tried to teach them eternal life and how to have it. After producing the miracle of feeding five thousand from two small fish and five barley loaves (a boy’s meal). After the disciples saw Jesus walking on storm waters. After He empowered Peter to walk on those same waters. After He taught those who followed Him that they must consume who He is and what He has done in order to receive eternal life. After many who heard His teaching stopped following. After Peter confessed the identity of who Jesus was and gave the great statement that there was no-one else to go to because Jesus had the words of eternal life. After all those things John continues on. Wow, so much to try to understand and then to continue on. It’s as if John is saying “But wait, there’s more!” (Chapters 5 & 6)
Jesus was walking in Galilee. The meaning is that Jesus kept walking in Galilee. While Jesus forced no-one to walk with Him, He did stay around so that they could come to Him if they had a change of heart. Today, Jesus still stays around and walks near the unbeliever to give them every opportunity to have a change of heart and come to serve Him. (Of course, He is always with the believer. John 14:18, Romans 8:38-39, Matthew 28:20b) I thank Him for repeatedly offering to me, but never forcing upon me His salvation. I praise Him that He is still walking around my family and friends who don’t know Him. He is good all the time and He loves us.
“He was unwilling to walk in Judea because the Jews were seeking to kill Him.” Jesus did not avoid the Jews who were trying to kill because He was afraid of them. God has encouraged His servants to not be afraid. (Joshua 1:9, 2 Timothy 1:7, Deuteronomy 31:8) Fear is a lack of faith and trust in God. (Possibly ignorance of who God is and what He has said.) It is worry that God will bring us to something that we cannot successfully go through. Or that what we will go through will hurt us beyond what we can endure, whether physically or that will bring consequences too great for us. That is a lack of knowledge of God Himself or His Word, or a non-belief in Him or His Word. Since God has declared He will always be with us and that nothing can separate from His love and goodness, why should we fear? Jesus did not fear, He loved and trusted the Father because He knew and loved the Father who loved Him. Jesus did not fear (not talking about dread that came up from what He knew He was about to go through.) Fear does not come from faith and the Word states in Romans 14:23 that whatever is not of faith is sin. Heed not those who say that fearing is not sin. To face fear with faith is not sin. To live in continuously fear without faith is sin. Jesus was sinless, He did not fear.
Since it was not fear why Jesus avoided the Jews then what was it? It was from His absolute obedience to the will of the Father. (John 6:38) As He told His mother, and also others, He had a timetable from the Father that He was following. (John 2:4, 7:30, 12:27, Mark 14:35) He would not do anything that would jeopardize the will of the Father. He followed what we also are to do in Proverbs 3:5-6. This is not to only to keep the timetable but also to keep the scope of what Jesus was to do. Jesus came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10) and not to, at this time, overthrow the empires of the world (Revelation 17:14, 19:11-21). That will happen at His Second Coming. A building contractor may have two phases of work. The second one that is supported by the first cannot be done till the first is completed. More than any construction phases, God has a plan and it must be adhered to. The time He came to save spiritually. Next time He will save physically and defeat the devil and his armies. The Lord God is now reversing the events of history to make the time ready to fulfill the rest of Isaiah 61:1-2 at the return of Jesus. But His First Coming was not time for the events of His Second Coming. We know of His first coming, but about the second coming, He would say to us what He said to them, it is not yet the hour for that, though soon. God has His plan and it will happen just as He has said. Because He is who He is and everything He has said will happen just as He planned, what do we fear? We believe and trust in the True and Living God. Praise God!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will Hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown you, Oh man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
Numbers 6:24-26 – The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.