John 7:32-39 – The Pharisees heard the crowd whispering these things about Him, and the chief priests and the Pharisees sent officers to arrest Him. 33 Therefore Jesus said, “For a little while longer I am going to be with you, and then I am going to Him who sent Me. 34 You will seek Me, and will not find Me; and where I am, you cannot come.” 35 The Jews then said to one another, “Where does this man intend to go that we will not find Him? He does not intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks, does He? 36 What is this statement that He said, ‘You will seek Me, and will not find Me; and where I am, you cannot come’?” 37 Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. 38 The one who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’” 39 But this He said in reference to the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
“The Pharisees heard the crowd whispering these things about Him, and the chief priests and the Pharisees sent officers to arrest Him.” The Jewish authorities had known Jesus was gaining in followers. They had warned against following Him, against believing His claims. But more and more people came to belief in Him. Now, at the Festival of Booths even more were coming to Him and believing, and sharing in whispered tones lest the Jewish authorities arrest and ex-communicate Him. The authorities sent officers to arrest Him. It is not that they were concerned for the people, but for their own power. But what of the police, how will they respond.
In the midst of a war, if a soldier was ordered to fire upon orphans huddled in a corner, we would condemn not only his commanding officer, but also the soldier for doing something so morally depraved, even under orders. There are very few reasons a soldier should disobey his commanding officer, but certainly something like this would be a time to do so. To save innocent lives should cause every person in uniform to resist an evil authority. A righteous person should resist evil commands. That is the soldier’s command from the highest authority, from God Himself, because most importantly all people ultimately answer to God. And not only should soldiers respond to God rather than man, but every soul that ever lived also should. What if, in all history, every person who was commanded to do evil resisted the command or law? How would our history be different? Go back through history. What if when an evil command was roared with a threat it had always been rebuffed by a righteous return roar of refusal? We would have a different world.
“Therefore Jesus said, “For a little while longer I am going to be with you, and then I am going to Him who sent Me. 34 You will seek Me, and will not find Me; and where I am, you cannot come.” We, with the promised Holy Spirit within, clearly understand what Jesus was talking about. We see what those who do not have the Holy Spirit cannot see. We understand the meaning of what the unendowed cannot. They could not see or find him because they seek him from their own resolve and strength. We see Him and find Him because we seek not using our resolve and strength but because we lean entirely on Him to guide and teach us.
“35 The Jews then said to one another, “Where does this man intend to go that we will not find Him? He does not intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks, does He? 36 What is this statement that He said, ‘You will seek Me, and will not find Me; and where I am, you cannot come’?” Again, man cannot know the things of God unless received from Him. They wondered if Jesus would go out into the places that the Jews fled to during the dispersion and teach to the Jews and the Greeks (non-Jews) there. No, Jesus Himself would not but His disciples would, under the power of the Spirit, and they change the future of the world. These authorities sought to understand the spiritual from a worldly position. It will not happen.
“37 Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. 38 The one who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’” 39 But this He said in reference to the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.” During the Feast of Booths there was ritual that had been performed for at least a couple of hundred years in which water from the Pools of Siloam would be poured out to signify the coming of the Messiah and His Spirit. This was done the first seven days of the festival. On the eighth day, the final day, it was not done. It was to show that this day of the pouring out of the Spirit had not come. The day they longed for had not yet come. So it is sad that they did not understand the significance of Jesus giving them this proclamation on this day. It was yet another informing of them that their Messiah had come and Jesus was He. The words are clear for those with eyes to see and those with the eyes to see, ears to understand, and mind to receive are those who have the heart to believe the words of Jesus. From Jesus flows living water because only He is the way ordained by God to Jesus. (John 14:6)
Then, at that time, the Spirit was not yet poured out to them because that would only happen after Jesus had died and risen. But for us, Jesus has risen. We can know. We can drink water that gives eternal life. We can eat the flesh and drink the blood of Jesus. We can take up the cross that all believers are called to do, that all must do. We can know and love Him who first knew and loved us. What a glorious advantage the Gospel is. Family and Friends, let’s be sure we all know the one true Gospel and that we cling to it as if our lives depend upon it, because they do. Thank you Jesus! Thank you 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.