Oct 15thDevotion John 8:12-20 Return Of The Light

John 8:12-20 –   Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; the one who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.” 13 So the Pharisees said to Him, “You are testifying about Yourself; Your testimony is not true.” 14 Jesus answered and said to them, “Even if I am testifying about Myself, My testimony is true, because I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. 15 You judge according to the flesh; I am not judging anyone. 16 But even if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone in it, but I and the Father who sent Me. 17 Even in your Law it has been written that the testimony of two people is true. 18 I am He who testifies about Myself, and the Father who sent Me testifies about Me.” 19 So they were saying to Him, “Where is Your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither Me nor My Father; if you knew Me, you would know My Father also.” 20 These words He spoke in the treasury, as He taught in the temple area; and no one arrested Him, because His hour had not yet come.

“Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; the one who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”” King David said of the Lord God “For you are my lamp, LORD; and the LORD illuminates my darkness.” (2 Samuel 22:29)  Jesus, the long sought after Messiah came into the world.  The Apostle John, in his prologue to this Gospel, says of Jesus “In Him was life, and the life was the Light of mankind.” (John 1:4)  Psalm 119:105 says of the Lord “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”  God the Father sent Jesus His Son to be the light, the Word of God to lights up the path and directs us back to the Father.  It is Jesus who is the salvation who makes a way back to the Father.  It is He that showed us, by His own being, who God was.  Jesus said to see Him is to see God because He and the Father are one.    It the will and pleasure of the Father that we should return to Him as long lost reprobates and prodigals.  (Luke 15:11-32)  Jesus came to proclaim God’s truth to mankind.  To see who was Jesus was to see who the Father was.  Jesus was to later say that those who have seen Him have seen the Father. (John 12:45)  The world, since the fall, is a dark place and we do not see it as it is.  It is not until a dark room has light fill it that one can see his surroundings as they are.  Jesus lit up the dark places so that everyone can see God the Father. (John 14:9)  Jesus is the light that leads all who would come to the Father.

“So the Pharisees said to Him, “You are testifying about Yourself; Your testimony is not true.” 14 Jesus answered and said to them, “Even if I am testifying about Myself, My testimony is true, because I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from or where I am going.”  The Pharisees, in general, couldn’t jump from swamp to faith.  They always thought with their minds and believed man-made traditions.  They didn’t know how to think spiritually.  The first and most important thing to understand was that belief and obedience to Jesus was essential.  But that came at the loss of control of their life and submitting to and obeying Jesus, which they were unwilling to do. The scriptures, over and over again, tell how the things of God are only understood as God reveals them. Now, in our times, the Word of God is truly revealed by the Holy Spirit. (1 Corinthians 2:10-14, John 14:26, 16:13, 15:26) We yield to God and ask for understanding from Him that is a request that pleased God and He blesses. (James 1:5)

I wonder how many people in our world could say where Jesus truly came from and where He went to.  Do they know where He is?  But by the Spirit, we know.

They celebrated the Festival of Booths which was a time God led them as a pillar of fire. (Exodus 13:21-22)   He was their light. This same Shekina glory later filled their temple (2 Chronicles 7:1) 

“You judge according to the flesh; I am not judging anyone. 16 But even if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone in it, but I and the Father who sent Me.”  The Pharisees accused Him of giving false testimony of Himself because they did not believe that He and the Father are one.  If they had believed Jesus, then they would have understood, but because they did not believe Him, that means they also did not believe the Father, who testified of Jesus coming. All the things Jesus spoke of, including Himself, were words from the Father.  So the words that they heard from Jesus were the Father’s words and Jesus’ words.  Because of their hard hearts they couldn’t understand.

“Even in your Law it has been written that the testimony of two people is true. 18 I am He who testifies about Myself, and the Father who sent Me testifies about Me.” Jesus said it clearly to them now.  Jesus told them that His Father also testifies about Him.  So Jesus has two witnesses, both Jesus and the Father, which satisfies their requirement for two witnesses.  The scriptures and the Father and Jesus testify of Jesus.  A purposely blocked mind does not understand.

“So they were saying to Him, “Where is Your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither Me nor My Father; if you knew Me, you would know My Father also.” The Pharisees and hard headed people from then to now claim they know God but they do not.  They reject God’s word in whole or part and then say they know God while rejecting His Word and so thereby are calling Him a liar, or denying His omniscience.  Those who reject His words, His Son and His Spirit reject God and those who reject God don’t know Him.  Jesus said if someone sees Him one has seen the Father, because they are one.  So you cannot see and know Jesus without also seeing the Father.  All believers should understand this.

“These words He spoke in the treasury, as He taught in the temple area; and no one arrested Him, because His hour had not yet come.”  This scene had played out during the Festival of Booths and it is good to remember that as we read these verses.  This festival celebrating God taking care of them as He freed them from the slavery in Egypt.  When they were in the desert God led them a pillar of smoke during the day and a bright burning fire during the night. (Exodus 13:21-22)  They didn’t need candles because He lit up their camp. Later their temple was filled with the presence of God and so, as in the desert, the Lord their God was with them leading them. (2 Chronicles 7:1)  Then because of their sin the glory of the Lord left their temple.  They light of God that once filled their temple had departed. (Ezekiel 10:18) Now Jesus came and stood in the temple and the Light of God had returned.  Yet the rulers had become blind and could not see the return of the Light.  But some did.  The symbolism of Jesus the Light that had led them safely through the desert was back, but because of the hardness of the heart, they didn’t receive Him back.  So sad, so very sad.  May our hearts be pliable, are ears listening and our eyes open to see the movements of God in the world.  Let our lamps be ready. (Matthew 25:1-13)  May we be found loving the Lord when He returns. (Revelation 3:5)  He is faithful and will reward those who remain faithful to Him. (Revelation 22:12)   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.