Today’s Reading: John 7:25-53 - Follow
The Feast of Tabernacles (also called the feast of booths) is almost over. People have been celebrating the harvest for a week living in temporary shelters. As one of the three great festivals, Jews from all over the world have gathered in Jerusalem. Jesus has been teaching for a couple days, sitting in the temple courts. The leaders of the people in Jerusalem decide they need to arrest Jesus and sent the temple guards to get him. People are really talking now. Some believe he is the Messiah, some believe him to be a good man, and some believe he is blasphemous.
John wrote, “Thus the people were divided because of Jesus. Some wanted to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him.” (vss 43-44) It wasn’t his time to be arrested. The division between those who believed and those who didn’t was widening. It started with his own family (John 7:5), then his disciples (John 6), and now we see it in Jerusalem. Everyone is arguing over who he is. It culminates in the cross during Passover a short 6 months later.
It may have culminated in the cross but that division still exists. He still calls us to believe but many turn away, others attack, and others stand confused. There are so many voices trying to keep us hearing Jesus’ call. Will you listen? Will you answer? Will you follow?
Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them. -John 7:37-38
