From the desk of Pastor Ben
Jesus Answers The Challenge

Jesus said to them, “My time is not yet here, but your time is always opportune. The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it, that its deeds are evil. Go up to the feast yourselves; I do not go up to this feast because My time has not yet fully come.” Having said these things to them, He stayed in Galilee.                                (John 7:6-9)

Our Lord never unveiled Himself before the appropriate time, the precise moment the Father chose (John 2:4). So Jesus would not publicly enter Jerusalem and proclaim Himself to be the Messiah until Passover (Luke 19:37-40), at which time that manifestation would lead to His death.

By contrast, Christ’s unbelieving brothers knew nothing of God’s plans and purposes, and were indifferent to His providence. They could go to the feast at any time because they would face no fatal hostility from the Jewish leaders. However, Jesus reminded His brothers that the world hated Him because of His testimony against it. The devil controls the world (1 John 5:19), hence it is intrinsically evil and sinful.

Besides reasons of divine timing, Jesus chose not to go to Jerusalem for other reasons as well. The probable large, public caravan of people (Luke 2:44) might have invited another forcible attempt to make Him king, or it could have triggered a premature triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Either way, events could have caused His death before the proper time.

When our Lord did lay down His life 6 months later, it would be exactly when God predetermined it (John 7:30; 8:20). Jesus would in no way allow His brothers’ skepticism to dictate His actions. His sovereign Father orchestrated everything in His time and determined all the Son did.

Ask Yourself:
Have you ever had to go against others’ expectations in order to remain obedient to God’s direction for your life? Or do you generally let these kinds of pressures do the dictating, even when it causes you to be less than faithful to God’s calling?