FINDING JESUS

READ JOHN 7:32-39

32-39) Chief Priests and Pharisees represent the ruling council, the Sanhedrin. The officers were Temple police. SETTING: Jesus is avoiding getting arrested at this point because His hour has not yet come, v.30. It was not time for Him to be arrested, Jesus was in full control of His life. No one could arrest Him, nor kill Him untIl the time was right as called by the Father. In these verses Jesus announces that He is going somewhere. (The Jews think He is going to the dispersion among the Greeks. These were Jewish People, "...not living in Palestine, but "dispersed" or scattered among the Gentiles...they were referred to as "Greeks" here." (The Bible Knowledge Key Word Study) The reality of what Jesus was telling these Jewish authorities was that they would die in their sins and so could not come to be with Him in heaven. A sad commentary for these Jewish leaders! (See also John 6:65)

37-39) On the last day of the feast, the eighth day, Jesus cries out to the crowd.
QUOTE: "The year was somewhere around A.D. 30. It was Hoshana Rabbah, the last day, the great day of the Feast of Tabernaciles. The bright morning sun was almost too warm as the throngs crowded the Temple courts for the Hoshana Rabbah service. As the people intently watched the priest conduct the service, a loud voice rang out from the crowd. The priests glared in consternation, and the people whipped around in great surprise to see who dared interrupt the service. They say a young Galilean in His early thirties, the one whom many held to be a great rabbi, a prophet, or even the Messiah. He boomed: "If anyone thirst, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water" (Jn 37-38; cf. Jn. 4:14). In other words, He said: I am the answer to your prayers, I am the Messiah. I can save you now so that you will never thirst for salvation again." (From the book The Feasts of the Lord)

From here a spirited debate broke out among the people and we will look at this debate next time.
O ADONAI, TO HAVE THE PRIVILEGE TO ENTER YOUR GATES AND GIVE THANKS IN YOUR COURTS IS A BLESSING BEYOND MEASURE. AMEN