JESUS WALKED IN GALILEE
John 7:1 After these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in Jewry, because the Jews sought to kill him. 2 Now the Jews’ feast of tabernacles was at hand. 3 His brethren therefore said unto him, Depart hence, and go into Judaea, that thy disciples also may see the works that thou doest. 4 For there is no man that doeth any thing in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou do these things, shew thyself to the world. 5 For neither did his brethren believe in him. 6 Then Jesus said unto them, My time is not yet come: but your time is alway ready. 7 The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil. 8 Go ye up unto this feast: I go not up yet unto this feast; for my time is not yet full come. 9 When he had said these words unto them, he abode still in Galilee.
In verse one we have the phrase of our title, Jesus walked in Galilee. And then in verse nine, the last verse of our context, we read, he abode still in Galilee. And in verse one we have the reason why our Lord is now abiding in Galilee of the Gentiles (Matthew 4:15). It was because of two things. The first was that the Jews were striving now to kill him. (Do you find it odd that religions of the world are so blood thirsty? In that one thing we find the difference between the true and all false religions. Proverbs 8:35 For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD. 36 But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.) And the second reason the Lord remained in Galilee is because it was not yet his time.
The Lord Jesus, being the light of the world (John 8:12), warned of his physical removal and the ending of his personal ministry. John 12:35 Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth. 36 While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.
He clearly instructed them that the scriptures must be fulfilled, both of the ending of his earthly ministry and concerning his death. Luke 22:37 For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the transgressors: for the things concerning me have an end.
He knew that his time would also be the assigned hour in which those who would supply the wicked hands (Acts 2:23) for Satan’s use, to crucify and kill him! Luke 22:53 When I was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched forth no hands against me: but this is your hour, and the power of darkness.
And he knew that until that hour, he must not only avoid Jerusalem, but also be careful lest he overly inflame his enemies with his miracles, which manifested his glory! Luke 13:33 Nevertheless I must walk to day, and to morrow, and the day following: for it cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem. Matthew 20:17 And Jesus going up to Jerusalem took the twelve disciples apart in the way, and said unto them, 18 Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death, 19 And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again.
He even set forth the connection of his working miracles to his hour of death in the very first recorded miracle! John 2:3 And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. 4 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come. 11 This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.
And as his miracles manifested forth his glory, that manifest glory infuriated his enemies, as it did in Stephen’s situation, causing them to rush him out of the city and stone him! Acts 7:55 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, 57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, 58 And cast him out of the city, and stoned him:
And it shall be that despising to attribute to God the glory that is his shall be that which causes the horrible pains of Hell! Revelation 16:9 And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory. 10 And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain, 11 And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.
And even at his very claim of deity, it set them off with such a fury in their murderous hearts that they would have stoned him. And that would not only have been before his time, but would not have been the manner of the sacrifice the Father intended in order for the blood to be shed to provide redemption for the sheep! John 8:58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am. 59 Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.
This preserving of the vessels of faith is also a serious and needful topic of instruction from the Lord to his church. Matthew 10:23 But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come. It is a dangerous world for the witnesses of Christ and his truth! They are as defenseless sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore it is extremely needful that they know how to properly conduct themselves!
Matthew 10:16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. They must be wise as the serpent, who everyone’s hand is against, in knowing how to hide himself by blending in with his surroundings. There must be no needless zeal! But also always remaining harmless as the dove in not being the cause of any strife. Satan used the serpent’s wisdom in the garden to destroy man’s relation with God. And God will use this reference to it to preserve that redeemed life in order to maintain them for his glory!
(And it is interesting to realize that our Lord here divides the entirety of Adam’s race into two distinct groups – either sheep, or wolves! 1 John 5:19 And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness. For it is only he that is not against us who is for us, the Lord said. {Luke 9:50}. There is no neutrality regarding him!)
There shall be a time when the Beast of human government shall hate the Whore and destroy organized religion from his presence. (Revelation 17:16). In that time the true church shall have to disassociate herself from the form of public religion, in order to survive. Amos 5:12 For I know your manifold transgressions and your mighty sins: they afflict the just, they take a bribe, and they turn aside the poor in the gate from their right. 13 Therefore the prudent shall keep silence in that time; for it is an evil time.
Proverbs 28:12 When righteous men do rejoice, there is great glory: but when the wicked rise, a man is hidden. 28 When the wicked rise, men hide themselves: but when they perish, the righteous increase.
Shew thyself to the world. (v.4) – This is the advise from unbelieving family members! But this he had already sufficiently done. For this is the reason he was now being plotted against for his murder! John 18:19 The high priest then asked Jesus of his disciples, and of his doctrine. 20 Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing. 21 Why askest thou me? ask them which heard me, what I have said unto them: behold, they know what I said. 22 And when he had thus spoken, one of the officers which stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, Answerest thou the high priest so? 23 Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: but if well, why smitest thou me?
Acts 2:22 Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:
They didn’t crucify the Lord Jesus because they did not know who he was! They crucified him because they did know who he was, but just didn’t like the ‘package’ in which their Messiah was encased! He was born in a cow barn. He had to borrow a mule to ride into Jerusalem. To them he was a vagrant who had no money to pay his temple tax. And he had less comforts that the foxes with their holes, and birds with their nests!
And the Lord Jesus even said that they knew him! John 7:28 Then cried Jesus in the temple as he taught, saying, Ye both know me, and ye know whence I am: and I am not come of myself, but he that sent me is true, whom ye know not.
John 10:24 Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. 25 Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me. 26 But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.
We see this same thing with Amaziah, the White House prophet, as he revealed his disdain to Amos, a country boy, but who was the true prophet of the Lord! Amos 7:12 Also Amaziah said unto Amos, O thou seer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there: 13 But prophesy not again any more at Bethel: for it is the king’s chapel, and it is the king’s court. Amaziah held himself in too high esteem to have to contend with a gatherer of sycomore fruit: (Amos 7:14).
Amos’ and the Lord Jesus’ only credentials were the same. Amos 7:15 And the LORD took me as I followed the flock, and the LORD said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel. And of Christ we read: Isaiah 42:1 Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. And this prophesy of Isaiah concerning the electing of Jesus by God the Father, is clearly ascribed to him in Matthew 12:15-21.
The spirit of prideful, self-centered religionists requires not only a convenient god, but one made in their own image! Psalm 50:21 These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself:
Let us now consider the Lord’s response to his earthly family members as recorded in verses six through eight, as listed above in our text. He speaks of, my time. This is the same Greek word used by the Apostle Paul in Romans 5:6. But there it is translated into the English words, due time. And in order to get the full effect, consider the entire verse. For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. The apostle is here speaking of Christ’s death being accomplished in due time.
And our Lord himself, in speaking with his Father concerning this event, confers to us the impression of the precise timing of it. John 17:1 These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: The Son of God was in absolute agreement with the other Persons of the Trinity that this was the time they had appointed. Ecclesiastes 3:1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: 2 A time to be born, and a time to die; John 13:1 Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. 19:28 After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.
Therefore he had to abide in Galilee until his time was fully come! John 11:54 Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews; but went thence unto a country near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim, and there continued with his disciples. For as we have already quoted him above, it cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem.
Let us remember, dear Reader, that even though these times are clearly known by the Father, the just shall live by faith, and not by knowing specific times! Acts 1:7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. It is enough for us to walk with the Lord Jesus by faith! 2 Corinthians 6:2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)
Our need is to retrain our brain! Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. And just how is this transformation of our minds to be effected? It is by beholding the glory! That same glory that maddens the damned in hell, gladdens the redeemed believers, and affects the change into the image of Christ, granting us heavenly mindedness! 2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. May the Lord return the glory to the church!
Pastor Gene Breed
