Jesus angered the Jewish leaders when He announced He was the Light of the World. Why wasn’t Jesus arrested? John 7:37 On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! 38 Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’ ”[1]
God has His timing, and Scriptures clearly show that when Jesus died on the cross for our sins, it happened in His timing, not humanity’s. Just as the Father had perfect timing during Jesus’ ministry, He also has perfect timing in your life. Ecclesiastes 3:1For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. 2 A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest.[2] It gives me great comfort to know that our loving Lord holds us in His precious hand and that timing is in His hands.
Jesus Shines His Light in God’s Timing
When Jesus told the crowd, “I am the Light of the world,” it was the Feast of Tabernacles. During this Feast, they lit large lamps in the Court of Women at the Temple to commemorate the pillar of fire that guided the Israelites through their wilderness journey. The light was so bright that it illuminated much of Jerusalem.
In claiming to be the Light of the world, Jesus described his unique role as the one true Light for everyone, not just for the Jewish people. Death brings darkness, but following Jesus is like stepping into everlasting Light.
When we come to faith and follow Jesus, we walk in that bright, guiding Light. No longer do we stumble blindly in sin. Instead, His Light shines on our faults and reminds us of our need for forgiveness. His Light gently guides us along life’s journey, leading us toward eternal life with hope and love. Because of the religious leaders’ unbelief, instead of looking to Jesus, they sought to kill Him. Yet God would not allow this because it was not His timing.
God’s Timing
You can imagine the religious leaders’ anger growing as Jesus continued to assert that He was God as they dialogued with Him. John 8:20 Jesus made these statements while he was teaching in the section of the Temple known as the Treasury. But he was not arrested, because his time had not yet come. [3] Later, in God’s timing, when Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane, it was the right time to die for our sins. Matthew 26:45 But look—the time has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Up, let’s be going. Look, my betrayer is here!” [4]
Being guided by God’s timing is modeled by Jesus. Perhaps you’re waiting for God to open a door for a new job, heal you from a medical issue, or bring someone to faith. In the meantime, what should we do while waiting? As we wait on God’s timing, we can stay engaged with His word and prayer. Waiting on God can serve as a helpful bridge toward a deeper relationship.
Why wasn’t Jesus arrested? To learn more, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/jesus-said-i-am-the-light-of-the-world
[1-4] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Tyndale House Publishers.