Distributed by: KJV Bible Studies
Website: www.KjvBibleStudies.net
Introduction: In the last part of John Chapter 6, we found that Jesus made one thing perfectly clear. Salvation is wholly of the Lord. This week, the seventh chapter deals with Jesus’ next journey to Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles. He was again was accosted by the Jews. The first part of the chapter deals largely with Jesus’ answer.
The last half of John 7 completes Jesus’ strained dialogue with Jews at Jerusalem. It was about 6 months until His last Passover and Calvary and therefore His final visit to Jerusalem before His passion. (The reference to passion refers to the sufferings of Jesus Christ from the Last Supper until his crucifixion.)
- Jesus is Urged to Attend the Feast of Tabernacles.
John 7:1 After these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in Jewry, because the Jews sought to kill him.
John 7:2 Now the Jews’ feast of tabernacles was at hand.
John 7:3 His brethren therefore said unto him, Depart hence, and go into Judaea, that thy disciples also may see the works that thou doest.
In John’s writings, he uses the phrase, “after these things,” on seven different occasions. There is a chronological gap of about six months between John 6 and 7. The synoptic record indicates that during this interval, Jesus had gone to Caesarea- Philippi. Jesus had a purpose in avoiding Galilee as well as Judaea because of the developing antagonism of the Jewish leadership in both areas against Him.
He knew the time for both His public presentation as King and His death were not yet at hand. He returned to Galilee with a purpose greater than merely avoiding the Jews at Jerusalem. The reference to Jewry literally means Judea or the region of Jerusalem, the seat of worldwide Judaism.
He had not been there for approximately 18 months. He remembered from the events recorded in John 5:18 that even then they were ready to kill Him. In verse 2, the “Jew’s feast of tabernacles” also known as Succoth was one of the seven major feasts of Jehovah. It occurred in late September or early October and lasted a total of eight days. It was one of the three convocations in which all devout Jewish men were to attend each year.
It says that Jesus walked in Galilee and he no longer walked in Jewry because they sought to kill him. The religious leaders hated Jesus because He came to fulfill the law, and they were not ready for any kind of change. During the last year of his ministry, Jesus confined His activities to Galilee. He followed the divine schedule that God had laid out for Him.
We are now entering the last six months of His life. There is a storm gathering about Jesus at this time, and it would ultimately break in all fury upon Him on the Cross. The Feast of Tabernacles was the first occurrence in these last six months of Jesus’ ministry. We need to remember that Jesus kept all the Law. There were three feasts the every male Jew had to attend in Jerusalem. There was the Feast of the Passover, the Feast of the Tabernacles, and the Feast of Pentecost.
The feast of Tabernacles was a feast of great joy as they celebrated Israel’s deliverance out of the land of Egypt. And all through the times of wandering, they lived in tents. You remember how that God guided the people with a cloud in the day and a pillar of fire by night. These were both pictures of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Continue Reading in PDF:
