God, Israel, and Hope. Some Highlights Form John Chapter 1

In the wake of crazy antisemitism, and I said wake because it was semi-sleep waiting for it to be awake again, I am trying to catch up with my relationship with God and time spent in his word. Doing what I can to be ready, not to be offended by how he is shaking the world.

In all this, some highlights of John 1 bring me comfort today. Jesus is God. He is our (my) salvation. If He can(and will) save Israel, he can also save me. He will come back.

John 1, 1-5

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

Jesus created all things; he is the light of man and will prevail over the world's darkness. Later in chapter 3, we can read about what is wrong with our world, that we choose darkness over light and its consequences.

Think of John, now older and exiled in Patmos, seeing the vision of the revelation of Jesus, the "Light" of men, the one that:

-"his face was like the sun shining., Rev 1, 16"  

"And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. Rev 21, 22-25"

John 1, 6-8

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. 

I want to live with a John mentality to be in the gap and shine back the same light that has kept me out of complete self-destruction.

John 1, 9-14

The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. And the word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 

He fulfilled his promises and prophesy, but the ones(Jews) who were waiting for him did not recognize him; how much more could I miss his salvation because of being distracted or because I have made a false image of who he really is?

John 1, 29-31

The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me. I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.

The one who takes away the sin of the world is in the context of the awaiting messiah, Genesis 3:15, Abrahamic covenant, Daniel 9, etc. God used Israel to bring salvation to all, Jews first and then Gentiles. If this order is offensive to any, we need to check why we question God's ways of doing things. 

John 1, 34

And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.

This SON of God:

Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against his Anointed, saying, "Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us." He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying, "As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill."

I will tell of the decree: The LORD said to me, "You are my Son; today I have begotten you. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel." Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him. Psalm 2

John 1, 38-39

Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, "What are you seeking?" And they said to him, "Rabbi" (which means Teacher), "where are you staying?" He said to them, "Come and you will see." So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour.

May I be ready and always quick to follow Jesus and, in expectation of where he will lead me, ready to also stay focused on him.

John 1, 49-51

Nathanael answered him, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" Jesus answered him, "Because I said to you, 'I saw you under the fig tree,' do you believe? You will see greater things than these." And he said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."

This SON of Man:

I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed. Daniel 7, 14-14