GOD THE GREATER WITNESS
Tuesday – December 11, 2018, Tevet 3, 5779
Greetings and welcome back to this wonderful, powerful, faith building Bible Study of the Book of John. God is so very good. Let us all look up continuously for our redemption is drawing more and more neigh day by day. Let us focus on the work of the Kingdom so we can wind this thing up and go home! The featured picture today is another fall scene on Belgrade Stream not far from Long Pond here in Maine. Now, let us bring our attention back to the wonderful Word of God and read our primary text aloud.
John 5:31-37 (KJV)
31 If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.
32 There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true.
33 Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth.
34 But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved.
35 He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light.
36 But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.
37 And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape.
As we are reading and studying down through our text, we see that the testimony of man is one thing but the greater testimony is that of God in our life just as it was in the life and ministry of Jesus. Never, never, forget that Jesus is the gold standard model for our lives. We can learn much from all the figures in Scripture but He is the rock solid model for our lives and ministry. Jesus tells the Jews, you inquired of John the Baptist and all he has said about me is true, it is the Truth. Just as a little reminder, Jesus is the Truth, the Word is the Truth, Love is the Truth, and Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth. As we can all see Jesus before, during, and after His earthly life and ministry is the embodiment of three of these and His earthly ministry was empowered by the Eternal Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, Holy Spirit.
Hebrews 9:14 (KJV)
14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
The same Eternal Spirit (Holy Spirit) that saw Jesus from the womb of Mary to His restoration on the Throne of Glory is the same Holy Spirit that empowers us. The same Spirit empowers us to do the things Jesus did and the greater things. The Mighty Power in and with us is the same Mighty Power that God used to create all things and to restore Jesus as God and to the Throne of Glory. We do not have less power available to us than God has available to Him (which is without limit), it is the same power. Our God is so good, He has not left us without adequate help, when we look at our side of the equation versus the devil’s side, it is like comparing an elephant to an ant or less like an amoeba (single cell organism). Even that is inadequate to describe our position in Christ Jesus.
Jesus goes on to say that it was important for John to testify of Him, he was a light that showed the way of salvation, announced the arrival of the Messiah. As we know, Jesus is the Way, the only Way. As we move into verse thirty-six, we find Jesus saying that He has a greater witness than John. What He says next has import for all of us. Jesus told them and us that He was sent to do certain works ordained of the Father and that as they see those done it is the witness the Father sent Him. Jesus says that He was sent to finish certain works, the very works they were seeing performed even that day. However, I think He is pointing to an even more significant event yet to come and that is the Cross which crushed and destroyed the works of the devil. The Prophets have been speaking the will of God into the earth concerning the Redeemer and the redemption and now He is in the earth. The final act, the finishing work is to pay the price of sin and bring full restoration for mankind.
1 John 3:8 (KJV)
8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
(Bold added by Dr. Wood)
Verse thirty-seven tells us that the Father is bearing witness of Jesus by the vary works that Jesus is doing. Then we hear Jesus say: “Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape.” This is interesting for we remember Moses in the cleft of the rock and we remember the voice from Heaven when Jesus was baptized in the River Jordan. I will pick up right here tomorrow the Lord willing.
Until our next publication, as a Bible Teacher and Prophetic Voice I speak this blessing over each and every one of you, receive it by faith in Jesus name!
Numbers 6:24-26 (AMP)
24 The Lord bless you and watch, guard, and keep you;
25 The Lord make His face to shine upon and enlighten you and be gracious (kind, merciful, and giving favor) to you;
26 The Lord lift up His [approving] countenance upon you and give you peace (tranquility of heart and life continually).
By: Dr. David Wood, Author, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
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