HE HATH A DEVIL
Thursday – June 6, 2019, Sivan 3, 5779
Greetings my precious partners and friends of this Ministry and The Three Minute Word publication. God is so good. I don’t care what is going on in any of our lives right this minute, never forget that God is good and God is never the source of bad things in our lives. If you are reading this on Facebook please, please, take a moment and “share” this teaching and hit the “like” button. come on, you can do it. The featured pictures this week will be from the deer feeder I had in Texas. Now, let us turn our attention to our Bible Study of the Book of John. First let us read the primary text aloud and determine in our hearts to have ears to hear and the will to do.
John 10:18-25 (KJV)
18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
19 There was a division therefore again among the Jews for these sayings.
20 And many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad; why hear ye him?
21 Others said, These are not the words of him that hath a devil. Can a devil open the eyes of the blind?
22 And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter.
23 And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon’s porch.
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.
As we reflect on our text, aren’t we just shocked there was division among the Jews (dripping sarcasm). In my experience it is common that the Truth, the pure Word of God, will bring division among Christians. On this particular occasion as on others they say that Jesus has a devil and is mad (crazy) so He is not to be listened too. The religious Christians today may not say one has a devil but will say they are a false teacher etc. which is of the spirit of antichrist and therefore of the devils. Others believed and defended Jesus pointing out that devils cannot open the eyes of the blind as Jesus had done. As we come into verses twenty-two and twenty-three, we have two verses that on first glance seem to be unrelated to the discussion. On further examination we might come to a different conclusion. Also, notice that verse twenty-two and verse twenty-one are connected due to the conjunctive ‘and’.
First question is, what is the Feast of Dedication? As you may know if you have reviewed Leviticus 23, this is not one of the Feasts of the Lord. This is a Feast instituted by the Jews when they rebelled and liberated themselves and the Temple from the rule of the Greeks. This feast is also known as Chanukah and occurs around the time Christians celebrate Christmas. When the Jews were in the process of restoring the Temple to use and preparing it to be dedicated to the Lord, they discovered that the special oil used in the Candelabra in the Holy Place had only one day of oil and it would take eight days to make more. They lit the menorah anyway and the oil lasted until the new oil was prepared. Not only did God bring them out of bondage to the Greeks and the horrible atrocities inflicted upon the Jews but He gave them the miracle of the oil and fire. The oil represents the Holy Spirit who is always and everywhere present but not active until faith ignites it. We see the fire of the Holy Spirit on the people in the upper room on the day of Pentecost in the Book of Acts (tomorrows lesson). Lighting the menorah in the first place was the corresponding action reflecting their faith in God.
The Menorah is located in the Holy Place. It is made of pure gold and has six branches with bowls and one servant bowl in the center. The six branches represent man, the center bowl is used to ignite the others and is the servant bowl or lamp representing Christ Jesus. On Chanukah the Jews now use a nine-lamp menorah in place of the seven-lamp menorah. The eight side branches represent the new beginning of that day and in Christ Jesus. The center bowl or lamp represents Christ Jesus and how He is the necessary lamp (the only way) for a new beginning. Jesus is our deliverance; our new beginning and He has been preaching that to the Jews in our primary text and He through His brethren (you and me) is preaching the same message today. This is what the “feast of dedication” has to do with the flow of text. As usual it is not out of place or filling space but carries a vital message.
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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