John 1:36-39 And looking upon Jesus as He walked, he says, Behold the Lamb of God! And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. Then Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, What do you seek? They said to Him, Rabbi (which is called, being translated, Teacher), where do you live? He says to them, Come and see. They came and saw where He lived, and stayed with Him that day, for it was about the tenth hour.
As Yeshua (Jesus) was about to begin his ministry, many were listening intently to John the Baptist as He declared, “Behold the Lamb of God!” [John 1:36]. Some of those listening to John were intrigued with the man he was pointing to, and they followed Yeshua. So He turned and questioned them, “What do you seek?”
“What do you seek?” Sounds like such a simple question…but isn’t it actually the most significant question of our lives? What are we truly seeking? Their response, “Where do you live?” says, “We want to know more about you now…”
I love Yeshua’s response … “Come and see.” It was an invitation into an intriguing relationship and what a relationship it would be! These young men were about to become disciples of the Son of God. Could they have had any idea what that would mean? The small step of faith to follow him, discover his whereabouts, without knowing anything of what it would involve, the small step of faith…..but they were seeking Him.
Passover has ended, and we who have found our “Passover Lamb”, recognizing Yeshua, the Lamb of God, are we much different from the disciples who curiously followed Him, not having a clue what awaited them when He said, “Come and see!”
This narrative of the disciples is their great adventure into knowing and serving the God of creation. Something about Him, and the testimony of the Baptist, drew them forward in small irrevocable steps of faith and decision. Some of us sit on the fence until we have more proof or assurance, and the decisive question, “What do you seek?” sticks in our throat. Is it the fear of what it might mean to follow Him? If so, faith must be the answer. Following Yeshua is a great adventure precisely because we cannot know what it will involve. His disciples were invited to see “where He lived” and we are too. Now that we’ve been delivered from Egypt and passed through the water, not only can we see where He lives…… we can live there with Him! So let’s continue the adventure.
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[worthy_plugins_devotion_single_body]Another aspect of Mashiach ben Yosef, is that the world would resist his authority.
When Joseph told his family of his dreams, they were outraged at the suggestion that their younger brother would reign over them. They simply had no idea that God would make Joseph exactly the kind of ruler they needed.
When Joseph became ruler over Egypt, his name was changed, and his identity was altered so that he no longer appeared or lived as a shepherd son of Israel from the land of Canaan, but as an Egyptian Prime Minister. The transformation was so thorough that when his ten brothers arrived in Egypt he was totally unrecognizable to them. This true story beautifully illustrates Mashiach ben Yosef (Yeshua/Jesus at His first coming), and contains a prophetic picture pointing to Yeshua and His Jewish people living today as we approach the Second Coming.
Joseph, the son of Jacob grew up caring for flocks, a shepherd boy,(Genesis 37:2). While we might have a romantic view of an easy pastoral life among sheep and goats, the main responsibility of a shepherd was to protect the flock against hungry predators (wolves, lions, etc.) looking for an easy meal, actually quite a dangerous job. The shepherd loved his sheep; and Joseph was a good shepherd.
The creation of the world was completed by God in 6 days. He rested on the 7th day and sanctified it, the Sabbath, Shabbat. When Yeshua died for the sins of the world, his followers hurried to take Him down from the cross so they would not violate the commanded time to rest. [Luke 23:54-56] So the Messiah completed His work of redemption just before entering into Shabbat. As He died, He said, “It is finished!” [John 19:30] Finishing His work and entering the grave opened the way for humanity to enter His rest, the rest He entered after creating the world.
Does it ever happen to you – that something terribly simplistic just suddenly becomes clear? I realized something about us the other day. We, humans, are such addictive creatures.
This verse in Nehemiah connects the observance of a Holy day with the joy of the Lord. Our identity as “saints” (literally, “holy ones”), called to be holy, means we are and ought to be set apart from the world. But does that mean a solemn and joyless life of boredom as some have been led to believe? I have heard statements like, “I’m miserable, but at least I’m holy!” No, to be simultaneously holy and miserable is “oxymoronic” (if I may coin an adjective). It contradicts the very Spirit of God!
In 70 AD Jerusalem finally fell to the mighty Roman army led by Titus after a long siege. To commemorate the Roman victory over the Jewish rebellion, an arch was erected in Rome known to this day as the Arch of Titus. This famous arch depicts the fall of the Temple and its artifacts paraded in a processional described by the historian Josephus’ in his account, “The Jewish War.”