Jesus chose His time for going to Jerusalem.

Let us destroy this Jesus. 

"Jesus moved about within Galilee; he did not wish to travel in Judea, because the Jews were trying to kill him. But the Jewish feast of Tabernacles was near.

"But when his brothers had gone up to the feast, he himself also went up, not openly but as it were in secret.

"Some of the inhabitants of Jerusalem said, “Is he not the one they are trying to kill? And look, he is speaking openly and they say nothing to him. Could the authorities have realized that he is the Christ? But we know where he is from. When the Christ comes, no one will know where he is from.” 

"So Jesus cried out in the temple area as he was teaching and said, “You know me and also know where I am from. Yet I did not come on my own, but the one who sent me, whom you do not know, is true. I know him, because I am from him, and he sent me.”

"So they tried to arrest him, but no one laid a hand upon him, because his hour had not yet come." (John7:1-2, 10, 25-30).

Friday 24th March 2023 in the 4th week of Lent. Why did the enemies of Christ tried to arrest Him during the Jewish festival of Tabernacles? The answer is laid out clearly in the first Reading from the 2nd Chapter of Wisdom:

"The wicked said among themselves, thinking not aright: “Let us beset the just one, because he is obnoxious to us; he sets himself against our doings, Reproaches us for transgressions of the law and charges us with violations of our training. He professes to have knowledge of God and styles himself a child of the Lord." ( Cf Wisdom 2:1a, 12-22). 

The enemies of Jesus could not stand His probity and integrity. They considered Him a reproach to their transgressions. Like the high court judge who takes bribes, their conscience would give them no peace especially when they come in contact with Jesus. Therefore, Jesus must die. But Jesus' antagonists were ignorant of the prophecies about the Messiah. They said: "For if the just one be the son of God, he will defend him and deliver him from the hand of his foes."

In the fullness of time, Jesus would hand over Himself to be glorified on the Cross. For the Cross is the appointed means of the glorification of the Son of Man. Before that hour, nothing can happen to Jesus.

As followers of Jesus, our lives are hemmed in by God's loving and powerful Providence. If we make the Kingdom of God and His holiness the top priority of our life. God's promise of provision and protection for us is unbreakable. 

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com