January 11 See Jesus

John 6:14-15 After the people saw the miraculous sign that Jesus did, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.” 15 Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself. 
 
THIS is the third time John refers to “the Prophet”. Twice the authorities asked John the Baptist if he were the Prophet, who Moses promised in Deuteronomy 18:15 & 18 The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers. You must listen to him…18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers; I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him. The now well-fed crowd saw the miracle. Suddenly, they believed Jesus could be the Prophet of whom Moses spoke.
   They were right. Jesus is raised up from among the Jews to fulfill Moses’ prophecy. The Living Word spoke to Moses. Now he has come in the flesh to speak God’s commands to teach the truth.
   Through Moses and Jesus, God fed the multitudes. Moses led the people from Egypt’s domination. Will Jesus now lead the Jews out of Rome’s domination? Yes, the Jews saw Jesus as the Prophet, who would feed and deliver them. They were right to a point. But their vison was limited.  
   The people saw Jesus with eyes of immediate physical food and freedom. They needed, instead, to see the Prophet would come to tell them everything I command him. The Prophet is to feed the Word of God to his people. His work is lead his people from sin’s penalty into eternal freedom.  
   That is why Jesus went away that day. He is the Son of God, working in the Father’s will. All he does is to point his people to heaven. He will not be forced into circumstances that will detract from his mission. He will not lead a nation from under a foreign rule. But he will lead the world out of sin’s rule.
   One day the disciples would fully see Jesus as the Holy Son of God, crucified, died, buried, risen, ascended: Acts 1:9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They would go from there with their eyes wide open in the Spirit’s power. Their work would begin to open the world’s eyes – even yours and mine – to see Jesus is the eternal Prophet come to proclaim God’s salvation.   
   See the true Jesus; help others see him, too. He is the ascended Lord of heaven and earth. He is Life everlasting.
 
Prayer: Open my eyes, Lord, to see the fullness of your salvation in my life. I want to see you. I want to know you. I want to show who you are to my friends and family, so they see you, too. Amen.