Whom Do You Seek?

John 18
Jesus, therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went
forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye?      John 18:4


LET IT GLOW

Whenever we go to the hospital to visit someone and don't know their room
number, we ask the receptionist. Often they will ask us the person's name,
who it is, and we tell them.
Jesus knew it was He that the group of men were seeking, but He asked them
anyway. Twice Jesus asked,"Whom seek ye?"

The Hebrew word darash, in English is the word seek, which means inquire,
require.
Whom do I seek? Is it the Creator of the universe, the all-powerful
God, the ever-present One and Only God? Do I only seek God in time of
trouble? Or do I worship Him daily as Savior and Lord?

Isaiah 55:6 says,"Seek ye the Lord while He may be found, call ye upon Him
while He is near."

While Jesus, Peter, James, and John were still in the Garden of Gethsemane,
a band of 1,200 men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, along
with Judas Iscariot, came to arrest Jesus with lanterns, torches, and weapons.

Twice Jesus asked for whom they were looking, and twice the group
answered, "Jesus of Nazareth." Then Jesus told them, "I am he." He identified
Himself as  the "I AM."

In Exodus 3:14, God identified Himself to the Hebrews as the one who sent
Moses being  "I AM THAT I AM."

"Young's Analytical Concordance to the Bible" says, "It is a name indicating
 rather the unsearchableness of God than His mere existence, as commonly
supposed."

Whom do I seek? He is the Great I AM, Jehovah, my Creator, Sustainer of
life, the Most High God and Judge. He is the only One who loves me so much
that He died on the cross,  took my place so I don't have to  pay for my sins.
Do you know Him?  He is whatever we need Him to be. How wonderful is
that?


LET IT GROW

Once I served on a jury, not a murder trial, but the accused broke several laws.
We had to determine if he was guilty, and then what sentence he had to serve.
Of course, it was a trial according to the laws here in America. Jesus' trial was
different.

In The MacArthur Bible Handbook the Jewish phase of Jesus' trial occured
when He appeared before:
1. Annas (verses 13-24)
2. Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin (Matthew 27:57-68)
3. The Sanhedrin, the Jewish ruling council (Matthew 27:1)

In "The Greatest Life of All, Jesus" by Charles Swindoll, he says they
ignored 18 specific Jewish laws governing cases like Jesus:
no trials at night, on the eve of a Sabbath, nor a secret trial; must be before
23 judges; 2 or 3 witnesses to speak for the accused; high priest couldn't
question the accused; prosecution's witness is examined; sentencing done
the next day. (These were a few broken.)

Wasn't it such a mockery of a trial? These Jews wanted to put Jesus
to death, and the Roman goverment ruled over them, they took Jesus to
the guys in charge so they could get it done.

In The MacArthur Bible Handbook the Roman phase of Jesus' trial
occured as He appeared before:
1. Pilate, who found no fault in Him (verse 38
2. Herod Antipas, his jurisdiction (Luke 23:6-12)
3. Pilate again, who offered Barabbas  to be killed instead of Jesus (Matt.27)

Sometimes the accused is guilty and sometimes they are not. In this case,
Jesus Christ was innocent of any crimes. It was true that He was the Son
of God, and He didn't blaspheme as they accused Him of wrong.
Oops, next chapter, so visit me tomorrow as this continues.

Do I hastily judge people? Do I unfairly question the actions or words of
others?


LET IT GO

Seek God through Jesus, and Him only to worship.

Trust Jesus as the Great "I AM" which I need. He is whatever I need.

Allow God to be the Judge of others.