<html><head></head><body><div><div><div><div><br></div>John 11;54-57<div><br></div><div><b>54. &nbsp;Jesus no longer went about openly among the Jews, but went from there to the country near the wilderness, to a town called Ephraim; and there he stayed with his disciples.</b></div><div><b>55. &nbsp;Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and many went up to Jerusalem before the Passover, to purify themselves.</b></div><div><b>56. &nbsp;They were looking for Jesus and saying to one another as they stood in the temple, “What do you think? that he will not come to the feast?”</b></div><div><b>57. &nbsp;Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if any one knew where he was, they should let them know, so that they might arrest him.</b></div><div><b><br></b></div><div>The Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah), (December/Kislev)&nbsp;was approximately 3+ months before Jesus’ Passover/Crucifixion, (April/Nisan).</div><div><br></div><div>During that interval he traveled back to where he was Baptized, (Bethany beyond the Jordan, it was&nbsp;just north of the Dead Sea, about 18 miles east-north-east&nbsp;from Jerusalem). &nbsp;It was a quiet time for Jesus. &nbsp;There I am&nbsp;sure he meditated&nbsp;upon the Father’s gift of the Holy Spirt at his Baptism by John and his Father’s words, <i>“My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” </i>(Matthew 3;17). Those same words of the Father were said again on the Mount of Transfiguration when Jesus spoke with Moses and Elijah concerning ‘his departure’ which he would accomplish in Jerusalem. (Luke 9;28-36)</div><div><br></div><div>This is a period of&nbsp;waiting for the Passover, the perfect time, when&nbsp;the&nbsp;Lamb of God would/must&nbsp;shed his blood to deliver us from our slavery to sin and death.</div><div><br></div><div>It was only about two or three weeks&nbsp;before the Passover when word came to Jesus (north of the Dead Sea)&nbsp;that ‘him whom he loved was sick’, Lazarus of Bethany (a town 2 miles&nbsp;due East of Jerusalem). &nbsp;After the raising of Lazarus, Jesus withdrew again&nbsp;to the village of Ephraim (located on a high point over looking the Jordan Valley, about 12 miles north-north-east of Jerusalem). &nbsp;There he remain for only a few days, before he returned to Bethany, six&nbsp;days before the Passover). There in joyful celebration, a supper was given in honor of Jesus at the house of Lazarus. &nbsp;We may be sure news of Jesus’ arrival in the area reached the ears of the chief priests and the Pharisees at this time.</div><div><br></div><div>The impending&nbsp;arrival of Jesus in&nbsp;<span>Jerusalem was advertised by the chief priests and the Pharisees, who sent word into the streets to report any sighting of Jesus in the city. &nbsp;The excitement and the tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife! &nbsp;</span></div><div><br></div><div>The people were hoping/expecting Jesus to lead a rebellion against the Romans and restore the kingdom to Israel. &nbsp;(This is what they believed the purpose of the Messiah was.)&nbsp;The chief priests and the Pharisees were afraid and&nbsp;determined to kill Jesus before the Romans felt threatened by him. &nbsp;I think Pilate may have been much like Herod, curious and alert, but not afraid. &nbsp;They certainly had heard of this wandering miracle worker and teacher, but he was not organizing any armed faction of followers. &nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Jesus had timed ‘his hour’ perfectly, the stage was set, the players in position…</div><div><br></div><div>Prayer: Dear Father, grant us to believe Jesus’ words to us, “<i>As the Father has sent me, even so, I send you.” </i>(John 20;21). Grant us his own&nbsp;devoted sacrificial&nbsp;love, and vision to understand our purpose now as Jesus knew his. &nbsp;Inspire&nbsp;us to present ourselves daily&nbsp;as&nbsp;a living sacrifice to your glory. &nbsp;The time for us is at hand too. &nbsp;<span>In Jesus we pray, Amen.</span></div><div><span><br></span></div><div><span>Love,</span></div><div><span>Dad/Baba/Eric</span></div><div><span>Grandpa Pickle Pastor</span></div><div><span>“A chapter a day, every day, progressively, be transformed, ‘soak’ in the living Word.”</span></div><div><br><br><a href="https://overview.mail.yahoo.com/?.src=iOS" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a><br></div></div></div></div></body></html>


John 11;54-57
54.  Jesus no longer went about openly among the Jews, but went from there to the country near the wilderness, to a town called Ephraim; and there he stayed with his disciples.55.  Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and many went up to Jerusalem before the Passover, to purify themselves.56.  They were looking for Jesus and saying to one another as they stood in the temple, “What do you think? that he will not come to the feast?”57.  Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if any one knew where he was, they should let them know, so that they might arrest him.
The Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah), (December/Kislev) was approximately 3+ months before Jesus’ Passover/Crucifixion, (April/Nisan).
During that interval he traveled back to where he was Baptized, (Bethany beyond the Jordan, it was just north of the Dead Sea, about 18 miles east-north-east from Jerusalem).  It was a quiet time for Jesus.  There I am sure he meditated upon the Father’s gift of the Holy Spirt at his Baptism by John and his Father’s words, “My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3;17). Those same words of the Father were said again on the Mount of Transfiguration when Jesus spoke with Moses and Elijah concerning ‘his departure’ which he would accomplish in Jerusalem. (Luke 9;28-36)
This is a period of waiting for the Passover, the perfect time, when the Lamb of God would/must shed his blood to deliver us from our slavery to sin and death.
It was only about two or three weeks before the Passover when word came to Jesus (north of the Dead Sea) that ‘him whom he loved was sick’, Lazarus of Bethany (a town 2 miles due East of Jerusalem).  After the raising of Lazarus, Jesus withdrew again to the village of Ephraim (located on a high point over looking the Jordan Valley, about 12 miles north-north-east of Jerusalem).  There he remain for only a few days, before he returned to Bethany, six days before the Passover). There in joyful celebration, a supper was given in honor of Jesus at the house of Lazarus.  We may be sure news of Jesus’ arrival in the area reached the ears of the chief priests and the Pharisees at this time.
The impending arrival of Jesus in Jerusalem was advertised by the chief priests and the Pharisees, who sent word into the streets to report any sighting of Jesus in the city.  The excitement and the tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife!  
The people were hoping/expecting Jesus to lead a rebellion against the Romans and restore the kingdom to Israel.  (This is what they believed the purpose of the Messiah was.) The chief priests and the Pharisees were afraid and determined to kill Jesus before the Romans felt threatened by him.  I think Pilate may have been much like Herod, curious and alert, but not afraid.  They certainly had heard of this wandering miracle worker and teacher, but he was not organizing any armed faction of followers.  
Jesus had timed ‘his hour’ perfectly, the stage was set, the players in position…
Prayer: Dear Father, grant us to believe Jesus’ words to us, “As the Father has sent me, even so, I send you.” (John 20;21). Grant us his own devoted sacrificial love, and vision to understand our purpose now as Jesus knew his.  Inspire us to present ourselves daily as a living sacrifice to your glory.  The time for us is at hand too.  In Jesus we pray, Amen.
Love,Dad/Baba/EricGrandpa Pickle Pastor“A chapter a day, every day, progressively, be transformed, ‘soak’ in the living Word.”

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