John's 7 Hours

Up until Sunday, we've been studying the book of Proverbs in our reading meetings. When I wasn't juggling one of our three little ones, I've managed to pick up a few very practical things. But since we'd reached a natural division in the book, it was decided to take up a less earthly subject for a little while before finishing up in Proverbs. The 'Upper Room Ministry' (John chapters 13-17)was selected and we only made it through a handful of verses before our hour was up. I was sitting on the edge of my chair waiting for the next sentence and then looked up at the clock to find that we were already seven minutes overtime!

Maybe it was because all three of my children were sleeping during meeting and I'd had a short power nap earlier, but I was able to focus and really enjoy what was shared. So much that I went home and listened to the recording of the meeting where I could jot down my notes! Anyway, good things should be shared. There was so much to be gathered in that one hour, but here's a beginning!

7 Hours in the Book of John

Ch 2:4 "Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come." - The hour that the Lord Jesus is speaking of here is the 'Hour of Pubic Manifestation before the world'. It's referring to the future when Christ will appear in all his power and glory.

Ch 4:23,24 "But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." This is the 'Hour of Christian Worship' and it's referring to the present - this time that Christians can worship their Lord.

Ch 5:25 "Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live." This is also referring to the present. It's the 'Hour of His Grace toward sinners'. It's now while the gospel is being preached and souls have the chance to be saved.

Sadly, though this hour will come to an end. "Behold NOW is the accepted time; behold NOW is the day of salvation!" 2 Corinthians 6:2 "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved!" Acts 16:31 "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." Romans 10:9. Hm... 'looks like I got off topic here - back to the hours.

Ch 5:28,29 "Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation." This hour was the hardest for me to grasp into a nutshell. It's the 'Hour of His Supremacy over Death and the Grave' It's a future hour that partly takes place after the millennium.

Ch 7:30, 8:20 "Then they sought to take him: but no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come." "These words spake Jesus in the treasury, as he taught in the temple: and no man laid hands on him; for his hour was not yet come." This hour is past. It's the 'Hour of His Sufferings at the hand of man'. It's referring to when the Lord Jesus was beaten and mocked and crucified by man - the race he willing died to save from a lost eternity.

Ch 12:27 "Now is my soul troubled: and what shall I say? Father save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour." This is the 'Hour of His Suffering at the Hand of God to make Atonement'. This hour too is past and because of it, there is a way for sinful creatures such as we to enter into the presence of a sinless and sin-hating God instead of spending an eternity suffering for the sins that we have committed. "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." John 14:6

Ch 13:1, 17:1 "Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end." "These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify they Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:" This is the 'Hour of His Return to Glory', it's past and is referring to when the Lord Jesus ascended to heaven after he rose triumphant from the grave.

Well, I had more I was going to share, but this post is getting long. Maybe it will make it into another post later. Right now I've got to get our kids up from their naps so we can go pick Sir up from work!