Sunday School Lesson
January 5
Lesson 6 (KJV)
Solomon Summons the Ark
Devotional Reading: Deuteronomy 31:7–13
Background Scripture: 1 Kings 8:1–13; 2 Chronicles 5:1–14
1 Kings 8:1–13
1. Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel, unto king Solomon in Jerusalem, that they might bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the city of David, which is Zion.
2. And all the men of Israel assembled themselves unto king Solomon at the feast in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month.
3. And all the elders of Israel came, and the priests took up the ark.
4. And they brought up the ark of the Lord, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and all the holy vessels that were in the tabernacle, even those did the priests and the Levites bring up.
5. And king Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel, that were assembled unto him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing sheep and oxen, that could not be told nor numbered for multitude.
6. And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the Lord unto his place, into the
oracle of the house, to the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubims.
7. For the cherubims spread forth their two wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubims covered the ark and the staves thereof above.
8. And they drew out the staves, that the ends of the staves were seen out in the holy place before the oracle, and they were not seen without: and there they are unto this day.
9. There was nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone, which Moses put there at Horeb, when the Lord made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt.
10. And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the Lord,
11. So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of the Lord.
12. Then spake Solomon, The Lord said that he would dwell in the thick darkness.
13. I have surely built thee an house to dwell in, a settled place for thee to abide in for ever.
Key Verse
I have surely built thee an house to dwell in, a settled place for thee to abide in for ever.—1 Kings 8:13
Lesson Aims
After participating in this lesson, each learner will be able to:
1. Retell the story of moving the ark of the covenant to the new temple in Jerusalem.
2. Explain the significance of that placement in historical context.
3. Propose a way to realize better God’s presence in the church’s corporate worship or in his or her life personally.
HOW TO SAY IT
| Araunah | A-raw-nuh. |
| Bul | Bool. |
| Ethanim | Eth-uh-nim. |
| Horeb | Ho-reb. |
| Kirjathjearim | Kir-jath-jee-uh-rim or jee-a-rim. |
| Kohathite | Ko-hath-ite. |
| Obededom | O-bed-ee-dum. |
| tabernacle | tah-burr-nah-kul. |
Introduction
A. Dedication Ceremony
Crowds numbering more than 150,000 assembled on the National Mall in Washington, DC, on May 29, 2004. They had gathered for the dedication of the National World War II Memorial. The service was a time to remember the courage and sacrifice of 16 million men and women who served in the U.S. armed forces during World War II, especially that of the 400,000 who died. The millions who supported the war effort from home were also recognized. The service further celebrated the completion of 11 years of work on the memorial, which had begun in 1993 and involved thousands of individuals and many corporations throughout the country.
Celebrating the completion of massive projects is nothing new. First Kings 8 is an example of that fact as it narrates the dedication of the temple, which Solomon completed in about 959 BC. It was a time to celebrate! More importantly, it was a time to recall the truths and commitments that initiated the project in the first place.
B. Lesson Context
After King David’s death, the Lord established Solomon on the throne in Israel (1 Kings 2:12). The new king attended to the mission his father, David, had given him: building a temple. David had streamlined the process by stockpiling materials Solomon’s builders used for the awe-inspiring structure (1 Chronicles 22:2–6).
In addition, David had purchased the land for the temple, which had been Ornan’s (Araunah’s) threshing floor (2 Samuel 24:18–25; 1 Chronicles 21:22–22:1; see lesson 3). This plot of land was north of the king’s palace, in the ridge of hills known as Mount Moriah (2 Chronicles 3:1). This was the place where Abraham, in obedience to God’s command, would have sacrificed Isaac as a burnt offering had the Lord not intervened (Genesis 22:2, 10–14).
The magnificent temple was completed in the eighth month of the eleventh year of King Solomon’s reign. Skilled builders and artisans had labored on it for seven years (1 Kings 6:38). What David had proposed to do many years earlier had been accomplished by his son Solomon just as God instructed.
Today’s lesson text picks up after the completion of the temple. Second Chronicles 5:2–6:2 contains a parallel account. The key difference between these two texts is found in 2 Chronicles 5:11–13, which add details about the priests and musicians who were present.
I. The Ark on the Road
(1 Kings 8:1–5)
A. The Assembly (vv. 1, 2)
1a. Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel, unto king Solomon in Jerusalem.
The phrase elders of Israel is a broad term, referring to the informal heads of the various Israelite families (compare Numbers 7:2). The other two phrases refer to positions of authority of a more official nature within the clans and tribes.
| What Do You Think? What could be your part in improving the visibility of leadership unity in your church? Digging Deeper |
1b. That they might bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the city of David, which is Zion.
Solomon summons these influential leaders to celebrate the ark’s journeying to the newly finished temple. The ark of the covenant is a gold-covered wooden box with an ornamented lid. Two golden cherubims are mounted on the lid (Exodus 25:17–22). The box is two and a half cubits (three and three-quarter feet) long and one and a half cubits (two and a quarter feet) high and deep. The ark signifies the throne of God or His footstool on earth (1 Samuel 4:4; 1 Chronicles 28:2; Psalms 99:1, 5; 132:7, 8). Though the ark is now lost to history, John saw it in his vision of Heaven, once again housed in the temple (Revelation 11:19).
David had previously brought the ark to the city of Jerusalem but not the tabernacle, which housed it; instead, David had erected a tent for the ark within the old Jebusite fortress of Zion (2 Samuel 5–7; 2 Chronicles 1:3, 4). The designation Zion is often used in poetry to refer to Jerusalem (examples: Isaiah 1:8; 3:16; Lamentations 2:10; 4:2).
The leaders’ gathering to bring up the ark from Zion indicates that the temple has been built outside the original confines of David’s Jerusalem. The term Zion will come to designate the temple area as a whole (Isaiah 8:18; Amos 1:2) and then the entire city of Jerusalem (Isaiah 10:24; Amos 6:1). To refer to Zion as the city of David highlights God’s choice of both.
2. And all the men of Israel assembled themselves unto king Solomon at the feast in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month.
The feast that occurs in the seventh month is the Feast of Tabernacles (Leviticus 23:34). It commemorates God’s provision during the Israelites’ wilderness wanderings as well as His giving them rest in Canaan (23:42, 43).
The fact that 1 Kings 6:38 says the temple is finished in “the month of Bul … the eighth month” creates an uncertainty when compared with the timing of the dedication in the seventh month. Many scholars propose the solution that the verse before us refers to the Ethanim of the year that follows. Eleven months thus pass between the end of construction and the dedication.
Others propose that the extended, 14-day celebration (1 Kings 8:65) begins in the seventh month and ends at the beginning of the eighth month. But this interpretation requires the feast to start later than the prescribed “fifteenth day” of that month (see Leviticus 23:34; Numbers 29:12). An extended application of the exception in Numbers 9:9–13 regarding Passover might allow this, however (compare 2 Chronicles 30).
We must not lose sight of the fact that the feast emphasizes the Lord’s faithfulness to Israel. He has kept His promises to Abraham (Genesis 17:4–8). Now, the temple testifies to God’s faithfulness to David as well (1 Chronicles 17:11, 12; see lesson 3). After the exiles return from Babylon, the feast will be celebrated again with great joy (Nehemiah 8:17).
B. The Procession (vv. 3, 4)
3. And all the elders of Israel came, and the priests took up the ark.
Although the elders of Israel represent the nation in the procession, the priests actually transport the ark. The Kohathites, a branch of the priestly tribe of Levi, have the exclusive responsibility of transporting the holy articles pertaining to the tabernacle, including the ark of the covenant (Numbers 4:1–5). They carry the ark on their shoulders, using two staves running through the four rings on the corners of the ark (Exodus 25:12–14; 1 Chronicles 15:15, lesson 1; contrast 2 Chronicles 35:3).
David had reminded the levitical priests of the critical need to abide by this regulation (1 Chronicles 15:11–15). Unfortunately, David only reminded the priests of their duty after Uzzah, a non-priest, died during the first attempt to transport the ark from Kirjathjearim to Jerusalem (13:5–10).
4. And they brought up the ark of the Lord, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and all the holy vessels that were in the tabernacle, even those did the priests and the Levites bring up.
Although the Kohathites bear the ark, other Levites apparently carry the tabernacle and its furnishings. The division of labor and means of transporting the ark are both important for showing proper respect to God and avoiding His anger (1 Chronicles 15:13).
Solomon has constructed new furnishings for the temple (1 Kings 7:48–51). Among the tabernacle’s original furnishings, only the ark remains in use because of its importance as a symbol of God’s throne and reign.
C. The Gathering (v. 5)
5. And king Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel, that were assembled unto him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing sheep and oxen, that could not be told nor numbered for multitude.
Having arrived at the temple grounds, the people gather around the king. Their position before the ark signifies the status of both Israel and Solomon as the Lord’s subjects (see commentary on 1 Kings 8:1). God is their real king; Solomon is but His representative (see 1 Samuel 8:6–9).
The offering of a large number of sacrifices echoes at least two earlier events in Israel’s history. Sacrifices were offered at the dedication of the tabernacle (Exodus 40:29), and David had sacrificed a bull and a calf after every six steps the priests took as they bore the ark from the house of Obededom to Jerusalem (2 Samuel 6:9–15). Moreover, the quantity of sacrifices that cannot be told nor numbered for multitude echoes Solomon’s description of Israel’s population (1 Kings 3:8).
| What Do You Think? How can Christians determine the appropriate size of a personal lifestyle sacrifice or monetary offering in differing worship and service contexts? Digging Deeper |
Pray In, Pray Out
The Ranch is a mission to young people whose lives have been twisted by addictions, sex, and a dysfunctional family life. These are youth who have been set up for hard adult lives.
When new students come to the Ranch, they are “prayed in.” God’s blessing is invoked on their season in the ministry. As the students come to the end of their time at the Ranch, they are “prayed out.” The service dedicates the students to a new relationship with God and others. It also dedicates the young people to a new life of hope and accomplishment as well as asking for God’s blessings.
Israel’s dysfunctional past made it hard for them to live as the people of God. So the dedication of the temple was more than a ceremony for a new building. It was also a dedication of the nation to God’s service. How does the dedication of your “temple” to God overcome your past?
—C. R. B.
II. The Ark at Home
(1 Kings 8:6–13)
A. In the Most Holy Place (vv. 6–8)
6. And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the Lord unto his place, into the oracle of the house, to the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubims.
The priests place the ark in the oracle, or innermost chamber, of the temple as it had been in the tabernacle (Exodus 26:33; 2 Samuel 6:17). Because the ark is the symbol of God’s presence, the temple could not be considered God’s dwelling place until the ark was situated in its proper place inside. The cherubims are made of gold and figuratively guard the ark (Exodus 25:18, 19).
This verse contains the first of 21 uses of the noun house in this chapter. The word highlights the Lord’s promised presence. It also evokes memories of God’s twofold promise that He would build David a “house” (dynasty) and that David’s son would build the house for God (2 Samuel 7:11–13). Referring to the temple as a house implies that God has chosen to dwell in Israel.
7. For the cherubims spread forth their two wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubims covered the ark and the staves thereof above.
Within the most holy place, the ark is placed under two large cherubims whose wings span the width of the chamber (1 Kings 6:23–30). In Ancient Near Eastern thought and art, cherubims are celestial beings who guard sacred spaces (compare Genesis 3:24). They commonly are depicted with the body of a lion, the wings of a bird, and the face of a human (Exodus 25:20; 37:7–9; contrast Ezekiel 1:6–11; 10:20–22). Whereas the cherubims on the mercy seat face each other (Exodus 25:17–20), these cherubims look out from the most holy place to face the places where the priests most frequently minister (1 Kings 6:27).
Because the ark signifies the throne of God or His footstool (see commentary on 1 Kings 8:1), it also transforms this space into an earthly representation of God’s heavenly throne room (Psalm 11:4). Only the great high priest can enter the most holy place once a year on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16; compare Hebrews 9:1–10).
8. And they drew out the staves, that the ends of the staves were seen out in the holy place before the oracle, and they were not seen without: and there they are unto this day.
Even though the ark is now in its permanent location, the staves remain in place (Exodus 25:13–15). These staves can be seen by priests when the veil into the holy place is open, but not from outside. The statement that the staves are in place unto this day implies that this section of 1 Kings was written before the temple was destroyed in 586 BC (2 Kings 25:8–15).
B. With Glorious Memories (vv. 9–12)
9. There was nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone, which Moses put there at Horeb, when the Lord made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt.
At one time, the ark contained Aaron’s budding staff (Numbers 17:10) and a jar of manna (Exodus 16:33, 34) as well as the stone tablets that bear witness to the covenant God had made with Israel (24:12; 1 Kings 8:9; Hebrews 9:4). By this time, the pot of manna and Aaron’s staff have gone missing. The Philistines may have removed them when they captured the ark during the days of Samuel (1 Samuel 4:1–11). The ark now contains only the two tables of the law that God gave to Moses (Exodus 25:16).
| What Do You Think? How can our church help the members better understand the significance of Scripture to its identity and practices? Digging Deeper |
Nevertheless, the presence of the two stone tablets represents the covenant relationship God initiated with Israel and the obligations Israel has as His covenant people. The Lord made this covenant with Israel at Horeb, also commonly called Mount Sinai (compare Exodus 19:20–20:21; Deuteronomy 5). The ark’s moving to the temple represents God’s continued, faithful presence with Israel.
10. And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the Lord.
Allusions to the exodus and the dedication of the tabernacle at Horeb abound at the temple dedication. The first direct link between the two events is a physical sign. While the nation walked in the wilderness, Israel had been guided by a pillar of cloud filled with God’s glory (Exodus 13:21, 22; 33:9, 10). When Moses ascended the mountain to receive the law, the cloud of God’s glory looked like “devouring fire” (24:17). A cloud also filled the tabernacle during its dedication and stayed over it by day throughout Israel’s wilderness sojourn (Leviticus 16:2; Numbers 9:15–23).
Later biblical texts will also employ images of the cloud of God’s glory and presence. Unfortunately, the prophet Ezekiel will have a vision of the glory of God leaving the temple in response to Judah’s sin (Ezekiel 10:3–5, 18, 19; 11:22, 23). This clearly represents God’s removing His presence from the temple (contrast 43:1–5). On the Mount of Transfiguration, Peter, James, and John will be overshadowed by a cloud from which the Father speaks (Matthew 17:1–7). These signs of God’s presence reassure His people that He is not far away. He chooses to be near His people, so near that He will choose to take on flesh (Hebrews 2:17).
11. So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of the Lord.
The experience of the priests in the house of the Lord further alludes to the days of Moses. Not even that great prophet could enter the tent because the glory of the Lord descended on it and filled it (Exodus 40:34, 35). It took only the afterimage of God’s glory to overwhelm the Israelites when they saw Moses’ face after he received the law (34:29–35).
In a similar fashion, John’s future vision will reveal servants of the Lord being prevented by the smoke of the glory of the Lord from ministering in God’s heavenly temple (Revelation 15:8). From the days of Moses and Solomon until eternity, God’s glorious presence overwhelms His servants.
Presence and Absence
A married couple occasionally attended a church where I ministered. They earned their living teaching Dale Carnegie’s principles from How to Win Friends and Influence People. Carnegie’s principles were based to some extent on biblical teachings about caring for one’s neighbors.
However, this couple found it easier to proclaim Carnegie’s principles than to practice them. Their difficulties seemed to stem from using the principles to manipulate people; personal graces that come from the heart were absent.
Solomon’s temple is said to have been the most magnificent building in the ancient world. However, it was nothing but an architectural marvel until God’s presence—symbolized by the ark of the covenant and the cloud of glory—came to inhabit the place. In a similar way, we may build our lives to have a desirable outward appearance, but if our behavior fails to reflect the presence of God in our lives, what value is there?
—C. R. B.
12. Then spake Solomon, The Lord said that he would dwell in the thick darkness.
Solomon’s statement serves to link again the temple he has built with memories of Israel’s formation and the subsequent construction of the tabernacle (compare 2 Samuel 22:10). The statement in this verse is a near quote of the description of God’s presence when Moses approached Him to receive the law (Exodus 20:21).
While the thick darkness represents God’s presence with Israel, it also stresses His holy hiddenness or otherness. A thick darkness engulfed Mount Sinai as God gave Israel the Ten Commandments (Deuteronomy 4:11; 5:22) and was one of the many phenomena that evoked great fear among Moses and the Israelites (Exodus 20:18; Hebrews 12:18–21). This display of God’s power and majesty reminds the Israelites that the loving God who is near to them is also holy and transcendent above them. They must not treat Him lightly. Remembering God’s holiness will help Israel guard against sin, knowing that God’s presence is both a comfort and a terror (Exodus 20:20).
| What Do You Think? In what ways can our church ensure that God’s presence is not hidden to the surrounding community? Digging Deeper |
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In a Permanent House (v. 13)
13. I have surely built thee an house to dwell in, a settled place for thee to abide in for ever.
Long before this dedication celebration, Moses had celebrated that God would establish himself among the people in the promised land (Exodus 15:17). Solomon’s words connect the temple’s completion to David’s desire to build a house for the Lord and God’s promise that David’s son would build it (2 Samuel 7:1–3, 12, 13). Solomon has been faithful to provide Israel a place for worshipping God. The Lord has been faithful to honor David’s desire and the king’s effort. Later generations will continue to celebrate God’s presence at Zion (Psalms 132:13; 135:21; etc.).
First Kings 8:27, 28 makes clear that Solomon does not believe that God can be contained in and confined to the temple or that God even needs the temple (compare Acts 17:24). Rather, the temple with the ark situated within reassures Israel of God’s presence among them as their king. Centuries later, Jesus will make a similar point when He declares that anyone who swears by the temple really swears by God (Matthew 23:21). The temple in and of itself has no significance; the presence of the Lord in the temple means everything.Conclusion
A. God Dwells Among His PeopleThe procession of the ark into the temple of Solomon marked a central truth in Israel: the God of the universe was also the faithful God who had called the Israelites into covenant. He dwelled among them as king. The God whose presence was with Israel dwelled among us in the person of Jesus Christ (John 1:14). He now indwells us through His Spirit (Acts 1:8; 2:1–4; etc.). May we also celebrate that our God keeps His promises and stays close to His people!
| What Do You Think? What one area of spiritual growth will you pursue in order better to conduct yourself as a new-covenant temple of the Holy Spirit? Digging Deeper |
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Prayer
Lord, we praise You as our king who keeps His promises. We thank You that You dwelled among us in Jesus and dwell with us today in the Holy Spirit. We thank You as we pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.C. Thought to Remember
God still chooses to live among His people.
KID’S CORNER
The Power of Truth, Signs, and Wonders
Sunday December 29, 2019 and January 5, 2020
John 4:43-54
John 4:43-54
(John 4:43) After the two days He went forth from there into Galilee.
Jesus led the Samaritans to saving faith in Him by words, not miracles. As a prophet, He told the woman at the well about her past and her sins. In addition, He shared words with her that so totally transformed her that when she went and told the townspeople about Jesus being the Messiah, they rushed out to meet Him. Those who listened to Jesus then “believed because of his word” (John 4:41). After spending two days teaching them more about God the Father and himself as the Son of God, for Jesus had said they had been worshiping what they did not know, they came to know that Jesus is truly the Savior of the world (John 4:22, 42). Their increasing understanding of Jesus began with Jesus being known as a prophet, then as the Messiah, and finally as the Savior of the world. Jesus being the Savior of the world is good news for the world. Since then, the knowledge of Jesus as the Savior of the world has traveled around the world. Having completed the work His Father had given Him in Samaria, Jesus went on to Galilee with His disciples.
(John 4:44) For Jesus Himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country.
Though born in Bethlehem of Judea, Joseph, Mary, and Jesus made their home in the town of Nazareth in Galilee. In Matthew 13:53-58, Mark 6:1-6, and Luke 4:16-30, you can read more about how the townspeople of Nazareth rejected Jesus, refused to honor Him, and tried to kill Him.
(John 4:45) So when He came to Galilee, the Galileans received Him, having seen all the things that He did in Jerusalem at the feast; for they themselves also went to the feast.
Many Galileans had gone to the Passover festival in Jerusalem and they had seen Jesus perform many miracles. Perhaps some of them had even heard about Jesus cleansing the temple. Remember: in John 2:23, we learned, “When he was in Jerusalem during the Passover festival, many believed in his name because they saw the signs that he was doing.” The Galileans welcomed Him for His healings and miracles and perhaps because some of them also believed in His name. Ideally, those who believed in Jesus would believe in Him because of His words, as did the believing Samaritans (who were despised by the Jews), and then want to know Jesus better.
(John 4:46) Therefore He came again to Cana of Galilee where He had made the water wine. And there was a royal official whose son was sick at Capernaum.
Upon returning to Galilee, Jesus went to Cana, where He had performed His first sign in Galilee, and where “His disciples believed in Him” (John 2:11). Now, we learn that Jesus had traveled through Samaria to heal a man’s son before he died, and this became His second sign in Galilee. Jesus’ signs “revealed His glory,” and John made special mention of some of these signs. However, Jesus refused to perform “signs” on demand to prove who He was or to prove He had authority to do His Father’s will (see John 2:18). Jesus performed “signs” to meet real human needs, and meeting real human needs revealed His glory, “the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). Jesus revealed His glory supremely when He died on the cross and rose again to save us from our sins. Now, Jesus will help a member of King Herod’s royal court, and this will become a sign.
(John 4:47) When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to Him and was imploring Him to come down and heal his son; for he was at the point of death.
When Jesus left Nazareth, He made His home in Capernaum, where this royal official may have learned about Jesus (Matthew 4:13). Having ministered to a woman despised by the Jews, Jesus will now minister to a member of Herod’s court, also despised by the Jews. Jesus came to be the Savior of the world, to save sinners and give them eternal life; so, John shows us how Jesus ministered to the rich and the poor, to the honored and the despised, to the young and the old, and to others. Jesus showed God’s love for all people, but some still rejected Him. When this royal official heard that Jesus had returned to Galilee, he traveled the twenty miles from Capernaum to Cana to see Him. Probably based on reports, this father believed Jesus had the power to save his son from death.
(John 4:48) So Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you simply will not believe.”
Samaritans in Sychar believed Jesus “because of His word.” To make a point, Jesus told these Galileans that they would not believe Him or believe in Him unless they saw “signs and wonders.” Jesus wanted the crowd and this man to believe because of His word, not because He worked signs and wonders in an effort to compel their belief; then, they would want to learn more about Him, come to know Him as more than the Messiah, and truly seek to know Him as their Savior. Unhappily, no matter how many signs and wonders Jesus performed, some still refused to believe in Him, which fulfilled the word of the prophet Isaiah (see John 12:36-43)
(John 4:49) The royal official *said to Him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.”
The father had not come to Jesus seeking signs or wonders in order to believe in Jesus. He had come because He believed the reports he had heard about Jesus. He believed that Jesus could heal his son, if Jesus would go to his son before his son died. He believed reports, even as the townspeople believed the reports of the Samaritan woman. Jesus chose not to work a sign or wonder before the crowd (see John 4:48). But Jesus did work a sign by healing the father’s son in an unexpected way—in a way the crowd would not see.
(John 4:50) Jesus *said to him, “Go; your son lives.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and started off.
Just as God spoke the world into existence in the beginning, and just as Jesus was and is the Word of God, and just as “all things came into being through Him,” Jesus spoke the word and healed the father’s son. The darkness of disease could not overcome the light and words of Jesus (see John 1:1-4). Jesus did not need to go see the boy, but the father needed to believe and obey Jesus. He needed to obey and “G0” back to his son. He needed to believe and not beg in unbelief for Jesus to come, see, touch, and personally heal his son. The father did not need to believe for Jesus to heal his son. Jesus was not dependent of the father’s faith to make his son well. Jesus healed his son the moment Jesus said, “your son will live.” Upon hearing Jesus’ words, “your son will live,” the man “believed the word that Jesus spoke to him;” therefore, he started on his way back to Capernaum. Without seeing a sign, before the crowd the man showed his faith in Jesus when he obeyed Jesus. It is a wonder the man stopped begging Jesus and believed Jesus—such is the power of Jesus’ word. Believing in Jesus is the beginning of the Christian life that soon leads to believing Jesus, loving Jesus, and obeying Jesus.
(John 4:51) As he was now going down, his slaves met him, saying that his son was living.
The father’s faith in and obedience to Jesus was rewarded the moment Jesus healed his son, and then before he reached home his slaves found him and told him that his son was alive. In this way, Jesus overcame any fears and worries that the father might have had before he reached home to see if his son was actually saved from death according to Jesus word.
(John 4:52) So he inquired of them the hour when he began to get better. Then they said to him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.”
In Jesus’ day it usually took at least a day to travel between Capernaum and Cana. Jesus had spoken the word at 1:00 pm, and at 1:00 pm Jesus healed the father’s son without needing to see him or prescribe a treatment for him. By speaking the word of healing, Jesus did what only God, the Son of God, could do. The first time the father learned of this miracle was from his slaves, and he would soon confirm their words when he saw his son.
(John 4:53) So the father knew that it was at that hour in which Jesus said to him, “Your son lives”; and he himself believed and his whole household.
From their experience of this sign and wonder, the official’s whole household believed in Jesus, and from that point on they would obviously seek to know more about Jesus. Just as one woman’s transformation led to many in her town coming to faith in Jesus, because Jesus had saved their son from death, the physical saving of this boy led those in his household to come to faith in Jesus—both slave and free believed in Jesus.
(John 4:54) This is again a second sign that Jesus performed when He had come out of Judea into Galilee.
Though no one outside Capernaum saw this second sign, and though the residents of Cana may have never learned that this boy was saved from his disease and fever, Jesus knew and His disciples came to know that this was the second sign that Jesus gave them in Galilee. Jesus’ first sign depended on His presence, and the obedience of the servants to Jesus’ words when He told them to put water in the water jars that Jesus then changed into wine. Jesus’ second sign did not rely on His presence in Capernaum or on the obedience of the father or anyone else. Jesus “simply” spoke the word and healed the boy. Still, the father obeyed Jesus’ command and then the next day he learned that Jesus had healed his son. In these first four chapters of John’s gospel we see the power of Jesus’ words demonstrated and the importance of believing Jesus’s words and obeying Jesus’ words.
The Power of Truth, Signs, and Wonders
Sunday December 29, 2019 and January 5, 2020
John 4:43-54
Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the ——-he went his way (John 4:50—KJV). Jesus *said to him, “Go; your son lives.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and started off (John 4:50—++++++++ NASB). Jesus said to him, “Go; your son will live.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and started on his way (John 4:50—NRSV).
Some people believed in Jesus because of signs and wonders. Jesus even said that some people would not believe in Him unless they saw signs and wonders. After Jesus’ resurrection, when the Apostles talked about Jesus, they performed signs and wonders that helped some believe in Him. From Romans 15:18-19, the Apostle Paul wrote that “by word and deed, by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God,” he “fully proclaimed the good news of Christ.” In 2 Corinthians 12:12, Paul wrote “The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with utmost patience, signs and wonders and mighty works.” Unfortunately, signs and wonders can be counterfeited and are sometimes unreliable. In 2 Thessalonians 2:9-10, Paul warned, “The coming of the lawless one is apparent in the working of Satan, who uses all power, signs, lying wonders, and every kind of wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.” To avoid spiritual deception, people must “love the truth.” To believe reasonably and truly, people must consider the words of Jesus rather than trust solely in signs and wonders. In John 18:37, Jesus declared, “For this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.” Without signs and wonders, Samaritans in Sychar believed the words of Jesus and accepted Him as Savior. Without signs and wonders, a royal official traveled twenty miles from Capernaum to Cana, believed Jesus’ words, returned home, and found his son saved by Jesus’ word.
Thinking Further
The Power of Truth, Signs, and Wonders
Sunday December 29, 2019 and January 5, 2020
John 4:43-54
Name _____________________________
- Why was Jesus welcomed when He went to Galilee?
- What are the two signs that Jesus gave when He was in Galilee?
- What kind of person went from Capernaum to Cana to see Jesus? Why did he go to see Jesus?
- What did Jesus do to meet the person’s need? Why do you think Jesus met his need in this way?
- How do we know the person who went to see Jesus believed Jesus?
Discussion and Thinking Further
- Why was Jesus welcomed when He went to Galilee? Because they had seen what Jesus had done at the Passover festival in Jerusalem.
- What are the two signs that Jesus gave when He was in Galilee? Jesus changed water into wine at a wedding in Cana, and by saying the word Jesus healed a boy who was about to die when Jesus was in Cana and the boy was in Capernaum.
- What kind of person went from Capernaum to Cana to see Jesus? Why did he go to see Jesus? The person was a royal official (of the court of King Herod) and a father of a boy who was sick and about to die. He went to ask Jesus to come to Capernaum and heal his son.
- What did Jesus do to meet the person’s need? Why do you think Jesus met his need in this way? In Cana of Galilee, Jesus spoke the word and healed the boy in Capernaum. He healed him in this way because most of the crowd around Him in Galilee were there to see signs and wonders and He knew they would not believe without signs and wonders. Jesus wanted them to believe the way the Samaritans had come to believe “because of His word.”
- How do we know the person who went to see Jesus believed Jesus? The father immediately obeyed Jesus and left for home when Jesus told him “Go; your son will live.” Without seeing a sign or wonder, the father believed Jesus “because of His word.” This is the type of faith that Jesus wanted people to possess.
The Power of Truth, Signs, and Wonders
Sunday December 29, 2019 and January 5, 2020
John 4:43-54
Name _____________________________
John 4:43-54 Word Search
R O Y A L N G Y P H Y F T X C
X N D P H F J D N R W V L B G
P R L C E O X E A P O A H E K
X N S V G C U F R S X P J L T
O B I N O D J S O U K N H I F
M L F C A E X N E B S D B E H
U H M J S E Z Y D H L A U V T
A O L U C U L A S U O K L E Z
N F S G A Y J I G P S L R E A
R F D H N L B W L T V N D L M
E I E K A T M Q R A P L B X K
P C O C A E D U J X G E J U Y
A I G X Z F E S T I V A L D H
C A F E V E R O R G J K O A U
R L S T S N G I S L Y L I R B
Prophet
Galileans
Jerusalem
Festival
Cana
Royal
Official
Son
Fever
Capernaum
Judea
Signs
Believe
Live
Household
True and False Test
The Power of Truth, Signs, and Wonders
Sunday December 29, 2019 and January 5, 2020
John 4:43-54
Name _____________________________
Circle the True or False answers. Correct the False statements by restating them.
- Jesus and His disciples traveled through Samaria on their way to Galilee. True or False
- Many Galileans liked to see Jesus’ signs and wonders, but they did not honor Him as a prophet by believing what He said. True or False
- Jesus went to Capernaum, where He had changed water into wine. True or False
- A royal official came to Jesus and begged Him to come to Capernaum and heal his son before he died. True or False
- Jesus told the man that He was too tired to travel back to Capernaum, that He could not go and heal his son until the Sabbath. True or False
- Jesus said, “Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.” True or False
- Because Jesus did not need to go to Capernaum to heal the father’s son, he said to the father, “Go; your son will live.” True or False
- The father believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and left to go home without begging Jesus further. True or False
- Jesus performed a miracle in Cana so the Galileans could see the boy healed twenty miles away in Capernaum, but they still would not believe Jesus’ words. True or False
- The father learned from his slaves that the fever left his son at the exact time Jesus had said, “Your son will live.” True or False
John 4:43-52 True and False Test Answers
- True
- True
- False
- True
- False
- True
- True
- True
- False
10.True
Prayer
Father, stir us to give prayer the priority it must have in these perilous times. May we pray and live as people who know the truth that there is no other God but You. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.