Following the extensive dialogue between Jesus and the Jews who had gathered to hear Him talk about the manna that fell in the wilderness and Himself being the living bread that had come down out of heaven, Jesus and His disciples returned to Galilee. Jesus was already aware of the fact that Jews had a “bounty” on His head as the religious leaders were already plotting to kill Him, and so when Jesus’ half-brothers wanted Him to return to Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Booths, Jesus declined because He knew that all they wanted was more public demonstrations of His miraculous powers. Jesus responded:

“My time is not yet at hand, but your time is always opportune…Go up to the feast yourselves; I do not go up to this feast because My time has not yet fully come” (John 7:6,8).

The Feast of Booths was one of the most important holidays for the Jews, and is one of the “fall feasts” celebrated in September or October. Jesus’ time would actually come during Passover, one of the “spring feasts” and is celebrated in March or April. The Feast of Booths commemorated God’s provision of food and water during the time that the Hebrews lived in tents during their 40 years in the wilderness. Jesus knew that His disciples, including His own half-brothers, were just looking for Jesus to perform more public miracles so that the people would follow Him, hoping that He would become an earthly, political leader and do away with the Roman occupation.

But after His half-brothers left for Jerusalem, Jesus gathered His disciples and they too, left for the Feast, but as John recorded, they left “secretly” as Jesus did not want to draw attention to Himself, and that’s what His half-brother were wanting to do (John 7:10).  Interestingly, the multitudes in Jerusalem were expecting Jesus to be there, and they kept looking for Him. Their opinion of Him was divided as some were saying:

“He is a good man”; but others were saying “No, on the contrary, He leads the multitude astray” (John 7:12).

In the middle of the Feast, which lasted for just over a week, Jesus decided to enter the Temple and begin to teach. The Jewish leadership was amazed at His teaching because He had not had any “formal” education. Jesus responded by saying:

“My teaching is not Mine, but His who sent Me. If any man is willing to do His will, he shall know of the teaching, whether it is of God, or whether I speak from Myself (John 7:16-17).

Jesus is directing the crowd who gathered to the fact that what He was teaching was actually from God (the Father) and it was not His own, and if the people did God’s will, they would know that Jesus’ teaching was actually from God. Then Jesus asked them a question:

“Did not Moses give you the Law, and yet none of you carries out the Law? Why do you seek to kill Me” (John 7:19).

They had an interesting response to Jesus’ question:

“You have a demon. Who seeks to kill You? (John 7:20).

The Jewish leaders claimed ignorance regarding who was trying to kill Him. Then Jesus asked them a question about performing circumcisions on the Sabbath, when the Law says that they should not do any work on the Sabbath:

“If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath that the Law of Moses may not be broken, are you angry with Me because I made an entire man well on the Sabbath (John 7:23)?

Jesus was likely referring to the healing of the man at the Pool of Bethesda (chapter 5), a healing that he performed on the Sabbath. The Jews could not give an answer to Jesus’ question. Jesus went on to say:

“You both know Me and know where I am from; and I have not come of Myself, but He who sent me is true, whom you do not know. I know Him; because I am from Him, and He sent me” (John 7:28-29).

The religious leaders knew exactly what Jesus was saying, and again they tried to seize Him, but as John recorded:

“No man laid his hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come” (John 7:30).

It wasn’t the crowd who knew that His hour had not yet come, but Jesus knew, and He also knew that the Father would “restrain” the crowd from seizing him during the Feast of Booths. They would have to wait until Passover, when Jesus knew that it was the “right time” for Him. 

God has a “right time” for all of us to accomplish His will. And the most important “time” is the time for us to recognize Jesus as the Messiah and that He died for our sins so that we can become a “child of God.” Maybe this is the “right time” for you to acknowledge Him and to give your life to Him. His Spirit will let you know, if He hasn’t done so already, when the right time has arrived. Maybe it’s today. God bless you.