So, I was reading in the Gospel of John, when I saw a ‘picture’ I had never seen before.

One of the really cool things I have learned as I have grown in this Hebraic walk, is that there is so much more depth to Scripture than I ever imagined before embracing the fulness of what the Word says.  Now, when I read, there are time something will fly off the page and smack me between the eyes revealing a new and glorious insight.  Let me share an exciting hidden treasure:

⁴⁹ But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all, ⁵⁰ nor do you take into account that it is expedient for you that one man die for the people, and that the whole nation not perish.” ⁵¹ Now he did not say this on his own initiative, but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation, ⁵² and not for the nation only, but in order that He might also gather together into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. ⁵³ So from that day on they planned together to kill Him.

⁵⁴ Therefore Jesus no longer continued to walk publicly among the Jews, but went away from there to the country near the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim; and there He stayed with the disciples.

⁵⁵ Now the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went up to Jerusalem out of the country before the Passover to purify themselves. ⁵⁶ So they were seeking for Jesus, and were saying to one another as they stood in the temple, “What do you think; that He will not come to the feast at all?”  John 11:49-56

I’ve read this many times and have seen the prophecy of Caiaphas, but upon reading it this week, 2000 years of history suddenly spun into focus.

This passage, on the surface, tells of a couple week’s history and a couple events.  As a Remez (and maybe a little Sod) it is a picture of 2000 years of history and a hint at timing for the Great Tribulation and the end.

Now, if you are not familiar with the terms ‘Remez’ and ‘Sod,’ the quick definition is that in Judaic teaching, there are a number of levels of Scriptural interpretation.  All MUST agree…  the basic surface, P’shat, is the obvious meaning, but deeper levels of discovery await the one who will seek.

Providentially, I just found a post that a friend blogged two months ago explaining this very thing.  (If you want more info on P’shat, Remez, Drash and Sod, go read that, then come back.)

I had seen the first part of this passage we are looking at from the P’shat level for years, but had no clue of the larger scope of Israel’s history and how this passage points to something related to the great scope of history.  Let’s take it apart and see what hidden treasure is revealed!

⁴⁹ But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all, ⁵⁰ nor do you take into account that it is expedient for you that one man die for the people, and that the whole nation not perish.” ⁵¹ Now he did not say this on his own initiative, but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation,

I understood this.

⁵² and not for the nation only, but in order that He might also gather together into one the children of God who are scattered abroad.

I had a vague understanding of this, but did not really understand it from the perspective of ‘the scattered’ or ‘lost sheep‘ (an awesome teaching, btw!) that we see mentioned so many other places in Scripture.  (A FASCINATING word study, all by itself, is ‘scattered.’)

John, here, is telling us that Y’shua’s mission is to gather the lost sheep of the House of Israel.  Ephesians 2 and 4, as well as Romans 9-11 confirm what we were told in Ezekiel 37, Jeremiah 23, etc…  Remember, Y’shua Himself said, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”  (That verse alone ought to shake every Christian to the core!!  Y’shua did NOT come to start a new religion!!)

⁵³ So from that day on they planned together to kill Him.

Here begins the really cool new stuff I saw in this passage…

Just as the earlier part of this passage is a near-term, literal/historical record, it is also a long-term historical prophecy.  From that point in time the Jews began to try to destroy the Messiah.  While He was put to death and raised for the sins of Israel and so that we could be brought into covenant, the literal fulfillment, there is a deeper picture that plays out over the last 2000 years wherein the religious leaders of the Jews have tried to ‘kill’ His memory and destroy His role as the Moshiach.  (Please understand, I am not ‘Jew’ bashing, I am presenting the historical case.  Stay with me.)

⁵⁴ Therefore Jesus no longer continued to walk publicly among the Jews, but went away from there to the country near the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim; and there He stayed with the disciples.

Four major points leap off the page, right here!

• Y’shua no longer walked publicly among the Jews.  He withdrew publicly and for the last 2000 years has been present among the Jews as the Moshiach, but largely privately, until the last 30 years or so.  There have been those who recognized Him and accepted Him, but doing so cost most a very high personal price.  (I had the privilege this week to spend an afternoon with a Messianic Rabbi who leads a Jewish/Gentile congregation and he related story after story of his connections in the Jewish community who will whisper to him, ‘I believe in the Messiah’ but will not state so publicly, choosing to be a very quiet light in their own communities.)
• Y’shua “went away from there to a country near the wilderness.”  This is a picture of the Moshiach going to the Gentiles.  Think: Joseph to Egypt…  Thought dead by his brothers…  New name…  Appeared as a Gentile doing Gentile things….  The second in command of the known world…  Revealed to his brothers in time of need… But, I digress.
• Y’shua went “into a city called Ephraim.”  BANG!  There it is!! The Two Sticks Prophecy and the House of Israel!!  This is a picture of Moshiach dwelling with the Gentiles for the last 2000 years!!
• Y’shua has particularly dwelt with His disciples.

⁵⁵ Now the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went up to Jerusalem out of the country before the Passover to purify themselves.

• This strikes at the timing for when I believe the Great Tribulation starts.  (Passover + 42 months = Rosh Hashanah!)  At the end of this 2000 years (in the very near future) we see the Jews come back into focus…  and this has been happening as we watch the return to the land, the ‘peace’ process and the preparation for the fulfillment of all things.
• Interestingly, John says, ‘Passover of the Jews.’  John KNOWS that Passover is a ‘Feast of YHVH!’ Therefore, his use of the phrase, ‘Passover of the Jews’ can only be a pointer, a highlighter, to grab our attention!  Again, timing, but also tells us a little about the stage that has been set in Israel in the last 100 years.
• ‘Many went up to Jerusalem out of the country before Passover.’  Another timing marker.  Today, the Jews are returning in droves, to Jerusalem.  They are doing so before THE Passover wherein the Great Tribulation will kick off.

⁵⁶ So they were seeking for Jesus,

A time is soon coming when, indeed, they will seek for the Moshiach.  Zechariah 12 tells us

I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn. ¹¹ In that day there will be great mourning in Jerusalem, like the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the plain of Megiddo. ¹² The land will mourn, every family by itself; the family of the house of David by itself and their wives by themselves; the family of the house of Nathan by itself and their wives by themselves; ¹³ the family of the house of Levi by itself and their wives by themselves; the family of the Shimeites by itself and their wives by themselves; ¹⁴ all the families that remain, every family by itself and their wives by themselves.

This will be a glorious point when the eyes of the House of David (Judah) will be opened in mass.

and were saying to one another as they stood in the temple, “What do you think; that He will not come to the feast at all?”

This points to great concern that indeed, Moshiach may not show up…  He will!  In power and glory!!

Interestingly, the phrase, ‘The Feast’ or sometimes, ‘The Great Feast,’ points to Sukkot, which is a picture of the Millennial reign, His tabernacling again among us…  Might that be the allusion here in the text?  Don’t know.

All-in-all, this was just a cool picture in the text of the last 2000 years of history that are indeed, drawing to a close.  Y’shua is preparing to leave the ‘city of Ephraim’ and present Himself at Passover.  Will we ‘go up’ with Him?  His disciples did them and the true disciples will now.

A side note: Scripture says…

• The Feasts of YHVH have never been done away with.  See future mentions and celebrations in Zechariah 14:16-21 and Isaiah 66:21-24.
• The Torah will go forth from Zion, and be written on our hearts!!  YHVH is pleased to make Torah great and glorious!!
• True followers of Y’shua haMoshiach (Jesus the Messiah) will ‘walk as He walked,’ keeping Torah.  Those who do not are liars and know not of what Scripture says!

I pray you have enjoyed and been challenged by this study.

Yahweh will bless you and watch over you.
Yahweh will smile on you and be kind to you.
Yahweh will look on you with favor and give you peace.

B’shem Y’shua ha Moshiach, sar Shalom!

Pete