A Burning and Shining Light - John 5:35

The apostle John wrote how Jesus said, “I can of my own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which has sent me. If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. There is another that bears witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesses of me is true. You sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth. But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that you might be saved”, and in chapter five and verse thirty-five of his book, John shared how Jesus said John the Baptist, “was a burning and shining light” where we read:

He was a burning and a shining light: and you were willing for a season to rejoice in his light.

The verse reads, “He was a burning and a shining light:”. John began with the words, “He was a burning” or “He, John the Baptist, existed as a set on fire consuming” “and a shining light” which means “and a bright and resplendent, evident, manifest and appearing illumination”. John shared how Jesus declared John the Baptist to be a “consuming and manifest appearing illumination”.

The verse goes on to say, “and you were willing for a season to rejoice in his light.” John continued with Jesus' words, “and you were willing” which means “and you, Jewish people, had in mind, intended, resolved, determined, purposed, desired and wished” “for a season” or “for a certain definite time” “to rejoice in his light” which means “to exult and be exceeding glad with John the Baptist's emitting, brightness and brilliant truth”. John shared how Jesus said the Jewish people “desired and determined” to “be exceedingly glad” for a “time” with John the Baptist's “truth and brightness”.

When we think through John's words in this verse, we learn how Jesus referred to the “brilliance” of John the Baptist's witness of Him, and He recalled how the people for a time were “rejoicing” in what he said. Jesus will use this example of the people's desire and gladness to compare to His own “witness” to demonstrate how God loves people, and His desire is to save them from their sins by believing and trusting in His Son Jesus. Those who are wise will not only acknowledge the “truth” in the “testimony” of John the Baptist, but also receive the “witness” of Jesus Himself who came to be the “Savior and Lord” of the world.

Next time John shares how Jesus says, “I have a greater witness than that of John”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".