Let My People Go

John 18:7-9

I remember having, when I was a boy, an inflatable toy (I think it was a character from the Lil' Abner comic strip.) which I used as a punching bag. It was about three feet tall and had sand or some other weight in its rounded bottom, so that when you knocked it down it always stood back up. Of course this thing did not have any brains or it might have stayed down after it got hit often enough, but it just kept standing back up.

We might wonder about the mental capacity of those men who were struck down by the power of God in Gethsemane when they went to arrest Jesus. The whole multitude of them was flattened (v.6) and then, having learned nothing from the experience, was allowed by the grace of God to stand back up. A man with all of his senses about him would have gotten up and run as fast as his feet could carry him, but these stood up and went right back to their wicked business as though nothing had happened.

This crowd gives us a good picture of just how dangerous the devil can be. He is able to blind men to the truths about God, even though it hits them right in the face. They are able to blot out such experiences and proceed with Satan's business, which leads to their total destruction.

So Jesus asked them again who they were seeking, and again they gave the same answer, "Jesus of Nazareth." They still did not recognize that He was the Messiah and that the power of God was with Him.

Jesus, however, knew how dangerous they were and said, "... if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way." As the Good Shepherd, it was His job to protect those whom God had given Him. Remember that it was God's will that not one should be lost. Therefore, He offered Himself on the grounds that the disciples be set free.

Jesus came to set men free and He was going to suffer and die for their sins. There would have been no useful purpose for the disciples to suffer and die with Him. However, He was not simply protecting them physically. The disciples had not yet received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. How many of them would have been able to endure such a test of their faith at that time? God will never place His people in a situation that is beyond their ability to endure. "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God [is] faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear [it]." (1 Corinthians 10:13)

Jesus made a way for His disciples to escape the temptation that He was going to suffer in their place. We can see from this passage that His promise to keep each of us, His people, from being lost is taken seriously by Him. The evil that exists in this world is a grave danger to us. It blinds men to every sort of proof and reasonable argument; it whips them into a fury against the forces of righteousness; and keeps them coming back even after they have been knocked down. We will all face their hatred one day just as the disciples suffered later in life, but God will choose the time and He will insure that we have a way to escape and to bear it. Not one will be lost.

Before The Throne:

What temptations are you facing? Remember that Jesus died for you so that you could be a child of God. Give Him thanks for that. Pray that He would give you the wisdom to see the way through every temptation without losing your faith. Ask Him to help you use every life experience to grow in your faith. Pray that He will help you to live by your faith. Acknowledge your sins, your weaknesses, your failures and your dependence on Him. Thank Jesus for going before you and defeating the forces of evil. He says to your enemies, "Let my people go!" and you are safe.

For Further Study:

(v.8) * if. Isa 53:6; Eph 5:25; * let. Joh 10:28; 13:1,36; 16:32; Mt 26:56; Mr 14:50-52; 1Co 10:13; 2Co 12:9; 1Pe 5:7;

(v.9) * Of. Joh 17:12;

For Further Study is an edited excerpt from The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.