In today's passage for Lent, we're told that it is the time of the Feast of Tabernacles. Being very unknowledgeable about the symbolism for this feast, I will do my best to summarize. During this feast, which is still celebrated by Jews across the world, individuals build a sukkah. The sukkah is a small, three-sided shelter made out of organic materials. Inside, there is enough room for one person and a table. It is customary to decorate the sukkah with ornaments, popcorn wreaths, candles, and brightly-colored objects hanging from the ceiling. For seven to nine days (depending on the custom of the individual), the person "lives" in this dwelling, celebrating the provision and shelter of God. It points back to the time recorded in scripture in which the Israelites wandered in the desert for 40 years, with shelter and provision from God.
Another aspect of the Feast is the gathering of Jewish people at the temple, or synagogue. Practicing Jews come together and celebrate God's past provision and His future restoration. They reflect on the hope of the time when everything will be put back together again by the Lord God. For the Jew, there is no Yeshua, or Jesus. There has not been a liberation from physical, mental, and especially spiritual oppression. It is a time of celebration, though, remembering God's provision and looking forward to the time of redemption.
According to the passage in John chapter 7, Jesus has a family and they are all practicing Jews. Jesus knows that the Jews in Judea (where the temple and the feast are held) are plotting to kill him for his claims that He has been sent from the Father. For the Jews, this is absolute blasphemy. The penalty for someone claiming this kind of thing is mostly ridicule, but if it goes too far, death. Jesus is making His way to the latter penalty. His brothers ask, "Why don't you go out to Judea? Your disciples need to see the work you do. No one who seeks to inform the public does so behind the scenes."
It would have been a great marketing opportunity for Jesus to show up to the most important feast of the Jews. He would have them all in one place, and it would make a great opportunity to have a platform. But, he knows something that his brothers and family don't know. The message he's carrying is the opposite of what they are believing. His own family doesn't believe in what he's claiming. Jesus tells his brothers "it isn't time yet." He seems fearful that if he goes to Judea, he will create a lot of commotion.
Nevertheless, Jesus still goes. Knowing that he's the most wanted man in Jerusalem and that crowds of angry Jews have a price for his head, he goes in secret after his family. His family doesn't even know he's going. Maybe if they knew, word would get around and he would be captured. But, it wasn't time yet.
I imagine it was heartbreaking for Jesus, this whole process. The one message he wanted to get out was that He was sent by the Father to be the temple - the restoration of the world. Essentially, the Jews were celebrating the provision of God, but refused to accept the Provision of God standing right in front of them. They were reflecting on the future coming of a Messiah, and refusing to believe the Messiah was already in there midst. Who would blame them though? Jesus didn't. He had to have been in anguish about how focused the Jews were in their festivals, and at the same time staying humble enough to not get on a platform in public and try to win them over with moving speech and dazzling miracles. He didn't give up. He loved them so much that he didn't infringe on their traditions and practices, but was waiting for the right time - when the Father made it clear to him to act.
This passage makes me wonder what Jesus would think if he were to observe us practicing Lent today. Would he see a people who are fasting out of their reflection of Him, or would he see a people who are fasting out of a refusal to believe that the kingdom has come and will come in its fullness?
I believe that just as Jesus showed up and kept quiet during the Jewish holiday of Feast of Tabernacles, he loves us so much that he will not impede on our customary ways of doing things. Unless, the time has come. The phrase, "It's not time yet," keeps showing up in the gospel of Matthew. Every time someone tries to persuade Jesus to do something, he says it's not time yet. In this passage, it wasn't time for Jesus to show up to the festival and start preaching or building on his claims. He respected the traditions of the Jews, knowing that there would be a time to interject.
I believe there is a time, or many times, in which Jesus intersects with our lives. Heaven meets earth, joy intersects with depression, self-hate intersects with unconditional love, bondage intersects with freedom. Whatever heartache, sadness, hopelessness and despair we are experiencing currently comes with it the reality that in the right time, heaven will intersect earth. I believe that everything and everyone is in the process of being restored to its intended perfection. Along the way, however, are valleys of sadness and despair. If we're trying to ritualize our way through these moments, it's okay. If we're trying to make the best out of dire circumstances, it's okay. We're wired to do so. As Jesus watches, grieving and celebrating with us, he knows there's a time to intersect, and right now may not be the best time.
Because sometimes, good is the enemy of better.
As we go out today, do we understand that no matter how hard we try, we are not in control of time?
Do we see time as a thing that's running out, or a thing that is being used to restore?
What's one way we could use our time today to bring restoration to the world, or to receive restoration for our weary bodies, minds, and hearts?
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