John 7:6-9, Jesus and the World

6 Jesus said to them, "My time has not yet come, but your time is always here. 7 The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil. 8 You go up to the feast. I am not going up to this feast, for my time has not yet fully come." 9 After saying this, he remained in Galilee.

Jesus brings light to the darkness and confronts lies with the truth, exposing evil in corrupt hearts in the world. He is like a doctor delivering a diagnosis of ill health and offering an immediate cure. Instead of being thankful for the work and insight of the doctor and agreeing with the cure, the world rejects the diagnosis and cure and turns its hate on the giver of the message. The world doesn’t hate people who agree with it.

Jesus informs his brothers he will stay in Galilee because the timing is not right for him. His timing will be everything when he enters Jerusalem being hailed as a king and is crucified six days later as the Passover lambs are being sacrificially slaughtered in the temple. God speaks to us in words and symbols, making clear who his Son really is and why he came among us as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Even months before the events, Jesus knows his timing is everything, and his time has not yet fully come.

Consider how God times things in your life. Look back at your history with the Lord and talk with him about what he has done for you in his time.