John 12:37-50
The Jews Continue in Their Unbelief
37Even after Jesus had done all these miraculous signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him. 38This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet:
"Lord, who has believed our message
and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?"
39For this reason they could not believe, because, as Isaiah says elsewhere:
40"He has blinded their eyes
and deadened their hearts,
so they can neither see with their eyes,
nor understand with their hearts,
nor turn—and I would heal them." 41Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus' glory and spoke about him.
42Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not confess their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; 43for they loved praise from men more than praise from God.
44Then Jesus cried out, "When a man believes in me, he does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. 45When he looks at me, he sees the one who sent me. 46I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.
47"As for the person who hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge him. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save it. 48There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; that very word which I spoke will condemn him at the last day. 49For I did not speak of my own accord, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it. 50I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say."
Deuteronomy 29:2-6
Moses Summons the Israelites
2 Moses summoned all the Israelites and said to them:
Your eyes have seen all that the LORD did in Egypt to Pharaoh, to all his officials and to all his land. 3 With your own eyes you saw those great trials, those miraculous signs and great wonders. 4 But to this day the LORD has not given you a mind that understands or eyes that see or ears that hear. 5 During the forty years that I led you through the desert, your clothes did not wear out, nor did the sandals on your feet. 6 You ate no bread and drank no wine or other fermented drink. I did this so that you might know that I am the LORD your God.
Jesus taught for three years...Many were eyewitnesses to these miracles of healing, His power over nature, and His raising of the dead...Still many people did not believe Him...We have been give free will by God to believe in Him or not believe in Him...And it seems miracles help us believe in God and His Son...Do you believe this?...
Miracles and time do not necessary help one's belief...Back in Moses' day God was with them for forty years and the people saw many miracles...From Deuteronomy 29:2-6 Moses tells and asks the Israelites after forty years of miracles, with your own eyes you have seen miracle after miracle...But their mind does not understand...
This rejection of belief is actually a fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy of Isaiah...Isaiah asks in verse 53:1, LORD, who has believed our message...Again in verse 6:10 Isaiah says "He has blinded their eyes and deadened their hearts, so they cannot see with their eyes or understand with their hearts"....Isaiah saw the glory of Jesus and knew this unbelief was going to happen..
The Hebrew He is talking to are eyewitnesses to God, and they are many in number...
If we had spent many years with our Father and His Son and seen many miracles of theirs would we believe...What do you believe in, is one of the most important questions you will ask yourself...Just what do you believe in???...
Belief is more than intellect and just what you think (intellectually) about God...It is more than how you feel about God...I often ask why don't I feel stronger, more passionate for the LORD...Our intellect of God and our feelings toward God are a part of our faith, but does not define our belief...Once you think about it, our closeness to God is about our relationship, with our Father...This relationship is the key...We must treasure it (our relationship) with God...We must always be working on it (our relationship with Him)...
When we see something we usually believe it...But there are cases when we are eyewitnesses to things, very important things and just let them go...We must know what is important to us and what we should treasure...
The author of Hebrews in talking about faith in chapter eleven, talks of the ancients who were commended for their faith...The author talks of faith being a hope, something in the future, and also being something we cannot see...Faith is in our future hope...Faith is invisible...God will do what He promises... Noah hoped God would save him and his family from the future flood, which God did...Abraham had faith God would deliver the land of milk and honey to his descendants, and at a time Abraham and Sarah were old and had no children...Abraham had faith and God delivered in His promise...Noah and Abraham had a relationship with God...
Our relationship with God comes from the heart...We must have an open heart and want to believe...Some might call this repenting, and following the LORD...We see people can follow the teachings of the most powerful historical figure ever and not believe in Him...We see people can be with His Father for forty years and seen all the miracles and don't have this relationship with Him... So time and miracles did not make belief happen for many...
If we believe in Jesus we believe in the Father who sent Him...If we believe in Him his commandments lead to eternal life...This belief starts our relationship with the Father and Son...To strengthen this relationship, we must seek Him...He offers so much when we believe by faith...
Our relationship, with the Father, must come from our hearts and be important part of our daily life and treasured...Our heart must be open and know this is a treasure...For where our treasure is our heart is there also...