"You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life."
John 5:39-40
In the time of the New Testament, religious leaders were taught to love and hold dear the Scripture - which in that time would have been the writings of the Old Testament. They would spend hours studying, memorizing, and discussing the text. The word "search" in John 5:39 is defined as "keen scrutiny (sharp observation and examination)" with a purpose to uncover the message within the words.
And yet, the heartbreaking reality is this:
Even with all their searching - they never found the One they searched for.
Jesus says in John 5, “I am the son of God. He is my Father. I’m here doing HIS work. The scriptures you study are showing you ME. They are written about ME. They point to ME.”
And yet, they couldn't see it.
They couldn't see Him.
I love how Adrian Rogers puts it in A Love Worth Finding:
"Christ is the Seed of woman and in Genesis 3:15 we are told He will one day crush Satan.
In Exodus we find the story of the Passover Lamb, and Christ is the sacrificial Lamb given for us.
In Leviticus we read of the high priests making sacrifices for the people, and Christ has become our High Priest, making the perfect sacrifice to atone for our sins.
In Deuteronomy Moses prophesied of a prophet who would come that would be greater than Himself. Jesus is that Great Prophet.
In the book of Joshua, Joshua met the Captain of the Lord's host. That man is Jesus Christ.
The judges were leaders who delivered God's people, each of them typifying the Lord Jesus.
Boaz, the kinsman who redeemed Ruth's inheritance, is a picture of Christ.
David, the anointed one, pictures Jesus and Jesus is described as being the Son of David.
In 2 Samuel when the king is being enthroned, the entire scene is descriptive of the Lord Jesus.
The books of Kings speak of the glory of God filling the temple and the Chronicles describe the glorious coming king, both referring to Jesus, the King of Kings.
Ezra depicts Jesus as the Lord of our fathers.
Job says clearly that the Redeemer is coming!
Esther offers a picture of Christ interceding for His people.
Christ appears time after time in the Psalms, including when David describes Him as “the Shepherd.”
Isaiah details His glorious birth.
Jeremiah reveals that He will be acquainted with sorrows.
Joel describes Him as the Hope of His people.
Amos tells us that Jesus is the judge of all nations.
Obadiah warns of the coming eternal kingdom.
Jonah offers a picture of Jesus being dead for three days, then coming back to life to preach repentance.
Zephaniah says that He will be the king over Israel.
Zachariah is the prophet who speaks of Jesus riding on a colt.
Malachi is the one who calls Him the Son of Righteousness."
He is everywhere on every page, in every story, in ever book.
And yet...
These bold claims shook up the Pharisees and religious leaders. And it brought the people to a crisis of faith – would they believe what the Pharisees and Priests had taught them all their lives or what they saw in front of them - This Jesus of Nazareth who claimed to be the Son of God and the fulfillment of all they had been taught from the beginning? Their answer to this would determine the rest of their story.
"But what do you say?" I hear Him asking you tonight - as He did Peter so many years ago....
"Who do YOU say that I am (Mark 8:27-30)?"
"Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life."
Matthew 5:24
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