Day 15 – Feasting On John 15

The Word of God is living, it speaks, it reveals, it corrects wrong teaching in us, it aligns us to truth, it is the gift that keeps on giving for those who read it as students letting the Word be the teacher.

I was reading John 15:18-21 and the Holy Spirit revealed a correction in my thinking and I wanted to share it with you. Listen to Jesus…”If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me.”

The Holy Spirit said, “Who is the world?”

I have always been taught the world is the unsaved, the unbelievers who have no knowledge of the Bible or God. The Holy Spirit said, did “the world” by this definition persecute Jesus? I stopped immediately…no they didnt, unbelieving religious people did. The religious leaders and people knew the Torah, but they didn’t know God, for Jesus said if they did they would have known Him. Could it be “the world” in this passage is religious leaders who don’t believe in Jesus? The Holy Spirit said, keep reading.

John 15:22-25 “If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. He who hates Me hates My Father also. If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father. But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, ‘They hated Me without a cause”

Who is the them? The religious leaders of Jesus’ day that did not believe in the Messiah who was the kingdom of God on earth as in heaven. They are the world that persecuted Jesus.

Persecution for kingdom believers is not going to come from people who are what Christians call unbelievers, it’s going to come from religious leaders who don’t believe the kingdom is at hand again. Why, because just like then it is now, it will threaten their system, they will lose their followers and this will infuriate them. Multitudes of people are going leave the system to follow Jesus again, it’s already begun and will continue.

We are living in Biblical history and we must think cyclical not linear if we are going to understand what God is doing on earth right now as it is in heaven. Truly 2 Chronicles 7:14 is what we must do, My people, must humble themselves (become teachable); turn from their wicked ways (unbelief) Seek My face (Matthew 6:33) and pray (listen to the Holy Spirit and obey); then I will turn and heal their land (their life, their hearts, their soul)! This is the day the Lord has made, I am rejoicing and being glad in it.