Day 791: Come and see - John 1 vs 43 - 51

43-44 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” 46 Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.”

47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming towards him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” 49 Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” 50-51 Jesus answered him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree’, do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” And he said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” John 1:43-51 English Standard Version

How different God's ways are to ours. Nathanael's comment to Philip sums it up well. Nazareth seemed like nothing to Jerusalem so why should the Messiah come from there? Philip was wise enough to not be sidetracked into a long discussion, he just invited Nathanael to come and meet Jesus for himself. There are times when we too should not be sidetracked by intellectual questions, but simply give our testimony to what we have discovered in Jesus, and what He has done for us.

Some 500 years before Philip's conversation with Nathanael many Jewish people were also struggling with the problem of unfulfilled expectations. They'd come back after 70 years of exile in Babylon and, upon returning to their homeland, started to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. But after it's foundations were laid they realized it was no match for the temple Solomon had built. They became disheartened and the work floundered. But God sent two prophets to encourage their leader named Zerubbabel. One of them said: “The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house.” (Haggai 2:9) And the other said “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts. The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also complete it. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you. For whoever has despised the day of small things shall rejoice, and shall see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel.” (Zechariah 4:6-10)

God delights to work in the small things and the small places of the world. He took insignificant Abram and, even when he and his wife were 'past the prime of life', brought forth a child who would be a forefather of the Messiah. God took the youngest of Jesse's' son, a lowly shepherd lad, and made Him the prototype King of the one who would be King of Kings. God surprises us again and again with those He uses by His Spirit to accomplish His purposes.

That's what Nathanael discovered at his first encounter with Jesus. What was his response when he realised Jesus knew him so well even though they'd not met before? (vs 49)

That was a huge statement considering his earlier scepticism. But that's what people discover as they get to know Jesus. In our case it's not through a physical meeting such as Nathanael had, but it's as we grow in our knowledge of Christ through His word and through the changes He brings about in our life. And the thing about Jesus is that there is always more to come. He spoke to Nathanael of how he and the other disciples would see a yet greater glory.

It was in little Bethlehem, not Jerusalem, Athens or Rome, that Jesus was born. It was from unlikely Nazareth that He set forth into the world. May we not be among those who despise the day of small things, but those who rejoice in how God accomplishes His plan of salvation. Psalm 66:5 says “Come and see what God has done: He is awesome in his deeds towards the children of man.” And Psalm 34:8 says: “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him!”