John 12:27-30 - Hearing a Voice from Heaven

John 12:27-30

27 “Now My soul has become troubled; and what shall I say, ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify Your name.” Then a voice came out of heaven: “I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.” 29 So the crowd of people who stood by and heard it were saying that it had thundered; others were saying, “An angel has spoken to Him.” 30 Jesus answered and said, “This voice has not come for My sake, but for your sakes.

Message: Hearing a Voice from Heaven

Time: John most likely wrote between A.D. 85 and 90. John's purpose in writing was, "that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name (John 20:31)." 

What the Lord is Saying: In the Open Bible, starting with verse 23, it has given a heading of "The Messiah Teaches" from verse 23 to the end of the chapter, verse 50. So this is an interesting discourse that Jesus is giving now and John has witnessed and wrote down for us to read. Verse 20 mentions Greeks coming to worship Jesus and so the words now from Jesus seem to be a response to this. 

In verse 27-30 Jesus almost is talking to Himself and others are witnessing. In verse 23, He has mentioned "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified." John Gill (1697-1771, pastor beginning in 1719 for 51 years in Southwark (oldest district of London)) mentions this: 

that the son of man should be glorified; by rising from the dead, ascending to heaven, sitting at the right hand of God, and from thence pouring forth the Spirit upon his disciples, who should go and preach the Gospel to the Gentiles, as well as Jews; and which would issue in the conversion of many of them, and so in his glory, of which the coming of these Greeks was an earnest. 

In verse 27 is Jesus' honest reflection on this moment, anticipating the death that is coming. Though this is His destiny, He still struggles with it. He is "troubled." He wants to be saved from this hour. He is completely man, exhibiting the challenges that man faces when he is approaching something difficult. He is troubled about facing the judgment of God. The Christian has a peace about this judgment for believing in Jesus an trusting Him alone for their salvation. Often we will say that God might look at us and ask us why He should let us into heaven and we would respond because we are trusting in the blood of Jesus alone. Our hope is that at that moment our works will not be judged and yet I think we need to still hold onto some sort of fear for this judgment. We still should fear God.

Following these statements, Jesus still he sees His purpose and knows that the Father will be glorified. And then a voice from heaven speaks out confirming this - confirming that this is the intended outcome and goal of Jesus. God the Father speaks to the history of mankind in the statement, "I have both glorified it and will glorify it again." 

People heard the voice from heaven. And Jesus confirms that all that will transpire, his death, will be for the sake of all of them. All that Jesus will do and the Father's purpose is for the sake of mankind. 

Tabletalk makes this last statement in the devotion for today (July 9, 2018) - "God reveals (v. 28) that the cross will mark a new era in His dealings with His people, assuring them of their salvation." This is an interesting statement and it seems to be saying that 'a new era' is a new dispensation which is a new order at a particular time. And that order is people will be assured of their salvation. Why? Because Jesus will have achieved the defeat of death that all prior had been looking forward to His doing. So perhaps those in the past held onto a promise but now going forward people will be able to hold onto the actual event - the death, burial and resurrection event - as providing each person now complete assurance of their salvation. 

Summary: Jesus admits he is troubled about future judgment before God and yet God has a purpose for people, to give them assurance and Jesus submits to this. 

Promise: God is willing to go above and beyond in making Himself clear to us. 

Prayer: O God, thank you for the peace that is found in You and the honesty that you speak to me about what you experience, troubled about God's judgment and possibly death. But sometimes God we must go through these things that are tough. Help me to stay focused on the future and good things that You will do even when I don't understand it at the time. 

Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's.