August 31 I Friday

Psalms 132-134

1 Corinthians 11:17-34

“You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You shall see greater things than that.”   —John 1:50

Jesus not only knew who Nathanael was, but where he was and what he would become. When Nathanael asked Jesus, “How do you know me?” Jesus said that He saw him under the fig tree before Philip had called him. This would have seemed impossible to Nathanael because Jesus was not in the vicinity at the time. He declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel” (John1:49).

For Nathanael, believing Jesus saw him under the fig tree led to the profound revelation of Jesus as the King of Israel, the Son of God. Jesus said to him, “You shall see greater things than that.” In other words, because you believe the little that you have begun to understand now, that belief will grow and you will see even greater things. The revelation of Jesus Christ as the Son of God works the same way in our own lives. It is a progression of knowledge and personal experience of Christ in which we will begin to see even greater things.

Jesus then said to Nathanael, “Very truly I tell you, you will see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on’ the Son of Man” (John 1:51). We are not sure what Jesus meant by that, but we frequently read a passage in Scripture that rings a bell and connects with something we have read before. It may be that this verse alludes back to the story of when Jacob first acted in rebellion against God. One night, Jacob had a dream involving a ladder extending from earth to heaven upon which angels were ascending and descending. This is the same image Jesus speaks of with Nathanael, portraying a link between heaven and earth.

If I may paraphrase, perhaps what Jesus is saying is something like this: “Nathanael, you are going to see more than the King of Israel. You are going to see the bond between God and humanity. You are going to see the link between heaven and earth because of your experience of Me.” Jesus Christ is Himself the link between heaven and earth, God and humanity.

All revelation of God and of Jesus Christ is by the Holy Spirit whose task it is to live the life of Christ in us and through us. Every Christian is indwelt by the Spirit of Christ and so we have living within us the link between heaven and earth, God and humanity. It is living in intimate union with Jesus Christ that makes possible the greater things God will do in our lives.

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, it is incredibly amazing to know we have the link between heaven and earth living within us. Thank You for giving us Jesus, and I pray for an ever deepening relationship with Him.