The Bible reveals the state of our hearts. We may come to the Scriptures initially skeptical of Jesus, as Nathaniel did in v. 46 (“Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”). But when the Lord reveals His grace, He turns us around.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When Philip approached Jesus accompanied by Nathanael, Jesus told Nathanael that he was an Israelite without deceit. When Nathanael asked how He knew him, Jesus said He saw him under the fig tree before Philip called him (vv. 47-48).<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Nathaniel’s response was worship to Jesus. “Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” (v. 49). The OT shows that when God speaks, people are changed and their lives head in new directions. God called Abraham to leave his family for another land. God called Noah to build an ark. God called Moses to lead His people out of Egypt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
God’s voice aroused faith, and upon following through, it resulted in more revelation from the Lord of who He is. Upon Nathanael’s response of faith in Jesus, Jesus remarked that he will see greater things. Many of us who see an exalted Christ in the Scriptures continue to find greater treasures the more we look to Him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In Nathanael’s case, Jesus said, “you shall see heaven open, and the angels ascending and descending upon the Son of Man” (v. 51). This verse points back to a story in Genesis 28 that is familiar to every Jew. Jacob, son of Isaac, son of Abraham, had stopped to sleep mid-journey and dreamed of a stairway to heaven with angels ascending and descending.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He heard the voice of God speaking to him from the top, promising to be with him. He awoke and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it. … This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven!” (vv. 16, 17).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When the Lord speaks to us, He prepares the road (stairway) that leads us back to Him. Today, the church has access to the gate of heaven, where their prayers are heard at the throne of grace. Jesus is the door of the sheep. They all have access to the Father through Jesus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
People are still confused about the way to heaven. Jesus Christ wants everyone to know that “no one comes to the Father except through Me” John 14:6b). Our Father is in heaven. Jesus is the way to His throne room. Following the voice of Jesus keeps us on the journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Through the clear preaching of the gospel of grace and forgiveness, people “shall see heaven open,” and receive Christ. Then they too will know the promises of the Father guiding their steps, just as He guided the steps of Jacob to a fuller understanding of the house of God, and guided Nathanael to a greater revelation of Jesus. \u200b<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Bible reveals the state of our hearts. We may come to the Scriptures initially skeptical of Jesus, as Nathaniel did in v. 46 (“Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”). But when the Lord reveals His grace, He turns … Continue reading