I’m always amazed at how God’s timing is so perfect. I’m not sure why I haven’t fully come to expect this at all times but it still often surprises me.
At this writing, I had just read Chapter 2 of John, and was also preparing the Women of the Word’s Bible Study for the upcoming weekly Zoom meeting. I kept coming back to John 2! In this chapter, John records Jesus’ first miracle – turning water into wine. John, as you know, records seven signs to show us that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. Water to wine is the first sign. This miracle/sign is recorded only in the Gospel of John as is the raising of Lazarus from the dead!
Coincidently, the women are studying “The Rock, the Road and the Rabbi,” which takes us on a tour of places in the Holy Land where Jesus walked and helps us understand things from a Jewish perspective instead of our tendency to Westernize scripture. We started last week in Bethlehem and this week went to look at Nazareth for Jesus’ life. This was before He started His public ministry and His first miracle, when He was still hanging out with mom and the family and His first five disciples.
To explain the importance of having a Jewish perspective on Scripture, Rabbi Jason, a Messianic Jew, helped us understand the mistranslation of Jesus and His earthly father’s occupation. The Greek word “tekton” means builder. Translators of the KJV writing in England where trees are in abundance determined the occupation to be a carpenter but the Rabbi explains that Jesus was most likely a stone mason explaining that the only trees in Nazareth were sycamore fig, balsam, and olive trees. When you think about this, it explains why Jesus uses analogies about cornerstones and tells us that upon this rock, I will build my church.
But, as usual, I digress. Moses first sign to the Egyptians was transforming the Nile into blood bringing death. Deuteronomy 18:18 promises a prophet greater than Moses and that points us to Jesus, who is above all. It is not surprising then that Jesus’ first sign was to turn water to wine – a sign of life! While water is necessary for life, wine is a picture of God’s super abundant grace. Throughout Scripture, wine is symbolic of God’s grace and our joy as a result. Wine is one of the primary signs of the abundant blessings we have through the transformation that comes in our life because Jesus came to redeem us. It was time to celebrate. Are you experiencing the abundant life of being in His kingdom here and now? If not, ask Him to transform your life to one of abundance as you submit to Him.