Come and See

From Rest at Noon tape ministry by P.S.J.

John 1:35–39

The opening verses which outline our subject are in the Gospel of John 1:35–39.

"Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples: And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God! And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master) Where dwellest thou? He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour."

The theme of this meditation is to arouse our hearts as to the question "What seek ye?" and the answer of the disciples "Where dwellest thou?"

The Lord's question in chapter one was not as it was in John 20:15, "Whom seek ye?" but "What seek ye?" See, the disciples had already–as it were–answered the "Whom " question by turning from John the Baptist and following Jesus. Beautiful point! So, the Lord leads on their hearts in the things of Himself by centering on the "What" question. And isn't it so in our lives?

Let's now look at four individuals in the Old Testament and one in the New Testament as examples of "What seek ye?" and see how closely they conformed to the desire of God for them.

The first example is Enoch, as tersely related in Genesis 5:21-24–a mere four verses, but so powerful in portraying the work of God in the soul of an early believer in the Genesis record of the sad history of mankind. What is so remarkable about the story of Enoch is that nothing is recorded as to the method or content of the communication given to him from God. It is concisely stated that "Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah 300 years," and "he was not; for God took him." In the question before us from the first chapter of John, did Enoch desire the presence of God–surely he did, for he "walked with God." We can indeed conclude that a believer who walks with God is in the good of God's dwelling place ("where dwellest thou?"). Assuredly!

The second example of a believer and his response to our question from the first chapter of John is that of Jacob, as recorded in Genesis chapters 25 through 49–with many of those chapters taken up with the intertwined story of Joseph. Starting with Gen. 25:28 it foretells a conflict in the family with the father favoring Esau and the mother favoring the other son Jacob. The beginning of bad news, so to speak.

Jacob's attitude relative to the question "What seek ye"–with the scheming way in which he planned to get the birthright blessing– leaves us in some real degree of doubt. Couldn't he have shown a more dependent character by leaving to God the outcome of blessing? So, we're not too sure in these early beginnings of Jacob's life what his desires really are motivated by–scheming on his own or quiet dependence upon God. At this point in his life surely not the latter!

Then in chapter 27 his scheming mother Rebekah designs a plan for her favored son Jacob to get the special blessing from the father (see Genesis 27:4) instead of Esau. The deceit of it all was clearly shown by the 22nd verse: "The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau." When we are out of character as a Christian there is always a disconnect between our actions ("the hands") and who we really are in our person ("the voice").

Jacob flees for his life from fear of the death-threat made by Esau his brother. His mother–ever the schemer it appears–warns him, as recorded in 27:43, "Now therefore, my son, obey my voice; and arise; flee thou to Laban my brother to Haran."

Even though Jacob fled from his brother Esau the eye of God was upon him for good and appears to him in a dream. Special blessings are promised to him sovereignly–that is, they were not dependent upon Jacob's scheming or appreciation. Marvelous are the ways of God! The question in the beginning "What seek ye?" and the response of the disciples of "Where dwellest thou?" is being forced upon Jacob by God, for Jacob realizes that "Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not. And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven" (Genesis 28:16-17).

After some 20 years in Haran where he shows the same scheming tendencies as before, he gains two wives, two handmaids, children and a great number of animals that constitute him a prosperous man. But again he flees from Laban as he had fled 20 years before from Esau his brother–"And Jacob stole away unawares to Laban the Syrian, in that he told him not that he fled" (Genesis 31:20).

After Laban meets up with Jacob and a heap of witness is erected (Genesis 31:48), and Laban returns unto his place, elaborate preparations are made in anticipation of meeting Esau (Genesis 32:7-20). Obviously Jacob is ill at ease in his conscience about the scheming he had been involved in some 20 years past which took the blessing from Esau. But before Esau actually arrives, a man wrestles with Jacob "until the breaking of the day," and changes his name to Israel–a prince with God. (Genesis 32:24-28) Marvelous, again! God is going to bring Jacob into blessing in spite of Jacob!

Let's skip over a very significant part of Jacob's life involving his favored son Joseph. But through that engaging part of Jacob's life, he learns once again that the work of God is ever present to bring a blessing–in spite of Jacob's lament in Genesis 42:36: "All these things are against me." Or so it seemed to the untrained and uncontrolled eye because of the supposed slaying of Joseph, and the hostage position of Simeon, and the ruler's desire for Benjamin to be brought to Egypt. What a training program God is putting Jacob through–and he will be blessed, but a state of soul of submission to the ways of God is being wrought. Marvelous, again, and again!

Our story of Jacob ends with none of the oppressive events predicted by Jacob coming to pass. He ends his last 17 years in Egypt and blesses Pharaoh (the greatest monarch on the earth at the time), according to Genesis 47:10! Remarkably, because according to Hebrews 7:7, "without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better." Is poor Jacob really better than the great Pharaoh of Egypt? Yes, better because now brought into conformity to God's thoughts in seeking both God and His purpose for his life.

Additionally, Jacob blesses both the sons of Joseph, and properly bestows the best upon the second born–thinking God's thoughts without the scheming and the resultant bad conscience of years before. Can we not say that Jacob is in the good of God's dwelling place, and God's purposes of blessing in his life, apart from nature? Indeed we can!

The third example is that of Jonathan and his attachment to David, as told in First Samuel, and the story touches the heart but there is a tinge of sorrow in it all. During the time that David was being hunted by Saul, and at one time was taking protection in the cave of Adullam (1 Samuel 22:1), where was Jonathan? In answer to our original question of "where dwellest thou" Jonathan was strangely silent ... and absent–he was staying in the protection and calm of the city and his own house. But he was not with David. Whatever great degree of affection that he had for David, it apparently wasn't enough to break from earthly ties and dwell with David. Is this a commentary on our own individual experience? We trust not.

The fourth example is that of David. In summarizing the story of David and his seeking the dwelling place of God, we will take the liberty of quoting only one verse: "One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple" (Psalm 27:4). There we have it–the seeking heart of the psalmist echoing our own response by grace.

Now to take up our last example let's turn to 2 Timothy 1:16-18 where the individual Onesiphorus is the pleasant focus: "The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain: But, when he was in Rome, he sought me out very diligently, and found me. The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day: and in how many things he ministered unto me at Ephesus, thou knowest very well." No struggle as with Jacob, no missing the opportunity of David's cave as with Jonathan, but here we find a believer who seeks out the dwelling pace of an imprisoned Paul–and finds him! Well may we search our own hearts today as to our desire to seek and to find the place where Paul's doctrine is taught, and the presence of the Lord is promised.

As with the Lord's answer to the disciple's question in the first chapter of John concerning His dwelling place, we may well echo those words today to any interested believer in Christ:

"COME AND SEE."