uʍop-ǝpᴉsd∩ In a Garden

Here is a link to last week’s devotion, The Highest Prayer, related to Seed Basket’s Upside-down series.

When Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with his disciples over the brook Kidron, where there was a garden, into which he and his disciples entered.

John 18:1 (WEB)

Don’t let familiarity cause you to miss something special in this passage.

There are no coincidences in God’s Word. Every word is Spirit breathed and has a purpose even if people don’t see it.

“…there was a garden…”

Have you seen it before? Do you see it now?

Eden?

The Gospel began in Genesis with the creation of Adam. Adam’s rebellion would need that precious remedy. The plan of salvation is presented to Adam and Eve in Genesis 3. Jesus’ work at Calvary for all the world is revealed even while the rebellious couple are still in the garden.

Jesus chose to obediently walk into Gethsemane’s garden to meet Judas’s rebellion and betrayal.

Jesus knew He would be betrayed in this garden, and His betrayer knew He would be there.

Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, for Jesus often met there with his disciples. 

John 18:2 (WEB)

Now before we depart from the garden scene, I am going to leave you with a deconstructed list of the remaining scripture. I hope you will do a little independent study. There are several unusual occurrences that you will find that are sometimes overlooked in the Passion of Jesus.

Judas then, having taken a detachment of soldiers and officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, came there with lanterns, torches, and weapons. John 18:3 (WEB)

• In the verse above look at the entourage that Judas arrived with. But read the passage to see what the power of God did when Jesus first spoke to all of them. Most people never see this verse. Have you ever seen this before? John 18:6
• Do you remember this promise Jesus made about the disciples? John 18:8&9
• Do you remember who Malchus was? John 18:10
• Did you know that Caiaphas and Annas were father-in-law and son-in-law? Read John18: 12-14 as a reminder of the key players who judged our Lord. But their power was used by God to fulfill His plan, not to thwart it.

I hope you will take the time to read this chapter entirely. Try something new. Read it out loud. There is something about reading to God out loud that intensifies the personal worship you will experience with your Father. He loves you. And yet, while you are glorifying God, you are blessed in your soul.

How has John’s inspired use of this word blessed and taught you?

So far, we have discovered the word believe has been used ninety-five times in 18 chapters. There were no uses of the word in this chapter, so the count remains unchanged.

World English Bible (WEB)

by Public Domain. The name “World English Bible” is trademarked.