39 Again they tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp.
I am reminded of King David’s reassuring words penned in Psalm 31:
14 But I trust in you, O LORD; I say, "You are my God." 15 My times are in your hands; deliver me from my enemies and from those who pursue me. Psalms 31:14-15 (NIV)
Again, David writes in Psalm 139:
15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, 16 your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. Psalms 139:15-16 (NIV)
Lastly, blameless Job in the midst of his intense pain and suffering rightly declares the following to his friends:
10 In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind. Job 12:10 (NIV)
Indeed, the “fullness of time” had not yet arrived regarding the departure of our Messiah from this earth. We clearly see in our verse for today, His miraculous escape from the grasp of His enemies. The wording actually used here meaning “He came forth out of their hands” – an indication of the performance of a miracle. That God is our God, that He is both loving and faithful and that our times are in His hands certainly should bring abundant peace and comfort to the believer in the Lord Jesus. Moses rightly declares:
4 He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he. Deut 32:4 (NIV)
There is no such thing as chance or happenstance - our God makes known the end from the beginning, from ancient times what is yet to come. These are facts we can rest and rely on enabling us to be anxious for nothing rather rest in His loving hands. The apostle Paul writes:
6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Phil 4:6-7 (NIV)
“If God has our times in his hands, he can help us; and, if he is our God, he will help us; and then what can discourage us?” Matthew Henry
“Oh, how great peace and quietness would he possess who should cut off all vain anxiety and place all his confidence in God.” Thomas a Kempis
This was not the only time our Lord had escaped the grasp of His enemies. We find this pattern throughout much of Jesus’ ministry. Earlier in John we see almost the exact same scenario:
30 At this they tried to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his time had not yet come. 31 Still, many in the crowd put their faith in him. They said, "When the Christ comes, will he do more miraculous signs than this man?" John 7:30-31 (NIV)
Jesus’ time on earth was not determined by the authorities of the day as they so thought, yet rather by God the Father. Jesus was not leaving this earth one nanosecond sooner or later than His work required. When He had completed God’s plan for His life, He would return to the Father in great glory.
“Accept surprises that upset your plans...Leave the Father free Himself to weave the pattern of your days.” Dom Helder Camara
“Let this be a warning to me, O Lord. Set thou a guard before my eyes, ears, and other faculties, lest the world again should enter through these avenues of the heart: if the spark be not speedily extinguished, it will soon break out into a flame: thus sin is of a progressive nature, and its venom spreads very quickly and very wide, unless it be stopped and opposed in time. Watch, therefore, over this unsteady heart of mine, O thou Keeper of Israel; that as soon as it begins to wander from thee, I may be alarmed to flee from sin as from a serpent. Give me grace to look upon every hour as my last; so that being ever wisely upon my guard I may meet thee with joy when my time is run out, whenever it shall please thee to call me hence.” K. H. Von Bogatzky
4 The word of the LORD came to me, saying, 5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations." 6 "Ah, Sovereign LORD," I said, "I do not know how to speak; I am only a child." 7 But the LORD said to me, "Do not say, 'I am only a child.' You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. 8 Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you," declares the LORD. Jer 1:4-8 (NIV)