REJOICE WE HAVE SEEN HIS GLORY

Jesus averted a major catastrophe; or so it seemed to His mother and the wedding hosts of Cana. Their joyful celebration was on the verge of an abrupt and embarrassing termination because they ran out of wine. Their problem was solved when Jesus became involved and provided an abundance of wine that exceeded their expectations and restored the joy of their celebration. His miraculous sign turned water into the best of wine that met their immediate need. But His glory that was revealed that day would meet a much greater and eternal need of all humankind. The sign of His glory pointed far beyond the wedding in Cana to a cross on Calvary where He would shed His precious blood. And on beyond that we could see the joyful Wedding Feast of the Lamb in the Kingdom of God.

The solution to their quandary in Cana became the world’s first opportunity to see the wonder of Jesus’ glory and to recognize Him who had come to bring His divine solution to the problem of mankind’s sin. The miraculous sign that revealed His glory not only restored joy to the celebration in Cana, but His glory brought the joy of the hope of salvation for all mankind. Rejoicing broke out in heaven over the arrival of the Bridegroom who had come to save sinners. And as His glory came into view as the water turned to wine His victory upon the cross became visible in the sign.

Appropriate to the unfolding events of the wedding banquet was the fact that “nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing.” (John 2:6) These jars, symbols of Old Covenant ceremonial washing, became the source of the water Jesus turned into the wine of celebration. Later at a Passover supper Jesus would take the wine of an Old Covenant celebration and establish it as the New Covenant in His blood. On the night before His crucifixion Jesus took a cup of wine and said to His disciples, “this is the New Covenant in my blood which is poured out for you.” (Luke 22:20) In Jesus the water of the Old Covenant became the wine of celebration which ultimately became the New Covenant in His blood. The water of the Old Covenant could only ceremonially clean the outside. “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.” (Matthew 23:25) But the wine of the New Covenant in Jesus’ blood cleanses the soul completely from sin and restores the joy of the glory of God in the hearts of mankind.

“The gifts and sacrifices being offered were not able to clear the conscience of the worshiper. They are only a matter of food and drink and various ceremonial washings—external regulations applying until the time of the new order.” If “the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean; how much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences (the inside) from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant…”(Hebrews 9: 9-10; 13-15) And “the blood of Jesus, God’s Son, purifies us from all sin.” (I John 1:7) “For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.” (I Peter 1:18-19)

The joy of the wedding banquet in the Kingdom of God was restored when we beheld the glory of the Bridegroom at His arrival. He is “the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.” And as John the Baptist, friend of the Bridegroom said, “The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete.” (John 3:29) Our joy is also made complete by the glory of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. What joy will be ours when we see Him return in glory to receive His bride.

John saw a vision of it and wrote, “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.” “One of the seven angels…came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. (Revelation 21:1-2; 9-10)