DEVOTION / The man who hadn’t seen anything yet
From an old gospel hymn:
Oh, the best is yet to come when I walk through Heaven’s gate,
The first time I see Jesus I can hardly wait.
He’ll show me to my mansion, say, “Child, this is your home.”
Oh, I have a feeling in my heart the best is yet to come!
The apostle Nathanael, also called Bartholomew, was not among the most famous of the chosen twelve. The first three Gospel writers merely list him with the group. But John provides us with a glimpse into the personality of the fascinating and inquisitive man.
Also a fisherman and from the city of Cana, Nathanael could thank his close companion Philip for introducing him to the Savior. In John 1:45, we read. Philip found Nathanael and told him, ‘We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.’
But Nathanael did not immediately follow the Lord as did many of the others. Nathanael wanted to be certain Jesus was the real thing, so he asked, How do you know me? (John 1:48) Jesus answered that he knew who Nathanael was, and he had seen Nathanael under a fig tree. Jesus now had Nathanael’s attention, and he was impressed. Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel. (John 1:49)
Jesus’ next words were truly worth remembering: You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You shall see greater things than this. (John 1:50) What a profound statement! In other words, he was telling Nathanael, “Son, you haven’t seen anything yet!” Certainly, greater things were in store for this newfound disciple. During the next few years, Nathanael would indeed witness great things like the lame walking, the blind seeing, the deaf hearing, and even the dead rising to life again. Nathanael would see seas calmed, water become wine, and thousands fed with a few biscuits and fish. What a future was in store for Nathanael!
There’s more
But that isn’t all that Jesus was speaking of. He had even more planned for Nathanael and everyone else who believed in him. Jesus was also speaking of the unbelievable wonders we will behold in heaven. That will be far more than we can begin to imagine. What a sight we will see! What a sound we will hear! What a time we will have! Heaven will be so far off the charts that we can only imagine Jesus’ words that we will see “greater things than this.”
Paul said it well when he wrote, No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him. (1 Corinthians 2:9) Oh, I have a feeling in my heart the best is yet to come!
By Reynold R. Kremer