John 4:3

In any case, Jesus leaves the region of Judea and sets out for Galilee once again. John 4:3 EFP

I cannot fathom Jesus simply reacting to some outside force, or avoiding discomfort or criticism.  No doubt Jesus was not looking for trouble everywhere he went, but trouble often came looking for him.  There was no shortage of people looking to derail his ministry because it was a threat to their livelihood or their lifestyle.

So when John, the apostle, chooses to mention that Jesus left Judea and returned to Galilee, the place he called home, I do not believe it was result of the scurrilous rumors being spread by his detractors.  That may have seemed to be the case from the outside, but there was always a reason to his actions and movements.  God does not act randomly—His every act is a saving act.

So it is that Jesus decides to leave Judea for Galilee, just like he left heaven—paradise, for earth—anything but paradise!  His relocation was not a last minute decision made in reaction to man’s decaying condition.  It was a plan devised and set in motion before the foundation of the world.  Before time on earth had come into existence, God knew exactly what he would do.  Long before Adam and Eve lost their innocence, God has found the way to restore it! Read 1 Peter 1:20 and the surrounding verses.  I am just one speck in the grand plan of God, but I am the speck for which the Lamb of God changed his address, and made his home in my neighborhood—my world. Awesome!