John 17:12-13 While I was with them, I was keeping them in Your name that You have given Me. I guarded them, and not one of them was lost except the son of destruction, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled. But now I am coming to You. I say these words while I am still in the world, so that they may have My joy made full in themselves.

Yeshua is continuing His prayer. He is speaking to the Father, knowing what lies ahead. He is restating the current situation to reassure His hearers of God’s promises. The same is true of us when we pray. We are speaking to God, but we are also hearing too. Our prayers are not intended to inform God (He already knows everything before we pray it) as much as they are to make us situationally aware.

Yeshua’s prayer has yet another purpose. That is stated in verse 13b, That they may have My joy made full in themselves. What is it about Yeshua’s prayer that fulfills His joy in us? First, we need a good understanding of Yeshua’s joy. The Bible says much about it. Yeshua already spoke about it directly to the disciples previously in the Upper Room Discourse.

John 15:11 These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and your joy may be full.

Yeshua was speaking of “abiding in His love” by keeping His commandments. In Luke 10, Yeshua seems to add emphasis on the joy of relationship with Him, the fruit of which is salvation. Luke 10:20 Nevertheless, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names have been written in the heavens. That “fruit of salvation” is the joy set before Him in Hebrews 12:2.

Hebrews 12:2b For the joy set before Him, He endured the cross, disregarding its shame; and He has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of God.

This “joy” is never more evident than in the description of the marriage supper of the Lamb. Revelation 19:7 Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready.

Now, let’s return to our subject verse. Yeshua is praying that we would be in relationship with Him and not be lost. This is His joy, and ours as well. It is His joy because it fulfills the purpose for which He created the world. There is a reference to this truth in Song of Songs. Song 3:11b In the day of his espousals, And in the day of the gladness of his heart.

God wanted mankind to have a place to fellowship (be in love) with Him. Sin, in the form of rebellion, ruined that possibility until God sent His own Son as the atonement. Because we (and many others) said “Yes” to Him, His joy is restored. And, more good news, His joy is made full in us, so that it is our joy too.