HEALTH, HEALING, AND MIRACLES – PART SEVENTEEN
Sunday – July 1, 2018, Tamuz 18, 5778
Thank you so much for rejoining this wonderful faith building study of the ministry of the man Christ Jesus. Jesus taught and preached the gospel of the Kingdom of God. The term Kingdom of God is synonymous with the term Kingdom of Heaven. The teaching and preaching was confirmed by the healings and other diverse miracles which followed. Remember, the Apostle Paul said that he came not in word only but in power. Are we teaching and preaching what Jesus taught and preached? Are we teaching and preaching the Kingdom of God? If you said, yes, then where are the healings and miracles? If you said, no, then why not? It seems that perhaps by tradition and the deceptions of the evil ones we are teaching and preaching different then Christ Jesus. Perhaps we have not been taught the value and power of the Word of God. Along these same lines I was recently very powerfully impacted by the following verse, phrase.
Matthew 24:14 (KJV)
14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
I was struck by the term “this gospel”. It is common to hear people say that they teach or preach the gospel, I don’t know that I have ever heard one say that they teach or preach “this gospel”. Teaching and preaching “this gospel” is the key to bringing about the end. Of course, there is also something called the fullness of time, the timing of the Father. In any event it behooves us to find out what Jesus taught and preached. When we do what Jesus did we will get His results and the greater things as well as prepare the way for the end. Now let’s take a look at the man with the shriveled hand.
Matthew 12:9-13 (KJV)
9 And when he was departed thence, he went into their synagogue:
10 And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him.
11 And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out?
12 How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.
13 Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other.
The Scribes and Pharisees were always watching Jesus to see how they might have an accusation against Him to discredit Him with the people. No one in Israel or anywhere else was doing the things Jesus was doing. Certainly, the rulers of the Synagogue were not casting out devils, healing the sick, raising the dead, or any other miracles. They were roiling with envy. Envy is what eventually placed Jesus on the Cross (Matthew 27:18). What did Jesus always do in the Synagogue? He taught and preached the gospel of the Kingdom which was at hand before Calvary and is now come since Calvary. How does faith come? They heard and were healed. This is what happened with the man with the withered hand. As we look at this account of the man with the withered hand in the gospel of Mark and Luke we see that this man placed himself under Jesus authority. Jesus gave him the command to stand forth into the midst of the floor and he did so. Next, he told the man to stretch forth his hand and he did so and was healed. He had faith in the good news of the Kingdom, in Christ Jesus, and in God. Meditate on Mark and Luke’s accounts.
Mark 3:1-5 (KJV)
1 And he entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there which had a withered hand.
2 And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him.
3 And he saith unto the man which had the withered hand, Stand forth.
4 And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace.
5 And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other.
Luke 6:6-10 (KJV)
6 And it came to pass also on another sabbath, that he entered into the synagogue and taught: and there was a man whose right hand was withered.
7 And the scribes and Pharisees watched him, whether he would heal on the sabbath day; that they might find an accusation against him.
8 But he knew their thoughts, and said to the man which had the withered hand, Rise up, and stand forth in the midst. And he arose and stood forth.
9 Then said Jesus unto them, I will ask you one thing; Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy it?
10 And looking round about upon them all, he said unto the man, Stretch forth thy hand. And he did so: and his hand was restored whole as the other.
The hand is commonly a symbol of authority or power. This man’s authority or power was weak or withered. Most likely he was withered in all areas of life, natural and spiritual. When he submitted to Jesus, to the Word of God, when he received the Word of God and built his faith, his hand (authority and power) was restored. Do we want to be restored or continue with a withered hand? Until our next publication, I speak this Scriptural prayer for your life right now, receive it in the name of Jesus, confess it, and walk it out with thanksgiving.
3 John 1:2 (HCSB)
2 Dear friend, I pray that you may prosper in every way and be in good health physically just as you are spiritually.
By: Dr. David Wood, Author, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
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