Do you believe that the Lord has the power to heal today?
When Jesus casted the demon out of a man in the synagogue (Mark 1:25-35), we saw that Jesus demonstrated his authoritative power over demonic realm through the casting out of a demon in synagogue. Today, we are going to take a look at a unique healing, that will further demonstrate Jesus’ authority as the Son of God.
And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed. And Simon and those who were with him searched for him, 37 and they found him and said to him, “Everyone is looking for you.” 38 And he said to them, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.” 39 And he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons.
40 And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, “If you will, you can make me clean.” 41 Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I will; be clean.” 42 And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. 43 And Jesus sternly charged him and sent him away at once, 44 and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to them.” 45 But he went out and began to talk freely about it, and to spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in desolate places, and people were coming to him from every quarter.” (Mk 1:35-45).
Though Jesus had been anointed with the presence of God through the Holy Spirit, performed miracles of healing and casted out demons, he still needed to be alone with the Father in prayer. Everyone was pressing in on him with their needs. Jesus knew his own need for the abiding presence of God. He rose early, before the sun came up, went to a desolate place to meet with the Father first.
Are you spending time alone with the Father in prayer?
Simon Peter found Jesus and wanted to call him back to his new healing ministry. But Jesus was set upon preaching in the nearby towns. In one of the towns of Galilee a leper begged for cleansing from his horrific decease.
What Does The Cleansing of the Leper Reveal About Jesus?
1. JESUS SAVES US FROM WALKING DEATH
Leprosy in NT times could have included several skin diseases (Besides Hansen’s disease). These diseases were visible to everyone and made the person unclean. The Bible instructs lepers to be kept outside the community, and it was forbidden to touch them without being considered unclean. Leviticus gives warnings towards handling leprosy and corpses in the same breath. Therefore, a leper was consider as good as dead.
Numbers gives an account of Miriam (Moses’ older sister) being struck with leprosy as a punishment for slandering Moses’ leadership—in essence standing God. Upon seeing Miriam’s condition, Aaron pleaded with Moses saying,
“Oh, my lord, do not punish us because we have done foolishly and have sinned. Let her not be as one dead, whose flesh is half eaten away when he comes out of his mother’s womb” (Nu 12:11-12).
Moses and Aaron pleaded with the Lord, but the required that she remain in isolation, outside the camp for seven days [perfect/complete isolation], before he would restore her as clean.
This account formed several perceptions in NT times, (1) Leprosy was a punishment from the Lord for sin, particularly the sin of slander, (2) a leper was as good as dead and (3) only God could heal and restore a leper back into the community.
Mark is parabolically teaching us something in this healing. Like the leper, we are as good as dead! Matter of fact, we are all the walking dead!
“And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath like the rest of mankind. [Get Excited!] BUT God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved!” (Eph 2:1-5).
We were the walking dead! Lepers in heart! And God made us alive in Christ! God’s love for us while we were dead in our sin was to bring us resurrection power! We have resurrection power!!
2. JESUS HAS COMPASSION TO HEAL US
Jesus was, “Moved with pity” (1:41). He had compassion, He was full of mercy, He felt sorry for this man. The word means, “To be moved as to one’s bowels with compassion” The bowels were thought to be the seat of compassion and pity.
Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him (1:41). Society would never touch this man. The law prohibited contact with a leper (Lev 13:45-46). Jesus stretched out his hand to accept this man as a person and cleanse him of his sin and disease.
Do you feel compassion for those who are still spiritually dead? Are you willing to stretch out yourself out in order to show the love of Jesus? Are you ready share his compassion for those in Yucca?
Lord, soften our hearts! Help us to understand your compassion towards us and respond in compassion to the walking in death in Yucca!
3. JESUS IS WILLING TO HEAL US
“If you will, you can make me clean” (1:40). The man knew that Jesus had the divine power to make him clean, but he didn't know if Jesus was willing! Maybe, he had lived exile from society too long to believe that he anyone would want him. Maybe, he had become so disfigured that he believed he was too revolting. Maybe he knew deep down his secret sins, and thought no one could ever forgive him! But he was willing to beg for it!
“I will” (1:41). Jesus was willing to forgive and to cleanse him. It is not enough to know that Jesus has the power to cleanse and heal! Even the demons believe that! We must believe that he is willing to heal us!
Too much healing theology magnifies God power more than his compassion. But the Bible reverses this, and instead, magnifies His willingness to use his power than the power itself.
We cannot intentionally live in rebellion of God’s will and expect that his promises will be fulfilled. We must live out the conditions of the promises that he has given—that does include faith in his power to do it—and also faith in his willingness to heal us! So let no one pray in fear, saying, “Lord if it is your will…” when we know that is his will.
“Be clean” (1:42). In the OT we have two accounts of those who God cleansed from leprosy. These were through the ministries of Moses (Nu 12:13) and Elisha (2Ki 5:10). Moses interceded for his sister for seven days, and Elisha instructed the king to wash himself in the river seven times before the Lord. Seven, meaning, complete and perfect, because only God could cure leprosy in the Bible.
Mark’s purpose for including this account is clear. Jesus did what only God could do! This was just one more account of how Jesus validated himself as the Son of God!
Conclusion
Jesus had compassion and was willing to heal the leprous man because he is the Lord God. The Lord revealed himself to Moses, testifying of himself,
“The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin” (Exodus 34:6-7 NIV)
God’s self disclosure was echoed throughout the praises in the Bible,
“The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love” (Ps 103:8).
I have not found one verse in the Bible that says that the Lord has changed! There are some brothers and sisters, who are weak in faith— they are in bondage modern intellectualism, who claim that those days are different from these days, that God moves differently in those days than these days, but would that not require the God of Israel to be different in the OT times, from the NT times, and then in modern times?
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever!” (Heb 13:8)
No, there is not one word of the Bible that indicates that the Lord has changed, or that his compassion has ever lessened or that God has ever ceased to respond to those who believe that he has the power and is willing to forgive, to heal, to cleanse, or deliver us from the sin of this world.
This article is part of the series, Son of God--Servant to Man based upon the Gospel of Mark.
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