She thought she was in secret

Just as secret acts of sin, secret acts of faith, are also known by the Lord.  This poor woman only knew of Jesus.  If she would have truly known Him, she would have realized nothing is hidden from the Master.

I find it interesting that almost every time Jesus is called upon to go somewhere to fix a need, usually to heal the sick ... that on the way ... those along the path that had faith in Jesus were also healed as He intersected and crossed their journey in life.

So it will be with this woman this day as Jesus makes His way to the house of Jairus, who was a ruler of the synagogue.  His little twelve year old daughter was sick, lying  at the point of death, so Jesus naturally responds and goes with him when asked. 

As Jesus starts walking with Jairus, the scripture says He was thronged by a large, densely packed crowd of people who followed along, some to hear His words, some to see miracles, and some people were just plain curious.

But one came in secret with a need.  By law, she wasn't even supposed to be out in public.  Her disease made her unclean.

The story found in Matthew 9:20-22, Mark 5:25-34 and Luke 8:43-48 goes something like this ...

"There was a woman who had a disease causing a flow of blood for twelve years; and when she heard of Jesus, came up behind Him in this crowd of people pressing in to get close to Him ... falling to her knees as she reached out in her weakened condition, she could only touch the border of His garment, the fringe of blue on the hem of His outer garment ... one touch, and only so very lightly, softly so as not to be observed or noticed by anyone in the crowd. 

But that light touch would be enough, for she had said within herself, in her soul ... 'If I may but touch His garment, I shall be whole'."    

The question could be asked here, "Why would this poor sick woman think that she would be healed by just touching the clothes Jesus had on?" 

The word was already out about Jesus, even this early in His ministry.  She had evidently believed the report that a whole multitude of people were healed by only touching Him.  Luke 6:19 says ... "While seeking to touch Him, healing power issued forth from Him healing them all."   

The day this woman heard about, is the day Jesus gave his "sermon on the mount."  The scripture calls it virtue ... a force, a power in such an abundance ... that while He walked to the mount, without speaking a word, without laying His hands on them; all any of them had to do was get close enough to touch any part of Jesus, including His garments ... and this abundant outflow of power healed each one that came in contact with Him.

So, she made an inner vow of faith within her heart, that "if" she could only touch His clothes as others had done, she too would be healed.  But she needed to go in secret, knowing she was unclean by Jewish Law.

Either from the shame or from the weakness of the disease, she ended up on her knees as she reached out to Jesus as He passed by.  I think most of us have fallen to our knees from the shame of sin as well as in times of trouble.

Mark's version of this story continues with the moment she touches the hem of His garment ... "At once the flow of blood stopped, and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague.  And Jesus, immediately knowing that virtue had gone out of Him, turned around and said ... 'Who touched my clothes?' 

And He looked and saw a woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, who came and fell down on her knees ... this time not in secret, but before Jesus and told Him all the truth."    

What a confession that would have been.  Fearful to the point of trembling, afraid that she would be reproved under the penalties of the law for appearing in public during the time of her uncleanness ... or thinking that through her touch He might become unclean also.

Jesus did not have to point her out, or call her to Himself.  She knew when He looked at her, that He knew.  She came on her own with reverence, telling the truth of the whole matter ... of her public sin, her faith to touch but His clothes and not His body in her unclean situation; the healing she had received when she privately took hold of the hem of His garment, her faith going out to Him in secret, pulling out from His being, the healing virtue she so desperately needed.

What did Jesus say after this woman confessed, at her own peril I might add, being in the midst of this great company of people who followed Jesus everywhere He went.  Did He rebuke her?  Did He condemn her for showing herself in public, or perhaps even worse ... for touching Him?

No, Jesus calls her ... "Daughter" ... an expression of affection and love; perhaps spoken as well to show a spiritual relationship they now have between them.  Can you hear the soft, tender way He speaks this word to her, removing all fear or concern as He continues to look deeply into her eyes?

Then after a slight pause to allow "Daughter" to sink into her heart, Jesus says ... "Thy faith has made you whole.  Go in peace."

And Jesus went on down the road to see after Jairus' daughter.

Is there a Better Candidate

In my last post we examined what was the cause of Judas' betrayal, a man that had walked with Jesus for three and a half years, and according to Scripture had a part in His ministry just like the other eleven disciples.  That means Judas must have also been given the same anointing and power to heal the sick and cast out demons right along with the rest of the twelve.

In Matthew 10:1-4, we see that this assumption is true of all the twelve, including Judas by the word ... "them" ... chosen by Matthew.  This word means ... "themselves, those together" ... which I believe must include Judas.

"And when He had called unto Him His twelve disciples, He gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease."

Next Matthew names all twelve men chosen by Jesus to be His disciples including the last one he names ... "and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him."

We must remember that all the gospel writers penned their works of scripture looking back at events years later which can explain Matthew's clarification that Judas was the one who betrayed Jesus even though, while they all walked with the Lord, no one knew Judas would betray Him in the end.

After Judas betrayed Jesus, it looks as though he had a change of heart ... or was it as it says in Matthew 27:3-8 ... "When he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders saying, 'I have sinned in that I have betrayed innocent blood.'  And they said, 'what is that to us.'  And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed, and went and hanged himself."

If only he had gone to Jesus ... he would have been forgiven.  I say that because I believe the only unforgivable sin is unconfessed sin.

When Matthew says that Judas repented, the word used means only ... "to show regret" ... which I suppose, along with feeling sad over something that has been done; in this instance might possibly mean repentance.  But he went to the wrong priests for forgiveness.

Judas, in casting down the thirty pieces of silver, attempted to obtain some type of relief from his guilty conscience by throwing back the price of his treason.  But it didn't work.  "He went out and hanged himself."
 
With the words of John, saying that Judas, "was a thief and had the bag," as well as what Peter said in Acts 1:16-25 when the disciples picked a replacement for Judas; these men of God show no love or remorse for Judas ... nor should they I suppose.  But the words of Peter in this portion of scripture starts my mind once again thinking about the role that Judas has played ... and just possibly might play again during the seven year tribulation.  Remember ... even Jesus said Judas was a devil. 

Let's look at some of the things the scriptures either speak directly about Judas, or seemingly allude to him. 

Peter said that Judas ... "was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry."  Then he quotes from Psalms 69:25 and says ... "Let his habitation be desolate ... and his bishoprick let another take."

This Psalm that Peter quotes, had no original reference to Judas, but the language was exactly fitting to him and the circumstances of the case, as it is used by Peter.  "His office as a bishop, let another take."

His office was the office of an apostle, an honorable one, the chief office in the church.  It was a charge, an oversight of souls and of the flock, taken willingly ... not for filthy lucre's sake ... but Judas took it for filthy lucre's sake, and it was taken away from him and given to another.

Psalms 109:8 also fits Judas completely ... "Let his days be few; and let another take his office."  Judas' days in this office were few when compared to the other disciples, especially the Apostle John.

It may be noted also that just before the disciples voted for Matthias as a replacement for Judas, Peter prays for whomever is picked ... "That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place."

This statement raises the question ... where is his own place?  For hundreds of years, many Bible commentators have been in agreement ... they called it "perdition" or the "abyss" ... the lowest part of the underworld or hell.  

Before I try to answer that question, I want to remind you of the stern words of Jesus that we now know were speaking about Judas.  Matthew 26:24 ... "Woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed!  It had been good (or better) for that man if he had not been born."

Speculation and personal opinion ... that is really all we have to go on from here.  The case of Judas and his final judgment will be in the hands of a just God as will all of us.  But from what Jesus said ... Judas may be a special case. 

Many years ago I had a chance to talk to a man of God, a Biblical scholar, who was a Doctor of Theology and Dean of a Bible College who came into my life for a while and took some time to personally mentor me ... as he said, so I wouldn't ever do injury or injustice to the Word of God.  I say that because of the following opinions and speculations that arguably can be found in scripture.
  
The man of God I just spoke about said ... "Most theologians believe that the beast John wrote about in Revelation 17:8 & 11 would be Judas."  I have also arrived at that same conclusion.  Many say that would be impossible because he died.  Okay ... again let's see what scripture has to say about this ... if anything.

Consider what John wrote ... "The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder ... when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is."

John continues and explains that this beast is the anti-christ of Revelation 13:1 with seven heads and ten horns.  He is now the eighth because this beast forms a new government that follows or continues from the other seven heads.

"And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition" ... (which means the abyss.)

The anti-christ will be a man.  Consider what John said ... "the beast that was (he used to be alive) and is not (at this present time as he wrote Revelation) and yet is (he's alive and will ascend out of the abyss.)"

So how can Judas be this man?  He's dead.  Judas will not be re-incarnated ... he will be resurrected only physically ... and will die again later just as all who were raised physically by Jesus died later in life.

You might say, that can't happen.  I say, why not?  Do you know who was the first man raised physically from the dead?  The Apostle Paul tells us who that was in Romans 5:14 ... "death reigned from Adam to Moses ..."

From Adam to Moses ... when you died, you stayed dead.  I remind you once again, this is only speculation and personal opinion ... but the scriptures I am going to present ... alludes to that opinion.

God raised Moses physically from the dead and brought him back to be one of the two witnesses in Revelation 11:3-12; the other being Elijah ... both of whom were with Jesus and witnessed His transfiguration in Matthew 17:2-3, Mark 9:2-4, as well as here in Luke 9:28-31 ... (edited)

Jesus takes Peter, James and John up in the mountains ... "and there appeared unto them, (unto the disciples) Moses and Elijah, and He was transfigured white as snow before them ... and  they were talking with Jesus."

Some will say that Moses and Elijah were just there in the spirit, not physically.  That's fine.  Let me give you some more scripture that seems to say otherwise.

Jude 1:9 ... "Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee."

God buried Moses ... then sometime later sent Michael to raise him physically from the dead.  This is why Paul said ... "death reigned from Adam to Moses ..."  Moses was the first man raised from the dead physically.  Many others have as well since then ... but they all died later.  Do not confuse this type of physical resurrection with those who came out of the graves with glorified bodies ... after Jesus was resurrected from the tomb.       

Let's look at Elijah in 2nd Kings 2:11 ... "And it came to pass as they (Elijah and Elisha) went on and talked, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted the two of them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven."

Elijah was taken up to heaven ... alive.  Where he went, I have no idea; except to say he appeared later with Moses and Jesus on the mount of transfiguration.

I want to look at another man who never died.  Hebrews 11:5 ... "By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God."

All three of these men are a spiritual "shadow and type" of things to come.  They represent the following ... 

Moses ... is a type of the "resurrection" of the dead.  God raised him.

Elijah ... is a type of the "rapture."  God took or raptured him alive.

Enoch ... is a type of "eternal life."  God translated him so he would never die. 

So ... you may ask, how does any of this have to do with Judas being the beast of Revelation? 

I believe in spiritual laws.  God gave this earth to Adam; Adam gave it to Satan thru sin and he became ... "the god of this world."

Man needed a savior ... but before God had the "right" to send His Son to die for man ... He had to find a man who was willing to sacrifice his son for God.  That man was Abraham.  Had Abraham (representing mankind) not been willing to sacrifice his son, then I wonder if God would have had the right to sacrifice His Son.

When God raised Moses from the dead ... since legally (spiritual laws again) Satan was god of this world because of sin ... Satan could also operate in these same spiritual laws as God does, and raise Judas from the abyss of hell to become the beast that the Apostle John wrote about.

It seems as though God has allowed Satan to operate somewhere in the spirit realm (wherever Judas' own place is) to prepare him to become the beast of Revelation 17:8 & 11.

I must remind you again ... this is all speculations and opinions.

I am not presenting them as scripture.  But the scripture alludes too them.

So, I ask you ... is there a better candidate to become the anti-christ than Judas?

I don't think so.



Comments welcome.

Judas

Is there another name that is despised as much or one that can stir up a feeling of contempt or a deep repugnance for, when spoken?  Perhaps that question depends upon who you are.  There are many Jewish people that would say, "yes there is" to that question.  They would say, how about the name Adolf Hitler?  His fanatical anti-Semitism led to the Holocaust.

But since I'm not Jewish by birth or faith, and because I'm a Christian, a follower of Jesus, the name ... Judas ... will always bring up in my mind the thirty pieces of silver that was payment for the betrayal of Jesus.  But was money the real reason Judas betrayed Jesus?

The Apostle John gives us a hint about Judas and his love of money in John 12:1-6.  Six days before the Passover, Jesus once again is at the home of Mary and Martha with His friend Lazarus.  Mary anoints the feet of Jesus with a very costly ointment of spikenard which seems to Judas to be a waste.  Judas asks, "Why wasn't this ointment sold and given to the poor?"

John relates ... "This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein."

So, who was Judas really?  His name was Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, and he was chosen by Jesus to be one of His twelve disciples.  John records that one day as Jesus was speaking to His disciples He says ... "Have I not chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil."  John adds that Jesus was speaking of Judas ... "for it was he that should betray Him." 

The way it is recorded ... "that he should betray Him" ... raises this question.  Did Judas have a choice as to the path he took as a traitor which led to the crucifixion of Jesus?  I've heard it said that this act of betrayal fell on him because of the "sop" given to him by Jesus.  This question of choice is one I intend to find the answer for as we look at what the Scripture has to say about Judas.

I believe this should be the order of events, first Luke's account and then Matthew's.

Luke 22:1-4 ... "Now the feast of unleavened bread (the Passover) drew near, and the chief priests and scribes sought how they might kill Jesus; for they feared the people.  Then entered Satan into Judas, and he went his way and communed with the chief priests how he might betray Jesus in the absence of the multitude."

Luke continues with his version of the Passover meal after which Jesus speaks this to Simon Peter in verse 31 ... "Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat."

What many don't understand is that the word, "you," in speaking to Peter is a plural pronoun, which means ... the words of Jesus were not addressed to Peter alone, but to all the disciples.  Satan had already gotten one of the disciples, Judas; and he would later that night almost get another ... Peter, as he denies knowing Jesus.

Matthew speaks of what happened ... "after Satan entered Judas" ... which was the cause of his betrayal.  What entered into Judas was Satan's thoughts of betrayal.

Matthew 26:14-16 ... "One of the twelve, Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests, and said, 'What will you give me, and I will deliver Him unto you?'  And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.  And from that time Judas sought opportunity to betray Jesus."

From these two accounts, it seems as though Judas left the group of disciples as they were preparing for the Passover meal to be held with Jesus in the upper room.  At this point in time, none of them knew it would be the last meal they would have with Him before He was betrayed.

The "love of money" that Judas had must have been apparent to Satan, and now because of that love, he has the opportunity to work upon the mind of Judas after he "entered into him" ... not as a possessed person ... but as one now open to Satan's thoughts and temptations.  Satan, later at the last supper, would finish his possession of him, otherwise I wonder if Judas could have went through with the betrayal after walking with Jesus for over three years.

We continue now with the supper in John 13:2-30 ... "And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray Him ..."

Supper being ended ... the word translated as ended, means "cause to be" which is speaking of the beginning of the meal time.  As we read further in the text we understand this.  It is likely that Jesus arose near the beginning of the meal, washed the feet of the disciples, including the trader Judas, and then sat back down and began the meal.

"Having now put betrayal into the heart of Judas" …  The meaning of this passage is that Satan "inclined" the mind of Judas to do this, made him feel willing or favorably disposed to sell Him out ... Satan tempted him to betray the Lord.
 
We don't know precisely how this was done, but I believe it was because of the love of money, the lust and desire for wealth and the greed for material things that was … already in the heart of Judas.

Satan can tempt no one unless there is some inclination of the mind, some natural tendency or propensity; a disposition to behave in a certain way, something naturally born in our flesh that he can make use of.  Satan can present temptations of all types fitted to the propensity that he already knows about in each individual's soul, which is tied closer to the flesh than to the spirit; and because he is already under the influence of a strong inherent inclination to do so … then man yields to this personal temptation. 

In the case of Judas this propensity was … the love of money … and it was necessary only to present to him the possibility of obtaining money, and it found him ready and willing to "betray" Jesus. 

Satan's end game in this temptation was to work upon Judas "to betray" Christ into the hands of His enemies, in order to put Him to death. 

Judas was an apostle of Christ's; and from this we should learn even the highest office, and greatest gifts, cannot keep men from the temptations of Satan.  The manner in which he tempted him was this … Satan "put" which means "cast" a fiery dart into his very heart (thoughts or mind); which shows the access Satan has into, and the influence he has upon … the minds of men.

All of this was known by Jesus, which He prophesied to His disciples that one of them would betray Him; yet it was an action which one would think, could never have entered into the heart of Judas … had not the devil put it there.

John's story continues with Jesus being "troubled in spirit" as He says, "One of you shall betray Me."  The disciples all look at each other not knowing who it was that Jesus spoke of.  Peter "beckoned to John" nearest to Jesus to ask Him who was going to betray Him.  John asked, "Lord, who is it?"

"Jesus answered ... 'He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it.'  And when He had dipped the sop, He gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon."

Judas now knew that Jesus knew what he was going to do.  God did not force Judas to do this act of betrayal.  What Judas did, he did freely.  He just did what his wicked heart prompted him to do.  If Judas was born to do this or forced by God to do this ... then God would be the author of sin ... and that cannot be. 

Many Bible commentators are of the opinion that Judas was on the opposite side of Jesus from John, one on the right and one on the left, which would allow for Jesus to hand him the sop which consisted of a piece of the Paschal lamb wrapped in unleavened bread, dipped in a sauce of vinegar, figs, dates, almonds and spice.

And now the final possession of Judas ... "And after the sop, Satan entered into him.  He then having received the sop went immediately out: and it was night."

Satan had entered into him before, and now he enters again to take control of Judas and give him the strength he needed to carry out this evil deed to betray Jesus and deliver Him to the Roman guards.

When men can sin, knowing that God sees it all, it shows that the heart is fully set in them to do evil, and there is nothing that will restrain them from sin.  God will not interfere with a man's choice, with a man's free will.  This is why there is so much evil in the world. 

Judas was "free" to do his evil deed ... and he did.



Comments welcome.

A Word From King David

In Psalms 138:1-8, King David's heart is crying out in praise to the Lord declaring the truth of God's goodness with the fact that His mercy endures forever.  And as history has proven, David had good reason to praise God for His faithfulness to him.

Now, all of this is well and good ... but there may be a point of doctrinal truth that if we aren't careful we just might miss.  May I share the last part of verse two of this Psalm, in both the King James and from the Amplified.

Psalm 138:2 b reads, speaking about God; "... thou hast magnified thy word above thy name."  (KJV)

Amplified reads; "... You have exalted above all else Your name and Your word, and You have magnified Your word above all Your name."

In both versions David uses the word ... "above."  How did David know that God regards His Word even higher than His name?  I think it may have something to do with what set David apart from the average Jewish shepherd boy.  It had to do with what was in his heart. 

The Prophet Samuel told King Saul that God was going to remove him as king, because of his sin, and then said unto him ... "the Lord hath sought Him a man after His own heart" ... 1st Samuel 13:13-14.     

In Acts 13:22-23, the Apostle Paul speaks of this and says ... "When God had removed Saul, He raised up unto them David to be their king ... and said, I have found David, the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart."  And Paul added that it was through David's seed that Jesus came.

How did David know the importance God placed on keeping and honoring His spoken Word ... even above the very name that God had chosen for Himself, the name ... "I AM."   I don't know that he did know.  It may be that as David sought after God's heart, this was just some of the truth about Himself God gave him for his psalms he sang.

In Exodus 3:13-15, when Moses asked God who it was that he should tell the children of Israel had sent him to them, God said ... "Tell them, I AM hath sent you."  And then God said ... "This is My name forever."

I've heard people argue as to what the true name of God is.  Does it really matter what the old Hebrew name of God was if you are a Christian today?  Besides ... all the various names like Jehovah, Elohim, Yahweh, and perhaps the prettiest sounding name to me ... "Adonai," pronounced (Ad-o-na-i) meaning master ... are really not names at all, but titles declaring His attributes and nature.   

Even so, according to the Psalmist David, we are to place God's name above all other things ... except above His Word.

This is exactly why Abraham kept his faith strong when God told him he would be a father in his old age.  He knew God was bound to keep His Word ... or He wasn't God.

It has been said that a man is only as good as his word.  So it is with God. 

Romans 4:3 & 21 ... "For what does the scripture say?  Abraham believed God ...  And being fully persuaded that, what He had promised, He was able also to perform."

Abraham believed God ... that's called having faith, believing that whatever God had promised, would be as God had said.
                                                                               
Abraham believed that "God is bound" … to fulfill His Word, and because He is Truth … only "truth" can ever proceed from Him.  Abraham knew if God said it ... if the words came out of the mouth of God ... it would happen.

Abraham's confidence comes down to this … "that the truth of God" … since He can be nothing less, bound God to fulfill His promise to him; therefore God could do nothing less or He wasn't God; and he was confident that God had the power and ability to perform it.

You see, Abraham knew in his heart the very same truth that God would later tell Balaam in Numbers 23:19 ... "God is not a man, that He should lie ..."

Okay, we know God can't lie, that He speaks only truth and does what He says He will do; but this doesn't answer the question ... "Why was God's spoken word so highly exalted, even above His name?"

One of the disciples of Jesus, answers this; at least in my mind he does ...

John 1:1 & 14 ... "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us ..."

I know I have a habit of over simplifying scripture so I can understand it ... but this is pretty simple.  Until Jesus was born of Mary ... Jesus was "the spoken words that came out of the mouth of God." 

When God opened His mouth ... Jesus came out ... in the form of the heart felt words God spoke.  I am not saying that every word uttered by God the Father was Jesus.  But doesn't Matthew 12:34 say that ... "Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh?"

I am of the opinion this is one of the reasons God's Word has been exalted above even His name.  God's Word is Jesus ... and no ... I don't understand it fully and completely, but I believe it.

Paul said in Philippians 2:6, that Jesus "thought it not robbery to be equal with God."  Therefore Jesus could say as God in Matthew 24:35 ... "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My Words shall not pass away."

Whether it was God the Father speaking though Jesus, or Jesus Himself ... either way it was still the Word of God that proceeded from them.

So ... when I read the words of David ... "Thou hast magnified thy word above thy name" ... I must conclude therefore that he is speaking of (not only God's promises) but also the Word made flesh.

God's Word means something to Him.  So much so, in fact ... He has placed it above His own name.