On the Way

4. September 2008 by Bernice Davis.

Hello: 

We’re still studying the following text:

 Matthew 9:18 While he was saying this, a ruler came and knelt before him and said, “My daughter has just died. But come and put your hand on her, and she will live.” 19 Jesus got up and went with him, and so did his disciples. 20 Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. 21 She said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.” 22 Jesus turned and saw her. “Take heart, daughter,” he said, “your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed from that moment. 23 When Jesus entered the ruler’s house and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd, 24 he said, “Go away. The girl is not dead but asleep.” But they laughed at him. 25 After the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took the girl by the hand, and she got up. 26 News of this spread through all that region.

Yesterday, I closed with indicating that it was a risk for the woman with the issue of blood to even be in the crowds and to be so bold as to touch Jesus. 

The text teaches that she had an issue of blood for twelve years. Let’s go back to the book of Leviticus and look at what happened to women who had an issue of blood past their normal menstrual period.

Leviticus 15:25 ”‘When a woman has a discharge of blood for many days at a time other than her monthly period or has a discharge that continues beyond her period, she will be unclean as long as she has the discharge, just as in the days of her period. 26 Any bed she lies on while her discharge continues will be unclean, as is her bed during her monthly period, and anything she sits on will be unclean, as during her period. 27 Whoever touches them will be unclean; he must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean till evening. 28 ”‘When she is cleansed from her discharge, she must count off seven days, and after that she will be ceremonially clean. 29 On the eighth day she must take two doves or two young pigeons and bring them to the priest at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. 30 The priest is to sacrifice one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering. In this way he will make atonement for her before the Lord for the uncleanness of her discharge. 31 ”‘You must keep the Israelites separate from things that make them unclean, so they will not die in their uncleanness for defiling my dwelling place, which is among them.’”

As you can see from our Leviticus passage the woman was considered unclean and could not go into the temple nor was she supposed to be around people and she definitely was not suppose to “touch” anyone for anyone that she touched would  also be considered unclean. 

The woman could have easily been stoned for her appearance in the crowd and especially for reaching out to purposely touch someone.   If you read the story in its remote context you will see that when Jesus asked “who touched me” the woman was afraid to reveal her identity. 

Remember from yesterday, Jesus said that her faith healed her.  With the details added today, you can see better how strong this woman’s faith was.  She was willing to risk her very life because she believed that if she could just touch the hem of his garment, she would be made whole. 

Hebrews teaches that faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.   This woman knew that she would be healed if she encountered Jesus.  She saw her wholeness before it happened.

A friend of mine always tells me along with his many fans that you have to see yourself in a better place and you have to imagine yourself there and it will happen.   Just as I was teaching on yesterday, it starts with the mind first and then we must work towards turning those thoughts into reality. 

Our text then continues with the story that we first started with which was the healing of the ruler’s daughter.  When Jesus gets to the house, he sees the flute players and the noisy crowd and says that the child is sleeping and not dead.   This response causes the crowd to laugh in scorn and Jesus puts out all the unbelievers. 

When you are believing God for a miracle it is important to separate yourself from the doubters because they will drain your faith.  It is difficult to have a miracle occur in an atmosphere of unbelief.  Jesus asks the crowd to leave the room and in the remote text it says that he takes a couple of his disciples in with him along with the parents and raises the child from the dead.  

What I love about this story is that you never know when your deliverance or miracle will take place.  For the woman with the issue of blood, she wasn’t even the focal point.  Jesus was on a mission to do something else and “on the way” she got her miracle.   You just never know, you may not be on the agenda but it still could be your day even though it appears that you weren’t on the schedule.     

Things can change suddenly.  You can go to bed one way and wake up totally different.  It happened for Joseph and David and many others.  One day Joseph was in the prison and the next day he was second in command in all

There is a new day coming and in that new day comes fulfillment of dreams and promises and it could happen at any time.

Stay encouraged!!!!!!!! 

God Bless!!!!!!!!!! 

Don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily. 

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