“Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called
in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda (house of kindness, mercy, pity), having five porches . . . . And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity (malady, weakness, moral frailty, sickness, disease) thirty and eight years.
When Jesus (Yehushua) saw him (lie) outstretched on the ground, and knew
that he had been now a long time in that case, He saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole ?” John 5:1-6
Today, if you will hear His Voice, harden not your hearts . . . . In unbelief !
“The sick man was lying on his mat and occasionally lifting his head to gaze at the pool, when a tender, compassionate Face bent over him, and the words, “Wilt thou be made whole?” arrested his attention.
Hope came to his heart. He felt that in some way he was to have help. But the glow of encouragement soon faded. He remembered how often he had tried to reach the pool, and now he had little prospect of living till it should again be troubled. He turned away wearily, saying, “Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.” Jesus bids him, “Rise, take up thy bed, and walk !” John 5:7-8
“Awake, awake; put on thy Strength, O Zion . . . . put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh . . . . Put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: For henceforth there shall no more come into thee, the uncircumcised and the unclean. Shake thyself from the dust; Arise, and sit down . . . with Christ in heavenly places . . . . O Jerusalem. Loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion ! ref: Romans 13:14 & Ephesians 1:20, 2:6
For thus saith the LORD (Jehovah, Yehuwah), Ye have sold yourselves for nought; and ye shall be redeemed without money !” Isaiah 52:1-3
“Sing O daughter of Zion; Shout, O Israel. Be glad and rejoice with all thine heart, O daughter of Jerusalem. For the LORD hath taken away thy judgments, He hath cast out thine enemy: The King of Israel, even the LORD, is in the midst (heart) of thee. Thou shalt not see evil any more !” Zephaniah 3:14-15
“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of them that bringeth Good Tidings (gospel), that proclaim-eth Peace (Shalom); that bringeth Glad Tidings of good, that publisheth Salvation (H3444 – Yehushua); that saith unto Zion, Thy God Reigneth !” Isaiah 52:7
With a new hope the sick man looks upon Jesus. The expression of His Countenance, the tones of His voice, are like no other. Love and power seem to breathe from His very Presence. The cripple’s faith takes hold upon Christ’s Word. Without question he sets his will to obey, and, as he does this, his whole body responds !
Every nerve and muscle thrills with new life, and healthful action comes to his crippled limbs. Springing to his feet, he goes on his way with firm, free step, praising GOD (Jehovah, Yehuwah) and rejoicing in his new-found strength. Jesus had given the palsied man no assurance of Divine help.
The man might have said, “Lord, if Thou wilt make me whole, I will obey Thy Word.” He might have stopped to doubt, and thus have lost his one chance of healing. But no, he believed Christ’s Word, believed that he was made whole; immediately he made the effort, and GOD gave him the power; he willed (chose) to walk, and he did walk. Acting on the Word of Christ, he was made whole !”
By sin we have been severed from the Life of God
(Elohim). Our souls are palsied. Of ourselves we are no more capable of living a holy life than was the impotent man capable of walking. Many realize their helplessness; they are longing for that spiritual life which will bring them into harmony with God, and are striving to obtain it. But in vain. In despair they cry, “O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from this body of death?” Romans 7:24
Let these desponding, struggling ones look up! The Saviour is bending over the purchase of His blood, saying with inexpressible tenderness and pity, “Wilt thou be made whole ?” He bids you arise in health and Peace. Do not wait to feel that you are made whole. Believe the Saviour’s Word. Put your will on the side of Christ. Will (choose) to serve Him, and in acting upon His Word you will receive strength!” Ministry of Healing p.81-85
“O wretched man that I am, Who shall deliver me from this body of (sin and) death ? Romans 7:24
“And Jesus (Yehushua) returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee, and . . . . He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up for to read. And there was delivered unto Him the scroll of the prophet Esaias (Isaiah). And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written,
The Spirit of the LORD (Yehuwah) is upon Me, because He hath anointed Me to proclaim the Glad Tidings to the poor . . . . blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven . . . .He hath sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised (in the bondage and chains of sin).
To preach the acceptable (acceptance, propitious – propitiation, atonement) year of the LORD !”
Luke 4:14-19
“O death, where is thy sting (thy poison)? O grave, where is thy victory?
Sin = the faithless transgression of Jehovah’s instructions in righteousness ref: I John 3:4 & Romans 14:23
For the sting of death (that which causes) is sin; and the strength of sin (that which gives it it’s power) is the law . . . . for the wages (result) of sin is death . . . . But thanks be to GOD, which giveth us the victory through our Lord (Adoni – Sovereign King) Jesus Christ !” I Corinthians 15:55-57 ref: Romans 6:23
“Wherefore, by one man (Adam), sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned . . . . and come short of the glory of GOD !” Romans 5:12 & 3:23
“What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin (the condemnation of the law – the law of sin in Adam). As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not even one.
There is none that understand, there is none that seeketh after GOD. They are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one . . . . And the Way of Peace have they not known . . . . Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under (the condemnation of) the law. So that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before GOD !” Romans 3:9-19
“For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of One (Christ Jesus) shall many be made righteous . . . . Moreover the law entered, so that the offence might abound (sin might become ex-ceeding sinful). But where sin abounded, Grace (the Divine Influence upon the heart) did much more abound. That as sin hath (previously) reigned unto death, even so might Grace reign . . . . that Christ might dwell in your hearts by faith . . . . through righteousness unto Eternal Life by Jesus Christ our Lord (Sovereign King) !”
Romans 5:19-21 & Ephesians 3:17
“Forasmuch then as the children (of Adam) are partakers of flesh and blood, He (Jesus, Yehushua) also Himself likewise took part of the same (flesh and blood); so that through death (dying to self, and the carnal desires of the flesh) He might destroy him that had the power (strength and dominion) of death, that is, the devil. And deliver us who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage !” Hebrews 2:14-15
“O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from this body of death?
I thank GOD (Jehovah, Yehuwah) through Jesus Christ (Yehushua ha Moshiac) our Lord (Adoni – Sovereign King). So then now, with the mind . . . . Let this mind be in you, which was in Christ Jesus . . . . I myself serve (obey) the law of GOD; but with the flesh, I serve the law of sin . . . . for the wages (penalty) of sin is death !”
Romans 7:24-25 & Philippians 2:5, Roans 6:23
“For I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; Yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of GOD, Who loved me, and gave Himself for me !”
Galatians 2:20
There is therefore Now, no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus . . . Abide in Me, and My Words abide in you . . . who walk (live) not after (by) the flesh, but after (by) the Spirit . . . . For it is not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the LORD of hosts ! ref: John 15:7 & Zechariah 4:6
For the law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death (in Adam). For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, GOD (Yehuwah Elohim) sending His Own Son, in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh. That the righteousness of the law might be filled full in us, who walk (live) not by the flesh, but by the Spirit !” Romans 8:1-4
“And the Words that I speak unto you, they are Spirit, and they are Life !” John 6:63
“The man might have said, “Lord, if Thou wilt make me whole, I will obey Thy Word.”
He might have stopped to doubt, and thus have lost his one chance of healing. But no, he believed Christ’s Word, believed that he was made whole; immediately he made the effort, and GOD gave him the power; he willed (chose) to walk, and he did walk. Acting on the Word of Christ, he was made whole !” – Ministry of Healing p.85
ref: Numbers 14:11 & Hebrews 3:7-4:10
How long will it be, ere we believe ?
May the LORD bless each of us, as we seek His Face today, and ask in humility and sincerity of heart for the Promised Blessing and outpouring of His Spirit in the Latter Rain !
Shalom, from our Almighty Father and the Lord (Adoni) Jesus Christ (Yehushua ha Moshiac) !
your brother and sister,
Eric & Sarah Wilson – Isaiah Ministries