Key:

Scripture is in BLACK FONT

Words of Jesus in RED FONT

Notes in BLUE FONT

Divine Healing Chapter 5​​

​​​Miracle of Miracles

“Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon.” (Matthew 15:21)

Then Jesus Went Thence

The heading portrays Jesus leaving probably Capernaum and going to the borders of Tyre and Sidon. These two cities are located on the Mediterranean Sea, north of Israel. Both are very prominent in Old Testament history. The Scripture does not say that Jesus went into these cities but merely to the border between Israel and Lebanon where they were located. These two areas of Tyre and Sidon were steeped in heathenistic idol worship. Their gods were ba’al and ashtaroth, which they, in one form or the other, continued to worship, even during the time of Christ. Coming back to the present, as invited guests of Israel, I had the opportunity to go into Lebanon to tape a television special. This was during the heaviest fighting of the war in which Israel attempted to expunge the palestinians from Lebanon because of their constantly lobbing of rockets over into Israel. It was quite an experience. The present border between Israel and Lebanon, which was possibly very near the location where it was in Jesus’ day, is actually a very beautiful place. Here, the cliffs rise up from the Mediterranean. As well, the altitude rises somewhat as the topography changes to a mountainous district.

Lebanon

As we crossed the border that day, Israeli soldiers were everywhere. There were long lines of trucks backed up that were coming from Lebanon. They were bringing all types of burned out and destroyed Russian equipment that had been taken from the palestinians and the Syrians. As we stopped at the border for the regulation ritual, I had the occasion to stand there for a length of time. Looking out over the Mediterranean, as well as back into Israel, almost immediately below our feet, at the bottom of the mountain, were gigantic caves that opened up to the sea. We learned a short time later that the Israelis had located huge quantities of weapons and ammunition that had been stored there by the palestinians. The closest Jewish town to the border is Nahariyya. It is a resort area with a population between 10 and 20 thousand. We spent the night there just before going into Lebanon. I do not know if that little city even existed during the time of Christ. However, I do know that, somewhere close to there and possibly that very place, Christ came. Consequently, one of the greatest miracles recorded in the Bible took place there. To be sure, within itself, it was no greater than many of the other miracles of Christ. However, the manner in which it took place, provides a tremendous lesson for all Bible students.

“And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.” (Matthew 15:22)

And, Behold, a Woman of Canaan Came Out of the Same Coasts

The two words, “and, behold,” mark the sudden intrusion of this woman into the mission of Christ. When Matthew wrote these words, no doubt, the Holy Spirit moved upon him to say them as he did in order to highlight this unexpected turn of events. The heading concludes her to be a Gentile. Mark called her a Greek Syrophoenician. The phrase, “a woman of Canaan” says it all. She was an “…alien from the commonwealth of Israel and (a stranger) from the covenant of promise, having no hope and without God in the world:” (Ephesians 2:12). As such, she was typical of all Gentiles and epitomized you who hold this book in your hands. Her life was one of idol worship, and a cruel worship it was, even employing human sacrifice. Whether human sacrifices continued unto the time of Christ is not known, but in centuries past, they had been rampant. How this woman heard of Jesus is not known. No doubt, His fame had spread to this part of the world, and the stories abounded of the tremendous miracles He was performing. Now, He was close to her home. It would be the greatest day in her life. If Jesus had not come to this area, she would never had had the privilege of knowing Him or of experiencing the tremendous deliverance afforded her daughter. As well, there is a great possibility that The Holy Spirit had Our Lord to go to this place simply because of this woman.

World Evangelism

This illustration speaks to me of the dire necessity of taking The Gospel of Jesus Christ to the world. Paul would later say, “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?” (Romans 10:14). That is the reason we labor day and night at this ministry, to take this Gospel to the world. World evangelism is my calling. I live it, breathe it, and seek to carry it out with every fiber of my being. Our message is the message of The Cross. This is not something new. Actually, it is the Gospel (1 Corinthians 1:17). As we have stated, Jesus Christ is the New Covenant, and The Cross of Christ is the meaning of that Covenant. This meaning was given to the Apostle Paul, which he gave to us in his 14 epistles. Every single believer is responsible for helping to take the Gospel to the world. None is excluded. All are commanded to be involved in this work, the preachers and the laity alike (Mark 16:15). Every person in the world has the right to hear the Gospel. Now, more than ever, due to the advent of television, the opportunity presents itself to reach most of the world with the great and glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ and to do so in a short period of time. To be sure, each one of us will be held responsible for our part in this task.

What Kind of Gospel?

That’s the question. If the right Gospel is not presented, which is the Gospel of Jesus Christ, then whatever it is that is presented is of no value whatsoever, but rather, will do great harm. That is the tragedy. The Gospel of Jesus Christ can be said to be Jesus Christ and Him Crucified. Most of what is presently given to the world that passes for the Gospel is no Gospel at all. At this ministry, we have seen literally hundreds of thousands brought to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ because the right Gospel has been presented under and by the anointing of The Holy Spirit.

Get It Done

The Lord gave me a vision of the coming harvest. Back in the day, it was my custom to drive my car close to a railroad track that was about a mile from my house. I would sit in the car and study the Word for a short period of time and then spend some time in prayer while walking down the track. Then, it was a place of solitude and was actually very beautiful. Now, it’s full of businesses and houses. At any rate, I had no inkling that morning of what The Lord would do. However, as I started walking down the track, while seeking The Lord, all of a sudden, the scene around me changed. Across the horizon in every direction were cotton fields. The stalks were so heavily laden with cotton that there was no room for leaves or anything else. As stated, it stretched over the horizon in every direction. I marveled at the tremendous harvest, and then I noted a couple of mechanical pickers in the distance. Then, to my left, out of the east, I saw it. It was a storm that was coming, with the heavens jet black. I instantly knew that if the harvest wasn’t gathered quickly, it would be totally lost. I also knew that it would not be possible for those two mechanical pickers to make any headway.

The Word of The Lord

About that time, I reached the place to where I normally turned around and went back to the car, and then The Lord spoke to my heart. He said to me, “I want you to place the telecast in every city in the world that will accept it.” He then said, “I will hold back the storm for a period of time until it can be done.” Then, The Lord said something else, “While I have called others for different localities around the world, I have called your ministry for the entirety of the world, so don’t fail Me.” I did everything that I could do to carry out that command, but circumstances arose that made it impossible for me to make any headway. It broke my heart a thousand times over, but there was nothing more I could do. We did see some tremendous things done, such as airing the telecast over the former Soviet Union, which saw over a million people brought to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. That figure comes from the number of letters we received during that three-year span.

The Commission

Then, one particular afternoon, I went to prayer. I little knew that afternoon what The Lord would do. At a point in time, The Lord took me back through the vision all over again. I saw it just as real as I had seen it that day years ago, and then, The Lord spoke to my heart and graphically so. He said, “The commission as I gave you before is still in force.” Then He said, “Get it done.” I have no way to properly explain just exactly how I felt. I could not believe what I was feeling and sensing. The commission was still in force? How could that be? However, I knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that The Lord had spoken. That’s why we drive everything so hard. We must get it done. That’s why we are airing television all over the world. This is what God has called us to do, and we must do it. Let me give you a personal testimony regarding what happened in the former Soviet Union when we began to air the telecast in all 14 of those Soviet republics. In fact, the telecast was aired each week over TV1 out of Moscow, which went into every single part of the Soviet Union. There were 7,000 repeater stations scattered all over that vast area, the largest land mass in the world. Through the preaching of the Gospel by the means of television, we saw a harvest of souls that was absolutely phenomenal, to say the least. Again, we give The Lord all the praise and all the glory. Let me give you a personal experience that came out of that great harvest.

A Personal Experience

Some time ago, I received a telephone call from a pastor friend who related to me a beautiful testimony. He had just returned from Moscow, where he and other preachers from America had conducted a week-long teaching seminar to which they had brought in Russian pastors from all over the former Soviet Union. He explained to me that they did this once a year, even paying the expenses of these pastors to get them to Moscow. Considering that most of these pastors in the former Soviet Union had very little Bible training, this, of course, was an extremely valuable time for them. During the course of one of the teaching sessions, he happened to ask the room full of pastors, numbering somewhat over 100, exactly how they had found Christ. Actually, he had each one stand and give a brief testimony to this all-important experience. He said to me, “Brother Swaggart, how pleasantly surprised I was when over half of these pastors, some of them pastoring churches of over 1,000 in attendance, told me how they had found Christ as a result of your telecast.” He said, “I just had to call you and give you that bit of news.”

As It Happened

Believing that God was going to open the door in this vast land, then known as the Soviet Union, and that The Lord had told me to do so, we began to translate our television program from English to Russian. My colleague, Jim Woolsey, had been working for over a year to try and bring about this miracle of all miracles. But first, let me relate to you something that The Lord did, which told us what was going to happen in what was then the Soviet Union.

A Word of Wisdom

Jim Wolsey, and I, and a missionary friend went to Moscow for a series of meetings in that place. I preached in Moscow, in Siberia, and as well, in Minsk, Belarus. It was in Belarus that the following took place. It was a Sunday morning. We had traveled all night by train from Moscow, and I was to preach at a Baptist church and a Pentecostal church in that city. The Pentecostal church was jammed to capacity, and there was a tremendous spirit in the place. When I began to preach, I sensed an unusually heavy anointing. I made a statement in the midst of the message, and the interpreter did not interpret it. In fact, he said nothing. He was standing a little bit behind me, and so I felt possibly he did not hear me, so I made the statement again, but once again, he did not interpret it. I turned around and looked at him, and the tears were rolling down his face. Right there, that Sunday morning, he gave his heart to Christ. He had been a KGB agent for a number of years, but that morning, his world changed. After a few moments time, he gathered his composure together and then began to interpret for me. Right in the midst of the message, The Lord gave me a Word of Wisdom. I said, “The Gospel of Jesus Christ is going to be proclaimed in every city, town, and village in the entirety of the Soviet Union.” That was it but what a statement! When the service ended, and we were leaving, I turned to a colleague and said, “Did you hear that which was stated about the Gospel being ministered all over the Soviet Union?” The colleague nodded in the affirmative and said, “Oh yes, I heard it.” I thought in my heart and mind, “How in the world could this be?” The Soviet Union was atheistic. They did not believe there was a God, so how in the world could the gospel be proclaimed in every city, town, and village? But of course, The Holy Spirit knew exactly what He was doing, and to be sure, that word of wisdom (prophecy) was fulfilled to the letter. Let me tell you about it.

A Miracle of Miracles

My colleague, Jim Woolsey, made some thirty trips to Moscow trying to get Soviet television to air our program. Yes, I said 30 trips. Finally, they consented. We first began to air in Riga, Latvia, a Soviet republic. Actually, Moscow sent a KGB agent to Riga to inquire of the television station as to why they were airing our program. To my knowledge, it was the very first Gospel program ever aired in the Soviet Union. That stated, it was translated into Russian. The station management, which of course, was state controlled, informed the agent that they were airing it because it was what the people demanded. At any rate, even though the agent was very upset, the program was allowed to continue. In the meantime, Jim Woolsey kept working with the main office of communication in Moscow, trying to get our television program to cover the entire 14 republics of what was then the Soviet Union. Finally, we were able to begin airing the telecast over TV1 in Moscow. It had formally been the major communist government network, which reached the entirety of all 14 Soviet republics. It aired over some 7,000 repeater stations, covering over 300 million people. My, oh my.

The Mail

For nearly three years, we had a Post Office box in Moscow in order for the people to be able to write us if they desired. We even received over a million letters, even though we told the people that we had no means to answer their letters, but that’s how hungry they were for the Gospel. Considering the vastness of that area, television was the only way that one could effectively reach the masses. To be sure, that is what The Lord has called me and this ministry to do. In all honesty, it would take hundreds, if not thousands, of spirit-filled missionaries to reach that vast land and even many years at that. We were able to touch the entirety of that vast area in a very short period of time and with astounding results. I give Jim Woolsey the credit for having the faith to knock on that door until it finally opened. Of course, we give The Lord all the praise and all the glory for that which He helped us to do. All over the world, there are multiple hundreds of millions of people, just like this woman of Canaan. They must have the opportunity to hear the Gospel and to know The Lord Jesus Christ. There is nothing more important than that.

And Cried unto Him

As it concerns this woman of Canaan, the heading constitutes a message within itself. The woman was desperate. She had come to receive something from Christ, and she would not leave without getting that which she asked. In as much as the word cried means, “to clamor” or, in other words, “to speak with great emotion”, The Holy Spirit, through Matthew, gives us an idea of her desperation and the cry of her heart. I dare say that if anyone will come to Christ in this manner, and I mean anyone, an answer will be forthcoming.

Bible Faith

Too many people approach The Lord in a lackluster way, and most of the time, they receive nothing. To be sure, one is not advocating that the loudness of one’s approach assures the answer, but this we do know, Bible faith will not be denied. There is always an urgency about faith that produces an emotion in the soul of the individual who comes to God. One can see this in the lives of the Bible greats, such as Abraham. In regard to the promise of God respecting the coming child, Isaac, Abraham felt the urgency so greatly to see the promise of God carried out in his life that he even attempted to help The Lord. This, of course, turned out to be catastrophic. Obviously, this way was wrong, but nevertheless, it portrayed his feelings. The apostle, Paul, is another example. There was an urgency about his ministry, his life, and his efforts. Faith produces such an urgency. As well, it produces an emotion as exampled by the woman of Canaan. This dear lady did not really know God. However, she did know her need, and she did know who Jesus was, which is more than could be said of the religious leaders of Israel.

Saying, Have Mercy on Me, O Lord, Thou Son of David

The heading presents a petition to The Lord that was actually all wrong in principle but right in faith. As a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to fulfil the promises made to the fathers, Christ refused to answer the Gentile position addressed to Him as, “the Son of David." This was a Jewish statement as it pertains to Christ, and this Gentile had no right to use it as she did. However, when the woman took the place of a “dog”, thus admitting she had no claim but was, rather, throwing herself on His mercy and grace as Lord, He responded at once. The Scripture says that He was to act that the Gentiles also may glorify God for His mercy (Romans 15:8-12).

Son of David

Why would she have used this phrase “Son of David” when speaking to Christ? Living as close as she did to Israel, she was probably well acquainted with the hopes and aspirations of the Jews respecting their coming Messiah. Hearing the conversation of His great miracles and the discussion as to whether He was the Messiah, she, no doubt, concluded, in her heart, that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of David, in effect, The Son of God. As a Gentile, she had no Scriptural right to address Christ as the Son of David, but she probably did not know that. Her story is an example to all of us. Then again, maybe she thought that addressing Him as she did was the proper thing to do. If The Lord demanded that our approach to Him be totally proper in every respect, most of us would fall by the wayside. Thankfully, He does not demand that. He only demands faith, and faith this woman had. Even as I write these words, I strongly sense the presence of God. With tears, I feel the emotion of the moment as she approached Christ. I see myself in her as you should as well. She was out of the dispensation, even unscriptural, and actually had no right to what she was asking. However, her petition would not be denied. And neither will the petition of anyone else if we come in the manner in which she came, with humility and faith. The Holy Spirit had this glorious example portrayed to us by both Matthew and Mark. That is its great lesson, which would not be lost upon us. If she received, you can receive as well. The pronoun we includes you.

My Daughter is Grievously Vexed with a Devil (Demon)

The woman now proclaimed to the Lord her dire need. It concerned her daughter; the child was demon possessed. The Lord did not contradict her respecting the diagnosis, so undoubtedly, demon powers were the cause of this affliction. This is a subject in which many are not knowledgeable. I speak of children being influenced or even possessed by demon spirits. Actually, this is not the exception, especially in the world in which she lived or even in the world in which we live today. Tragically, most children in America, or any country in the world, for that matter, are raised in homes that little know God. They are subjected to profanity, immorality, and a very atmosphere that is charged by the powers of darkness. Consequently, even as children, they provide a fertile territory for activity of demon spirits. If one could look into the spirit world, one would see demon spirits operating graphically so in the lives of many, if not most, teenagers and even pre-teens.

A Documentary

In a documentary that I saw over television recently, the commentary was remarking about the callousness of some teenagers who had committed murder, “They seemed to show no remorse whatsoever concerning the terrible thing they had done. The killing of a fellow human being was no more to them then a flick of the wrist.” The ages of the two killers she interviewed were 12 and 14. She was nonplussed over their attitudes as well as the attitudes of multiple tens of thousands of other teenagers and pre-teens, who exhibit traits that are completely unexplainable to the sociologists, psychologist, etc. The answer now is the same as it was then, “vexed with a demon.” There is only one answer to this terrible malady, and it, as well, is the same now as then, Jesus Christ and Him Crucified. All of the sociologists and psychologists in the world cannot help such a one. This is the reason that the Gospel, preached in all of its power, is so very important. It is the answer because it is the Gospel of Christ.

A Letter

Some time back, we received a letter that explains what I am attempting to say. It was addressed to my wife, Francis. “Dear Mrs. Swaggart, You probably wonder why I’m writing this letter to you instead of your husband, but I feel this is a story that only a mother can understand. I know that you have a son, and I thought you might want to hear what God has done in my life. I have always been privileged to stay at home and take care of our only son. We live in a very exclusive neighborhood and have many of the luxuries not afforded to most. Up until the past few years, I thought that nothing could touch the peace and prosperity of our world. Then, one morning, 16 months ago, I awoke to find that our son, who was then 16, had left home in the middle of the night. For about a year, we had fought an uphill battle with him. He had gotten into the wrong crowd, a gang-type group, whose leader seemed to have much more influence on him than my husband and I did. We have found marijuana in his room, pornographic literature, rock music, all the earmarks of teenage trouble. We immediately sought professional help for him, which we know now was definitely a mistake. We spent thousands of dollars only to be told that we had failed in our efforts to raise our son and that his rebellion was simply a natural response to our erroneous child-rearing. When he left, I have to admit to you that, in one sense, I was relieved. I knew that we could not do any more for him, as the harder we tried, the more rebellious he became. When our son was reported missing, we came to realize that he was on the long list of statistics. The police department made an earnest effort to locate him, but under the circumstances, we knew that he did not want to be found. For a period of about six months, we did not hear from him at all. Then, we only heard through other teenagers, who had once been his friends, that he was living with this gang and, more or less, living on the streets or in a hop house where sources of drugs were readily available. I don’t think I have to tell you that I died a thousand deaths during this time.

Tuesday morning, three weeks ago, I answered the phone and realized that on the other end was my son. He said, ‘Mom, I really need to talk to you. Something has happened to me. I am ready to come home.’ Words cannot express to you just what went through my mind at that time. Tears ran like a river, and I was happy, yet I wondered, is it real? Will he come home only to repeat the scenario of the past? I don’t think that his dad or I could stand that. Late that afternoon, my prodigal son arrived on the doorsteps. He was dirty and bedraggled, his hair long and unkempt, and his arms scared with needle tracks from shooting up, but in spite of all this, there was a look in his eyes that was bright and happy like I had not seen in two years. After hugging and crying for what seemed like hours, he said, ‘Mom, the strangest thing happened to me yesterday. I had gotten totally stoned the night before, had come at about daylight, and crashed on the couch. I had been watching some sort of weird stuff on TV and went off to sleep. When I woke up, it was about 3:30 in the afternoon. On the channel where I had been watching, there was this preacher. Mom, it was the same one that I used to see Grandma watching when I was a kid.’ My mother, until her death six years ago, always watched your program. ‘I thought about Grandma and how disappointed she would have been in me if she could see me now, and I started to cry. The preacher was talking about how, no matter how bad you are, God still loves you and wants you to come home to Him. Then, he prayed a prayer, and I said it with him. I said, God I don’t want to be like this. I don’t want to shoot dope. I can’t stop, please help me. This preacher’s son was there with him praying. I wanted to be able to see my dad and to have him proud of me like this preacher is of his son. He talked about how his son was a preacher, too. I thought about how I had disappointed dad and you. I said, God please forgive me for doing this to mom and dad. Please let them want me to come home. Then, I went to sleep again and did not wake up until this morning. When I woke up, I knew I had to come home, so I called you. Mom, this is the first time I had not shot up in the morning for over a year, and I feel great.’ I was in a total state of shock. I wasn’t even sure that I believed in miracles, but I had one standing here in front of my eyes. I have to admit that I was skeptical, and first of all, I had to know just who this preacher was that my son had seen. He had not seen the program begin or end. He did not know the name. I looked at the television listing at 3:30 p.m. on Monday on all the networks, and nothing was there except the soaps. On most of the major cable stations, we had children’s programing and miscellaneous programs, nothing religious. I said, ‘Do you know what station you were watching?’ He said, ‘Mom, all I know is that it is a station where they show atheist programs and stuff, and it was on Monday afternoon.’ The only thing I could think of that fit this description was People TV, the local public channel. Sure enough, when I looked on their listings, it said “Jimmy Swaggart.” At 3:30 that next Monday, we turned on the program, and there was Jimmy Swaggart singing and preaching. My son’s eyes filled with tears, and he said, ‘That’s him, Mom, that’s him.’ We both wept and cried during the entire program. My son finally came home. He is clean-shaven, has a haircut, and his clothes are clean. However, these are small, unimportant things. He had a new life. He has had no drugs or alcohol since he walked in my door again. We are looking for a good Bible-based church to attend. Once again, let me thank you for being on People TV, Channel 12. Thank God that Brother Swaggart has been able to withstand the attacks launched against him and still preach the Gospel. I have no idea just how your program happened to be aired on our local channel, but please note that his father and I are so thankful to Brother Swaggart for helping to get our son back. Only The Lord will be able to relate to you just how your ministry has blessed this family.”

This letter is just one of many hundreds of thousands or even millions we have received over the years telling what Jesus Christ has done in a heart and life. The only answer to these terrible problems is Christ and Him Crucified.

The Modern Church

Regrettably and sorrowfully, the modern church has become one great referral unit. It refers the alcoholics to alcoholics anonymous, the compulsive gambler to gamblers anonymous, etc. As well, it refers those who are influenced or even possessed by demon spirits to psychologists. To be sure and certain, there is little help from these sources. Only Jesus can set the captive free. Only Jesus can break the chains that bind humanity. Only Jesus can save the lost soul. The question becomes, why are the churches, at least for the most part, doing this? They are doing it because most of them no longer preach the Gospel, or even believe the Gospel. Most have denied and are denying the Almighty Power of The Holy Spirit. Consequently, there is no power in their services, their worship, or their preaching. As a result, no captives are set free. By and large, it is dead preachers preaching dead sermons to dead congregations. However, I will say as Joshua of old, “…as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” (Joshua 24:15)

​But He Answered Her Not a Word
“But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.” (Matthew 15:23)
In the entirety of this scenario (as intended by The Holy Spirit), we are given a perfect description of how to approach The Lord and how to receive from The Lord. It will be an invaluable lesson. His not addressing her or answering her was by design. Everything that Jesus did, even down to the words He spoke, was guided by The Holy Spirit. Therefore, as this scene unfolds before us, it is a carefully crafted plan, engineered by The Holy Spirit, in order to meet this woman’s need, i.e., the healing and deliverance of her daughter. So, His failure to answer was not meant at all to put her off or to deny her request, but instead, it was in order that she might receive what she had asked. The ways of God are not our ways. However, His ways are meant for our good.

The Lesson Here Taught

The lesson here taught and to be learned is that, if The Lord does not answer immediately, we are not to stop our petition. The phrase, “and cried unto him," as given in the previous verse, meant that she kept crying. In other words, she would not stop. It is regrettable that a great part of the church world is taught that we are only to ask The Lord one time and that any further petitions are a sign of a lack of faith. The Scripture abundantly proclaims that such is not true. If at first we do not receive, we are importuned to continue asking (Luke 11:8). As well, the delay, if there is delay, is not meant to be antagonizing to the seeker. The Lord does all things for a purpose. Along with giving us what we request, He, as well, always teaches us lessons by the manner in which He gives them. In other words, the lessons given, and the manner in which it is given, are all meant to serve as a teaching vehicle. Regrettably, most Christians, presently, ask once or twice and then quickly tire, claiming that God does not answer prayer, or else they give some other excuse. The lesson taught in this experience is that, if we do not at first receive, continue to ask as this woman of Canaan. Continue asking in faith. Delay does not mean denial. It only means that we are to continue asking and believing, thereby growing our faith.

And His Disciples Came and Besought Him

The heading proclaims their doing this after her repeated petitions, however, if one is to notice, there is another potent truth in this phrase. The woman of Canaan did not come to the disciples but to Jesus. It is sad when Catholicism erroneously encourages its people to pray to dead saints or even to some of these disciples, or more particularly, Mary, the mother of Christ. In the four Gospels, which give the account of the ministry of the Master, one finds precious little evidence that individuals in need came to the disciples, but instead, directly to Christ. It would surely seem that The Holy Spirit is telling us something in these many accounts of seekers coming to Christ. The truth is that all petitions must be made directly to The Father in the Name of Jesus (John 16:23). All other prayers and petitions are useless, with no help forthcoming whatsoever from these other sources, because to do otherwise is unscriptural.

Saying, Send Her Away; for She Crieth After Us

The heading probably would have been better translated in another manner in as much as the true meaning is here obscured. It should have been translated, “Grant her request, for she cries after us.” It seems they were perturbed because of her petition, and it was a loud petition at that. In other words, she would not stop her “crying”, and neither should we. Every evidence is that the disciples grew impatient with her. To be frank, sadly, most of the hinderances of our present petitions come directly from the saints of God, even as the closest companions of Christ, His disciples.  This is especially true if the answer is not forthcoming immediately. In other words, often times, even The Lord’s chosen children will discourage us. However, if we are asking in the will of God, we should not let anything deter us, even as this dear woman of Canaan did not let anything deter her. The woman of Canaan suffered great trouble in the affliction of her daughter and was earnestly seeking help from Jesus. However, much more would be done for Christ if the church would cry to The Lord, at this present time, on behalf of individuals, such as this woman of Canaan did.

But He Answered and Said

“But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” (Matthew 15:24)
The heading presents what seems to be another rebuke to the woman. Her faith would be sorely tested, which, no doubt, The Holy Spirit intended to do. It should be well understood that this woman had absolutely nothing to offer The Lord except her faith, and even that was somewhat misplaced. Irrespective, it was faith, and it was faith in Christ, even as we shall see. People all over the world are presenting things to God that are of no purpose and no use. Almighty God operates on one principle and one principle alone, and that is the principle of faith. However, it must be faith in what Christ did for us at The Cross. Of course, this dear lady of so long ago knew nothing about a cross, and in fact, neither did anyone else except The Lord. But now, ever since The Cross, The Cross of Christ is to ever be the object of our faith. The Cross is that which makes everything possible. It opens the door to all good things of God, in essence, the grace of God.

I Am Not Sent but unto the Lost Sheep of the House of Israel

The heading proclaims Christ’s mission, at least in His first advent, as exclusively to the Jews, although it would ultimately fall out to the entirety of the world (John 3:16). As a man, Christ was “sent” and was therefore a servant, hence the silence of Matthew 15:23. As God, He had the liberty of action, so in grace, He could respond to the need that faith presented to that grace. Otherwise, He would have denied His own character and nature as God. He ultimately did respond to the need of the woman of Canaan. Due to the prophecies and the plan of God, Jesus must first come to Israel. They were His people, or at least, should have been. All the great promises had been made to them, therefore, the Gospel should be offered to them first before it was offered to the Gentiles, which it was.

The Plan of God

Even from the very beginning, the plan of God was that Israel would accept their Messiah and then take His glorious message to the entirety of the world. That was God’s intention from the very beginning, as He told Abraham “…in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” (Genesis 12:3) However, the Jews refused to give that blessing to the Gentiles or even accept it themselves. Respecting Israel, the words “lost sheep” are interesting indeed. Very few Jews, if any, would even think of admitting they were lost. However, they had, by now, come to the place that they believed simply being a Jew constituted their salvation. In other words, their salvation was their nationality, and their nationality was their salvation, or so they erroneously thought. It is the same presently with most modern believers. Their association with a certain church is their salvation, and their salvation is their association with a certain church. However, there is no salvation in nationality as there is no salvation in association with any church.

Unconditional Eternal Security

The words “lost sheep” are interesting in another capacity as well. The modern teaching of unconditional eternal security claims that “once a sheep always a sheep.” However, Christ here says the very opposite. He calls Israel, or at least the greater part of it, “lost sheep." It meant that they were supposed to be His people, and, in truth, some of them had once been His people; but now, these sheep had refused to recognize Christ as the Messiah or to accept Him as Savior. Therefore, in their refusal to do that, they did not discontinue being sheep but were, in fact, lost sheep. As well, a modern believer, although at one time in faith, can cease to believe and then becomes what one might call a lost believer. These individuals were once in faith, and it certainly was God’s will that they remain in faith. But by their own volition, they remove themselves. If they remain in that state, as Israel of old, they are lost. As well, the word lost in the Greek is apollumi and means “to destroy fully, to perish." Consequently, it does not mean a loss merely of fellowship, as some teach. It is faith in Christ and what He did for us at The Cross that got us in, i.e., born again. If faith is maintained in Christ and The Cross, the individual is saved. However, if, by one’s own volition, the person ceases to believe in Christ, he has removed himself from the grace of God.

A Sinful Lifestyle

And then there are some who truly come to Christ but want to maintain their sinful lifestyles. For instance, if a homosexual comes to Christ, The Lord will readily receive such a one, as He will anyone. However, if that homosexual believes a lie and believes he or she can continue in that lifestyle and, at the same time, be saved, that person is mistaken. The Holy Spirit, through the apostle Paul, said the very opposite (Galatians 5:19-21). The same would go for any other type of sin listed in these passages. Continuing to use the homosexual as an example, it is certainly true that such a person may accept The Lord and then have a struggle with this problem for a period of time after his or her salvation. In other words, he wants victory over this thing but finds it difficult to find that victory. That person is saved, even though he may fail The Lord, at times, by slipping back into his old lifestyle. However, it’s not done purposely, and the truth is, he hates that lifestyle or whatever kind of sin it might be and is struggling trying to quit. Ultimately, he will find victory, if he perseveres.

Then Came She and Worshipped Him

“Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.” (Matthew 15:25)
The heading seems to indicate, according to Mark, that Jesus had left the street where this woman of Canaan first approached Him and, now, went into a house with her following. Once again, her persistence is greatly proclaimed. She had met two rebuffs already from Christ, or at least, what probably seemed to her as such, but she was not deterred. Instead, she fell at His feet and worshipped Him. If one is to notice, she had graduated from petition to worship. To be sure, this entire episode is remarkable. The lessons contained therein should stand as a beacon of hope for all who believe God and are determined to receive certain things from Him.

Saying, Lord, Help Me

The phrase, “saying, Lord, help me,” is actually a completely different petition than her first when she addressed Christ as “thou Son of David." However, even though this plea, “Lord, help me,” was better than her first one, still, she did not get the blessing until she added, “I am a dog.” This was the same ground the publican took when he said, “…be merciful to me a sinner.” (Luke 18:13)

Faith

There are two things that dramatically stand out about this woman, which should be an example to us. First, she would not stop her petition. Second, she had a need, and she knew that Jesus was the only One Who could meet that need. She was determined to get that for which she had come. We are constantly admonished in the Word of God to do the same (Matthew 21:21-22, Mark 11:24; Luke 11:8; John 15:7). However, we must understand that the object of our faith must ever be Jesus Christ and Him Crucified (1 Corinthians 1:23). It is The Cross of Christ that opens up everything. Martin Luther said, and he was right, “Unless one understands The Cross of Christ, one does not understand or have the correct knowledge of God.” Now, as would be obvious, this woman would have no understanding of The Cross whatsoever, and neither did anyone else at that time, other than Christ. However, according to the apostle Paul, since The Cross, our faith must ever be in Christ and what He did for us at The Cross (Romans 6:3-5; Romans 8:1-11; 1 Corinthians 1:17-18; 23; 2:2; Galatians 6:14; Colossians 2:10-15).

Humility

This trait stands out so dramatically in the action of this lady. Despite the seeming rebuffs, she would fall at His feet and worship Him. How many believers, presently, hold a grudge against God because He did not do something they thought He should have done? The hard truth is that none of us are worthy of anything from God, and, until we understand that, the granted petitions are going to be few and far between. Preachers are very fond of talking about one’s rights in Christ. Despite teaching to the contrary and even despite our having received the great born again experience and becoming a child of God, still, we have no rights, only privileges. Jesus said, “…whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” (Luke 14:11) I wonder what The Lord must think of us demanding our rights. Far too often, healing, prosperity, and a host of other things, are demanded as the rights of the believer. No, the only One Who has rights is Christ. He alone is worthy “…to receive glory and honour and power…” (Revelation 4:11). All of these things, even being a joint heir with Christ, is but a privilege. Oh, but what a privilege it is.

But He Answered and Said

“But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs.” (Matthew 15:26)

The heading will now constitute the third rebuff to this woman. It was a rebuff, at least as it looked outwardly, but actually, it was the manner in which she could receive that for which she came. What she was about to hear was going to be hard, but she knew what she wanted, and she was determined to get it. Everything The Lord does with us is for an intended purpose. In other words, He is driving at something positive. He never chides us, never reprimands us, and never haughtily turns us away. If what He says seems to be hard, as stated, it is for a divine purpose. Most of the time, it is our faith that needs attention. We may think that it is totally and completely sufficient but, actually, it is not. So, The Lord will answer this woman in a way that may seem harsh, but, at the same time, it will garner the intended results.

It is Not Meet to Take the Children's Bread, and to Cast it to Dogs

This statement is strong indeed. In effect, He was calling her a dog, which she readily understood. As well, this word dog meant the lowest form of the canine variety, a cur dog. So, in effect, He was speaking of her and her people as being idol worshippers and, in fact, some of the worst kind. As stated, they were worshippers of ba’al and ashtaroth, which signaled the worst form of depravity and pollution. “Children's bread,” referred to Israel, who were recipients of the promises and the prophets and, in effect, were the only ones in the world who had any knowledge of Jehovah. Consequently, they are called children, i.e., God’s children, at least those who actually were, which were few. The word bread speaks of the Word of God and all that it entails. In truth, Jesus’ own people, the Jews, were in worse spiritual condition even than these heathen. They were worse, simply because they were given the light, albeit rejected, while the Gentiles had been given precious little light at all. That is the reason Jesus placed a curse on Israel, and He used the very area from which this woman came as an example by saying, “…for if the mighty works, which were done in you (Israel), had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.” (Matthew 11:21) So, if these, Tyre and Sidon, were “dogs,” what category must Israel fall into?

And She Said, Truth, Lord

“And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table.” (Matthew 15:27)

The heading proclaims her acknowledging her position as undeserving and without legal covenant rights to the children’s bread. Remember, this woman suffered three rebuffs:

1. “He answered her not a word...” This concerns her first petition when she spoke of her daughter.
   
2. “I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. (My mission is only to Israel.)” This, in fact, excluded her, but she responded by worshipping Him.
   
3. “It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs.” (He called her a dog, which was the worst cut of all.)
   

By this time, most would have left but not her. In fact, the answer that she gave Him is one of the greatest answers of faith in recorded history. In all of this, this woman was saying that she had no claim on The Lord. She realized that she was but a heathen, a Gentile dog. All of this was true, and she admitted to it. What made this woman persist in her petition?

Persistence

Of course, the ready answer would be that her daughter was in a terrible condition and desperately needed help. While all of that is true, still, there must have been something about Christ, despite His response to her, that caused her to press on until the victory came. To be sure, there was something about Christ, even though His statements to her were negative, even extremely so, still, His entire manner and personality were of pure love. This must have encouraged her to press forward. This should be a lesson to us that, even though the situation may be critical with even our wrong or sin most terrible, which demands judgment, still, to any who will come to Him, they will find Him always to be loving, kind, considerate, compassionate, longsuffering, and quick to forgive.

Yet the Dogs Eat of the Crumbs Which Fall from Their Masters' Table

The answer that this woman gave turned the words of Christ back to Himself. She used His own words as a means which to receive healing and deliverance for her daughter. This, in no way, would abrogate His mission to Israel but, at the same time, would grant her request. She, in effect, was saying, “The Jews are the children, while we are the dogs, but, as dogs, we claim our portion, even if only crumbs.” One can sense the presence of The Lord, even in the saying of these words. This lady is an example to us all, as The Holy Spirit intended her to be. Most believers (and I do not believe that I exaggerate) try to find ways as to why God will not do certain things. To be sure, that list is endless. However, this dear lady did the very opposite. She turned every negative into a positive, every darkness into light, and every no into a yes. What she was doing was totally Scriptural. Paul would later say, “For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.” (2 Corinthians 1:20)​

“Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.” (Matthew 15:28)

Then Jesus Answered and Said unto Her

The heading is emphasized by the word then. All the time, The Holy Spirit had been drawing her to this place, and now she would receive that for which she had come. The question becomes, did Jesus change His mind? No! He wanted her to have her petition all along, but He had to bring her to the place to where she could receive it. It was true that these other situations were hurdles that had to be overcome. However, faith can overcome any and every hurdle as Jesus now proclaimed. The moral of the story in the lesson The Holy Spirit is teaching is the lesson of faith. As well, it is the type of faith that will not be denied.

O Woman, Great is Thy Faith

The heading proclaims His answer to her persistence. As well, what she had was “great faith." Only two people are spoken of as having great faith. The first was the Gentile centurion who came for the healing of his servant in Matthew 8:5-10 and now this Gentile woman. What a rebuke to Israel!

Be it unto Thee Even as Thou Wilt

The heading proclaims, as is obvious, her getting exactly what she wanted. What a lesson for all others! While that is true, that The Lord will definitely give to the believing saints that which we want or desire, still, what we want or desire must be in line with what The Holy Spirit wants as well. The following may seem negative; however, I feel that, in light of the times, what will be said is necessary.

Erroneous Direction

Since the 1970s, this idea of getting what we want has been taken to excess. Scores of believers, thinking they automatically know the will of God in all things, have begun to ask for all types of things, even foolish things, which shows a terrible spiritual immaturity. If believers sincerely and truly want the will of God in their lives and are constantly seeking that will, they will, as well, pray in the will of God. If The Holy Spirit is helping us pray, which He certainly will do, at least if we are striving constantly for God’s will, we will never pray for anything that is not desired for us by The Heavenly Father (Romans 8:26-27). Many have taken various Scriptures in the Word of God, such as Matthew 21:21-22; Mark 11:24; John 14:14; 15:7, etc., and have attempted to apply these passages to any and all things, claiming that they portray the will of God in these matters. As well, they say that if we do not receive whatever we want (whatever that is), it shows a lack of faith on our part. Such is not a lack of faith but is presumption. This is a pit many fall into. While it is certainly true that The Word of God means exactly what it says, these promises are meant to carry out His will and not our will. Even in Scriptures such as Mark 11:24, our will is supposed to be His will, and we are to desire nothing that He does not desire. If we sincerely want the will of God, that is exactly what we will get, His will!

Using The Word of God Against God

The most dangerous thing a Christian can do is to attempt to use The Word of God against God, which refers to trying to force the situation, whatever it might be. It is perfectly permissible, and even encouraged, for us to take God’s Word and apply it to our situations exactly as this woman of Canaan did. Still, it must be in the will of God, exactly as the deliverance of this woman’s daughter was. Of course, the will of God is the Word of God. However, He will not allow His Word to be used against Himself. As an example, all of these faith Scriptures we have just noted could definitely apply to the acquiring of great wealth. In fact, the major thrust of a large segment of the charismatic community has ben exactly this, to acquire riches. However, what does the Bible say? Paul said, “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.” (1 Timothy 6:6-11)

The Blessing

And yet, God richly blesses His people also in the financial sense. In fact, believers who are striving to walk in the will of God should expect God to bless them. That is not wrong with encouragement from The Word of God tendered toward such. However, if God does bless economically and financially, we should care for our family and then use the balance to further His work all over the world. The making of money is not to be the primary factor in our lives but, rather, carrying out the will of God, whatever that will might be. I am convinced that God would grandly bless more Christians economically if they could be trusted. However, I am concerned that most Christians cannot be trusted. In my many years of Evangelistic work, preaching and teaching the Gospel all over the world, which has taken large sums of money, I have watched the Lord bless some people, with it seemingly hurting them instead of helping them. I have noted a few who have been blessed by The Lord abundantly so and who, in turn, blessed His work greatly. Regrettably, that number is few.

Jesus, The Epitome of the Will of God

In truth, Jesus was the epitome of the will of God. His actions as well as His message portrayed God’s will in every capacity. Everything Jesus did was totally in the will of God, meaning that He constantly sought that perfect will. In this, several things become obvious. He healed everyone who came to Him, irrespective of their spiritual condition. Therefore, from this example, we must assume that it is always God’s will to heal the sick. However, all of us know that oftentimes even good Christians fail to receive healing, even though they earnestly petition The Lord. Even Paul said, “…but Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick.” (2 Timothy 4:20) I think all would have to assume that Paul had great faith, even with many great miracles performed in his ministry. Still, at times, individuals were not healed as is here recorded. Of course, the question must be asked, “If it is always the will of God to heal the sick, even as Christ portrayed, why are they not healed?” I suppose that question has been asked by every faith-filled believer since the time of Christ.

The Lord Jesus Christ

I personally believe that the only answer (which I have already commented on) is that no believer can come up to the status of Christ in His faith or life. While it is true that all sincere believers truly strive to be like Christ, still, at the same time, all of us fall woefully short (Romans 3:23). As well, the manner in which Jesus conducted His ministry portrayed the coming Kingdom Age. It was offered to Israel, but they rejected it. But yet, Christ continued to conduct His ministry in that fashion. In other words, when the Kingdom Age comes, which will commence at the Second Coming, the greatest worldwide healing meetings the world has ever known are going to take place. This will present not only our Lord healing all the sick, but as well, the glorified saints doing the same thing. During that time, sickness is going to be a thing of the past. That means that, during that time, there will be no need for doctors, hospitals, nurses, etc. In fact, the leaves that grow on the trees that border the river that comes out from under the threshold in the Temple in Jerusalem will be for healing. This refers to multiple thousands, even tens of thousands, of trees. Actually, “...the leaf thereof for medicine,” will be more so in the preventative capacity than anything else (Ezekiel 47:12). Of course, this will be for the natural people on the earth, at that time, and not for the glorified saints, for they will need nothing in that capacity. So, to use the ministry of Christ while He was on earth as an example is only permissible up to a point. As stated, He was then functioning in the realm of the Kingdom Age, but we know that because of Israel’s rejection, that age has not yet arrived, so Israel’s rejection of Christ submitted the world to a further 2,000 years of sorrow and heartache. That will end at the Second Coming.

Intercession

Along with all the other valuable lessons taught us in the portrayal as it regards this woman of Canaan, the tremendous lesson of intercession on behalf of another, as this mother, should not be lost upon us. To be sure, most, if not all, who come to The Lord, do so simply because someone, as this woman, interceded before The Lord for them. Regrettably, most of the energy of the Church in the last years have been spent on trying to get rich instead of this all-important task. Satan has successfully appealed to the covetousness in the hearts and lives of many and successfully drawn them away from that which is all important, the salvation of souls.

“And Jesus departed from thence, and came nigh unto the sea of Galilee; and went up into a mountain, and sat down there.” (Matthew 15:29)

And Jesus Departed from Thence

The heading refers to Christ leaving the border of Israel and going to the east side of the sea of Galilee. We learn from Mark that Jesus came to the cities of Decapolis, which were located on the eastern side.

And Came Nigh unto the Sea of Galilee

The heading refers to a hill near this body of water. It was probably near Bethsaida. As we have previously stated, the Sea of Galilee is about 14 miles long and some 7 miles wide. It is a beautiful body of water, which The Holy Spirit chose to serve basically as the headquarters of Our Lord in His earthly sojourn of ministry.

And Went Up into a Mountain, and Sat Down There

The heading indicates that Jesus had evidently come at other times to this place to rest. However, such at this time was not to be, even as we shall see.

“And great multitudes came unto him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus' feet; and he healed them:” (Matthew 15:30)

And Great Multitudes Came unto Him

The great multitudes could well have represented several thousand people. This was to be the greatest day of their lives. As well, it is, by far, the high point for any and all who come to Jesus. There is no life like a life lived for Him. There is no joy like that with which He fills the soul. Incidentally, it will be this way in the coming Kingdom Age but multiplied many times over. In other words, people will be coming from all over the world at that time seeking healing, seeking information, and seeking knowledge, and they will not be disappointed. Of that, one can be certain. Scientists will come from all over the world seeking the information that only Christ can give as it regards particulars of whatever nature. Those who are interested in growing crops will come to Jerusalem to seek the leading and the guidance of The Lord as it regards farming, and again, they will not leave disappointed. In fact, every type of knowledge that one can think will be dispensed from Jerusalem, and, of course, we speak of Christ. As I dictate these notes, the religious leader of Iran recently made the statement that, in 25 years, Israel will not even be in existence. Well, the truth is according to the following. In fact, in the coming Kingdom Age, when The Lord Jesus Christ will rule the entirety of the world as KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS, Israel will be the leading nation of the world. Actually, she will be the priestly nation, one might say. As it regards Iran (Persia), it will be no more, forever to cease as a nation. So, regarding what the Iranian leader said, the very opposite is going to take place.

Having With Them Those that Were Lame, Blind, Dumb, Maimed, and Many Others

The heading proclaims about every type of physical malady known to man. As well, what is said physically can also be said spiritually for any and all. It is interesting that the word maimed is used. It means “one who is crippled”. It also means “one who has been deprived of a limb,” such as the loss of an arm, a leg, etc. There is no passage in the four gospels that specifically states that Jesus replaced missing limbs with the exception of the servant’s ear that was cut off by Simon Peter in the Garden of Gethsemane (Luke 22:50-51; John 18:10). in this incident, Jesus, no doubt, had the severed ear replaced on the servant's head where He healed it. However, he could easily have replaced missing limbs, even though they had long since been gone, for such was certainly within His realm of power.

And Cast Them Down at Jesus' Feet

The heading denotes scores, possibly many hundreds, attempting to get to Christ and even throwing themselves at his feet. For many of them, the situation was desperate. Therefore, they used desperate measures.

And He Healed Them

The heading implies that He healed them all. There is no record in the Word of God of anyone who came to Christ being turned away. Neither does He turn anyone away today and, in fact, never has and never will.

“Insomuch that the multitude wondered, when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see: and they glorified the God of Israel.” (Matthew 15:31)

Insomuch That the Multitude Wondered

The heading means that they were stricken with astonishment when they saw the tremendous miracles. The attitude was one of tremendous joy coupled with astonishment at what was happening before their very eyes. Actually, neither they nor anyone else, for that that matter, had ever seen anything like this. It made no difference what type of illness it was, how deformed the person was, or even how near death, Jesus healed them all. This is the way it’s going to be in the coming Kingdom Age. As the multitude wondered then, the multitude will wonder now.

When They Saw

This short phrase means that they looked intently on what was happening. Before their very eyes, they watched the blind be led to Him, and then in a moment’s time, the man or woman, formerly blind, was shouting, “I can see! I can see!” As well, the cripples were led to Him, and then, in a moment’s time, the crippled leg was made every bit whole, right before the eyes of all who stood nearby. No doubt, there was every type of miracle performed that could be imagined.

The Dumb to Speak, the Maimed to be Whole, the Lame to Walk, and the Blind to See

Inasmuch as The Holy Spirit, through Matthew, used the word lame, signifying those who were crippled, along with the word maimed, which, as we have stated, could signify a missing limb, finger, etc. This could mean that missing limbs were instantly replaced. This, no doubt, happened and happened before the very eyes of the onlookers. Let us say it again, there was no disease, no matter how bad it was, that Jesus could not heal. There is no Biblical record whatsoever that He failed in even one instance, even to the raising of the dead. What a mighty God we serve!

And They Glorified the God of Israel

The heading proclaims a wave of glory and blessing that must have swept through the crowd. The power of God must have been so real at this time that every single individual witnessed and experienced it. Truly, Heaven had come down to earth. The implication was that they were not only glorifying God for the tremendous miracles performed but, as well, for the tremendous moving of The Holy Spirit that took place in their midst through the ministry of Christ. There had never been another day like this in human history, except for the other times when Jesus did accordingly. And yet, the religious leaders of Israel did not at all glorify God at these wonderful happenings but, instead, accused Christ of working in league with Satan (Matthew 12:24). There is no darkness like religious darkness.

The Second Coming of Christ

This which mankind experienced that glorious day of so long ago will, once again, be experienced at the Second Coming of Christ. Then, the multitudes will come to Him exactly as they did at His first Advent, and, once again, this scene will repeat itself, except it will be on a worldwide basis. Then, thankfully, Israel will not reject Christ but will accept Him. The world will then know a time of blessing and prosperity such as it had never known before in all of its history. As the multitude of that day glorified the God of Israel, then, the entirety of the world will glorify the God of Israel.

Poem:

All the way my Savior leads me

What have I to ask beside?

Can I doubt His tender mercy

Who, through life, has been my Guide?

Heavenly peace, divinest comfort

Here by faith in Him to dwell

For I know whate’er befall me

Jesus doeth all things well

For I know whatever befalls me

Jesus does all things well

All the way my Savior leads me

Cheers each winding path I tread

Gives me grace for every trial

Feeds me with the Living Bread

Though my weary steps may falter

And my soul athirst may be

Gushing from the Rock before me

Lo a spring of joy I see

Gushing from the rock before me

Lo a spring of joy I see

All the way my Savior leads me

Oh, the fullness of His love

Perfect rest to me is promised

In my Father’s house above

When my spirit, clothed immortal

Wings its flight to realms of day

This my song through endless ages

Jesus led me all the way

This my song through endless ages

Jesus led me all the way​