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Blind Bartimaeus

The story of Jesus' healing of the blind beggar, Bartimaeus, just outside Jericho is found in Mark's gospel, Chapter 10.
We look at it below from the English Standard Ver.

Mar 10:46  And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside.
Mar 10:47  And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"
Mar 10:48  And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"
Mar 10:49  And Jesus stopped and said, "Call him." And they called the blind man, saying to him, "Take heart. Get up; he is calling you."
Mar 10:50  And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus.
Mar 10:51  And Jesus said to him, "What do you want me to do for you?" And the blind man said to him, "Rabbi, let me recover my sight."
Mar 10:52  And Jesus said to him, "Go your way; your faith has made you well." And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way.

There are several Spiritual teachings in the verses above, and as famed radio commentator Paul Harvey always says when presenting a historical, factual story, "in a moment, you'll know the REST OF THE STORY".

Bartimaeus was blind from birth, and in Israel's second temple period, there were many beggars. But to make begging your lifelong work and expect the public to support you as the Torah required them to, you had to meet the requirements, and have a "license to beg". One did this by going before the ruling counsel, the Sanhedren, and bringing documented proof that they were truly handicapped, and could not support themselves by honest work. When the authorities were satisfied that this person met the requirements, a "license to beg" was issued. However, it was not in the form of licenses today. There was no plastic or laminated form to carry in a wallet or pouch. In stead, the license came in the form of a cloak of a certain color or style, which the beggar was required to wear while actively begging. This showed all who passed close by, that this man had been examined by the authorities, and had met the legal requirements to be allowed to beg and receive help in his support from the public, who under Torah law, were obligated to contribute to his support.
Torah law supported giving to the needy, but nothing like today. If you were a farmer, or owned orchards or vinyards, when you harvested your crop, you could NOT harvest the corners, and if the harvesters dropped any produce, they had to leave it. Those who were poor and in need, had to arise during the harvest season and GO to the fields and glean (work) the corners and pick up any produce that had been dropped during the harvest, and this was the Lord's "welfare" system. Handicapped persons, after meeting the requirements, were issued the necessary "licenses" that showed a person to be handicapped, and that they had met the legal requirements, and could not even go and pick produce to feed themselves. By Torah law, the public was obligated to contribute to their support.

It is written:

Jam 2:14  What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?
Jam 2:15  If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food,
Jam 2:16  and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled," without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?
Jam 2:17  So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

The REST OF THE STORY

When one of the senses is handicapped, the others become more intense, and blind Bartimaeus HEARD the sound of the crowd as they accompanied Jesus out of Jericho, and having HEARD of the miracles and healings done by this man, began to raise his voice and call out "Jesus thou son of David, have mercy on me".
The great Spiritual truth taught by the Scriptures is that FAITH comes by HEARING and HEARING by the WORD OF GOD (Romans 10:17).

Now connect the dots, for it is written:
Rom 10:13  For "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."
Rom 10:14  But how are they to call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?
Rom 10:15  And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!"

Bartimaeus had HEARD the Torah preached and taught at the Temple, and he had HEARD of Jesus and the miracles he had performed, so in FAITH, he called out to Jesus, BY NAME, asking for mercy.
Is this not what each of us has had to do? To cry out, and call upon the NAME of Jesus for mercy? Such a cry did, and will always, stop Jesus in His tracks, and brings His merciful reply.
Mar 10:49  And Jesus stopped and said, "Call him." And they called the blind man, saying to him, "Take heart. Get up; he is calling you."

He has answered the heart's cry of EVERYONE who in their affliction, has called upon His name. And in the next verse, we see the FAITH that had come through HEARING about the one in whom he (Bartimaeus) had come to believe.

Mar 10:50  And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus.

Bartimaeus, upon hearing his master's call, THREW OFF the cloak of his  handicap, the public mark of his disability, his "official" license to beg for his existance, as if to say "I won't be needing THIS anymore"!
And Jesus, seeing that Bartimaeus had already "SEEN" with his Spirit what his eyes could not, said to him:
 Mar 10:51  And Jesus said to him, "What do you want me to do for you?" And the blind man said to him, "Rabbi, let me recover my sight."
What happened next was the pronouncement of Bartimaeus' healing as a RESULT of his FAITH.
Mar 10:52  And Jesus said to him, "Go your way; your faith has made you well." And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way.

It is written:

Heb 11:6  And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

What a powerful testimony of faith, for a poor, blind beggar was willing to give up the only security he had in the world to trust in Jesus, the "Son of David" But yet, there is MORE!

Hidden in the Hebrew name of this nondescript beggar is another wonderful Spiritual truth.
Bar is one Hebrew word for "Son" and this particular beggar was the son of Timaeus.

Mar 10:46  And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside.

The name Timaeus means "unclean" and, as stated above, Bar means "son". So Bartimaeus' name means "unclean son".
So many of us have desired the healing of God to heal our physical defects and our Spiritual uncleanness but were afraid, and held on in fear, to the identity of our infirmity. Afraid to let go, and trust in God by faith.

Jesus dealt with faithlessness and unbelief in Mark chapter 9, where He cast out an unclean spirit in a man's son. The man asked Jesus to help IF He could. The reply cuts right to the problem.
Mar 9:19  And he answered them, "O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me."
Mar 9:23  And Jesus said to him, "If you can! All things are possible for one who believes."
Mar 9:24  Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, "I believe; help my unbelief!"

So now you know the "REST OF THE STORY" of Bartimaeus, the "unclean son" and how he called upon the Name of Jesus, and by FAITH was sight restored to him. ALways remember without faith, it is impossible to please God.

Heb 11:6  And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

May God grant you the ears to hear and the courage to ACT upon your faith today, in calling upon the Name of Jesus to heal you of your uncleanness and afflictions.

 







The Passover Connection

Passover this Year, begins on the evening of April 19th which falls on a Saturday.
In the Gematria, the number value of the letters and words of the Holy Scriptures, words and phrases that carried the same totals were considered "connected" by rabbinic teachings.

The Hebrew word for "Passover" is "Pesach" a combination of two words, pey and sach, meaning "the mouth speaks". The numerical total of this word is 148, which when multiplied x 10 = 1480 the same as "CHRIST" in the Greek text of the NT.
However, when this word is prefixed with the 5th letter of the Hebrew Aleph-Bet, the Hey, with it's Gematria of 5, the grammatical result is "THE Passover" and the word's total is changed to 153

This number 153 leads us to amazing discoveries in our quest to understand the Spiritual teachings of the Passover.
The total of the Hebrew word for sacrifice "Zebach" is 17.
If we take the numbers 1-17 and add them consecutively on a calculator, 1+2+3+4....etc, when we reach the number 17 and hit the total key, the answer is 153

The number 17 is also the word total of "Gedi" meaning "kid' or "young goat". It is also the total of the Hebrew  word "Deeg" meaning "fisherman" or "to fish".


In John's Gospel, chapter 21, the risen LORD tells His disciples, who are by trade, "FISHERMEN" to "cast the net on the right side of the boat" (John 21:6).
The GREEK words for "the net", used in the text is "To Diktuon" and it's total is 1224 which is a multiple of 153. 1224 divided by 153 = 8 which is the number of new life, new beginning. Dividing 1224 by 8 brings us back to 153.

This amazing number connects us even closer to the LORD and the blood of the Passover sacrifice when we realize that it is the word total of the Greek word "Merai" or SIDE (John 21:6)!

It is written:
But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water. John 19:34 KJV

In 1st John 5:1-8 it is written:
Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.
1Jo 5:2  By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
1Jo 5:3  For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
1Jo 5:4  For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
1Jo 5:5  Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
1Jo 5:6  This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.
1Jo 5:7  For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.
1Jo 5:8  And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.
 Now we see that we have three witnesses to the fact that we who are saved by the blood of the passover sacrifice, are the ones who come by blood and by water.

And why are we told of a strange, specific number of "Great fish" caught in this net?
The precious number 153, the "number" of "The Passover" is also the total of the hebrew phrase "Beni HaElohim",  and it means "The Sons of God" or The posterity/children of God"!

The spiritual meaning of this  teaching is, the waters represent the Nations, the net represents the Gospel of Jesus Christ which is cast into the "sea" (Nations) to "catch" and hold secure  (and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken.) [verse 11ff] all those who believe on His Name and who are given the authority to become the Beni HaElohim, the sons of God. This is the special meaning of the 153 Great fish, they are the sons of God!

Finally dear friends, 153 is the total of the Hebrew phrase " Ani YHVH Elohikah", "I AM THE LORD THY GOD" and the phrase " Hua Nameen" He is faithful" and the word " yinchilena" meaning " He shall cause to inherit" (Deut. 1:38).

There is one more connection I would like to make. There was an acrostic in use in the time just after the LORD ascended into heaven. The phrase "Jesus Christ. son of God, the Savior" which as we can see. spoke of Jesus and named Him as the "son of God" and "the Savior", when the first letters of each word were used, formed the acrostic "Icthus" or "Fish". Another wonderous connection between the "fish" and Jesus Christ, the son of God, the Savior.

Recall the number 17, total of the Hebrew word "deeg" and marvel and give praise to Him to whom all praise is due.

To Jesus Christ, the author and finisher of our faith, for strengthening our faith here today, yet again. Let us offer up the spiritual sacrifices, the praise of our lips giving thanksgiving to God for our eternal salvation and security.
Let us delight in the revelations of light from His word of life.


Jesus The Passover Lamb

Behold the Lamb of God ...<< MORE >>

The Spiritual teachings of scripture

According to the word of God, the words He spoke were spirit (John 6:63), and necessary for life. I want to bring out a spiritual picture in John's Gospel for us to see.

After our Lord was crucified He was laid in a borrowed tomb, when Mary Magdalene went on the third day, early in the morning, she found the stone sealing the entrance had been rolled away. In tears she ran to find the disciples, and told the news to Simon Peter, and John, who both ran quickly to the tomb, followed by Mary who couldn't keep up. John being the youngest and faster than Simon Peter, arrived first at the tomb. They look in and see that the body of the Lord is indeed missing. They left the tomb and returned home, no doubt bewildered. (John 20:1-10)

Mary however, remains outside the tomb weeping. Her heart is grieving and she too is bewildered and in fear for the body of Jesus. She stoops and looks inside the tomb and she sees and astounding sight, "two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain" (John 20:11).

What is the spiritual significance of what is described to us here in this portion of the Holy Scriptures?

The answer is found in the Tabernacle, in the "Kodesh HaKodesheem" or the "Holy of Holies".
Leviticus chapter 16:14,15 read;
"
Lev 16:14 KJV  And he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy seat eastward; and before the mercy seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times.
Lev 16:15 KJV Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the vail, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat:

When the Lord was wrapped in the linen shroud, His blood, the blood of our atoning offering for sin, was "sprinkled" where He had been laying, BETWEEN the cheribim. This is a spiritual picture of the MERCY SEAT!! The Levitical sin offering, as commanded by God, being performed EXACTLY as it was instructed to Moses and the Priests.

It is written:
Lev 17:11 KJV For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.

The Blood of Jesus atones for those who offer Him as as their "sin offering". Of the 5 Levitical offerings, 3 were optional, they were acceptable to God as an offering from the heart, but not required. The other 2 were mandatory, and absolutely HAD to be made. These 2 were the sin offering and the trespass offering. They are still with us today, and still required by God.

The sin offering is  Jesus, the "Lamb of God" as pointed out by John the baptist (John 1:29,36) and of the trespass offering?
It is our forgiveness of trespasses committed against us, because without this "offering" to God, that is the spiritual committing to the righteous Judge of the Universe, our disputes and wrongs suffered, we would not be able to obey the command to "love our neighbors as we love ourselves".

There are many such spiritual connections taught, we just need to humble and submit our hearts to God, and ask Him to open our spiritual eyes and ears. Remember, it is written of some:

Mar 4:11KJV  And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:
Mar 4:12 KJV That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.
Mar 4:13 KJV And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?

Pray that God grants you understanding, for it is ONLY for the children of His house to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of God.

In another post, I will bring out the connection between Jesus and the Sacrificial Lamb of Passover. Until then, Shalom and May the LORD bless you and your house.

Ron




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Ron