EPHPHATHA
Text: Isaiah 61: 1-3
Introduction
“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed
me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the
brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the
prison to them that are bound;
”To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of
our God; to comfort all that mourn;
“To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.” (Isaiah 61: 1-3)
Definitions
The word “Ephphatha” is the Greek form of a Syro-Chaldiac or Aramaic word meaning, "be opened".
This word was uttered or spoken by Jesus Christ when healing the man who was deaf and dumb as documented in the gospel according to Saint Mark the thirty-fourth verse of the seventh chapter
“And looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened.”(Mark 7:34)
-Not In Three Other Gospels
It will essentially interest you to know that these "Aramaican" words can only be found in the Gospel According to Saint Mark. What this is saying is that, we will not find these "Aramaican" words in other Gospels such as Matthew, Luke and John.
-The Audience
The writer of the Gospel according to Saint Mark directs his words or Gospel to the gentiles, in which you and I are mainly one because he, Mark, was a gentile, being born in a gentile nation of North Africa, now known as Libya.
Other places in the gospel according to Saint Mark where other Aramaic words could be found include
“And James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and he surnamed them Boanerges, which is, The sons of thunder” (Mark 3:17)
“And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise” (Mark 5:41)
“But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free”. (Mark 7:11)
“And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt” (Mark 14:36)
And
“And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34)
The Man, John Mark
Arguments or obscurity or confusion still subsists on the actual author or writer of the Gospel according to Saint Mark. Albeit, many theologians believe that the writer is Mark John.
It is also believed that his documentations were essentially drawn from what Apostle Peter told him, because he was the one who Peter the Apostle took along in his gospel itinerary.
He Wrote Apostle Peter’s Epistles
It is a documented fact that Apostle Peter and few other apostles were un-learneds
“Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.” (Acts 4:13)
Thus, it is believed that Mark John was the one who wrote and compiled Apostle Peter's words and quintessentially his two epistles.
The Unamed Man Revealed
However, bible scholars believed that John Mark was probably the young un-named man who followed Jesus Christ when he was arrested for covering his, Jesus', nakedness with the bedsheet he had on him.
“And there followed him a certain young man, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body; and the young men laid hold on him:
“And he left the linen cloth, and fled from them naked” (Mark 14:51-52),
How He Wrote His Gospel
Being young, he harnessed together Apostle Peter's words and what he had seen and heard, and put them into documentation to become Gospel according to Saint Mark. His gospel, I mean this book, Mark, is acclaimed to be the first of all the Gospels written and directed at bringing us, gentiles, to Jesus Christ.
Founder of Christianity in Africa
He is believed to be the founder of Christianity in Africa because he was the founder of the church in Alexandria a town in Pentapolis, North Africa, a country now known as Libya.
Attempts on His Life
Romans being antagonists to the growth, spread and development of Jesus' Gospel tried on several occasions to snuff life out of this man of uncommon power and grace but found it difficult to perform their enterprise on him, he was not going to die despite all their attempts at his life.
One of such attempts was throwing this man into Lions and Lionesses abode or den but what the Roman guards discovered stunned them, kept them spechless because they saw that instead of the Lions to attack or eat this staunch follower of Jesus Christ, they slept at his feet, I assume those dangerous animals surrounded him just as house-hold animals would surround their owners when they are to be fed, and John Mark was seen to be petting them, playing with them.
May I be permitted to say this before I continue that when one defends God's Gospel, He (God) will also defend the person; when one gives his or her all to God, He will repay the person back bounteously.
Shall we look at that verse again?
“And there followed him a certain young man, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body; and the young men laid hold on him:
“And he left the linen cloth, and fled from them naked” (Mark 14:51-52),
After using his cloth to cover Jesus’ nakedness he had to flee because he was to be arrested. He fled nakedly running on the streets because he was defending and clothing God's Only Begotten Son. He was given uncommon power and grace according to the history such that even the fiercest of all animals on the earth surround him and serve as defence to him. God is no respecter of persons, whatever one does would be paid back. (Job 41:11; Romans 11:35)
“Who hath prevented me, that I should repay him? whatsoever is under the whole heaven is mine.” (Job 41:11)
“Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?” (Romans 11:35)
You and I need to ask ourselves this question; "have I given my all to Jesus Christ?"
If we have not, it is not too late, because we still have our breathe in us, thus we can make ammends.
How He Died
When all attempts at silencing this powerful man of God failed, the enemies devised another plan, they tied him to a cart and pulled him throughout the city until he slept (died) in the Lord.
His Logo
Recognising John Mark is easy, this was because he has a special logo, a peculiar logo which was "lion with wings of fire".
In the ancient world, or better still, to the Romans, Lion symbolizes figure of courage and monarchy, while the fire symbolizes God
“For our God is a consuming fire.” (Hebrew 12:29)
John Mark could be recognised any where any day, whether he was around or not, when people see his logo they will know that John Mark has passed through this place... Or that this is John Mark's property (or properties)
How many Christians do people of the world know to be Christians today? How many Christians do the demons know as Christians today?
“And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?” (Acts 19:15)
The devil and his cohorts and the rest of the then world knew the believers but today how many of us do they know? What we do today is fight and fight for recognition and other worldly things that the Lord does not recognize. We fight and fight on social media, in the churches, on the Street, on the campus, in our homes or dormitories etc all for what? All because we want to be known, we want to be recognised, we want people to ascribe one or more titles to us. It is ironical! It is saddening!! It is disheartening!!!
Unheard Cries For Revival
We cry, cry and cry for revival, we cite several examples on social media, in our churches, fellowships etal, but we do not have revival and cannot have revival because of things like these.
Those who witnessed and experienced revivals were not bottled up in petty-petty mundane things as these that we get ourselves involved in today... I may shock you by saying we cannot and would not witness revival if we continue as this.
John Mark could have fought for the position of "apostleship" with Apostle Peter the head of the team in the upper room when a replacement was needed for Judas Iscariot, after all they all fled Jesus Christ when He was apprehended by the priests, they left Him naked and Un-attended to, undefended, with little or no sympathy so to say, despite being fed and sheltered by Him when he has not been arrested.
May I chip this in before continuing that in the time of troubles, trials, calamities, people, yea, close friends may forsake you, even your spouse may forsake you (Psalms 27:10).
“When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up.” (Psalms 27:10)
When you and I see something akin to this happening we must remember that the very same has happened to Jesus Christ.
The person who was neither fed nor clothed by Jesus Christ and perhaps may have heard little of his teachings because as a young learned man, he may still be going to school then. Which therefore connotes that his hearing Jesus speak would have been occasional just as you and I can only hear the world’s richest person’s speech once a while, occasionally, despite the presence of Internet and satelites. Despite these, it was this man who used his cloth to cover his nakedness.
Is it that we do not want to hear his (richest person’s) words? No, it is not, but it is because of time constraints, individual person’s tight schedules each one of us faces his or her assignments at his or her base daily.
Thus, Saint John Mark, hardly heard Jesus' many sermons, Jesus' many beatitudes as did the apostles, yet the little he heard, he valued it or them, he stored them in his heart of hearts and could arise to cover his Saviour's nakedness when it mattered.
Keep Those Words You Heard
We may say we do not know many words or we may say we have not heard many words as per the Gospel, but those little words that we have heard how do we keep them in our hearts, do we put them away from where the enemies would pollute it, we need to store the words away from enemies.
To corroborate this word that he heard little of Jesus' Gospel, that, that may have been the probable reasons why he decided to follow Apostle Peter, hearing from him some of the essentials during Jesus' earthly passage, which He eventually put together for us today, as his gospel.
He could have fought for "apostleship" position but he did not, considering it as dung because of the mark of the high calling placed before him. (Philippians 3:13-14)
“Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
“I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 3:13-14)
Many found/establish churches, just for fame, just because they want people to start calling “their god” as they were doing unto some people.
When You Do Something Spectacular
Anyone who wants people to call his "god" would do something spectacular..., and it does not matter whether you are a floor member or not in the church or fellowship, when you do something unique, a spectacular thing, I tell you people will call your god, people will want to associate your name with God and they will want to be associated with your God. It is that straightforward. It is that simple.
Was Stephen the martyr the head of the church when people wanted to be associated with him? (Acts 6-7) No, he was not. But because he did the exceptional, the people want to be associated with his God.
What You Can Do
As youths, as students, as business people, as married women, as bloggers, as politicians etc., in the world, you need not fight to be recognized but you need to know more of Jesus Christ. You need to cover others nakedness as John Mark did (Matthew 25: 35-46). You need to give to God willingly. You need to give to the brethren in need. You have to support your establishments and fellowships or ministries growth in whatsoever Godly way you can. And if you think you are not that rich, then you can give your prayer, pray for that brother or sister, pray for the executives of your fellowships, pray for the leaderships of your establishments, state, country. Buy decorations to the church, be up and doing in your departments in the fellowship. May be you are yet to be in any of the departments of your local assembly, try and belong to one, apart from this, ensure that you come early to services, clean chairs, pulpits, make the environment of the church neat etal.
“For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
“Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
“Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
“When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
“Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
“And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
“Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
“For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
“I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
“Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
“Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
“And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.” (Matthew 25: 35-46)
He Became Relevant After Doing The Insignificant
All these are insignificant to many of us but to God it is significant. Little wonder He used the Ark of Covenant to bless someone who concentrated on the insignificants in the temple those days, the person called Obed-Edom (II Sam. 6:9-12; I Chronicles 13:12-14)
“And David was afraid of the LORD that day, and said, How shall the ark of the LORD come to me?
“So David would not remove the ark of the LORD unto him into the city of David: but David carried it aside into the house of Obededom the Gittite.
“And the ark of the LORD continued in the house of Obededom the Gittite three months: and the LORD blessed Obededom, and all his household.
“And it was told king David, saying, The LORD hath blessed the house of Obededom, and all that pertaineth unto him, because of the ark of God. So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obededom into the city of David with gladness.” (2 Sam. 6:9-12)
Uzzah the soldier wanted recognition, he wanted fame, he could not think of doing things secretly to be rewarded openly, he wanted to do things openly and be rewarded openly, but instead of earning reward, death did he earn he became a negative by-word in the land and uptil date.
But Obed-Edom maintained his status before the Lord, he kept cleaning the chairs and louvres, arrangement of chairs in the church, doing hidden things and he was openly rewarded never to be put to shame again, his entire life and lives of his children got transformed, he became a good example to all and sundry, then and till date. Are we not going to be like him? I implore us that it is the honourable thing to do.
Having talked on this great but rarely known disciple of Jesus Christ, shall we see the defiitions of open as copied out from dictionary?
For a recap, I say “Ephphatha” means "be opened".... Thus, we want to see what open means, because "opened" is the past tense of open.
Open
It is a verb that has the following meanings:
1. Move (a door/window) so as to leave a space allowing access and vision;
2. Spread out,
3. Formally established or begins operation,
4. Make available or more widely known.
For the sake of this study, I chose the first definition, because it is more related to this study, although we shall find other definitions too to be handy and applicable at some junctures of this study, but number one definition fits perfectly into this studies' purview.
The first meaning of open is move: (these are the things that could be moved) a stone (John 11:39; 20:11; Matthew 28:2; Mark 16:4; Luke 24:2), or window, or door (iron or not) (Acts 12:10, 16:26); Roof (Mark 2:4) or something away so as to leave a space, allowing access and vision.
Exposition
The bible under view shall be examined verse by verse...
We need know that the first verse and the (a) part of the second verse of Isaiah 61st chapter were read by Jesus in the temple. Let us see the two books for comparism.
“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach
Good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim
liberty tothe captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
“To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD,” (Isaiah 61:1-2a)
And this is the word he, Jesus, read in the temple as documented by Physician Luke
“The Spirit of the Lordisupon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the
poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and
recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
“To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.” (Luke 4:18-19)
His Heirs
Jesus Christ after reading the prophetic documentation said the scripture talks about Him. Be that as it may, we also know that He said as God sends Him so is He sending us. ( John 7:28-29; 17:18; 20:19-31)
“As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world” (John17:18)
Therefore, we need to know that these verses are directly proportional to us. In other words, as Jesus' heirs or children, we perfectly fit into this picture (or these words) as His heirs on earth.
Having seen this, I will like us to see the chapter one after the other trusting that we shall bear this in mind that these verses are talking to us today. For clarity purposes, I have divided these expantiations into four main headings namely:
A. Spirit on me,
B. Work of the Spirit,
C. The Commission and
D. The Outcome.
A. Spirit on Me
Spirit cannot be seen by the physical eyes, it is not physically visible and some schools of thought believed that it is different from the soul. There are two schools of thought with respect to this; the dichotomy and the trichotomy.
The Dichotomy: those who belong to this group believe that man comprises of body (formed from the dust of the earth) and soul (or principle of life) as found in the book of Genesis 2:7.
“And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul” (Gen. 2:7)
In addition to this belief they also believed that soul of man is the same with the soul of the brutes except that the soul of man has in addition to sensibility, memory and instinct (which the souls of brutes also possess) the followings: intellectual, moral, religious life and continual existence after death (because God wills it that way for man, while in brutes God does not wish they continue to live/exist after death). The additional qualification is classed under the higher power.
The Trichotomy: those who subscribed to this group believed that man is comprised of three parts namely; body, soul and spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:23)
“And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thess. 5:23)
Shall we see these compositions briefly?
Body: this is the material part of man’s constitution or formation
Soul: this is called “nephesh” in Hebrew and “psychē” in Greek. It is the principal of animal’s life. Man possesses this as well as the brutes. This part of man’s constitution contains the followings: understanding, emotion and sensibility. But this ceases to exist after death unlike the dichotomists’ believe.
Spirit: this is called “rūah” in Hebrew and “pneuma” in Greek. It is the mind, the principle of rational and immortal life, the possessor of reason, will and conscience in man. (Ecc. 12:7)
It should be noted that some biblical writers do not distinguish the “psychē” from the “pneuma”. It will be recalled from the above that “psychē” is believed to be possessed by all animals (man inclusive). However the trichomists added that apart from this, there is a “pneuma” which the lower animals do not possess, it is only possessed by man. This addition was the basis of apostle Paul’s writing in 1 Corithians 15:44 and 1 Thessalonians 5:23 and was buttressed in the epistle to the Hebrews in the twelfth verse of the fourth chapter.
“It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.” (1 Cor. 15:44)
“And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thess. 5:23)
“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Heb. 4:12)
B. Types of Spirit
Spirit in Hebrew is called “rūah”, meaning breath, wind. Similar word in Greek is “pneuma”. The English word for spirit is derived from Latin word “spiritus” which means “breathe” or blow”.
For the basis of this discussion, I want us to know that there are three types of spirit which are as follows:
1. Man’s spirit (Mark 2:8; Romans 8:16)
2. Devil’s spirit (demons) (Mark 5; Acts 16:16; Luke 1:47; 80)
3. God’s Spirit or Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit, (John 20; Acts 2)
Man’s Spirit: the breath in man. This according to Genesis was breathed into man in the garden of Eden after man was formed from the dust, but when man ate the forbidden fruit, the essential part of the spirit that made man a photocopy of God was polluted, became removed, leaving only a fragment behind which is the man’s spirit.
Devil's spirit (demons): Devil is associated with evil in the bible. The following names are also associated with devil in the bible;
· Lucifer, (son of the morning, (morning star), this is though believed to be associated with Babylonian king whose days),
· Beelzebub: this originally is the name of a Philistine god (more specifically, a certain type of Baal). The name is from Ba’al-zebûb which literarily means “Lord of flies”.
· Serpent: this is the one that convinced Eve to eat the fruit.
“And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,” (Rev. 20:2)
· Dragon: is also called the old serpent
“And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.” (Rev. 12:9)
· Prince of this world
“Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.” (John 12:31)
“Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.” (John 14:30)
· Spirit that now works in the children of disobedience
“Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience” (Eph. 2:2)
· god of this world
“In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them” (2 Cor. 4:4)
· Tempter
“Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil” (Matt. 4:1)
These are few of the associated names to the devil from the scriptures.
We shall recall that spirit is called breath, this thence means the breath that comes from the dragon, the breath that is associated with the dragon or devil is called the devil’s spirit.
God's Spirit: God’s Spirit is also called Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit. We need know that the lost breath of God in man is restored by God through Jesus Christ into the lives of the believers as demonstrated by the event in John 20:21.
“Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.” (John 20:21)
The fullness of this would not come until the Pentecost day when the wind blew into the room that the disciples were, manifesting like fire and resting on everyone in attendance.
“And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
“And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
“And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.” (Acts 2:1-3)
After this record it would be noticed that subsequent in-filling of the Holy Ghost were not like that in other parts of the books of the Acts of the Apostles. God did this to get everyone, the world back to himself, to purge the human souls of the evil imaginations. But this would not just rest on anyone, but it would rest on those who give their hearts to God through Jesus Christ, just as it is not the duty of a father to feed the children of his neighbours so also is God not obliged to give those who do not belong to him his life, his Spirit, His Part.
Having seen spirit above, we know from the context we have read and discussed on that the spirit being talked about here is the Holy Ghost, God’s type of Spirit. We therefore need not be in oblivion as per which type of spirit the writer is here-in referring to.
This is what (and who) is expected to be on all believers in Jesus Christ, anything short of this is not good, in an actual sense such would not augur well for us as Jesus followers.
“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
“For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
“The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God” (Romans 8:14-16)
For we are expected to be his carrier, his representative wherever we go on earth. You know when a patient is said to be carrier of an infection or disease for example, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), the virus will be in the system of the person wherever she or he goes, the virus goes with the person, the person cannot leave the virus behind because he can’t leave his blood behind.
Another intriguing thing about this is that the person can pass on the virus to others when their blood get contacted through different means.
With a similar eye, should you look at someone who possesses or carries Holy Ghost, the Spirit would have mixed with his spirit or better said, would have overwhelmed his human spirit and everywhere this person goes, it is expected of him by God and the hosts of heaven to carry God’s spirit along, in addition to this the person is expected to pass on the Spirit of God unto others that get connected to him as it did happen with the apostles when they were on earth. Wherever those people went, they pass on the Spirit in them unto others they came across.
“Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:
“(For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)
“Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.” (Acts 8:15-17)
Let us read another account from Acts chapter 19.
“And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.
“And all the men were about twelve.” (Acts 19:6-7)
The Holy Spirit is the spirit the writer the writer is talking about here, because the Spirit of God was in Jesus Christ, while in the flesh and on this planet, he made many impossible things possible to the extent that people said they have never seen it like that before. (Mark 4:41; 7:37)
“And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” (Mark 4:41)
“And were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well: he maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.” (Mark 7:37)
He Changed The Trend Of Things
As a means of allowing continuation, Jesus had to change the trend of things during his earthly ministry, he did not only wish for the Spirit to rest on man, but he wants the spirit to also be in man. He promised us indwelling Spirit (Luke 9:55; John 16:7 ff)
“But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.” (Luke 9:55)
“Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.” (John 16:7)
For a brief clarification of what the above connote, may I say this? When the Spirit of God was resting on man as it was happening in the Old Testament the outside or the body of man was mostly dealt with then. Little wonder then that greater percentage of the law deals with washing of the body, cleaning of the eyes, legs, hands, cloths etc. All these must be cleaned and made holy in expectation for the coming spirit of God because that spirit is clean, pure and holy, thus they did those to make themselves holy for the Spirit.
He couldn’t and wouldn’t rest on un-clean neither un-holy flesh. This is what the Jewish religion and some other forms of religion still practice today but God through Jesus has made advancements over this.
The flesh was usually dealt with when the Spirit rests on man, but the “restings” leave un-attended to the soul of man thus, it was yet discovered that man lacks forgiveness, man continues to envy others, man continues in adultery and fornication, stealing, lying and other atrocities or evil deeds continue. These continue despite the so called “restings” on man, because human souls were not properly attended to.
Laws Cannot Do It
What has been given to attend unto the soul of man was the laws or commandments given by God unto man through his Prophet, Prophet Moses, unto his children, the Israelites in the wilderness. Through the children of Israel these laws got to the uttermost parts of the world (Exodus 20), because none of those gods could decipher between good and evil. Those gods of different mythologies of the ancient world were full of evil: they envied, murdered, maimed, commit adultery, fornication, possessed many wives etc. just like human beings, thus grossly indifferent in deeds and actions from humans.
The laws given unto the Israelites are template of morals from which other templates were being formed by different peoples and nations all over the world.
However despite the given of these laws, the moral rules, which all of us are expected to strictly abide by, not only given to please the Lord but are also given so that it would make the world a better place for all to live in. human souls find it extremely hard to abide by them, thus the continuation of evil in the world. Worryingly, these evils continue even when the Spirit was resting on man.
Formatting The Soul, Making it Compatible
God having seen this discovered what is lacking in the man, what is lacking in man is the reformation of the soul of man, formatting man’s soul and making it compatible to the standards of heaven, to his standard, just like an incompatible program in a computer would need to be worked upon, upgraded and make compatible with the recent innovation. This was what Jeremiah (31:31-) saw which he puts down in his book that at the latter days, the laws won’t be the ones on the tabloids of men alone but it would be inscribed in the hearts of men.
For this to happen, God has to send his one and only son to the world to seal up the deal. He, God, sent his son to the world so that through him the spirit would enter into man’s life, influencing and directing the soul of man thus limiting and reducing the evil nature in man.
New Dispensation, New Covenant
The old dispensation as presented in the Old Testament which deals with flesh alone cannot allow for this. Thus, the new covenant needs to be created that will allow for the flesh, spirit and soul of man to be addressed. (2 Cor. 10:4; Jer 31:33)
Jesus is the one who brought this new dispensation and this new covenant. What he brought allows for the spirit to enter into man thus purging us of those Adamic nature, those evil nature that has make man to be at loggerheads with God for time immemorial (Mk 7:21; Zech 7:10; Isa. 59:7)
B. Work of The Spirit
The Spirit does not come on man for coming sake, the spirit comes on man to anoint man.
Anoint: means to rub or sprinkle on, apply an unguent, ointment or oily liquid to (Ex. 28:41)
Anoint is a sign of Holy Ghost in the Old Testament, while in this dispensation, New Testament, it signifies being filled with, and blessed by the Holy Spirit.
The Anointing on Jesus
Jesus Christ while on earth in the flesh was anointed without measure, in other words, His anointing was endless (John 3:34), He who has this kind of anointing is the One who shall baptize or anoint man with His Spirit (Mt. 3:11)
Man’s Anointing
Since it is the one with endless anointing that can anoint man, nit then means that it is Jesus who can do that because all the former people, (priests, prophets etc) who have come before him had limited anointing thus couldn’t anoint anyone. Those people had to rely on God to refill their anointing but this is not so for the Lord Jesus Christ.
But before he could do this, he implored his disciples and apostles to tarry in Jerusalem for the promise of the father(Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4)
When the anointing comes on man, the anointing sets man apart for special use by God. This anointing has also been found to hand over to man several keys (mt 16:18)
C. The Commission
When someone is commissioned to do something it means the person has been officially asked to execute a task for another person or for the person who has commissioned him or her.
The anointing on the disciples gave them the ability to execute certain things for God. In the same way as he did unto the first disciples and apostles has the Holy Spirit commissioned the anointed ones today. The anointed people today have been officially asked by God to perform some tasks which include among others the followings:
1. Preaching The Gospel
This is the first phrase that would be examined from the verses.
“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek;” (Isa. 61:1)
The kind of heart that would receive the gospel is stated in the word, the stated kind of heart is the “poor” heart. Another version of the bible says the kind of hearts that would receive the Gospel is the "meek” hearts, "meek or poor or afflicted" hearts.
Meek means those who are not proud in the spirit, those who are not arrogant spiritually.
Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary defines meek as:
(i) Having or showing a quiet and gentle nature; not wanting to fight or argue with others,
(ii) Not wanting to express one's opinion in a forceful way.
What is Gospel?
To enhance our grasp of the passage, I will like to give us some definitions of the word “Gospel”. Gospel means the good news, not one of the good news. Gospel is the word of salvation it is not church neither fellowship nor denomination. Gospel is message of the cross. Gospel is not (social gathering neither celebration that pervades so many churches today.
Having known what the gospel means as well as what meekness means, this will ensure us to know that the meek people require salvation because without it one cannot get to heaven.
For anyone to really accept the word of salvation, the person needs to remove arrogance off his or her heart,
The rich is also called to salvation but for a rich person to be saved the rich one needs to remove spiritual pride from his or her heart,
For a thief to be saved the pride of his heart that has clouded his judgment, that has prevented him from being saved needs to be removed for him to be saved. This was what one of the thieves on the cross by the cross of Jesus Christ did before he could be saved, while the other thief’s heart was swimming in the ocean of pride from which he couldn’t get out from, which eventually drowned him. The one who got saved on the other hand got his heart out of the ocean of pride and humbly bowed down in his spirit on the cross and he was saved that same hour.(Luke 22)
For academics to be saved the academic pride must be removed
For young or old person to be saved, Spiritual arrogance must be out of the way,
Question you need to answer
The question you need to sincerely answer now is “are you saved?” You have been hearing this word of salvation for quite a while but yet, spiritual pride has been hindering you from being saved. It is this spiritual pride that yet yet attaches you to adultery, you just cannot see any reason why you should leave adultery, “after all, she is the one forcing herself on me”, an adulterer man said; “after all he has been disturbing me for quite a while, and I can no longer resist him, it is just as if I am punishing him”, an adulteress said.
I want to tell you that these utterances and others not stated here show spiritual pride on the path of the sinners.
Spiritual arrogance still makes some to go and lay with opposite sex for awards of excellence, approval of certificates, approval of projects etc., you just cannot afford being denied that thing, you just cannot afford to lose the project…. What of if you won the award but died even before the award is given you?
Spiritual pride makes you depend on dubious means to success. No, it is not right my brother and sister, you have to follow the right course, the legal means. Some people cannot defend their certificates because they got it through dubious means, because they follow the multitudes to do evil, you have to study to be able to defend your certificate; you have to be able to defend what you have. Why is the world as it is now? The world is as it is now because people want quick means of making it, they want quick access to success, they want short-cut to academic excellence, they do not want to sweat to achieve anything again, they want everything on a platter of gold. And because such has been subsisting in the nation, what the academics ought to be doing for the nation and the world, can no longer be done, no appreciable development from the education sector again. We need to ensure that we are different from others, study to make yourself approve, that was Apostle Paul’s counsel to Bishop Timothy in his letter to him.
“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15)
What about some children who collect monies from their parents or guardians or sponsorers under false pretense? It is spiritual arrogant that allows for this in their hearts, because they do not want to hear their guardian telling them “No” on discovering that what they wanted to use the money for is not right.
2. Bind Up The Broken Hearteds
A broken hearted person is someone that has great feeling of sadness due to something that has happened to him or her. Take as instance someone who lost a loved one, this person’s life would be enveloped in sadness, the person would lose tune with the world and may think that there is nothing left for him in the world again, there is nothing to hold on to in the world other than to die all because of the loved one that he has lost to the colds hands of death.
The widow of Nain as found in the gospel according to saint Luke 7, she was having great sadness; she rejected all forms of comfort because her only hope has been dashed.
Binding something up is bringing something together, mending the hedges, healing and bringing comfort to the comfortless ones. This is the work which the spirit has anointed, men to do and this was first demonstrated by Jesus Christ when in the flesh, he was healing people, removing their intense pain, emotional psychological imbalances. As one of his, this he wants us to also do that is why he said in the book of Mark that
“And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
“They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” (Mark 16:17-19)
This is an authority given to do what he has done while on earth, the power to heal people, bind their broken hearts up as one, mend the broken hedges.
3. Proclaim Liberty to The Captives
The online Wikipedia has this to say on liberty. It says, “liberty (Latin: Libertas) is the ability to do as one pleases.In politics, liberty consists of the social, political, and economic freedoms to which all community members are entitled.In philosophy, liberty involves free will as contrasted with determinism. In theology, liberty is freedom from the effects of "sin, spiritual servitude, [or] worldly ties."
“Sometimes liberty is differentiated from freedom by using the word "freedom" primarily, if not exclusively, to mean the ability to do as one wills and what one has the power to do; and using the word "liberty" to mean the absence of arbitrary restraints, taking into account the rights of all involved. In this sense, the exercise of liberty is subject to capability and limited by the rights of others. Thus liberty entails the responsible use of freedom under the rule of law without depriving anyone else of their freedom. Freedom is more broad in that it represents a total lack of restraint or the unrestrained ability to fulfill one's desires. For example, a person can have the freedom to murder, but not have the liberty to murder, as the latter example deprives others of their right not to be harmed. Liberty can be taken away as a form of punishment. In many countries, people can be deprived of their liberty if they are convicted of criminal acts.”
The followings are other translations of the same verse from the same chapter,
King James Version says, “to proclaim liberty to the captives”
“Proclaim liberty to the physical and spiritual captives” (Amplified Version)
“To announce freedom to ALL captives” (Message Bible)
Liberty is used by the King James Version which shows that it is not a general freedom as if a freedom for one to be misbehaving, it is not a license for misbehavior as we can see it being denoted in the definition and brief explanation from the online Wikipedia. The liberty that shall be proclaimed is “the absence of arbitrary restraints” that all humans have found themselves in. This liberty is freedom from things that keep pulling us back into sins, spiritual servitudes and worldly ties.
All humans on earth have been captives of the devil, we are slaves to sin. We have been kept under restraints by the devil since the fall of our fore parents in the Garden of Eden. Jesus has come not only to announce our freedom from such position, but he has earned that position for us by his death on the cross of Calvary. Having done this he has given us the mandate to go and announce freedom to all humans in the world albeit everyone who wishes and desires to give his life to him.
-Get This Straight
I will like you to know that announcing or proclaiming something does not mean that everyone who hears the proclamation would yield or better still will accept or change,
If we as readers of the bible could flash back our minds to what the bible says of the days of Noah and Lot, we shall recollect that despite the fact that these people told the people in their days about the impending doom, the people could yet not fathom how such could be possible because they have been blindfolded by worldly lusts and desires.
(Genesis 6:9ff; 19:1ff; Luke 17:26-29)
“And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.
“They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.
“Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;
“But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.” (Luke 17:26-29)
This is the summary of what happened during their days. They were warned, they were told of what would happen, but they did not yield.
This invariably should say something to you that you may also warn people of the need to be saved, but they may not yield to your warning. May I buttress this with an incident that happened to me when I was in the university?
Those days unlike now that student demonstrations and riots were common in Nigeria, an incident happened during my first year in the University. The Students’ Union leadership had been meeting with the authorities of the institution on the need to correct some anomalies that have made the academic environment in-conducive for the students on campus. Despite several meetings with the authorities of the university, nothing changed. The students’ union leadership after deliberations with themselves decided that enough is enough and that the students need to take action to save themselves from the unyielding authority. They remembered that the only word the authorities understand is demonstrations either peaceful or not in which the social media would be involved. The social media of then were newspapers, television, radio broadcasts. The commoner social media that you know now have not been established then.
Thus, the students’ union leaders sent their Public Relations Officers to go and tell all the students that there would be no lectures the following week until the authorities look into the issue put before them. Those people sent went out into all departments and levels telling us all that there is a sit down in your hostels order from the leaderships of the students.
Those of us who were just joining the system were seriously warned of the need to abide by this rule. We were enjoined to boycott lectures. But being new students we would not bulge and we all (except some few ones who have been students at other universities before starting another course in the university) went to the lecture theater on the Monday morning, and while we were sited in the lecture theatre, awaiting the lecturer, the Students’ Union leaders suddenly emerged, surrounding the lecture theatre that we were sited in.
As we saw this fear griped our hearts and we were all running for safety, stampede occurred with some of us wounded, I was one of the wounded ones.
From this above short story you can see that it is possible that one hears a proclamation as we all have heard but would not yield as it happened to some of us that year and we have ourselves to blame for not yielding to the information heard.
The Bible Net’s version translates the verse in this manner, “to decree the release of captives”. We know that decrees are enforced by force, people are forced to do what the leaders or governments say. Despite this, individuals need to accept what is being said.
Take as instance the case of Apostle Peter’s freedom from prison, God decreed in heaven that His servant be released by one of his angels, but assuming that after his release by the angel, Apostle Peter decided to go back to the prison would God have been able to do anything again? He probably would not have done anything again. That means he does not want to be freed. (Acts 12:5-20)
4. Opening of Prisons to Those Bound
Shall we read from other translations too of this point that I want to talk about?
The Amplified Version says, “opening of prison and of the eyes to those who are bound”. Literally looking at this translation, we shall agree that before anyone will open a door, the person must have keys with him. In other words, it means that the door or doors have been closed and if the person will not become a burglar, the person will have with him the keys to unlock the doors of where the person has been bound in.
“And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” (Matthew 16:19)
Another thing of note in this translation is the “opening of eyes”. How can one’s eyes be opened? Note the opening of eyes here in stated is not talking about a physically blind person, but the kind of blindness being stated here is that of spiritual.
May I use the evolvement of writing to buttress what I want to say on this? So many parts of the world was in darkness before, not because sun is not shining on those continents during the daytime neither moon’s brightness was withheld from them during the night period, but what I am saying is that they were unable to make appreciable advancements in their regions and lives because there was no education, there was no ability to pass on information on to others. Oral information being passed on did depreciate with time, do fall by the way-side, in other words the oral information by the time it will get to the third or more generation some vital information would have been missing in the information. All these were happening because there was no proper means of writing, there was no acceptable means of putting things down to the upcoming generations. Because of this the people were unable to make advancements, the advancements being made by some sets would have been made by their previous leaders which though may be hidden to them, thus they were recycling and recycling a focus.
But when education comes in and there was proper means of documentation, writing things down, and then the trend of things changed, as from then adequate changes could come along the line. Education has made it possible for new technologies, scientific innovations and all what not to make the world a better place for all and sundry. All these become possible because of the present of acceptable means of passing information along from a generation to another.
This is given by God, when God discovered that the oral messages being passed on would not help in propagating what he has for the world, he made advancements over the oral education which has been in vogue before thus, he gave the people of Israel law which were written on tablets that could be seen and read so that there wouldn’t be excuses neither misconstruing.
It is this form of education that opened the eyes of the Israelis to the mind of God as well as opened their eyes to further advancements and developments.
It is when this kind of thing started in the Yoruba land, the tribe to which the writer of this comes from as well as in other parts of the world, that is when the eyes of the citizens of those places got opened, that is when the needful advancements began, that is when recycling a focus stopped. This is when undue murder in the name of sacrifices started plummeting, that is when interactions with other tribes and countries become increased, that is when other innovations started coming in. this is a physical form of opening of eyes.
The spiritual form of opening of eyes is also related to this, because without writing which has come through education this spiritual opening of eyes would not be possible.
As the author of this translation says that the “opening of eyes to those bound”, he is saying that those who have erstwhile be in the dark, those who have erstwhile been recycling a focus because of the inability to see and see things properly, because of the half baked messages being passed along to them, they would be freed because they will see new things through the engrafted words on the tablets. They will see new things through what they shall read through learning associated with the education that would come along with this gospel.
When a blind man sees for the first time, what are there experiences? They will exclaim, they will want to touch different things, they will want to be narrating what they are seeing to those around so as to tell them that they are having the same feeling as they are. This is what happened in the bible when Jesus opened the eyes of the blind man in the book of Mark chapter 8.
“And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him.
“And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought.
“And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking.
”After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly.” (Mark 8:22-25)
This man seeing for the very first time was narrating to Jesus and those nigh by, those who led him to Jesus what he was seeing.
That is how it is when a person who is in the dark also come to the knowledge of truth, such a one would be narrating what he was seeing what he was hearing the new developments that is coming to him to people so that people will know that something positive has happened to him so that the people will know that he is no longer in the darkness again.
The New International Version however translates this as “release from darkness for the prisoners”. I have watched in the movies of how the prisons in some of the advance countries are, but such cannot be said of the Prisons in Nigeria as well as some of the developing countries of the world. The prison custodies of those places are places of darkness, they are horrible places to get to. This translation is saying those who are in utter darkness, those who have been in the kind of prison custodies of the developing countries would be gotten out of those places and would be brought into the light.
This is what Jesus did when he was on earth, this he also wants us to be doing as we stand for him in the world today, “the opening of the prison to them that are bound”.
To Proclaim The Acceptable Year of The Lord
The next assignment which we need to do is proclaiming the acceptable year of the Lord. Let us see this from few other translations as well.
The Message Bible says, “year of His grace”. Sometimes our days will be full of much troubles and anguish, sometimes the whole week would be full of sorrow, sometimes for some people the entire year will be full of sadness, as the person is trying to get off some troubles another trouble will come in. This was akin to what patriarch Job experienced during his life time. There was a particular year that everything turned to sadness for him and the man whom everything he touches becomes gold is now a man whom everything he touches turned to vain and worthless things such that people do not want him to touch anything again. He became a ridicule and a byword from wife, friends, colleagues, relatives, and so on during this time. It was a time of sorrow for the man. (See the book of Job).
“There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.
“And there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters.
“His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east.” (Job 1:1-3)
This is the brief history about this man for you to know how God had been helping him, how everything he touches turned to gold then. But what you will see next will shock you.
“And there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house:
“And there came a messenger unto Job, and said, The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them:
“And the Sabeans fell upon them, and took them away; yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
“While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
“While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
“While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house:
“And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.” (Job 1:13-19)
You can see from the above documentation that that year was a terrible year for the man called Job, a year of anguish and sorrow; a year of total darkness and cries. This was the beginning of the man’s cries.
To those who are experiencing something like this, this translation of the bible says we have been anointed to tell them that this is their year of favor, the year that they would weep no more, the year that they would plant and harvest in full, the year that they would reap where they do not expect, we are sent by God sent me to announce “the year of his grace” unto such people.
The online Wikipedia says this about grace, it says that, “In Western Christian theology, grace has been defined, not as a created substance of any kind, but as "the love and mercy given to us by God because God desires us to have it, not necessarily because of anything we have done to earn it", "Grace is favour, the free and undeserved help that God gives us to respond to his call to become children of God, adoptive sons, partakers of the divine nature and of eternal life." It is understood by Christians to be a spontaneous gift from God to people "generous, free and totally unexpected and undeserved" that takes the form of divine favor, love, clemency, and a share in the divine life of God.
We have been commissioned and anointed to tell the people who are suffering and in bondage that, their warfare is ended. Let us read what the bible says in the book of Isaiah.
“Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.
“Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the Lord's hand double for all her sins.” (Isaiah 40:1-2)
We are to tell them that the grace of God has put an end unto their spiritual battles, uneasiness in their ways.
The BBE bible translates this as “to give knowledge that the year of the Lord's good pleasure has come”. In expounding this translation I will like to define knowledge and how knowledge comes.
What is Knowledge?
Knowledge is a noun that has the followings as meaning:
1. Facts, information and skills acquired through experience or education, the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject/case/matter,
2. Awareness/familiarity gained by experience of a fact or situation,
3. Sexual intercourse
How Knowledge Comes
We will see from the above definition that knowledge comes through experience or education…gotten from skills, facts or information
From literal point of view, we shall see that “year” as stated in this verse shows a longer duration, than day. We shall see that the following phrase talks about day, “to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God” (Isaiah 61:2), the acceptable year of the Lord, the year of the Lord’s good pleasure comes first because the Lord wants all to be beneficiary of his blessings as it is stated in the epistle of Peter to all that:
“But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Pet. 3:8-9)
The evil doers, those who have not come to the knowledge of the gospel or those who are still pussyfooting on the matter of the gospel to come to repentance before he visits them in his anger. He is in otherwise through us saying that those a one need to think when they still have time and repent and believe the gospel before it will be too late, because when he will be visiting them, he will suddenly visit them, as it says, “the day of vengeance of our God”.
May I paint this picture in brief to expatiate this verse a bit?There was once a young man whom so many people have been preaching to that he needs to give his life to Jesus Christ that Jesus only is the way back to God, but this man would not bulge, he continued to live his way of life, he continued in his sins. Months lapsed and years but the man would not change, then one day as he was going on the road, he just slumped and die. He long rope with which the Lord has given him for repentance has lapsed and when the Lord discovers that he was not yielding, he did not change the Lord took him out suddenly without given him a time for repentance again. That is how it is with year and day in this verse.
You have been hearing the gospel now and you are regularly being told that this is the year of the Lord’s good pleasure, this is the day of repentance, but all you keep saying is I want to enjoy a while, I want to pursue this and that, I want to get married before I give my life to Jesus Christ as if, if you get saved you will not be able to get married, I want to do this and that, and thereby turning down all the messages being heard, turning down the gospel. You are being given a long rope to pull, what the preachers are telling you is that this is the year of the Lord’s good pleasure this is the acceptable year that the Lord wants to save you, the preacher is telling you that the Lord is waiting for you, not as if he is slack concerning his promises, not as if he is of reprobate mind, but he is given you ample time to think about the gospel he does not want to force you but he wants you to willingly believe and accept Jesus into your heart, but you did not, know that the day of his vengeance would be sudden, you will not have opportunity to think neither reconsider your ways when he comes to you in judgment if you delay further.
“(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)” (2Cor. 6:2)
This perhaps I believe was what happened unto the rich man in the gospel according to saint Luke chapter 12.
“And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:
“And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?
“And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.
“And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
“But God said unto him,Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?
“So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” (Luke 12:16-21)
This rich farmer was given long rope to pull, has been given time to reconsider his estate, his position of self-centeredness and come to the Lord, but he would not bulge, he continued in his estate, he continued to pursue wealth, he continued to pursue how is farm would be the largest in the entire country, he continued to think that yea, I want to show the people that one can make it legally without being dubious and thus, he neglected the rope he was asked to pull, he neglected the gospel and kept on pursuing his dream. He eventually achieved his aim, his dream eventually came to pass but he never lived to reap the reward thereby, he was not given a time for repentance any longer, he died suddenly. He died within hours, he died while sleeping, the bible did not say he was sick here, sometimes when people get chronic sickness it is a time for them to repent if they wanted to, but his case was not a chronic sickness, I even doubted if he was sick at all, he passed on to the world beyond while he was sleeping. See what Jesus says again,
“But God said unto him,Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?” (Luke 12:20)
The time was up and he was silenced.
This is what I presume this place is saying, that we should let them know the difference between the two periods. That God though merciful, could be brutal if they continued in their sins as he did unto this man. Have you been saved or are you like this man who has been failing to come forth? Are you like this man who is wasting the opportunity of salvation as being presented to you every now and then? God is calling you to have a rethink, God is calling you to change.
6. To Proclaim The Day of Vengeance of Our God
In the bible we read that God is the creator of the heavens and the earth.
“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” (Gen. 1:1)
It is said that the God made mention here is “Elohim”, the creator. Let us see what Wikipedia says on Elohim. “Elohim ("God"; literally plural "Gods" - but the Hebrew context verse always conjugates it as a singular word; ie. One God embraces Plural Creation) is a Name of God in the Torah and Hebrew Bible. The first account of Creation in Genesis (Chapter 1) uses Elohim, the second (Chapter 2) uses Tetragrammaton-Elohim together. In Judaism, Elohim represents the concealed Divine immanent power within Creation.”
This God is a magnanimous God, he has been magnanimous to all and sundry in the world.
“That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.” (Matthew 5:45)
He treats all in the world fairly, irrespective of their religions or faiths. He now asks us to tell all that this magnanimity of his would change when to those who fail to repent. Does it mean it will stop sending rain or stopped sun from rising on them? No, it does not mean that. What it means is that he will visit those who do not believe in him in his wrath. For those kinds of people, the initial mercy and favor he has been showing on them would be changed.
The Message Bible translates this verse as “A celebration of God’s destruction of our enemies”, this shows that his mercy would be changed.
As I said afore, the “day of vengeance” here means that the judgment that would be visited on them would come suddenly. There wouldn’t be another warning outside the warnings they have been receiving from the preachers now. This is why it is of extreme importance that one becomes saved now that one has the time and stop procrastination on the issue of salvation.
7. General Comfort
The next assignment we have been anointed for her is“to comfort all who mourns” (Isaiah 61:2c) (KJV).
In explaining comfort I have decided to divide it into two, namely; general comfort and specific comfort. In this section I shall be talking about the general comfort.
General is defined by the online free dictionary as “a statement, principle, or fact that embraces or is applicable to the whole”. By this definition, the general comfort that I want to talk about here means it is applicable to the whole, the greater percentage of people.
Online Wikipedia defines comfort as, “a sense of physical or psychological ease, often characterized as a lack of hardship.”, while the online free dictionary says, “to soothe in time of affliction or distress.”
This general comfort means that we are sent to give physical and psychological ease to people who are being afflicted. And anyone in the world irrespective of their faith could be afflicted, indeed we all at a time or another do fall into different kinds of troubles that would bring distress on our paths, at this juncture we need someone who will soothe us, someone who will repeatedly bring us words of hope, someone who will be there for us and with us even when all others have forsaken us.
This is what we are anointed to do, to comfort all. The sure means of comforting all and sundry is getting them to know Jesus Christ after we might have “console” them during their time of mourning. (Bible Net Translation). Are we doing this?
It saddens some us to know that some believers do not incorporate unbelievers into their scheme, but yet we want them to come to the knowledge of the cross. How could they come to the knowledge of the cross if we do not incorporate them into something like this? When they are in troubles we have been anointed to comfort them as we have been anointed to comfort the brethren. God wants you and I to do this so that we shall be able to bring people to him. To console all who mourns (Bible net) and give comfort to all who are sad (BBE)
I Will Like Us To See Something
This phrase is translated as this in Bible Net, “to console all who mourns”, while BBE translation says, “to give comfort to all who are sad”. I draw this out because I will love us to see something. We should know that“mourn” has more weight than “sadness”. How do I mean? I will clarify with this. One can be sad on something, but not mourn over such a thing. But when people talk about mourning, more often than not it means that the person has lost something, most especially a person and when one losses a person, such a person cannot be gotten back again, it is forever gone.
“And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days.
“And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted; and he said, For I will go down into the grave unto my son mourning. Thus his father wept for him.” (Gen. 37:34-35)
When a living thing dies, it cannot be gotten back. It is not as if a ball pen is lost or that thieves stolen one’s vehicle, the law enforcement agencies can get the car back. I remember the story my father shared with me about one of his vehicle which was stolen in 1978. He said he went and lodge complaint atpolice station and weeks after that he was contacted (then there is not phone like this, I should think he was contacted through the police station in Ilorin, Kwara State where he lives that his vehicle has been found at Idi-Iroko, the border town between Nigeria and republic of Benin. He went there are the vehicle was gotten back. But life of human beings is not like that, when a life is lost, it is forever lost and according to the book of Hebrews it has been appointed unto man once to live and die, after which the person would be waiting for judgment.
“And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27)
Thus, sadness is not as weightier as mourning.
“Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;
“Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.
“For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.
“And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.” (2 Cor. 1:3-6)
For people who are mourning we have been anointed as well as allowed to pass through some things in life so as to be in the right position as well as right frame of mind to comfort them.
8. Specific Comfort
Having seen the general comfort from verse 2 of Isaiah 61 that I have been writing on, let us see specific comfort from the third verse of Isaiah 61.
Online free dictionary defines specific as “intended for, applying to, or acting on a particular thing”. This means specific comfort is limited in scope it is not general which extends to all and sundry. Who are those concern in this? To answer this question let us see what the bible says in Isaiah 61:3
“To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.” (Isaiah 61:3)
The New International Reader’s Version (NIRV) translates this verse as this
“He wants me to help those in Zion who are filled with sorrow. I will put beautiful crowns on their heads in place of ashes. I will anoint them with oil to give them gladness instead of sorrow. I will give them a spirit of praise in place of a spirit of sadness. They will be like oak trees that are strong and straight. The LORD himself will plant them in the land. That will show how glorious he is.” (Isaiah 61:3 (NIRV))
Every translation of this verse shows that Zion (Tziyon as being spelled in Hebrews) is the one to be comforted. This is a restricted or a limited and a specific kind of comfort unlike the open ended looped type of comfort in the preceding verse.
The online Wikipedia says this of Zion “Zion (Hebrew: צִיּוֹן Ṣîyōn, modern Tsiyyon; also transliterated Sion, Sayon, Syon, Tzion, Tsion) is a placename often used as a synonym for Jerusalem as well as for the biblical Land of Israel as a whole. The word is first found in 2 Samuel 5:7 which dates from c. 630–540 BCE according to modern scholarship. It originally referred to a specific hill in Jerusalem (Mount Zion), located to the south of Mount Moriah (the Temple Mount). Mount Zion held a Jebusite fortress of the same name that was conquered by David and was re-named the City of David…. The term Tzion came to designate the area of Davidic Jerusalem where the fortress stood, and was used as well as synecdoche for the entire city of Jerusalem; and later, when Solomon's Temple was built on the adjacent Mount Moriah (which, as a result, came to be known as the Temple Mount) the meanings of the term Tzion were further extended by synecdoche to the additional meanings of the Temple itself, the hill upon which the Temple stood, the entire city of Jerusalem, the entire biblical Land of Israel, and "the World to Come", the Jewish understanding of the afterlife.”
We could see from the definition of Zion above that it has to do with Jerusalem, the city of David, the biblical land of Israel and yea, the world to come as believed by the Jews.
Since we are reading the bible and following the teachings of Jesus Christ it is logical for us to say that this Zion talks about the world to come to which God through Jesus Christ calls all inhabitants of the world to as he said, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
Incidentally it is not all the inhabitants of the world who accepts and believes this word, it is selected few of the inhabitants of the world who accepts this offer of God. It is logical for us to say that it is the only selected few who accepted and believed this saying that is said to be looking for the world to come, it is those who are looking for the world to come that are being seen as living in the Zion of God. Those people living in the Zion of God are those being refered to here, they are those being talked about here, it does not extend to the outsiders, the portion and place of the outsiders, I mean those who do not live in the Zion of God, those who are not expected the world to come as being put across to all mankind by Jesus are those living outside the shores of the Zion of God, those people are not concerned in this specific comfort. The specific comfort is limited to those who believe in God through Jesus Christ. There are people who believe in God, but they do not believe in God through Jesus Christ to such people this kind of comfort does not extend to them.
Do you believe in the God of the bible? Do you believe in God through Jesus Christ? If you are yet to believe in God through Jesus Christ the door is yet open for you. God is yet expecting you, his arms are wide open to accept you unto himself if you can call it off with sin today, if you can repent of your sins and forsake them all and invite Jesus Christ into your life. If you can do this, you will join the selected view to which this offer is for.
This specific comfort belongs to those who believe in God through Jesus Christ, the Christians. The New Living Translation of this verse makes it a bit clearer, as it states, “all who mourns in Israel”. The Israel of God are Christians according to epistle of Apostle Paul to the Galatians which says, “And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.” (Gal. 6:16)
The Apostle refers to the Galatians as the “Israel of God” as we all know that the people of the Galatians are gentiles. Read this brief account of Galatians from the online Wikipedia, “The Galatians (Ancient Greek: Γαλάται, Galátai; Latin: Galatae, Galati, Gallograeci; Greek: Γαλάτες, Galátes, "Gauls") were a Gallic people of the Hellenistic period that dwelt mainly in the north central regions of Asia Minor or Anatolia, in what was known as Galatia, in today's Turkey….They spoke a Celtic language, the Galatian language, which is sparsely attested.
In the 1st century AD, many Galatians of the Roman Empire were Christianized by Paul the Apostle’s missionary activities. The Epistle to the Galatians by Paul the Apostle is addressed to Galatian Christian communities and is preserved in the Bible (i.e. the New Testament)”.
Apostle Paul by saying the Israel of God means they have been incorporated into the mainstream of God’s systems, they have been adopted by God as heirs and children to his promises.
As the large expanse of the world today is non Jewish, we are counted and seen as gentiles, and for us to be partaker of this specific promise we must be of God we must be Israel of God. Becoming Israel of God can only come through faith in Jesus Christ.
Having seen those who have the specific comfort, shall we see those specific comforts as being spelt out by the prophet in his book.
The Specific Comforts
Those specific comforts are stated in the verse,
“To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.” (Isaiah 61:3)
I have however divided it into two broad groups which are: provisions and substitutions. Under these two shall we see those comforts being talked about by the prophet.
(a) Provisions: this is the first group of the specific comfort for God’s people. God promises provisions for his people during their times of mourning, during their difficult times. What are those provisions? Using different translations of the bible we shall see few of those provisions as beneath.
i. Care for the needy (Message Bible): This is a person who requires constant attention from others, someone who is not confident and needs a lot of love and emotional support from other people. These people who are among us we are expected to give them extra-care. We are to continually help them live through that ugly and unpalatable situation.
May I share something with you to buttress this point? There is a man whom I know, a Christian whose first child has congenital anomalies. There are several congenital anomalies you know. This son falls into a category. The history of the man heard is that he has given his life to Jesus Christ even before he got married. He got married in Christ not that he impregnated a woman neither did any illicit thing during courtship, but yet his first child has congenital anomaly. Whenever I see the child my mind goes to the family of what they would be passing through and I will keep telling myself that this child is a child of sorrow to them. The child of sorrow that we all know in the scriptures in Jabez according to the account of first chronicles chapter 4.
“And …, his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow.” (1 Chronicles 4:9)
What does this verse means? This verse means the child was a child of sorrow. Whenever the mother saw the child she was in sorrow, whenever she remembers the child she was in sorrow, when others were talking about their children the woman would be in sorrow on hearing them talk. We do not know the condition of the child, but the bible does not say the child has physical deformities neither congenital anomalies as the son of a Christian brother that I am talking about here.
This first son of this Christian family has congenital anomalies such that he could not be at per with age mates. Yet they keep going to church, yet they keep the faith.
To such people around us they are the ones this verse is talking about that we should show them lots of love and emotional support as they pass through this stage every day of their lives.
Outside showing them love those who are blessed could support the family in raising such children because we know to raise such children requires additional financial strength.
ii. Strengthening (Bible Net): strengthen is defined as become stronger, to make somebody or something stronger. It is our responsibility to make the weak brethren stronger.
“Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees.” (Isaiah 35:3)
Brethren who are in this condition sometimes would doubt the existence of God, on many occasions would the devil be putting across to them ungodly thoughts with the aim of drawing them back with the aim of making them renounce their faith with the aim of making them to doubt God. On an occasion when they are alone the devil may want to triumph, but when they are not left alone, when they are reciurrently being visited, they will have developed rapport with us such that they woulds open their minds unto us even when the devil comes. This is how we can make their feeble knees strong, this is how they can be assisted to keep growing in the Lord, this is how they could be assistend to maintain the faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, this is how they could be assisted to silence the devil.
“Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.
“For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.” (Ecc. 4:9-10)
We can see in the word of this preacher that, “woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up”, but when such a one is not alone whenever he or she is passing through anything such a one would be assisted back unto his or her spiritual feet easily.
It saddens me to say that believers of today hardly do things like this, we are self centered, the devil has corrupted our minds such that we do not give much ofg a thought to other brethren all we are after is our families and relatives alone. If the first church had behaved as we are behaving now, it is undoubtedly certain tnhat the faith in Jesus Christ will not last a decade before it packed up. If that happens the gospel wouldn’t have gotten to us. We need to change and start strengthening others, the weak ones amongst us, those who are just coming up, those passing through turbulent times and days need to be strengthened.
iii. Provide For Those Who Grieve: we should fill in the gap for the brethren, we should provide for the brethren. There are many a one amongst the believers who do not have, they are living in poverty, but in the stead of meeting with their financial challenges we would be mocking them. This is not how the first church started. If the brethren who are not in grieve could not be provided for, what then can I say of someone who is in grieve? Such people suffer total neglect from the brethren, but God does not us to be doing this, that is why he is telling us what we need to be doing through this prophet, that we need to be providing for those who are grieving.
Why do we need to be providing for them? Someone may wish to know. We need to be providing for them because they at the trial period of their lives, at that time they would not be able to optimally work, and if in this part of the world, some will not go to work at all. We know how the situation is for some of them who are micro-business persons, we know if such people do not go to their shops they will not be able to feed, soon what they have at home would run out and they would be in need again. To such people we need to support them, we need to provide for them, we need to be their support. Such people ought to be able to look around and say they have a Christian brother or sister who is always there for them, someone who does not allow them to feel what they are passing through.
iv. Consolation And Joy (Amplified Version): I will like to relate this consolation as being translated in this amplified version to what happened during sports. In sports consolation prizes or games are being given to the teams or persons who have lost. I am thinking that there could be something akin to that in the gospel. Why do I say this? I say this because I have seen some people put in everything they have into the gospel, but despite putting in all of these their lives remain static, their lives are not changed. When they hope for good things to come their ways it is evil that would come their ways. They live a life that some will call miserable life, yet they are believers.
An illustration to buttress this was shared by Jesus in the gospel according to Saint Luke chapter 16. In this account, Jesus talks about a man called Lazarus, this man despite being a believer or a law keeper, using the Jewish tradition to explain it, yet he could not make end meet, all that befall him was evil coupled with the fact that he had chronic infection on his body.
“There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:
“And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,
“And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
“And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
“And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.” (Luke 16:19-23)
I want to believe that people will know that this man stands for God during his life time, but instead of people to come to his aid none came to his aid all they were doing was mocking him, withdrawing their assistance from him until he died. It was after his death that the rich man saw that he was on the Lord’s side while he was not on the Lord’s side likewise his brethren that he left in the world.
There are people like this in our churches, people who are suffering but despite their suffering, they still hold on to their faith in Jesus, people like patriarch Job, whom his wife said unto him that, “dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die” (Job 2:9). As Job has not cursed God neither throw away his integrity so are those people, they refuse to do what the worldly people are doing, they refuse to let the things of the world to take them off their God and Jesus. These kinds of people could receive consolation prizes from the brethren having studied them to stand firm in faith.
We can look into their areas of needs and support them there, we can lift them up in so many ways where we see that they have been in lack.
v. Appoint (KJV): The word of King James Version here differs and it is “appoint”. Appoint means to choose somebody for position of responsibility. The person would be exalted to handle some things in offices or in the church.
After the ascension of Jesus Christ, the disciples at the upper room decided to appoint someone to replace Judas Iscariot. The person was exalted from lower cadre so to say to higher cadre. We can do that in the church too to someone whom we know is doing his best for the Lord. (Acts 2)
Jesus while on earth too did the same for the disciples, he appointed to=hem to do what they had not been doing before.
“After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come.” (Luke 10:1)
(b) Substitutions
This is the second group I have divided this specific comfort to, to enhance our easy grasp of what the Lord has anointed us all to do for him. This second specific comfort has to do with substitutions. Logically speaking we know that when something is removed, it would be replaced with another thing because life cannot be a vacuum.
Some who have been operating as a deliverance minister know that when a demon is being cast out of a person, the person’s life would be empty being an easy target for the devil again. But when the person’s life has been filled with the spirit of God, the devil would not have a place in the person’s life again.
“When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.
“Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.
“Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first….” (Matt. 12:43-45)
We can see from the above that when demons leave a person’s life, the person should not be left to himself or herself alone, but the person should be prayed with so that Holy Ghost will fill the person’s life.
Having seen the above examples let us now see those things that would be eliminated or removed from our lives and those things that they should be replaced with.
i. Beauty For Ashes: ashes in the ancient times is associated with mourning or grieving. When those in the ancient times are saddened, they will show this by putting ashes on their heads so that everyone seeing them will know that something is wrong.
“When Mordecai perceived all that was done, Mordecai rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and a bitter cry” (Est. 4:1)
“And Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the LORD until the eventide, he and the elders of Israel, and put dust upon their heads.” (Josh. 7:6)
The e-sword bible commentary has this to say about ashes and putting dust on the head in the ancient times. “Rending the clothes, beating the breast, tearing the hair, throwing dust upon the head, and falling prostrate, were usual signs of deep affliction and distress among the ancient Israelites. n each of the instances when ashes or dust are put on the head, it is worthy of remark, that rending of the clothes follow, and was the usual mode of evincing poignant sorrow.”
Putting on the head dust and ashes show the position of abasement and sorrow. For this sorrow and low self-esteem, the bible is saying such people in such positions should e told that those will be removed and would be substituted with beauty for them.
The Good News Translation with Apocrypha says, “to give to those who mourn in Zion Joy and gladness instead of grief” (Isaiah 61:3 (GNTA))
ii. Oil of Joy For Mourning: the Message bible says, “messages of joy instead of news of doom” we are to tell them that their lives will be lubricated, their lives would be bonded up again, thus they need to cheer up.
“And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them.” (Mark 6:13)
The disciples used oil for healing in gospel according to Saint Mark while oil was also used as first aid in healing wounds in gospel according to Saint Luke.
“And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.” (Luke 10:34)
We are to tell such people that they shall be healed of all pasts and those wounded areas shall be bonded up.
iii. Garment of Praise Instead of Spirit of Heaviness: another thing that will replace those things that shall be removed from their lives is they would be given the garment of praise, they would have a “praise heart instead of a languid spirit” (Message Bible). They have been discouraged of life before, but we are to tell them that they would start praising the Lord, they would forget all they have passed through and would not be discouraged again because their burdens would be removed.
4. The Outcome
The outcome of this anointing will be noticed by the people on the lives of the brethren in the church. The other thing is the perception of the people of God will change because of this anointing.
4(a) Assertion on The Church:
The people noticed that the church was, is and will continue to be better for it if the brethren are being anointed of God. What I am saying is, the presence of the Holy Spirit to anoint the congregation paid off after all for the body of Christ on the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit manifested and the people were filled with God’s Presence and Power. Due to this, the church is being given two names or titles:
i. Tree of Righteousness: The church would be renamed as “oaks of righteousness” this is the Message Bible’s assertion, while the Amplified version says, they will be “called oaks (or trees) of righteousness; lofty, strong and magnificien; distinguished for uprightness, (distinguished for) justice, (distinguished for) right standing with God. This really happened when the anointing fell on all on the day of Pentecost.
“And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
“And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
“And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
“And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” (Acts 2:1-4)
If we also allow this Spirit in our lives today, what happened then will happen unto us all, we shall be re-christened by all.
ii. Planting of the Lord: The Message Bible says, “planted by God”. The Spirit of God in us will establish us such that nothing would be able to uproot us from him again. We know if a tree is established to be uprooted would be difficult. This the Lord will do for the believer who allows him in his or her life.
“Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.” (Col. 2:7)
4(b) Perception on God
When outsiders and lukewarm believers have seen that something extra-ordinary has taken place in a believer’s life, they would see God in action and have another perception about our God. These are some of what would be the perceptions of people on that God
i. God’s glory is displayed (Message Bible), in the believers lives such that the hidden or obscure lives before would be revealed.
ii. God’s splendor is revealed (Bible Net),
iii. God is glorified (KJV), in their lives as it happened in the lives of Abraham and Sarah, as it happened in the life of Job
iv. He, God, did all for His glory alone (NLT), then people would have no other word than saying that God did all he did to glorify himself as he has said his glory he will not share with anyone
“I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.” (Isa. 42:8)
Summary
1. Introduction
2. Definitions:
- Ephphatha: Is an Aramaic word meaning “be opened”. It is found in the book of Mark as well as other Aramaic words in the Bible.
- The man Mark John the writer of the book directed his message to us, gentiles, having been born among the gentiles. He has a logo which signifies his presence anywhere, he never fought for any position amongst the apostle but maintained himself and pursue the progress of the Gospel
- Open is defined as move door/window/something to allow access and vision
2. Exposition
- Jesus read the first verse and the “a” part of the second verse in the temple (Lk 4:18-19) and says the place is talking about Him. Since we are His children, we have the same right because, He, in the same manner has sent us (Jn. 17:18)
- For understanding, I divided this message or the three verses into four:
(a) Spirit on Me,
(b) Work of the Spirit,
(c) The commission and
(d) The Outcome.
(a) The Spirit on Me
- Spirit is not the same as soul,
- Types of spirits: God, Devil and man,
- Jesus was given the Spirit without measure, thus He can give us this Spirit because it is a new covenant
(b) Work of The Spirit
- Anoint: means rub on, and it signifies the Holy Spirit which we are asked to be filled up with,
(c) Commission
1. Preaching: It is the meek who can accept the Gospel, the arrogant would not,
2. Bind-up (Healing) the broken hearteds, (Mk. 16:17-19)
3. Proclaim liberty: Proclamation/announcement may not mean that the person/s who hear would accept as it happened during the days of Noah and Lot (Lk. 17:26-29)
4. Opening/Pardon/Freeing/Release from Darkness (Mt. 18:18), this shows that we have been given a key or keys
5. Give knowledge that the year of the Lord Good pleasure has come (BBE translation)
- Knowledge comes from experience,
- The year shows longer duration to be repented,
6. Proclaim Day of Vengeance of God: God’s magnanimity changed to judgment (Mt. 5:45)
7. General Comfort: All shows that the Spirit could comfort anyone irrespective of their religion or salvation,
8. Specific Comfort: This is going deeper and it shows that the believers would be specially comforted,
i. Appoint/Provision,
ii. Substitutions: They are three
(a) Beauty for ashes,
(b) Joy for mourning,
(c) Praise for Heaviness,
D. OUTCOME:
i. Church,
ii. God is praised (end)
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