Monthly Archives: October 2024

Romans 5:8 reveals the depth and initiative of God’s love. It shows that God did not wait for humanity to cry out for deliverance from sin. Instead, He acted first, sending Jesus Christ to die for us even when we were still lost in sin and rebellion. God’s love is not reactive; it is proactive. He saw our desperate condition, even before we realised it ourselves, and made the ultimate sacrifice to rescue us. This stands as the clearest demonstration of divine love—God acted for our salvation without waiting for us to ask.

In contrast to this New Testament revelation, the Old Testament shows a different pattern of interaction between God and His people, especially in the book of Judges. There, God’s intervention depended on the Israelites’ cries for help when they were oppressed. But in the case of humanity’s greatest oppression—sin—God did not wait for our plea. He took the initiative, providing a Saviour to address the root of our deepest need.

The Israelites’ Cry for Help in the Book of Judges

In the book of Judges, the Israelites repeatedly found themselves oppressed by their enemies. Each time, they had to cry out to God for help before He sent a deliverer. This cyclical pattern reflects the Israelites’ reliance on God’s mercy, but it also shows that God waited for them to acknowledge their need for Him before He intervened.

Four Hebrew words are used to describe the cries of the Israelites, each carrying a distinct nuance of their plea for help:

1. זָעַק (za’aq) – This Hebrew word means “to cry out” or “to cry for help” in a loud and desperate way. It conveys a sense of urgency and deep distress. In Judges 3:9, we read, “When the Israelites cried (זָעַק) out to the Lord, He raised up for them a deliverer, Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother, who saved them.” The Israelites, having been oppressed by the king of Mesopotamia, called out to God in anguish, and He responded by raising up Othniel to save them. Their desperate cry for help prompted God’s intervention.
2. שָׁוַע (shava) – This word emphasizes an earnest, intense cry for help. It speaks to the urgency of the Israelites’ need for rescue. Judges 10:12 records God’s response to their pleas: “The Sidonians, Amalekites, and Maonites oppressed you and you cried (שָׁוַע) to me for help, and I delivered you from their hands.” In this instance, God reminds them of the multiple times they had cried out to Him and how He had faithfully delivered them from their enemies.
3. נָאֲקָה (na’aqah) – This word refers to a groaning or lamenting in deep distress, often implying long-standing suffering. Judges 2:18 says, *“Whenever the Lord raised up a judge for them, He was with the judge and saved them out of the hands of their enemies as long as the judge lived; for the Lord had compassion on them as they groaned (נָאֲקָה) under those who oppressed and afflicted them.” Here, the Israelites groaned under the weight of oppression, and God, moved by compassion, delivered them. Their prolonged suffering brought forth a cry for help, to which God responded.
4. צָעַק (tsa’aq) – Similar to זָעַק (za’aq), this word means “to cry out” loudly for deliverance. It emphasizes the intensity of the cry. Judges 6:6 says, “Midian so impoverished the Israelites that they cried (צָעַק) out to the Lord for help.” The Israelites, after being severely oppressed and impoverished by the Midianites, raised their voices in desperation. Their cry reached God’s ears, and He sent Gideon to save them.

In each of these instances, God’s deliverance came after the Israelites cried out in anguish. Their suffering led them to recognise their need for God’s help, and only then did He send a saviour to rescue them.

Sin: Humanity’s Greatest Enemy

While the Israelites faced physical enemies in the book of Judges, humanity’s greatest enemy is far more insidious—sin. Sin separates us from God, corrupts our hearts, and leads to death. Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” The consequences of sin are devastating, both in this life and for eternity. Unlike the temporary oppression of foreign enemies, sin’s grip is far-reaching and eternal unless dealt with through God’s intervention.

In the book of Judges, the Israelites cried out to God for deliverance when they were oppressed by foreign nations. However, in the case of sin, God did not wait for humanity to cry out. He sent His Son, Jesus, to deal with sin once and for all. This is a profound distinction between the Old Testament deliverance and the New Testament salvation. Jesus came to deliver us from sin without us first crying out for help. He took the initiative. He knew the depth of our need before we even recognised it.

Sin is an enemy that enslaves all of humanity. Just as the Israelites cried out in desperation using words like זָעַק (za’aq), שָׁוַע (shava), נָאֲקָה (na’aqah), and צָעַק (tsa’aq), we should likewise be crying out to Jesus for deliverance from the bondage of sin. Though God took the first step by sending Jesus, our response should be one of earnest prayer and repentance. Psalm 34:17 says, “The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; He delivers them from all their troubles.” This cry is not just for physical deliverance but for freedom from the power of sin.

Our Need to Cry Out for Deliverance from Sin

Although God took the initiative to send Jesus while we were still sinners, we still need to cry out to Him for personal deliverance. The Israelites’ cries in Judges reflect a model for how we should seek God’s help. We too should cry out with urgency for deliverance from sin, expressing deep anguish and desperation.

God’s love is already demonstrated through the death of Jesus on the cross, but our response to that love is essential. We must recognise the severity of sin in our lives and call out to God for His saving grace. As the Israelites did, we must realise our helplessness and turn to Him for salvation. Thankfully, the way has been made through Jesus, and unlike in the days of the judges, we no longer have to wait for God to raise a human deliverer. Jesus has already come, and His sacrifice is sufficient for all.

Conclusion

Romans 5:8 illustrates the beauty of God’s initiative in demonstrating His love for us. While the Israelites in the book of Judges had to cry out for deliverance from their enemies, God sent Jesus to deliver us from sin before we even knew we needed Him. The Hebrew words used for “crying out” in Judges—זָעַק (za’aq), שָׁוַע (shava), נָאֲקָה (na’aqah), and צָעַק (tsa’aq)—emphasize the deep anguish and desperation of the Israelites in their oppression. Similarly, humanity’s greatest enemy, sin, should lead us to cry out to Jesus with the same urgency and desperation.

While God’s love has already been demonstrated in sending Jesus, we must still cry out to Him for personal deliverance from sin. God’s response to our cry is assured, for He has already provided the ultimate Deliverer—Jesus Christ, Who saves us from sin and gives us eternal life.

The debate surrounding faith healing is one that continues to shape the perceptions of divine healing in contemporary Christian communities. Proponents of modern faith healing argue that faith is an indispensable requirement for anyone seeking God’s intervention in their physical or spiritual ailments. However, an examination of scriptural accounts of miraculous healings, particularly those performed by Jesus, reveals a more nuanced truth. The idea that God is unable to heal without the individual’s faith undermines His sovereignty and grace. Furthermore, the practices of modern faith healers raise serious concerns about their authenticity. This week we shall examine the theological flaws in the modern faith healing movement and contrast it with Biblical examples of genuine supernatural healing.

Faith is Not Always a Prerequisite for Healing

A key argument made by modern faith healers is that faith is an absolute requirement for one to experience healing. This claim, however, is inconsistent with Biblical accounts of miracles performed by Jesus. Out of the 35 miracles recorded in the Gospels, faith is mentioned as a factor in only 10 of them. Notably, many individuals who were healed had no prior belief or faith in Jesus before their healing occurred.

For instance, in John 5:1–9, Jesus heals a man who had been infirm for 38 years, lying by the pool of Bethsaida. When Jesus asks if the man desires to be made well, the man responds not with faith in Jesus but with an explanation of his inability to access the healing waters of the pool. Jesus, in His mercy, heals him without requiring faith. The man did not even know who Jesus was until after the healing took place (John 5:12–13).

Another striking example is found in Luke 22:50–51, where one of the temple guards, Malchus, had his ear cut off by Peter during Jesus’ arrest. Malchus had come with the intention of arresting Jesus, showing no faith or belief in Him, and had certainly not asked for healing. Yet, Jesus, in an act of pure grace and mercy, touched the servant’s ear and healed him on the spot, demonstrating that His power to heal is not contingent upon the faith or even the intentions of the individual.

Similarly, in John 9:1–7, Jesus heals a man born blind. This man had not requested healing, nor did he demonstrate any faith before Jesus restored his sight. The healing was initiated entirely by Jesus, illustrating again that divine healing stems from God’s sovereign will.

Another powerful example of God’s sovereignty in healing is the raising of Lazarus from the dead in John 11:38–44. Lazarus had been in the tomb for four days, and there was no act of faith from him or anyone else that could have reversed his condition. Yet Jesus, moved by divine compassion and the will of the Father, called Lazarus out of death into life. This miracle, like others, demonstrates that healing and restoration are acts of grace that are not always dependent on human action but on God’s timing and purpose.

In Acts 3:1-10, Peter and John encounter a man who had been lame from birth. The man had only asked for alms, but Peter, moved by the Spirit, commanded him to rise and walk in the name of Jesus. The man was healed without asking for it, again demonstrating that true divine healing is a manifestation of God’s grace rather than human faith.

These examples, along with others like the healing of the man with the withered hand (Matthew 12:10-13) and the miraculous catch of fish (Luke 5:1-11), illustrate that true divine miracles are usually unsolicited and not always reliant on the recipient’s faith. Instead, they reflect God’s sovereign mercy and purpose.

The Emphasis on Faith: A Cover for Lack of Power

One of the main tactics of modern faith healers is to insist that if healing does not occur, it is due to a lack of faith on the part of the sick person. By shifting the responsibility of healing to the individual’s level of faith, these healers create an easy escape for themselves when healing does not materialize. This emphasis on faith serves as a smokescreen to cover their inability to heal and places undue burden and guilt on those who are already suffering.

Unlike the miracles performed by Jesus, which were instantaneous and complete, modern faith healings often result in temporary relief since they are psychosomatic in nature. These supposed healings are not permanent, and many individuals experience relapses, further supporting the argument that the healers lack true divine power. When questioned about the efficacy of their healing ministries, these faith healers resort to blaming the individual, saying that they did not have enough faith, had not paid enough for their miracle, or that the devil has stolen their healing. This stands in stark contrast to Biblical miracles, which were always successful and never accompanied by relapses.

The Absence of Faith Healers in Hospitals: A Red Flag

A critical sign that modern faith healers are not genuine is their absence in places where the most severe cases of illness and affliction are found—hospitals, mental health institutions, and hospice care. If these healers truly possessed the power to heal as they claim, one would expect them to minister in such places. Instead, they require that the sick come to their gatherings, often held in large venues that have been meticulously prepared to create a psychologically manipulative environment.

These environments are designed to nurture an emotional and psychological response from the audience, giving the illusion of healing through methods that prey on the vulnerable. Common tactics include uplifting and repetitive music, emotionally charged testimonies, and heightened spiritual language that appeals to the desires of the afflicted. These factors combine to create an atmosphere where individuals feel pressured to demonstrate their faith publicly and are more likely to experience temporary emotional relief or psychosomatic reactions which are then presented as miraculous healings.

Nonetheless, these reactions are often short-lived, as they are not genuine healings of organic disorders but responses to psychological manipulation. In contrast, the healings performed by Jesus and His apostles required no such manipulation. They were immediate, complete, and always successful. Jesus healed with the authority of God, independent of emotional environments or the faith of those receiving the miracles.

Conclusion

The modern faith healing movement’s emphasis on faith as a prerequisite for healing is a distortion of Biblical truth. While faith is undoubtedly important in the Christian walk, God’s ability to heal is not dependent on human faith. The miraculous healings recorded in Scripture, many of which occurred without any prior faith from the recipient, testify to God’s sovereignty and mercy. In stark contrast, modern faith healers often shift the blame for failed healings onto the sick, claiming a lack of faith as the cause. Additionally, their refusal to engage with the most severely afflicted in hospitals and mental institutions further calls their legitimacy into question. True healing comes from God’s hand, is complete, and is not contingent on human manipulation or environmental influences.

The Old Testament contains numerous prophecies that foretell the coming of the Messiah, a Figure Who would bring salvation and deliverance to the people of Israel and, ultimately, to all humanity. These prophecies are woven throughout the text, written by different authors over many centuries, and advance a rich and varied picture of the anticipated Saviour. The nature of these prophecies ranges from specific details about the Messiah’s life to broader themes of His mission and purpose. They are not only proof of the anticipation of the Messiah but also serve as a foundation for understanding Jesus Christ’s role in fulfilling these ancient predictions.

Old Testament Prophecies of the Messiah

The Old Testament, composed over a period of approximately one thousand years, contains nearly three hundred references to the coming Messiah. These prophecies span various books and genres, from the poetic writings of the Psalms to the prophetic declarations of Isaiah and Micah. The prophecies are characterized by their detail and specificity, pinpointing particular aspects of the Messiah’s life and mission.

For instance, Isaiah 53 describes the suffering servant, a figure who would bear the sins of many and be “despised and rejected by men.” In Micah 5:2, the birthplace of the Messiah is foretold to be Bethlehem, “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.” Zechariah 9:9 prophesies that the Messiah would enter Jerusalem riding on a donkey, symbolizing peace and humility. Finally, Psalm 22 vividly describes the suffering and death of the Messiah, including specific details like His hands and feet being pierced. These examples illustrate the diverse and detailed nature of Messianic prophecies in the Old Testament.

The Fulfilment of Prophecies in Jesus Christ

The fulfilment of these prophecies in the life of Jesus Christ is a cornerstone of Christian belief. The New Testament frequently references Old Testament prophecies, showing how Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection correspond to the predictions made centuries before His birth. This connection between prophecy and fulfilment works to affirm the divine nature of Jesus’ mission and identity.

Critics have argued that Jesus could have manipulated His life to fit some of these prophecies, but many of the most significant prophecies were entirely beyond a mere mortal’s control. These include:

1. Place of His Birth: Micah 5:2 predicted that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, a small town in Judah. Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem was not something a mere mortal could have arranged, and it fulfilled this ancient prophecy precisely.
2. Time of His Birth: The timing of the Messiah’s birth is foretold in Daniel 9:25 and Genesis 49:10. These prophecies indicated a specific period during which the Messiah would arrive, which corresponded with the era of Jesus’ birth.
3. Manner of His Birth: Isaiah 7:14 prophesied that the Messiah would be born of a virgin. The miraculous nature of Jesus’ birth to the Virgin Mary brings into line with this prophecy, making it impossible for a mere mortal to have orchestrated.
4. Betrayal: The prophecy of the Messiah’s betrayal is found in Zechariah 11:12-13, which foretells that He would be betrayed for thirty pieces of silver. This prophecy was fulfilled when Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus for the exact amount.
5. Manner of His Death: Psalm 22:16 foretells that the Messiah would suffer death by crucifixion, with His hands and feet being pierced. This type of death was not practiced during the time of David, making the prophecy even more remarkable.
6. People’s Reactions: The reactions of people during the Messiah’s crucifixion, including mocking, spitting, and staring, are detailed in Psalm 22:7-8 and Isaiah 50:6. These events occurred exactly as prophesied during Jesus’ crucifixion.
7. Piercing: Zechariah 12:10 foretells that the Messiah would be pierced, a prophecy fulfilled when Jesus’ side was pierced by a Roman soldier during the crucifixion.
8. Burial: Isaiah 53:9 prophesied that the Messiah would be buried in a rich man’s tomb. After Jesus’ death, He was buried in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea, a wealthy member of the Sanhedrin.

Conclusion

The fulfilment of these prophecies in Jesus Christ provides a compelling argument for His identity as the promised Messiah. The fact that many of these prophecies were beyond human control further accentuates their divine origin and the authenticity of Jesus’ messianic role. As Christians reflect on the life of Jesus, they see the fulfilment of God’s promises, as recorded in the Old Testament, culminating in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This fulfilment not only validates the prophetic scriptures but also serves as the foundation of the Christian faith.