Sabbath Day Miracles

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Nov 26, 1912

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 39, No. 46.

Sabbath Day Miracles

(Mark 1:29-32)

THE Sabbath day service in the synagog at Capernaum, which the devil sought to destroy, resulted in glory to God, and the spread of the gospel message. From that service Jesus, with James and John, the sons of Zebedee, went at once to the home of Simon and Andrew, brothers. Simon's mother-in-law lay sick of a fever, which shows that Simon (Peter, or Cephas) was a married man, and that Jesus did not refuse to call him, on this account. Nay, more, Simon was among the first called. Later it seems that his wife accompanied him in his apostolic labors. See 1 Cor. 9:5. It is certainly clear that the Lord does not demand celibacy on the part of His great laborers. Peter's wife's mother was doubtless a widow, making her home with her daughter. The home was that of humble fishermen, the two brothers seemingly sharing it to save expense. But it was into such homes that Jesus delighted to enter.

THE Master no sooner came into the house than they told Him of the sick one. We do not know whether He was asked to visit her, or whether He signified His intention. It matters little. As soon as the opportunity offered, He came to the bedside, "took her by the hand, and raised her up; and the fever left her." The power of God in His touch neutralized the poison of the disease, obliterated its germs, cooled the burning skin, and moistened the parched tongue. The relieved one seems to have recognized that the strength and healing was from God, and she immediately began to use it in His service,—she "ministered unto them." Life and health are blood-bought blessings. "Ye are not your own." All you have and are belongs to God. He may not have healed you, but He has preserved you in health and strength. Use them for Him. Not always will the privilege be ours.

SO PASSED that Sabbath day. Jesus would use it in doing good. That was God's purpose in giving it. But the people, blinded by ignorance, their minds perverted by tradition, would not even come to Him in whom they felt was the power of God, to be healed upon the Sabbath day. Tradition and early erroneous teachings were stronger than clamoring bodily ills and soul hunger.

BUT when the evening came, “when the sun did set,” the Sabbath day ended, and the first day of the week, the first toward another Sabbath, had come, and then the people came and brought to Him all that were sick, and them that were possessed with demons, and all the city was gathered at the door of the humble home. Jesus took no affront because they did not come to Him before. He met them where they were, welcomed with open-handed blessings those who came, healed them “that were sick with divers diseases, and cast out many demons; and He suffered not the demons to speak, because they knew Him.” Did He heal them all? Mark says “many,” but He healed all who came, we learn from Matthew and Luke; He cast out the demons with a word, and laid hands on the sick and healed them, every one. “Himself took our infirmities, and bare our diseases,” said the prophet more than six centuries before. The fruition of hope deferred had come, the Prince of Life had come to the land of misery and death, not to destroy nor to condemn, but to comfort and to heal. In His own life He had conquered the enemy, and His own life projected into theirs would conquer there.

WHY did He rebuke the demons who confessed Him?—Simply because they did confess Him. He wanted no acknowledgment from them. His cause was in no way helped by such advocacy. God’s cause never is. Sinners and hypocrites may teach the theory of the truth, but they never impart its life. Their message brings no relief to hearts in need, no hope to hearts in despair, no comfort to hearts that mourn. Luke tells us that the demons confessed Him to be the Son of God. He silenced them. He showed that they were not of Him. Paul had similar experience when a demon-possessed maiden followed him and Silas many days, declaring, “These men are servants of the most high God, who proclaim unto you the way of salvation.” Acts 16: 16-18. But the gospel of God needed no such help. Nor has it since. It is the saddest thing in Christendom that latter-day delusions call themselves Christian and yet deny the essentials of vital Christianity. They are a hindrance to true, vital Christianity.

JESUS CHRIST is the same, dear reader, “yesterday, and to-day, and forever.” He is the Saviour from sin, the Healer of disease, to-day. Let the sick go to Him with all the heart, open the life to His life, yield all to Him, and receive the healing power of the Spirit of God. Always when it is for His glory and the good of the sick soul, He will heal, if faith will grasp the healing power.