"Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" (Luke 18:38 NIV).
The crowd, essentially, tells him, "Shut up!"
Ha, ha, the guy shouts even louder! He's undeterred. No sirree! He'll not be silenced.
This, yet another person of society from the looked down upon echelon the crowd wanted to hush, teaches us a lesson. Have you ever shouted when you've prayed? Have you ever kept at it? Try it sometime. That's part of taking our stresses, anxieties, sicknesses, and limitations to the One True God who can help. The Blind Beggar was unashamed to shout. He was persistent, too. Look where it got him.
I think it was a BIG factor, combined with a couple of others, that caused Jesus to stop for him.
One of Jesus' purposeful appointments to keep.
Look at the title he gave Jesus: "Son of David". Whatever could this mean? How did he even know to address Jesus by this title?
This hearkens all the way back to the Old Testament, King David, and God's promise to him. David had lived for the most part, a very upright, righteous life and had a close relationship with, and dependence upon, God. God rewarded David by pledging to David that he'd always have a descendant upon the throne, forever.
Delve back into the history of ancient China, for instance, to compare. There were so many different dynasties: Xia, Shang, Western Zhou, Eastern Zhou (the Period of the Warring States time that lasted 100's of years); down to the Qin Dynasty where Qin Shihuang unified China, then on to the Han, the Jin...to the final ones, the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Yes, some lasted hundreds of years, but that's all. Ever changing; never, forever.
Swivel back to the Bible again. Before King David, there was King Saul. King Saul"s "dynasty" was only himself. He never had a son on the throne after him. The kingdom was put into David's capable shepherd hands, and character of integrity. Yes, he had his terrible perpetration of adultery and murder, and paid the price and consequences in the death of four of his sons! Yet, he had a repentant heart and sought God's forgiveness and God forgave him (don't get me wrong, I'm NOT minimizing, nor condoning the seriousness of David's crimes).
From then on, David lived humbly and in the good of God's forgiveness, accepting the punishment with humility, yet with trust and dependence upon God; living in the fear, reverence and awe of His Almighty Advocate, Deliverer, Rock, Fortress and Great Shepherd, and even, I might add, his "Best Friend".
God's promise was then forthcoming and we see proof of that delineated for us in the genealogy recorded in Matthew chapter 1. You can read the whole chapter but here are the verses in focus, to highlight...Luke 1:1 & 2 (NIV),
"A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the Son of David, the son of Abraham: Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers..."
Follow that down to verse 6,
"...and Jesse the father of King David..."
There's our man. King David.
"...David was the father of Solomon..."
Skip down again to verses 16 & 17,
"...and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ."
"Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Christ."
Do you know how many generations in all? Three groups of fourteen equals...
Forty-two!
What's more, Who is the current King?
Jesus, the Christ!
Doesn't that continuity totally amaze, astound and astonish, you?!
Do you ascertain the significance of the title of "Son of David"?
The Blind Beggar "got it". He believed that Jesus was THE descendant of David! The rightful king, in fact. He may have been looked down upon by others, but he knew and acknowledged Who Jesus was. Here, after about four hundred silent years; silence from God, was their King, the Son and descendant of David.
That's gripping!
The Jewish nation had been looking out for just such a Deliverer. They believed that their Christ, the Messiah, would deliver Israel from her enemies (the Romans at the time under the cruel Caesar Augustus @ Nero), and would then reign forever (2 Samuel 7:16). Here was the Promised One: THE Son of David, Jesus' royal description.
It must have been rather disappointing then for the Jewish people when this did not transpire. Jesus had not come to rescue the nation, no, His purpose was far greater: to rescue all of mankind by going to the cross and gaining our way of salvation. This is our Rescuer.
Let's get back to the roadside...What does Jesus do when He hears His title SHOUTED? He stops. He orders those shusher-uppers to bring the man to him. Another little chuckle there. Jesus has a way of really keeping people on their toes.
Then Jesus asks, "What do you want?
Ha. What a question to ask! Wasn't it obvious? If you were blind and determined to go to the One who You knew could help you to see, and that One knew what you actually wanted, and could help...Well, why ask what the guy wanted?
Oh yeah, he was a beggar too. Money or your sight? Which one would you help out with? Or, rather, could you help with?
Jesus is God and He is omniscient, and He knew very well what the fellow wanted, yet still, He asked him what his heart was set upon.
We, too, can ask the obvious. God knows. Yes. However, as our Father, He wants to hear us say it, ask it, and say it specifically. He delights to hear our voice of dependence.
Many fathers like to hear their children talk to them. Although some may treat their Dad's like ATM machines, they want the connect, and we may even treat God that way, with a wish list, yet our Heavenly Father has said in His Word to "ask...seek...knock" (Luke 11:9 & 10).
Those who ask, receive; those who seek, find; and those who knock, have doors opened. Show your dependence upon Him. This is what He wants. Yes, He knows what's in our minds and hearts, yet speak with Him anyway. Speak to Him today.
The Blind Beggar did, well, not today but a way back when...
Jesus' further response was to heal the man and now he can see. Jesus affirms,
"Your faith has healed you" (verse 42).
This is just like He said to the 1/10 lepers that were healed and came back to thank and praise Jesus (Luke 17:11-19 NIV). Jesus remarks,
"Rise and go, your faith has made you well."
You know, part of praying unashamedly, humbly, specifically, persistently and expectantly, is doing so wrapped in faith. Think of this wee example, that of a string of pearls. The individual pearls are like the elements of prayer, the persistence, etc. The thread, or string, that runs through each 'bead' is faith, connecting and creating something very beautiful.
The result of healing, which happened, "at once" and "immediately" (v. 41), was that the man received his sight, yes, but he also ups and follows Jesus, giving thanks. The ripple effect was the throngs, seeing it all, began praising God right along with the ex-blind beggar.
What about us? Let's pray too, follow Jesus no matter what, give thanks, whether or not our prayers are answered, how and when we wish. Praise God through Jesus and tell others of God's wonderful help and healing in our lives. Just maybe they'll praise God and be encouraged to live their lives for Jesus, the Son of God and David, our forever King.
Father we thank You we can ask of You, even shout, showing our determination and unashamedness, asking specifically, persistently, and humbly, with reverence, expecting answers from You, since You always have Your ear opened to our call. We can come to You in our sickness, distresses and anxieties of life. Thank-You. We praise You in and through the Name of Jesus, the Son of David. Long live King Jesus! We know He will!
May God Almighty bless you with a day full of joy and happiness in Him.
~ERC June 2020~
Based on Luke 18:35-43 NIV.
Sing, I Pray in Faith, by Janice Kapp Perry
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