He said to the man with the withered hand, “Get up and come forward!” And He said to them, “Is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save a life or to kill?” But they kept silent. After looking around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored. Mark 3:3-5.
Today your LORD (יהוה) God (אלהים) says:
As we continue our Life Lessons on living days of Heaven upon the earth we are considering another miracle of healing, the next one reported in the gospel according to Matthew, that is one of the most significant miracles recorded in the gospels. You may be wondering at My saying this, but it is a teaching miracle demonstrating My Will in the area of healing and restoration. It is another proof of the purpose for which I sent Jesus, to undo the works of the devil from the beginning to the end. “The one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil. 1 John 3:8. It also shows you how to grieve Me and fall under My just wrath. If you want days of Heaven on earth, you would be wise to learn the lessons in this miracle.
This miracle is reported in the gospels according to Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Matthew 12:9-14, Mark 3:1-6, Luke 6:6-11. Each one has a very important detail to add to fill out what took place that day.
First, all three gospels inform you that Jesus went into a synagogue and it was the Sabbath. And all three tell you right away that there was a man there whose hand was withered and Luke lets you know it was the man’s right hand. The Greek word translated “withered” is “xeraino” or “xeros,” which means withered, dried up, wasted away. It is the same word used by Jesus at the Passover meal the night before He died in the context of the vine and the branches, with Him being the vine and you the branches. He said, “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and withers up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned.” John 15:5-6. When you are not in Him you are like a withered dried up branch that produces no fruit and is cast into the fire. “Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come.” 1 Thessalonians 1:10.
“Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind and makes flesh his strength, and whose heart turns away from the LORD. For he will be like a bush in the desert and will not see when prosperity comes, but will live in stony wastes in the wilderness, a land of salt without inhabitant.” Jeremiah 17:5-6.
The man’s right hand was withered, making his life unfruitful because he could not work with his hands. I bless the work of your hands.
I wanted to make the man’s life fruitful and undo what the devil had done to this man to make him lose his livelihood. And Jesus was of one mind with Me in all things. But the religious leaders were watching Jesus but he knew their thoughts. “The scribes and the Pharisees were watching Him closely to see if He healed on the Sabbath, so that they might find reason to accuse Him. But He knew what they were thinking.” Luke 6:7-8. And what you are thinking you will speak. “And they questioned Jesus, asking, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”—so that they might accuse Him.” Matthew 12:10.
Jesus had an answer, a very good answer, He had My answer, but they had hardened their hearts already and did not want to hear. There are none so deaf as those that refuse to hear when wisdom Himself is speaking before them. Jesus replied to their question, “What man is there among you who has a sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will he not take hold of it and lift it out? How much more valuable then is a man than a sheep! So then, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” Matthew 12:11-12.
Remember, Jesus is your good Shepherd and still is. A good shepherd cares for and nourishes the sheep. He risks his life to protect and defend them no matter what day it is. He feeds them and carries the lambs in his bosom. He binds up their wounds and sees to it they are healed, that they are strong and healthy. He watches over them day and night. Jesus cares for His sheep, which are also the Body of Christ on earth, and He nourishes and cares for His body the church as one does for his own body. I sent My Word to heal you and deliver you from your destructions. And the Word took flesh and is your great High Priest and your great good Shepherd.
After that explanation, Jesus, as any good teacher would, asked them a question to see if they had taken in the wisdom of what He said. He wanted them to open their hearts to who I AM that I am love and compassion and My Will is always to heal. I desire above all that you prosper and be in good health, even as your soul prospers by walking in the truth. And Jesus was endeavoring, as He had already on numerous occasions, to open their minds to the truth, to understand Scripture and My power. And it was not like they did not know My written Word very well because they studied it day and night. That was their profession.
And then Jesus asked them His question. He said to the man with the withered hand, “Get up and come forward!” And he got up and came forward. And Jesus said to them, “I ask you, is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save a life or to destroy it?” Mark 3:4.
Jesus had previously told them, “The Sabbath was made FOR man, and not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” Mark 2:27-28. I made the Sabbath, “Shabbat” in Hebrew, which simply means “rest,” for your sanctification as a day of Heaven upon the earth. A day without toil filled with My Word. A day of resting in Me with family and friends. And now Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath, meaning that if you are in Him you are in Shabbat all the time. This is what I mean by entering into My rest. NO anxiety about anything but abiding like the branch in the vine in the light of My love bearing fruit as easily as the branch attached to a fruitful vine. And there, in Shabbat, you produce much fruit. It is not meant to be a prison of inactivity but a place of living the abundant life to the maximum potential with no fear, stress, or painful toil. Like I made the Garden of Eden to be where I put the man to guard and cultivate it. I created you on the eve of the seventh day and that is when Shabbat begins, at sundown of the day before. It is the place of the BLESSING.
But the religious leaders at the time of Jesus had turned what was meant to be the crowning day of the week, filled with blessing, into weapon with which to destroy Jesus and to load all the people with rules that no longer made the day a joy but a fearful thing that they might violate. Heavy burdens and loads made by the tradition of men to nullify the spirit of My Word.
Do not get trapped by it.
So what happened next? Did they answer the question of Jesus? No, they did not. They kept silent, Mark 3:4, and they looked at Him with belligerence but the people filling the synagogue were all watching to see if Jesus would back down or not. And the man with the withered hand was hoping for healing. The withered hand made him useless and the basic desire I put in your hearts from the beginning, for it is the first words I spoke to mankind. I bless them and said the empowerment: “Bear much fruit.” Genesis 1:28.
Jesus looked at their hardened faces as they refused to answer His question. And this was not the first time he had run into their hardened hearts, hearts with no compassion but proud, jealous hearts. Yes, they were jealous of the popularity that Jesus had with the people who loved His teachings and compassion. “For Pilate knew that it was because of jealousy that the chief priests and elders had handed Jesus over to him.” Matthew 27:18.
But then I share with you by My Spirit something very important for you to understand. “After looking around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored. The Pharisees went out and immediately began conspiring with the Herodians against Him, as to how they might destroy Him.” Mark 3:5-6.
This is the only time I tell you that Jesus was angry, but the word I use there is the same word that elsewhere I use speaking of the wrath to come on unbelievers who destroy the earth and others and never come to Jesus to have their sins taken out of My sight. It is the Greek word, “ὀργή,” transliterated as “orgé.” Orgḗ is from orgáō, and means “to teem, swelling up to constitutionally oppose” – properly, settled anger (opposition), i.e. an anger rising up from continued and ongoing opposition from the scribes, priests, and Pharisees. It is not rash spur of the moment anger, I am slow to anger. It is “settled anger” that proceeds from an internal disposition which steadfastly opposes someone or something based on extended personal exposure, i.e. solidifying what the beholder considers wrong (unjust, evil). “Orgē” comes from the verb oragō meaning, ‘to teem, to swell’; and thus implies that it is not a sudden outburst, but rather) fixed, controlled, passionate feeling against sin, a settled indignation.
All other places where I use this Word in the gospels it is referring to the wrath to come on the earth at the end of time as you know it to destroy the wicked who never received Jesus as Lord but continued in the hardness of their hearts. “For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Thessalonians 5:9. “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.” Romans 5:8-9.
The Pharisees, scribes, and priests did not have a healthy relationship with Me. They were trying to kill My Son, trying to destroy Him. They even accused Him of casting out demons by the prince of demons, that is, Satan, which was ridiculous. My Son told them the truth, “I know that you are Abraham’s descendants; yet you seek to kill Me, because My Word has no place in you.” John 8:37. If My Word finds no place in you, you are seeking to kill My Son, who is My Word.
“Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word. You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me.” John 8:43-45.
And it was these kinds of encounters with the scribes and Pharisees that grieved Jesus. It is impossible to please Me without faith and even though they professed faith in Me and My Word they actually had none at all. They failed to understand Scriptures and My power.
But after I tell you of His indignation and grief, I tell you of the good news of the man’s total healing and restoration in the spite of the opposition of the Pharisees and scribes present. For in this miracle I show you what is My Will beyond a doubt. The man with the withered hand had not even come forward of his own and asked for healing. Jesus called him out and watch what happens next. For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,
Then Jesus said to the man, “Stretch out your hand!” He stretched it out, and it was restored to whole, like the other. Matthew 12:13.
Jesus told the man to stretch out his hand. The word is “ekteino” in Greek and any other time it is used in the context of a miracle it is about Jesus stretching out His hand to heal, such as to cleanse the leper, Matthew 8:3, or to bring out of danger, such as Peter sinking down in the water and Jesus stretching out His hand to pull him out, Matthew 14:31. Jesus pulls you His sheep out of the pits you fall in, heals and binds up your wounds, and nourishes and cares for you. My hand feeds you and delivers you from famine, dangers, and all evil. You are the clay and I am the potter, you are all the work of My hands.
And the man did have faith to act. He did not tell Jesus he had tried many times and could not stretch out his hand. He acted on the Word and obeyed and the moment he obeyed, his hand was restored. The word used there in Greek that is translated “restored” is apokathistemi, meaning to restore, give back, to restore back to an original standing that existed before a fall. It is returning back to the ultimate ideal, to restore back to full freedom, the liberty of the original standing. Once restored, you can enjoy again what was taken away by a destructive or life dominating power. This word emphasizes separating you from the negative influence you are experiencing to enjoy what is ahead. Reestablished in right standing you can go forward. This word is only used twice in the healing miracles of Jesus, here in this miracle of the restoration of the man’s hand, Mark 3:5; Luke 6:10 and Matthew 12:13, and in the healing of the blind man that it took two times of the laying of the hands to get his eyes restored to perfect sight. Mark 8:25.
And I tell you that the man’s hand was restored and made whole. The Greek word used which is translated “whole” is “hugies,” which means sound, whole, healthy, pure, and wholesome. This is the relationship you have with Me—a sound, whole, healthy, pure and wholesome relationship. Jesus died to give you that relationship. “Surely our sickness He Himself bore, and our pains He carried; yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our shalom (wholeness, well-being) fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed. All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; but the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him.” Isaiah 53:5-6.
In this miracle you see a man restored and made whole to live a fruitful life but you see that this miracle was instituted by Jesus and not the man with the withered hand. Jesus saw him and called him to come up front and then He showed all present that it was My Will to do only one thing—to heal, restore, and make whole, to undo all the harm the devil has done to you. I AM the LORD your healer and I will never change My Name. When I created mankind and blessed you to be fruitful and take dominion over the works of My hands, I meant it and I still do.
And did this cause the Pharisees present to change their minds to know the truth and get set free? No. “The Pharisees went out and immediately began conspiring with the Herodians against Him, as to how they might destroy Him.” Mark 3:6.
There is only one thing that caused anger that was well settled in Jesus and that was hearts that refuse to see when it is so clearly set out by Me before you, hearts that refuse to receive His salvation. And these are the ones, unless they come to receive Him as Lord, who will go to the lake of fire with the devil and his demons. Be careful who you align with them. Open wide your heart to salvation, healing, redemption, blessing, and perfect love and then you can have days of Heaven upon the earth. Hate and jealousy will block the Blessing and give you days of hell on earth. “Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.” 1 John 3:15. Selah.
I love you. Know My Will is to heal you, make you whole, and make you fruitful. Just attach to Jesus and the rest will follow. He is your Shabbat Shalom.