Bible Bites

Healing in His Wings

March 16, 2023 by Ellen 3 Comments

Dust hung in the air as He walked with purposeful strides, talit flapping like eagles wings.

She saw Him coming. She had spent everything on doctors and medical care. Still, there was no healing for her body. She was condemned as unclean. No one wanted to be near her. Everyone was fearful they might accidentally touch her. This was no way to live, was it? But what more could she do? She was out of money. She had nothing. But she had heard about Him (Mark 5:27).

And a woman who had a hemorrhage for twelve years, and could not be healed by anyone, came up behind Him and touched the fringe of His cloak, and immediately her hemorrhage stopped. Luke 8:43-44 NASB

Why, oh why did she reach for the hem, or fringe of His cloak? If she wanted Jesus’ divine healing, why didn’t she touch His hand, His arm or even His foot?

Could it have been shame? Jewish law declared her ceremonially unclean due to her bleeding issue (Leviticus 15:25-27). She wasn’t permitted to enter the temple for Jewish religious ceremonies. Anything or anyone she touched became unclean, including Jesus. Oh, how she must have wanted to hide somewhere, anywhere, instead of grasping for hope from His hem.

It was certainly desperation. After twelve years of suffering, and spending all her money, she longed for a miracle. Jesus was her only hope. She knew things about Him that gave her hope. What was it that she knew?

By diving into scripture, and studying the original language, we see that the woman didn’t simply touch Jesus’ hem. She touched the braids or tassels attached to His garment, His talit, or prayer shawl.

The word fringe in the original Greek is kraspedon, meaning border or fringe.^⁠1 The Old Testament equivalent of this word is kanap^⁠2 , meaning the hem, edge or wing.

The fringe or tassels of the shawl were constant reminders to walk according to God’s laws and His Word.

“Speak to the sons of Israel, and tell them that they shall make for themselves tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and that they shall put on the tassel of each corner a cord of blue.” Numbers 15:38 NASB

“You shall make yourself tassels on the four corners of your garment with which you cover yourself.” Deuteronomy 22:12 NASB

The tallit was also associated with a person’s authority. Thus, the woman knew that Jesus walked according to God’s laws, and He was a man of authority. She had heard of Him and how He healed those who simply touched His clothes^⁠3.

Perhaps she also knew God’s Word and what it said about a coming Messiah.

“But for you who fear My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings;” Malachi 4:2 NASB

Many commentators believe that the Sun of Righteousness refers to Christ. But the most amazing part of Malachi 4:2 is the word “wings.” The original Hebrew word is kanap, the same word that means “fringe” in Luke 8:44. The woman very likely knew there was healing in His “wings” or the fringe of His garment. And so she stretched her arms in faith and reached for the small bit of fabric. When she did, she touched Jesus, and He healed her.

It’s beautiful how the Old Testament and New Testament intersect, complementing each other and telling a beautiful story of healing and redemption. The Old Testament speaks to a Messiah coming to save His people. The New Testament introduces us to this Savior. When we dig into scripture, we see many connections – all pointing to Jesus.

God’s word is timeless and will always be relevant in our lives. Because haven’t we all walked in this woman’s shoes? Desperate, destitute and desiring healing? We need a healing, hope filled touch from Jesus. We come to the end of ourselves and do the only thing we know will help. In faith, we grab the hem of His garment and cling to Jesus and His Word.

¹2899. κράσπεδον kraspĕdŏn, kras´-ped-on; of uncert. der.; a margin, i.e. (spec.) a fringe or tassel:—border, hem.

James Strong, A Concise Dictionary of the Words in the Greek Testament and The Hebrew Bible (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2009), 43.

2 3671 kânâph, kaw-nawf´; from 3670; an edge or extremity; spec. (of a bird or army) a wing

James Strong, A Concise Dictionary of the Words in the Greek Testament and The Hebrew Bible (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2009), 55.

³and they implored Him that they might just touch the fringe of His cloak; and as many as touched it were cured.

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), Mt 14:36.

Bible bites: Going Home and Coming Home, Exodus and Ezra

November 17, 2022 by Ellen 2 Comments

This month is the start of the holiday season, where food abounds! So, we’ll be talking tasty tidbits from scripture. You know those little bites of deliciousness that you can nibble on all day. Little bites, small but meaty and oh so good for your soul.

Today we’ll be talking about going home and coming home. Let’s begin in Exodus.

“I will grant this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians; and it shall be that when you go, you will not go empty-handed. But every woman shall ask of her neighbor and the woman who lives in her house, articles of silver and articles of gold, and clothing; and you will put them on your sons and daughters. Thus you will plunder the Egyptians.” Exodus 3:21-22 NASB

God knew Pharaoh wouldn’t let the Hebrew people go easily. Pharaoh wouldn’t give them anything for their journey home, either. He was a meanie! But God! He provided for His people. The material the Israelites plundered and carried out of Egypt became part of what they used to construct the tabernacle. God sent them on their way with building supplies.

I image the Egyptians were happy to provide what was needed. After all, they’d been subject to God’s plagues: Bloody water, frogs, gnats, flies, diseased livestock, boils, hail and fire, locusts, darkness and finally the unthinkable-death of the first born child in each family. Horrors! I would’ve kicked them out too! Get out! And don’t come back!

Next, we have the Israeli exiles returning from Babylon. They had been captives for 70 years. Slaves in servitude, like their forefathers in Egypt. After 70 years, God stirred the heart of King Cyrus to allow the exiles to go home and rebuild.

Jerusalem and the temple had been destroyed long ago when Nebuchadnezzar laid siege to the city and surrounding area. The Hebrew people would be freed slaves, traveling with nothing, going home to nothing. Zilch. Zero.

But God.

“‘Every survivor, at whatever place he may live, let the men of that place support him with silver and gold, with goods and cattle, together with a freewill offering for the house of God which is in Jerusalem.’ All those about them encouraged them with articles of silver, with gold, with goods, with cattle and with valuables, aside from all that was given as a freewill offering. Also King Cyrus brought out the articles of the house of the LORD, which Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and put in the house of his gods;” Ezra 1:4, 6-7 NASB

God provided, so His people could come home and rebuild His temple. Going and coming, building or rebuilding, God will provide all you need. Amen and amen!

What a beautiful story of God’s faithfulness!