GOD could not be amongst people on the earth without something wonderful happening, something that they were not used to, I mean. And something wonderful was happening all the time that Jesus was here, for we know that Jesus was God, one of His many names being Emmanuel, which means, "GOD WITH US."
But Jesus was also a man, a meek and lowly man, gentle and kind and good, and full of sympathy and compassion for those who were in trouble. And there were people in trouble in every place that Jesus went to; just the same as there are people in trouble in every place to-day.
Once Jesus went up into a mountain, and whilst there He spoke many wonderful words to His disciples, telling them what ought to be done, and what ought not to be done. But He did not stop there, He came down from the mountain, and we read in Matt. 8, that the first person who then came to Him was a poor leper.
Now we do not know much about leprosy in this country, and for this we ought to be very thankful indeed, but there are lepers in other countries, and we read a good deal in the Bible about people afflicted by this terrible complaint. Leprosy is a very loathsome disease, and nobody would knowingly be near a person suffering from it.
So you can quite understand this poor man wondering whether Jesus, whose fame was spreading everywhere, would be willing to heal him—a leper. He knew something about the power of Jesus, but he did not know how kind and compassionate Jesus was.
I wonder now just what the secret feeling
Of that poor leper really must have been,
For he could see within his reach was healing,
But would the Savior, would He make him clean?
I seem to see that wistful look of pleading;
That trembling step of hesitating fear,
As through the crowd, resentful words not heeding,
He with his need to Jesus came quite near.
"Lord, if Thou wilt," how plainly we can hear him —
"Lord, if Thou wilt," yes, "Thou canst make me clean."
Oh, how the words that Jesus spoke would cheer him!
For did they not his life-long blessing mean?
And what were the words that Jesus spoke to him?
They were five only at first—
“I will, be thou clean."
Not the greatest physician in the world dare have used such words, for well would he know that his mere word could not make a leper clean. But here was GOD speaking, and acting too, for it also says Jesus touched the man, and that immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
What a wonderful sight it would be for all the people who were looking on And how far more wonderful for that poor man to know and feel that he was actually cleansed from that awful malady.
Leprosy in Scripture is a type of SIN, the terrible disease by which EVERYBODY is afflicted, for the Bible says:
“All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God."
And no one but God can cleanse us from sin. Therefore Jesus, who was God, CAME DOWN from heaven that we might be made clean, that we might be cleansed from sin.
And although He moved about amongst sinful people, He was never defiled by sin. But to cleanse people from sin, Jesus had to do far more than touch them. He had to be made sin for us on the cross, and there die for our sins.
Now, why should Jesus come down from heaven to die for us, so that we might be cleansed from sin? Oh, it was because God in His great love wanted us to dwell with Him forever where He dwells, and where there is no sin, no death, no sorrow, but where His love fills every heart with joy, and every mouth with praise.
Notice just what happened: Jesus CAME DOWN, and the leper CAME TO
Have you come to Him and received those great and eternal blessings which He only can give?
Remember, that He came down from heaven that you might come to Him.
W. L.