Again He went out from the region of Tyre, and came through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, within the region of Decapolis. 32They brought to Him one who was deaf and spoke with difficulty, and they implored Him to lay His hand on him. Mark 7:31-32 NASB
The Greek word used in Mark 7:32 for 'speech impediment' (or “spoke with difficulty”) is only used twice in the entire bible. Here in Mark 7 and the other is found in the book of Isaiah chapter 35. Isaiah 35 is a great Messianic prophecy that described and foreshadowed the coming Messianic age. But, in Isaiah 34, the prophet brings a rebuke and a gloomy message of vengeance from God. The prophecy is spoken against God's people and the nations of the earth. Vengeance is coming from the Lord, and the land will be given over to jackals, snakes, hedgehogs, pelicans and all sorts of animals. This would have been a very dark, gloomy, and overwhelming word from the Lord. It would have stirred up fear and anxiety in the people as they thought about these dark days that were coming upon them and their children. In the midst of this gloomy, prophetic word, the Lord brings forth a message in Isaiah 35 of how He will offer a way of salvation in the midst of the darkness that was coming. Say to those with anxious heart, “Take courage, fear not. Behold, your God will come with vengeance; The recompense of God will come, But He will save you.” 5Then the eyes of the blind will be opened And the ears of the deaf will be unstopped. 6Then the lame will leap like a deer, And the tongue of the mute will shout for joy. For waters will break forth in the wilderness And streams in the Arabah. 7The scorched land will become a pool And the thirsty ground springs of water; In the haunt of jackals, its resting place, Grass becomes reeds and rushes. 8A highway will be there, a roadway, And it will be called the Highway of Holiness. Isaiah 35:4-8 NASB The Lord is revealing to His people and to the nations of the earth a path of light that will shine forth in the darkness of their reality. In the midst of darkness, "He will save you". What are the indicators that this salvation has come? Look at verses 5 & 6: The eyes of the blind will be opened, the ears of the deaf will be unstopped, the lame will leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute will shout for joy. Fast forward to Mark 7:32, not only do we see the exact same word for “spoke with difficulty” being used, causing us to "perk up", but we see the entirety of these prophetic signs specifically fulfilled. These prophetic signs that the Messiah has come are described in even more detail in Matthew's parallel account from Matthew 15: 29Departing from there, Jesus went along by the Sea of Galilee, and having gone up on the mountain, He was sitting there. 30And large crowds came to Him, bringing with them those who were lame, crippled, blind, mute, and many others, and they laid them down at His feet; and He healed them. 31So the crowd marveled as they saw the mute speaking, the crippled restored, and the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel. Matthew 15:29-31 NASB If we are experiencing and living in a time of gloom and darkness, we must take courage that our God is unafraid to step into the darkness of our lives. We must rest assured that the light of Christ always shines brighter against the backdrop of darkness. Trust in the Lord today that He will step right into our mess, because He is the Light of Life. He will save you. Questions to Consider: 1. What are some of the dark areas of your life that you are trying to hide from the Lord of others? Will you open up and let the Light of Life shine into those areas? 2. The word of God is alive and active! Will you take the time this week to share the word of God with someone that you don't know?
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