Blow upon blow, fell on the tender, quivering flesh of the gentle Nazarene. The biting whip rose and fell again and again in the hands of the Roman soldier, till the great purple welts stood on the precious back that was so soon to bear the cross fell till the drops of blood dripped upon the ground. Some forty blows were permissible in those days and men often fainted or even died at the whipping-post.
"Tell me, dear Spirit, Teacher and Guide, tell me WHY did they whip Him so? Was He whipped that my many sins might be washed away?"
"No, child, the blood on the cross was sufficient for that."
"Then why did they pluck the beard from His face, and beat Him with cruel staves, was that for the cleansing of sin?"
"No, child, the Blood was sufficient for that."
"Then why, Spirit of God, tell me why did they torture my Saviour so? Was God merely permitting the vindictive, fiendish wrath of an angry mob to be wreaked upon the head of His blessed Son? Else if His stripes did not cleanse me from sin, then WHY did they whip Him so?"
"Why, child! Do you not know the meaning of that lash, the cruel blows of the smiters' scourge? 'Twas thus He bare your suffering, and by His stripes ye are healed. Not a meaningless blow, not a meaningless pain did 'that precious Body bear. At the whipping-post He purchased your healing, bare your suffering and pain. On the cross He purchased your pardon, forgiveness and cleansing from sin. Healed by His stripes, cleansed by His blood blessed double cure for a double curse for all who will look and live."
But have not these twain been separated, till only Salvation remains? Then His stripes were borne in vain.
Hearken to the words of the Master: "The works that I do shall ye do, and greater works than these shall ye do because I go to My Father. All power is given unto me, in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore and teach all nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Teaching them to observe all things, whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen." Matt. 28:18-20.
"As ye go preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand, cleanse the leper, heal the sick, cast out demons, freely as ye have received freely give.'' "Into whatsoever city or town ye enter heal the sick that are therein and say unto them, The Kingdom of God is come nigh unto you." And He sent them to preach the Gospel and heal the sick. And said, ''These signs shall follow them that believe: in My name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover." Mark 16:17, 18.
Jesus the same yesterday, today and forever still brings the double cure for soul and body. There is still life for a look at the Crucified One, and they who touch the hem of His garment may still be made whole.
In the fifth chapter of James, the elders of the church are given instructions to anoint the sick (who call for them) with oil, and pray the prayer of faith, having the promise of the double cure . . . The prayer of faith shall save the sick and the Lord shall raise him up, and if he hath committed sins they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults one to another and pray one for another that ye may be healed. What a sweet relationship there here exists between Salvation and Healing.
This does not mean that we will never die. There comes a day when the sands of the years are run and the child of God is caught up and goes sweeping home to glory. Thank God for that hope! 'Tis not that they who claim the promise of healing fear death. To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. But it does mean that instead of suffering, and groaning all the days of our lives with a torturous disease, it is possible to look away to Jesus and take that for which He paid with cruel stripes, and the shedding of His precious blood. Too long have we wandered in weakness and poverty, when we might have had His strength and riches. Too long have we lain starving, when we might have been feasting in Father's banquet hall.
A man in straitened financial circumstances once bought a ticket for an ocean voyage.
"Now I must be very saving of my few remaining dollars," he told himself. "I'll just buy some crackers and drink water with them for the duration of my voyage, thus leaving a small sum for my arrival.'' Days wore by one by one, and the poor man became more and more famished for a good square meal and more disgusted with crackers and water. On the day that the steamer was scheduled to arrive in port he could bear it no longer, if it took the last cent, he decided that he must have one more good meal.
But when he made his way to the dining salon, its beauty and the fine food which was being served, course after course at the tables, the white linen and shining silver caused him to doubt. Such a fine dining room, perhaps he would not have money enough after all! Catching the eye of the steward he inquired:
"Sir, would you please be kind enough to tell me the cost of a meal in that dining room?" The waiter looked at the man with amazement and said :
"Why I don't understand what you mean."
"I want to know how much one good, square meal at that table would cost me, please."
"Why you have a ticket for this steamship voyage, haven't you?"
"Ticket? Why y-yes," stammered the man.
"Then your meals don't cost you a penny. They are all included in your ticket. Where have you been at meal times? Why did you not come to the table? Your place has been set and held vacant for you all the time."
"Why I've been sitting in my state-room eating crackers and drinking cold water, every day, because I thought I could not afford the dining room."
And, Oh dear ones, many of us have gone almost to the end of life's voyage before realizing the good things included in our ticket. Salvation, Healing, the power of the Holy Spirit and rich life in Christ are yours for the asking. Draw near today and cry: Thou Son of David, have mercy upon me. I now appropriate Thy promises, and claim as mine the rich provision Thou hast made for me, even the double cure with its blessings for body and soul.
"Tell me, dear Spirit, Teacher and Guide, tell me WHY did they whip Him so? Was He whipped that my many sins might be washed away?"
"No, child, the blood on the cross was sufficient for that."
"Then why did they pluck the beard from His face, and beat Him with cruel staves, was that for the cleansing of sin?"
"No, child, the Blood was sufficient for that."
"Then why, Spirit of God, tell me why did they torture my Saviour so? Was God merely permitting the vindictive, fiendish wrath of an angry mob to be wreaked upon the head of His blessed Son? Else if His stripes did not cleanse me from sin, then WHY did they whip Him so?"
"Why, child! Do you not know the meaning of that lash, the cruel blows of the smiters' scourge? 'Twas thus He bare your suffering, and by His stripes ye are healed. Not a meaningless blow, not a meaningless pain did 'that precious Body bear. At the whipping-post He purchased your healing, bare your suffering and pain. On the cross He purchased your pardon, forgiveness and cleansing from sin. Healed by His stripes, cleansed by His blood blessed double cure for a double curse for all who will look and live."
But have not these twain been separated, till only Salvation remains? Then His stripes were borne in vain.
Hearken to the words of the Master: "The works that I do shall ye do, and greater works than these shall ye do because I go to My Father. All power is given unto me, in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore and teach all nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Teaching them to observe all things, whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen." Matt. 28:18-20.
"As ye go preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand, cleanse the leper, heal the sick, cast out demons, freely as ye have received freely give.'' "Into whatsoever city or town ye enter heal the sick that are therein and say unto them, The Kingdom of God is come nigh unto you." And He sent them to preach the Gospel and heal the sick. And said, ''These signs shall follow them that believe: in My name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover." Mark 16:17, 18.
Jesus the same yesterday, today and forever still brings the double cure for soul and body. There is still life for a look at the Crucified One, and they who touch the hem of His garment may still be made whole.
In the fifth chapter of James, the elders of the church are given instructions to anoint the sick (who call for them) with oil, and pray the prayer of faith, having the promise of the double cure . . . The prayer of faith shall save the sick and the Lord shall raise him up, and if he hath committed sins they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults one to another and pray one for another that ye may be healed. What a sweet relationship there here exists between Salvation and Healing.
This does not mean that we will never die. There comes a day when the sands of the years are run and the child of God is caught up and goes sweeping home to glory. Thank God for that hope! 'Tis not that they who claim the promise of healing fear death. To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. But it does mean that instead of suffering, and groaning all the days of our lives with a torturous disease, it is possible to look away to Jesus and take that for which He paid with cruel stripes, and the shedding of His precious blood. Too long have we wandered in weakness and poverty, when we might have had His strength and riches. Too long have we lain starving, when we might have been feasting in Father's banquet hall.
A man in straitened financial circumstances once bought a ticket for an ocean voyage.
"Now I must be very saving of my few remaining dollars," he told himself. "I'll just buy some crackers and drink water with them for the duration of my voyage, thus leaving a small sum for my arrival.'' Days wore by one by one, and the poor man became more and more famished for a good square meal and more disgusted with crackers and water. On the day that the steamer was scheduled to arrive in port he could bear it no longer, if it took the last cent, he decided that he must have one more good meal.
But when he made his way to the dining salon, its beauty and the fine food which was being served, course after course at the tables, the white linen and shining silver caused him to doubt. Such a fine dining room, perhaps he would not have money enough after all! Catching the eye of the steward he inquired:
"Sir, would you please be kind enough to tell me the cost of a meal in that dining room?" The waiter looked at the man with amazement and said :
"Why I don't understand what you mean."
"I want to know how much one good, square meal at that table would cost me, please."
"Why you have a ticket for this steamship voyage, haven't you?"
"Ticket? Why y-yes," stammered the man.
"Then your meals don't cost you a penny. They are all included in your ticket. Where have you been at meal times? Why did you not come to the table? Your place has been set and held vacant for you all the time."
"Why I've been sitting in my state-room eating crackers and drinking cold water, every day, because I thought I could not afford the dining room."
And, Oh dear ones, many of us have gone almost to the end of life's voyage before realizing the good things included in our ticket. Salvation, Healing, the power of the Holy Spirit and rich life in Christ are yours for the asking. Draw near today and cry: Thou Son of David, have mercy upon me. I now appropriate Thy promises, and claim as mine the rich provision Thou hast made for me, even the double cure with its blessings for body and soul.
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