WHO TOUCHED ME?
Mark 5:25 And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years, 26 And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse, 27 When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment. 28 For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole. 29 And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague. 30 And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes? 31 And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me? 32 And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing. 33 But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth. 34 And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague. Not in the original added by the translators of the King James.
1Sam. 6:19 And he smote the men of Beth-shemesh, because they had looked into the ark of the LORD, even he smote of the people fifty thousand and threescore and ten men: and the people lamented, because the LORD had smitten many of the people with a great slaughter. 20 And the men of Beth-shemesh said, Who is able to stand before this holy LORD God? and to whom shall he go up from us?
2Sam.6:5 And David and all the house of Israel played before the LORD on all manner of instruments made of fir wood, even on harps, and on psalteries, and on timbrels, and on cornets, and on cymbals. 6 And when they came to Nachon's threshingfloor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it. 7 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God.
John 1:114 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. 16 And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. 17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ and dwelt among us. NT:4637 skenoo (skay-no'-o); from NT:4636; to tent or encamp, i.e. (figuratively) to occupy (as a mansion) or (specifically) to reside (as God did in the Tabernacle of old, a symbol of protection and communion): Jesus was the true tabernacle where the fullness of the Godhead dwells.
In these passages of scripture we have a great contrast between the old and the new covenant. When the men of Beth looked into the ark of the Lord 53, 010 men were killed. When Uzzah put forth his hand to steady the ark God smote him for his error. But when the woman with an issue of blood touched the ark, Jesus, dunamis was release to heal her immediately. Touching the ark under the law brought death but her touch brought grace, full of truth unto life. Do we now understand the difference between law and grace?
A life under the law no matter how caring or concerned for the Lord can only bring death. It is impossible to meet all the demands of the law even in an emergency. But a life in desperation under grace can cause the power of Christ to release into ones very inner most being. She knew what was done in her. She felt the dunamis enter her and release her from the plaque. NT:1411 Dunamis is the miraculous power of God. This is same power that raised Christ from the dead and the same power given to his body on the day of Pentecost. Dunamis is the same power given to the church in this day. Only we are not able to completely let it flow from us as Jesus did so we may heal others by the power flowing out of us. She barely touched the ark. She touched the fringe or a tassel of his garment. Yet, her faith ignited the conduit of flow from his divine energy.
Only once does the word dunamis apply to the negative force. In Rev 18:3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies. What a contrast these woman provide for our understanding. One has faith and receives power that heals while the other creates destruction and is fallen. But this woman rises healed and sent away in peace by the word of the master. Here in lies a secret to the believer desperation can motivate one to reach out for the miraculous and receive the promise. Do we know we are like this woman? Death is at our door step. Death is our enemy. It is an incurable disease. No doctor, no doctrine and no power of this earth are going to heal us of this body of death. Only the miraculous power of Jesus Christ can conquer the last enemy.
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