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John 5:1-9 After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. [2] Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches. [3] In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. [4] For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had. [5] And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. [6] When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? [7] The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me. [8] Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. [9] And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath. Pastor Doyle related how that in the book of John many of the incidents in the first 5 chapters have to do with water. Jesus' baptism, the wedding feast at Cana, the woman at the well, and now the man at the pool. Then he gave some comparisons between the woman at the well and the man at the pool. The pool of Bethesda was very large---about the size of a football field! And 7-5 feet deep. It was located at the sheep gate. Jesus had to go out of his way to go through this gate to minister to this man. And this was not the most pleasant of gates (smelly,etc.) Verse 3, of John 5, says that there were IMPOTENT FOLK here. Folk denotes that there were all kinds of people from all stations of life. When sickness strikes it has no care for our class or rank in life! IMPOTENT means powerless; lacking effectiveness; without force
There was a MULTITUDE of people! All of these had come to
the place where they needed HELP!!
We are BLIND when we begin to compromise. The Laodecean church in Rev. 3 thought they could see, but the Lord said they were blind. They were deceived. We become deceived when we compromise a godly lifestyle---when we begin to compare ourselves with others, instead of following the Lord. HALT means unable to walk;deformed. Many times we have a "lame" excuse as to why we can't do what the Lord is telling us to do. We remain in this condition when we "give in" to the hurt, instead of being healed. Hebrews 12:13 "And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed. " WITHERED denotes loss of life; withdrawn. Many come to church like the man at the pool---waiting for the moving of the Spirit. Bethesda means "House of Mercy". Jesus is TOUCHED by the feelings of our weaknesses! He will come and heal us even though we have no faith sometimes, just like the man at the pool!
This healing took place during the Feast of Tabernacles,
which was a very dry time of the year. If we are having a
"dry" time, the Lord still wants to touch and heal us!
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