THY SON LIVETH
John 4:43 ¶ Now after (the) two days he departed thence, and went into Galilee. 44 For Jesus himself testified, that a prophet hath no honour in his own country. 45 Then when he was come into Galilee, the Galilaeans received him, having seen all the things that he did at Jerusalem at the feast: for they also went unto the feast. 46 So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum. 47 When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judaea into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down, and heal his son: for he was at the point of death. 48 Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe. 49 The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die. 50 Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way. 51 And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth. 52 Then enquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him. 53 So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house. 54 This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when he was come out of Judaea into Galilee.
Our Lord had spent two days in the Samaritan village where he had the encounter with the woman at the well. (See verse 40.) So after those two days he journeys down to Cana of Galilee. We can read in our verse forty-four that he does not go to Nazareth, as he would not be accepted there.
And even here in Galilee he does not focus upon the entire population again, but on one person who has come up from Capernaum, seeking the healing of his son. And the Holy Spirit has stamped upon this passage a phrase which appears three times. That phrase is, “Thy son liveth.” This directs us to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. And just how do we come to that understanding?
The entirety of the scriptures are but revelations of the Eternal Son of God! John 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
Luke 24:25 Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: 26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? 27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. 32 And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?
Luke 24:44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. 45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, Also carefully read Colossians 1:14-18.
Then what may we see of the Person of Christ and his resurrection in this passage? Here is a father who is a nobleman. He is both rich and powerful. God the Father owns the cattle on a thousand hills. (Psalm 50:10) And He is all powerful. (Jeremiah 32:17)
This father only had one son begotten of him. God the Father has only one begotten Son. (John 3:16) This father’s son was sick in a distant place. … whose son was sick at Capernaum. God the Father’s Son was made sin-sick down on earth, in the human race. 2 Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. John 16:28 I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.
For God the Father had orchestrated this event to encourage his Son regarding his own resurrection by having that phrase, “thy son liveth,” not only to be spoken from his own lips, but also to be repeated by the nobleman’s servants. And those words are made effectual for his and his entire household’s salvation! So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house.
Dear Reader, just reading the scriptures for a literal correctness will only cause you to be a religious historian. In order for them to be of benefit to your immortal soul, they must be read and seen in their spiritual meaning. John 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 24 God is Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. John 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
2 Corinthians 3:6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
In order for the scriptures to be made effectual to the salvation of the soul, they must be received into the heart and not just memorized in the head! Romans 6:17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. James 1:21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted (implanted and rooted) word, which is able to save your souls.
Therefore you may know many religionists, but you don’t really know that many christians!
It is interesting to see that this is called a “miracle!” See verse forty-five of our text. Yet it was not seen by anyone! This is another strong reason that we know that all this was for the encouraging of the great heart of the Lord Jesus from his Father. For, as has been said, the power of healing was in the invisible word of the Holy Spirit in the effectual words of the Lord, which granted faith in that father’s heart! John 3:8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
For as the Lord Jesus set forth those words to that earthly father, he also set them forth to his heavily Father as a token of his faith in the Father’s care. For the Lord Jesus is the author of faith! And that faith resided in the full belief of the Father’s raising him from the dead! Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Psalm 16:10 For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
This was at the heart of Peter’s Pentecostal message! Acts 2:29 Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. 30 Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; 31 He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. 32 This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. 33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.
And here is the Lord Jesus exercising his faith in his Father: Luke 23:46 And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.
This was the only way he would enter into death! For none could take the life of “The Life!” It was his faith in the Father’s ability and willingness to raise him up that prompted a voluntary releasing of himself into death! John 10:17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. 18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
And how came the very, exact words of the Lord Jesus out of those servant’s mouths? John 4:51 And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth. Since they were not there to hear the Lord in Cana utter these words, it could only be that God ordained their hearts and tongues to state them! Proverbs 16:1 The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the LORD.
For the Lord Jesus is the Servant of God, and he is The Word! Therefore it is in the pattern of spiritual things that these servants speak his exact words! Isaiah 53:11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 14 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.
There is one other passage in which these very words are spoken. And that passage also gives to us a witnesses’ response that may show us what was in that father’s heart as he heard his servants repeat the exact same words of the Lord.
1 Kings 17:21 And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, I pray thee, let this child’s soul come into him again. 22 And the LORD heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived. 23 And Elijah took the child, and brought him down out of the chamber into the house, and delivered him unto his mother: and Elijah said, See, thy son liveth. 24 And the woman said to Elijah, Now by this I know that thou art a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in thy mouth is truth.
The death of this widow’s son had made her ponder over her sins as if she were to blame for his death. 1Kings 17:18 And she said unto Elijah, What have I to do with thee, O thou man of God? art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son?
But now, the recovery of her son raised her heart above herself into the supernatural realm. And therefore she is made aware that Elijah is truly a man of God, and that Elijah’s words are the true words of God. And is that not the same with the nobleman of Capernaum? Consider this verse now again. So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house. He “knew” that those very words of the Healer now proved to him that this was the very Son of God, and that the words of his mouth were the very truth of God!
This is best expressed by the Apostle John. 1 John 1:1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; 2 (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) 3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.
And those words of truth are powerful, setting one free from death and sin’s disease! John 8:30 As he spake these words, many believed on him. 31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
Dear Reader, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Eternal Son of God, the very living Word of God has been sent down from heaven to reveal the truth of God to mankind. He has abolished the death hold that Satan and his religion’s have had on all who will hear his voice and come to him!
Revelation 18:1 And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. 2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. 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. 4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
Hebrews 2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; 15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
Eternity is growing increasingly impatient with time. Very soon time will be no more. Eternity affords not one single soul opportunity to improve itself. Today is the day of salvation. Flee to Christ. gb
