Psalm 102; 2 Samuel 15:19-37; Acts 21:37-22:16; Mark 10:46-52
David flees the city as Absalom marches towards it. As he goes out, the people of the land wept aloud and several of the leaders came to David offering to go with him. The first to arrive is Ittai the head of the mercenary army of Gittites. David appreciates the loyalty of this man who owes him nothing and who has only recently come to Jerusalem and tries to send him away but Ittai is a loyal man and refuses to leave the king. Next come the priests and levites with the ark but David knows the ark now belongs somewhere, it is no longer a moveable thing, the dwelling place of God is Jerusalem although there is not yet a temple, and David says that if the Lord is on his side, he will see the ark again but if not, the Lord’s will be done. David sends back the priests and also Hushai as spies. David’s sin with Bathsheba carried with it this punishment, that there would never be peace among his family and now David will see the prophecy fulfilled. It is a sad day as the great king and his retinue march out to the Mount of Olives and beyond.
Jesus, unlike David, is heading to Jerusalem, to His death. He is not fleeing His fate, He is knowingly and willingly going towards it. On the way, He heals this blind man we know as Bar-Timaeus, the son of Timaeus. The blind man cries out to Jesus as the Son of David and his plea is for mercy. Does he want money? It is necessary for Jesus to ask him what he wants and his response is, my sight. He receives his healing through faith and Jesus’ command is “Go your way.” Bartimaeus decides that Jesus’ way is now his way and follows them to Jerusalem. He is like those in that first lesson who have decided that the king is the one to whom they will be loyal and wherever He goes they will go. Bartimaeus’ first vision is of the King of kings and as he follows Jesus he will see terrible things over the next days.
Paul startles first the tribune and then the crowd. The confusion has been so great that the tribune has assumed Paul to be an Egyptian who has led 4000 of the Assassins into the wilderness – surely this man is a significant lawbreaker to have aroused all this anger in Jerusalem. Paul speaks to this man in Greek and then to the crowd in Hebrew, affirming that he is both Jew and Greek, he has a foot in both camps. He then is able to tell the story of his conversion and we get some details here that we don’t get in Acts 9, namely the words Ananais spoke over him, 'The God of our fathers appointed you to know his will, to see the Righteous One and to hear a voice from his mouth; for you will be a witness for him to everyone of what you have seen and heard. And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.' Like Bartimaeus, Paul “recovers” his sight by virtue of faith in Jesus and his way is changed to the way of following Jesus rather than persecuting Him. Have we evaluated our direction lately?
The scepter well becomes His hands;
All Heav’n submits to His commands;
His justice shall avenge the poor,
And pride and rage prevail no more.
With power He vindicates the just,
And treads th’oppressor in the dust:
His worship and His fear shall last
Till hours, and years, and time be past.
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