The Second Touch
We are extremely grateful for the humility of God (Psa 113:6) which provided for us a natural and a spiritual creation and, revealed as a theme, we can perceive and identify this as ‘the second touch’, the fulfilling and outworking of the purpose of God in His patience and by His grace as revealed in His incredible power of forgiveness, which is unfathomable.
This theme, ‘the second touch’, begins when God created Adam, "God saw that it was not good for man to be alone" and with a second touch of love, He created Eve as a help meet, and so begins the developing theme of God's unfolding love: the first Adam was made a living soul, the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. - mortality to immortality; death to resurrection, Adam to Christ.
Again, we have the Garden of Eden to the Garden of Gethsemane to the paradise of God's Kingdom; the Old Testament and then the New Testament; the law of Moses, the law of Christ; Moses and the 10 Commandments to Jesus’ words, "A new commandment I give unto, you, that ye love one another."
So the theme continues. These are just some of the many scriptural illustrations where God's plan of spiritual development gives man a ‘second chance’ of life, perfect life. The scripture speaks of two tabernacles, the tabernacle in the wilderness and the tabernacle of the flesh (our bodies) 2 Cor 5 : 1- 4, where in life God calls us to repentance of a former ignorance which He winked at but now commands all people to repent, Acts 17: 30, a second touch of love. Furthermore, a new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness.
Jesus speaks to the Samaritan woman at the well to the theme, the natural water and the Spiritual water, with the promise that we will never thirst again, water springing up into eternal life -in this the Lord has touched our hearts.
The Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 15 picks up the same beautiful theme, ‘the second touch’, contrasting that which is natural with that which is spiritual in verses 42-55:
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Verse 42, speaking of the resurrection of the body, it is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption.
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Verse 43, sown in dishonour, raised in glory, sown in weakness, raised in power.
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Verse 46, first that which is natural afterward that which is spiritual. How can we fail to see the significance in our lives of the Divine influence that we understand, by God's grace, to be ‘the second touch’!
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Verses, 53-55, So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption and this mortal shall have put on immortality (a second touch of love) then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
God's love, mercy and grace are enshrined in change from weakness to perfection, - 'the second touch'.
When we pause to reflect upon Jesus’ life and experiences we are brought face to face with Mark 8 : 22-25 to ponder again the incident of Jesus healing the blind man of Bethsaida.There are five other occasions in Jesus’ ministry where he touched people and with his hands performed a miracle of healing, but in Mark 8 Jesus did some unusual and remarkable things associated with the healing of this man.
What is impressive about this significant and deliberate action of Jesus is that it is the only occasion recorded of a healing process where Jesus touched a man the second time.
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Jesus takes the man by the hand and leads him out of town - a journey of faith, an act of humility and love.
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Jesus did spit on his eyes and then placed his hands upon his eyes asking him if he saw anything. Yes, he said, I see men as trees walking. The process of the miraculous healing had begun, but Jesus did not leave his work unfinished. He places his hands upon the man’s eyes the second time and made him look up - an upward look of faith - and his faith and his sight were restored. The healing process, step by step is a testimony of the fullness of God's grace, which is not a single manifestation, but a continuous ministration of love.
Slowly, step by step, the spiritual development takes place in us and we are invited to "Look up"; Jesus, if allowed, completes the work in us that he began. He is the author and finisher of our faith. The miracle at Bethsaida is the only recorded example of the ‘second touch’ and illustrates similar methods in our spiritual development and preparation for the Kingdom of God .
The parable of the prodigal son reveals more than a second chance for a wayward son - rather the second touch of a father’s love, so beautifully expressed with hands outstretched to own and bless. In spite of our unworthiness this is made possible through the fellowshiping of the sufferings of one who himself was touched with the feeling of our infirmities .
The hands of Jesus have touched our lives and because of this we see more in life than men as obscure shapes of trees, the mysteries of the world. We see the purpose of God, "Trees of the Lord's planting". God's love has bestowed His grace upon us and our eyes have received the second touch - the knowledge of the truth - and we are invited to "look up" and see the Glory of God, setting our affections on things above, seeing all things clearly."Let us lift up our heads for our redemption draws nigh".
So we in turn have a responsibility to bring Jesus to many people who dwell in darkness, whose hearts remain untouched by the knowledge of the glory of God. Freely we have received, freely give of the gospel and of ourselves as Jesus did; for our hope and our joy is 'THE TOUCH OF THE MASTER’S HAND'.
Israel prepares troops for battle with Bibles
“To prepare young Israeli soldiers for what could be the most intense fighting most of them have ever experienced, some army officials are turning to the Bible. In an interview posted to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) website, Lt.-Col. Yitzchak Ben-Yosef, rabbi of the Ground Forces Command, suggested that unlike during the height of the fighting during the recent "Oslo War," the IDF will be prepared with enough Bibles for all soldiers.
Religious commanders in the Israeli army insist that the biblical history of their nation provides the most powerful motivation for young Israeli soldiers to fight bravely. While secular voices often protest, the fact remains that the most courageous heroics are typically carried out by Bible-believing Israeli soldiers”.(Israel today Magazine 23.8.11)
Comment. Is this the beginning of the process of softening Israels hearts to God? Certainly to be “a good soldier of Jesus Christ (2Tim 2:3), every Christadelphian should have and seriously read the Bible for themselves, so that they are fully equipped to “Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called” (1 Tim 6:12). Any Christadelphian that needs and does not have an English Bible of their own can get one from us. MH.
Bro Andrew Lucas (Australia)
