Yeshua, Son of David

Shalom, dear children!

When driving from Jerushalayim (Jerusalem) to Yam HaMelach (‘the Dead Sea’), one passes Jericho. Jericho is an old city, which is mentioned in the Tenach, the Old Testament (read: Joshua chapter 2 verse 1). Jericho was the city that Israel spied on, before she entered the Promised Land. Jericho is also one of the cities where Yeshua walked through, about 1300 years later.

Have you ever heard of the blind man called Bartimaeus? You can read about him in Mark chapter 10 verses 46 through 52. Bartimaeus was the son of Timaeus. He used to sit and beg along the road which led people from Jericho to other places. One day, Yeshua passed Bartimaeus with “a great multitude ” (a lot of people, verse 46). “And when he had heard that it was Yeshua of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Yeshua, Son of David, have mercy on me!” (verse 47).

This verse shows that Yeshua was known. “Yeshua? He is the one who can heal us!” Also, people knew that Yeshua wasn’t just some ordinary healer or docter, but that He was the Messiah. How do we know this? In this verse, Yeshua is called the ‘Son of David’, and not ‘Son of Joseph’ (the name of his ‘biological’ father). ‘Son of David’ is another name for the Messiah. This shows that the people who lived in Yeshua’s time period, knew that He was the Messiah! Amazing, right?

While the people around Bartimaeus warned him to be quiet, Yeshua asked what he wanted. “Rabboni, that I may receive my sight!” (verse 51). Here, Bartimaeus calls Yeshua his master or teacher. Now, Yeshua says that Bartimaeus “faith has made [him] well” (verse 52), and he can see again. Bartimaeus gets up and follows Yeshua. Wow, he was healed by his faith!

Did you know, that Bartimaeus wasn’t the only one who got saved by his faith? In Hebrews chapter 11 are the names of people like Abel, Henoch and Noach. Did you know that Abraham, too, was saved by his faith? When G-d called him, he left for a place which he would inherit. Abraham left in obedience to a place, without knowing where he would end up!

Yeshua is the Son of G-d. He knows things without us having to say them. However, Yeshua asked Bartimaeus what he wanted Yeshua to do for him (verse 51). Remember this: G-d wants to have a relationship with us. One, in which we have contact with Him, although He already knows our thougths and desires! Apart from Bartimaeus, the Bible mentions many others who were saved by their faith. Therefore, let’s trust and believe in G-d and in His salvation (which is ‘Yeshua’ in Hebrew!).

Noa Naor, Jeruzalem

Text to remember: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11 verse 1).