What picture comes into your mind when I mention the word “spit”? Unless it is a cute drooling baby, you may think of insult, humiliation, rejection and disgrace. Nobody wants to be spit upon. Think of the crucifixion, the soldiers spit upon Jesus before He was nailed on the cross. He endured the humiliation for a greater cause: to offer salvation to the entire world. 

Jesus also demonstrated His love to the lost before He was crucified. He did it through the simple element of spit. Jesus turned the degradation of spit into the demonstration of grace. Mixing His saliva with earthen clay, Jesus applied His healing salve on eyes that couldn’t see.  

When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. Jn. 9:6

Have you ever wondered why Jesus chose this method? What does spit have to do with healing? In Bible times, it was believed to have healing qualities. It was used as eye salve for some ailments. We now have greater understanding on what saliva contains and does. God has designed it to do marvelous deeds in our bodies! However, human spit comes with its limitations. For example, back to the Bible, if a man was born blind, there was no hope for healing. No saliva could help. This type of blindness was considered incurable, until Jesus showed up. 

Saliva and Salvation

Jesus proved He was God by joining His spit with the earth. It wasn’t the first time God used dirt and His mouth for His purpose. In the beginning, the ground was chosen material to form Adam, the first man. However, Adam didn’t receive life until the LORD breathed into his nostrils.

And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. Gen. 2:7

The Lord didn’t stop working His miracles from the beginning of time. The blind man was proof there were more miracles to be made through God’s mouth. Giving His own saliva performed salvation. (Salvation is defined as preservation or deliverance from destruction, difficulty, or evil.) The very name of Jesus means to deliver or to save. The Lord’s saliva had power. Have you wondered exactly what is in our Savior’s saliva?

Consider what saliva is used for. It is a tool to detect a person’s DNA. God’s DNA, His perfect genetics were placed onto these blind eyes. After application of the clay mixture, this blind man was told to step out in faith and journey to the pool of Siloam.

And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing. Jn. 9:7

Why Siloam? Siloam means Sent. Jesus was sent by the Father to wash away sin and sickness for all who believe. I’m sure being sent to Siloam with a glob of clay pasted on his eyes didn’t make sense, but the blind man listened and heeded the voice of Jesus. By doing so, He received his healing. Was the blind man healed only to reveal Jesus was the Messiah? Some believe so. They also have reasoned Jesus stopped offering His healing power today.  

Does Healing Have an Expiration Date?

Maybe you have a hard time believing healing is God’s will. I haven’t seen in Scripture where Jesus stated there is an expiration date on His virtue. However, over the ages, theologians continue to debate this topic, standing on opposite sides of the healing fence. The real question is, does theology transcend the Word? When confused, let Scripture speak. The Word of God is not just a mere man writing it. It is authored by the Holy Spirit. 

All scripture is given by the inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. 2 Tim. 3:16

For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. 2 Pet. 1:21

For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God which effectually worketh also in you that believe. 1 Thess. 2:13

Ask yourself, if you were the blind man, would you tell Jesus that healing isn’t possible, or would you go to the pool? I hope you said go, it is better than giving up.

Give Up or Go to God

When you have a need for help, you look for someone to tell you there is a solution. Well, there is not a person on earth that can give you a word that contains life like Jesus.  He is the Word, and the Word is filled with His life. When you read it, you encounter a personal and powerful God. The Bible is no ordinary book, my friend in Christ. 

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper that any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Heb. 4:12

It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. Jn. 6:63

Recognizing Jesus operates through His Word on our soul, spirit, joints and marrow, proves it is profitable to place Him first on our treatment plans. Doctors and natural means have their place, don’t get me wrong. They too help with symptom management or strengthening our immune systems while Jesus heals us. However, we are conditioned by our culture to make an appointment as soon as our bodies and minds are unwell. Sadly, we have more faith in our medical experts than our Lord Jesus Christ. On auto pilot, we fly to hospitals, homeopathy or therapists and take pharmaceuticals and supplements before seeking God’s intervention.

But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. Lk. 12:21

Sometimes fear and self-image fog up the faith. People may be afraid if they ask Jesus to heal them, they will be looked upon as fanatical and foolish. And yet, in desperation and when human efforts are exhausted, there are two choices: Give up or go to God. 

Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence: he will come and save you. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert. And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes. Is. 35:4-7

We are fools for Christ’s sake. 1 Cor. 4:10

Let’s be honest, are we foolish to seek the Heavenly Kingdom for our healing? For anyone truly believing our Lord is the same yesterday, today and forever, why would we think His healing virtue has ceased? God doesn’t change His nature. Won’t you please sneak into the past and permit history to speak. There is encouragement to be heard from those who journeyed before we were born.

Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. Heb. 13:8

History of Healing

The Father didn’t change His character from the Old to New Testament. For example, the Israelites depended upon the Father for wellness. This reliance was for their entire duration in the wilderness. There was not one feeble person in the crowd despite their remote location.

He brought them forth also with silver and gold: and there was not one feeble person among their tribes. Ps. 105:37

It is when the Father was forgotten to be their healer that disease had permission to pave the way.  When they veered off the Highway of Holiness, they lost His protection. Many believers have lost sight of God’s ways. Let’s look at the Laodiceans by fast forwarding to the book of Revelation. 

And an highway shall be there and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness, the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein. Is. 35:8

And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians, for I am the LORD that healeth thee. Ex. 15:26

And Asa in the thirty and ninth year of his reign was diseased in his feet, and his malady became increasingly severe. Yet even in his disease he did not seek the LORD, but sought help from physicians. So Asa slept with his fathers, and died in the one and fortieth year of his reign. 2 Chron. 16:12-13

From Old to New Testament

Sin is sin and its pattern stems from the Old Testament reaching into the last book of the Bible.  Look at the lukewarm Laodiceans. They were much like Americans today.

Prospering in banking and commerce, they were well known for their medical center. Guess what their specialty was? Eye salve. Their pride and trust in themselves deemed cause for God to spit them out of His mouth. 

I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Rev. 3:15-16.

While they possessed recognition for their optical remedies, the Lord warns them to anoint themselves with His eye salve. They needed a spiritual eye transplant to find their way back to Jesus.

I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear, and anoint thine eyes with eye salve, that thou mayest see. Rev. 3:18

The LORD openeth the eyes of the blind: the LORD raiseth them that are bowed down: the LORD loveth the righteous. Ps. 146:8

Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart. Eph. 4:18

Conclusion

We all have our own blind spots that need treatment. However, we do know God can be trusted with our pain. He personally took our sickness and suffering on the cross to offer us healing. (Is. 53:4-5) Therefore, it is worth walking with the blind man who dared to dip into the pool of God’s goodness. How does healing happen for us today? Through the living Word. 

My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart; For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh. Prov. 4:20-3

These bandages and bondages will be removed as we spend time in the living Word. May we approach this time with Jesus like a big dinner. Don’t just take one bite. Why settle for a little meal when a feast lies before us? The best way is to be like a cow when meditating on the Word. (This is not a new insight, but worth repeating.) The cow eats, chews, swallows, regurgitates, continues to chew and repeats the process several times. Now that is a lot of saliva! After pondering and being filled with truth, Jesus will put His saliva on our tongues! Like the mute man, our mouths will be loosed to share the miracles of Christ! 

And they bring unto him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech, and they beseech him to put his hand upon him. And he took him aside from the multitude and put his fingers into his ears, and he spit, and touched his tongue, And looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is Be opened: And straightway his ears were opened, and the sting of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain.  Mk. 7:32-35

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