THE GOSPEL: Everything in God's Time!

And He came down with them and stood on a level place with a crowd of His disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear Him and be healed of their diseases, as well as those who were tormented with unclean spirits. And they were healed. And the whole multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out from Him and healed them all. (Luke 6:17-19)

The three gospel books that record this event elaborate on different details.  Above, Luke states the facts very clearly with very little additional information.  Matthew explains how this event was the fulfillment of a prophecy from the book of Isaiah: But Jesus knew what they were planning. So he left that area, and many people followed him. He healed all the sick among them, but he warned them not to reveal who he was. This fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah concerning him:

"Look at my Servant, whom I have chosen.

He is my Beloved, who pleases me.

I will put my Spirit upon him,

and he will  proclaim justice to the nations.

He will not fight or shout or raise his voice in public.

He will not crush the weakest reed or put out a flickering candle.

Finally he will cause justice to be victorious.

And his name will be the hope of all the world. [Isaiah 42:1-4]"
(Matthew 12:15-21 NLT)

What's so amazing, no miraculous about Isaiah's prophecy is that it was written nearly 1,000 years before Jesus was born, yet the details are so accurate. Even the detail of the location of the miracles, "...And the coastlands shall wait for His law.” (Isaiah 42:4) But Jesus withdrew with His disciples to the sea. And a great multitude from Galilee followed Him, and from Judea and Jerusalem and Idumea and beyond the Jordan; and those from Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they heard how many things He was doing, came to Him.  So He told His disciples that a small boat should be kept ready for Him because of the multitude, lest they should crush Him. For He healed many, so that as many as had afflictions pressed about Him to touch Him. (Mark 3:7-10) 

Mark's recording also includes a very interesting comment, regarding what people filled with demonic spirits said, before Jesus cast the spirits out of them: And the unclean spirits, whenever they saw Him, fell down before Him and cried out, saying, “You are the Son of God.” But He sternly warned them that they should not make Him known. (Mark 3:11-12)  Several times leading up to this, Jesus has made similar comments to people, and had specifically addressed the demonic spirits in others (see THE GOSPEL: Even Demons Obey). Jesus told His mother Mary, just before He performed His first miracle that "My hour has not yet come. "(John 2:4)  He told the two blind men after He healed them “See that no one knows it.” (Matthew 9:30) When He healed the man of leprosy, He said “See that you say nothing to anyone." (Mark 1:44) We will even study in a future lesson of two demon possessed men who tell Jesus  “What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?” (Matthew 8:30)

Of course no one listened to His warning because great multitudes kept following Him and the disciples wherever they went, based on the testimony of those He healed and those who witnessed the miracles.  But Jesus knew the Jewish leaders ...the Pharisees went out and plotted against Him, how they might destroy Him. (Matthew 12:14) Nothing could happen to Him until the appointed time by God, which was to be after Jesus made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem before the Passover (John 13:1-4).  Then after all other things that were to take place took place, Jesus would say "The hour has come." (Mark 14:41) Nothing could happen to Jesus until the time God appointed it to happen, and everything in our lives happens when it's supposed to happen and for a reason, according to the will of God.  But if we believe in Christ Jesus as our Savior and Lord, then we can rest assured that ...having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him. (Ephesians 1:9-10)