People Following Jesus to the Desert - Luke 9:11

The beloved physician Luke wrote, “Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done by him: and he was perplexed, because that it was said of some, that John was risen from the dead. And of some, that Elias had appeared; and of others, that one of the old prophets was risen again. And Herod said, John have I beheaded: but who is this, of whom I hear such things? And he desired to see him. And the apostles, when they were returned, told him all that they had done. And he took them, and went aside privately into a desert place belonging to the city called Bethsaida”, and in chapter nine and verse eleven of his book Luke shared when the people, “knew it” they “followed him” where we read:

And the people, when they knew it, followed him: and he received them, and spoke unto them of the kingdom of God, and healed them that had need of healing.

The verse reads, “And the people, when they knew it, followed him:” Luke began with the words, “and the people” or “and the multitude of human beings both male and female”, “when they knew it” which means “at the time and moment the crowd understood, perceived, noticed and discerned that Jesus and His disciples went privately into a desert place”, “followed him” or “joined and accompanied Jesus”. Luke shared how the “people” discovered that Jesus and His disciples went to be alone in a “desert place”, and they went after Him.

The verse continues, “and he received them, and spoke unto them of the kingdom of God, and healed them that had need of healing.” Luke added the words, “and he received them” which means “and Jesus embraced, approved, sustained and accepted the people”, “and spoke unto them” or “and talked and preached to the crowd of people” “of the kingdom of God” which means “concerning the royal rule, power, kingship, dominion and reign belonging to the Godhead bodily and trinity which is comprised of God the Father, Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit”, “and healed them” or “and cured and made whole” “that had need of healing” which means “the people who required, demanded and had a necessity of being cured, restored to health and made whole”. Luke shared how Jesus “accepted and embraced” the people who came to the “desert place”, and He shared with them by “preaching” about “God's Kingdom” and “curing” their “illnesses and pains”.

When we think through Luke's words in this verse, we see how Jesus loved ministering to people. Though He took His disciples off to a “desert place” to be away from the crowds, the multitude found Him. Rather than brush them away, Jesus “received” them and ministered to both their physical and spiritual needs. People are looking for someone to “help” them, and when they turn their lives toward Jesus Christ, He will “accept” them, teach them and give them aid in any area in which they have need. Let all who read these words consider the love and compassion of Jesus and yield their lives to Him.

Next time Luke shares how Jesus' disciples told Him, “send the multitude away”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".