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God Has Visited

 In Luke 7 Jesus performed a miracle that led to an amazing declaration. After interrupting a funeral in the town of Nain and raising someone back to life, we read these words in verse 16 Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and “God has visited his people!”

I believe that miracle was intended to call to mind a much earlier miracle performed by the Old Testament hero Elijah. In 1 Kings 17 the prophet raised the dead son of the widow of Zarephath. Elijah took the boy in his arms and presented him to his mother. Notice what happens next: 

"And the woman said to Elijah, 'Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in your mouth is truth (v.24).'”

The accounts in 1 Kings and Luke are similar. Both Jesus and Elijah raised the dead son of a widow; both gave the boy to his mother; both made contact with the deceased, and thus ceremonially defiled themselves. 

The comparison becomes even more apparent when we realize the miracle in the preceding verses of Luke (v.1-10) mirror a miracle in 2 Kings 5 where Elisha healed a Gentile general named Naaman. It seems Luke's intention is to help his readers see the similarities between the ministries of Elijah and Elisha, and the ministry of Jesus. But there is one major difference. 

The two prophets were sent by God, and Jesus is God. When Elijah raised the boy in Zarephath his mother declared, "Now I know you are from God!" When Jesus raised the boy in Nain, the people said, "Now we know God has visited us!"

There is a big difference in someone being from God and someone being God. This is why Jesus is called Immanuel--God with us. In Him is all the fullness of the Godhead in bodily form. We can trust in Him because He is God, and God Himself has visited us in order to bring us salvation. 


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