GET OUT OF TOWN
Mark 8:26 – “Then He sent him away to his house, saying, ‘Neither go into the town, nor tell anyone in the town.’”
This is one of the most unusual miracles of Jesus in the gospels. It takes place in the town of Bethsaida, on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee. When He and the disciples arrive “some people” (NLT) bring this blind man to Jesus. Jesus spits on his eyes and places his hands on him, which begins the miracle. He places hands on him a second time and the blind man is able to see clearly…fascinating.
Something else unusual takes place. Jesus doesn’t do the miracle in the town of Bethsaida. Verse 23 tells us that Jesus took the man by the hand and let him out of the town to do the miracle. Then in our text he tells the man after he is healed to not back back to Bethsaida. What is it about that place that Jesus avoided? A key may be found in Matthew 11:21. Jesus pronounces curses on three cities because they would not repent. The curse went something like this in all three cases, “Woe to you (Bethsaida) for if the miracles that were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago.” Bethsaida was cursed because they did not believe and because they would not repent. Jesus refused to help this man in a place that was cursed. If they discredited Jesus they more than likely would discredit this man’s miracle.
It could also be that this man had some connections in Bethsaida that were not healthy. Maybe some bad relationships, bad habits, bad history…just plain bad.
When the Lord does a miraculous work in your life sometimes it’s best to just get out of town.