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258
From Heaven With Love
But suddenly Jesus and the three disciples were seen approach-
ing. The night of communion with heavenly glory had left on their
countenances a light that awed the beholders. The Saviour came to
the scene of conflict, and fixing His gaze on the scribes inquired,
“What question ye with them?”
But the voices so bold and defiant before were silent. Now the
afflicted father made his way through the crowd, and falling at the
feet of Jesus, poured out the story of his trouble and disappointment.
“Master,” he said, “I have brought unto Thee my son which hath
a dumb spirit; and wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him: ...
and I spake to Thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they
could not.”
Jesus read the unbelief in every heart, and exclaimed, “O faithless
generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer
you?” Then He bade the distressed father, “Bring thy son hither.”
The boy was brought, and the evil spirit cast him to the ground
in convulsions of agony. He lay wallowing and foaming, rending
the air with unearthly shrieks.
Again the Prince of life and the prince of darkness met on the
field of battle—Christ to “preach deliverance to the captives, ... to
set at liberty them that are bruised” (
Luke 4:18
), Satan seeking to
hold his victim under his control. For a moment, Jesus permitted the
evil spirit to display his power.
Jesus asked, “How long is it ago since this came unto him?”
The father told the story of long years of suffering, and then, as if
he could endure no more, exclaimed, “If Thou canst do anything,
have compassion on us, and help us.” “If Thou canst!” Even now the
father questioned the power of Christ.
Jesus answered, “All things are possible to him that believeth.”
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With a burst of tears, realizing his own weakness, the father cast
himself on Christ’s mercy: “I believe; help Thou mine unbelief.”
Jesus turned to the suffering one and said: “Thou dumb and deaf
spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him.”
There was a cry, an agonized struggle. Then the boy lay motionless,
apparently lifeless. The multitude whispered, “He is dead.” But
Jesus took him by the hand, and lifting him up, presented him in
perfect soundness of mind and body to his father. Father and son