Jesus Heals a Girl Age 12 and a Woman Sick 12 Years

After crossing the Sea of Galilee by boat Jesus heals a woman sick 12 years and a girl age 12. The two stories are pointing into history 12 times from Noah’s flood when two women are healed. This is the period in history of the Assyrian deportation. Several parables follow explaining that period in history.

Bible Story

When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the lake. Then one of the synagogue rulers, named Jairus, came there. Seeing Jesus, he fell at his feet and pleaded earnestly with him, "My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live." So Jesus went with him. A large crowd followed and pressed around him. And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, because she thought, "If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed." Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering. At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who touched my clothes?" "You see the people crowding against you," his disciples answered, "and yet you can ask, `Who touched me?'" But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering." While Jesus was still speaking, some men came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue ruler. "Your daughter is dead," they said. "Why bother the teacher any more?" Ignoring what they said, Jesus told the synagogue ruler, "Don't be afraid; just believe." He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James. When they came to the home of the synagogue ruler, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. He went in and said to them, "Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep." But they laughed at him. After he put them all out, he took the child's father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was. He took her by the hand and said to her, "Talitha koum!" (which means, "Little girl, I say to you, get up!"). Immediately the girl stood up and walked around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished. (Mark 5:21-42 NIV)

Background

Mark again references Noah’s flood when he records Jesus crossing the Sea of Galilee again by boat. This marks the start of another parable that measures time from Noah’s flood.

In this particular parable an official from the Synagogue comes to Jesus and begs him to heal his sick daughter. Jesus heads off with the man to see his daughter and along the way has a second encounter with a woman. This woman has been bleeding and knows that if she can touch the hem of Jesus’ garment she will be healed. She does so, reaching out from the crowd.

Jesus makes a show of finding the woman and when he finally finds here explains that her faith has made her well.

Once this side project is finished, Jesus continues to the home of the Synagogue ruler. Once there a crowd surrounds the girl who has now died. Jesus dismisses the crowd and gets alone with the girl. He proceeds to raise the girl from the dead and give her back to her family.

About the only linkage between these two stories, besides the insertion of the woman’s story inside the girls, is the number of years: 12. In the case of the woman, she has had her condition for 12 years. In the case of the girl, she is 12 years old.

Running The Math

In parables, all counts of things are references to time. In this case the time reference opens up the meaning of this parable. 12 years is not a time measurement that can be used directly. It must be broken down into the raw number of days. The formula for converting years into days is 360 * years + 30 for every Sabbath. In this case 360 * 12 + 30 = 4350.

When prophecies are given over people, the units are actual 24 hour days. This is of course what was happening with these two women. 4350 days.

As explained in an article on prophetic ratios, time for nations is not the same as time for people. In the case of nations, the prophetic unit is years, not days, so the prophetic interval is years.

Of course the story began with Jesus crossing the lake by boat, so the prophetic interval starts at Noah’s flood. Noah’s flood began in 6020 AA so the target date is 6020 AA + 4350 = 10370 AA.

What Happened?

We can inspect the chronology of the Judean Kings and find 10369 AA as the first year of Jeremiah's prophetic ministry.

10370 AA is thus the 2nd year in Jeremiah’s era, the time when he is announcing to the city of Jerusalem the impending destruction of the Babylonians. The first year of rule of Babylonia over Jerusalem would be about 20 years later, or 10390 AA.

This time in history is after the Assyrian invasion and deportation and start of the period in history when the tribes were "lost."

A careful read of the Assyrian invasion indicates that only the city of Jerusalem survived the Assyrian invasion. This means that the total number of people who lived in ancient Israel after about 10284 AA was limited to the number of people who could safely remain inside the walls of David’s ancient city. Estimates for this remnant are in the low tens of thousands, a far cry from the several million that inhabited ancient Israel at David’s time.

After the civil war at the death of Solomon, David’s ancient kingdom was divided into two parts. These two parts form the basis for the "two women" prophecies in the Old Testament. Jesus is referencing these prophecies by referring to the two halves of the kingdom through the use of two women in this story.

One of the women, the 12 year old girl, is the daughter of a synagogue ruler. She likely represents Jerusalem, the city where the temple was located. She also represents the religious system based there. That system ridiculed Jesus when he was carrying out his public ministry which is why the crowd at the girl’s house also ridicules Jesus when he arrives to heal the girl.

The other woman, the one with the issue of blood, represents the other kingdom, the northern kingdom. She receives power from Jesus because the northern kingdom represents political power. This woman touches the hem of Jesus’ garment, likely following David’s cutting off of Saul’s hem in the cave.

In the case of the woman with blood, Jesus makes a spectacle of finding the woman in the crowd. His actions are quite specifically directed at the lost nature of the lost tribes of ancient Israel. That kingdom cannot be found except by searching for the ones who have received power from Jesus. This includes political power, like David gained when he cut Saul’s hem, but also Spiritual power.

A Jesus based measure of 12 years

When Jesus was 12 years old, he too was involved in a prophetic, parable, story. In that case he went up to Jerusalem at a feast and then remained behind in Jerusalem while his family returned home. Jesus’ life is itself following the original chronology of the Bible and this "age 12 ascension" is seen in the historical chronology as Enoch’s ascension. This happened in year 4270 AA, and it can be used as an alternative measure of the number of days in 12 years.

In the case of the girl and the woman their sicknesses are in their 12th year. Recorded simply as age 12, or 12 years. These allow for a shorter rendering as we learn from Jesus’ age 12 visit to Jerusalem.

Noah’s flood, in 6020 AA + 4270 = 10290 AA. Again we can inspect the chronology of the Judean Kings and see this is landing in Hezekiah's reign.

A more careful read of Hezekiah's reign shows this is 6 years after the sun went back during the reign of Judean king Hezekiah. This is essentially at the time of the Assyrian invasion.

All of the events of the Assyrian invasion of the ancient Israelite kingdoms happened within 20 years of this date, consistent with the likely 20 years of preparation for Noah’s flood from the millennium break at 6001 AA and the actual start of the flood in early 6020 AA.

Jesus Goes Home to Nazareth

(Mark 6:1-5)

Without getting into a boat, Jesus proceeds from healing the 12 year old girl to his home town. He makes the important point that in his home town, he is both without honor and unable to do miracles, except for heal a few sick people. Without a trip in a boat, this parable sits timed as a natural part of the last parable. In other words he is explaining more about what happened back in ancient Israel and Judah.

Ancient Israel and Judah were no longer living in their home towns even in Jesus day. Jerusalem and the remnant that lived there make up the "home town" of ancient Israel. They were scattered across the globe because of the Assyrian invasion. He is explaining that he will do miracles in many places, but not in his home town.

When the crown exclaims that this is Jesus, the carpenter’s son, along with the rest of his family, they are remembering him as he was. As he was in his "development years" before the power of God was moving mightily in his life. The natural parallel to this is the home town religious system that has always been devoid of supernatural power. Returning to the old ways, the way of the Mosaic Law, leaves all people unable to experience the power of Jesus’ miracles in their lives.

Jesus sends out the 12

Calling the Twelve to him, he sent them out two by two and gave them authority over evil spirits. These were his instructions: "Take nothing for the journey except a staff -- no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. Wear sandals but not an extra tunic. Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave, as a testimony against them." They went out and preached that people should repent. They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them. King Herod heard about this, for Jesus' name had become well known. Some were saying, "John the Baptist has been raised from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him." (Mark 6:7-14 NIV)

Without crossing by boat, Jesus proceeds to send out the 12 disciples. They are told not to take anything with them, no extra clothing or money. Jesus warns that those who do not receive the disciples will face judgment. They go, and are able themselves to anoint with oil, cast out demons and heal the sick.

Because this does not transition back to a boat story, it too is based on the early dating. The story is the time after the Assyrian captivity when the 12 tribes have been sent out into the world. The remnant of a few thousand who remained in Jerusalem after the Assyrian invasion do not themselves constitute even 1 tribe. Though the northerners are referred to as the Ten, the entire set is referred to as the 12.

The 12 disciples are linked in a 1 to 1 fashion back to the original 12 tribes of ancient Israel. They will eventually judge the 12 tribes, likely with 1 disciple seated as judge over 1 tribe. The gates of the New Jerusalem, where everyone is headed eventually are also named with the names of the 12 disciples. This suggests everyone, even modern believers must eventually pass under the inspection of one of the disciples.

Jesus sends out the 12 disciples at this point in the story because he is prophetically referring to the departure of the 12 tribes under the Assyrian deportation. Once away from the home town, the subject of his previous parable, the disciples will be able to perform miracles. This is essentially why the ancient 12 tribes were deported. God wanted them saved and performing miracles, and could not do that under the old system.

Beheading John the Baptist

King Herod heard about this, for Jesus' name had become well known. Some were saying, "John the Baptist has been raised from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him." Others said, "He is Elijah." And still others claimed, "He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of long ago." But when Herod heard this, he said, "John, the man I beheaded, has been raised from the dead!" For Herod himself had given orders to have John arrested, and he had him bound and put in prison. He did this because of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, whom he had married. For John had been saying to Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife." So Herodias nursed a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she was not able to, because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard John, he was greatly puzzled; yet he liked to listen to him. Finally the opportune time came. On his birthday Herod gave a banquet for his high officials and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. When the daughter of Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests. The king said to the girl, "Ask me for anything you want, and I'll give it to you." And he promised her with an oath, "Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom." She went out and said to her mother, "What shall I ask for?" "The head of John the Baptist," she answered. At once the girl hurried in to the king with the request: "I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a platter." The king was greatly distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he did not want to refuse her. So he immediately sent an executioner with orders to bring John's head. The man went, beheaded John in the prison, and brought back his head on a platter. He presented it to the girl, and she gave it to her mother. On hearing of this, John's disciples came and took his body and laid it in a tomb. (Mark 6:14-29 NIV)

The final story in this series of events that point at the end of David’s empire is the beheading of John the Baptist. Like the other stories in this series, nothing separates this story from the previous story, implying that the story is chronologically related to the woman and young girl, Jesus’ home town and the sending out of the twelve. In this case it is the last of the stories dealing with the ancient southern kingdom, the Babylonian invasion and destruction of Jerusalem.

When the Assyrians invaded ancient Israel and ancient Judah they left behind a remnant in the city of Jerusalem. This invasion destroyed the government that made up the northern Kingdom seated at Samaria. The invasion also lead to the deportation of the tribes of ancient Israel to various lands, most notably the lands of the Medes who would rule Babylon.

King Nebuchadnezzar of ancient Babylon was shown in a dream that he was the first in a series of kingdoms that would eventually rule the world. The message of the dream was delivered through an image of a statue of a man, with the Babylonian king being the head. Through various scenes the future progression of the Babylonian empire was shown growing into the Greek and Roman empires. The statue’s legs became what we know of now as the split in the Roman empire with the eastern and western branches. The last scene in the dream dealing with the statue is a view of the 10 toes. That number, 10, always refers to the northern kingdom, confirming that Babylon was the heir to the northern kingdom’s promises.

At the time of Jesus this progression of kingdoms is now known as the Roman Empire. That empire is still several hundred years from division into east and west. That empire rules most of the known world, including Palestine. The proof of that rule is seen in various New Testament stories when the Roman power makes itself known. One of those seats of power is Herod’s governorship.

In the story of the beheading of John the Baptist, the primary agent is Herod. Herod is the embodiment of the ruling Roman power in Palestine. He is also the heir to Nebuchadnezzar’s rule over 600 years before. Herod is prophetically playing the role of Nebuchadnezzar.

The Assyrian invasion left a remnant within the city of Jerusalem. This was the ancient capital of the southern kingdom of Judah. The crown of that government, the head, the king, was spared by the Assyrians because it was not God’s time for the remnant to be deported.

The end of their time began when the Babylonians invaded ancient Palestine and made the king at Jerusalem his vassal. The king at Jerusalem in effect was put into Nebuchadnezzar’s prison, a prophetic match to John the Baptist’s imprisonment.

After 19 years of being a vassal to Nebuchadnezzar, the king at Jerusalem attempted to revolt by getting Egypt to come and free the city from Nebuchadnezzar’s rule. This lead to a siege and eventually invasion by Nebuchadnezzar’s army. The walls of Jerusalem were broke through and the city burned. The king from Jerusalem blinded and taken to Babylon as a prisoner. After many years the king was eventually released from the dungeon and allowed to eat in the royal court.

John’s beheading is a prophetic match to the destruction of the city. The head itself was taken back to Herod’s court, just as the king in ancient times. John’s head was presented in the royal court just as the Jehoiakim was eventually presented in the royal court in Babylon.

Phil Stone 2007-05-12 2022-03-30