The woman with the issue of blood was a woman of great faith that went against her culture, traditions and even some regulations given to Moses by God to receive her healing. If you read the book of Leviticus, you will see that a woman who either has her regular monthly period or just gave birth is considered unclean for a period of time. She has to go through the process of purification before she goes to public places.

And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman have conceived seed, and born a man child: then she shall be unclean seven days; according to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean. And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. And she shall then continue in the blood of her purifying three and thirty days; she shall touch no hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purifying be fulfilled. But if she bear a maid child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her separation: and she shall continue in the blood of her purifying threescore and six days. And when the days of her purifying are fulfilled, for a son, or for a daughter, she shall bring a lamb of the first year for a burnt offering, and a young pigeon, or a turtledove, for a sin offering, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, unto the priest: Who shall offer it before the Lord, and make an atonement for her; and she shall be cleansed from the issue of her blood. This is the law for her that hath born a male or a female. And if she be not able to bring a lamb, then she shall bring two turtles, or two young pigeons; the one for the burnt offering, and the other for a sin offering: and the priest shall make an atonement for her, and she shall be clean.Leviticus 12:1-8

And if a woman have an issue, and her issue in her flesh be blood, she shall be put apart seven days: and whosoever toucheth her shall be unclean until the even. And every thing that she lieth upon in her separation shall be unclean: every thing also that she sitteth upon shall be unclean. And whosoever toucheth her bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even. And whosoever toucheth any thing that she sat upon shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even. And if it be on her bed, or on any thing whereon she sitteth, when he toucheth it, he shall be unclean until the even. And if any man lie with her at all, and her flowers be upon him, he shall be unclean seven days; and all the bed whereon he lieth shall be unclean. And if a woman have an issue of her blood many days out of the time of her separation, or if it run beyond the time of her separation; all the days of the issue of her uncleanness shall be as the days of her separation: she shall be unclean. Every bed whereon she lieth all the days of her issue shall be unto her as the bed of her separation: and whatsoever she sitteth upon shall be unclean, as the uncleanness of her separation. And whosoever toucheth those things shall be unclean, and shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even. But if she be cleansed of her issue, then she shall number to herself seven days, and after that she shall be clean. And on the eighth day she shall take unto her two turtles, or two young pigeons, and bring them unto the priest, to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. And the priest shall offer the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering; and the priest shall make an atonement for her before the Lord for the issue of her uncleanness. Thus shall ye separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness; that they die not in their uncleanness, when they defile my tabernacle that is among them. This is the law of him that hath an issue, and of him whose seed goeth from him, and is defiled therewith; And of her that is sick of her flowers, and of him that hath an issue, of the man, and of the woman, and of him that lieth with her that is unclean.Leviticus 15:19-33

Worst still, if the period of the flow of blood is more than what is considered normal, then she becomes unclean for as long as the flow of blood would last (Leviticus 15:25). During this period of being unclean, anything the woman touches, for example, her bed, chair or person are all declared unclean (Leviticus 15:26-27). Therefore for this woman in our text scripture:

• to be in the crowd, if caught by the religious leaders of the day, she would have been in serious trouble; and
• it must have been difficult for her to know that within her community, she’s considered an outcast. She was helpless and with no hope of getting better. The doctors she went to for help added more to her problem because instead of curing her disease, for 12 years suffered with no ray of hope in sight. What an ordeal!

Then she heard about Jesus and decided to take a drastic step without caring what anyone might say or do. What had she heard of the Lord, the breaker of culture and of religious leaders and their rules? She might have heard about Jesus through the testimonies of people and family members of those that were healed by Jesus. She must have heard of His compassion and decided to take her uncleanness to the only one who could make her clean! Her desperation turned into an action of faith because nothing would have happened if she did not go after Jesus for her healing! She started her walk of faith toward Jesus believing she did not need to talk to Jesus, all she needed was to touch His clothes to receive her healing. What a great faith!

The age-old culture and religious rules could not stop her! Did she dress manly or simply believe the word around that Jesus made no gender discrimination when it came to the needy? When she eventually touched His clothes, she was healed instantly according to her faith. Her unspoken faith drew power from the source of all power and the Lord knew it. When Jesus realised what happened, He made her healing permanent by confirming to her what she already felt in her body (Note Mark 5:29,34).

He is still the same. Get rid of your presumptions of being discovered, go to Him with your uncleanness and draw wholeness from Him as you speak to Him without shame of your mess. He will heal, and not condemn you. Why wait any longer? Shalom.



Pastor Afolabi Oladele