What A Multitude! Zion The Real Deal?

My heart skiped! The crowd, for lack of better word very intimidating. Sea of heads, looking for Jesus with hearts overwhelmed with life challenges.

Like that woman with an issue of blood, gone round 360 degrees, looking for a solution to what looked irredeemable until that touch was made, the crowd at Eziama desired to have such a touch.

How easy and seamless was her touch? I guess not that easy.

A lot beyond human imagination went into it. As I looked at that multitude at Eziama/ Ntu Okpala, I wished half of the sea of heads I saw there could achieve that touch.

Though it happened over 2000 years ago, could the crowd at Eziama be near the crowd that followed Jesus both in the gospels of Mark 5 and Matthew 5( The woman with issue of blood and the scenario of the beatitudes) ?

I guess not, Eziama’ crowd may be more.

One thing runs through the three scenarios ( Eziama and Mark 5 and Matthew 5 ) which was the abundant presence of Jesus’s power, waiting to be touched with a faith as little as a mustard seed.

Out of the whole multitude of Mark 5. 25-34 only the woman with an issue of blood had an encounter with that power.

Without sounding so condescending, the reality around many, if not all churches and Prayer Ministries.

What happened to others ,one may ask . On a jamboree? Moving with the trend without focus, direction and expectation?

He was shoved around, had body contacts with many, only the touch of that woman with an issue of blood made him stop and asked, “who touched me”?

Each time I see crowd of people on prayer grounds, I easily don’t get awed by such burgeoning number, if in that crowd the faith of the woman with an issue of blood isn’t their reality or the brokeness of Zaccheus in the gospel of luke 19. 1- 10 their experience.

I don’t reckon with such crowd without faith, I see them more like crowd of political rallies, #Endbadgovernment and #Endsars demonstration.

What is the need if they can’t touch the helm? Broken, the way Zaccheus was. What is the need for the noise! The gyration! What then is the need jumping and shouting if the helm of Jesus’s garment cannot be touched and Jesus turning as asking who touched me?

Every other thing that happens without the touch and Jesus’ tuning around to ask who touched me, could only be explained as theatrical, drama and high emotional frenzy.

I have taken time to understudy the dynamics of Jesus’s five ministrial dimensional :

1) The Word 2) His empathy 3) His exorcistic presence 4) Healing/ Deliverance power. 5) His power for miracles, signs and wonders

Though not many would possibly have a seamless buy in to this my postulation, of any ministry or church that would stand the test of time would have have them. However, the fulcrum of what Jesus did while here on earth.

Jesus had the word. He fed them with a dose of it, piercing heart and making reprobate mind broken. ( Mathew 5 and Lk 19) It was the words of Jesus that cut through the heart of a tax collector to mend his ways.

Jesus’s presence was raw power. The demoniac saw him and trembled without him saying a word. They recognised him without Jesus announcing himself.

Jesus’s empathy for the poor and less privileged was unparalleled. He feed them with just five loaves and two fish.

His healing and deliverance power caused a lot of havoc and his power to do signs, miracles and wonders very evident.

However, a lot never had a feel of his presence and what he carry. It wasn’t about Jesus. More of the people who though face to face with him couldn’t maximise their closeness with him.

Without sounding pessimistic, I am persuaded to say, a lot in that crowd at Eziama wouldn’t be as lucky as that woman with an issue of blood or as broken as Zaccheus. Possibly walking away from that ground,still burdened, looking for the next Crusade, Conferences, Revival, Fire ministry etc to attend.

Truth be told, though it may sound awarkward and possibly taste bitter that the God that followed Ebuka Obi to Eziama that causes such an eruption in crowd is same God in the Blessed Eucharist, other Conferences, Crusades etc He is gifted and anointed no doubt, however, his gifting and anointing can’t avail much without the corporation of people’s through faith.

With Faith one can move mountains even within the comfort of ones home. With faith, miracles can happen in your small community crusade. With faith, amazing miracles can happen before the Blessed Eucharist.

I am saying this, to refocuse and redirect people’s attention from possible deification of Evangelist Ebuka Obi to the main deal – Jesus.
The palpable and unconscious “Jesusnization” of Ebuka is not remote and the signs are there..

*The crowds in Lystra after Barnabas and Paul healed a disabled man. The Lystrans were star-struck. They were so impressed by the powerful miracle that they thought Barnabas and Paul must be the Greek gods Zeus and Hermes gracing them with their presence in human form*.

It is possible. I am not speaking Greek.

To the zionist congratulations on the completion of your 100days. May what took you there meet the faith of the woman with an issue of blood and the brokeness and restitution of Zaccheus.

Jarlath Uche Opara Jarlathuche@gmail.com