In the vast tapestry of divine revelation, one of the most comforting and profound truths is that God is our Healer. From the earliest covenants to the glorious finished work of Christ, the Lord consistently reveals Himself as the one who restores, makes whole, and delivers from sickness and infirmity. This isn't a peripheral aspect of His character, but a central declaration of His benevolent heart towards humanity. Understanding God as our Healer is not merely an intellectual exercise; it is an invitation for His beloved Ekklēsia—the called of God—to experience His boundless compassion and the complete provision made for us in Jesus Christ.
Jehovah Rapha: The Lord Who Heals
The first explicit revelation of God as a Healer in the Bible comes in the wilderness, after the Israelites grumbled about bitter water. God performed a miracle, turning the bitter water sweet, and then declared: "If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee." (Exodus 15:26, KJV).
Here, God identifies Himself with a powerful name: Jehovah Rapha. The Hebrew word for "that healeth thee" is רָפָא (rapha’). This verb means to "mend, cure, or heal." It's used not only for physical healing (e.g., healing a wound or a sick person) but also for restoring broken relationships, repairing spiritual backsliding, and even mending damaged land or bitter water. It signifies a complete restoration, making whole what was broken. From this foundational declaration, we learn that healing is intrinsically linked to God's character and nature and His desire for the well-being of His people – specifically, those He calls out to Himself.
This comprehensive meaning of Rapha also points to a profound truth: all healing, in whatever form it manifests, ultimately originates from God. Whether it be through the miraculous touch of the Holy Spirit, the skillful hand of a surgeon, the efficacy of medicine, or the remarkable restorative power of nature itself, every instance of healing finds its ultimate source in the Creator and Sustainer of life. God is the one who imbues the body with its incredible capacity to recover, who inspires scientific discovery, and who orchestrates circumstances for restoration. There is no true healing apart from His divine design and power.
In stark, direct contrast to the character of Jehovah Rapha stands the character of the destroyer as pointed out in John 10:10 “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I (Jesus) am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”
Interestingly, many of the translations of the Bible fail us when it comes to Exodus 15:26, for example. In the original text God never says "which I have brought upon the Egyptians". The Hebrew word used here is merely śûm, meaning "appointed" without the personal pronoun. YHVH never says that He brought the sickness. It is not in His character.
Jesus is the Embodiment of God's Healing Will
Centuries later, Jehovah Rapha’s divine nature was perfectly embodied in Jesus Christ. His earthly ministry was a continuous, vibrant demonstration of God's will to heal, which is good news (or bad depending on how you look at it) to those who believe that God permitted sickness to come over them. Not once did Jesus tell someone that they need to get some illness first so that they get an appreciation of who He is. He didn't just teach about healing; He consistently performed it, and powerfully so. The Gospels are replete with accounts of His healing touch, demonstrating the Father's heart for His soon-to-be-called Ekklēsia:
"And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people." (Matthew 4:23, KJV).
"And great multitudes followed him; and he healed them all." (Matthew 12:15, KJV).
"Now when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with divers diseases brought them unto him; and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them." (Luke 4:40, KJV).
Notice the confirming emphasis: Jesus healed all. He never refused anyone who came to Him for healing, nor did He ever suggest that sickness was God's direct will for them. Every healing was a testament to God's compassionate heart and His desire for wholeness, laying the groundwork for the beneficiaries of His finished work—the called of God.
Jesus' miracles were not merely acts of power; they were living parables and testament to the nature of God, revealing the Kingdom of God and the divine intention to conquer all the destructive effects of sin, including sickness.
The Finished Work of Christ: The Foundation for Our Healing
While Jesus' earthly ministry demonstrated God's will and power to heal, it was His ultimate sacrifice on the cross—His finished work—that secured our healing as a complete, redemptive package for the Ekklēsia.
The prophet Isaiah, hundreds of years before Christ, foretold this profound truth:
"Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." (Isaiah 53:4-5, KJV).
Let's look closer at this incredible prophecy. The Hebrew word for "griefs" is חֳלִי (choli), meaning "sickness, disease, anxiety." The word for "sorrows" is מַכְאֹב (mak’ob), meaning "pain, suffering." So, Jesus literally bore our sicknesses and carried our pains.
Even more striking is the phrase "with his stripes we are healed." The Hebrew word for "bruised" in verse 5 is דָּכָא (daka’), which means to "crush or break in pieces." This speaks of a violent, shattering affliction.
The word for "stripes" is חַבּוּרָה (chabbûrâh), meaning a "stripe, bruise, or wound." This refers to the lacerations left by scourging. Isaiah clearly links Christ's physical suffering directly to our healing.
This prophetic truth is reaffirmed in the New Testament by Peter: "Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed." (1 Peter 2:24, KJV). Peter uses the Greek word μώλωψ (molops) for "stripes," referring to a bruise or weal, specifically from a blow. The key phrase is "ye were healed" – the Greek here is ἰάομαι (iaomai), which refers explicitly to physical healing and restoration.
This is the very essence of the finished work of Christ: on the cross, Jesus dealt comprehensively with both sin and sickness. Just as our salvation from sin is a completed work, received by faith, so too is our healing. Indeed, healing is not merely a gracious gift; it forms a tangible part of the divine inheritance secured for us, the called of God, through His precious blood and perfect sacrifice. It's not something we, the Ekklēsia, need to earn or beg for based on our performance; it is our rightful portion in Him. His scourging was for our physical ailments; the shedding of His blood and crucifixion, for our sins. Both are part of the same redemptive act, making us, the called of God, the direct beneficiaries of His complete provision.
Healing in the Ekklēsia: Receiving His Provision
After Jesus' ascension, the power to heal continued through His disciples and the early Ekklēsia, empowered by the Holy Spirit. Peter, filled with the Spirit, declared to the lame man at the temple gate, "Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk." (Acts 3:6, KJV). And the man was instantly healed! Peter later affirmed, "How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him." (Acts 10:38, KJV).
God does not change and this dominion power is still ours today, a direct consequence of Christ's finished work, and it flows through the called of God. James instructs the Ekklēsia on how to access this provision: "Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the Ekklēsia; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him." (James 5:14-15, KJV).
The Greek word for "sick" here is ἀσθενέω (astheneo), meaning to be "weak, sick, feeble." The word for "anointing" with oil is ἀλείφω (aleipho), which is a common, non-sacred anointing, implying a simple act of care and faith, not a magical ritual. The emphasis is on "the prayer of faith" that "shall save (sōzō) the sick." The Greek word σῴζω (sōzō) means to "save, preserve, heal, make whole." It encompasses both spiritual salvation and physical healing, reinforcing the holistic nature of God's redemption through Christ's finished work, of which the Ekklēsia are the rightful heirs. And why should they call on the elders? Simply to counter unbelief, permitting those who are more established in their faith appropriate it. Also see my post on fervent prayer.
Receiving Your Healing as the Ekklēsia
God's Word consistently affirms His will to heal, rooted in His nature and fully expressed through Jesus' ministry and ultimate sacrifice. Healing is not a hit-or-miss proposition based on our worthiness, but a divine provision available through faith in Christ's completed work, specifically for the called of God. We don't strive for it; we receive it.
Just as we received salvation by believing in what Jesus did on the cross, we receive healing by believing that "by His stripes we were healed." It is past tense, a done deal! Our part as the Ekklēsia is to trust, to stand on His promises, and to appropriate the healing that is already ours in Christ Jesus. This is exactly why God's ways are higher than ours and though we sometimes don't immediately see the manifestation, we stand firm on His Word, His finished work as part and parcel of His character as Jehovah Rapha.
Conclusion
God is truly the Healer, and His profound love for us is unequivocally expressed in His desire for our wholeness. The entire narrative of Scripture, from the wilderness declaration of Jehovah Rapha to the comprehensive suffering of Christ on the cross, culminates in the magnificent truth that healing is a precious gift purchased for us. It is a vital aspect of the finished work of Christ, a testament to His victory over sin, sickness, and death. We embrace this glorious truth today: by His stripes, we are healed. We receive His consuming love and His unfailing grace, knowing that wholeness is our inheritance in Christ Jesus as the called of God, His beloved Ekklēsia.
No comments:
Post a Comment