Is healing in the Bible? All the promises of God come through the work of Christ in Redemption.
A simple definition of Redemption is salvation from sin and its consequences through the death (the cross), burial, and resurrection of Jesus.
The Bible says in Galatian 3:13 - Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law by being made a curse for us—as it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”—
In this, we see a redemptive relationship between God and humanity. One of the ways that God has revealed this relationship is through His various names outlined throughout the Bible. Each of these compound names reveals God as meeting every need of humanity from his lost state.
God defines His name to Moses in Exodus 3:14 - And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM,” and He said, “You will say this to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ ”
This name that God set down signifies: Firstly, that He is self-existent; He has His existence of himself and has no dependence upon any other. Secondly, that He is eternal, unchangeable, and always the same. Yesterday, today and forever, God will be what He will be and what He is. Thirdly, that He is faithful and true to all His promises, unchangeable is His word as well has His nature, and not a man that He should lie. (Abbreviated from Matthew Henrys Concordance)
This was the name God commissioned Moses to use. The revelation that God gave Himself through His prescribed titles is for our benefit and well-being.
Psalms 9:10 - And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.
God revealed Himself to us through His names. These names bring an incredible richness of assurance available to those who seek Him, who will come to know and experience the fullness of God. Through each one, He has shown His character, attributes, and promises in a way that can be easily understood and remembered.
Psalms 124:8 - Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
God’s revealed character, made known to us by His name(s), is the foundation for the faith on which we stand. We recognize His being, of who He is, to be our sure source of strength and help.
Healing in the Redemptive Names of God
One confirmation of the statement of healing in the Bible is found through the redemptive names of God. The Bible gives us seven compound names (or additions) to further reveal who God is. Since these names are in God’s redemptive relation to mankind, they point to the activity of the cross where we have been redeemed. Our help is in the name of the Lord, which includes the help for our body.
Six of these compound names are:
Jehovah-Jireh- "the Lord will provide" (Genesis 22:13,14)
Jehovah-Nissi - "the Lord our banner" (Exodus 17:8-15)
Jehovah-Shalom - "the Lord our peace," or "the Lord send peace" (Judges 6:24)
Jehovah-Ra-ah - "the Lord my shepherd" (Psalm 23.)
Jehovah-Tsidkenu - "the Lord our righteousness" (Jeremiah 23:6)
Jehovah-Shammah - "the Lord is present" (Ezekiel 48:35)
The first six names are easily and readily accepted as promises or benefits we can receive here and now as we accept by faith Jesus as Savior. They are given to us in the context of the redemptive promise of God. Yet, scripture gives us the seventh name, defined below, and this name must be handled and characterized as the first six. Unfortunately, this seventh name is thrown out of the redemptive relationship between God and mankind. Many say that healing is not included in the atonement. This is not Biblically correct. It is also incorrectly applied to mean that this benefit implies a future redemptive promise, healing once in heaven, and cannot be expected now.
Jehovah-Rapha
As we look at this seventh name, we will see healing in the redemptive names of God. It is the help for us today as we look to God in faith.
Jehovah-Rapha - "I am the LORD who heals you" (Exodus 15:26). The first thing to see is that the context clearly shows that this is speaking of physical healing.
Exodus 15:26 - He said, “If you diligently listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and do what is right in His sight, and give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will not afflict you with any of the diseases with which I have afflicted the Egyptians. For I am the Lord who heals you.”
God is speaking of the physical disease and afflictions brought on the Egyptians. The Lord says He is the one who heals.
Secondly, God says I am the Lord who heals you, not who will heal you. This promise is in the present moment. Like the six others, this name is given to reveal our redemptive privilege, in this case, being healed. The tense of this statement illustrates the present “right-now” benefit to those in immediate need and the ongoing future availability. This is not a promise for only heaven. This is a covenant promise for today.
The Lord is a God of healing today. It is why 1 Peter 2:24 says, “By His wounds you were healed.” The redemptive covenant of God is for right now.
Thirdly, this name, Jehovah-Rapha, is proven and confirmed in the history of Israel. We find that whenever Israel was sick, as they turned to God in confession and repentance, their sins were always forgiven, and their sicknesses immediately healed.
Read the example of 2 Chronicles 30:17-20
These redemptive names are not simply promises but statutes and ordinances declared by our Heavenly Father. God gave us these names to illustrate what we can expect from Him, including healing, as we look to Him for our salvation.
CONCUSION
Your hope is found in the name of the Lord as you look to Him in faith. The promise of healing in the Bible can be seen in the truth that He is the Lord who heals you.
Paul's Thorn In The Flesh
Many struggle with the idea that they have to suffer with sickness and disease because this is their thorn in the flesh. But what was Paul's Thorn? Was it sickness? What is the reason for the thorn in the flesh? Read and find out as Pastor Chad goes through the text from 2 Corinthians 12 and explains this passage in detail.
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