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Volume. XXXVI, No. 37 Jehovah Rapha – The Lord Heals Throughout the Old Testament and the New Testament, we see God being a healer in many ways. “For I am the LORD that healeth thee” says Exodus 15:26. The words "the Lord, your healer" in the original Hebrew are Yahweh or Jehovah Rapha. Praise God, our God is Jehovah-Rapha, "the LORD who heals." The word Rapha is used sixty times in the Old Testament. Rapha in Hebrew not only means "healer," but it also means "to mend, restore, cure, repair thoroughly, make it whole." Our God cures diseases and physical ailments and heals and restores us emotionally and spiritually. Don't we need physical, emotional, and spiritual kinds of healing and restoration at times? David, in Psalm 6:2-3, longed for healing in all three areas. Emotional: "Have mercy upon me, O LORD; for I am weak:…." Physical: O LORD, heal me; for my bones are vexed…." Spiritual: " My soul is also sore vexed: but thou, O LORD, how long?"
God first revealed Himself as Jehovah-Rapha to the Israelites in the wilderness. God first used Jehovah Rapha for Himself in Exodus 15:26. This happened after their exodus out of Egypt. God miraculously made way for the Israelites by parting the Red Sea. After three days of the journey, then wandering in the Desert of Shur, the Israelites were desperate for water. They discovered a river. However, the waters were unfit to drink. Their delight turned to complaint when they discovered that the water was bitter. The Israelites named the river Mahra (bitter). When Moses is faced with this difficult situation in the desert, he prays instead of protesting. God answers Moses by showing him a simple solution through a piece of wood. God divinely cleansed the waters by instructing Moses to throw a piece of wood into the water, thereby making it drinkable. God then declares his character or healer and restorer in verse 26: “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..". Here we see the LORD revealed as Jehovah Rapha.
In Exodus 15:26, God reveals Himself as their Healer during their bitterness and hurt. This is not the only time God repeats this miracle. He did this in the town of Jericho with the prophet Elisha. “And the men of the city said unto Elisha, Behold, I pray thee, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord seeth: but the water is naught, and the ground barren” (2 Kings 2:19). God had Elisha throw salt into the water, “So the waters were healed unto this day, according to the saying of Elisha which he spake” (2 Kings 2:22). Here we see the other usage of Rapha, which is to "heal," or restore, the town's water supply. One of the well-known verses shows another type of healing is in 2 Chronicles 7:14 God promises, “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” The usage of Rapha here is that of restoring nation and creation too (Isaiah 35:6–8, Revelation 22:2). Be it be sickness or infirmity, or you need healing from mental affliction, spiritual fatigue or emotional suffering, our God is Jehovah Rapha.
Let's look at the Old Testament incidents where Jehovah is seen as Jehovah Rapha. Moses prayed, “Heal her now, O God, I beseech thee” (Numbers 12:13). As a result, Miriam was free of leprosy seven days later (Numbers 12:15). King Hezekiah also pleaded with the Lord for physical healing when he “In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death” (2 Kings 20:1). God responded, “I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee:” (2 Kings 20:5). Thus, Hezekiah's life was then extended for fifteen more years.
In contrast, I want to give another example of King Asa, who also got sick, but the Bible records, “…yet in his disease he sought not to the LORD, but to the physicians. (2 Chronicles 16:12). Two years later, Asa died. He did not see God as Jehovah Rapha and refused to come before the Lord; Asa died without healing. King David called out to God for healing in Psalm 6:2, and in Psalm 30:2, David says, “O LORD my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me.”
Jehovah-Rapha's role is even more evident in the New Testament. In the New Testament, Jesus is known as the Great Physician (Mark 2:17). The four gospels record the various healing miracles that Jesus performed. Matt. 4:23 says, “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.” He healed all kinds of sicknesses and diseases, including leprosy (Luke 17:11–19). Jesus, Jehovah Rapha gave sight to the blind man (Luke 18:35–43). Jesus healed even the women with the bleeding issue in Luke 8:43–48. He healed paralysis-stricken man in Luke 5:17–26 and even rose people from the death (John 11:38–44). These examples show that our God, Jehovah-Rapha, can heal physical human bodies. Not just physical healing but often Jesus' healing also was spiritual as it touched on forgiveness and faith.
Jehovah Rapha is still the God who heals. Brethren, when we need healing, be it physical one due to some sickness or spiritual healing, we must believe God can heal, and if it is His will, He will heal us. Nothing is impossible with him. Yes, God in His divine purpose may delay healing at times, yet He remains Jehovah Rapha. Through pain and suffering, he refines us, refreshes us, restores us, and reform us. In 2 Samuel 12:14-23, David knew that God heals. He pleaded with the Lord to heal his son, but God didn't heal the son. David fasted and prayed, yet his son died. But through this process and loss David was restored and refreshed him. He is Jehovah Rapha.
We begin at the cross of Christ for all healing. The God who heals Jehovah Rapha provided that healing in the person of Jesus Christ who died on the cross to forgive our sins and rose from the grave on the third day to overcome death and give us eternal life with God. God's greatest healing is perfecting us into the image of His Son. He sometimes sends trials to inform us of sickness to learn to trust God. Tests provide an opportunity to learn more about God, learn about your strength and weakness, and give opportunity in faith. Physical sickness may not bring physical healing, but it will bring spiritual healing and restore peace. God worked through ancient Israel's law to protect them from disease, and today, God works through modern medicine to heal us physically. We also get healing from God today when we listen carefully to God by reading the Bible and communicating to him in prayer. God comforts us and heals us spiritually, emotionally, and mentally. Jehovah Rapha can heal a person of bitterness, anger, and unforgiveness.
Thank God for healing us and taking us out of trouble numerous times. Psalm 103:2-3 reminds us to “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;” Call upon Jehovah-Rapha today to heal us of our physical, emotional, mental, spiritual troubles. Jesus still heals, and if it is, His will can heal us miraculously too. So trust Jesus today, for God is Jehovah-Rapha, the Lord who heals you.
Rev Mathews Abraham |
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