Jehovah Rapha
Notes
Transcript
Introduction:
Introduction:
Isn’t this Covid-19 stuff crazy? All of us have differing views on how to handle the virus and how serious it actually is, but none of us in unaffected by the pandemic. We have all been brought into a constant consciousness of what a germ can do to us and it is on our minds quite a bit. Because of that we also are constantly thinking about health care and healing. In light of our sociological setting right now, a lesson of Jehovah Rapha is an important one to look at. The name Johovah Rapha literally mean The God who Heals. So far we have kinda skipped over the first part of these names of God to focus on the different parts, but Jehovah means the self-existant one. No one created God rather He is the creator of everything. Having that kind of power that enabled him to create the word also means He has the power to fix or heal the world. The first usage of this name for God is found in Exodus 15.
I. The setting vs 20-25
I. The setting vs 20-25
The Lord had literally in the previous chapter just defeated Pharaoh and his army in the red sea. Chapter 15 begins with a song that Moses and Miriam sing before the Lord to celebrate what he has done to deliver them. It is in light of this great deliverance that happened not just three days previously that we come to our current text.
A. The lack of water
B. The bitter water
C. The people’s complaint- Remember it had only been three days. how often do we so quickly forget what God has done for us.
D. The healing- Moses does the right thing when faced with a problem: he prayed to God. By casting this tree into the water, they were made sweet.
E. God’s ordinance- God makes a promise after the healing of the waters that he would not curse the Jews with plagues like He did in Egypt if they will fulfill his two conditions. When you look at this passage it looks as if there are four different conditions found in the if statement of the verse, but really it is two conditions stated two different ways. God commanded them to listen to the voice of God and obey His commands. Tying into the experience that they had just had God says the reason you can trust that I will do this is because I am the God who heals all your problems just like I did these waters.
II. God’s healing
II. God’s healing
A. Physically-
And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean.
Sometimes God heals miraculously - It is important to note some things about how Jesus healed people. We do not have time to deal with the gift of healing in todays lesson other than to say that the spiritual gift of healing was given as a sign to confirm the gospel message and that its use has dwindled as the gospel message has spread throughout the world. God can do any miracle that He wants at any time, but there are a lot of men going trying to lead people to follow them by claiming to heal. The long list of men and women throughout history who have taken this approach include Charles Parham, Oral Roberts, Kenneth Hagin, Kenneth Copeland, Kathryn Kulhman, John Wimber, Hobart Freeman and Benny Hinn. When you analyze these false teacher’s ministries compared to the healing ministry of Jesus and the apostles, you will see a lot of differences.
Jesus always healed with a word or a touch Matthew 8:5-13
Jesus always healed instantaneous- it wasn’t this long drawn out process Matt 8:13
Jesus healed completely
Jesus healed anybody Luke 4:40
He healed diseases
He raised people from the dead- example of Lazarus
Sometimes God expects us to seek medical attention
For Isaiah had said, Let them take a lump of figs, and lay it for a plaister upon the boil, and he shall recover.
But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.
iii.Sometimes it is by prayer of the believing church James 5:14-15
The point that I want to drive home here is that it is God who heals and chooses when and how He will do so. Jehovah Rapha The God who heals
B. Emotionally- not all illnesses are visible on the outside. As well, many of us struggle with emotional pain that no one else sees. Another name for God that we are not covering this week is El Roi- the God who sees. God sees the pain that you feel on the inside.
The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart;
And saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
He healeth the broken in heart,
And bindeth up their wounds.
C. Mentally- God is also able to heal mental issues. I am not a doctor or a psychologist, but the bible clearly states that the believer has been given everything they need to live life and holiness.
According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
And that God’s scriptures have been given to enable us to be complete.
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
We have an example of God’s mental healing in Daniel when Nebuchadnezzar was driven mad from the court and when he is restored, this was his conclusion.
And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation:
The waters compassed me about, even to the soul:
The depth closed me round about,
The weeds were wrapped about my head.
I went down to the bottoms of the mountains;
The earth with her bars was about me for ever:
Yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O Lord my God.
When my soul fainted within me I remembered the Lord:
And my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple.
Read Lamentations 3
With the influx of psychology in Christian counseling circles, a movement of counselors stood up and made the point that the bible is sufficient to help us live holy lives. It also acknowledges that if real change is going to occur, it must be by the power of the Holy Spirit. This movement was led by a man named Jay Adams who termed this type of counseling Nouthetic Counseling from the word admonish in Romans 15:14. I think it is important to realize that there are some mental maladies that have more of a physical nature to them and need medical attention. The crazy demoniac did not go through counseling sessions; rather Jesus healed him by casting out the demon; but for fixing the way we think and live, the bible is the ultimate solution to our problem.
D. Nationally
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.
Healing of their land dealt with pestilence and plagues that were pandemic in their country. We are in a time in America where we face a lot of pandemic issues: we have Covid-19, economic stress because of the shut downs, riots, murders, racism. The solution to all of these problems is not a political one; it is a spiritual one. If my people- Christians are the cause of the problem being prolonged because we are the solution. What are we to do? humble ourselves, pray, seek God and repent
E. Spiritual healing
And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee. And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone? But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answering said unto them, What reason ye in your hearts? Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk? But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins, (he said unto the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into thine house. And immediately he rose up before them, and took up that whereon he lay, and departed to his own house, glorifying God. And they were all amazed, and they glorified God, and were filled with fear, saying, We have seen strange things to day.
In Psalms, iniquities and diseases are tied together as both needing God’s healing. In these verses we are not saying that they are the same thing, but they relate to each other in the same way.
Who forgiveth all thine iniquities;
Who healeth all thy diseases;
I said, Lord, be merciful unto me:
Heal my soul; for I have sinned against thee.
Conclusion:
Conclusion:
There is a sickness that is greater than any disease we face. Yes, Jesus can and does heal people in His will who are facing sickness, but what is the point of being cancer free if when I die, I go to hell. In a miraculous setting, Jesus forgave the sins of the man lowered down through the roof. Present the plan of salvation at this point.