YAHWEH OUR HEALER

“and said, ‘If you diligently heed the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the LORD who heals you.’” (Exodus‬ ‭15:26‬‬)

God plagued the Egyptians because of their defiance of him. He promises the Israelites that He will spare them of such plagues if they obey His commands.

Someone may ask me, “Do you believe in Divine healing?”  My answer is, “What other kind is there?”  All healing is Divine healing.  God identifies Himself as Yahweh Rapha—the LORD our Healer.

There is the miracle of our body’s resistance to sickness and its capacity to be restored.  Without that, a cut could prove fatal. Obedience to God’s ways makes for a healthier lifestyle. A lot more people will be shot in a bar or contract disease in a brothel on Saturday night, than will happen in a church building on Sunday morning!

Then, there are marvels of medicine. Wisdom from the Creator has been given to druggists and doctors.  The development of vaccines, testing technology to diagnose illness, and surgical methodology to correct it are gifts from Yahweh Rapha.

That is not to discount miraculous answers to prayer.  God can, and does, sovereignly and supernaturally, bestow healing at times. Its rarity is what makes it a miracle, but He does do this—according to His design and not our demand.

Ultimate healing will be found in the resurrection.  It is provided in the atonement. Perfect, painless health awaits an environment where sin is no more. The lifting of the curse frees God’s people from all sickness. We won’t even get the sniffles!

LIBERTY IN THE MINISTRY

Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine.  (1 Timothy 5:17)

Freedom is not the right to do anything you want, but the liberty to do all that you ought.  It is a liberating thing to get in my car and go where I want, but I must restrain how fast I go by the speed limit signs.  Similarly, in ministry there needs to be liberty for the pastor and associates—“the elders”—as they are called here to pursue their ministries without shackles that some congregations place on them.  Those liberties, however, involve responsibilities.  A train has great freedom of movement, so long as it is on its tracks, but let it derail and its progress has halted.  God has laid down some tracks for the minister and the members to move forward in His mission.  Paul warns us not to get off the rails!

Ministry needs liberty in substance (v.17-18).  The church does not pay her staff a salary for the work they do—or they could not afford it!  The pastor preaches the unsearchable riches of Christ and deals with immortal souls, where the issues are heaven and hell!  His reward will be in heaven, because the members simply could not pay him enough.  The man of God is not a hireling.  The burden of the Lord is thrust upon him and he will do his assignment whether anyone pays him a penny.  He has not simply taken this as an occupation among several options because he has chosen this field—no, God has chosen him.  So why does the pastor get a paycheck?  It frees him to pursue his work without needless concern for his family’s needs.  The shackles of debt and anxiety do not hinder him.  In the case of the one who leads the flock and feeds them faithfully and fruitfully, they are to be given a larger compensation—this inspires them to work even harder.

Ministry needs liberty from slander (v.19-22).  Some of the most grievous wounds a pastor ever suffers are from sharp tongues.  If a minister has to worry that he will be assaulted by slander, with no defense, it has the potential to enslave him to his critics.  Judas Iscariot was among the twelve, and there are some akin to him, that Satan strategically places in churches today.  This does not mean the pastor need not worry about morality, or has absolute authority over the congregation.  If he sins, he is to be confronted, but there is a Biblical process established here.

Ministry needs liberty from sickness (v.23-25).  Timothy was a “teetotaler,” and that is a good thing—normally.  In his case, however, a contaminated water supply was causing the shackles of sickness to hold back his ministry.  Paul tells him a small amount of alcohol can have a purifying effect on the water—so he is free to do that.  The concerns about alcohol were well-founded, however—and it is why priests and kings were forbidden from it while discharging their spiritual leadership (Lev.10:9-11; Prov.31:4-5).  Intoxication leads to immorality (v.24-25).  In our time, there is little need—most ministers have access to pure drinking water.  The principle is important.  If a pastor is not healthy, he will be hindered, and the church needs to insist he care for his body so he can care for their souls.  Let us liberate the ministry and God will bless that church.

THE HOPE OF THE COMING OF CHRIST: THE HEALTHY CONDITIONS

“Behold I make all things new.” (Revelation 21:5a)

Our world is infested with infections and pervaded with plagues. 

No hospitals were constructed in Eden.  Sin has changed all that.  Adam and Eve were driven from Paradise and the tree of life was barred from them.  Health is no more the habitat of humanity.  But no more, is not nevermore—there is another change coming with the coming of Christ!  Christ will make everything new.

In heaven, the tree of life is restored.  “In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.”  (Rev.22:2)

In the new creation, the curse of death is removed.  “And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him.” (Rev.22:3). 

There will be freedom to serve Him without fleshly frailty and failure!  That means activity expressed and energy exerted in exciting and meaningful ways!  The future life is an extension of the best of this life.  Don’t miss that, or it may undermine your enthusiasm for heaven.  Many have heaven pictured as perpetually floating on a cloud as we strum a harp—and find the idea rather boring.  It would be to me!  But, heaven will be so much more than that.  It will be an adventure of the highest order.

One of the things we will do is reign with Christ!  There will be the universe to govern alongside Him.  “They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.” (Rev.22:4-5)   

It is work without weariness—always delightful and never drudgery.  You won’t end the day (the day won’t end) with sore muscles, blistered hands and a backache.  You’ll know the pleasure of cultivating a crop without pulling weeds.  The pollen won’t even stir up your allergies, for there will be nothing you are allergic to.  Heaven and health both begin with “h” and you can’t think of one without the other.