“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.” ~ Exodus 15:26 MEV

One of the names of God is Jehovah Rapha. It comes from this verse from the Book of Exodus. The last sentence literally says: YHWH RAPA. We translate that in English as Jehovah Rapha: The LORD who heals me. That word Rapha that is combined with the name of God is a word that means ‘to heal thoroughly, to make completely whole’.

Strangely enough, God’s greatest desire is not to shield us from all trouble or danger or calamity. He often does, but not always. This is not cruel. He is teaching us about the effects of sin, which harm us and others spiritually and physically. Yet God never leaves us to face this reality forever. He promises to restore us, but true restoration can never be merely in a physical sense alone. God does not want us to rejoice in healed bodies when we have broken, sin-sick souls. He wants to heal our bodies, but He is even more concerned with the healing of our soul and spirit: the inner man.

As someone who has suffered with autoimmune disease, it can be unbearable at times. Why does God allow the suffering? Why does He not heal right away? I believe that He waits for a very good reason: the formation of our faith.

In fact, Paul the Apostle said it best, “We had the sentence of death in ourselves, so that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead” (1 Corinthians 1:9). Paul later said that even though we are “always carrying around in the body the death of the Lord Jesus,” it is so “that also the life of Jesus might be expressed in our bodies” (2 Corinthians 4:10).

We suffer because of sin, yet we also suffer because this world has been separated from God. Disease and decay are symptoms of being disconnected from our Source of Life.

But Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who is Jehovah Rapha in the flesh is the provision for both our spiritual and physical healing. No one else. This healing will not be complete in this life, but His promise is sure. It will come to pass.

700 years before Jesus Christ was born on earth, God revealed this mystery to the prophet Isaiah. Isaiah 53:4-6 says,

⁴ Surely he has borne our grief
    and carried our sorrows;
Yet we esteemed him stricken,
    smitten of God, and afflicted.
⁵ But he was wounded for our transgressions,
    he was bruised for our iniquities;
the chastisement of our peace was upon him,
    and by his stripes we are healed.
⁶ All of us like sheep have gone astray;
    each of us has turned to his own way,
but the LORD has laid on him
    the iniquity of us all.

Who is this speaking about? JESUS is the one who has borne our grief and carried our sorrows. It was because of our sin that He went to the cross: to pay for our sin, to put our old sinful nature to death, and to pour out forgiveness and healing into every part of who we are. The cross is the symbol of our salvation, deliverance, and healing!

This truth is beautifully expressed in the following hymn:

How Deep the Father’s Love For Us

How deep the Father’s love for us,
How vast beyond all measure,
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure.
How great the pain of searing loss –
The Father turns His face away,
As wounds which mar the Chosen One
Bring many sons to glory.

Behold the Man upon a cross,
My sin upon His shoulders;
Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice
Call out among the scoffers.
It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished;
His dying breath has brought me life –
I know that it is finished.

I will not boast in anything,
No gifts, no power, no wisdom;
But I will boast in Jesus Christ,
His death and resurrection.
Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer;
But this I know with all my heart –
His wounds have paid my ransom.

Lastly, I’d like to end with a passage from the Gospel of Mark 5:22-42. It records a time when a father asked Jesus to come and heal his daughter, but Jesus was delayed because another woman needed his healing. It shows that Jesus is coming even if we have been waiting years or decades. And even if we die and never see the healing we desire to see in this life, to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8 NKJV). The Lord is good no matter what.

When we ask Him, “Lord do You even want to heal me?” What is His answer in Matthew 8:3?

I AM WILLING!

Behold, one of the rulers of the synagogue came, Jairus by name. And when he saw Him, he fell at His feet and begged Him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter lies at the point of death. Come and lay Your hands on her, that she may be healed, and she will live.” So Jesus went with him, and a great multitude followed Him and thronged Him.

Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. For she said, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.”

Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction. And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My clothes?”

But His disciples said to Him, “You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’ ”

And He looked around to see her who had done this thing. But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.”

While He was still speaking, some came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house who said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?”

As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not be afraid; only believe.” And He permitted no one to follow Him except Peter, James, and John the brother of James. Then He came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and saw a tumult and those who wept and wailed loudly. When He came in, He said to them, “Why make this commotion and weep? The child is not dead, but sleeping.”

And they ridiculed Him. But when He had put them all outside, He took the father and the mother of the child, and those who were with Him, and entered where the child was lying. Then He took the child by the hand, and said to her, “Talitha, cumi,” which is translated, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.” Immediately the girl arose and walked, for she was twelve years of age. And they were overcome with great amazement.

Dedicated to all those who suffer with disease and are still waiting for healing. The Lord Jesus will not delay forever, but there will be a Day where He will come for us with healing in His wings, be that on earth or in eternity. Be strong and of a good courage and wait on the Lord!

Father, we wait on You. Though doubts come, we trust You. We praise You for the gift of Your Son. You are Jehovah Rapha, Lord Jesus. As the Father is, so are You. And we give You praise and worship for the miracles that are coming because You never change. Give us hearts of faith and fill us with Your power. All for Your glory. In the Saving and Healing Name of Jesus, Amen!