Healing

Healing has been a topic of much discussion for centuries. It is often very confusing. I for on don't have all the answers to the many questions surrounding healing but I will give my observations.

There is a connection between obedience and health. God promises the people of Israel that he will not bring the diseases of that he brought on the Egyptians when he brought them out of they walk in obedience. (Exodus 15:16) In Deuteronomy 7:9-15, he talks about the blessings that follow those who obey him, and the curse that is upon those who walk in disobedience. On of the blessing stated is health. Health here is dependent on their obedience, and sickness as a result of their disobedience. It is important to see in both of these passages that God actually sends illness on those who disobey him. There are many other passages in the O.T. that speak of sickness as a form of judging the disobedient. (Leviticus 26:15-16; Deuteronomy 28; 2 Chronicles 21:12-15; Psalms 107:17) Is all sickness a result of disobedience or God's judgement? We will see later, this is not the case. Yet, there is strong evidence in God's word that obedience and health are connected.

There are those in God's word who are righteous people but fall sick. King Hezekiah is an example of this. (II Kings 20:1-11) He fell sick and was apparently going to die for no specific reason. He calls on God and He saves his life. Another example is Job who the Bible declares as a righteous man. Yet God allows Satan to inflict him with sickness with no apparent reason but show how His servant Job will remain faithful to Him. Yet in the end, Job is healed and is all the wiser for it. (Job 2:3-7; Job 42:10-16) Another example is Tabitha who was a faithful saint of the Lord who do much good. (Acts 9:36-42) She got sick and died. Later in the story we see Peter go to her house and raises her from the dead. As result, many came to Christ. Another example is  Epaphroditus in Philippians 2:25-28 who was ill and almost died, but in God's mercy he was healed. What can we say about the examples. First of all, righteous people do get sick. Secondly, he may allow this to make us stronger. Thirdly, he may allow this for him to receive glory and draw people unto him. Lastly, in every case they were healed and the one case raised from the dead.

Looking at other passages gives us the sense that God may be selective in his healing. In Matthew 8:14-17, Christ heals a woman without her asking to be healed. Also, we see here that Christ healed everyone who came to him. In Luke 13:10-13, God calls a woman forward and heals her, a sovereign choice of God. In John 5:5, God chooses to heal a man at the pool of Bethsaida, but no mention of healing of others around him. Also in Timothy 4:20, Paul leaves someone sick. I am sure Paul had prayed for him. Why couldn't Paul who healed so many couldn't heal this person?

This is by no means and exhaustive teaching on healing, but we can gain some truths from  it. One, obedience and health are connected. Two, part of God's mission and character is to heal. Three, righteous people do get sick, but in most cases they are healed. Fourthly, healing depends on God's sovereign choice and will. Finally, it seem from Matthew 8:1-4, he is willing to heal the sick and even desires to do so.



In Exodus 15:16, he declares that He is the God who heals. It seems here to indicate that this is one of His characteristics or part of His work.