Jehovah Rapha

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. (Psalm 103:1-5 ESV).

Next Sunday, June 10th, I will be preaching at Gospel City Church in Arlington. The Subject follows a series being done in the Children’s Ministry. They wil be studying the names of God. That morning they will looking at “Yahweh Rapha.” It means: The Lord Who Heals. He is our Healer, in both body and soul! This name assures each of us that our Heavenly Father wants to restore us to wholeness. David is quite surely in his declaration: “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget none of His benefits; Who pardons all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases.” (vv. 2-3). This name came shortly after the Israelites were set free from their slavery to Egypt. They had just passed through the Red Sea on dry ground. The people are excited to finally be free and so they express their praise (cf. Exodus 15:1-21). It is a time of great celebration and marked with the highest of praise for the work of God on their behalf. However, their praising turns into a time of protesting. In verse 22 we read that Moses led them into the “Desert of Shur.” “Shur” means a “wall.” And that’s exactly how they felt. They had run into a wall of despair instead of a window to blessing. Perhaps some of you feel like you’ve hit a “shur” of your own. After wandering in the wilderness for three days, and having no water to drink, the people turn on Moses at a place called Marah. They finally locate water; however, it is “bitter.” In verse 24, they put Moses on the spot: “What are we to drink?” The people are angry with God but they take it out on a person. We do that as well; we tend to take things out on others when we don’t get what we want when we want it. The Israelites saw God provide in making a way through the Red Sea but now they’re thirsty. On top of that, now they have a bitter taste in their mouth. Some of you may feel that way today. Moses does what he should do and cries out to the Lord. Instead of protesting, he prays. That’s what hard times can do for us. When we’re in pain, we must pray. God answers Moses by showing him a simple piece of wood. Moses takes the wood and throws it into the water and the water immediately becomes sweet. God then tells them, “If you listen carefully to the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, who heals you.” (Exodus 15:26). He declares one more name for Himself: Jehovah Rapha. In the midst of their bitterness and hurt, God reveals Himself as their healer. You should not miss the significance of the wood thrown into the bitter water. Jesus threw himself by dying on the wooden cross into the bitter waters of death and hell and now we have access to THE water from the “river of life.” That is ultimate healing!