Why is God Called Jehovah Rapha

Introduction

General Introduction: Today in our last Sunday of Advent, we are going to take a look at one more name of God in Scripture. Last week we explored the title Jehovah Jireh, which means The Lord will Provide, and we considered a few of the glorious ways that God provides for us as Christians. Today, we look at another title of God in Scripture, Jehovah Rapha, which means “the Lord your healer.”

Personal: How has the Lord healed you in your life? I suspect there are many different answers to that question in this room because he is a very personal God who heals each person in the ways that they particularly need healing. But also, look at your life now, How is he healing you now? Perhaps, there is an area of sin in your life that you know is destructive, and you want healing from it. Perhaps there is a wound in your life, that was caused by somebody else, and it still brings you pain to think about it. Perhaps its an unmet desire, that has just become an ache in your heart. We all need healing, and truly the only one who can heal us the way we need, is our God, Jehovah Rapha

Context: We’re going to begin by reading this very curious story from the book of Exodus. The story takes place nearly immediately after Israelites pass through the Red Sea when they are delivered from slavery in Egypt. Once we read the story, I’d like to look at seven ways that God is our healer.

Exodus 15:22–27 “Then Moses made Israel set out from the Red Sea, and they went into the wilderness of Shur. They went three days in the wilderness and found no water. When they came to Marah, they could not drink the water of Marah because it was bitter; therefore it was named Marah. And the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” And he cried to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a log, and he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet. There the Lord made for them a statute and a rule, and there he tested them, saying, “If you will diligently listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, your healer.” Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees, and they encamped there by the water.”

Meaning & Application

1 THE LORD HEALS THE BITTER STING OF SIN

First, the Lord heals the bitter sting of sin.

The Story: This story is certainly placed in Scripture as an accurate account of an event that took place in Israel’s history. But it is also a symbolic account, of what God does in our life. Here in this story we have the people of God languishing in the desert, with nothing to drink but bitterness. Bitterness that will likely destroy them if not healed. And then Moses is instructed by God to take a log, throw the log into the water, and as he does so the bitter water is made sweet. And the people of God drink and are satisfied.

Sin: Every follower of Christ knows intimately the bittnerness of sin. Like that water when the Isrealites first drank, sin masquerades as something good for you, as something that will give you life, something that will satisfy you. But in fact it kills you. Sin is bitter, and leaves a bitter deathly taste in the mouth. Every sin has its bitter repurcussion. The drunken man drinks thinking the alcohol will give him life, will give him a better time. But not only does he wake up feeling ill the next mornig, but over time that sin wages war on his relationships, on his career, on his health. Sin is bitter. And every one of us have drunk deeply from those bitter waters.

Christ Heals: But our God is Jehovah Rapha, and he heals us from the bitterness of sin. Was that log that Moses through in the water supernatural? I suppose it was. But the most supernatural element about that log was how it points us to Jesus Christ.

The log did not appear extraordinary on the outside, just a log, and yet it had power from God to heal. So it is with Christ. That first Christmas morning, many in Bethlehem would have thought he was just an ordinary child born like so many others. But those who had eyes to see knew that this child was so much more. He was God, born among us.

Just as the log was thrown into the bitter water, immersed in bitterness, in order to create sweet. So Christ became sin for us on the cross. Christ is the log that was thrown into the water.

2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

“Christ became sin.” Though he had no bitterness about him, Christ took on the sins of the world on his shoulder. And through him, he has done away sin’s bitterness once and for all. Because of that log, Jesus Christ, that was thrown into the bitterness, we all can taste of the sweetness of life with God, of grace upon grace. We can taste the sweetness of not being separated from God due to sin, but being loved by God, due to miracle of Christ’s atoning work on the cross.

Jehovah Rapha, the Lord is our healer.

2 THE LORD HEALS THE BITTERNESS OF DEATH

Secondly, the Lord heals the bitterness of death.

This Life: In this life, there are many hardships. Every life is full of both sweet moments of grace, but also very difficult moments of trial and pain. But in all of human history, the chief bitterness is the reality of death. Death stands over each soul ever born bearing down on our life. Shakespeare says,

"Fates, we will know your pleasures. That we shall die, we know. 'Tis but the time, And drawing days out, that men stand upon."

This is true. No matter how much we accomplish in this life. No matter how great we ascend in this life. There is a bitter consequence of sin in this world, known as death, and it stands on the horizon for each one of us.

Christ: But Christ, has turned the bitterness of death into a sweetness of life. For the Christian, who has saved by Christ now looks at death with an entirely new perspective. Death is certainly still something fearful in the sense that there is an unknown and a reality of crossing over a horizon. But, death has been forever changed because of Christ. Those who are in Christ here, will resurrect after their last breath. During Advent we remember that the child born and laid in a manger came on a rescue mission. Jesus died on the cross to forgive our sin, but he rose from the grave three days later that he might become the firstborn from the dead. He has gone first, and he has promised to prepare a place for each of you. Truly that which was bitter, has become sweet.

Glimpse of Heaven: Heaven is not some place of boredom, where eternity ticks by and nothing occurs. No, heaven is the great end for which each of us were made. The final heaven is a physical place, just as phsyical as this world. We’ll be given bodies that cannot break or be destroyed. The world will be cleansed of all the bitterness of sin and death. And in its place, each and every moment will be sweeter than the last. Forevermore we’ll learn of the wonders of God, and enjoy the sweet treasures of the saints in Christ. There will be no more tears, or pain, or sickness, or wickedness.

Fully Healed Bodies: Not only is heaven sweet, but all that was broken about our bodies here, will be fully healed there.

Did we grow frail in age here, in heaven, our bodies will be glorified, ready for life eternal. Were we disabled here. In heaven, every disability will be fully healed.

Were we prone to illness and sickness here? In heaven, all will be healed. There will be no more sickness, no more death.

Jehovah Rapha, The Lord is your healer.

3 THE LORD HEALS THE BITTERNESS OF PAST WOUNDS & SCARS

Third, the Lord heals the bitterness of past wounds and scars.

Context (Difficulty of Egypt): Consider the context of this story. Exodus chapter 14 contains what is one of the great stories of deliverance in all of human history, when the Jewish slaves were freed from slavery in Egypt. The Jews had been slaves for 400 years. Their life was difficult. They knew all kinds of abuse and wickedness towards them. Their people had been killed. There’s was a life that did not have much to boast about, other than this one thing. They knew God. They knew that God was a healing and saving God, and generation after generation they clung to that hope, sometimes better than others.

Personal: Many in this room carry with them incredible scars. The truth that we live in a fallen world where wicked men do wicked deeds. Those who have been the victims of wickedness carry with them an acute sense of what it means to be wronged, to be violated, to be scarred.

Christ Leads to Sweet Water: But I want you to know that our God is Jehovah Rapha, the God who heals. He delivered them from that tyranny, and he led them (through difficulty) to sweet water. Jesus desires to do that in your life as well. Jesus is able to take past wounds, and turn them in redemption stories. Scars that once bore memories that kept you bound from living fully, in Christ (sometimes over time) those scars become symbols of all that Christ has delivered you from. The memories don’t necessarily vanish, but the Lord heals in miraculous ways, and he grants sweet water and new wonderful life-giving stories.

Illustration: It is a somewhat regular occasion in my life, when I meet with somebody in our Church or somebody that I know who is a Christian, and that I really think highly of because of their walk with Christ. And in that meeting they’ll share with me a new part of their story I didn’t know. Women who shared that they have endured all kinds of physical abuse in their life. Men who were addicted to drugs, who were violent criminals, who had tattoos of the gangs they led, sitting there with a smile on their face boasting about God’s great love for them, and how he has brought peace and healing in their life.

Personal: I don’t know what past wounds you have in here today that are keeping you trapped. But I know this, our God is Jehovah Rapha, the God who heals.

4 THE LORD HEALS THE BITTER MISSTEPS OF BACKSLIDING FAITH

Third, the Lord heals the bitter missteps of backsliding faith.

The Red Sea: Look back at this story with me. The immediate context of this story, is that the Israelites have just got done rejoicing. It was in Exodus 14, only the preceding chapter, that one of the great miracles of all of Scripture took place, when God delivered the Israelites from slavery in Egypt by parting the waters of the Red Sea and allowing the Israelites to cross on dry ground, while Pharaoh’s army was plunged into the sea. This is one of the great stories of deliverance in all of Scripture. Then in the first half of Exodus 15 we read of Moses song that he sung as he led the people in a rapturous joyful time of worship at the reality of what they had just experienced. They boasted and they song of God’s strength and might, and they celebrated together the miracle that had just taken place. And it was then, at that moment, at that spiritual high, that God allowed the trial or Marah to settle over them. Then they were led by the prophet Moses into the wilderness of Shur where they suddenly had no water.

Backsliding: Talk about backsliding! Backsliding is when we have reached steadiness and health in our Christian faith, but then like the Israelites we slip away from the high places, and we sink into bad habits or old destructive sinful behavior, that threatens our joy in Christ. Frankly, very often it occurs just like these Israelites, right after a high point of faith and experience with God. Maybe you are in this room today and you are in a season of backsliding, and you’re tasting the bitterness of backsliding faith.

Christ: Oh praise God, Jehovah Rapha heals backsliding faith. His love is so severe for you, that he will not let you linger in a backsliding faith. He will pursue you. He will strengthen you according to his great purpose. He has many means of making that bitter water of backsliding sweet.

Sometimes the Lord just speaks in just a particular way through a sermon that heals some unknown wound in your heart.

Sometimes he sends someone to comfort you at just the right moment.

Sometimes he sends a friend to confront you, in love, or some sin in your life that is causing the backsliding, and he uses that confrontation to bring about healing and new growth in faith.

God is Hunting You: Are you backsliding today? Have you been in a season of taking your faith for granted? God will not leave you there. If you are in Christ he is hunting you down as we speak. He longs to heal you. Jehovah Rapha, the Lord is your healer.

5 THE LORD HEALS THE BITTERNESS OF TEMPTATIONS

Fifth, the Lord heals the bitterness of old temptations.

The Nile: These Israelites had just come from Egypt, where they were slaves, under the hardship of Pharaoh. But one thing they had while they were in slavery, was access to the fresh waters of the Nile River. The Nile River, then, was quite famous for its wonderful taste above and beyond other known fresh water sources. Here, their first trial on the other side of their deliverance has to do with what may have been one of the only good things in their previous life. The water they now have to drink is not drinkable, whereas the water they used to have was well known for its wonderful taste. And so they grumble against Moses.

Today: Sometimes in the Chrstian life, we are tempted by the bitterness of old temptations. Like these Israelites, the Devil has a way of provoking us to desire the water from the Nile, even though were in slavery when we drank that water. We can begin to tell ourselves stories in our mind about how things were better when we had such and such friends, better when we were the life of the party, better when we spent our money in that way. This pool of bitterness around old temptations can foster in our heart and mind, and they become consuming. Oh the but the truth is, as Charles Spurgeon once said,

“It were better to die at Marah free, than live a slave by the sweet Nile.”

The Lord Heals: Oh the Lord heals us from these temptations. And he reveals to us that they are nothing but temptations to go back to slavery. How does he does he do this?

1 Christ Withstood Tempation: First, Christ is able to do it because Christ is the only one who has ever endured temptation perfectly. He was tempted in every way that we are, yet he was without sin. In fact, he has gone further than any other man. We all have fallen to temptation in some way at some point. But He, having never fallen, has seen temptation through to places that we have never had to trod. And that Christ, is the one who is at work in you now, protecting you from falling away from Christ and into old sinful temptations that only cause bitterness.

2 Christ Deals Gently With Us: Secondly, Christ deals gently with us in our weaknesses. He is not a slave master. He is a gentle savior.

Hebrews 4:15 ESV

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.

It is precisely because he was of mortal frame and knew the weakness of the human body, though without sin, that he has such compassion for each of us.

3 Christ Gives New Desires: Secondly, Christ in the new birth, grants you new desires. When I was a little boy, I hated brussel sprouts. But as I got older, my taste changed, and now I love a good crispy roasted brussel sprout! So it is in the new birth. Over time Christ begins a process of changing your desires, from what you once desired to those things that Christ desires. This is why Paul could say

Philippians 3:7 ESV

But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.

Those old desires and temptations just draw you back into bitterness. But Christ is Jehovah Rapha, the Lord who heals.

6 THE LORD HEALS THE BITTERNESS OF A DISCONTENTMENT

Sixth, the Lord heals the bitterness of discontentment

Grumbling: Consider these Israelites. One of the key words that defines these Israelites throughout the next forty years of wandering in the desert is “grumbling.” That “grumbling” actually began before they ever even got out of Egypt, but here we see it plain as day. As soon as they taste the bitter water, they spit it out.

Exodus 15:24 ESV

And the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?”

On the one hand, you kind of feel bad for them. They’re in the desert, and they have no water. I would probably be complaining too! But this word “grumble” is signaling something to us about their spiritual condition. They’re missing it! God just delivered them from slavery in Egypt. They saw with their own eyes the waters parted, and they walked with their own two feet on dry ground through the Red Sea. Yet here they are “grumbling” wondering if God is going to provide for them.

Our Grumbling: This is the one that I’ve really had to wrestle personally with the most this week. In a lot of ways I am like these Israelites. I have seen God provide over and over in my life. In both small and great ways, God has provided for me and my family. How could I ever grumble. Yet I do! I find myself from time to time stuck with a grumbling spirit when things aren’t going the way I would really like them to go.

What is Grumbling: Grumbling is “discontentment made audible”. Notice from the text also, what they were grumbling over, water. That’s a good thing to desire. And the same can be said for us. We often “grumble” about many good things. It’s not wrong to seek good and proper change. The issue is not that, it’s a grumbing spirit, it’s a spirit of complaint that wants things done on our time in our way. Very often it is a spirit that is not willing to trust God with various areas of our life. But look at what God says to them.

Exodus 15:26 ESV

saying, “If you will diligently listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, your healer.”

Today: In other words, delight yourself in God, and he will be enough for you. He’ll provide in time, in his way. Just keep your eyes on God. Grumbling will slowly become more than just grumbling. It begins as discontentment but manifests in increasing unbelief. But God loves to heal grumbling spirits. He wants to increase your belief. Maybe today you’re sensing that you have a grumbling spirit. Repent of that quickly. Give that to God. Learn to delight in his timing and in his ways. And he will heal you.

Jehovah Rapha, the Lord your healer.

7 THE LORD HEALS THE BITTERNESS OF ACHING WEARY SOULS

Seventh, and finally, the Lord heals the bitterness of aching weary souls.

Elim: The final verse in this passage is beautiful. The Israelites have been tested. They have had their sinful desires and proneness to grumbling revealed to them. And then immediately after that episode, we read verse 27.

Exodus 15:27 ESV

Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees, and they encamped there by the water.

God leads them to Elim. A place where there was ample shade and water. And they encamped there for a while.

Pilgrimage: The Christian life is a pilgrimmage. It is full of all kinds of hardship and wonders, of tests and sabbath rests. But what can happen, for many different reasons, is that Christians can find themselves exhausted. Just weary. Christians go through trials and they come out the other side still standing, but hurt. Very often that hurt has come through other Christians, who were supposed to be encouragements, but somehow or other weren’t. Sometimes it comes through various difficult long seasons where one domino after another just kept falling. But in a thousand different ways, do you know what Christ loves to do for his children? He loves to encourage. He loves to heal. He loves to restore joy. He loves to remind you that he is there.

Illustration Hug: A few weeks ago I had a wonderful conversation with a woman at our Church. She shared with me a story that just made me smile as I thought about the kindness of our God. She shared how on one particular day she was just beside herself with frustration and disapointment. She was actually at O’hare airport waiting in line at security. And she was fervently praying while in line. She was so upset. And her internal prayer was “God, I’m so upset. All I want from you is a hug. But you’re not here. You can’t give me a hug.” Don’t you love that prayer. She prayed it again, “God, all I want from you is a hug. But you’re not here to give it to me.” And at that exact moment, she hears her name called. She turns around, and there is a friend of hers who is a member of our church. But its not just any friend. I say this, as an encouragement to him, because he knows who he is, this is the guy I know, who is in a very small select group of men, who gives very long and very good hugs. That man, having no idea the prayer that the woman had just prayed, walked up to this woman, and gave her one of his long very good hugs.

Make it Personal: Perhaps you’re in here today, and you have a level of exhaustion. Perhaps you’re in here today, and you feel like there is a level fatigue, and perhaps even a sense of being overwhelmed. Christ loves to lead you towards Elim, where there are twelves springs of water and seventy palm trees. “Christ has compassion according to the measure of each persons distress. He considers every circumstance and provides compassion and pity as needed. Our misery can never exceed his mercy.” He loves to comfort his bride.

1 Peter 5:6–7 ESV

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

Illustration: Doctor’s Son: Christ cares for you. If you think of a doctor who is treating a patient that is sick, that doctor will work diligently because it is his job, and he cares about his patients. But how much more will that doctor labor to bring healing and comfort to their patient if that patient is his son or his daughter. That son or daughter would experience all of the doctor’s attention. Every possible bit of comfort that could be given, would be given, not simply from duty or responsibility, but for the love of a father to his child. Church, so it is with the our Heavenly Father towards you. He delights in leading you out of the wilderness and into Elim, not simply from a position of duty, but from a position of compassionate father. He loves you. He cares for you. Your deepest needs he knows, and he is a merciful high priest, a compassionate spiritual physician, who heals our souls.

Jehovah Rapha, the Lord who heals.

Closing

Church, we have seen seven ways that the Lord is our healer. Our great application this advent is to sit before God and open our hearts to him in order that we might be healed. No Christian is stuck with wounds that cannot be healed. No Christian is beyond the care of our great soul physician. Bring him your worries. Bring him your troubles. And let the tender mercies of God, Jehovah Rapha bring you peace.