El or Jehovah Rophe - The God Who Heals Exodus 15:1-27

Jehovah Rophe – The God Who Heals – Exodus 15

We’ve all had embarrassing moments, but today the nation of Israel finds itself red-faced because of its response to the greatness of God.

It is unfortunate but true that our lack of faith and negative attitude can reflect our true character and beliefs. Indeed, our actions and responses to situations reveal much about our identity and values.

We examined how tests given by God help improve our skills and character. Also, these tests aim to reveal our true nature and core beliefs.

Poem: There once was an oyster whose story I tell, who found a grain of sand had gotten under his shell; just one little grain, but it caused him much pain, for oysters have feelings even if they seem so plain. Now, did he blame the workings of Fate, which had led him to such a miserable state? Did he curse the Government, or call for an election? No; as he lay on the shelf, he said to himself, "If I cannot remove it, I’ll try to improve it." So, the years went by, as they always do, and he reached his ultimate destiny—which, of course, was clam chowder. And this small grain of sand that had bothered him so, turned into a beautiful pearl, all richly glowing. Now, this tale has a moral—what a grand thing it is what an oyster can do with a tiny piece of sand; what couldn’t we accomplish if we only started with all the stuff that gets under our skin.

We introduced the truth that God gives us tests to humble and mature us, to bring us under His authority and care. God is looking to take a grain of sand and use it to turn us into a pearl for His glory. In looking at today’s name for God (Jehovah Rophe), we find God at work again to test us to prove Himself as the One who heals.

Name: Rophe – occurs 60x in the O.T., – means to restore, to heal, or to cure. God is able to meet us at the point of our human needs and provide complete healing. It refers to physical healing, but can refer to emotional and spiritual healing.

Exodus 15:22-27 (God introduces himself as healer in a test where there is no healing)

Setting: Israel has just crossed over the Red Sea – they are out of Egypt and in pursuit of a land of promise. After witnessing the greatest miracle known to mankind – they gathered together and worshipped God. They’d been redeemed – rescued from the bondage of Egypt. You’d think that life would be a bed of roses, but you’d be wrong. After a great victory the children of Israel rejoiced and then set out on a (3) day journey into the wilderness where they literally hit the wall. But there is much significance in the journey.

I. A Place of Deliverance

As previously mentioned, the Israelites had just experienced a great victory over their enemy and had personally experienced the salvation of God. They were overjoyed and overwhelmed by the God of their forefathers and praised Him.

Exodus 15:1-7, 13

The Israelites were miraculously delivered by God's hand, while their enemies were defeated at the same time. They were freed from Egypt's tyranny with no threat of return.

Whether in salvation or daily life, God will provide a way to deliver His people from the enemy.

1 Corinthians 10:13 (NKJV) “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”

1 John 4:4 (NKJV) “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”

Romans 8:37-39 (NKJV) “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Our God Delivers – He sees His people through and remains faithful to His promises. He rescues us from evil, sin, and self into an eternal relationship with Him.

II. A Place of Dryness

While our God is a God of deliverance, He also longs to bring us to wholeness and health. As His people begin the journey to God’s promise, God sometimes takes them on a detour to transform them from sand into pearls.

God has to lead us to a dry place to make us long for Him alone. Just like with Israel, He must remove the blessings of this world so we are compelled to seek the fountain of the living God.

God isn’t interested in delivering us so we can live independently of Him and focus on ourselves – He’s constantly testing us to make us depend on Him and keep a proper perspective on life. Therefore, sometimes after great victories, God must lead us into the desert of dryness and disappointment to humble us, mature us, and help us grow.

God gives tests to bring out our best.

He led the Israelites to the Desert of Shur (wall), and they encountered a barrier. Three days into the journey, they found themselves out of water and with no hope in sight. Having just experienced the greatest miracle ever, what do you think they did?

They grumbled! They moaned, groaned, and complained. They had left the land of plenty–plenty of water, food, and pain–but now that their situation had become a test, they longed for Egypt.

It’s amazing how quickly people go from the mountain top to the desert. They shift from thinking, “Isn’t God lucky to have someone like me?” to “Why me – what have I done to deserve this?” And of course, both are wrong.

The truth is, God allows desert experiences to lead us toward Him, not away from Him. He uses dry periods to reveal the state of our hearts and to bring us to a point where we only thirst for Him. He employs these dry times to teach us that we need His healing hand to watch over and safeguard us.

Consequently, God takes us into the desert to put us under pressure. O. Chambers says God has to squeeze us if we are ever to become wine, because you can’t drink grapes. However, if we are hard, sometimes we shoot off like a marble. The desert is meant to soften us so that our lives can become useful to God.

It’s remarkable how carnal and lost people often seek bondage when faced with faith challenges. Carnal Christians and lost individuals prefer living in misery rather than walking in faith. They focus on huge problems instead of great victories.

David and Goliath – everyone but David saw a giant problem – David saw a giant God and a giant victory.

Joshua and Caleb – when they entered the promised land to spy out the land promised by God, they saw giant victories, while the other spies saw giant problems.

Why do we complain? Because we see life from a human perspective instead of God’s viewpoint. We focus on how things will impact me.

Story: Just the other day, I heard about a pastor who started experiencing grief because the church was baptizing too many people, and the water bill had gone over the budget. You might laugh, but the church is filled with well-meaning (possibly saved) people who just don’t understand. They think the church should revolve around them – they believe their opinions matter to God and to godly people – but they’re mistaken!

God isn’t concerned about what you think; He’s concerned about whether you are walking in obedience with His will and word. He’s concerned only that we know Him and have submitted our lives to Him.

When we are more focused on ourselves than on His kingdom, we often start to grumble. Grumblers first talk in secret and then attack God’s leaders in authority over them. They rebel against God by attacking His appointed and anointed leader.

Listen, a grumbling spirit is a sign of discontent and a carnal life. It indicates a life that doesn’t believe that God knows what He’s doing. But God isn’t concerned about how right you might think yourself to be because to grumble is to fumble the faith that has set you free. The desert reveals the true attitude of the heart.

III. A Place of Disappointment

There is a second place God has to take us if He is going to be released to be our God – He has to take us to disappointment to teach us to trust in Him alone.

After the people started to complain, they found a well at Marah (Bitter), but they couldn't drink the water. Often, we try to find all available resources to see if they can quench our thirst, but they can't.

It’s amazing how quickly people turn from God instead of to Him in times of bitter disappointment. But disappointment isn’t an opportunity to test our ability to overcome, but a time to test the dependability of God.

Remember – Disappointments are God’s appointments.

How you respond to times of dryness or disappointment reveals the condition of your heart. You are either a Job or an Israelite. Either you are humble or you grumble. Either you trust or you fuss.

When God allowed Job to hit the wall, Job determined it’s better to trust God whereas the Israelites thought it better to trust in man and self.

But let me assure you, until you've hit the wall of dryness or disappointment, you can never learn dependence – and it is dependence that you find wholeness.

Dryness and disappointment uniquely have the ability to strip away the fat and reveal the truth. They can expose the source of our strength.

We must pass through the desert of dryness and the well of disappointment to reach dependence.

IV. A Place of Dependence

Ultimately, God cares about one thing: am I connected to Him alone? Does my faith work because I’m plugged into the source?

Think about a lamp. You can have a working lamp with a good light bulb, but if you’re not plugged into the outlet, your light will never shine. Until a believer is connected to God, their faith won't work in everyday life.

I observe Christian’s daily efforts to live according to their faith in the flesh, and chaos surrounds them. They are so focused on following rules or merely surviving that they don’t understand what it truly means to thrive. Jehovah Rophe cares about this issue.

So, what does all of this have to do with Jehovah Rophe – the God who heals?

This is an odd passage for God to reveal Himself as Jehovah Rophe – because no one is being healed. Which raises the question: What is God trying to tell us?

• God is saying first that He is concerned with wholeness over healing.

• God is concerned with spiritual healing over earthly comfort.

• God is explaining that healing is preventative as well as experiential.

• God is explaining that the healing is conditional. If you, then I will…

1) If you listen carefully to God’s voice and do what is right in His eyes.

2) If you pay attention to God’s Word and obey it… then…

If you seek health and wholeness, start embracing dependence.