Exodus 15:22-26. From rophe (“to heal”); implies spiritual, emotional as well as physical healing. (Jeremiah 30:17, 3:22; Isaiah 61:1) Yah heals body, soul and spirit–all levels of man’s being.
The Oyster and the Pearl There once was an oyster, whose story I tell, Who found that some sand had got into his shell. It was only a grain, but it gave him great pain. For oysters have feelings, although they’re so plain. Now, did he berate the harsh workings of fate That had brought him to such a deplorable state? Did he curse at the government, cry for election, And claim that the sea should have given him protection? ‘No,’ he said to himself as he lay on a shell, Since I cannot remove it, I shall try to improve it. Now the years have rolled around, as the years always do, And he came to his ultimate destiny, stew. And the small grain of sand that had bothered him so Was a beautiful pearl all richly a glow. Now the tale has a moral, for isn’t it grand What an oyster can do with a morsel of sand? What couldn’t we do If we’d only begin with some of the things That get under our skin.
In prayer time Father YHVH showed me it is time to make something grand of the morsel of sand that got under my skin! YHVH is our all-sufficient God – there is nothing He has not yet prepared for us. We need His healing in order to understand and get to know Him as our Healer. Even the simple healing of a burnt arm or a scraped knee is evidence of our loving and powerful YHVH, who made us, provides for our life and who is the source of all healing (miraculous way He created our bodies with the capability to heal itself – when following His commands). We may use an antiseptic cream, but still the healing is all from Yah Rapha. Moses and the children of Israel crossed the Red Sea miraculously on dry land. YHVH saved them from the Egyptian army chasing them. For the first time in their history, the twelve tribes of Israel were united into one nation, (“you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.”) After three days they came to springs of bitter water at Mara. (Traditionally about 40 miles south of the modern town of Suez – bitter springs are there to this day). The people complained to Moses “What shall we drink?” Moses cried out to the YHVH, and Yahweh showed Moses a tree, which when cast into the springs, made the waters sweet. It was at the time that YHVH said to His people, “If you diligently heed the voice of YHVH your Elohim (God) and do what is right in His sight (seeing), give ear (hearing) to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am YHVH who heals you.” (Exodus 15:26)
Still not knowing that the bitter water of Mara would have cleansed them from all the parasites they had in their bloodstream (because of the diet in Egypt). Yes, it might feel like a “bitter pill to swallow” (sacrificing Egypt’s food) – and only if the ‘tree’ is cast into the water (only when we start to appreciate and love what Yahushua as the tree of life came to do for us – appreciate the foods He made for us) will the bitter water become sweet. This promise from YHVH was to prove to His children His amazing care for them – and for His special hand of healing love upon them – down through their subsequent history. But firstly we need to pay close attention to His words – “…… what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments…..” Anyone who has read the five books of Moses will know that for 40 years God provided an amazing totally nourishing, all-purpose, fully-nutritious daily food called “manna” (Exodus 16). After the forty years in the Sinai had ended Moses reminded them “Yahweh has led you forty years in the wilderness. Your clothes have not worn out on you, and your sandals have not worn out on your feet.” (Deuteronomy 29:5)
He has provided food and all natural products required for our well-being. YHVH God gave Israel many of these food requirements (to be observed after they entered the land), they were teaching aids to illustrate spiritual truths – for He heals our body, soul and spirit. I believe in understanding the symbolic meanings of Yah’s months – previous ‘Tammuz’ (seeing) and this month ‘Av’ (hearing), we need to diligently start seeking what is right in His sight, and hear what is His command regarding dietary laws and overall purifying cleanse for our souls. Back then: The Levitical priests needed to teach the people about Yah’s commandments, but they were also instructed to take special care about skin lesions and contagious diseases, and to watch for evidences of internal illnesses, especially those that were contagious. Many Bible translations call a host of skin conditions using the word “leprosy” though it is clear from the context that scrapes, burns, bruises, allergic reactions, superficial skin infections, cancers and a host of other skin conditions were in view in Leviticus 13-14. Leprosy as it is known today refers to Hansen’s disease, a bacterial infection, serious in its effects, but only mildly contagious, and treatable since 1960.
One can not be certain that the lepers who commonly lived in the ancient Middle East were afflicted with Hansen’s’ disease or something worse, but if leprosy was diagnosed by the Levitical priests, the disease was contagious, and the victims suffered greatly by being totally excluded from society. “he is a leprous man. He is unclean. The priest shall surely pronounce him unclean; his sore is on his head. Now the leper on whom the sore is, his clothes shall be torn and his head bare; and he shall cover his mustache, and cry, Unclean! Unclean! He shall be unclean. All the days he has the sore he shall be unclean. He is unclean, and he shall dwell alone; his dwelling shall be outside the camp.” (Leviticus 13:44-46) The Levitical priests were also taught to be alert for internal illnesses affecting normal and abnormal discharges from the body (chapter 15). But the priests were not healers, nor were they physicians – they where only obeying the instruction given by Yah! Reading between the lines of Leviticus, Yahweh was the one who healed every disease! (no doctor). The priests diagnosed, isolated, and carefully studied a variety of symptoms, and when appropriate, isolated the affected person so as to prevent the spread of infectious agents. Today we take for granted our marvelous Healer God and we choose to only rely on modern medical services. Our doctors start a physical exam with an interview and an examination of the externals of skin, ears, eyes, nose, throat. Then, at the doctor’s disposal are a battery of lab tests: blood analysis, urinalysis, x-rays, CAT scans, MRI scans, endoscopes (and various insertable television probes), angiograms, EKGs, EEGs, and surgical intervention when indicated. A thousand new drugs control blood pressure, anxiety and depression, cholesterol levels, and make up for the dysfunction of almost any internal organ–and on and on. All of this being done without even once consulting the one and only true HEALER YHVH Rapha for His opinion, healing or help.
People are placing their trust in the hands of medical examinations. Do we find a command in the Word – where Yah has instructed or anointed Doctors to examine and heal – to stand in the role of the Leviticus Priests (someone that is in full service – working for YHVH/hearing His voice). The Levitical priests had no medical training, and apparently they stocked no herbs, ointments, or chicken soup when people come to them for help. Neither was there homeopathic medicine among the Jews or a separate class of doctors or healers, as far as we know. Naturally the priests prayed and interceded for the people at each step of their involvement in their lives (confession of sins/eating only the food Yah provided). The ‘tree’ that makes everything sweet: Yahushua came to this world to suffer and die for his people. One day he was preaching in the synagogue.
He read from the book of Isaiah. “The Spirit of YHVH is upon me,” he quoted, “he has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor, he has sent me to heal the broken-hearted.” Yahushua was the fulfillment of that prophecy. Yahushua is the source of all comfort, the one who heals the broken-hearted. He gives healing and restoration to our souls and body. He makes our bitter water sweet! Our sin and rebellion against YHVH are described as wounds, bruises and rotting. We desperately need healing for our sins, we also desperately needs healing for our bodies. When we are sad, Yah Rapha can give us deliverance and healing – causing us to hope in Him and give all the praise to Him. David said in Psalm 43, that YHVH is “the health of my countenance and my Elohim.” Yah is the one, the only one, who gives us hope and encouragement. We may not know what the future brings but we can trust Him with our future. May all followers of YHVH find guidance in His mighty presence. There in His presence we will find what is right in His sight.
Source: Gift one time
