Wisdom's Corner
Jehovah RopheWhen you get sick you probably go to the doctor. The doctor will take your temperature, look in your ears, and look at your throat. He does these things so that he can tell you what is wrong with you. He may do other tests to help him figure out why you are sick. He will then give you medicine and tell you what to do to get well.
I work in a hospital with people who have heart trouble. When people have to be admitted we will run many tests to figure out exactly what is wrong with their heart. After we find out what is wrong, we will do what we can to fix it. We will also give them medicine and give them instructions on how to get better. And we will give them instructions on how not to get sick again.
When the children of Israel left Egypt, after the ten plagues, they entered a desert. After three days they complained because there was no water to drink. The water where they were was bad and could not be used. God had Moses throw a tree into the water and the water became good.
In Exodus 15:26, we read, "If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee."
The words 'the Lord that healeth thee' in Hebrew are Jehovah Rophe. This means 'Jehovah heals'. God would heal the Israelites physically on a number of occasions. But more importantly, he could heal them spiritually.
Today God can heal us spiritually. In Matthew 9:12, Jesus refers to himself as a physician (that is a big name for doctor). If we will obey what He has told us to do, He will heal us spiritually. If we will keep His commandments, He will be our spiritual doctor.
Read your Bible. Obey what it says to do. And if any of this is hard to understand, ask an adult to help you.
Mark McWhorter
Copyright 1999
Published by The Old Paths Bible School
(http://www.oldpaths.org)