Then Moses cried out to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a piece of wood. He threw it into the water, and the water became sweet. There the LORD made a decree and a law for them, and there he tested them. He said, "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." Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees, and they camped there near the water. Exodus 15:25-27
God told Moses, "I am the Lord, who heals you." This Hebrew word, rapha, is a powerful word. Not only does it mean "to heal" in the sense of a disease, but it also means "to completely repair or restore". When an antique car fanatic sets out to restore an old car he doesn't just repaint it, throw some fuzzy dice on the mirror, and let it go. He restores it to its full capacity. This is what God means when he says "I am the Lord, who heals you." He will restore you and your life to the condition that it should be, free of pain, disease, and want.
I firmly believe in the healing power of God Almighty. I honestly don't think that God would fill His Word with the countless stories of His healing power if He did not intend for that power to continue on today. But there is something in this passage that I find very interesting. God says in verse 26 that He will even keep the diseases of Egypt from touching Israel. Did you get that? God told the Israelites that if they were sick, broken, or full of disease He would heal them, but His original intent is that they would not even be plagued by disease and brokenness. He basically was saying, "My will for Israel is that they walk in complete health and wholeness all of their days."
There was a catch, however, and it comes at the beginning of verse 26. The Lord said, "If you diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes." God is clear that if we are to live the ‘life more abundantly' that Jesus came to give us (John 10:10), it also requires complete obedience on our part. This is a key characteristic in the life of a worshipper. True worshippers, those that worship in spirit and truth, have learned to be ever-mindful of the voice of the Lord. They always have their "spiritual antennae" up to receive from the Lord, and they are always ready and waiting to obey whenever and wherever God leads.
God spoke almost this same word again at the dedication of Solomon's temple. 2 Chronicles 7:14 states, "If my people....would humble themselves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from Heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land." The difference between this word and the word given in Exodus 15 was that by this time in the days of David and Solomon, Israel had fallen into sin numerous times. By this time leprosy and various disease had already come on those who had sinned – even Moses' own sister. Many Israelites were struck dead because of their sin, and the Ark of God had even been stolen from the Israelites—all because of sin. But God wants His people to know that no matter what state you find yourself in, no matter how low you may have fallen into sin, you can call on the name of Jesus, and He is waiting to restore you to your rightful place.
Experiencing Worship, The Study
Used by churches all over the world to help teach worship, the Experiencing Worship study can help your worship team too.
Your team will learn why we worship and gain a better understanding of how to worship.
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Experiencing Worship, The Study