Jehovah Rapha I am the LORD, who heals you (29th Jan 2012)

Scripture Readings: Exodus 15:22~27

22. Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea and they went into the Desert of Shur. For three days they traveled in the desert without finding water.

23. When they came to Marah, they could not drink its water because it was bitter. (That is why the place is called Marah. )

24. So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, "What are we to drink?"

25. 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.

26. 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."

27. Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees, and they camped there near the water.

 

 

 

Sermon: Jehovah Rapha I am the LORD, who heals you.

Israelites, people of God, experienced miracles. Firstly the Kingdom of Egypt allowed them to be free to go. They were slaves. It means they are property of Egypt. Among, the old histories, there is no facts that any powerful countries allowed the slave to be free without any armed conflicts. By the fear of Jehovah who was God of Israelites, Egypt was unavoidably free them to go. Secondly, Israelites saw their enemies to bury at the Red sea. Army of Egypt was hot in pursuit after them. They were in fear of death. At that time, God clearly said to them " Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. "(Exodus 14:13) Like His saying, they saw with their own eyes; there was the parting of the Red sea, the dry land was exposed, the army was buried by water of the Red sea after they waded across the sea.

By the miracle, Moses praised God who save them, and gave them victories. Also, all Israelites praised Him. Specially Miriam the prophetess sang "Sing to the LORD, for he is highly exalted. The horse and its rider he has hurled into the sea." (Exodus 15:21)

Before seeing the miracle, Israelites would hesitate to go to the deseart. But now they were willing to go there. Why? they experienced God Almighty who fought for them.

However, the delight and the firm faith was limited only in three days. The reason is water! Think about it! Two million people could not get water to drink. Actually they were easy to endure pains and sufferings because of their slave lives. The lack of water in the three days would not be endurable to them. When they met Marah which got bitter water, they did not ignore it and grumbled against Moses. Why they did it? It is a fear to worry about the future. So they wanted to drink water of Marah even though the water was bitter. Generally speakings, bitter water cause various disease. In water shortage of Africa, some dirty and bitter waters cause typhoid, Malaria and so forth. Before three days they were praising God, after three days they were grumbling to God with fear of the present and future.

So the LORD showed Moses a piece of wood. He threw it into the water, and the water became sweet. He solved the problem very easily in front of shouting Israelites. How wonderful! He gave them a tree to put into Marah. The tree made the water be clean and sweet to drink. they experienced a miracle again. Then the LORD made a decree and a law for them, and there he tested them. And said. We read together verse 26. "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."

God firmly made the lsraelite know His almighty and love for them by showing the miracle and making decree and law. Why? look at the last verse. 27 "Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees, and they camped there near the water."

Elim was near there. The blessed place where were twelve springs and seventy palm trees was near there! If they passed Marah with an open hand, they should go earlier to Elim. Twelve springs and seventy palm tree are enough to rest 2million people. The result is "the Israelites were weak, very weak facing any sufferings even being with God."

In the present, we are like the Israelites. Although we had a faith to God, we are very weak in moment of hardship. Facing to the difficulties, we are too worrying and feeling fear for future. We would not have any experience of faith. No! we have. Why we are very weak, worry too much in our lives. Because the World are very touch and strong to us. The fact is true. the world are tough to us. In this situation, today story encourages us to live with confidence.

Firstly, Our LORD heals all the disease of the World. There are two kinds of disease which doctors can heal or not. But God heals all. Malachi 4:2 "But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall."

In the New testament, 30% of Jesus work was healing. the blind, the leprosy, and even the mad were healed by Jesus Christ. He cured the suffered physically, mentally, and spiritually.

Now the unbelievers also believe in miracles of God. By the research since 1990. American medical researchers have admitted the statistics. When patients had mental and physical disorder or incurable disease like cancer, believers are remarkably healed very quickly more than nonbelievers. For the result, there are so many medical course of the research to train doctors. Who are doing this? Yes! Jehovah Rapha God heals us in this present. Doctors of this world are trying to heal only physical body and mental mind. We should know He is healing our souls. How it can be? The problem of our sin must be solved. then our souls are healed. God solved our problem. By whom? Yes Jesus, His only son solved our problem. His sacrifice of unfailing love and power of overcoming death free from our sin at a stroke. After solving our problem, our sin, our souls are healed, our metal are cured, our body are recovered.

Jesus said "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28)

Now we accept the fact! We are not escaping hardship like Marah. How can we overcome the temptation and difficulties? In our lives, anyone cannot be received stress and pains. How can we solve? Drinking liquors? Addicting games or gambling? Traveling a lot? Having affair? Anything can perfectly release your stress and pains. Already you saw many cases and got experiences. Passing some times, you can not control them. Then the result? you are failed to live.

You should return to Jehovah Rapha. We should rely on God the healer. Without him, we can not overcome them. Let us come to God the healer, He will cure us with the blood of Jesus Christ. only Jehovah Rapha heal us to live in this world.

Let us pray, God the healer, our Lord! Thanks for coming today and giving us your healing. With today words, we will live grandly. In any moments of sufferings, we will rely on you. At every time, please come and heal us. In Jesus' name we pray Amen.