The Meaning of Jehovah Rapha
And said, 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. (Exodus 15:26, KJV)
Jehovah Rapha is derived from the Hebrew text translated “I am the Lord that healeth thee” in Exodus 15:26. What does this divine name and title mean? And most importantly, how has this prophetic title been fulfilled in Christ for us today?
The Hebrew “rapha” is a verb that means to cure or heal; “it refers to action or care that restores health and brings recovery from some illness or injury.” Today, we are familiar with medical science, and the idea of healing or treatment should be immediately apparent. Doctors heal or treat. But in this text, we find something fascinating: the Lord heals diseases. This establishes the idea of divine healing. While medical science heals through natural means, God heals through His power that operates outside the scope of nature to produce physical and emotional healing.
So God, by default, heals. But something dramatic took place in the New Testament. God healed Israel because He is a Healer, and that remains true today—He is still a Healer. But He did something in Christ that is not only difficult to conceive but is refreshing and powerful: He Himself took our sicknesses on His body and paid the price for us to be healed.
“Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.” (Isaiah 53:4, KJV)
He healed Israel in the Old Testament because He is the Lord that heals, but He heals people today because Jesus Himself took our sicknesses and bore them. He fulfilled Jehovah Rapha as the God who heals people today through Jesus, who took the sicknesses of humanity and bore the sorrows and griefs that these diseases bring.
He was Jehovah Rapha to Israel, but He is still Jehovah Rapha today in a new and better way. Understand and believe this truth, and the way you approach God for healing will be forever transformed.
Meditate
What does the Hebrew word “Jehovah Rapha” mean?
Apply the Word
Jesus on the cross bearing our sins and sicknesses is the clearest statement about God’s will concerning our healing: He wants us to be healed. That is His will, but whether that is fulfilled in our lives is a different story. Keep pressing in until you enforce His will in your health and well-being.
Pray
Ask the Spirit to help you understand, believe, and live the truth that He is Jehovah Rapha.
Recommended Reading
- I Am the LORD that Healeth Thee
- Spiritual Heart Attacks
- Jesus: the Sum of All the Jehovah Names and Titles
- I AM That I AM
- View All Deshen Daily Devotionals
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