NAME 04 of 16: YEHOVAH-RAPHA

The post The Names of God lays the foundation for 01 through 16. Please read it first, thanks.

How did Yehovah come to manifest this attribute?

The scripture tells us that God had just delivered the children of Israel from the Egyptian Pharaoh and his army (Exodus 15:19) and that they had come into the wilderness of Shur where they traversed for three days without finding water (Exodus 15:22). Shur was a place southwest of Palestine, on or possibly within the eastern border of Egypt. The Hebrew name Shur means ‘wall’. The Israelites, by virtue of their thirst, had come to a bona fide obstacle or wall.

As they continued to travel, they came to a place called Marah where they found bitter tasting water (Exodus 15:23). Marah means bitter and the people began to murmur against Moses because they were thirsty and could not drink the water (Exodus 15:24). It seems the people may have been as bitter as the water!

Moses cried out to God and God showed him a tree which he threw into the bitter water. The bitter water became sweet water and Moses made a ‘statute’ (Hebrew—CHOQ, pronounced khōke) or a decree, and established an ‘ordinance’ (Hebrew—MISHPAT, pronounced mish•pät') or a judgment and a custom for the people (Exodus 15:25).

Let me say here that the Word of God is bitter water to sinners because it is judgment to them; however, when sinners are converted to Christ Jesus, the vine (John 15:5), the Word of God becomes sweet to the taste. It is no longer a bitter judgment but sweet life. It is by this acceptance of Christ as Lord and Saviour that the custom or lifestyle of righteousness is established and becomes a law or a statute to the believer.

Moses then proved the people or took them to trial. This trial that Moses brought upon the children of Israel was an ultimatum as well as a promise of divine health conditioned upon four (4) things.

“…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)

God manifested one of His attributes (RAPHA) to the people here. Rapha literally means to sew together and mend to heal and make healthful. God promised the people that if they would do four things, He would keep them from getting the diseases that He had brought upon the Egyptians. He said:

1. Diligently hearken to His voice (hear and answer Him).
2. Do what is right in His sight (listen and understand Him).
3. Give ear to His commandments (hear and obey His commandments).
4. Keep all His statutes (watch, guard, preserve and reserve all His statutes).

The fact that the same Hebrew word (SHAMA) translated ‘diligently’ is also translated ‘hearken’ tells me that this is of great importance and must be done continuously. Jesus made it less complicated for us when He said if we obey two commandments we automatically line up with all (Matthew 22:37-40).

Yehovah-Rapha is the key to divine health for every believer. Yehovah is our Rapha. He is the self-existent one who sews together and mends us, heals us and makes us healthful IF we hear and answer Him, listen and understand what He says, hear and obey Him and watch, guard, preserve and reserve His commandments.

The prescription is so straightforward. Take the four conditions listed above, apply them to the two commandments in Matthew 22 and be healed in the name of Jesus Christ!