Yahweh Rapha
Definition of Yahweh Rapha
Yahweh-Rapha is the God of health not sickness; a God of wholeness not diseases; a God of restoration not destruction; a God who mends and repairs and do not tear apart, and a God of life not death. Yahweh-Rapha is the God of all healing and the God of all health.
According to Psalm 147:3 says, “He heals the broken-hearted and binds up their wounds.” This name assures each of us that our Heavenly Father wants to restore us to wholeness.
Yahweh-Rapha is the great healer of the broken hearted. The word “broken” in the Hebrew means: to be broken down or to be broken in pieces, to be wrecked, to be crushed, to be ruptured, to be shattered also to be maimed. The human heart is fragile and often the most susceptible to the ravages of sickness and disease.
God is interested in the details of our lives. He cares about our health, for instance, he made our bodies and wants us to enjoy as full a measure of health as possible.
The name Yahweh Yireh revealed God’s concern for people’s spiritual health. The name Yahweh Rapha revealed his gracious concerned about Israel’s physical health.
And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen. Genesis 22:14KJV
Moses led the children of Israel to a place where they saw God heal bitter waters, making it fit to drink. God then used this as an object lesson, “If you will listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in his sight obeying his commands and laws, then I will not make you suffer the diseases I sent on the Egyptians: for I am the Lord who heals you”. It was at Mara which means “bitter”, that God showed the children of Israel that He was the source of all health.
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
Does God really care if I am sick? Does he notice when our life is threatened by some deadly disease? No where does Scripture tells us that God will heal all people of all diseases: but he will heal some people of some diseases. There is no health without the healing God. In this wholeness, we find a measure of health on earth and full measure of health in heaven. Revelation 21:4, 22:2 tells us that there will be no pain to be healed in heaven.
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. Revelation 21:4 KJV
In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. Revelation 22:2KJV
God heals, of that there is no doubt. Sometimes he allows the body to heal itself; at other times he miraculously quickens the process. Sometimes he gives the ultimate healing by bringing his children home with him. where God is Yahweh Rapha, the healing God! This should be enough to turn our bitter waters into sweet
Conclusion
Yahweh-Rapha is the wonderful healer, the awesome repairer, the magnificent mender, and the Great Physician of the body and soul. Yahweh-Rapha is the cure for every single sickness, disease, and infirmity that has ever inflicted the body and mind of humanity.
As Christians each and every one of us can have this assurance that our Heavenly Father wants to restore us to wholeness. “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget none of His benefits, who pardons all our iniquities, who heals all our diseases.” (Psalm 103:2-3)
YAHWEH RAPHA or ROPHE (Hebrew יְהֹוָה Yĕhovah רָפָא Rapha’), The LORD Who Heals. God’s people had just come through the Red Sea and had seen God destroy the armies of Egypt and their Pharaoh under its crushing waters.
There are more than sixty references in the Scripture describing God as Yahweh-Rapha, the God who heals or restores. One of the early ones is in Exodus 15. It gives us a vast understanding of when the children of Israel were in misery, slaves in Egypt until God intervened and restored them to freedom.
What an awesome God we serve.