Jehovah Rophe Series

Names of God 8- Jehovah Rophe- the Lord who heals.

WBC 23/10/05pm Exodus 15:22-27

I thought you might appreciate these real doctor’s comments from hospital forms:

1. I saw your patient today, who is still under our car for physical therapy.

2. Patient has chest pain if she lies on her left side for over a year.

3. On the second day the knee was better, and on the third day it disappeared.

4. The patient is tearful and crying constantly. She also appears to be depressed.

5. The patient has been depressed since she began seeing me in 1993.

6. Discharge status: Alive but without my permission.

7. Healthy appearing decrepit 69 year old male, mentally alert but forgetful.

8. The patient refused autopsy.

9. The patient has no previous history of suicides.

10. Patient has left white blood cells at another hospital.

11. Patient’s medical history has been remarkably insignificant with only a 40 pound weight gain in the past 3 days.

12. Patient had waffles for breakfast and anorexia for lunch.

13. She is numb from her toes down.

14. While in ER, she was examined, x-rated and sent home.

15. The skin was moist and dry.

16. Occasional, constant infrequent headaches.

17. Patient was alert and unresponsive.

18. Rectal examination revealed a normal sized thyroid.

19. She stated that she had been constipated for most of her life, until she got a divorce.

20. She has no rigors or shaking chills, but her husband states she was very hot in bed last night.

21. Skin: Somewhat pale but present.

22. Large brown stool ambulating in the hall.

23. Patient has two teenage children, but no other abnormalities

JEHOVAH

The names of God by which He progressively reveals Himself in the OT are in response to His people’s progressing needs:

Abraham, in His test to offer up his son, Isaac, on Mount Moriah, discovers that God is Jehovah Jireh. The God who provides. Provides the sacrifice

- And there, caught in the bushes is a ram. The Passover lamb, who would be slain so God’s people could go free (from Egypt) and Christians could be free from the power of sin through "the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world"

- And from this experience came the expression ’on the mount of the Lord it will be provided"

o And so it was. 2,000 years later (Now 2,000 years ago!)- on Mt Moriah, which is, geographically, Calvary.

" That’s where Jerusalem was built

Maybe it’s not surprising that the first name of God reveals Him providing a way for our sin to be forgiven. A means of salvation

- God saw that that was the most important, primary, thing

While in trouble in Egypt they discover that He is Yahweh- the "I Am". The consistent and self-existent one. The one who WILL BE all that He is and all that they need

- You may not be much.. able to cope.. faithful… much in yourself

- But I AM!

These are all lessons to us. In fact- the whole of the OT is. (I don’t dispense with it)

- 1Cor 10:11 These things happened as examples for us, on whom the fulfilment of the ages has come

May God speak to you tonight

JEHOVAH ROPHE

Because here, God reveals something else of His nature. That He is the healer. The Lord who heals

Basically- they’ve made it out of Egypt. Through the red Sea. And up and out they come full of beans! Energy. Excitement. Expectation

- this carries them day one into the desert (and they don’t notice the heat or thirst)

- then day two comes… and they start to get dry-throated

- then comes day three- and they really start to moan!

- I wonder who or what was bitter, here!

- Then they see water! Yippee! An Oasis! "God, you’ve done it!"

>UP!-But the water tastes foul. DOWN. Undrinkable. Bitter. Frustration, Disillusionment.

- They get more bitter. Take it out on Moses. He takes it out on God

But it’s a test. Not of them to God (as they think: "will He come up with the goods?") …. But God to them.

- He’s got a lesson for them to learn

Get that tree… wood.. throw it in and you’ll be okay.

- In fact: follow the Lord’s commands and decrees and ’none of these diseases’ will hit you for I am Jehovah Rophe

Rophe meaning "restore, to heal, to make healthful" - in body mind and spirit

Healing is in the name and nature of God

- Don’t you ever doubt it. He is good

- Here. Again and again in the OT. There are examples of healings of lepers, dead sons, kings… all kinds of things

- Ultimately shown in the fullest revelation of God’s nature: Jesus