Jehovah Rophe - God Our Healer Series

Remember that Rophe can also mean “to restore?” God wanted the Israelites to know that He will restore what is bitter in their lives! Just like in English, “Bitter” in Hebrew can refer to a taste or one’s attitude. By performing this miracle at Marah, God proved that He can restore, or heal, both kinds of bitterness!

The bitterness of the spring was not the Israelites’ fault. They had no control over that.

The bitterness in their hearts, though, WAS their fault. They allowed their situation to override their faith, and their attitudes reflected that.

God is Jehovah Rophe, the Healer, the Great Physician! God healed the spring of the bitter water, and healed the hearts of the Israelites of their bitterness. In the same way, God healed the earth from a disaster caused by man -- Chernobyl.

Remember how scientists have no idea where the European brown bear came from? I think it was God healing and restoring the landscape of Northern Ukraine after the sin of man -- in this case, arrogance -- destroyed it.

If God can make bitter water sweet again, can improve the mood of an entire nation of people, and bring back multiple endangered species despite an incredibly radioactive area, then how easy must it be for Him to heal and restore what’s bitter in our own lives?

It is easy! But remember the promise God made to the Israelites in verse 26: “He said, “If you listen carefully to 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.” The Israelites were freaking out, wondering if they would ever be on the receiving end of one of God’s plagues! God said this to reassure them that, so long as they obey his commands and listen to His voice, He would not send any plagues their way.

This was Gods way of restoring and healing their future.

God never said that He would heal every sniffle and solve every problem that came our way if we only obey. What He said was that He would protect our future if we obey Him! 2000 years ago He made good on that very promise by sending His son down to die on the cross for our sins. Without that sacrifice, our future would look very, very dark. God restored our lives by removing the sin from our lives like he removed the bitterness from the waters at Marah.

What bitterness do you have in your life? What things are going on right now where you feel like God is distant? Let God heal these areas of your life! Let Jesus restore your lives from the bondage of sin!