The Barrenness And Healing Of Abimelech's Household

Genesis 20 reads,

20:1Abraham journeyed from there toward the land of the South, and lived between Kadesh and Shur. He sojourned in Gerar. 20:2Abraham said about Sarah his wife, "She is my sister." Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah. 20:3But God came to Abimelech in a dream of the night, and said to him, "Behold, you are a dead man, because of the woman whom you have taken. For she is a man’s wife."

20:4Now Abimelech had not come near her. He said, "Lord, will you kill even a righteous nation? 20:5Didn’t he tell me, ‘She is my sister?’ She, even she herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ In the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands have I done this."

20:6God said to him in the dream, "Yes, I know that in the integrity of your heart you have done this, and I also withheld you from sinning against me. Therefore I didn’t allow you to touch her. 20:7Now therefore, restore the man’s wife. For he is a prophet, and he will pray for you, and you will live. If you don’t restore her, know for sure that you will die, you, and all who are yours.

20:8Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ear. The men were very scared. 20:9Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said to him, "What have you done to us? How have I sinned against you, that you have brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? You have done deeds to me that ought not to be done!" 20:10Abimelech said to Abraham, "What did you see, that you have done this thing?"

20:11Abraham said, "Because I thought, ‘Surely the fear of God is not in this place. They will kill me for my wife’s sake.’ 20:12Moreover she is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife. 20:13It happened, when God caused me to wander from my father’s house, that I said to her, ‘This is your kindness which you shall show to me. Everywhere that we go, say of me, "He is my brother."’"

20:14Abimelech took sheep and oxen, men-servants and women-servants, and gave them to Abraham, and restored Sarah, his wife to him. 20:15Abimelech said, "Behold, my land is before you. Dwell where it pleases you." 20:16To Sarah he said, "Behold, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver. Behold, it is for you a covering of the eyes to all that are with you. In front of all you are vindicated."

20:17Abraham prayed to God. God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maid-servants, and they bore children. 20:18For Yahweh had closed up tight all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.

 

Yahweh Afflicted Abimelech's Household With Barrenness On Account Of Unwitting Sin

It should be noted that Abimelech sinned unwittingly against Yahweh, in that he took another man's wife to be his own. This is adultery. It should also be noted that this was a great sin, even though he had yet to consummate his relationship with Sarah. On account of his sin - unwitting sin - Yahweh made barren Abimelech and those in his household. In other words, humans can indeed become sick or suffer from physical ailments on account of their sins, even unwitting sins. A consequence of sin is therefore the bringing about of physical ailments or sickness.

 

Why Yahweh Healed Abimelech's Household

It should also be noted that Yahweh is merciful and compassionate. When Abimelech repented of his unwitting sin, and restored Sarah back to her husband, Yahweh healed Abimelech and those in his household, those who were one-flesh with him. It therefore appears that humans ought to repent of their sins that Yahweh may forgive them and heal them of their ailments and sicknesses.

 

Prayers For Healing By Servants Of Yahweh

It should also be noted that prior to Yahweh healing Abimelech, prayer had to be made, by a servant of Yahweh, on behalf of Abimelech and those of his household. It therefore appears that Yahweh's servants ought to pray for repentant sinners that Yahweh may heal them of ailments or sicknesses arising out of their sins.

 

How Israelites Were To Avoid Having The Diseases Of The Egyptians

Exodus 15:22-26 reads,

15:22Moses led Israel onward from the Red Sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water. 15:23When they came to Marah, they couldn’t drink from the waters of Marah, for they were bitter. Therefore the name of it was called Marah. 15:24The people murmured against Moses, saying, "What shall we drink?" 15:25Then he cried to Yahweh. Yahweh shown him a tree, and he threw it into the waters, and the waters were made sweet. There he made a statute and an ordinance for them, and there he tested them; 15:26and he said, "If you will diligently listen to the voice of Yahweh your God, and will do that which is right in his eyes, and will pay attention to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you, which I have put on the Egyptians; for I am Yahweh who heals you."

It should be noted that disease is something that Yahweh puts on people, on account of their not diligently listening to the voice of Yahweh the Mighty One, not doing what is right in his eyes, not paying attention to his commandments and not keeping his statutes. Therefore those who desire to partake of this statute and ordinance that Yahweh made with the children of Israel must indeed diligently abide by Yahweh word.

 

Yahweh Is The Healer

It should also be noted that Yahweh is the healer. He is the one who healed Abimelech, and he is the one who heals the children of Israel and those of other nations.

 

Do Not Physically Injure Your Fellow Humans

Exodus 21:18-19 reads,

21:18"If men quarrel and one strikes the other with a stone, or with his fist, and he doesn’t die, but is confined to bed; 21:19if he rises again and walks around with his staff, then he who struck him shall be cleared: only he shall pay for the loss of his time, and shall provide for his healing until he is thoroughly healed.

It is the obligation of those who cause physical injury to others to pay for the healing of those others, and also for their loss of time. In other words, humans should not physically injure their fellow humans.

 

When A Person Is Healed Of Leprosy

Leviticus 14:1-32 reads,

14:1Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

14:2"This shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing. He shall be brought to the priest, 14:3and the priest shall go forth out of the camp. The priest shall examine him, and, behold, if the plague of leprosy is healed in the leper, 14:4then the priest shall command them to take for him who is to be cleansed two living clean birds, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop. 14:5The priest shall command them to kill one of the birds in an earthen vessel over running water. 14:6As for the living bird, he shall take it, and the cedar wood, and the scarlet, and the hyssop, and shall dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the running water. 14:7He shall sprinkle on him who is to be cleansed from the leprosy seven times, and shall pronounce him clean, and shall let the living bird go into the open field.

14:8"He who is to be cleansed shall wash his clothes, and shave off all his hair, and bathe himself in water; and he shall be clean. After that he shall come into the camp, but shall dwell outside his tent seven days. 14:9It shall be on the seventh day, that he shall shave all his hair off his head and his beard and his eyebrows, even all his hair he shall shave off. He shall wash his clothes, and he shall bathe his body in water, then he shall be clean.

14:10"On the eighth day he shall take two male lambs without blemish, and one ewe lamb a year old without blemish, and three tenths of an ephah of fine flour for a meal offering, mingled with oil, and one log of oil. 14:11The priest who cleanses him shall set the man who is to be cleansed, and those things, before Yahweh, at the door of the Tent of Meeting.

14:12"The priest shall take one of the male lambs, and offer him for a trespass offering, with the log of oil, and wave them for a wave offering before Yahweh. 14:13He shall kill the male lamb in the place where they kill the sin offering and the burnt offering, in the place of the sanctuary; for as the sin offering is the priest's, so is the trespass offering. It is most holy. 14:14The priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass offering, and the priest shall put it on the tip of the right ear of him who is to be cleansed, and on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot. 14:15The priest shall take some of the log of oil, and pour it into the palm of his own left hand. 14:16The priest shall dip his right finger in the oil that is in his left hand, and shall sprinkle some of the oil with his finger seven times before Yahweh. 14:17The priest shall put some of the rest of the oil that is in his hand on the tip of the right ear of him who is to be cleansed, and on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot, upon the blood of the trespass offering. 14:18The rest of the oil that is in the priest's hand he shall put on the head of him who is to be cleansed, and the priest shall make atonement for him before Yahweh.

14:19"The priest shall offer the sin offering, and make atonement for him who is to be cleansed because of his uncleanness: and afterward he shall kill the burnt offering; 14:20and the priest shall offer the burnt offering and the meal offering on the altar. The priest shall make atonement for him, and he shall be clean.

14:21"If he is poor, and can't afford so much, then he shall take one male lamb for a trespass offering to be waved, to make atonement for him, and one tenth of an ephah of fine flour mingled with oil for a meal offering, and a log of oil; 14:22and two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, such as he is able to afford; and the one shall be a sin offering, and the other a burnt offering.

14:23"On the eighth day he shall bring them for his cleansing to the priest, to the door of the Tent of Meeting, before Yahweh. 14:24The priest shall take the lamb of the trespass offering, and the log of oil, and the priest shall wave them for a wave offering before Yahweh. 14:25He shall kill the lamb of the trespass offering. The priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass offering and put it on the tip of the right ear of him who is to be cleansed, and on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot. 14:26The priest shall pour some of the oil into the palm of his own left hand; 14:27and the priest shall sprinkle with his right finger some of the oil that is in his left hand seven times before Yahweh. 14:28Then the priest shall put some of the oil that is in his hand on the tip of the right ear of him who is to be cleansed, and on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot, on the place of the blood of the trespass offering. 14:29The rest of the oil that is in the priest's hand he shall put on the head of him who is to be cleansed, to make atonement for him before Yahweh. 14:30He shall offer one of the turtledoves, or of the young pigeons, such as he is able to afford, 14:31even such as he is able to afford, the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, with the meal offering. The priest shall make atonement for him who is to be cleansed before Yahweh."

14:32This is the law for him in whom is the plague of leprosy, who is not able to afford the sacrifice for his cleansing.

 

Disease Arises On Account Of Sin

It should be noted that in the cleansing of a leper both trespass and sin offerings are made, to make atonement for the healed leper being cleansed. This implies that the leprosy arose on account of sin. This is consistent with what has already been seen so far in the cases of Abimelech and that of the children of Israel with respect to the statute and ordinance that Yahweh made with them at Marah. It is therefore clear that diseases come upon humans on account of sin. To be healed of diseases humans should repent and pray to Yahweh for healing, seeing that Yahweh is the healer.

 

Yahweh Makes Humans Sick

Leviticus 14:33-56 reads,

14:33Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, 14:34"When you have come into the land of Canaan, which I give to you for a possession, and I put a spreading mildew in a house in the land of your possession, 14:35then he who owns the house shall come and tell the priest, saying, 'There seems to me to be some sort of plague in the house.' 14:36The priest shall command that they empty the house, before the priest goes in to examine the plague, that all that is in the house not be made unclean: and afterward the priest shall go in to inspect the house. 14:37He shall examine the plague; and, behold, if the plague is in the walls of the house with hollow streaks, greenish or reddish, and it appears to be deeper than the wall; 14:38then the priest shall go out of the house to the door of the house, and shut up the house seven days. 14:39The priest shall come again on the seventh day, and look. If the plague has spread in the walls of the house, 14:40then the priest shall command that they take out the stones in which is the plague, and cast them into an unclean place outside of the city: 14:41and he shall cause the inside of the house to be scraped round about, and they shall pour out the mortar, that they scraped off, outside of the city into an unclean place. 14:42They shall take other stones, and put them in the place of those stones; and he shall take other mortar, and shall plaster the house.

14:43"If the plague comes again, and breaks out in the house, after he has taken out the stones, and after he has scraped the house, and after it was plastered; 14:44then the priest shall come in and look; and, behold, if the plague has spread in the house, it is a destructive mildew in the house. It is unclean. 14:45He shall break down the house, its stones, and its timber, and all the house's mortar. He shall carry them out of the city into an unclean place.

14:46"Moreover he who goes into the house while it is shut up shall be unclean until the evening. 14:47He who lies down in the house shall wash his clothes; and he who eats in the house shall wash his clothes.

14:48"If the priest shall come in, and examine it, and, behold, the plague hasn't spread in the house, after the house was plastered, then the priest shall pronounce the house clean, because the plague is healed. 14:49To cleanse the house he shall take two birds, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop. 14:50He shall kill one of the birds in an earthen vessel over running water. 14:51He shall take the cedar wood, and the hyssop, and the scarlet, and the living bird, and dip them in the blood of the slain bird, and in the running water, and sprinkle the house seven times. 14:52He shall cleanse the house with the blood of the bird, and with the running water, with the living bird, with the cedar wood, with the hyssop, and with the scarlet; 14:53but he shall let the living bird go out of the city into the open field. So shall he make atonement for the house; and it shall be clean."

14:54This is the law for any plague of leprosy, and for an itch, 14:55and for the destructive mildew of a garment, and for a house, 14:56and for a rising, and for a scab, and for a bright spot; 14:57to teach when it is unclean, and when it is clean.

This is the law of leprosy.

It should be noted from 14:34 that it is Yahweh who puts the plague in a house, including the plague of a destructive mildew. When sickness comes upon humans it is because Yahweh has sent that sickness upon humans. This arises on account of humans' sins. Therefore, to avoid being sick, humans should cease from sin.

 

How Miriam Became Leprous

Numbers 12 reads,

12:1Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married; for he had married a Cushite woman. 12:2They said, Has Yahweh indeed spoken only with Moses? Hasn’t he spoken also with us? Yahweh heard it. 12:3Now the man Moses was very humble, above all the men who were on the surface of the earth. 12:4Yahweh spoke suddenly to Moses, and to Aaron, and to Miriam, Come out you three to the tent of meeting. They three came out. 12:5Yahweh came down in a pillar of cloud, and stood at the door of the Tent, and called Aaron and Miriam; and they both came forth. 12:6He said, Hear now my words: if there be a prophet among you, I Yahweh will make myself known to him in a vision, I will speak with him in a dream. 12:7My servant Moses is not so; he is faithful in all my house: 12:8with him will I speak mouth to mouth, even manifestly, and not in dark speeches; and the form of Yahweh shall he see: why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant, against Moses? 12:9The anger of Yahweh was kindled against them; and he departed. 12:10The cloud removed from over the Tent; and, behold, Miriam was leprous, as white as snow: and Aaron looked at Miriam, and, behold, she was leprous. 12:11Aaron said to Moses, Oh, my lord, please don’t lay sin on us, for that we have done foolishly, and for that we have sinned. 12:12Let her not, I pray, be as one dead, of whom the flesh is half consumed when he comes out of his mother’s womb. 12:13Moses cried to Yahweh, saying, Heal her, God, I beg you. 12:14Yahweh said to Moses, If her father had but spit in her face, shouldn’t she be ashamed seven days? Let her be shut up outside of the camp seven days, and after that she shall be brought in again. 12:15Miriam was shut up outside of the camp seven days: and the people didn’t travel until Miriam was brought in again. 12:16Afterward the people journeyed from Hazeroth, and encamped in the wilderness of Paran.

It should be noted that Miriam and Aaron sinned in that they spoke against Moses, Yahweh's servant. As a result of her sin Yahweh lay the sickness of leprosy upon Miriam, thereby showing that sickness arises on account of sin. Moses understood that it is Yahweh who heals. That is why he cried to Yahweh to heal Miriam, for it is in Yahweh's power to heal.

 

Why Yahweh Didn't Immediately Heal Miriam

It should be noted that Yahweh chose not to heal Miriam immediately. Yahweh felt that Miriam needed to learn a lesson of shame on account of her sin. Yahweh therefore decreed seven days of leprosy upon her. It should therefore be clear that sometimes Yahweh does not heal humans immediately when they are sick, even when a servant of his prays for their healing. He sometimes has reasons for not healing immediately, including the sick person needing to learn a lesson prior to his healing.

 

Yahweh Curses With Diseases Those Who Don't Listen To Him

Deuteronomy 28:15-68

28:15But it shall come to pass, if you will not listen to the voice of Yahweh your God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command you this day, that all these curses shall come on you, and overtake you. 28:16Cursed shall you be in the city, and cursed shall you be in the field. 28:17Cursed shall be your basket and your kneading-trough. 28:18Cursed shall be the fruit of your body, and the fruit of your ground, the increase of your cattle, and the young of your flock. 28:19Cursed shall you be when you come in, and cursed shall you be when you go out. 28:20Yahweh will send on you cursing, confusion, and rebuke, in all that you put your hand to do, until you are destroyed, and until you perish quickly; because of the evil of your doings, whereby you have forsaken me. 28:21Yahweh will make the pestilence cleave to you, until he have consumed you from off the land, where you go in to possess it. 28:22Yahweh will strike you with consumption, and with fever, and with inflammation, and with fiery heat, and with the sword, and with blasting, and with mildew; and they shall pursue you until you perish. 28:23Your sky that is over your head shall be brass, and the earth that is under you shall be iron. 28:24Yahweh will make the rain of your land powder and dust: from the sky shall it come down on you, until you are destroyed. 28:25Yahweh will cause you to be struck before your enemies; you shall go out one way against them, and shall flee seven ways before them: and you shall be tossed back and forth among all the kingdoms of the earth. 28:26Your dead body shall be food to all birds of the sky, and to the animals of the earth; and there shall be none to frighten them away. 28:27Yahweh will strike you with the boil of Egypt, and with the tumors, and with the scurvy, and with the itch, whereof you can not be healed. 28:28Yahweh will strike you with madness, and with blindness, and with astonishment of heart; 28:29and you shall grope at noonday, as the blind gropes in darkness, and you shall not prosper in your ways: and you shall be only oppressed and robbed always, and there shall be none to save you. 28:30You shall betroth a wife, and another man shall lie with her: you shall build a house, and you shall not dwell therein: you shall plant a vineyard, and shall not use the fruit of it. 28:31Your ox shall be slain before your eyes, and you shall not eat of it: your donkey shall be violently taken away from before your face, and shall not be restored to you: your sheep shall be given to your enemies, and you shall have none to save you. 28:32Your sons and your daughters shall be given to another people; and your eyes shall look, and fail with longing for them all the day: and there shall be nothing in the power of your hand. 28:33The fruit of your ground, and all your labors, shall a nation which you don’t know eat up; and you shall be only oppressed and crushed always; 28:34so that you shall be mad for the sight of your eyes which you shall see. 28:35Yahweh will strike you in the knees, and in the legs, with a sore boil, whereof you can not be healed, from the sole of your foot to the crown of your head. 28:36Yahweh will bring you, and your king whom you shall set over you, to a nation that you have not known, you nor your fathers; and there shall you serve other gods, wood and stone. 28:37You shall become an astonishment, a proverb, and a byword, among all the peoples where Yahweh shall lead you away. 28:38You shall carry much seed out into the field, and shall gather little in; for the locust shall consume it. 28:39You shall plant vineyards and dress them, but you shall neither drink of the wine, nor gather the grapes; for the worm shall eat them. 28:40You shall have olive trees throughout all your borders, but you shall not anoint yourself with the oil; for your olive shall cast its fruit. 28:41You shall father sons and daughters, but they shall not be yours; for they shall go into captivity. 28:42All your trees and the fruit of your ground shall the locust possess. 28:43The sojourner who is in the midst of you shall mount up above you higher and higher; and you shall come down lower and lower. 28:44He shall lend to you, and you shall not lend to him: he shall be the head, and you shall be the tail. 28:45All these curses shall come on you, and shall pursue you, and overtake you, until you are destroyed; because you didn’t listen to the voice of Yahweh your God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which he commanded you: 28:46and they shall be on you for a sign and for a wonder, and on your seed forever.

28:47Because you didn’t serve Yahweh your God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, by reason of the abundance of all things; 28:48therefore shall you serve your enemies whom Yahweh shall send against you, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all things: and he shall put a yoke of iron on your neck, until he have destroyed you. 28:49Yahweh will bring a nation against you from far, from the end of the earth, as the eagle flies; a nation whose language you shall not understand; 28:50a nation of fierce facial expressions, that shall not regard the person of the old, nor show favor to the young, 28:51and shall eat the fruit of your cattle, and the fruit of your ground, until you are destroyed; that also shall not leave you grain, new wine, or oil, the increase of your cattle, or the young of your flock, until they have caused you to perish. 28:52They shall besiege you in all your gates, until your high and fortified walls come down, in which you trusted, throughout all your land; and they shall besiege you in all your gates throughout all your land, which Yahweh your God has given you. 28:53You shall eat the fruit of your own body, the flesh of your sons and of your daughters, whom Yahweh your God has given you, in the siege and in the distress with which your enemies shall distress you. 28:54The man who is tender among you, and very delicate, his eye shall be evil toward his brother, and toward the wife of his bosom, and toward the remnant of his children whom he has remaining; 28:55so that he will not give to any of them of the flesh of his children whom he shall eat, because he has nothing left him, in the siege and in the distress with which your enemy shall distress you in all your gates. 28:56The tender and delicate woman among you, who would not adventure to set the sole of her foot on the ground for delicateness and tenderness, her eye shall be evil toward the husband of her bosom, and toward her son, and toward her daughter, 28:57and toward her young one who comes out from between her feet, and toward her children whom she shall bear; for she shall eat them for want of all things secretly, in the siege and in the distress with which your enemy shall distress you in your gates.

28:58If you will not observe to do all the words of this law that are written in this book, that you may fear this glorious and fearful name, YAHWEH YOUR GOD; 28:59then Yahweh will make your plagues wonderful, and the plagues of your seed, even great plagues, and of long continuance, and sore sicknesses, and of long continuance. 28:60He will bring on you again all the diseases of Egypt, which you were afraid of; and they shall cleave to you. 28:61Also every sickness, and every plague, which is not written in the book of this law, them will Yahweh bring on you, until you are destroyed. 28:62You shall be left few in number, whereas you were as the stars of the sky for multitude; because you didn’t listen to the voice of Yahweh your God. 28:63It shall happen that as Yahweh rejoiced over you to do you good, and to multiply you, so Yahweh will rejoice over you to cause you to perish, and to destroy you; and you shall be plucked from off the land where you go in to possess it. 28:64Yahweh will scatter you among all peoples, from the one end of the earth even to the other end of the earth; and there you shall serve other gods, which you have not known, you nor your fathers, even wood and stone. 28:65Among these nations shall you find no ease, and there shall be no rest for the sole of your foot: but Yahweh will give you there a trembling heart, and failing of eyes, and pining of soul; 28:66and your life shall hang in doubt before you; and you shall fear night and day, and shall have no assurance of your life. 28:67In the morning you shall say, Would it were even! And at even you shall say, Would it were morning! For the fear of your heart which you shall fear, and for the sight of your eyes which you shall see. 28:68Yahweh will bring you into Egypt again with ships, by the way whereof I said to you, You shall see it no more again: and there you shall sell yourselves to your enemies for bondservants and for bondmaids, and no man shall buy you.

It should be noted that sickness, disease, pestilence and plague are all curses that Yahweh prophesied that he would bring upon the children of Israel on account of their rebellion against his word. These included sicknesses and diseases of which they couldn't be healed, all on account of rebellion against Yahweh. It should therefore be clear that to avoid sickness and disease one should indeed diligently abide by Yahweh's word. And where one has already sinned, and some sickness or disease has come upon him, that one should indeed repent of his sickness and pray to Yahweh for healing. For merciful and compassionate Yahweh hears the prayers of his servants to heal repentant sinners.

 

Yahweh Wounds And Heals

Deuteronomy 32:39 reads,

32:39See now that I, even I, am he,

There is no god with me:

I kill, and I make alive;

I wound, and I heal;

There is none who can deliver out of my hand.

Yahweh again asserts his supremacy over all, including his supremacy in wounding and healing.

 

Offer To Yahweh A Trespass Offering For Your Healing

1 Samuel 6:1-18 reads,

6:1The ark of Yahweh was in the country of the Philistines seven months. 6:2The Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, "What shall we do with the ark of Yahweh? Show us with which we shall send it to its place."

6:3They said, "If you send away the ark of the God of Israel, don’t send it empty; but by all means return him a trespass-offering: then you shall be healed, and it shall be known to you why his hand is not removed from you."

6:4Then they said, "What shall be the trespass-offering which we shall return to him?"

They said, "Five golden tumors, and five golden mice, according to the number of the lords of the Philistines; for one plague was on you all, and on your lords. 6:5Therefore you shall make images of your tumors, and images of your mice that mar the land; and you shall give glory to the God of Israel: peradventure he will lighten his hand from off you, and from off your gods, and from off your land. 6:6Why then do you harden your hearts, as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? When he had worked wonderfully among them, didn’t they let the people go, and they departed? 6:7Now therefore take and prepare yourselves a new cart, and two milk cattle, on which there has come no yoke; and tie the cattle to the cart, and bring their calves home from them; 6:8and take the ark of Yahweh, and lay it on the cart; and put the jewels of gold, which you return him for a trespass-offering, in a coffer by the side of it; and send it away, that it may go. 6:9Behold; if it goes up by the way of its own border to Beth-shemesh, then he has done us this great evil: but if not, then we shall know that it is not his hand that struck us; it was a chance that happened to us."

6:10The men did so, and took two milk cattle, and tied them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home; 6:11and they put the ark of Yahweh on the cart, and the coffer with the mice of gold and the images of their tumors. 6:12The cattle took the straight way by the way to Beth-shemesh; they went along the highway, lowing as they went, and didn’t turn aside to the right hand or to the left; and the lords of the Philistines went after them to the border of Beth-shemesh. 6:13They of Beth-shemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley; and they lifted up their eyes, and saw the ark, and rejoiced to see it. 6:14The cart came into the field of Joshua the Beth-shemite, and stood there, where there was a great stone: and they split the wood of the cart, and offered up the cattle for a burnt offering to Yahweh. 6:15The Levites took down the ark of Yahweh, and the coffer that was with it, in which the jewels of gold were, and put them on the great stone: and the men of Beth-shemesh offered burnt offerings and sacrificed sacrifices the same day to Yahweh. 6:16When the five lords of the Philistines had seen it, they returned to Ekron the same day. 6:17These are the golden tumors which the Philistines returned for a trespass-offering to Yahweh: for Ashdod one, for Gaza one, for Ashkelon one, for Gath one, for Ekron one; 6:18and the golden mice, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five lords, both of fortified cities and of country villages, even to the great stone, whereon they set down the ark of Yahweh, which stone remains to this day in the field of Joshua the Beth-shemite.

The priests and diviners of the Philistines counselled their people wisely. In seeking healing from Yahweh one should offer up a trespass offering, even as Yahweh commanded the children of Israel with respect to his law of leprosy. And when the Philistines had acknowledged Yahweh's supremacy, and done according to the counsel given them, Yahweh indeed healed them of the tumours and plagues with which he had afflicted them.

 

Yahweh Healed The Waters Of Jericho

2 Kings 2:19-22 reads,

2:19The men of the city said to Elisha, Behold, we pray you, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees: but the water is bad, and the land miscarries. 2:20He said, Bring me a new jar, and put salt therein. They brought it to him. 2:21He went forth to the spring of the waters, and cast salt therein, and said, Thus says Yahweh, I have healed these waters; there shall not be from there any more death or miscarrying. 2:22So the waters were healed to this day, according to the word of Elisha which he spoke.

Just as Yahweh healed the bitter waters of Marah in the days of Moses, so also he healed the waters of Jericho in the days of Elisha. Yahweh indeed is the healer.

 

Yahweh Healed Hezekiah And Added Fifteen Years To His Life

2 Kings 20:1-11 reads,

20:1In those days was Hezekiah sick to death. Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him, and said to him, Thus says Yahweh, Set your house in order: for you shall die, and not live. 20:2Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed to Yahweh, saying, 20:3Remember now, Yahweh, I beg you, how I have walked before you in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in your sight. Hezekiah wept sore. 20:4It happened, before Isaiah was gone out into the middle part of the city, that the word of Yahweh came to him, saying, 20:5Turn back, and tell Hezekiah the prince of my people, Thus says Yahweh, the God of David your father, I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears: behold, I will heal you; on the third day you shall go up to the house of Yahweh. 20:6I will add to your days fifteen years; and I will deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for my own sake, and for my servant David’s sake. 20:7Isaiah said, Take a cake of figs. They took and laid it on the boil, and he recovered. 20:8Hezekiah said to Isaiah, What shall be the sign that Yahweh will heal me, and that I shall go up to the house of Yahweh the third day? 20:9Isaiah said, This shall be the sign to you from Yahweh, that Yahweh will do the thing that he has spoken: shall the shadow go forward ten steps, or go back ten steps? 20:10Hezekiah answered, It is a light thing for the shadow to decline ten steps: nay, but let the shadow return backward ten steps. 20:11Isaiah the prophet cried to Yahweh; and he brought the shadow ten steps backward, by which it had gone down on the dial of Ahaz.

It should indeed be noted that Yahweh is the healer. Yahweh healed Hezekiah of his sickness leading unto death and added fifteen years to Hezekiah's life. Yahweh's power is such that he can heal one even of deadly diseases. He wounds, and he heals!

 

Pray To Yahweh For Your Healing

It should also be noted that Yahweh hears the prayers of sick people who serve him, even as he heard the prayer of sick Hezekiah, his servant. Therefore, when servants of Yahweh are sick, they should indeed pray to Yahweh for their healing.

 


[Previous Section] [Contents] [Next Section]


Your comments on this article

Click here to inform a friend about this article

Go to Christ the Lamp web site Contents page

Go to Christ the Lamp Home page

© 2001, Isaac Aluochier, All rights reserved. Published by Christ the Lamp, a division of Servants of Yahweh, P O Box 44848, Nairobi, 00100, Kenya. E-mail: christthelamp@christthelamp.org. Permission is hereby GRANTED to reproduce this and other publications in the Christ the Lamp web site, http://www.christthelamp.org, unless otherwise stated.