Jehovah Rophe
Exodus 15, Luke 8: 40-56
After years of captivity and oppression by Egypt, God miraculously liberates the Israelite people from the Egyptians. Our text today succeeds the downfall of the Egyptian army that was in pursuit of the fleeing Israelites. God parted the waters so the Israelites could pass through, and the Egyptians were “hurled into the sea,” as Moses puts it in this poem. In this chapter, Moses and Miriam, two Israelite prophets, are worshiping God through song for his mercy and salvation. They begin their journey out of Egypt, and just 3 days after their miraculous rescue, the Israelites are grumbling and doubting God’s provision.
Despite their grumbling and doubt, God promises to care for them if they continue walking in his ways. In verse 26, God reveals a crucial aspect of his character through the speaking of his name: Jehovah Rophe, the God who heals.
Colossians 1:15 says that “the Son is the image of the invisible God” and Hebrews 1:3 says that “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory, the exact representation of his being.” This means that the Jesus we follow is the healing God of the Israelites. He provides compassionate healing to those who call on Him.
For many, however, this healing may not happen in this lifetime. It can be difficult to walk with the God who heals when he just doesn’t seem to be healing you. This is okay, and expected. Continue pressing into Jesus. Because the good news is, that even though we may not be healed physically or emotionally in this life, when Jesus restores all of creation, our wounds will be finally and completely healed. The tension we all feel in the “not yet” reality of our healing will be hard, but it is an opportunity to trust that God is faithful to his promises.
The healings of Jesus, like the one we read about today, are often called “signs.” These are the signs of the Kingdom of Heaven that Jesus is inaugurating. These signs point to the reality that when the Kingdom of God is fully realized, all will be healed.
Suffering will always be a part of this life. God never promises that this life will be easy. The Israelites suffered under the oppression of a wicked empire for a long time. The woman from Luke 8 was bleeding for 12 years before she could interact with Jesus. Whether we see healing in this life, or in the next, we can walk with a God who loves us, and will surely heal us.
