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Grace Church

#8 - Jehovah Rapha: The God Who Heals

#8 - Jehovah Rapha: The God Who Heals

Our series for the months of February and March is entitled "What's In A Name?" In it you will learn the meaning behind the names that are used in the scriptures to identify the many character qualities of God. 1. Intro 2. Elohim (The God who creates) 3. Yahweh (The God who is personal) 4. Abba (The God who is intimate) 5. Adoni (The God who rules) 6. Jehovah Jireh (The God who provides) 7. Jehovah Rohi (The God who is my shepherd) 8. Jehovah Rapha (The God who heals)

Locations & Times

Grace Community Church

8950 M-79, Nashville, MI 49073, USA

Sunday 10:00 AM

Our series for February and March is entitled, "What's In a Name?"

The series title is a question so that we can think about what is found in a name. It identifies a person, place, or object and brings a distinction between it and another.

So far we've looked at 6 names of God:
Elohim - The God who is Creator
Yahweh - The God who is Personal/Relational
Abba - The God who is Intimate
Adonai - The God who Rules
Jehovah Jireh - The God who Provides
Jehovah Raah - The God Who is my Shepherd
Today we finish up our winter series entitled What's in a Name?
The last few weeks we've looked at some of the "compound" names of God. The most common compound name of God is Jehovah and a second name that has been attached to this to further help understand Him and see how He is relevant to our life.
Today our text is found in Exodus 15 [NLT] and introduces the idea of Jehovah Rapha or The God Who Heals.
People often misinterpret this passage to mean that God desires every person to be healed of any disease. That is wrong as the passage deals with the Israelites; it's actually a test for them.
To understand the passage we must examine the background or context. We can see in Exodus 15:1-21 that God has led Israel across the Red Sea and the Egyptian army has been distroyed. A great celebration is taking place.
Three days go by in the desert with no water. This is problematic; they are irritable and grouchy.
They came upon a desert oasis name Marah but the water was bitter. The people complained and turned against Moses.
When life gets a little bitter and desperate, it's amazing how quickly they (and often times we) forget the God who has been good to us. We start grumbling and then placing blame.
Moses cried out to the Lord and God provided the solution, just like He does so many times for us.
In v. 26 God tells them that the diseases (or plagues) He sent upon Egypt were because they had failed to listen to Him. It's a warning to the Israelites as they head to the Promised Land.
We read in Exodus 13:21-22 [NLT] that God has been leading them every step of the journey by supernatural means. Here at Marah, the people took their eyes off from Him.
The purpose of this event was to test the faith of the people and at least 1.5 million people failed.
What kind of healing was God referring to in this passage?
In our text there is no mention of any illness or problem. What was healed was the bitter water which was an outward sign of the problem that existed inside of their hearts and minds!
The word Rapha means to "mend, cure, repair thoroughly, make whole, and heal in the holistic sense."

It is used in a wide array of areas in the Bible:
Restoration of water - 2 Kings 2:21-22
Land - 2 Chronicles 7:14
Heart & emotionally broken - Psalm 147:2-3
Body & soul when we have sinned - Psalm 41:3-4
Spiritual separation from God - Isaiah 53:5; 1 Peter 2:24-25

To limit it only to our physical body and not the spiritual, mental, social, emotional, and intellectual aspects of our life is twisting the Scripture and adding false meaning to it.
The word Marah means "bitter."
We see this in Ruth chapter 1 when Naomi lost her husband and two sons. She wanted to change her name to Marah to reflect her situation. We also see this term used in the Bible when people cry out in broken hearted anguish (Genesis 27:32-35 when Esau lost his birthright; Esther 4:1 Mordecai).
In Exodus 15:25a we read that the Lord showed Moses a piece of wood.
Often in scripture, the word "showed" carries the meaning of "teach."
So it implies an object lesson used to communicate a specific truth.
The story of the tree (piece of wood) healing the bitter waters speaks of what God can do in our life.
Our lives have streaks of happiness but become bitter as we realize heartbreak and loss. The only lasting and sure solution is the gift of God...the "tree" out of His love and grace.
There is a very subtle connection here in Exodus 15 with passages in the New Testament that reference what God has done through Jesus.
1 Peter 2:24 [ESV]
God's gift, His Son Jesus, can make the bitterness and death of this life sweet.
There are some people and churches who suggest that physical healing is the right of every Christian because Jesus died for us.
They would say you need to believe and pray harder. And then if you aren't healed it's a lack of faith, you aren't saved, or God has ignored you. That doesn't sound like our Abba Father or Jehovah Raah.
We see many in Hebrews 11 (the Hall of Faith) who have died from age, tragedy, illness, persecution, and other means.

God can heal...as He sees fit, as it fits His plan for your life, and as it brings Him glory.

We are told in 2 Corinthians 12:9 [NLT] to take our requests to God as the Apostle Paul did 3 times.

H.O.M.E. Group Info. and Sign-Up

https://www.gc3.org/home-groups/

CJ's Pre-Order Link

https://www.gc3.org/cjs/

Easter Egg Hunt Information

The Annual Easter Egg Hunt is taking place on April 3rd at 10:00 am at Putnam Park in Nashville.
You can bring bags of individually wrapped candy that will fit inside plastic Easter eggs no later than Wednesday, March 31st.
If you would rather donate money to help purchase the candy, that works too. Place your donation in a special offering envelope (found on the Information Board in the lobby) and write "Easter Egg Hunt" on it. Place your donation in the offering bins near the auditorium doors.
Here's what else we need from you:
*Participate in egg stuffing night on Wednesday, March 31st at 6:30 pm at the church. Many hands will make light work to stuff all of the eggs!
Share the event on Facebook and invite your friends and family. Help us get the word out! The event will take place on Saturday, April 3rd at 10:00 am at Putnam Park in downtown Nashville.
*Pray for this event. Families who attend will receive printed information about the Easter Story as well as an invitation to Easter services at Grace Church. Let's be in prayer for God to be glorified through this event.

2021 Grace Church Bible Study Plan

https://www.gc3.org/bible/

Church Service Plans

During the month of March we will continue with a 1 hour service.
On Easter Sunday, April 4th, we will start back to our regular 1 1/2 hour services.

Israel Study Tour 2022

Pastor Don will be leading a study tour May 4 -18 of 2022 in the land of Israel. The tour will include historical cities like Jerusalem, Tiberias, Nazareth, Samaria, Jericho and take in sites like the Dead Sea, Jordan River, and Sea of Galilee, the Mount of Olives and the garden of Gethsemane. There is a year's worth of preparation that is part of the discovery into the land where Jesus lived, died, and ascended into heaven. Therefore, we would like to know who might be interested in learning more about this opportunity.

Please email lisa@gc3.org to be added to this group by April 11. You'll be contacted regarding an informational meeting later in April.
Birthdays and Anniversaries:

Sunday, March 28 - Willow Yargeau
Tuesday, March 30 - David Stephens
Wednesday, March 31 - Bev Oleson, Steve & Alida Gauss
Thursday, April 1 - Gloria Rolfe, Dayton Walker
Friday, April 2 - Jonathan & Stacey Denton