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The title "Healings" was selected because there are different kinds of healings mentioned in the Scriptures. In this study, both national
and individual healings will be considered. Under individual healings, we shall consider spiritual, natural, and supernatural or divine
healings.
National Healings
The first division in the study of this subject should make us aware that not all healings concern physical infirmities which afflict the
bodies of people. Just as individuals can become ill and diseased with the invasion of various germs or viruses, even so a nation can become
ill and diseased with social injustices and various forms of sins. In the Revelation John saw a tree of life which produced fruit and yielded
leaves, "...and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations" (Rev. 22:2).We have observed the sickness of nations throughout the
ages. Many great civilizations have become diseased and have collapsed. Our own nation has so over indulged itself with sinful practices
that our intemperate appetite has made us sick. The sickness of our nation is being reflected in our economy and in the general
unrest which is experienced throughout the land. In ancient Judah, there was a general turning from God and the people's backslidings
spread as a plague throughout the land. God said, "Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings" Ger. 3:22).
Later they were only partly recovered because of a false sense of peace Ger. 8:11). Healing means to repair, to make thoroughly sound or
whole, to attend to. Therefore nations need healing just as healing is needed by people. God has given a prescription for medicine that
will heal our nation today: "...If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn
from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land" (2 Chron. 7:14).
Individual Healings
In the threefold division under this heading, we shall begin by considering the individual healing which pertains to the spiritual realm.
Not all healing needed by individuals is of a physical nature. There are many people who are healthy in body but are sick in the soul.
The sickness of the soul is called sin, and it is both an incurable and terminal disease. It is incurable only from the standpoint of man's
ability to cure it. No vaccine has yet been discovered which can prevent sin from infecting human life, because we were all born with
a sinful and depraved nature. It is passed on from one generation to another, and we are helpless to prevent it or do anything about it.
It infects mankind and ultimately brings death because it is a terminal disease (Rom. 6:23, James 1:15). No serum known to man is able to
cure this dreadful disease; only the blood of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, can do this. Isaiah said, "But he was wounded for our transgressions,
he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed" (Is. 53:5).
The healing which he declared was of a spiritual nature, not physical healing, and it described the only known cure for sin, Jesus and His
shed blood.
Even though the result of sin is physical death, it is not eternal in duration. Though we die, we shall be raised to life again by the risen,
living Lord Jesus 00hn 14:19). Because of His atoning death and cleansing blood, we have a permanent cure for sin; therefore we shall
live with Him in heaven, world without end (Eph. 3:21). Since the effects of the disease are not now fully gone, we are sometimes still
sickened by sin and need a physician. Jesus is the great physician (Mt. 9: 12-13) and with Him rests our only hope for spiritual healing.
The second type of individual healings is natural healings. We should recognize that God has created man in such a marvelous way that
our natural defenses often bring about physical healing. Given time, many physical ailments will be corrected or healed by the body itself.
However, there are times when this is not the case and then we generally call upon the help of our family physician. Also, there are
some people who do not believe in doctors or medicines, and who rely completely on faith and either get well or die. While all diseases
are healed according to Psalm 103:3, sometimes death is the means of healing. God has given men the ability to medicate and to surgically
repair our bodies, and these skills are blessings to be received and used with thanksgiving, just as God-given knowledge applied to
agriculture is used to produce the food we receive with gratitude to God (l Tim. 4:4). Medicinal gum called "balm" is mentioned in
Jeremiah 8:22 and it was said to be for healing. In the New Testament, the man who fell among thieves had his wound medicated with
"oil and wine" (Luke 10:34).When the sick were admonished to call for the "elders," they were to pray and anoint with oil Oames5:14-15).
Therefore it seems to me that when we are physically ill, we are to pray and also use medical treatment, thanking God for all blessings
received.
Third and finally let us consider physical healings which do not come in a natural way but rather are supernatural. Such are called
divine healings. This simply means that God intervenes and performs a healing which many times could not have come in any other way.
An example of this is found in Mark 5:25-34. A woman had been sick for twelve years, had gone to many doctors, and yet continued
to grow worse. She touched Jesus and was miraculously healed at that moment. In another case, a centurion's servant was healed at a
distance by the mere words of Jesus (Mt. 8:5-13). Peter's mother-in law was also miraculously healed as Jesus touched her hand (Mt.
8:14-15). A man's son was healed by the command of Christ (Mk. 9:14-29). Jesus gave sight to a man born blind John 9:1-7) and made
a man walk that had been lame thirty-eight years John 5:1-9). The list could go on and on as is evident from the words of Matthew 4:23,
"And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of
sickness and all manner of disease among the people." I believe that Jesus performed the acts of physical healing to give evidence of His
power to heal us of sin. He makes this connection in Mark 2:10-11 saying, "But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on
earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,)...Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house." The man was
immediately and miraculously healed as his sins were forgiven.
Before the canon of Scriptures was complete, many great powers were given to men other than Jesus. The powers gave credence to
the newly founded religion of Jesus Christ and became "signs" which identified those who believed in Him (Mark 16:17-18).Among those
possessing power in the early church were those who had received the gift of healings (l Cor. 12:9).The apostolic gifts also enabled them
to survive the bites of poisonous snakes (Acts 28:5). The Apostle Paul healed by laying on his hands (Acts 28:8); however, Peter healed
without touching, according to Acts 3:4, 6. Though the apostles possessed such powers (Matthew 10:8), I do not believe that God has
given men power today to heal the sick by speaking or touching. Some may be healed while hands are laid on, but the healing today is of
God (not man), and it is in answer to prayer (not laying on of hands). I believe that such powers were given to the infant church as a witness
to the Word preached (Luke 9:2). However, God is still healing and I have seen many prayers for the sick answered! I definitely do believe
in divine healing, but there is only one Divine Healer - it is God! The powers of God which healed an ancient Syrian captain named
Naaman (2 Kings 5:14) are still the same, and all things are possible with Him (Mt. 19:26).
Let us always remember that it is God's decision as to how He will heal, whether through the natural defenses of the body, by medicines
and doctors, by a supernatural act, or even by death. Our duty is to pray for His healing, be submissive to His will, and thank Him,
however the blessing of healing may come.
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