Isaiah 53, especially verses 4-6, is the foundation of my understanding of healing. Isaiah prophetically describes the torture
and crucifixion Jesus would go through for our forgiveness and healing. This passage speaks about emotional
restoration (v. 4, for our griefs and sorrows), spiritual restoration (v. 5,
for our transgressions and iniquities), and physical restoration (v. 5, for our
healing); ultimately, His purpose in all this restoration is to draw lost sheep
back to Himself (v. 6).
Some claim that
Isaiah 53 is only speaking about spiritual healing. However, in Matthew 8:14-17, Jesus physically heals Peter’s mother-in-law, who
was sick in bed with a fever. He also
casts out demons and heals all those who are ill. Matthew, inspired by the Holy Spirit, states
these physical healings and deliverances were to fulfill what was prophesied in
Isaiah 53 (Matt. 8:17).
In 1 Peter 2:21-25, Peter summarizes the
teachings of Isaiah 53 for New Testament believers. 1 Peter 2:22 seems to
reference Isaiah 53:9, and 1 Peter 2:25 parallels Isaiah 53:6. Peter, under the Spirit’s inspiration,
explains that Jesus’ work on the cross heals us from sin and all its effects in
our lives (I Pet. 2:24). When we return
to the Shepherd and Guardian of our souls there is true wholeness available for
every area of life (physical, emotional, and spiritual).
The “I AM”
statements of the LORD reveal to us aspects of His nature and His character,
who He is and what we can trust Him to do.
In Exodus 15:26, He said, “If you will give earnest heed to the voice of the Lord your God, and do what is right in His
sight, and give ear 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, the Lord, am
your healer.” This promise was
given to the nation of Israel. However,
we learn the principle that the LORD is Healer for His people. He says that part of His nature and character
is to heal from physical disease. As
believers in Jesus, we see from His ministry and the teachings of the New
Testament that our Messiah, who is God in the flesh, is still “the LORD who
heals” us.
We know from
Isaiah 53 that healing is available to all and from Exodus 15 that it’s part of
the LORD’s character to heal us. But how
do we know that He wants to heal everyone always?
1 Timothy 2:3-4 and 2
Peter 3:9 explain that God wants all to be saved and to come to the
knowledge of the truth, not wanting any to perish but to come to
repentance. But what is salvation? According to Isaiah 53, the salvation that
Jesus paid for on the cross is needed because of our turning away from the LORD,
our breaking of His Law, our sin.
Salvation is from sin and all its effects in our lives. Salvation is restoration to wholeness:
spiritual, emotional, and physical.
In Romans 8:18-25, the Holy Spirit says
through Paul that all creation groans to be set free from the effects of sin on
this world (v. 22). One day, Jesus will
restore all creation when He sets up His Kingdom on earth with His throne in
Jerusalem (Isaiah 25:6-8; Revelation 21:1-5). Until that day, followers of Jesus are
commanded to preach His good news and teach everything that He taught (Matthew
28:19-20). He also commanded a group of
seventy believers in Luke 10 to heal
the sick and cast out demons in His Name (vv.
1-12, 19-20). These commands were given to not just the
twelve first apostles but to the seventy who represented all the followers of
Jesus. Thus according to Romans 8:19, the whole creation waits
for the children of God to be revealed, to rise up, and to share the good news
of Jesus and minister restoration (spiritual, emotional, and physical), which
has been made available by our crucified and risen Savior to all who will
believe.
