My Healing Queries

This evening’s class on Hebrews by Leong Tien Fook (LTF) was very interesting because we touched on the interpretation and the fulfillment of Isaiah 53. LTF decided to touch on healing again today because a couple of us (including me) had asked him some questions on it. Reading Isaiah 53:5,6 it clearly talks about iniquity and that Jesus was not pierced for sickness or diseases. I understand that but I could not understand why he could not just read Isaiah 53: 4,5 together with Matthew 8:17. He said he did not know where Matthew obtained the word “diseases” from because it is not in Isaiah 53:4 as infirmities in this verse refers to spiritual. I wasn’t convinced as I believe it means both spiritual and physical. Why take only one meaning? So, I went up to ask him along the following lines.

EM: So how do you pray if you are sick then? It would seem you will have to pray and wait and wait and see if it is God’s will.

LTF: When praying submit it to God.

EM: But how do you pray when in the midst of sickness. I understand about submission but it just seems morbid and hopeless. It would on the other hand seem more hopeful to find hope in the bible and be encouraged.

LTF: Nothing wrong in finding hope from the bible. One person reading is read differently from another and can be blessed.

EM: So that’s rhema then. I understand that one. But I myself have seen for myself how when I put my faith in Christ, I see my children get healed faster, sometimes over night, sometimes through doctor’s medicine but always faster. From a thousand plus ringgit of medical claims to almost zero.

LTF: In some cases, when it can’t be explained ordinarily then it can be concluded that it is divine healing. But in cases when it can be explained, then it is not.

EM: Then in those circumstances where I can see healing I am so excited and happy I just want to thank God and glorify God! Why do people then want to play it down as if it was not a miracle and say I can’t claim healing and I am taking things out of context. Why do they make me feel bad for glorifying God?

LTF: There is nothing wrong with being excited over healing and glorifying God. There is however, a difference between being prayerful, thanking God, glorifying God AND sensationalizing it.

EM: I understand that but say for in your case you are more matured than I am and I’ve seen a miracle, I am definitely more excited and like a childlike joy in my heart. Then from your point of view, you are judging what my motive is, whether I was sensationalizing or not.

LTF: Yes, it is not right to judge others but there is a difference between sensationalizing and being thankful for eg there was this man who was in awe and over sensationalizing the fact that God built the pyramids (even till today engineers are baffled how the pyramids are constructed) but by sensationalizing such matter that way it is like ridiculing God that He is able to do such thing. Of course He can if He did. After all, He is God.

EM: See there is a difference between childlike joy of experiencing miracles compared to this example. For like you said, once the church matures, such experiences would become lesser. (I am thinking in my mind that sometimes God uses these miracles to increase our faith in Him, to encourage us in our walk with Him).

LTF: If Isaiah 53:4,5 is interpreted as physical healing then God must heal in all cases as all the sickness is on Him. It has already been borne. But the facts do not add up and some great faith healers like Bill Berman and Kathryn Kuhlman died from sickness.

EM: I checked. Kathryn didn’t die from cancer. She died from open heart surgery. I am still trying to discover but its hard to say since we can’t judge others what they think or go through just as we can’t judge others for whether they are sensationalizing a miracle or not.
Can’t we say it is it is logos for all until they receive rhema that they will go home?

LTF: But God’s rhema will not go against His logos.

EM: *Groan (this is tough I am telling myself)* Can’t we claim healing until His rhema to us say otherwise?

LTF: God said I will heal the land. Does it mean heal all the Israelites from disease?

EM: What does “rapha” mean?

LTF: It means “heal”. It does not specify spiritual or physical.

EM: So, can’t we say for this case "heal the land" means physically healing the land not the people and for Isaiah 53:4,5 it applies to BOTH spiritual and physical. For why is it so hard to believe that our God who is so loving and compassionate and so powerful would send His son to not only die for our sins but ALSO to heal us physically and emotionally.

LTF: But the facts do not add up. Not all are healed.

EM: I am still discovering.


See, the bottom line that Isaiah 53:5,6 does not refer to physical healing is not from a biblical interpretation because I am not convinced of the explanations for Isaiah 53: 4 and Matthew 8:17. Surely God is able to do it. There’s nothing to stop believing healing is physical, spiritual as well as emotional (grief, sorrow, diseases). It’s just that from a FACTUAL point of view, there are people that don’t get healed from disease when they pray. But we do not know what they go through or what they think or say or whether they claim or not or how much they are able to withstand suffering. We can’t judge them so we will never know the answer but it is definitely not from a bible point of view because in all circumstances Jesus healed (at least as far as what I know). And LTF agreed I can find hope from the bible so to me that’s the same as claiming God’s promises. How else do you have hope and then get dashed to the rocks when someone says “ah ah, not like this, you can’t claim, no that’s out of context”. It’s really very hard in that way to have “hope” in the bible. But, I sincerely believe God knows the desires of our hearts and he knows whether we really claim what we claim and ultimately He is God and if He should call us home, we should be ready to go home. It is far better to be home in heaven with God anyway.

I am really looking from the standpoint of those who are ill now, suffering and finding the hope that is in Christ Jesus for healing. Other than that, when troubled, I just dive into the bible as always and find hope the way I know how, just by believing every word of God spoken by God to me. And His words are always encouraging to me. He warns me, yes but as a loving Father warns me. I search these questions in my ministry to encourage others but ultimately I know that the message is the cross, that Jesus paid the price for my sins so that God and I can be one again (Man at "one" ment with God). Atonement - a beautiful English word based on bible truth - if only everyone knew and believed. :)