5.Jehovah Ropheka
Jehovah Ropheka (Exodus 15: 26)
“If thou diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord and will do that which is right in his sight and will give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee which I have brought upon the Egyptians; for I am the Lord that healeth thee.”
It is the covenant of God with the Israelites after providing them all basic amenities in the wilderness. They worried about food and water. They should not have worried. The Lord who led such a large multitude knew how to feed them. Manna from heaven was given. The rock was smitten to give water. During daytime Lord’s presence covered over them in pillar of cloud and gave them protection from scorching heat. Lord’s presence overshadowed them in the pillar of fire to give them heat in cold climate and light during night. We read in Deuteronomy 8: 4 and 29:4 that Lord cared for their garments that these did not decay throughout their wilderness journey of 40 years. Even all people above 20 years except Joshua and Caleb were dead in these forty years. But Lord drove away the decay of clothes and shoes! The only thing that remained to be dealt with was sickness. This also Lord has dealt within this covenant on the basis of four conditions:
Diligently hear God’s voice: The children of god had to acknowledge Lord as the only God and had to be free from idolatory.
Live righteously in His sight
Give ear to His commandments
Keep all the statutes
For all things in natural we have to pay price. In spiritual things also there is a price to pay. Obedience to His commandments ensured freedom from sickness. At Marah, the people had to drink bitter water. To heal the water Lord showed a tree which had to be cut down mercilessly and to be put into the water to sweeten the bitter waters. Similarly our Lord Jesus was smitten and cut down at Calvary ending all the ambitions and youthful dreams of his natural self. All His nourishments were destroyed to remove the bitterness of all those who believed and relied on Him. Lord promised Israelites total healing if they obeyed Him totally. In old testaments Israelites were not given the privilege of being the children of God. They were very scared to enter the presence of Lord. But we are the children of God and we have a better covenant based on better promises (Hebrews 8: 6). We have he freedom o enter the holiest through the torn veil of the body of Jesus (Hebrews 10: 19). He is the Lord that heals us. Jehovah Ropheka is a covenant not only to Israelites but also for us who enjoy the better covenant. Yes by His stripes we are healed.
