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Healing in Every Book of the Bible by Kevin Thompson a production of

Effectual Faith Ministries

version 1

Aug 2012

Upon waking one morning, I had the thought in my mind that “healing is in every book of the Bible except two.”

Now, I had my doubts about this; it is not something that I had studied or felt confidence in believing or

proclaiming. So, I felt this was something the Lord wanted me to study. In the end, I found what I heard to be

true – there is a direct application of healing in almost every book of the Bible and at least an indirect application

in every single book of the Bible. Every book teaches us the wholeness of man and that God wants us to be

healthy and whole in our spirit, soul, and body.

This teaching will survey every book of the Bible to show that healing is communicated in some way in every

book. There are two books that seem to lack a very direct teaching along these lines – Obadiah and II John. But,

even these communicate some truth concerning healing. I just felt that they relied on truths elaborated elsewhere

to really establish themselves. I have included what I found in each and every book so that you can judge for

yourself the degree to which each book teaches this truth.

I should note that as I began to study and research, I came across a message and book by Lester Sumrall with this

same title. Probably because of time constraints, Mr. Sumrall skipped 3 books on the audio version. Nevertheless,

the teaching helped to open my eyes to a more diverse view of healing in the three parts of our being.

Our Expectation

As I studied, it finally struck me that I should have no doubt that God would have demonstrated His heart for

healing in virtually every book of the Bible. He tells us Himself that healing is a part of His Word.

He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. (Psalm 107:20) 20My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. 21Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. 22For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh. (Proverbs 4:20-22)

God sent His Word to heal. His words, His ways, and His sayings give life and health to the flesh of those that

find them, look upon them continually, attend to them, and keep them in the midst of their heart. Why should

there be any surprise that His whole Word would specifically communicate this from beginning to end?

Understanding Healing

The primary Hebrew and Greek words used for healing and salvation are rapha and sozo, respectively. Upon

examining these words, it is clear that God views healing and salvation in a much broader way than we might at

first. The best definition for the Hebrew word rapha is “to restore or make whole.” Its usages range from physical

healing to restoration of an object (like a broken altar) to returning a land to wholeness and fruitfulness. The

word clearly conveys a holistic view of restoration to an original state including physical and emotional healing.

The Greek word sozo is used to describe salvation for spirit, soul, and body and to describe preservation or safety,

among other things. It also conveys a very broad and complete view of being made whole.

As we journey through the books of the Bible, the types of healing illustrated will be quite varied. It will not

always be a physical healing of a sickness or disease. It may be healing in the soul (peace) or in the heart or spirit.

And, the healing or restoration may not even relate to a human being but to a land, relationship, or entire society.

Healing in Every Book of the Bible 2

Genesis 1

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. (Genesis 1:27)

God never suffers from sickness, disease, infirmity, or depression. Since we were made in His image, we were

created well just as He is well. His original intent was for us to never be sick, diseased, infirm, or depressed.

From the very first chapter of the Bible, we see that we were not made for sickness. We were made for health and

vitality. To believe this you only need believe that God created you as a reflection of Him. Health and healing

are a natural consequence of this simple belief.

Other instances of and references to healing in Genesis include: the healing of Sarah’s barrenness (Genesis 11 :30,

16:1, 17:19, 21:1-2) and the healing of Abimelech and his family from barrenness (Genesis 20:17-18). We also see

the redemptive name of God, Yahweh Jireh, in Genesis 22:8 – the Lord provides. God wants to provide for you in

any way that you need.

Exodus 2

And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt 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. (Exodus 15:26) 25And ye shall serve the LORD your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee. 26There shall nothing cast their young, nor be barren, in thy land: the number of thy days I will fulfil. (Exodus 23:25-26)

The book of Exodus contains one of the most important verses concerning healing in the entire Bible. In Exodus

15:26, God declares that healing is a part of His name: Yahweh Rapha – I am the Lord that heals. Healing is a part

of the very nature of God. This nature of God is reiterated later in Exodus when the Lord tells the Israelites that

He will bless their food and water, take away their sickness, give them children and no miscarriages, and fulfill

the number of their days (Exodus 23:25). Now, of course, for them all of this was conditional to obedience to their

part of the Old Covenant. For us, Jesus has obtained everything for us in the New Covenant. But, the Lord never

changes (Malachi 3:6), so all of these things are in the Lord’s heart for each one of us.

Other instances of healing in the book of Exodus include the healing of Moses’ leprous hand (Exodus 4:1-7), the

healing of the entire nation during the Exodus as explained by Psalm 105:37, and the healing of an injured man

after a dispute (Exodus 21:19).

Leviticus 3

And if the priest shall come in, and look upon it, and, behold, the plague hath not spread in the house, after the house was plaistered: then the priest shall pronounce the house clean, because the plague is healed. (Leviticus 14:48)

Several portions of the book of Leviticus are centered on cleanliness and healthy living. God was concerned for

His people to live in health and free of disease. And, the book of Leviticus expresses an expectation of healing,

even from diseases such as leprosy, as is seen in Leviticus 14:48.


Numbers 4

And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. (Numbers 21:8)

Jesus made explicit mention of this incident in John 3:14-15. The brass serpent is a type or foreshadowing of

Christ on the cross. The brass serpent was made as an antidote to a plague of serpents sent because of the sin of

the Israelites. The effect of a person looking upon the brass serpent was forgiveness and life – physical healing

from the bite of the serpent. As a type of Christ, it foreshadows the minimum that we should expect in the

sacrifice of Christ on the cross – forgiveness of our sin and physical healing.

The book of Numbers also records the healing of Miriam from leprosy (Numbers 12:1-15) and healing of Israel

from plagues (Numbers 16:41-50 and 21:5-9). In all of these instances, and in many others in the Old Testament,

God did not want these people to be sick and suffer disease. He was forced to respond to their disobedience

based on His part of the covenant they had entered into with Him. Always remember, our covenant is different.

Deuteronomy 5

And the LORD will take away from thee all sickness, and will put none of the evil diseases of Egypt, which thou knowest, upon thee; but will lay them upon all them that hate thee. (Deuteronomy 7:15) And Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated. (Deuteronomy 34:7)

In Deuteronomy 7:15, the Lord told the Israelites that He wanted to take all sickness away from them. Since God

never changes (Malachi 3:6), doesn’t He feel this way about you?

In Deuteronomy 34:7, note that Moses did not die from sickness. His eyesight was perfect and his vitality had not

left him (HCSB). We die when our spirit leaves our body (James 2:26). We do not have to be sick to die. Neither

Moses nor his brother Aaron was sick when he died – he just went home. “But,” you say, “that was Moses! I am

just nobody!” Well, Jesus told us that not only was John the Baptist the greatest of the Old Testament prophets,

but even the least Christian in the Kingdom of God is greater than John the Baptist (Luke 7:28). Therefore, if

Moses did not have to be sick to die, then neither do you.

Deuteronomy 30:20 is another noted scripture about health: the Lord is your life and the length of your days.

Joshua 6

10And now, behold, the LORD hath kept me alive, as he said, these forty and five years, even since the LORD spake this word unto Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness: and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five years old. 11As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out, and to come in. (Joshua 14:10-11)

At the age of 85, the Lord had kept Joshua alive and as strong as he was at the age of 40. Divine healing is about

more than getting well from sickness, it is also about walking in divine health to live a long life full of strength

and vitality. Joshua had the strength to conquer a mountainous region at the age of 85 (verse 12) because the

Lord had kept him and strengthened him. He wants to keep and sustain you, too.


Judges 7

23And the LORD said unto him, Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die. 24Then Gideon built an altar there unto the LORD, and called it Jehovahshalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites. (Judges 6:23-24)

Here we see another name of the Lord: the Lord is Peace. Peace is necessary for health in your soul and body. If

you are not at peace, you will not be at rest, will suffer from fear, and your soul and body will suffer. We see this

truth in the New Testament when Jesus tells both the woman healed of the issue of blood and the sinful woman

who washed His feet to “go in peace” (Luke 7:50). Healing and forgiveness bring peace – healing for the soul.

Note also the healing of Manoah (the mother of Samson) from barrenness in Judges 13:2-3, 24.

Ruth 8

And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me. (Ruth 1:20) 14And the women said unto Naomi, Blessed be the LORD, which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in Israel. 15And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher of thine old age: for thy daughter in law, which loveth thee, which is better to thee than seven sons, hath born him. (Ruth 4:14-15)

The book of Ruth contains a beautiful story of healing, but it may not be obvious to you at the outset. At the

beginning of the book of Ruth, amidst the great calamities in her life, Naomi is wounded in her heart (verse 1:20).

She is wounded to the point of believing that God had dealt all of this calamity to her. (We must remember that it

was their choice to intermarry with forbidden women and to leave Israel – it was not God dealing with them but

their disobedience and perhaps natural occurrences that led to the situation Naomi found herself in.) But, look at

the work of the Lord in Naomi’s life by the end of the book (verses 4:14-15). She has returned to Israel and been

restored to her family’s land. Her daughter-in-law Ruth has married her kinsman redeemer, and Naomi will

have descendants in the name of her first son. Her friends are illustrating this to her – the Lord provided you a

kinsman; he will restore your life; you will be nourished in your old age; you have descendants again. Oh, the

healing that must have taken place in Naomi’s heart and soul as she absorbed all of these words!

I Samuel 9

2And he had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah: and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children … 11And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head … 19And they rose up in the morning early, and worshipped before the Lord, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah: and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and the Lord remembered her. 20Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the Lord. (I Samuel 1:2, 11, 19-20)


In I Samuel, we see an instance of healing from barrenness in Samuel’s mother, Hannah. This is an incredible

miracle each time it occurs, and it is definitely a theme in scripture. The Lord says that children are a heritage

from Him; happy and blessed are those who have children (Psalm 127:3, 5). It is not the Lord who wants a couple

to be barren; it is one of the consequences of a fallen world. God demonstrates this multiple times in scripture by

healing the barrenness of Sarah (wife of Abraham), Rebekah (wife of Isaac), Rachel (wife of Jacob), Manoah

(mother of Samson), Hannah (mother of Samuel), the Shunammite woman in II Samuel 6, and Elizabeth (mother

of John the Baptist). Barrenness is by far the easiest affliction in which to see God’s heart for healing as

demonstrated by these seven (the perfect number) women across both the Old and the New Testaments.

II Samuel 10

We must all die; we are like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. And God does not take away life, but devises means so that he who is banished may not be an utter outcast from Him. (II Samuel 14:14)

One of the most prominent stories showing God’s heart for healing in II Samuel is in chapter 14. The leader of

King David’s military, Joab, has coerced a woman to trick David into seeing that he needed to reconcile with his

son Absalom who had earlier killed another of David’s sons, Amnon. In II Samuel 14:14, the Lord speaks through

the woman to tell us that He does not seek to take away relationships, but works to restore them when broken.

God wants emotional healing to occur when separation occurs within a family or between friends.

Other healings in II Samuel include the healing of the nation from a plague in II Samuel 24:25.

I Kings 11

17And it came to pass after these things, that the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, fell sick; and his sickness was so sore, that there was no breath left in him. 18And she said unto Elijah, What have I to do with thee, O thou man of God? art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son? … 21And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the Lord, and said, O Lord my God, I pray thee, let this child's soul come into him again. 22And the Lord heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived. (I Kings 17:17-18, 21-22)

In one of the greatest demonstrations of God’s power and heart for healing, the son of the widow of Zarephath

becomes the first person recorded in scripture to be raised from the dead (through Elijah) in I Kings 17:17-22. But,

all three of the Old Testament instances of this miracle are but a shadow of the resurrection of Christ from the

dead which is the foundation of our faith. Resurrection is a powerful testament of healing, but it is even more so

when we realize that through the death and resurrection of Christ we not only have forgiveness of sins but also

healing for our bodies in this life (Isaiah 53:4-5, I Peter 2:24).

Other healing-related scriptures in I Kings include King Jeroboam’s withered hand (I Kings 13:4-6), I Kings 3:14,

Solomon’s prayer for God to answer prayers for healing for the people or their land (I Kings 8:37-40), and the

restoration of the altar by Elijah at the contest with the prophets of Baal.


II Kings 12

Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean. (II Kings 5:14)

In a time when the revelation of God and much of the activity of God was happening through His chosen people

in Israel, a pointed demonstration of God’s love for the Gentiles is displayed through the healing of Naaman from

leprosy in II Kings 5:1-14. Jew or Gentile, God’s heart is for healing.

In the book of II Kings we also see Hezekiah being healed at the point of death (II Kings 20:1-11), the healing of

the barrenness of the Shunammite woman (II Kings 4:12-17), healing of the waters by Elisha (II Kings 2:21-22),

Elisha raising a child from the dead (II Kings 4:32-37), and even the bones of Elisha raising a man from the dead

(II Kings 13:21) – a set of quite dramatic healing events in this single book.

I Chronicles 13

Then there went certain, and told David how the men were served. And he sent to meet them: for the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, Tarry at Jericho until your beards be grown, and then return. (I Chronicles 19:5)

When King David sent men to comfort the Nahash the king of Ammon after the death of his father, the king did

not treat them well. When they returned, did David tell them to get back to work? No, he knew they needed

time to heal. “They were not wounded!” you say. Yes, they were. The men were “greatly ashamed” at what the

king of Ammon had done to them. They needed time to heal emotionally. David, the man after God’s own heart,

knew this because this is the nature of God – He wants us to heal when we have been hurt.

Also in I Chronicles 29:28, it says that David “died in a good old age, full of days.” God desired that David, the

man who committed multiple horrific sins, live a full and healthy life.

II Chronicles 14

12And Asa in the thirty and ninth year of his reign was diseased in his feet, until his disease was exceeding great: yet in his disease he sought not to the LORD, but to the physicians. 13And Asa slept with his fathers, and died in the one and fortieth year of his reign. (II Chronicles 16:12-13)

When Asa was sick, he did not seek the Lord for healing. One implication in these verses is that his failure to

seek the Lord, not his use of physicians, led to his death. This leads to the second implication: that God wanted to

heal Asa if only he had sought the Lord. As we have seen repeatedly, this is God’s heart for each of us. This story

is in stark contrast to the healing of Hezekiah who sought the Lord when he was at the point of death and was

miraculously healed (II Kings 20:1-11).

Healing is also mentioned or implied in II Chronicles 7:14 and in II Chronicles 30:20 where many of the people are

healed (probably spiritually) through Hezekiah.


Ezra 15

8And now for a little space grace hath been shewed from the LORD our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in his holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our bondage. 9For we were bondmen; yet our God hath not forsaken us in our bondage, but hath extended mercy unto us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us a reviving, to set up the house of our God, and to repair the desolations thereof, and to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem. (Ezra 9:8-9)

The concepts of “reviving” and “repair” lie along the same lines as the Hebrew word rapha. The idea is

restoration and healing for a remnant that had been in bondage.

Nehemiah 16

10Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength. (Nehemiah 8:10)

At the reading of the Law and the realization of their sin and dramatic shortcomings, the people were mourning

and greatly troubled. This is not what God wants. Yes, we should recognize these things, but then quickly move

on knowing that God loves you and has forgiven you. This will bring strength – healing to your soul and body.

Esther 17

22As the days wherein the Jews rested from their enemies, and the month which was turned unto them from sorrow to joy, and from mourning into a good day: that they should make them days of feasting and joy, and of sending portions one to another, and gifts to the poor. (Esther 9:22)

Long-term stress and sorrow lead to sickness. This has even been established by the medical community. God’s

desire for us is joy and rest which produce healing.

Job 18

24Then he is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom. 25His flesh shall be fresher than a child's: he shall return to the days of his youth: 26He shall pray unto God, and he will be favourable unto him: and he shall see his face with joy: for he will render unto man his righteousness. 27He looketh upon men, and if any say, I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not; 28He will deliver his soul from going into the pit, and his life shall see the light. (Job 33:24-28)

These verses foreshadow the completeness of our salvation and healing in Christ, our ransom. Our spirit (verses

24, 26), body (verse 25), and soul (verses 26, 28) are healed in salvation if we understand who we are in Christ.


Psalms 19

2Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: 3Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; (Psalm 103:2-3)

There are many scriptures we could point to in the Psalms that illustrate healing, but this is probably one of the

best because it addresses spirit, soul, and body. Healing comes to our spirit through the forgiveness of our sins.

This should produce peace (healing) in our soul. And, the Lord has also provided healing for our body.

Healing is also described in Psalm 91:10 and Psalm 107:20.

Proverbs 20

Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones. (Proverbs 16:24) A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones. (Proverbs 17:22)

Not only has God provided healing for us in many ways, He has also told us how to operate in healing ourselves.

Having a merry heart and speaking godly, pleasant words have an impact on our souls and bodies and on the

souls and bodies of others around us.

See also Proverbs 3:7-8 and Proverbs 4:20-22.

Ecclesiastes 21

A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; (Ecclesiastes 3:3)

In our fallen world, many things will happen that cause us to need healing. God has provided a time for healing.

Song of Solomon 22

Who is she that looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners? (Song of Solomon 6:10)

One interpretation of the Song of Solomon is that Solomon represents Christ and his beloved represents the

church. Taking this view, the church is described as “fair as the moon,” “clear as the sun,” and “terrible as an

army.” If the church is sick, diseased, and infirm it will not be seen as fair or clear and it will certainly not appear

as frightful as an army to the wicked. God wants us to be healthy and whole to not only serve Him effectively

but also to be a testimony to the world for Him that He is good (Psalm 34:8)!

Isaiah 23

4Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 5But 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. (Isaiah 53:4-5)


Here we see again that salvation involves healing our entire being – spirit (transgressions, iniquities), soul

(peace), and body.

Aside from this extraordinary prophecy of the completeness of our salvation, other great promises are given by

Isaiah. Because of the sacrifice of Christ, God will never again be angry with us or rebuke us (Isaiah 54:9). His

kindness will never depart from us, and we will always have peace with Him (v. 10). You will be healed in your

soul (at peace) if you truly understand how God feels about you.

Jeremiah 24

For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the LORD; because they called thee an Outcast, saying, This is Zion, whom no man seeketh after. (Jeremiah 30:17)

The anguish and punishment of the Israelites occurred because of their disobedience to the covenant they had

entered into with God. But, in the end, it is God’s heart for us to be in healed of our hurts and wounds and to be

in health. This is always God’s desire despite our poor choices or lack of understanding.

Other healing scriptures in Jeremiah include Jeremiah 3:22, 8:22, 14:19, 17:14, 29:11, and 33:6.

Lamentations 25

40Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD. 41Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens. (Lamentations 3:40-41)

When the Israelites reached the end of our own efforts and finally turned again to the Lord in submission and

repentance, they experienced healing in and restoration. This was the model of the Old Testament that was laid

out clearly in Deuteronomy and other books of the Law. It was never God’s heart for the Israelites to wander

away spiritually, and therefore it was always His heart to welcome them when they returned and restore them to

wholeness (see the parable of the prodigal son – Luke 15:11-32).

Ezekiel 26

8Then said he unto me, These waters issue out toward the east country, and go down into the desert, and go into the sea: which being brought forth into the sea, the waters shall be healed. 9And it shall come to pass, that every thing that liveth, which moveth, whithersoever the rivers shall come, shall live: and there shall be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters shall come thither: for they shall be healed; and every thing shall live whither the river cometh. (Ezekiel 47:8-9)

Ezekiel 47:1-10 gives a prophecy of the Holy Spirit (represented by a river of flowing water) coming and its effect

on the world. One of the greatest effects will be healing. When the Holy Spirit comes, those He comes to will be

healed and will live (verse 9). We can see from the overall message of the New Testament that this healing is

spiritual, emotional, and even physical.

Other healing scriptures in Ezekiel include Ezekiel 16:6 and Ezekiel 34:1-4 where the shepherds (spiritual leaders

of Israel) were responsible for strengthening and healing the sick, a story repeated in Zechariah 11:15-16.


Daniel 27

26Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire. (Daniel 3:26)

The survival of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego was an astounding miracle of preservation (healing). This

event can also be seen as symbolic of a body (the three Hebrews) being consumed with disease (fire) but

emerging unharmed (healed).

Hosea 28

I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him. (Hosea 14:4)

This verse is one of the most precise and wonderful descriptions in the Old Testament of our New Testament

reality. God loves us freely to draw us back to Him to be healed spiritually. His anger has been turned away

because of the perfect sacrifice of Jesus that paid for all of our sins. Only if we refuse to accept this sacrifice and

the Lord’s provision for us will we face ultimate judgment.

Joel 29

And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you. (Joel 1:25)

In the Old Testament, even when the Lord was forced to send judgment upon Israel, His heart was always for

wholeness and restoration.

Amos 30

11In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old: 12That they may possess the remnant of Edom, and of all the heathen, which are called by my name, saith the LORD that doeth this. 13Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and all the hills shall melt. 14And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them. 15And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the LORD thy God. (Amos 9:11-15)

This passage contains a great promise of restoration and healing for the people and their land.


Obadiah 31

But upon mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness; and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions. (Obadiah 17)

God’s desire for His people is deliverance and holiness, and therefore health and wholeness.

Jonah 32

5So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them. 6For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. 7And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water: 8But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands. 9Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not? 10And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not. (Jonah 3:5-10)

The entire book of Jonah is a prescription for healing on a personal and national level. Echoing II Chronicles 7:14

which says that if we humble ourselves, pray, seek His face, and turn from our wicked ways, we (or our land)

will be healed. In the New Covenant, this is not God responding to our actions but our actions coming into line

with God’s prescription for life, health, and provision. This is exactly what the city of Nineveh did in response to

the visit from the prophet Jonah.

Micah 33

7Therefore I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me. 8Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD shall be a light unto me. (Micah 7:7-8)

If I fall sick or wounded, I shall arise for the Lord is my salvation and healing.

Nahum 34

There is no healing of thy bruise; thy wound is grievous: all that hear the bruit of thee shall clap the hands over thee: for upon whom hath not thy wickedness passed continually? (Nahum 3:19)

Wickedness is yielding to the devil, giving him an entry into your life (Romans 6:16). In this type of situation,

healing is hindered or prevented, not because God is withholding, but because others things are being given place

instead of the Lord. This is the story of Nineveh and the reason that healing would not come to her in Nahum

3:19. This is a negative example showing that although God desires us to be whole, we can hinder or prevent it

from occurring.


Habakkuk 35

18Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. 19The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. (Habakkuk 3:18-19)

The Lord is your strength. If you are sick, you are not strong. God wants you to be whole and strong.

Zephaniah 36

14Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem. 15The LORD hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the king of Israel, even the LORD, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more. 16In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: and to Zion, Let not thine hands be slack. 17The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing. 18I will gather them that are sorrowful for the solemn assembly, who are of thee, to whom the reproach of it was a burden. 19Behold, at that time I will undo all that afflict thee: and I will save her that halteth, and gather her that was driven out; and I will get them praise and fame in every land where they have been put to shame. (Zephaniah 3:14-19)

Although this passage lacks very specific reference to healing, there are a number of threads and themes that can

be pulled out of it. No more evil (verse 15) means no more sickness because sickness is evil. As demonstrated in

the life of Christ, where the Lord is (verses 15 and 17) there is healing. Verse 19 also refers to the lame being

saved, presumably meaning healing. In any case, the themes of restoration, deliverance, joy, and singing convey

a desire from the Lord for His people to be whole.

Haggai 37

Then spake Haggai the LORD’S messenger in the LORD’S message unto the people, saying, I am with you, saith the LORD. (Haggai 1:13)

One of God’s greatest desires is to be with us (and now in us). This is revealed repeatedly in scripture, most

prominently in the New Testament in Hebrews 13:5. And, where God is, there is healing. This was made very

plain in the life of Jesus. Christ is with you; Christ is in you. Healing is present for you.

Zechariah 38

15And the LORD said unto me, Take unto thee yet the instruments of a foolish shepherd. 16For, lo, I will raise up a shepherd in the land, which shall not visit those that be cut off, neither shall seek the young one, nor heal that that is broken, nor feed that that standeth still: but he shall eat the flesh of the fat, and tear their claws in pieces. (Zechariah 11:15-16)

In the example of a foolish shepherd, the shepherd is a symbol of the spiritual leaders of the people. Through

contrast the nature of a good shepherd is described – a good shepherd is one that heals. A related story is also

given in Ezekiel 34:1-4. God’s expectation is for healing to occur when His people are properly fed and cared for.


Malachi 39

But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. (Malachi 4:2)

The “Sun of righteousness” is Jesus. And, He did arise with healing. This prophecy is a fitting end to our

ordering of the Old Testament.

Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John 40-43

The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are a dramatic demonstration of God’s desire to heal through His

incarnation in Christ. Rather than choosing one instance from each book, consider a sweeping summary of the

healings described in these books: the nobleman’s son, the possessed man at the synagogue, Peter’s mother-in-

law, a leper, the paralytic let down through the roof, the man at the pool of Bethesda, the man with the withered

hand, the centurion’s servant, the son of the widow of Nain, Mary Magdalene, a blind and dumb man, the

possessed man at the tombs, the ruler’s daughter, the woman with the issue of blood, the two blind men, the

Canaanite woman’s daughter, the blind man of Bethsaida, the lunatick boy, the man blind from birth, the dumb

man possessed by a devil, the woman with the spirit of infirmity, the man with dropsy, Lazarus, the ten lepers,

blind Bartimaeus, the servant of the high priest, 26 healing incidents involving 36 people, 3 resurrections, and 10

unmentioned incidents where all were healed. Jesus was God showing us who God is and what His nature is.

God is love and God is healing.

Before continuing, there is one healing incident with such importance that we cannot fail to note it.

12And it came to pass, when he was in a certain city, behold a man full of leprosy: who seeing Jesus fell on his face, and besought him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. 13And he put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will: be thou clean. And immediately the leprosy departed from him. (Luke 5:12-13)

In Luke 5:12-13 we see a clear demonstration of God’s willingness to heal. Remember, Jesus only did what he

saw the Father doing (John 5:19), and He was the perfect representation of the Father (Hebrews 1:3). God wants

you well. It is quite simple.

Acts 44

8And it came to pass, that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and of a bloody flux: to whom Paul entered in, and prayed, and laid his hands on him, and healed him. 9So when this was done, others also, which had diseases in the island, came, and were healed: (Acts 28:8-9)

At the end of the book of Mark, Jesus told us that healing of the sick would be one of the signs that would follow

those that believe (Mark 16:15-20). This is exactly what we see occurring in the book of Acts.


Romans 45

1I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (Romans 12:1-2)

Aside from salvation, one of the greatest restorations (healings) that can take place is the transformation that

occurs from renewing our mind to progressively think and understand more like God does.

I Corinthians 46

7But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. 8For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; 9To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; 10To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: 11But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. (I Corinthians 12:7-11)

Gifts of healing are given by the Holy Spirit to individuals of the church at times that He wills. Therefore, it is

God’s desire for us to be well.

II Corinthians 47

18And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 20Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. (II Corinthians 5:18-20)

Reconciliation is one of the most powerful forms of healing. Reconciliation with God is the most powerful form

of reconciliation. When deeply understood, not only is the spirit healed but the soul and the body are also healed.

The peace and love from reconciliation with God provides wholeness and healing to your entire being because

God is love and the nature of the sacrifice of Christ. Not only has God made reconciliation possible, it is His

desire for all to be reconciled to Him and healed: “be ye reconciled to God” (II Peter 3:9, Titus 2:11, I Timothy 2:4).

Galatians 48

Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: (Galatians 3:13)

The curses of the law included all kinds of sickness (Deuteronomy 28:58-61). Having been redeemed from such,

we should be able to walk in health as we learn to receive all that the Lord has done in the sacrifice of Christ.


Ephesians 49

16That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; 17That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. (Ephesians 3:16-19)

You are strengthened by the Spirit in your inner man. You are filled will all the fullness of God. When you are

strong and full of God, you are not sick. This is God’s desire and provision for you. And, it manifests through

knowing as much as you can of the breadth, length, depth, and height of the love of Christ for you.

Philippians 50

26For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick. 27For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. … 30Because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life, to supply your lack of service toward me. (Philippians 2:26-27, 30)

Epaphroditus worked so hard in ministry that he disregarded his own health to help others. While God wants us

to have exactly such a heart, we must moderate our activity so as to not become sick and therefore of no use to the

Lord. We can see God’s desire for this balance in his mercy on Epaphroditus that led him into healing.

Colossians 51

12Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: 13Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: (Colossians 1:12-13)

We have been delivered from Satan’s power of darkness, who causes sickness (Luke 13:16), into the kingdom of

Christ. And, what does His kingdom look like? In Matthew 10:7-8, we get a partial description: healings,

resurrections, and deliverances. We see God’s heart for us through the life of Christ – wholeness.

I Thessalonians 52

And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (I Thessalonians 5:23)

The Holy Spirit through Paul prays that we would be wholly set apart and that our souls and bodies would be

blameless or faultless – without fault. A soul and body without fault is one that is healthy and whole. This is

God’s desire for us.


II Thessalonians 53

That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. (II Thessalonians 1:12)

God is not glorified in you when you are sick. God wants you to be well in your soul and your body so that

others will want what you have – peace and wholeness, God Himself.

I Timothy 54

Who wishes all men to be saved and [increasingly] to perceive and recognize and discern and know precisely and correctly the [divine] Truth. (I Timothy 2:4, Amplified Bible)

Again, the word “saved” is derived from the Greek sozo indicating that salvation, healing, and complete

wholeness are in view. This is God’s wish for all people. God wants you to increasingly know this truth in your

heart.

II Timothy 55

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. (II Timothy 1:7)

A sound mind is a healed soul.

Titus 56

For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, (Titus 2:11)

The word salvation was translated from the Greek word soterion is derived from the word sozo which means “to

save” in a complete and whole sense – including healing. Salvation, healing, and wholeness has been offered to

all men by the grace of God.

Philemon 57

17If then you consider me a partner and a comrade in fellowship, welcome and receive him as you would [welcome and receive] me. 18And if he has done you any wrong in any way or owes anything [to you], charge that to my account. (Philemon 17-18, Amplified Bible)

Long-term unforgiveness is probably one of the greatest sources of sickness and disease in humanity. The

destructiveness of its force is often vastly underestimated. This is one of the reasons that the Lord implores us

repeatedly to forgive. In this passage in Philemon, we see Paul reflecting the Lord’s heart in his admonition to

Philemon to fully accept and receive back his runaway servant, Onesimus, who had become a Christian while

escaped. But, hear the Lord speaking to each one of us. Welcome, receive, and forgive those who have done you

wrong. Hear Jesus speaking in the stead of Paul – if someone has done you wrong, charge it to my account. You

need not be burdened by it. I have paid for their sin (I John 2:2). Do not hold it against them.


This understanding will bring healing to your soul and your body if it has been affected by unforgiveness. If

Philemon had grown bitter and angry over the situation with Onesimus, and if he received the words of Paul,

then he would have received much freedom, release, and healing.

If you seek a more literal instance of healing in the book of Philemon, consider Philemon 6. Our faith becomes

effective by acknowledging that good things are in us because Christ lives in us. What did Christ do seemingly

every day of His ministry? He healed the sick. He now lives in you, and since He never changes (Hebrews 13:8),

He wants to heal you and can do so because He is present in you. If that is not a healing message, I am not sure

what is!

Hebrews 58

And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed. (Hebrews 12:13)

The context of this verse is demonstrating that others may not see the Lord if we fail to walk in peace and holiness

through living a life filled with an attitude of love. It is God’s desire for others to see Him and to be healed

through our interaction with them.

James 59

And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; (James 5:15)

Again, we see the desire of the Lord to heal (“save” – sozo) in response to true prayer – a prayer of faith.

I Peter 60

Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. (I Peter 2:24)

So much of the confusion surrounding healing can be solved by simply understanding spirit, soul, and body.

Your healing was provided for 2,000 years ago. Today, it is present in your spirit just as it was present in the

Spirit of Christ when He walked the earth (Colossians 1:27). To say that you “were healed,” past tense, is to

recognize the already present provision for your healing in your spirit. When this becomes truly real to you, the

power is released into your body and you will be healed. Remember, you faith has effect when you acknowledge

(understand) the good things in you in Christ (Philemon 6).

II Peter 61

According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: (II Peter 1:3)

God has given to us all things that pertain to life. Life in its purest form is healthy life. The Greek word for “life”

is zoe. Usages of this word make it clear that it refers to the God-kind of life – a full, abundant, healthy, and

vibrant life. This has already been given to you. How do you receive it? Through knowing Christ, the one who

has called you to glory and virtue.


I John 62

He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. (I John 3:8)

God’s purpose in coming to earth in Christ was to destroy all the works of the devil – everything from the

separation of man from God to healing of the effects of sin. Sickness is one of the works of the devil (Romans

5:12, Luke 13:16). God wants sickness, depression, and the like destroyed in your body and soul. These are simply

the works of the devil in our lives.

II John 63

7For many imposters (seducers, deceivers, and false leaders) have gone out into the world, men who will not acknowledge (confess, admit) the coming of Jesus Christ (the Messiah) in bodily form. Such a one is the imposter (the seducer, the deceiver, the false leader, the antagonist of Christ) and the antichrist. 8Look to yourselves (take care) that you may not lose (throw away or destroy) all that we and you have labored for, but that you may [persevere until you] win and receive back a perfect reward [in full]. (II John 7-8, Amplified Bible)

Through the improper and false teaching of some, the devil has caused many to lose what good teachers have

labored for in the church. Persevere until you receive back all that the devil has tried to steal from you through

these false teachers. Do not lose what was originally taught about the finished work of Christ – that you have

been saved (sozo – made whole in spirit, soul, and body) by the blood of the Lamb.

III John 64

Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. (III John 2)

This verse, written by the Apostle John to Gaius but inspired by the Holy Spirit to be written to you, shows God’s

heart for us. He wishes above all other things that, as our soul (mind) prospers (as we learn and grow in the

knowledge of God – III Peter 1:2), we will prosper and be in good health. God does not want you sick and diseased,

unable to do His work in the world. He wants you to prosper – spirit, soul, and body – to be fruitful in our work

and grow in knowledge of the Lord (Colossians 1:10).

Jude 65

10But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves. … 12These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; … 24Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, (Jude 10, 12, 24)


The contrast in the book of Jude is stark. Among numerous other things, the wicked are described as twice dead.

But, those who have placed their trust in Christ will be presented faultless (“unblemished,” Amplified Bible) to

the Father. To be unblemished, blameless, and faultless means to be restored and whole. This is God’s heart for

you.

Revelation 66

In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. (Revelation 22:2)

In the Garden of Eden, God provided a tree of life. The only described effect on those who would partake of it is

eternal life. In heaven, there is also a tree of life. Through the leaves of the tree the nations will be healed. It is

not possible to say exactly what this means, but since it is in the past, it seems that part of the healing necessary

upon entering heaven will come from this tree.

Conclusion

God sent His Word to heal us. Not just one word nor one particular verse nor just a set of scattered random

verses. In many ways, a great many verses and passages in scripture were given for our healing in our spirit,

soul, and body. This is God’s love and heart for us – to reclaim us from the sinful world and to restore us as

much as possible in this life, and completely in eternity.

References

- All scripture quotations were taken from the King James Bible unless otherwise noted

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