What does it mean that God is Jehovah-Rapha?

from the old testament

• The word rapha means “to heal” or “to put something back together,” like patching a garment. Jehovah is an early English pronunciation for YHWH, which is God’s personal name. Thus, Jehovah-Rapha means God is a Healing God. The first time this word was used as a title for God was in Exodus 15. There, after the Israelites had fled the Egyptians and were in the wilderness, the only water they found was bitter. The Lord showed Moses a particular log, and “he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet” (Exodus 15:25). The Lord then took that opportunity to tell the Israelites how He would protect them: “If you will diligently listen to the voice of the LORD your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, your healer” (Exodus 15:26). The phrase, “the LORD, your healer” is where we get the title Jehovah-Rapha.
• Throughout the Old Testament, YHWH is described as a Healer. For example, King Hezekiah, after becoming mortally ill (2 Kings 20:1), prayed earnestly to live longer. God responded, saying, “I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Behold, I will heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the LORD, and I will add fifteen years to your life” (2 Kings 20:5b–6a). God never promises healing in response to earnest prayer (see, for example, the death of King David’s son in 2 Samuel 12:15–23). However, as Jehovah-Rapha, He is the great Healer who can extend life if He desires.
• While God does physically heal, God’s healing is especially focused on the spiritual. Psalm 103:2–3 blesses the Lord by saying that He is the one “who pardons all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases.” Notice that Jehovah-Rapha means that God heals both body (diseases) and soul (iniquity).
• In Hosea 6:1, the people say, “Come, let us return to the LORD; for he has torn us, that he may heal us; he has struck us down, and he will bind us up.” At the time of that prophesy, Israel and Judah were rebelling against God and were thus being punished. However, they looked forward, seeing God’s corrective discipline was purposely done to lead them to His spiritual healing.
• That future restoration would come through the Servant, later known as Jesus in the New Testament (Isaiah 53:5). The crushing of the Servant was to be the means for healing sinners from their sin.
• Psalm 147:3 talks about healing the downtrodden. Jehovah-Rapha is personal!
• When Israel rebelled against God, He noted that repentance was key to their healing, a healing which would expand right down to the land of Israel (2 Chronicles 7:14).

from the new testament

• The New Testament was written in Greek and, thus, the phrase Jehovah-Rapha is never used. However, as fully God, Jesus is Jehovah-Rapha. Matthew 4:23 said that He “was healing every disease and every affliction among the people,” demonstrating His divine healing power.
• Matthew 8:16–17 said that Jesus’s healings were done “to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: ‘He took our illnesses and bore our diseases.’” As the promised Servant, Jesus was the means by which God would bring healing to the world.
• Though Jesus performed many physical healings, that was never the point of His ministry (Mark 1:35–39). Rather, His mission was spiritual healing. We see this illustrated in Mark. There, we learn about a believing paralytic who came to Jesus. Jesus responded by forgiving his sins (Mark 2:5). However, those in the room believed He was blaspheming because only God can forgive sins (Mark 2:6). In response, Jesus said, “Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins…I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home” (Mark 2:9–11). His healing, then, was an outward sign to show that He was able to heal spiritually.
• Jesus, speaking about Himself, said, “God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Notice that believing in Jesus brings eternal life. This is not about physical healing but about being spiritually, eternally healed.
• In the Isaiah 53 passage, the Servant was going to be crushed for sin. That was fulfilled in Jesus, who went to the cross and died (Romans 5:8). His death, coupled with His perfect life, brought healing to the world.
• Peter, encouraging believers to suffer well in this life, quoted Isaiah 53, saying, “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed” (1 Peter 2:24).
• When Jesus returns, the physical realm will also be healed (Romans 8:19–21). Creation is currently waiting to be healed from the curse of our rebellion against God (Revelation 22:1–3a). God’s healing will one day be on a cosmic scale.

implications for today

Calling God Jehovah-Rapha reminds us that He is a personal and tender Healer. He sees your physical and emotional pain and is ready to listen to you. Because He is Jehovah-Rapha, you can trust Him with your burdens.

However, while God is capable of healing you physically, His first priority is your spiritual healing. This is why He sent His Son, Jesus, to bear His wrath in your place. Jesus was not sent to “patch you up,” but to restore you into full fellowship with the Father. Jesus brings eternal life, but only to those who are repentant and trust in who He is and what He has done. To those who do, regardless of what else life brings, your spiritual state has been healed, your eternity secure!

Once your great, spiritual sickness has been healed, you then have free access to God (Hebrews 10:19). However, being a believer does not mean, nor guarantee, physical healing. Though God is Jehovah-Rapha, He uses this sin-cursed world, including its diseases, accidents, and relational pain to mature His sons and daughters (James 1:2–4). Everything He does is Him working out our eternal good (Romans 8:28).

If you are a believer, as you bring your physical and emotional wounds to Him, remember that His greatest healing has already occurred. You have been healed of sin’s curse and reconciled to your Creator. That healing is deeper than any diagnosis and longer lasting than any cure. So, yes—pray for physical healing because He is Jehovah-Rapha. But also, through your pain, look for His hand in restoring your heart, deepening your trust, and making you more like Christ.