What does "every sickness and plague" reveal about God's sovereignty over health? The verse in focus “Every sickness and plague not recorded in the Book of the Law—the LORD will bring upon you until you are destroyed.” (Deuteronomy 28:61) Locating the phrase in its setting • Deuteronomy 28 lists covenant blessings (vv. 1-14) and curses (vv. 15-68). • Verse 61 falls in the curse section, underscoring consequences for persistent rebellion. • The phrase “every sickness and plague” serves as a sweeping, all-inclusive expression—no disease lies outside God’s jurisdiction. What the phrase reveals about God’s sovereignty over health 1. Nothing is random in the realm of disease • The wording “every” stresses totality. • Whether common cold or devastating epidemic, each arises under God’s allowance or direct action (cf. Exodus 15:26; 1 Samuel 2:6). 2. The Lord actively governs—not merely observes—physical affliction • “The LORD will bring” portrays decisive involvement. • Job 2:6 shows God setting limits even on Satan’s infliction: “So the LORD said to Satan, ‘Very well, he is in your hands, but you must spare his life.’ ” 3. Sickness can function as covenant discipline • For Israel, diseases were a tangible reminder of broken fellowship (Leviticus 26:14-16). • Discipline aims at repentance and restoration (2 Chronicles 7:13-14; Hosea 6:1). 4. Divine sovereignty preserves purpose in pain • John 9:3—“This happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.” • Healing miracles of Jesus confirm that God never relinquishes control; He reverses affliction at will (Mark 1:40-42). 5. Comprehensive authority paves the way for comprehensive redemption • Isaiah 53:4-5 foretells Messiah bearing both sin and sickness. • Matthew 8:16-17 cites that prophecy after multiple healings, showing Jesus exercising the very sovereignty hinted at in Deuteronomy 28:61. Key take-aways for today • God knows every diagnosis before it appears on a chart. • He is free to employ sickness as correction, protection, or platform for His glory. • Because all disease ultimately answers to Him, believers may trust His timing—whether He chooses immediate healing (Psalm 103:3) or sustaining grace (2 Corinthians 12:7-9). • Christ’s cross and resurrection guarantee a future without “mourning, crying, or pain” (Revelation 21:4), proving that the same Sovereign who can permit disease also has the power to abolish it forever. Supporting Scripture snapshot • Exodus 15:26—obedience and health linked under God’s governance • Deuteronomy 32:39—“I wound and I heal” • Psalm 115:3—“Our God is in the heavens; He does whatever pleases Him.” • Luke 4:40—Jesus heals “all” brought to Him, illustrating royal authority over “every” illness Conclusion The phrase “every sickness and plague” spotlights God’s exhaustive sovereignty over human health. He ordains, restrains, and ultimately redeems physical affliction, weaving each episode into His covenant purposes and redemptive plan. |
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