What Old Testament examples show faith leading to healing or deliverance? Faith that Heals: From Galilee Back to Genesis “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.” (Luke 8:48) Jesus’ words echo a pattern already woven through the Old Testament—whenever people trusted God, healing or rescue followed. Those ancient stories prepare our hearts to recognize the same principle in Luke 8:48. Looking and Living – The Bronze Serpent (Numbers 21:4-9) • Israel’s rebellion brought a plague of venomous snakes. • God told Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole.” • “Everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, will live.” (v. 8) • The simple, trusting look became an act of faith that released God’s healing power. Linked verse: John 3:14-15 connects this event to Christ lifted up for our salvation—faith still heals. Naaman’s Cleansing – Faith That Obeys (2 Kings 5:1-14) • The Syrian commander sought healing from leprosy. • Elisha instructed him to wash seven times in the Jordan. • After initial pride, Naaman humbled himself, “went down and dipped,” and “his flesh was restored” (v. 14). • Faith expressed through obedient action brought complete cleansing. Hezekiah’s Sickbed Turned Into Fifteen More Years (2 Kings 20:1-7; Isaiah 38:1-6) • Death sentence: “Set your house in order, for you shall die.” • The king “turned his face to the wall and prayed.” • God answered: “I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears” (2 Kings 20:5). • A fig-poultice plus the Lord’s promise produced healing and deliverance from the threat of Assyria. Hannah’s Barrenness to Blessing (1 Samuel 1:9-20) • Deep anguish, persistent prayer, and a vow of faith marked Hannah’s cry. • Eli declared, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant your petition” (v. 17). • “Elkanah knew his wife, and the LORD remembered her” (v. 19)—Samuel was born, transforming her sorrow into joy. Three Hebrews in the Fire (Daniel 3:13-30) • Refusing idolatry, they said, “Our God is able to deliver us… but even if He does not…” (vv. 17-18). • Faith did not demand terms; it trusted God’s character. • The Son of God walked with them; not even the smell of smoke remained. • Nebuchadnezzar confessed, “There is no other god who can deliver in this way” (v. 29). Daniel in the Lions’ Den (Daniel 6:16-23) • The decree was irreversible, yet Daniel kept praying. • Faith’s habit opened a path for angelic intervention—“My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths” (v. 22). • Deliverance vindicated both Daniel and God before the empire. Rahab’s Scarlet Cord (Joshua 2 & 6) • She believed Israel’s God already owned the land: “I know that the LORD has given you this land” (2:9). • The scarlet cord outside her window became a visible statement of faith. • When Jericho fell, “Joshua spared Rahab… and she lives among the Israelites to this day” (6:25). Threads That Tie It All Together • Word plus trust equals life: just as the woman in Luke 8 reached for Jesus’ garment, Old Testament believers reached for God’s promise. • Faith shows up in varied forms—looking, dipping, praying, refusing to bow, hanging a cord—but the outcome is consistent: healing or rescue. • Hebrews 11 reviews several of these stories, concluding, “Without faith it is impossible to please God” (v. 6). • Luke 8:48 adds the personal touch: faith not only heals; it restores peace. Walking Forward The same God who honored faith then still responds now. Jesus’ affirmation, “Your faith has healed you,” invites us to trust His power, rest in His peace, and expect His deliverance in our own stories. |
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