Topical Encyclopedia Sickness, a condition of physical or mental ill health, is a common experience in the human condition. Throughout the Bible, instances of sickness are met with a call to seek God's aid, emphasizing the importance of turning to the Divine for healing and comfort.Biblical Instances and Teachings 1. Divine Healing and Prayer: The Bible frequently underscores the power of prayer in seeking healing from God. James 5:14-15 instructs, "Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick. The Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven." This passage highlights the communal aspect of prayer and the belief in God's power to heal. 2. Old Testament Examples: In the Old Testament, King Hezekiah's illness and subsequent recovery serve as a testament to seeking God's intervention. In 2 Kings 20:1-5 , Hezekiah becomes terminally ill, and Isaiah the prophet delivers a message from God that he will not recover. However, Hezekiah prays earnestly, and God responds, "I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Behold, I will heal you." This narrative illustrates the efficacy of sincere prayer and repentance. 3. Jesus' Healing Ministry: The Gospels are replete with accounts of Jesus healing the sick, demonstrating God's compassion and power. In Matthew 8:16-17 , it is recorded, "When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to Him, and He drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: 'He took on our infirmities and carried our diseases.'" Jesus' healing acts are seen as a fulfillment of prophecy and a manifestation of God's kingdom. 4. Faith and Healing: The role of faith in healing is a recurring theme. In Mark 5:34 , Jesus tells a woman who had been suffering from a bleeding disorder, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be free of your affliction." This account emphasizes the importance of faith in seeking God's aid for healing. 5. Paul's Teachings: The Apostle Paul also addresses sickness and God's role in healing. In Philippians 4:6-7 , he advises, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." This passage encourages believers to bring their concerns, including sickness, to God in prayer. Theological Reflections The Bible presents sickness as an opportunity to deepen one's reliance on God. It is not merely a physical ailment but a moment to experience God's presence and power. The act of seeking God's aid in sickness is an expression of faith and trust in His sovereignty and goodness. The scriptures consistently point to God as the ultimate healer, whose compassion and mercy are available to those who seek Him earnestly. Torrey's Topical Textbook 2 Chronicles 16:12And 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. Torrey's Topical Textbook Library Naaman Cured. 2 Cor. vi. 1, 2 Letter xvi. To the Bishops of Sicily. The Twenty-First Article they Absolutely Condemn, Because we do ... Naaman's Wrath part iii. What the Christians Believe Regarding the Supreme Good and Evil ... The Journey through Perea to Jerusalem Epistle Lxiv. To Augustine, Bishop of the Angli . Jesus as a Friend. Resources What does the Bible say about healing? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is a spirit of infirmity? | GotQuestions.org Why doesn't God heal everyone? | GotQuestions.org Sickness: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus Subtopics Sickness: Christ Compassionate Those In Sickness: Christ Healed by Imposition of Hands Sickness: Christ Healed with a Touch Sickness: Christ Healed with a Word Sickness: Christ Healed: Being Present Sickness: Christ Healed: Not Being Present Sickness: Christ Healed: Through the Touch of his Garment Sickness: Faith Required in Those Healed of, by Christ Sickness: God: Abandons the Wicked To Sickness: God: Comforts Saints In Sickness: God: Exhibits his Love in Healing Sickness: God: Exhibits his Mercy in Healing Sickness: God: Exhibits his Power in Healing Sickness: God: Hears the Prayers of Those In Sickness: God: Often Manifests Saving Grace to Sinners During Sickness: God: Permits Saints to be Tried By Sickness: God: Persecutes the Wicked By Sickness: God: Preserves Saints in Time of Sickness: God: Promises to Heal Sickness: God: Strengthens Saints In Sickness: God's Aid should be Sought In Sickness: Healing of, Lawful on the Sabbath Sickness: Not Visiting Those In, an Evidence of not Belonging to Christ Sickness: Often Brought on by Intemperance Sickness: Often Incurable by Human Means Sickness: Often Sent As a Punishment of Sin Sickness: One of God's Four Sore Judgments on a Guilty Land Sickness: Pray for Those Afflicted With Sickness: Saints are Resigned Under Sickness: Saints: Acknowledge That, Comes from God Sickness: Saints: Ascribe Recovery From, to God Sickness: Saints: Feel for Others In Sickness: Saints: Mourn Under, With Prayer Sickness: Saints: Praise God for Recovery From Sickness: Saints: Pray for Recovery From Sickness: Saints: Thank God Publicly for Recovery Form Sickness: Saints: Visit Those In Sickness: The Apostles Were Endued With Power to Heal Sickness: The Devil Sometimes Permitted to Inflict Sickness: The Power of Healing: One of the Miraculous Gifts Bestowed on the Early Church Sickness: The Wicked: Forsake Those In Sickness: The Wicked: Have Much Sorrow, With Sickness: The Wicked: Visit not Those In Sickness: Visiting Those In, an Evidence of Belonging to Christ Related Terms |
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