God's Plan

Healing is a facet of God's plan. His plan for Abram was to "make you into a great nation" (Ge 12:2). In addition, God said "'To your offspring I will give this land'" (:7). The location was at Shechem and the Canaanites were there (:6). The Lord confirmed it by making a covenant with Abram (:18). "Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness" (:6). Many years later God said to Abram "'I will confirm my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers'" (Ge 17:2). He even changed his name to Abraham (:5). God again promised to give Canaan to his descendants (:8). Furthermore he said "'my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you'" (:21).

Another part of God's plan unfolded when he brought "the Israelites out of Egypt" (Ex 12:51). Moses reminded them that Canaan was their destination because it was "'the land he swore to your forefathers to give you'" (13:15). After they crossed the Red Sea "the Lord made a decree and a law for them, and there he tested them" (15:25). Not only did he deliver them from Egypt but he became "'the Lord, who heals you'" (:26). However, their responsibility was to "'listen carefully . . . [and] pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees'" (:26). If they were disobedient he would not protect them against the diseases the Egyptians suffered (:26). Healing was one of God's provisions for the Israelites but it was conditional. "'Worship the Lord your God, and . . . I will take away sickness from you'" (Ex 23:25). "'The Lord will keep you free from every disease. He will not inflict on you the horrible diseases you knew in Egypt'" (Dt 7:15). "However, if you do not obey the Lord your God and do not carefully follow all his commands and decrees . . . all these curses will come upon you" (Dt 28:15).