By the Scripture’s Own Writers
Healing
Definition
The restoration of the spiritually or physically sick ones to good health. A special gift of the holy spirit given by Jehovah God to certain ones before Christ and also in the early congregation that enabled the gifted one to perform miraculous cures of physical sickness and even raise the dead. It was used as a sign of God’s power usually performed on those outside the congregation. Like all special gifts of the spirit from and after Pentecost, A.D. 33, it was administered by Jesus Christ through the twelve apostles or in their presence. At the apostles’ death it was impossible to pass on this special gift to others, and it ceased therefore.
Jehovah God Has Power to Make Sick and to Heal
Deuteronomy 28:27, 35 “Jehovah will smite you with the boil of Egypt, and with the emerods, and with the scurvy, and with the itch, whereof you cannot be healed. Jehovah will smite you in the knees, and in the legs, with a sore boil, whereof you cannot be healed, from the sole of your foot unto the crown of your head.”
Exodus 15:23-26 “And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: … And he cried unto Jehovah; and Jehovah showed him a tree, and he cast it into the waters, and the waters were made sweet…. and he said, If you will diligently hearken to the voice of Jehovah your God, and will do that which is right in His eyes, and will give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases upon you, which I have put upon the Egyptians: for I am Jehovah that heals you.”
Power Given to Christ Jesus to Heal During First Advent
Matthew 9:35 “And yet Jesus set out on a tour of all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the good news of the kingdom and curing every kind of disease and every kind of ailment.”
Acts 10:38 “Jesus who was from Nazareth, how God anointed Him with holy spirit and power, and He went through the land doing good and healing all those oppressed by the Devil, because God was with Him.”
Matthew 11:5 “The blind are seeing again, and the lame are walking about, the lepers are being cleansed and the deaf are hearing, and the dead are being raised up, and the poor are having the good news declared to them.”
Jesus Gave Gift of Healing First to Twelve Apostles, Later to Seventy Other Disciples
Matthew 10:1-8 “So He summoned His twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, in order to expel these and to cure every kind of disease and every kind of ailment. The names of the twelve apostles are these: …These twelve Jesus sent forth, giving them these orders:’… Cure sick people, raise up dead persons, make lepers clean, expel demons. You received free, give free.'”
Luke 10:1, 2, 8-10 “After these things the Master designated seventy others and sent them forth by twos … Then He began to say to them: ‘… wherever you enter into a city … cure the sick ones in it, and go on telling them: “The kingdom of God has come near to you.” ‘ “
Through Holy Spirit Which He Began to Pour Out at Pentecost, Jesus Gave Gift to Heal and Raise Dead Only to Certain Ones
Acts 2:1-4 “Now while the day of the feast of Pentecost was in progress they were all together at the same place… . And tongues as if of fire became visible and were distributed to them, and one sat upon each one of them, and they all became filled with holy spirit.”
1 Corinthians 12:4, 8, 9 “Now there are varieties of gifts, but there is the same spirit. For example, to one there is given through the spirit speech of wisdom,… to another gifts of healings by that one spirit.”
Acts 5:12, 16 “Moreover, through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders continued to occur among the people; and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s colonnade. Also the multitude from the cities around Jerusalem kept coming together, bearing sick people and those troubled with unclean spirits, and they would one and all be cured.”
Healing and Other Gifts Passed On Only by Apostles or in Their Presence
Acts 8:18-20 “Now when Simon saw that through the laying on of the hands of the apostles the spirit was given, he offered them money, saying: ‘Give me also this authority, that anyone upon whom I lay my hands may receive holy spirit.’ But Peter said to him: ‘May your silver perish with you, because you thought through money to get possession of the free gift of God.'”
Acts 10:44 “While Peter was yet speaking about these matters the holy spirit fell upon all those hearing the word.”
Physical Healing by Jesus Was Also a Forgiveness of Sins
Mark 2:3-12 “And when Jesus saw their faith He said to the paralytic: ‘Child, your sins are forgiven.’ Now there were some of the scribes there, sitting and reasoning in their hearts: ‘What is it this man is saying in this manner? He is blaspheming. Who can forgive sins except one, God?’ But Jesus, having discerned immediately by His spirit that they were reasoning that way in themselves, said to them: ‘Why are you reasoning these things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, “Your sins are forgiven,” or to say, “Get up and pick up your cot and walk”? But in order for you men to know that the Son of man has authority to forgive sins upon the earth,’ —he said to the paralytic: ‘I say to you, Get up, pick up your cot, and go to your home.’ At that he did get up and immediately picked up his cot and walked out in front of them all, so that they were all simply carried away and they glorified God, saying: ‘We never saw the like of it.'”
Jesus’ Disciples Also Had Special Gift to Forgive and Retain Sins, Which Modern “Divine Healing” Impostors Lack
John 20:21-23 “Jesus, therefore, said to them again: ‘May you have peace. Just as the Father has sent Me forth, I also am sending you.’ And after He said this he blew upon them and said to them: ‘Receive holy spirit. If you forgive the sins of any persons, they stand forgiven to them; if you retain those of any persons, they stand retained.’ “
Acts 9:17, 18 “So Ananias went off and entered into the house, and he laid his hands upon him and said: ‘Saul, brother, the Lord, the Jesus that appeared to you on the road over which you were coming, has sent me forth in order that you may recover sight and be filled with holy spirit.’ And immediately there fell from his eyes what looked like scales, and he recovered sight.”
Acts 13:9-12 “Saul, who is also Paul, becoming filled with holy spirit, looked at him intently and said: ‘… look! Jehovah’s hand is upon you, and you will be blind, not seeing the sunlight for a period of time.’ Instantly a thick mist and darkness fell upon him, and he went around seeking men to lead him by the hand.”
Also: Acts 5:1-11.
James Speaks of Forgiveness of Sins Leading to Spiritual, Not Physical, Sickness—Otherwise All Sinners Would Be Seriously Sick Bodily
James 5:13-16 “Is there anyone suffering evil among you? Let him carry on prayer. Is there anyone in good spirits? Let him sing psalms. Is there anyone sick among you? Let him call the older men of the congregation to him, and let them pray over him, rubbing him with oil in the name of Jehovah. And the prayer of faith will make the indisposed one well, and Jehovah will raise him up. Also if he has committed sins, it will be forgiven him. Therefore openly confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may get healed.”
Deuteronomy 9:16-20 “And I looked, and, behold, you had sinned against Jehovah your God; you had made you a molten calf: you had turned aside quickly out of the way which Jehovah had commanded you…. And I fell down before Jehovah, as at the first, forty days and forty nights; I did neither eat bread nor drink water; because of all your sin which you sinned, in doing that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah, to provoke Him to anger…. But Jehovah hearkened unto me that time also.”
Rubbing with oil shows application of God’s healing word in correction
Psalm 133:1, 2 “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious oil upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard; that came down upon the skirt of his garment.”
Psalm 141:5 “Let the righteous smite me, it shall be a kindness; and let him reprove me, it shall be as oil upon the head; let not my head refuse it: for even in their wickedness shall my prayer continue.”
Example of Elijah’s prayer was occasion of spiritual sickness in Israel
James 5:16-18 “A righteous man’s supplication when it is at work has much force. Elijah was a man with feelings like ours, and yet in prayer he prayed for it not to rain, and it did not rain upon the land for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain and the land put forth its fruit.”
1 Kings 16:29-33; 17:1; 18:1, 36, 37, 45 “Ahab the son of Omri [began] to reign over Israel: . . .And Ahab the son of Omri did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah . . . And he reared up an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he had built in Samaria. And Ahab made the Asherah; and Ahab did yet more to provoke Jehovah, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him.” “And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the sojourners of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As Jehovah, the God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.” “And it came to pass, after many days, that the word of Jehovah came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, Go, show thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth. . . . Elijah the prophet came near, and said,.. . Hear me, O Jehovah, hear me, that this people may know that You, Jehovah, are God, and that You have turned their heart back again. And it came to pass in a little while, that the heavens grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain.”
Spiritual sickness is result of being misled from truth. Turning back saves from death
James 5:19, 20 “My brothers, if anyone among you is misled from the truth and another turns him back, know that he who turns a sinner back from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.”
Matthew 18:15 “Moreover, if your brother commits a sin, go lay bare his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.”
1 Timothy 4:16 “Pay constant attention to yourself and to your teaching. Stay by these things, for by doing this you will save both yourself and those who listen to you.”
Healing Powers Were Given as a Sign to Outsiders
Luke 4:25-27 “For instance, I tell you in truth, There were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, so that a great famine fell upon all the land, yet Elijah was sent to none of those women, but only to Zarephath in the land of Zidon to a widow. Also there were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the man of Syria was.”
Purpose of Healing Was Not to Cure Those Close to Gifted One
Philippians 2:25-30 “He fell sick nearly to the point of death; but God had mercy on him, in fact, not only on him, but also on me, that I should not get grief upon grief.. .. On account of the Lord’s work he came quite near to death, exposing his soul to danger, that he might fully make up for your not being here to render private service to me.”
2 Timothy 4:20 “I left Trophimus sick at Miletus.”
Paul’s One Exception Was to Free Himself from Blame Due to Accident
Acts 20:7-12 “Paul began discoursing to them, as he was going to depart the next day, and he prolonged his speech until midnight. . . . Seated at the window, a certain young man named Eutychus fell into a deep sleep while Paul kept talking on, and, collapsing from sleep, he fell down from the third story and was picked up dead. But Paul went downstairs, threw himself upon him and embraced him and said: ‘Stop raising a clamor, for his soul is in him.’ … So they took the boy away alive and were comforted beyond measure.”
Healing Powers Were Not Used by the Gifted One on Self
Luke 4:23, 24 “At this He said to them: ‘No doubt you will apply this illustration to Me, “Physician, cure yourself”; the things we heard as having happened in Capernaum do also here in your native territory.’ But He said: ‘Certainly I tell you that no prophet is accepted in his native territory.’ “
Jesus used natural means to recover from fatigue
John 4:6 “Now Jesus, tired out from the journey, was sitting at the fountain just as He was.”
Mark 4:38 “But He was in the stern sleeping upon a pillow.”
Luke 8:23 “But as they were sailing He fell asleep.”
Mark 6:30-33 “And the apostles assembled before Jesus and reported to Him all the things they had done and taught. And He said to them: ‘Come, you yourselves, privately into a lonely place and rest up a bit.’ For there were many coming and going, and it was not convenient even to eat a meal. So off they went in the boat for a lonely place to themselves. But people saw them going and many got to know it, and from all the cities they ran there together on foot and got ahead of them.”
Elisha had great healing powers, but died of sickness
2 Kings 4:32-35 “And when Elisha was come into the house, behold, the child was dead, and laid upon his bed. He went in therefore, and shut the door upon them twain, and prayed unto Jehovah. And he went up, and lay upon the child, and put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands: and he stretched himself upon him: and the flesh of the child waxed warm…. and the child opened his eyes.”
2 Kings 5:9, 10, 14 “So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariots, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha. And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall come again to you, and you shall be clean. Then he went down, and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God; and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.”
2 Kings 13:14, 20, 21 “Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness whereof he died. And Elisha died, and they buried him. Now the bands of the Moabites invaded the land at the coming in of the year. And it came to pass, as they were burying a man, that, behold, they spied a band; and they cast the man into the sepulchre of Elisha: and as soon as the man touched the bones of Elisha, he revived, and stood up on his feet.”
Paul’s gift of healing did not enable him to cure himself
2 Corinthians 12:7-9 “Therefore, that I might not be overly exalted, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, an angel of Satan, to keep striking me, that I might not be overly exalted. In this behalf I three times entreated the Lord that it might depart from me; and yet He really said to me: ‘My undeserved kindness is sufficient for you; for My power is being made perfect in weakness.’ “
Natural Means of Healing Were Used Even at Time Gift Was Present
1 Timothy 5:23 “Do not drink water any longer, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent cases of sickness.”
Colossians 4:14 “Luke the beloved physician sends you his greetings.”
Receiving Pay or Taking a Money Collection Not Permitted Those Who Practiced Divine Healing
2 Kings 5:15-27 “And he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him; and he said, Behold now, I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel: now therefore, please, take a present of your servant. But he said, As Jehovah lives, before whom I stand, I will receive none. And he urged him to take it; but he refused.. .. But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold my master has spared this Naaman the Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: as Jehovah lives, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him. So Gehazi followed after Naaman…. And Naaman said, Be pleased to take two talents. And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of raiment, and laid them upon two of his servants; and they bare them before him…. But he [Gehazi] went in, and stood before his master. And Elisha said unto him,… Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and oliveyards and vineyards, and sheep and oxen, and men-servants and maid-servants? The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto you, and unto your seed for ever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.”
Matthew 10:8 “Cure sick people, raise up dead persons, make lepers clean, expel demons. You received free, give free.”
Divine Healing as the Fifth- Rate Gift Not the Evidence of God’s True Organization Today, but Love and Gift of Preaching Are
1 Corinthians 12:28 “And God has set the respective ones in the congregation, first, apostles; second, prophets; third, teachers; then powerful works; then gifts of healings.”
1 Corinthians 14:1 “Pursue love, yet keep striving after the spiritual gifts, but preferably that you may prophesy.”
Acts 2:17, 18 ” ‘And in the last days,’ God says, ‘I shall pour some of My spirit out upon every kind of flesh, and your sons and your daughters will prophesy and your young men will see visions and your old men will dream dreams; and even upon My men slaves and upon My women slaves I will pour out some of My spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.’ “
1 Corinthians 13:2 “And if I have the gift of prophesying and understand all the sacred secrets and all knowledge, and if I have all the faith so as to transplant mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.”
Not All in Early Congregation Possessed Gift of Healing
1 Corinthians 12:19, 20, 30 “If they were all one member, where would the body be? But now they are many members, yet one body. Not all have gifts of healings, do they? Not all speak in tongues, do they?”
Divine Physical Healing Not Experienced Today, Since Special Gifts Passed Away After Death of Apostles
1 Corinthians 13:8-12 “Whether there are gifts of prophesying, they will be done away with; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will be done away with.. .. When I was a babe, I used to speak as a babe, to think as a babe, to reason as a babe; but now that I have become a man, I have done away with the traits of a babe. For at present we see in hazy outline by means of a metal mirror, but then it will be face to face. At present I know partially, but then I shall know accurately even as I am accurately known.”
Last Recorded Miraculous Healings Occurred About A.D. 59
Acts 28:8, 9 “It happened that the father of Publius was lying down afflicted with fever and dysentery, and Paul went in to him and prayed, laid his hands upon him and healed him. After this occurred, the rest of the people on the island who had sicknesses also began to come to him and be cured.”
Divine Healing Through Christ Jesus Will Be Accomplished Completely During His 1,000-Year Reign
Isaiah 33:24 “And the inhabitant shall not say, I am sick: the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity.”
Jeremiah 33:6 “Behold, I will bring it health and cure, and I will cure them; and I will reveal unto them abundance of peace and truth.”
John 8:51 “Most truly I say to you, If anyone observes My word, he will never see death at all.”
Isaiah 35:6 “Then shall the lame man leap as a hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall sing.”
Revelation 21:4, 5 ” ‘And He will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be any more. The former things have passed away.’ And the One seated on the throne said: ‘Look! I am making all things new.’ “
For more details or any questions on this topic, don’t hesitate to contact us.
©All Rights Reserved