Healing Word
Originally scheduled for September 6
Psalms 107:20 NASB He
sent His word and healed them, And delivered them from their
destructions.
It is a curious turn of phrase for the Old
Testament. What does it mean when the psalmist says, “He sent His
word…”?
·
It may mean simply that he sent his
commands. We still use this kind of phrase today, when we say that
someone “got the word.”
·
In context, it might also mean that
he sent his blessing. This might be met either physically, or in
terms of our more complete understanding.
·
In a New Testament context which is
anticipated in the Old Testament, it could refer to the Scriptures
in general.
·
But for the Christian, the most
powerful use of this noun is that which St. John uses, when he tells
us the word became flesh. As Christ is the agent of creation, all
four of these meanings have within them the possibility of coming
through the Christ.
The most powerful part of the passage is the
connection between “word” and healing. The Living Word himself often
used just a word to perform his healing.
·
In Matthew 8:8, we find a common
phrase came into the English language from the Bible – when the
centurion tells Jesus, “just say the word.” He knows the power of
the word to heal, when that word comes from Christ.
·
Christ often speaks the word that
tells us that our sins are forgiven. His opponents challenged this;
he authenticated his forgiveness by healing. (Matthew 9:6, “but so
that you may know…”)
·
But Peter, echoing Isaiah (1st
Peter 2:24) tells us the source of our ultimate healing: the wounds
of Christ. In older language, by his stripes we are healed. The
ultimate source of our healing for eternity is the atonement of
Christ.
In communion we can see this picture in
symbolic terms.
·
When Christ says, “This is my body…”
We have a picture of the Word becoming flesh. That which is immortal
and invisible is shown to us in a piece of common bread.
·
When Christ says, “This is my blood…”
We have another picture: it is a view of the atonement of Christ.
So here, the concept of the word becoming flesh
and the atonement are combined. That combination brings forth our
ultimate healing. We are to do this, as He commanded, until He
returns. Our healing is not yet complete. At the ultimate healing,
the Saints are raised from the dead, never to suffer again. Until
then, we are given a reminder of what the Word will do, healing all
things. Remember his body; remember his blood; remember, He is
coming again.
