Healing from God.

God promised the Jews health and healing in the Old Testament.

He said, “If you listen carefully to the LORD your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, who heals you.” Ex 15:26 NIV

This promise was not unconditional. The Jews had to obey all of God's commandments.

But then we come across an exception, Naaman.

Now Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded, because through him the LORD had given victory to Aram. He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy. 2 Ki 5:1 NIV

He had a Hebrew slave girl. She was a young woman with a good heart. Jesus later taught that we must love our enemies, and she cared for her master who had enslaved her as a captive.

She said to her mistress, “If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.” 2 Ki 5:3 NIV

The general went to Israel to look for the prophet Elisha.

Elisha sent his servant to Naaman with instructions. The general was to dip himself seven times in the Jordan River.

This hurt the general's pride.

But Naaman went away angry and said, “I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy.

Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Couldn’t I wash in them and be cleansed?” So he turned and went off in a rage. 2 Ki 5:11–12 NIV

Naaman’s servants went to him and said, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, ‘Wash and be cleansed’!” 2 Ki 5:13 NIV

The general thought again and went to the Jordan River. When he emerged from the water for the seventh time, he was completely well.

Naaman was a pagan and worshipped other gods, but God spoke through the prophet and he obeyed.

Today, many Muslims are healed supernaturally in the same way. Many convert only after their miraculous healing, and others never convert.

It was similar in the New Testament. Many received miraculous healings from Jesus, and not all repented of their sins.

Jesus lamented this tragedy. He loved his countrymen with all his heart. His heart was broken.

And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades. For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day.

But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgement than for you.” Mt 11:23–24 NIV 

In the New Testament, healing is an effect of the love of God, who loves everyone, and not a reward for virtue. Likewise, salvation and eternal life are a free gift from God.

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Rom 6:23 NIV

God promises in Psalm 103 that he will forgive all your trespasses. In the same verse in the same psalm, he promises to heal all your diseases.

He forgives all your iniquity; he heals all your diseases. Ps 103:3 CSB

Some Christians think that the gift of miracle healings was only for the first apostles. But this misguided teaching is clearly contradicted in the New Testament.

Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord.

And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Jas 5:14–15 NIV