If you are sick, you go to the doctor. That’s what we have been taught to do and therefore that’s what we do. Abantu abaningi, kuhlanganise namaKristu, go to doctors. But where do doctors come from? What is the history of medical science? If Christians believe in the Bible and in Jehovah Rapha, the God Who Heals, then why do Christians go to a doctor instead of Jehovah Rapha? Why do Christians go to a doctor instead of believing the Bible; the Word of God, and expect their healing from Jesus Christ, by Whose stripes you were healed? What does God say about doctors and medical science in the Bible? Does God approve doctors or not?
Has God changed throughout the ages?
Has God changed throughout the ages? Cha, UNkulunkulu uyafana, izolo, namuhla, and forevermore. God has not changed and the will of God has not changed. God is the same and will always be the same. If God was Jehovah Rapha, then God still is Jehovah Rapha and God will always kube Jehovah Rapha.
God still thinks the same way about matters Today, as God did in previous times. That’s why the Word of God is still powerful, reliable, and the truth.
We are the ones, who change, not God. Many times we slowly change things, without even being aware of it.
Ngokwesibonelo, when we look at the church, we see that the Word has slowly changed due to people’s experiences, needs, izinkanuko, and desires, and society. Many don’t want to change and kill the deeds (the works) of the flesh, because they want to live their own lives and do their own will and live like the world.
Instead of submitting to the Word of God and doing God’s will, they change the Word of God to their will and needs, so that they can walk just like the world. That is why the salt has lost its favor.
The spiritual war between
the Kingdom of Heaven and the Kingdom of darkness
Many Christians are not aware of the spiritual war that is going on between the Kingdom of Heaven (Umbuso kaNkulunkulu) and the kingdom of darkness (kingdom of the devil, the kingdom of the world). When you repented of your sins and gave your life to Christ, you were delivered from the power of darkness and were transferred into the Kingdom of Heaven; the Kingdom of Jesus Christ.
When you served your old master; usathane, you walked after the flesh and walked in darkness. The devil and his kingdom represent sin, evil, darkness, bondage, destruction, njll.
The eternal destination of the devil will be Hades; isihogo. But the devil will not enter hell by himself. All the followers of the devil; all the creatures (angels) and human beings, who listened to the devil and obeyed the devil, will join the devil in hell.
The devil’s purpose for every human being is to destroy their life and take them to hell with him. When you obey and serve the devil, then death dwells inside of you.
Kodwa, when you repented and became born again in Christ, you became a new creation and got a new Father, a new Master. Your new Master walks in the light. Therefore as He walks in the light, so will you walk in the light. Jesus and His Kingdom represent righteousness, holiness, light, liberty, uthando, joy, peace, njll.
Wonke umuntu, who is born of the Spirit of God and walks after the Spirit and walks in Imiyalo Yakhe, will have eternal life. They will not walk in sin anymore and are no longer led by their flesh. But they will walk after the Spirit in obedience to the Word. They will walk in the dominion; the power and authority, that Jesus Christ has given them.
The dominion in Jesus Christ
Before the fall, man (U-Adamu) was created after the image of God. Man was appointed by God to have dominion over the earth and came directly under God (El-Elohim, the Trinity) in the hierarchy. Man had authority (ukubusa) over angels, the earth, animals, njll. So before the fall, man had authority over the serpent, satan, and the fallen angels.
Kodwa… because man became disobedient to God’s commandment and listened to the devil, who came in the disguise of a serpent, man sinned, and gave his authority; his keys, to the devil.
Kusukela ngaleso sikhathi, satan and death had authority over man and reigned in their lives.
But Jesus Christ took back the authority of the devil, through His perfect work of redemption (Funda futhi: ‘Umsebenzi kaNkulunkulu wokusindisa‘)
Jesus restored the relationship between God and man. Wonke umuntu, abangakholwa Kuye, and would be born of the Spirit of God would become a new creation; a new man in Christ (Funda futhi: ‘Ukuthula okwabuyiselwa uJesu phakathi komuntu owile noNkulunkulu‘, ‘UJesu wabuyisela isikhundla somuntu owile’, futhi ‘Usuku lwesishiyagalombili, usuku lokudalwa okusha‘
Jesus gave the authority back to the new man. So that the new man would have dominion again over the earth, and every living thing (except people), nezingelosi, including the devil and the other fallen angels.
The unredeemed man is still under the devil’s authority, but the redeemed man; the new creation has authority in Christ over the devil.
Now with all this in mind, let’s have a look at the subject of diseases, ukugula, kanye nokwelapha, because that’s what this article is all about. Let’s go back to the origin and find out where sickness comes from and if medical science; doctors, medicine, therapists, hospitals, njll. originate from God or not.
If God has blessed doctors,
then why does God call Himself Jehovah Rapha?
In the Old Testament, we do not read a lot about diseases and if someone became ill, then God healed them a.o. by the sacrifices and offerings; the blood of animals (as we read in the Book of Leviticus).
Izikhathi eziningi, when people became disobedient to God they became ill. We read this, for example, in the Book of Kings, and the Book of Chronicles. God promised, that if we keep His commandments, God will take away all sickness and disease (Oh. in the Book of Exodus 23:25 and Deuteronomy 17:15).
Let’s look at the story of king Asa. King Asa was obedient to God and kept God’s commandments, except for the high places, he did not take those away.
King Asa
King Asa trusted the Lord and relied on God. God was with king Asa and gave nations into his might until the moment that king Asa didn’t rely on God anymore and went his own way.
The heart of king Asa did not go out to God anymore. God wasn’t his Jehovah Nissi, nor his Jehovah Jireh anymore. King Asa had denied God; he had exchanged God for another king, an earthly king; a human being (creature).
Hanani, a prophet of God, went to king Asa to warn him. But Asa didn’t listen to Hanani and became ill. When King Asa became ill, he did not show any regret or mercy to God. Asa did not repent of his ways, nor did he seek God.
Physicians instead of Jehovah Rapha
Instead of calling for Jehovah Rapha, king Asa called for the physicians (translation in Hebrew raphia). We might say, that in our time we call these physicians doctors? These physicians were an abomination to God. These physicians were not able to heal king Asa and king Asa died:
Then Asa the king took all Judah; and they carried away the stones of Ramah, and the timber thereof, wherewith Baasha was building; and he built therewith Geba and Mizpah. And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, wathi kuye, Because thou hast relied on the king of Syria, and not relied on the LORD thy God, therefore is the host of the king of Syria escaped out of thine hand. Were not the Ethiopians and the Lubims a huge host, with very many chariots and horsemen? okwamanje, because thou didst rely on the Lord, he delivered them into thine hand. For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.
“In his disease he sought not to the Lord, but to the physicians”
Then Asa was wroth with the seer, and put him in a prison house; for he was in a rage with him because of this thing. And Asa oppressed some of the people the same time. And, bheka, the acts of Asa, first and last, lo, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. And 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.
And Asa slept with his fathers, and died in the one and fortieth year of his reign. And they buried him in his own sepulchres, which he had made for himself in the city of David, and laid him in the bed which was filled with sweet odours and divers kinds of spices prepared by the apothecaries’ art: and they made a very great burning for him. (2 Chronicles 16:6-14)
Jehovah Rapha
Jehovah Rapha means, that if He is our God, then He is our Healer and no one else is. There are only 2 spiritual kingdoms on this earth, we don’t have more options.
When we look at the story of Asa; we read that he did not seek the Kingdom of God (he did not seek God, Jehovah Rapha, in his illness). King Asa sought for help and for healing in the other kingdom: umbuso wobumnyama. The ruler of the kingdom of darkness is the devil. Therefore he sought help from the devil.
These physicians were not of God, they were of the devil. I know for sure, that if Asa repented and turned back to God and sought God; Jehovah Rapha, for healing, God would have healed him.
What are sickness and disease?
Sickness and disease are the results of demons operating in the flesh. The sickness that is visible and measurable in the body; the symptoms are manifestations of the damage that has been caused by the demon(s).
Ngokwesibonelo, a tumor is a manifestation of a cancer demon and forgetfulness is the manifestation of an Alzheimer demon.
As long as we do not acknowledge sickness and disease (both mentally and physically) come from demons (demons manifesting themselves in a body or soul), but acknowledge them as a natural bodily reaction, we will never be able to heal people in the Name of Jesus (egunyeni Lakhe) by laying on of hands, as Jesus did.
We must acknowledge that the mission of the devil, and the other fallen angels, is to destroy and kill as many people as possible.
The devil sends his messengers, his angels, to people with only one commandment: to destroy every person on this earth. The angels can only come back if their mission is fulfilled.
The history of medical science
- The Hebrews had their health laws given by God, Jehovah Rapha (book of Leviticus)
- Sumerian medicine (4000 BC) was based on astrology.
- Egyptian medicine (1500 BC) priests who were initiated in medical knowledge and many specialists in one particular disease.
- Persian medicine (1000 BC) showed an affinity with the Hebrew health laws and underlies the Islamitic health rules.
- Greek culture developed medicine from 3000 BC. Medicine becomes a science based on research. In this science, views are developed based on the right balance between healthy and unhealthy. It could be realized by a proper way of living and a healthy environment. Another well-known doctor was Alcmaeon (500 BC). The medical school of Kos had brought forth the ‘father’ of western medicine: Hippocrates (460-377 BC), he had a profound understanding of human suffering and put the doctor in service of the patient. Hippocrates proclaimed that sickness had a natural cause instead of a spiritual cause. Hippocrates was a capable doctor and scientist. He is the one usually credited with applying humoralism, or also called the doctrine of the four temperaments, as a medical theory. Essentially, this theory holds that the human body was filled with four basic substances, called humors, which are in balance when a person is healthy. All diseases and disabilities supposedly result from an excess or deficit of one of these four humors. These deficits could be caused by vapors that were inhaled or absorbed by the body. The four humors were black bile, yellow bile, phlegm, and blood. In the 17th century, medical science based on scientific research went through a revolutionary development.
Every culture had its own way of healing
This is just a very short summary of the origin of medicine. But it shows that medicines and doctors or physicians go way back, even before Jesus lived. I would like to remind you of the story of King Asa. King Asa also turned to a medicine man, a physician, instead of turning to Jehovah Rapha.
Every group of people (culture) had its own way of healing and its own kind of healers. Remember that the Jews had Jehovah Rapha (UNkulunkulu), Who healed them.
The physician oath
Before a doctor can practice his profession, a doctor must swear an oath. The oath was originally derived from the Hippocratic oath. We can distinguish four parts of the Hippocratic oath:
- A diversity of gods are called as witnesses (not Jehovah Rapha)
- An agreement where the young doctor swears to obey the regulations of the professional association. In this agreement are the principles of good fellowship recorded.
- Summary of ethical codes.
- Declaration where the reputation of the doctor depends upon his loyalty to the oath.
The Hippocratic oath
I swear by Apollo, the healer, Asclepius, Hygieia, and Panacea, and I take to witness all the gods, all the goddesses, to keep according to my ability and my judgment, the following Oath and agreement: To consider dear to me, as my parents, him who taught me this art; to live in common with him and, if necessary, to share my goods with him; To look upon his children as my own brothers, to teach them this art; and that by my teaching, I will impart a knowledge of this art to my own sons, and to my teacher’s sons, and to disciples bound by an indenture and oath according to the medical laws, and no others.
I will prescribe regimens for the good of my patients according to my ability and my judgment and never do harm to anyone.
I will give no deadly medicine to any one if asked, nor suggest any such counsel; and similarly I will not give a woman a pessary to cause an abortion. But I will preserve the purity of my life and my arts.
I will not cut for stone, even for patients in whom the disease is manifest; I will leave this operation to be performed by practitioners, specialists in this art. In every house where I come, I will enter only for the good of my patients, keeping myself far from all intentional ill-doing and all seduction and especially from the pleasures of love with women or men, be they free or slaves.
All that may come to my knowledge in the exercise of my profession or in daily commerce with men, which ought not to be spread abroad, I will keep secret and will never reveal. If I keep this oath faithfully, may I enjoy my life and practice my art, respected by all humanity and in all times; but if I swerve from it or violate it, may the reverse be my life.
The modern version of the Hippocratic oath
In many (Western) countries the original oath has been revised and an example of one now, is as follows:
I solemnly promise that I will to the best of my ability serve humanity—caring for the sick, promoting good health, and alleviating pain and suffering. I recognize that the practice of medicine is a privilege with which comes considerable responsibility and I will not abuse my position. I will practice medicine with integrity, humility, honesty, and compassion—working with my fellow doctors and other colleagues to meet the needs of my patients. I shall never intentionally do or administer anything to the overall harm of my patients.
I will not permit considerations of gender, race, religion, political affiliation, sexual orientation, nationality, or social standing to influence my duty of care. I will oppose policies in breach of human rights and will not participate in them. I will strive to change laws that are contrary to my profession’s ethics and will work towards a fairer distribution of health resources. I will assist my patients to make informed decisions that coincide with their own values and beliefs and will uphold patient confidentiality.
I will recognize the limits of my knowledge and seek to maintain and increase my understanding and skills throughout my professional life. I will acknowledge and try to remedy my own mistakes and honestly access and respond to those of others. I will seek to promote the advancement of medical knowledge through teaching and research. I make this declaration solemnly, freely, and upon my honor.
We can conclude that Western medicine is based upon Greek philosophy and has become a science. This science has been developed over the years, according to scientific research, and is still developing.
What about pharmacies and their symbols?
In order to know the origin of the pharmacy’s symbols and their meaning, we must go back to ancient Greek mythology.
In ancient Greek mythology, Asclepius is the god of medicine and healing. Asclepius was the son of Apollo and Coronis. He shared with Apollo the epithet Paean (“the Healer”). Apollo carried the baby Asclepius (which he took from the womb of Chronis, the mother of Asclepius) to the centaur Chiron, who raised Asclepius and instructed him in the art of medicine.
Who is Asclepius?
Asclepius represents the healing aspect of the medical arts. His daughters are:
- Hygiea (“Hygiene”, the goddess/personification of health, cleanliness, and sanitation),
- Iaso (the goddess of recuperation from illness),
- Aceso (the goddess of the healing process),
- Aglaea/Aegle (the goddess of beauty, splendor, glory, magnificence, and adornment),
- Panacea (the goddess of universal remedy).
Asclepius was associated with the Roman/Etruscan god Vediovis. Zeus killed Asclepius with a thunderbolt because he raised Hippolytus from the dead and accepted gold for it.
Other mythical stories say, that Asclepius was killed. After bringing people back from the dead, Hades thought that no more dead spirits would come to the underworld, so he asked his brother Zeus to remove him. This angered Apollo, who in turn murdered the Cyclopes, who had made the thunderbolts for Zeus
The rod of Asclepius, a snake-entwined staff, remains a symbol of medicine today. This symbol (the Asclepius rod) is used by doctors and physicians, but also by pharmacies, especially the symbol with the bowl, where the Asclepius rod is drinking from. This bowl is a symbol of Hygiene, the daughter of Asclepius and the goddess of health.
Let’s have a look at the symbols above. We all know these symbols, but do we also know their meaning and their origin?
Medical symbols
The symbol of the rod does not represent the serpent on the rod that Moses carried, which was a symbol of Jesus (as so many people think). CHA! It does not represent a copper snake. Because in the Bible the serpent turned into a rod, instead of that the snake entwined around the rod.
- The staff in the picture in the upper left corner, is an old astrology symbol and is also called ‘Caduceus’. The staff with the wings was carried by the Greek god Hermes (also the Roman god Mercury). The snake represents dualism, which will eventually result in harmony.
- In the picture in the bottom left corner, we see the rod of Asclepius, also called Aesculapius staff. This Asclepius staff was carried by the Greek god Asclepius, the god of medicine and healing. The serpent entwined is called Epidaurus and was used in healing rituals.
- The bowl represents Hygieia, goddess of health and daughter of Asclepius.
The serpent is being fed out of the bowl (Picture in the middle and upper right corner). - The green cross comes from Greece and is a symbol of the union of pharmacies.
We can see that these symbols, which are still being used for representing doctors, physicians, hospitals, pharmacies, njll. have their origin in Greek mythology and represent their gods. These symbols have nothing to do, with the Almighty God; the Creator of heaven and earth.
The devil is not a creator but he is an imitator. He copies everything from God.
Where is Jehovah Rapha?
- Did Jesus ever send someone to a physician/doctor? If so, where is it written?
- Did Jesus ever command his disciples to bring sick people to medicine men/physicians/doctors?
- Has He ever commanded the sick to go to doctors (physicians), when He would go to the Father?
- Luke was a physician, but when he became a follower of Jesus, has he ever executed his profession? If so, where is it written?
- Did God send sick people to physicians/medicine men/doctors in the Old Testament?
- Where are the physicians mentioned in the New Testament?
Jesus healed konke who were sick and oppressed by the devil. He was a Man, who knew His authority and knew where sickness and disease came from.
Iposi lokushaywa
Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. Kodwa walinyazwa ngenxa yeziphambeko zethu, Yachotshozwa ngobubi bethu: isijeziso sokuthula kwethu sasiphezu kwakhe; nangemivimbo yaKhe siphilisiwe (Isaya 53:4-5).
All sickness and disease, in this present time, have already been redeemed at the whipping post, before the crucifixion. Jesus got the stripes at the whipping post, not at the cross. So before the crucifixion, He had already borne our sickness.
Peter wrote that ‘by His stripes, thina were ephulukisiwe'. Therefore healing is already a fact, it’s already done.
Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed (1 UPetru 2:24).
The woman with the issue of blood
When Jesus walked on the earth, there were already physicians. We know this fact, by reading Mark 5:25-27 where we read about other physicians:
And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years, And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse, When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment(Mar 5:25-27).
The woman, who had an issue of blood, had already spent a lot of money to many physicians. Yebo; she had spent all that she had. But did she get any better? Cha, as a matter of fact, her situation became worse!
This mustn’t come as a surprise that her situation did not improve, but became worse, because physicians draw from the source of the devil; the source of death.
When you use medicines, you are not free, but in bondage. When you go to therapy, you are not free, but in bondage, and eventually, it will only get worse. The devil works through physicians and doctors, just like he worked through the serpent. He wants you to believe that you will be healed, but the truth is that your situation will only get worse.
This woman went to the One, Who was able to help her, and she went to Jesus the Healer. Because she knew that Jehovah Rapha was able to heal her from all her infirmities.
Jesus promises a life living in freedom and not in bondage
Kulezi zikhathi, we live according to the worldly system. Paul already warned the saints in Colossians 2:4-15 for worldly wisdom, okuwubuwula kuNkulunkulu:
Xwayani funa kube khona oniphanga ngefilosofi nangenkohliso eyize, ngokwesiko labantu, emva kwemithetho yomhlaba, futhi hhayi emva kukaKristu (AbaseKolose 2:8).
Kulezi zikhathi, we got so used to the worldly system, that we do not see the difference anymore between what is from God and what is from the devil. Most of us don’t discern these two spiritual kingdoms.
We take doctors, hospitals, therapists, psychologists, njll., for granted and see them as something, which is very normal and part of our life.
Some people even say that doctors and physicians are blessed ones, who are sent from God. Hhayi-ke, that is one of the biggest lies! If people say that, then why did Jesus have to suffer and make atonement for the iniquities, izono, sicknesses, and diseases of mankind? If this was true, then God could have sent doctors, instead of His Son.
Renew your mind with the Word of God
When we get azalwe kabusha futhi renew our minds ngeZwi likaNkulunkulu, when we seek the things which are above, which are in heaven and not on earth, then we will see and experience the truth of God. We will get to know the truth of God and discover the lies of the devil, which we have believed for many years.
We must renew our worldly thinking which says: if you are sick, or have pain, you will go to the doctor, if you are depressed you will go to a psychologist, if you have an ache in your back, you will go to a physical therapist, njll., ngeZwi likaNkulunkulu.
Our carnal mind must be transformed into a spiritual mind. So that we will follow the Word and become doers of the Word and establish His Kingdom on this earth.
All those strongholds, which are built up in our thinking must be destroyed, and the only way to destroy them is by the Word of God.
Ngithanda ukukukhuthaza, to take these scriptures and take everything, that has been written in this article. Look into it, study it, and find out the truth about Jehovah Rapha, our Healer.
It is time for the saints to arise and get back to God and acknowledge Him in all our ways, not just a few.
Let He become our Jehovah Rapha again.
In the next articles, I will continue with this subject about our Healer, our Jehovah Rapha, and look at the origin of physical therapy, mensendieck, psychologists, njll.
‘Yibani usawoti womhlaba’
