Sometimes, given time, illnesses and injuries heal naturally. God made our bodies to do that. But nature doesn’t always heal, so we rely on healthcare providers for healing. How we heal the sick varies in different cultures, whether by magic, by medicine, or by miracles.
When we served as missionaries in Africa, I recall a letter written by an African friend who had migrated to the United States. He wrote that one of his biggest surprises in America was that most people expected to be healthy most of the time. That expectation was not true in Africa.
In Africa, traditional healthcare was based on magical charms, sacrifices to the spirits, or applying leaves believed to heal. Actually, some of the leaves used in their traditional medicines are effective and have been adopted into western medicines. But magic used by witchdoctor who offer sacrifices to the spirits is not very effective for healing—as the letter from our African friend suggested.
The letter from our African friend about Americans expecting to be healthy was based on western medical care: doctors rather than witchdoctors. Our country is blessed with a healthcare system that can treat many sorts of diseases, even cancer. My wife is in her third year facing cancer. She has undergone surgery, radiation, monthly injections, and daily pills as part of her battle. All of those treatments have stabilized her cancer for now. We are thankful for God giving skill and wisdom to the doctors who treat her! And doctors are also able to effectively treat many sorts of diseases, both physical and mental illnesses.
What about in Bible times? People back then knew very little about modern physiology or treatments. They did not know about germs or antibiotics. But, on the other hand, they practiced good hygiene, and they never ate processed foods. The problem with their diets was malnutrition for the poor and obesity for the rich—similar to our world today. In Bible times, illnesses were often attributed to punishments for sinful behaviors, to demonic afflictions, to old age, or to harsh environmental conditions. In general, back then people understood that God could be both the cause and the cure for physical illness, mental illness, and even conditions like infertility. For them, disease was a theological issue as much as a medical one.
The Bible instructs God’s people to be compassionate and to care for the sick and disabled. But the Bible also teaches about healing them. Without effective medicines, healing requires a miracle. While it may seem that the Bible talks a lot about healings, actually such miracles occurred in a few time periods with long stretches in between when healings were not common. Throughout the Bible, most people who were sick were not miraculously healed.
One of the times of frequent healings was the ministry of Jesus. His public teaching was almost always accompanied by miraculous healings. Bible teachers often describe Jesus’ healings as signs: signs of his divine power, and signs of the coming Kingdom of God. The Kingdom will be a time when God restores everything to the way he intended (Acts 3:21, Romans 8:22-23) including an end to sickness and demonic activity.
Miraculous healings in the name of Jesus continued into the age of the apostles. The Apostle Paul described healing as one of the spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:9). The book of James tells Christians to pray for healing for the sick. “Is anyone among you sick? He should call for the elders of the church, and they should pray over him after anointing him with olive oil in the name of the Lord. The prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord raise will raise him up” (James 5:1415).
Why were miraculous healings more common then, and less common now? Perhaps it is because the God who created our bodies has gifted doctors with the wisdom and knowledge needed to find cures for many sicknesses. It is not wrong to see a doctor, it is an act of faith to do so.
Though not all will agree with me, I believe that the need for miracles has decreased—though not disappeared. For example, while Jesus was alive, he fed a hungry crowd using a single meal, serving more than 5000 persons with one boy’s lunch of bread and fish. This miracle demonstrated both his compassion and his power. In the book of Acts, this miracle was replaced by an equally impressive event: people willingly sharing their food with the poor. The supernatural sign gave way to acts of super-generosity. Nowadays, churches still feed the hungry through food shelves, homeless shelters, relief agencies, and neighbourly gifts of food or money. Giving to the needy is also a spiritual gift (Romans 12:8).
Every life everywhere—even in Africa—is to be respected and preserved. To this end, God has raised up medical missions and government agencies which apply medical and scientific knowledge for healing and helping others. This ministry will continue until we reach the Kingdom where God himself “will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away” (Revelation 21:4). One of the wonderful surprises when we get to heaven is that good health will not just be an expectation but a reality!
Greg Giles is a published author, who, along with his wife Jean, has embraced the call to serve and teach around the globe. Their life together has included missionary work in Liberia, Bangladesh, teaching in China, and raising a family in Bemidji, Minnesota. Between global travels and local commitments, including serving as superintendent of Corn Bible Academy and their current part-time roles at Corn Heritage Village, the Gileses have found “home” in many places; yet, they now happily reside in retirement in Cordell. Please visit his website at reflections-on-wisdom.com.