We have discussed the variety of goals one might pursue in health and the need for a higher standard than just individual or collective man’s competing opinions in a prior essay.  By definition, the goals and the actions which move one toward them must have an end in view, an ultimate purpose which is necessarily based on beliefs in what is real and what is right.  This higher purpose will be further shaped by what we value, what we desire, and what we prioritize.  As Christians we should look back to God to direct us in each of these influences.  In a sense we should think His thoughts after Him (Colossian 2:3 and Johann Kepler) and value His values (Matthew 22:36-40 and the 2 greatest commandments).  We can learn what God values in health by reading and studying His Word. First, we can look at the specific words used to convey God’s views of health and how each convey different emphases.  Second, we can look at a few explicit instructions concerning health in the bible.  Third, we can look at God’s interactions with mankind in regard to how God acted towards man regarding health.  Finally, we can compare and contrast these systematically with how other Biblical truths come together.

First, several words from the Old and the New Testament comprise a Biblical etymological study.  In the Old Testament, we consider the terms shalom and raphe. With the next essay, we consider hugianio, therapeou, iamoai, and sozo in the New Testament.

We start with the Old Testament’s word for health, shalom.  From the Brown-Driver Briggs Bible dictionary, we read the definition, “Completeness, safety/soundness, Peace/quiet/tranquility”.  This term is most often used of “peace” in different settings, always indicating a completeness.  In Genesis 43:27-28 Joseph as a leader in Egypt asks his brothers if their father is “shalom”.  This is more than just being alive, but if he is living in “peace”.  In Numbers 6:26, Aaron’s blessing upon the people includes having God’s face shining upon them, having God’s grace upon them, God’s lifting His countenance upon them, and concludes with giving them “peace” indicated by this word “shalom”.  In Psalm 35:27, in calling upon righteous judgment upon how others are treating him, David pronounces “Great is the lord, who delights in the shalom of his servant!”  The servant’s life was meant to be at “peace” in its completeness when under the blessing of God.  Elsewhere in Psalm 38:3, a lack of shalom meant that David’s flesh was affected by God’s indignation towards him.  David’s bones suffered due to sin.  Spiritual health and physical health and emotional health were all interdependent and included within this “complete” sense of shalom.

In the Old Testament, we also read of “raphe” which generally referred to healing.  The Brown-Driver-Briggs dictionary defines the term as:

1) to heal, make healthful; 1a) (Qal) to heal; 1a1) of God; 1a2) healer, physician (of men); 1a3) of               hurts of nations involving restored favour (figuratively); 1a4) of individual distresses (figuratively)

1b) (Niphal) to be healed; 1b1) literal (of persons); 1b2) of water, pottery; 1b3) of national hurts               (figuratively); 1b4) of personal distress (figuratively)

1c) (Piel) to heal; 1c1) literal; 1c2) of national defects or hurts (figuratively)

1d) (Hithpael) in order to get healed (infinitive)

With the term used at least 60 times depending on one’s Bible translation, several examples demonstrate how it was used literally and primarily of physical health yet also connected to spiritual health. In Exodus 15:26, God is called Jehovah Raphe, the one who heals after He removes the bitterness of the waters of Marah for the Israelites to drink.  Soon afterwards, it includes a promise to not put any of the diseases of the Egyptians upon the Hebrews.  Elsewhere in Hosea 6:1, the prophet calls out for the Jews to return to the Lord which includes the promise that though God had torn them, he might “heal” or “raphe” them if they returned to Him.  Their breaking of the covenant was the reason for the curse from God’s hand.  Given that the text mentions “revive us” and “struck us down” it likely included physical effects of the covenant breaking and subsequent healing of these physical afflictions as a result of the spiritual restoration.  Psalm 103:3 unequivocally addresses physical illness with “who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases” yet draws together physical and spiritual health. Jeremiah 17:14 then serves as an example from the prophets where Jeremiah is praying for healing with echoes of “save me”.  Physical and spiritual health are connected within these verses as verse 16 returns to the physical sense of health with Jeremiah saying “I have not desired the day of sickness”.  With a further review of the other verses where raphe is found, the physical aspect of health is more often in view, yet frequently the spiritual health of the one being healed is connected to the physical.

Between shalom and raphe with their references, the Old Testament view of health presents God as one who cares for whole person health including the physical aspects.  The Old Testament views the complete health of shalom as including physical health along with spiritual and emotional health.  When raphe or healing occurred, the focus was usually on the physical yet the spiritual health of the one receiving healing was interdependent.  These words and their Scriptural references help us understand how God viewed the health of man and what God valued.  While spiritual health across the Old Testament was clearly God’s primary emphasis, the physical health was not ignored, but instead frequently provided for both in a pre-emptive sense of God’s giving initial health and in a responsive sense of restoring health after disease had occurred.

Next in this Docsy Series… “Part 2:  New Testament Word Study Regarding God’s View of Man’s Health”