It is real common for the Bible to use physical examples to illustrate spiritual realities. The subject of healing is one such example. As usual with all of these illustrations, many will apply them literally instead of spiritually. In the New Testament, we have examples of the deaf, blind, lame, demon-possessed, or lepers being healed. All of these examples of God’s power to heal should lead us to His promise to restore. He promises to heal the people or restore the land but these stand for God’s redemptive plan through Christ to grant spiritual freedom from the greatest disease of all — SIN. To have fellowship, God restored His people unto Himself (Ephesians 3:1-9). Thus, He is known as the Lord Who Heals. Exodus 15:26b reads, “…for I am the LORD, your healer.” Exodus 15:22-26 gives the account of the Israelites at Marah, where the water was bitter. It is here that God tells His people that if they will obey Him, he will not allow any of the diseases of Egypt to fall upon them. Then, He adds, “For I am the Lord who heals you.” This is the first passage in which God reveals His name as our healer. In Job 5:17-18 reads,
“Blessed is the one whom God corrects;
    so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.
For he wounds, but he also binds up;
    he injures, but his hands also heal.
While the nation of Judah wandered from God and was eventually exiled in Babylon for their sins, God promised them restoration (healing) after their exile. Many of these promises are not only for the physical nation but for the spiritual nation that would come when the Messiah came (cf. Jer. 33, Mal. 4:1-3). When he finally came, He shows God’s power to heal (Mark 2:16-17; Luke 5:29-32) and came to bring healing. Yet, healing was not just for the sake of healing. Many lepers and widows in Israel, but only a very small portion was healed. The purpose of physical healing was to demonstrate God’s power (cf. Matt. 8:16-17, 9:1-8, 11:1-6, John 9:1-7, 20:30-31) and provide evidence to place all confidence in the God that can do abundantly above all that we ask or think (cf. Eph. 3:20). Hebrews 11:6 reminds us that we are to believe that He is AND that he is a rewarder of them who seek Him.
In order for us to accept the healing of God, we first have to realize we are sick! The primary fault of the Pharisees is that they trusted in their own righteousness to save them instead of humbly realizing their own sickness and need for God. The structure of the Roman letter is methodically written to show the need for all mankind to acknowledge their sin and their need for a Savior. Without this, there can be no salvation. It would be as ineffective as throwing a floating device to a man struggling in the water but too proud to grab it for safety.
Sadly, there are many who, even when they realize their need for a physician, are not willing to accept what the physician has to say. It is similar to the account of Namaan in 2 Kings 5:1-14 whose human reasoning and logical understanding refused to do a simple thing for healing. Healing is a wonderful promise that is available, but only if we accept the physician’s diagnosis and cure.