RYH Chapter 7 “Healing Figs”

Has everyone told you that your health cannot be healed without conventional medical treatment?

When trying to restore your health, you will be bombarded by the onslaught of those who will tell you that it is your only choice is to seek “experts” in the field. But, Praise the Lord, this is not the truth!!

When I searched for the answers to my health dilemma, I found that the Bible told us of at least one instance of God using a natural way to heal a man in order for him to live another 15 years. And before we stop there, we will also discuss what led to his demise after his healing as an added bonus. 

Let’s begin by reading the story document in 2 Kings 20:1-20 “Hezekiah’s Illness and Recovery” together:

“In those days Hezekiah became mortally ill. And Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz came to him and said to him, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Set your house in order, for you shall die and not live.’” Then he turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, saying, “Remember now, O Lord, I beseech You, how I have walked before You in truth and with a whole heart and have done what is good in Your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly. Before Isaiah had gone out of the middle court, the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “Return and say to Hezekiah the leader of My people, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of your father David, “I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; behold, I will heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the Lord. I will add fifteen years to your life, and I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for My own sake and for My servant David’s sake.”’” 

Then Isaiah [the prophet and man of God] said, “Take a cake of figs.” And they took and laid it on the boil, and he recovered.

Now Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “What will be the sign that the Lord will heal me, and that I shall go up to the house of the Lord the third day?” Isaiah said, “This shall be the sign to you from the Lord, that the Lord will do the thing that He has spoken: shall the shadow go forward ten steps or go back ten steps?” So Hezekiah answered, “It is easy for the shadow to decline ten steps; no, but let the shadow turn backward ten steps.” Isaiah the prophet cried to the Lord, and He brought the shadow on the stairway back ten steps by which it had gone down on the stairway of Ahaz.” Now let’s break the key points down to discuss what He showed me when seeking my Physician to heal me—the only One who heals—your earthly doctor himself admits he/she “treats” the ailment primarily your symptoms. 

In those days. In those days, Hezekiah became mortally ill. And Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz came to him and said to him” “Thus says the Lord, ‘Set your house in order, for you shall die and not live.’” Notice that “in those days” people, like kings, didn’t seek a Physician, they knew to seek a prophet because they understood that God was in control. Unfortunately today we are duped into thinking that medicine is so advanced that our earthly doctors and drugs can cure us. However, rarely do doctors “cure” any of our diseases. Again, they are taught and trained, and enticed to “treat” our maladies primarily through drugs and surgeries that are connected to the financial gain and quick solutions to get you out the door so they can move on to their next patient. We all can agree very few, almost never does an earthly doctor cure us.

We only have to go back a very short time with any “treatment” or prescribed drug to see the medical blunders that are no longer “practiced” by the mainstream physicians. Primarily because it was proved to be wrong, even barbaric —or worse—they found out that the “cure” was worse than what they were attempting to “treat.” 

In my own restoration journey for my health, it was visiting different doctors, where I was able to gather knowledge that led to understanding, so I could seek Him for wisdom.

What I found was that all but ONE of what I am battling today was the cause of medical malpractice! Many times it was simply that the doctors were misinformed but even today most are still practicing the same wrong treatment that leads to horrible and debilitating ailments that I am suffering through now.

Though this was such an eye-opener, I basically knew this was true due to our family being fond of old black and white movies. Each time I watch something where they show what the “accepted” medical “practices” were in that time period, during that decade, it’s almost laughable. Unfortunately, the results of them not having the knowledge that they have now is still causing so many people to suffer or die as the principle in Hosea 4:6 says: “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.”

And for us to continue foolishly thinking that the medicine today has “arrived” is what we each now find unacceptable. Though we may be going against the mainstream, clearly the Bible says that we need to find that Narrow Gate that few are looking for, so if we don’t even look, if we just run to urgent care or instantly call our doctor to make an appointment—how would we find the narrow gate?

God says, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened”—Matthew 7:8

The Narrow vs the Wide Gates. “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it”— Matthew 7:13-14. 

Everyone is rushing toward the same wide road, boasting about their “good” or excellent health insurance, rather than acknowledging His assurance. Christians also simply follow the “current” trends in medicine—which we know change quickly, often only when grave consequences are discovered.

None of us are ignorant to how many malpractice suits are filed due to prescribed medicines or other substances that were “at one time” touted for being a grand discovery! It was by NOT having insurance, and being left with what is better—His assurance—that saved me from not being able to walk today. If I had had insurance (at the time), I would have received a “metal on metal” hip replacement with the brand that was later recalled, along with the huge lawsuits that were later filed, and multiple surgeries for doctors to remove the prosthesis, which was later proved to cause deadly toxic metal levels. In most cases, since the bone and hip were removed when it was inserted, the persons are left with the inability to walk at all! And, there is nothing made that can be used to fill the void to what I am missing due to my accident. In addition, the patients are said to also suffer from metal toxicity, which I am already suffering from due to dental negligence when I was very young. This poisoning shows up in many different forms of neurologically debilitating ailments.

However, the GOOD NEWS is that nothing is impossible for God to heal, amen?!?! And this is why it’s not only futile but dangerous to seek the help of an earthly doctor rather than our Physician.

A Tree and Its Fruit.  “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit”— Matthew 7:15-17 Many earthly doctors practicing medicine today have bad fruits, which most of their patients are unaware of. Yes, there are good doctors, but the wolves, as scriptures say often are wearing “sheep’s clothing.” This is why it is vital to your health and the health of those you love, to seek God and only go where He leads you and do what He shows you to do. Often He asks you to simply wait. 

It’s when we put our trust in mankind, rather than in the Lord, that our world and our health (and everything else that matters to us) crumbles. 

Even though I memorized this promise for my marriage restoration, its promise covers everything we face. So I would encourage you to read its truths daily until you have memorized this one in particular so it's safely hidden in your heart. 

"Thus says the LORD, 'Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind and makes flesh his strength, and whose heart turns away from the LORD. For he will be like a bush in the desert and will not see when prosperity comes, but will live in stony wastes in the wilderness, a land of salt without inhabitant.” On the other hand…

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD and whose trust IS the LORD. For he will be like a tree planted by the water, that extends its roots by a stream and will not fear when the heat comes; but its leaves will be green, and it will not be anxious in a year of drought nor cease to yield fruit.'" Jeremiah 17:5-10

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight"—Proverbs 3:4-6. Now let’s move on to the next part my Husband and the only Physician I go to and trust showed me in Hezekiah’s documented story. 

Prayed to the Lord and wept. “Then he [Hezekiah] turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, saying, ‘Remember now, O Lord, I beseech You, how I have walked before You in truth and with a whole heart and have done what is good in Your sight.’ And Hezekiah wept bitterly.” Remember this promise from your RJ? “You have taken account of my wanderings; put my tears in Your bottle. Are they not in Your book?” Psalm 56:8. Your tears must be poured out,  wept, and given to the Lord, not for the sake (and if you can help it) not in the presence of anyone else. Notice Hezekiah turned his face to the wall because he understood that the One who needed to see his tears, his weeping and be moved by them, was God only. 

Tears can be wept because we feel sorry for ourselves or because we are afraid, and even to let others know how devastated and grieved we are. What matters to the Lord is where our hearts are and where our loyalty lies. “Be gracious to me, O Lord, for to You I cry all day long” Psalm 86:3 And when it is Him who is at the center of our being then you will see Him fulfilling His longings to bless you!! “Therefore the LORD longs [which also means: yearns, craves, hungers, aches, pines] to be gracious to you, and therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you. For the LORD is a God of justice; How blessed are all those who long for Him”—Isaiah 30:18.

Notice that God is going to wait until He sees our hearts’ change?

Let’s continue the story, even before the prophet Isaiah had gone out of the middle court, the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “Return and say to Hezekiah the leader of My people, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of your father David, “I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; behold, I will heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the Lord. I will add fifteen years to your life, and I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for My own sake and for My servant David’s sake.”’” Then Isaiah said, “Take a cake of figs.” And they took and laid it on the boil, and he recovered.”

Now Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “What will be the sign that the Lord will heal me, and that I shall go up to the house of the Lord the third day?” Isaiah said, “This shall be the sign to you from the Lord, that the Lord will do the thing that He has spoken: shall the shadow go forward ten steps or go back ten steps?” So Hezekiah answered, “It is easy for the shadow to decline ten steps; no, but let the shadow turn backward ten steps.” Isaiah the prophet cried to the Lord, and He brought the shadow on the stairway back ten steps by which it had gone down on the stairway of Ahaz.

Unfortunately, this is not the end of the story but before you quickly judge Hezekiah I have to stop and think— oh how often have I failed, stumbling back to what’s familiar. 

 

Epic Fail 

PART 2 

Hezekiah Shows Babylon His Treasures

“At that time Berodach-baladan a son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that Hezekiah had been sick. Hezekiah listened to them, and showed them all his treasure house, the silver and the gold and the spices and the precious oil and the house of his armor and all that was found in his treasuries. There was nothing in his house nor in all his dominion that Hezekiah did not show them. Then Isaiah the prophet came to King Hezekiah and said to him, “What did these men say, and from where have they come to you?” And Hezekiah said, “They have come from a far country, from Babylon.” He said, “What have they seen in your house?” So Hezekiah answered, “They have seen all that is in my house; there is nothing among my treasuries that I have not shown them.”

“Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, ‘Hear the Word of the Lord. Behold, the days are coming when all that is in your house, and all that your fathers have laid up in store to this day will be carried to Babylon; nothing shall be left,’ says the Lord. ‘Some of your sons who shall issue from you, whom you will beget, will be taken away; and they will become officials in the palace of the king of Babylon.’” Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The Word of the Lord which you have spoken is good.” For he thought, “Is it not so, if there will be peace and truth in my days?” Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah and all his might, and how he made the pool and the conduit and brought water into the city, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?” Hezekiah’s failure not only hurt him but it hurt his children, his descendants even more. 

Whatever I do (large or small decisions) my mind immediately focuses on how it will affect my descendants and those who will follow after me. Yes, my own children and grandchildren but also my spiritual family, you! That’s why I take everything to God and trust only the LORD. To do anything less would amount to abuse and neglect. 

 

Whom Do You Seek?

Whom do you seek when you’re in pain? Who really knows what’s going on inside of you?

“Your eyes have seen my unformed substance.” Psalm 139:16

“And the very hairs on your head are all numbered.” Matthew 10:30

“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” Psalm 139:14 NIV

For the past few days, I’d been suffering from a new ailment, a painful ache that was causing me concern. Most people, even believers, would normally rush off to the doctor or even an emergency room if it was acute. But who are true believers? It’s only those of us who trust God is able and wanting to heal us. 

Interestingly, while showering the pain became so intense that I sensed that soon fear could easily be added to the pain—thus making it as deadly spiritually as it is to mix alcohol and drugs physically. I reasoned what I thought the pain could be originating, due to knowing my internal anatomy, and though I didn’t actually “ask” the Lord what it was or what to do, a moment later I heard Him ask me a question: “What makes you think it’s…?” Well, because I feel pain there and I know anatomy well since I taught high school anatomy.” That’s when it no longer was a conversation but a knowing.

The Lord reminded me of when I felt pain in my knee for years, and yet when my earthly husband finally forced me to go to the doctor (prior we had agreed to wait for us to have insurance so it wasn’t preexisting; yes, prior to it not being covered if it were a preexisting condition). Instead, after x-raying and finding nothing wrong with my knee, the head doctor of the orthopedic department came in and began asking me questions, leading him to ask them to x-ray my hip. That’s when they discovered most of my hip and half of the head of my femur was missing! The head doctor then explained it was “referred” pain that I was experiencing.

In addition to the Lord reminding me of my “referred” pain, He also reminded me of “phantom” pain that amputees feel even though the leg or arm that has been amputated is gone.

The conclusion is my Physician, my Husband, the Lord said to me, “Just as you can never trust your emotional feelings, neither can you trust the pain you feel physically.”

Then He brought me back to another time (that He does often because He uses our own testimonies as counselors) to the huge scar that should be only a tiny little scar on my lower right abdomen but instead, the scar extends from hip to hip—across my entire belly due to a doctor who was absolutely sure that I was suffering from a horribly debilitating disease. After I was prescribed steroids and then months later the pain returned with a vengeance, my health deteriorated, emergency surgery was scheduled and performed. But what the symptoms and pain were, which I told the doctor after asking God, was my appendix that burst while all my intestines were out on my belly hence my scar.  

Conclusion

Each of us is on a multitude of Restoration Journeys, each hoping to move and change course whereby we are enjoying an Abundant Life Journey for every one of our journeys. The good news is that to change is incredibly simple. It’s simply taking HIS hand and asking Him about everything, every step we make it’s in sync with His. My hope is that what I’ve shared in this chapter and other chapters will prompt you to look for the narrow gate, which He will point out to you if you simply ask. As a matter of fact, if you’re not hurrying and running ahead He will open the gate for you because He’s a Gentleman and it’s what He loves to do for me.