The Balm of Gilead

1. The Word of God The Balm of Gilead • Gilead was famous for its balm • Balm is very costly & highly prized • for healing – makes you whole • for cosmetics – makes you beautiful Psalm 107:20 – “He sent His Word & healed them & delivered them from all their destructions” Sea of Galilee Gilead • Various Distresses • wandering in wilderness • hungry & thirsty • soul fainted within them (v4,5) • dwelling in darkness & in • death’s shadow • prisoners in misery & chains, • stumbled in labor • none to help (v10,12) • afflicted because of rebellion • & iniquities • soul abhorred all food • drew near to death (v17-18) • in violent storm, soul melted • away in misery • at wit’s end (v23-27) • Because of wickedness (v33-34) • God changes rivers to wilderness, • springs to thirsty ground & a • fruitful land to salt waste • Because of repentance (v35-38) • God changes wilderness to pools, • dry land to springs of water • God’s Healing • John 6:63 – God’s Words are • spirit & life • 2Peter 1:20-21 – Scripture • originated from God • 2TIm 3:16-17 – All Scripture is • inspired by God & profitable for • teaching = doctrine/content • reproof = rebuke for wrong • behavior or wrong belief • correction = restoration to a • proper condition • child-training (paideia) in • righteousness • that the man of God may be • 1) adequate, artios, fit perfect, • complete, capable, sufficient, • able to meet all demands • 2) equipped, exartizo, completely • outfitted, fully furnished, fully • equipped, to thoroughly furnish • NB. One test of the divine • inspiration of Scriptures is its • practical usefulness Gen 37:25 – Ishmaelites took balm to Egypt from Gilead Jer 46:11 – Egypt told to get balm from Gilead for healing Mediterranean Sea Dead Sea • Gilead is a City of Refuge • Jacob fled to Gilead from Laban (Gen 31:21-55) • Israelites fled to Gilead from Philistines (1Sam 13:7) • David fled to Gilead from Absalom (2Sam 17:22ff) Joshua 20:1-9 Where:West of the Jordan River – 1. Kadesh in Naphtali 2. Shechem in Ephraim 3. Hebron in Judah East of the Jordan River – 4. Bezer in Reuben 5. Ramoth-Gildead in Gad 6. Golan in Manasseh Why: as a refuge/dwelling place for the manslayer who kills any person unintentionally & without premeditation What: 1) protected by authorities from the avenger of blood 2) to stay until the death of the current high priest • Gilead, a city of refuge is a type of Christ (Hebrews 6:18) • we flee to Christ for refuge & are safe from the Divine Avenger of • blood (Romans 5:9; 8:1, 31, 34) • the greatest sin of this age is the Murder of Jesus Christ • = a sin of ignorance (Acts 3:17; 1 Cor 2:7-8; Luke 23:34) • Sanctuary is open to all who will flee to Christ for refuge (John 6:37) • Saved ones will never leave this City of Refuge because their Great • High Priest will never die (Hebrews 7:25) The Way of Escape Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble (v6,13,19,28) He delivered, saved & brought them out of their distresses v20 He sent His word & healed them (v6,13,19,20,28) • Procedure • Realize sin is the root cause of all my troubles & distresses • Cry out to the LORD in repentance & faith • Run to Yahweh Rapha & His Word for healing • Receive His balm in faith (1Thessalonians 2:13, Hebrews 4:2) • Give thanks to the LORD for your healing Response to God’s Deliverance “Let them give thanks to the LORD for His lovingkindness, And for His wonders to the sons of men!” (v8,15,21,31)

2. Psalm 107 1 Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting. 2 Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the adversary, 3 And gathered from the lands, From the east and from the west, From the north and from the south. 4 They wandered in the wilderness in a desert region; They did not find a way to an inhabited city. 5 They were hungry and thirsty; Their soul fainted within them. 6 Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble; He delivered them out of their distresses. 7 He led them also by a straight way, To go to an inhabited city. 8 Let them give thanks to the LORD for His lovingkindness, And for His wonders to the sons of men! 9 For He has satisfied the thirsty soul, And the hungry soul He has filled with what is good. 10 There were those who dwelt in darkness and in the shadow of death, Prisoners in misery and chains, 11 Because they had rebelled against the words of God, And spurned the counsel of the Most High. 12 Therefore He humbled their heart with labor; They stumbled and there was none to help. 13 Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble; He saved them out of their distresses. 14 He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, And broke their bands apart. 15 Let them give thanks to the LORD for His lovingkindness, And for His wonders to the sons of men! 16 For He has shattered gates of bronze, And cut bars of iron asunder. 17 Fools, because of their rebellious way, And because of their iniquities, were afflicted. 18 Their soul abhorred all kinds of food; And they drew near to the gates of death. 19 Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble; He saved them out of their distresses. 20 He sent His word and healed them, And delivered them from their destructions. 21 Let them give thanks to the LORD for His lovingkindness, And for His wonders to the sons of men! 22 Let them also offer sacrifices of thanksgiving, And tell of His works with joyful singing. 23 Those who go down to the sea in ships, Who do business on great waters; 24 They have seen the works of the LORD, And His wonders in the deep. 25 For He spoke and raised up a stormy wind, Which lifted up the waves of the sea.

3. 39 When they are diminished and bowed down Through oppression, misery, and sorrow, 40 He pours contempt upon princes, And makes them wander in a pathless waste. 41 But He sets the needy securely on high away from affliction, And makes his families like a flock. 42 The upright see it, and are glad; But all unrighteousness shuts its mouth. 43 Who is wise? Let him give heed to these things; And consider the lovingkindnesses of the LORD. 26 They rose up to the heavens, they went down to the depths; Their soul melted away in their misery. 27 They reeled and staggered like a drunken man, And were at their wits' end. 28 Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, And He brought them out of their distresses. 29 He caused the storm to be still, So that the waves of the sea were hushed. 30 Then they were glad because they were quiet; So He guided them to their desired haven. 31 Let them give thanks to the LORD for His lovingkindness, And for His wonders to the sons of men! 32 Let them extol Him also in the congregation of the people, And praise Him at the seat of the elders. 33 He changes rivers into a wilderness, And springs of water into a thirsty ground; 34 A fruitful land into a salt waste, Because of the wickedness of those who dwell in it. 35 He changes a wilderness into a pool of water, And a dry land into springs of water; 36 And there He makes the hungry to dwell, So that they may establish an inhabited city, 37 And sow fields, and plant vineyards, And gather a fruitful harvest. 38 Also He blesses them and they multiply greatly; And He does not let their cattle decrease. John 6:63 – “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life. 2 Peter 1:20-21 20 But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, 21 for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.

4. John 17:17 – “Sanctify them in the truth; Thy word is truth. Hebrews 11:6 – And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. Romans 8:28-39 28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. 29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first-born among many brethren; 30 and whom He predestined, these He also called; and whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. 31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? 33 Who will bring a charge against God's elect? God is the one who justifies; 34 who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 Just as it is written, “For Thy sake we are being put to death all day long; We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.