Jeremiah 8:22
Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered? Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?
The balm in Gilead is the remedy God has provided, and the physician there is God and Christ as the great Physician for both soul and body in sinful sickness and bodily suffering. The daughter of His people is His professed people and churches when they are diseased, weak, sickly and ready to die, yet remain unhealed though balm and Physician are at hand. Their health is unrecovered because they have sinned against God and rejected His Word, while false teachers offer only shallow healing that promises peace where there is no peace. The Physician is Christ, who is life itself and the Source of all vitality, who bore the penalty of sin, died an agonizing death, rose as the resurrection and the life to vanquish death, and secured eternal life for all who believe. The balm He gives is His grace and atoning sacrifice, full and sufficient for the cure of sin, that can heal every wound, every sorrow and every malady of soul and body and restore health and strength even when earthly physicians fail. It is received when the sinner comes to Christ of free will, repents, believes, trusts Him implicitly and permits Him to apply it, and it is then carried to others through compassionate workers and true physicians who minister to physical and spiritual need and point sufferers to the Great Physician.
Images and Setting
The balm in Gilead is the remedy God has provided, and the Physician there is God Himself and Christ as the great Physician, the Chief Physician, and the Physician of soul and body. Soul-healing is not understood, yet Christ is the mighty Healer who longs to heal from sin and has all power to do it, giving His healing power to recover health and strength when the body is nearly prostrated and the mind nearly stopped, quickening mental ability and restoring physical strength to work again. The sick are to go to God for medicine instead of using tobacco, since using tobacco as medicine greatly dishonors God, and the balm is His remedy for every sorrow, every grievance, and every human weakness, so that no one is passed by even when tempest-tossed but is called to believe in Christ, trust the keeping of the soul to Him, trust Him implicitly, put away doubts, and rejoice in His loving-kindness and tender pitying love. What human physicians can only attempt in striving to prolong life, Christ accomplishes because He is life itself and the Source of all vitality, having endured an agonizing death under the most humiliating circumstances to vanquish death, passed through death to destroy him that had the power of death, laid down His precious life and given it up that people might have life, then risen from the tomb and proclaimed Himself the resurrection and the life. Physicians therefore are to direct the minds of their patients to Him, and true missionary work copies His work and methods to save both body and soul for eternal life.
Healing in the verse is an image that covers both soul and body, including sinful sickness and bodily suffering. The balm is applied spiritually by Christ the Chief Physician through workers who tend both bodily suffering and wounds caused by sin to bring healing and hope, expressing the need for God's help amid spiritual decline, illness, anxiety, and sorrow. The Spirit of God working on human hearts communicates healing power to suffering bodies, and the balm is heavenly, His consolation imparted through followers who look to Jesus and draw knowledge and strength and grace from Him while the Comforter is with them. It is poured into the heart when the heart is opened by relief of the suffering body, as lively interest and tender compassion and sympathy for fallen and suffering humanity — the widow, the orphan, the sick and dying — proclaims the gospel and holds up Jesus.
The daughter of God's people means God's professed people and churches when they are diseased, weak, sickly, and ready to die. Sin is a soul-disease, and Jesus the great Physician gives healing and a sound, healthy spiritual experience to those who come to Him in their sin and defilement. Churches ready to die testify to lack of the grace of Christ in the hearts of appointed ministers and to failure of conference presidents and ministers to cooperate with God, seek wisdom from Him, strengthen what remains, and receive and use the grace and power He has fully provided for the work suffering churches need. The heavenly universe is disappointed in them, God does not accept the work done in those churches, and their inefficiency and lifelessness leave them without divine approval.
The verse asks why health is not recovered when balm and a physician are available, pointing to people who remain unhealed amid sorrow and deep emotional pain. Their hurt remains because they have sinned against God and rejected His Word, while false teachers have offered shallow healing by promising peace where there is no peace. That false healing belongs to religious teachers who claim to uphold God's law while rejecting His commandments, especially by replacing the Sabbath God blessed and sanctified with Sunday, so the people expected peace and recovery but instead face trouble and judgment. Some suffer a soul-sickness that no earthly balm can reach and no earthly physician can heal, yet Jesus can heal it, so people who need this healing are to be brought to Him and told that He is there, and even amid deep emotional pain and personal sorrow healing is available from God the trusted Physician.
Why Health Unrecovered
The hurt of God's people remains unhealed because they have sinned against God and rejected His Word, while false teachers have dealt with the wound superficially by proclaiming peace where there is no peace. That false healing belongs to religious teachers who claim to uphold God's law while rejecting His commandments, especially by setting aside the Sabbath He blessed and sanctified in favor of Sunday. The people looked for peace and recovery, but instead they meet trouble and judgment.
Dying churches in a weak, sickly, ready-to-die condition testify that the grace of Christ is lacking in the hearts of appointed ministers, and that conference presidents have failed to cooperate with God, to seek wisdom from Him, and to strengthen what remains. God has fully provided the grace and power needed for the work that suffering churches require, yet their lifelessness testifies to failure to receive and use what He has provided. The heavenly universe is disappointed in such unfaithful stewardship, God does not accept work done in that state, and inefficiency leaves them without divine approval.
Some suffer a soul-sickness that no earthly balm can reach and no earthly physician can heal, for which no earthly remedy avails. That lack of spiritual healing was seen when priests and rulers gave the people no help. Christ's teaching brought healing where they had failed, and His gracious words were as balm to souls. His words of mercy, gracious and simple and plain, teach the way of salvation, and taken into the soul they heal, while joined with His divine hand they bring gladness and life to the dying and ease and health to those suffering disease, making the day like heaven on earth.
Christ the Physician
The Physician in Gilead is Christ, the Physician of soul and body, who is life itself and the Source of all vitality. What human physicians can only attempt in striving to prolong life, He accomplishes. He provided this healing by enduring an agonizing death under the most humiliating circumstances to vanquish death. He passed through death to destroy him that had the power of death, laying down His precious life that people might have life. He then rose from the tomb as the resurrection and the life.
By bearing the penalty of sin and going down into the grave He brightened the tomb for all who die in faith. In this He answered that a man who dies shall live again. He secured eternal life for all who believe, and as God in human form brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. In dying He condemned the originator of sin and disloyalty to eternal death. As possessor and giver of eternal life He alone could conquer death, and He is Redeemer.
In His mediatorial work He reaches from the highest heaven to places of deepest woe and corruption. He clothed His divinity with humanity so that humanity can touch humanity and link itself with divinity. Through uniting Himself with sinful humanity, giving His blood as an offering for sin, and being lifted up, believers may have eternal life. Whatever the nature of human woe, healing is present and available in Him, and through Him sufferers can be restored.
He paid the ransom money for the soul. He heals as the Sin-bearer, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. He gives physicians their reason and intelligence, for He is truth and life itself. He is the great Restorer who has repeatedly vanquished death, the Giver of life who grants eternal life, God over all.
Healing He Provides
The balm is the grace of Christ given as the atoning sacrifice for the cure of sin, described as for the leprosy of sin as the Lord's coming draws near. It is full and sufficient, the new covenant sealed with His blood shed for many for the remission of sins as declared at the last supper. In that cup there is peace-making, soul-cleansing power for those who drink in faith to restore health and soundness to the sin-stricken soul.
The balm is also the healing promises recorded in Scripture and the blessings that counter grief, while the physician is Jesus working through the Holy Spirit to give clear discernment. It is the truth in possession, the love Christ has for the sick and suffering, and His grace and gentleness which only He as the great Physician can apply. Claimed by faith, that truth is planted by the Spirit in mind and heart and soul, controlling the mind and affections, changing the disobedient whole life, and lived out daily becoming a savor of life unto life.
The balm is Christ Himself and His words of mercy, gracious and simple and plain, teaching the way of salvation to meet spiritual need. His gracious words brought comfort and life to souls, and His divine touch brought gladness and life to the dying and relief, ease, and health to the sick, making the day like heaven on earth. Where priests and rulers gave no help, His teaching brought healing.
The balm is the Lord's comfort after apostasy, His presence in the midst of His people, and the brightness and joy of the presence of Jesus. When gratefully recognized and valued He pours in comfort and joy to wounded and bruised souls for comfort and encouragement. It reaches even those disconsolate in mourning over the dead without hope, soothing restless discontent through immeasurable love and meeting the soul's deepest need.
The healing covers every sorrow, every grievance, every human weakness, every wound, and whatever the nature of human woe. Jesus has the balm that can heal every wound and cure every malady of the soul, giving comfort, hope, peace, and freedom from cruel bondage weighing down soul and body. It is His peace, not as the world gives.
It heals backsliding, forgiving every sin and removing sin completely for those who turn to Him. It heals the wounded soul when the soul permits Him to apply it, and revives desponding ones who have erred and gone astray so they need not despair. It restores the joy of salvation, moves them from sliding sand to solid rock, and gives real spiritual life, efficiency, happiness, sanctified assurance, and a living testimony.
It meets the sin-sick condition shown in misuse of the tongue, envy, jealousy, evil surmising, and evil speaking when profession is not practiced, giving faith that works by love and purifies the soul. It heals the corruption of sin and breaks Satan's snare so believers can live worthily and be presented without spot or wrinkle. This requires cleansing of the soul temple from the rubbish of selfishness, self-love, self-esteem, and self-exaltation, casting Satan out from his abode.
It recovers health and strength when the body is nearly prostrated and the mind nearly stopped, quickening mental ability and restoring physical strength to work again. It covers bodily infirmity and lack of physical strength, mental clearness, and spiritual power for men in responsible positions and for all, as the unfailing healer and Restorer even when earthly physicians fail. It is healing for one compassed with infirmities, and there is hope of healing for the afflicted.
It saves from perishing when Satan afflicts the body almost unto death to sadden hearts, cause unbelievers to triumph, and hinder God's work and stop it. God puts bounds to Satan's power and sends angels to hover over sufferers so the enemy can go thus far and no farther, and makes affliction the means of drawing His people nearer to feel dependence on Him. In answer to united prayer in faith with laying on of hands and anointing with oil in the Lord's name He makes the afflicted whole to give glory to God, sets free those bound and oppressed, and raises them up to go on with spreading truth, as when James recovered enough to continue publishing the paper.
Receiving the Healing
The question finds its answer when a sinner heeds Christ's invitation, comes of free will, places himself under His care, does His will and takes His prescriptions, including leaving a malarious atmosphere and associations that mean spiritual death, and then Christ forgives sins and restores him to rise and walk. No one is passed by even when tempest-tossed, but each is called to believe in Christ, trust the keeping of the soul to Him, trust Him implicitly, put away doubts, and rejoice in His loving-kindness and tender pitying love. All are to look to Him in faith, for He is able to heal the spiritual maladies of all who so look, and healing comes when the soul permits Him to apply the balm. Those who rely on Him can rest in Him without reservation.
Its prescription must be accepted by repenting, believing, and receiving the righteousness of Christ. When accepted it changes all thoughts, causes old things to pass away and all things to become new, gives a new heart, and puts a new song on the lips. Those in trial and emergency are to study the Scriptures as never before, seek the Lord for wisdom, and plead with Jesus to show a way out, and then their eyes will be opened to see the remedy and apply the promises to their own case. When this is done the enemy finds no place to lead into mourning and unbelief, and instead there is faith, hope, and courage in the Lord. Every bitter draught mingled with the love of Jesus becomes an antidote to grief, like a healing branch cast into bitter water, turning complaint into holy, subdued, sanctified joy.
Healing is received by coming into the channel of clear light, walking intelligently and humbly before God, depending wholly on God in faith rather than being influenced by the words of men, and walking with God as Enoch walked with God, without which men will fall. Receiving it calls for faith in God and belief in Him, placing oneself in the most favorable circumstances to preserve health and strength, keeping an eye single to the glory of God, and not overtaxing oneself with servile labor, so that strength is preserved for service to the Master. Those weary and crushed by taking the sins of others upon themselves and dwelling on faults and errors are to turn their eyes away from those things, behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, come to Jesus for rest, and let Him cure them, since no human or angel can bear sin and give rest. The truth in possession, claimed by faith, is planted by the Spirit of God in mind and heart and soul, controlling the entire mind and all the affections, changing the disobedient whole life, and lived out in the daily life becomes a savor of life unto life.
Receiving it requires cleansing of the soul temple from the rubbish of selfishness, self-love, self-esteem, and self-exaltation, casting Satan out from his abode in the soul. Where words are spoken and actions performed that cause little bruises and sensitive feelings, the healing presence of the life of Jesus in the soul overcomes those hurts. Its work leaves no coldness to chill hearts, but keeps an abiding Christ in the soul showing forth love in spirit, in words, in deeds as a bright shining light. The sick should go to God for medicine instead of using tobacco, since using tobacco as medicine greatly dishonors God. The sick are to be cared for by trusting in the power of the living God and the skill of well-qualified Christian physicians, and not by going to clairvoyant or magnetic healers who claim power to cure by electricity, magnetism, so-called sympathetic remedies, or latent forces within the mind. To trust a child to such a healer places the child in the hand of Satan, and in many instances the future life is controlled by a satanic power which it seems impossible to break.
Through Him the believer knows God as heavenly Father and himself as His child, receiving strength for wholesome service to God rather than a sickly offering. The Holy Spirit takes the truth about Jesus and applies it to the understanding to bring the half-converted to Jesus and into light.
Carrying Healing to Others
Those who need this healing of soul are to be brought to Jesus and told that He is there and where healing is to be found, prayed for and laid at His feet in the arms of faith in earnest prayer to the pitying, sympathizing Redeemer. He alone can apply the balm to many maladies, in contrast to remaining under human doctors whose drug medication brings death. He heals as Sin-bearer, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, bringing encouragement and happiness to the sick taken to Him in this way.
The afflicted need personal ministry with a cheerful countenance, hopeful words, and the grasp of the hand, and where hope has departed sunshine must be brought back to them. Where the bread of life is needed God's word must be read to them, and for soul-sickness prayer must be offered and the sufferer brought to Jesus as healer. Christ applies the balm spiritually through workers who tend both bodily suffering and wounds caused by sin to bring healing and hope. The gospel remedy is brought through compassionate service ministering to both physical and spiritual needs, and medical missionary work that helps the sick and suffering while meeting spiritual needs opens the way.
Jesus as Chief of physicians and true Head of medical and missionary work stands beside every true, earnest, God-fearing medical worker who uses acquired knowledge to relieve suffering. He hears prayer for the sick when His name will be glorified thereby and life prolonged, having vanquished death in His humanity and giving endless life to all who believe and endure to the end. The physician joined to Him learns to treat diseased bodies, to watch for souls as an under-shepherd, to apply the right prescription, and to use the balm to heal bruises sin has made upon soul and body under the serpent's sting. To do this the physician must be free from selfishness, hold communion with God, have a correct knowledge of the atonement, uplift Jesus to the despairing soul, and join knowledge of treating bodily disease with knowledge of the plan of salvation. Resting in Jesus as personal Saviour, he leads others to hopefulness, saving faith, rest and peace, and new life, directing patients' minds to Christ who is life itself and the Source of all vitality and who accomplishes what human physicians can only attempt in striving to prolong life. He gives physicians their reason and intelligence, for He is truth and life itself, the great Restorer who has repeatedly vanquished death, the Giver of life who grants eternal life, God over all, and copying His work and methods to save both body and soul for eternal life means discarding worldly etiquette that stands in the way of saving souls.
Those who go from place to place and find many sick should have practical knowledge of the causes of disease, understand simple treatments to relieve suffering, and pray in faith and simplicity for the sick while pointing them to the Great Physician. As they walk and work with God, ministering angels are beside them giving access to hearts, opening a wide field for missionary effort and bringing blessing in diligent work. A physician acquainted with Christ who realizes the preciousness of pure and undefiled religion is a representative of the great Physician, and when telling the sick and suffering of Christ's love is a true teacher of righteousness bearing that very balm, which is the love Christ has for the sick and suffering.
People may find balm for sin-sick souls as well as relief from bodily illness where Bible principles and religion are upheld. Where physicians, nurses, and helpers walk circumspectly before God and are consecrated, divine power pervades the institution and gives more than human power, so patrons obtain both relief from bodily infirmities and healing balm for souls. The balm is brought into the sanitarium when the sunshine of His love, the brightness and joy of the presence of Jesus, is imparted to others, with God-given sunshine secured in the building for cheerfulness and healthfulness. The balm is heavenly consolation imparted through followers who look to Jesus and draw knowledge, strength, and grace from Him while the Comforter is with them, poured into the heart when the heart is opened by relief of the suffering body. As lively interest, tender compassion, and sympathy for fallen and suffering humanity — the widow, the orphan, the sick and dying — proclaims the gospel and holds up Jesus, believers receive this grace from heaven daily to share with the needy and suffering, bringing hope and relief and holding up Christ whose saving grace and forgiveness can lift sinners from sin, so that restored sufferers become laborers together with God.
Elijah's message and the prophet's message rebuked sin and called people to turn from corruption while offering this healing to all who received it and were willing to be healed, leading them from sin toward spiritual recovery. Faithful reproof that presses back moral evil carries this healing, stirring backsliders to humble remembrance and assurance of rich free grace, with Elijah's reform life as the example of a reprover holding out the balm, which those who stand as representatives are to share with the same zeal, intensity, and deep love. Healing for the sickening religious liberty cause comes when the hearts of its advocates are filled with the Spirit of Jesus, whose grace and gentleness as the Great Physician alone can apply its balm, correcting unwise zeal and false ideas.