Healing IS the atonement. What? Yep, the healing is of our total being, body, soul, spirit. We have been made in right standing with God, our relationship has been “healed”. We inherit the blessings and this includes physical healing. The price has already been paid and we are no longer under the curse of sickness.
In the wilderness, when the fiery serpents were killing many people, God told Moses:
Num 21:8-9 And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.
This was the Lord’s healing of the people who had sinned against Him. They lifted up the serpent and “ALL” where healed that looked upon it. In the New Testament, Jesus said John 3:14-15:
“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.”
Jesus knew exactly what the reference to being lifted up would portray. For when the people of old who spoke against God, would look upon that serpent nailed to the poll being shown powerless and defeated, that God had taken the victory over that curse, which they had brought upon themselves and their sin would be forgiven, they would be physically healed and not perish. This is what Jesus performed on the cross, who healed us into right standing with God, defeating the curse of the law. That curse included sickness, disease and lack of provision. We have been reborn and now live under the favor of God!
This is yet another picture of the atonement being complete, bringing a greater covenant not a weaker one. The message of the Good News is that Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, placing a new spirit within us and giving us the Holy Spirit to lead us unto perfection (He has placed His Law into our hearts). No longer are we under the curse of the law, we have inherited this blessing through the Christ Jesus!
This lines up with:
James 5:14-16 ~ Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
See the resemblance? We look to God in faith, we are healed and if we have committed sins, they are forgiven. Again, physical healing and forgiveness tied together. Many times through the Gospels we see Jesus healing them physically and then forgiving their sins.
Again, under the past covenant, we have:
Psalms 103:1-5 ~ Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: who forgiveth all thine iniquites; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.
We clearly see physical healing, provision and forgiveness of sins all bundled into one package. See the pattern emerging? This pattern runs through the Bible if we pay attention. It is God’s will to “Heal” you, to make you in right standing with Him, which brings healing to your physical body, forgiveness of sin and provision, this is the blessing of God, which the Christ shed his blood on that cross to bring to us. It is the Good News, the favor of God!