Twenty -three
But alas! The gleaming, malevolent, calculating
eyes of Satan were watching from the distance.
Seething hatred for God, and jealousy of man fer-
menting in his soul; cunning planning in his heart.
Once he had been an angel of authority in Heaven,
but because of jealousy, disobedience and treachery
he had fallen as a flaming torch from Heaven draw-
ing a third of the angels with him. (Luke 10: 18;
Isaiah 14:12-14.)
The burning passion in his diabolic nature now
longed for revenge for a way to strike back. And
here here in this blissful garden of Eden with its
stately trees, its hanging flowers, its luscious fruit-
age and its dancing, sparkling brooks and rivers
where God had placed the children of His own dear
handiwork, he had found the place for revenge !
Now whom did the Father so love as these chil-
dren? Had He not toiled through the days to create
the earth for his habitation? And what was there in
heaven or on earth that so grieved and pierced the
pure heart of the Father as disobedience and sin?
Hath it not been written that : God cannot look up-
on sin with the least degree of allowance? Hath He
not said : The soul that sinneth, it shall surely die ?
Full well did Satan know that God in His justice
would show no partiality. And though His heart
was torn and bleeding the curse of His disapproval
must fall upon the inmates of the Garden and the
whole earth must be jolted and shaken with the im-
pact of the fall.
With fiendish cunning Satan took upon himself the
form of a flashing, scintillating serpent, (said at that
time to be the most beautiful and subtle beast of the
field) and in shimmering, graceful strides, and his
Twenty -four
most captivating manner he drew near unto the wo-
man and began to sow the fateful seeds of unbelief
within her heart :
"Yea, God hath said, that in the day ye eat of the
tree in the middle of the garden ye shall surely die
but God does not mean that which He said Ye
shall not surely die."
The first lie the devil told the human family, the
first seed of doubt he sowed in their hearts was that
of doubting the veracity and absolute, unchangeable
truth of God's Word. He has been engaged with
the same task ever since.
Behind the devil as he enters the garden, stand
two fearsome demons of night. Our hearts are re-
pulsed and shuddering as we gaze on each cruel face.
Oh Mother Eve ! Could you not see them ? Why
were your eyes so blinded? On each shield, with
which they cover themselves is the form of a vene-
mous serpent with a parting, darting, poisonous
tongue. In his hand each demon holds a fork
with sharp, barbed prongs with which to pierce body
and soul with fearful wounds, which no earthly pow-
er can heal. Oh Eve ! can 't you see them, hand in
hand, an invincible, inseparable pair twin angels of
darkness, agents of despair, relentless and cruel?
Their names are written on their shields "Sin" and
"Sickness."
But the eyes of Eve were riveted in fascination on
the shimmering serpent's form ! Her ears hearkened
to that smooth deceiver's voice. Thus Eve was de-
ceived, and in obeying the word of Satan she dis-
obeyed her Lord, ate of the forbidden fruit, and gave
Adam to eat also.
Soon came the footsteps of God, walking in the
Twenty-five
garden in the cool of the evening. "Adam, where
art thou?" His voice rang out in tones of thunder
that struck fear and quaking into those guilty souls
who sought to hide them from His gaze. Quick as a
flash His keen, all-seeing eye read the story and His
heart was grieved and sad. They had sold them-
selves to the devil, and the twin demons of darkness
laughed as they reached out through the gathering
gloom, the more firmly to grip the erring ones on the
prongs of suffering and sin.
Hand in hand came sin and sickness into the gar-
den of life. Hand in hand they have walked through
the years since that day. But instead of leaving His
children in the hands of the devil to suffer the double
curse they had brought upon themselves through dis-
obedience, the great loving Father-heart of God be-
gan even then to lay plans for their redemption a
double cure for a double curse.
But there and then, even though man must needs
be driven from the garden, God gave His first pro-
phetic promise that through the seed of woman
should come He that should bruise the head that
bruised His heel. All down through the coming
years that led by a winding trail, through many lands
and many tears, on through the days of Abel, Seth,
and Noah, Shem, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah and
David even down to the cross of Christ this prom-
ise was reiterated through the prophets and sages.
Thus it was that as far back as the days of Moses
it was an understood fact that salvation and healing
were provided in the atonement through the Lamb
slain from the foundation of the world. When Moses
brought the children of Israel from Egypt and turned
their faces toward the promised land God spake to
them, saying: "If thou wilt diligently hearken to
Twenty -six
the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which
is right in His sight, and wilt give ear to His com-
mandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none
of these diseases upon thee, which I have put upon
the Egyptians for I am the Lord that healeth thee. ' '
Clearly the Father signified that with disobedience
and sin would come sickness and disease. Later
when disobedience and sin had laid them low and
fiery serpents bit them till they died God commanded
that a brazen serpent (brass signifying judgment)
should be lifted up in the wilderness even as Christ
was later to pass through the judgment for us and be
lifted up on the cross of Calvary. Those who looked
upon the serpent that was lifted up in the wilderness
had life for a look. They found therein the double
cure forgiveness for the soul and healing for the
body.
When Miriam through the sin of criticism and
backbiting fell ill of leprosy white as snow, Moses
besought God for the double cure. After pleading
the mercy and pardon of the Lord he cries, "Heal
her now, God 1 , I beseech Thee." Numbers 12:13.
Of the double cure for the double curse the Psalm-
ist spake clearly, saying, "Bless the Lord my soul,
and forget not all His benefits, Who forgiveth all
thine iniquities, and who healeth all thy diseases."
Ps. 103:2, 3. Notice the first two benefits David
mentions are those of forgiveness and salvation,
which is to overthrow the powers of sin, and divine
healing for the body to overthrow sickness and dis-
ease.
Isaiah catching sight of the Great Redeemer
through the lifted veil, beheld Christ as the Man of
Sorrows and acquainted with grief. He sees in His
Twenty -seven
glorious coming the double cure for the double curse,
and declares of His work of atonement: "He was
wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our ini-
quities (notice the word ' bruised,' God had said of
Him that He would bruise the head that bruised His
heel) . . . and by His stripes we are healed."
Isaiah 53.
"But does not this promise refer to spiritual heal-
ing only?" asks one timid soul to whom the news
seems almost too good to be true. No, Matthew
8 :16, 17, describes Christ healing the sick, casting out
demons, causing the blind to see and the lame to
walk, and then tells us that this physical healing is
the literal interpretation of Isaiah 53. Head the 17th
verse and note Matthew's interpretation of that
promise. "This was done that it might be fulfilled
which was spoken by Esaias the prophet saying:
Himself took our infirmities and bare our sicknesses. ' '
The coming ^of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the
seed of woman, : jwas the coming of the great deliverer
to redeem a stricken world from the curse. Speak-
ing of His own mission Jesus plainly said. "The
Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He hath
anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor; He
hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted ; to preach
deliverance to the captives, and 1 recovering of sight
to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
to preach the acceptable year of the Lord." Luke
4:18, 19.
blessed Light that shineth in the darkness, even
though the darkness comprehendeth it not ! bless-
ed Burden-Bearer carrying our sins, bearing our
sicknesses, enduring our pain, would that the world
might see Thee !
Twenty -eight
Oh, look, heart-sore world, canst thou not see the
two great blessings that follow the Master wherever
He goes, like two bright angels of light, who stand
hand in hand, with shining swords bearing the sign
of the cross and holding aloft the Spirit's sword to
cut thy bonds in twain? Salvation declares, "Thy
sins be all forgiven thee." Healing cries: "Be
thou made whole, take up thy bed and walk ! ' ' and
o 'er mountain and dale, in valley or plain, within the
palace and in the hut wherever this dear Jesus of
Galilee went He brought with Him this double cure,
Salvation and Healing.
"Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts," said He,
"for whether is easier to say: Thy sins be forgiven
thee, or Take up your bed and walk?" Whether is
easier who is there among us dare to say ? For this
heaven-born, heaven-sent pair stand hand in hand,
shield to shield a double cure for a double curse.
In God's plan they should never be divided.
When the short years of our Lord's ministry,
wherein He went about destroying the works of the
devil, namely forgiving sin and healing the sick,
were ended, the hour approached for His torturous
death on the cross. Emerging from Gethsemane
Garden when the long night was o'er, He was con-
demned before Pontius Pilate to die on the rugged
tree.
But before they led Him up Calvary's mountain,
something of great importance must take place,
something that makes our cheeks blanch and the
tear drops to start at the very thought, they must
bare our Savior's back to the smiters, tie Him to
the whipping-post, and flog Him with the cruel lash.
Did you ever wonder why?
Twenty -nine
Blow upon blow, fell on the tender, quivering flesh
of the gentle Nazarene. The biting whip rose and
fell again and again in the hands of the Roman sol-
dier, till the great purple welts stood on the precious
back that was so soon to bear the cross fell till the
drops of blood dripped upon the ground. Some forty
blows were permissible in those days and men often
fainted or even died at the whipping-post.
"Tell me, dear Spirit, Teacher and Guide, tell
me WHY did they whip Him so ? Was He whipped
that my many sins might be washed away?"
"No, child, the blood on the cross was sufficient for
that."
"Then why did they pluck the beard from His face,
and beat Him with cruel staves, was that for the
cleansing of sin?"
"No, child, the Blood was sufficient for that."
"Then why, Spirit of God, tell me why did they
torture my Saviour so ? Was God merely permitting
the vindictive, fiendish wrath of an angry mob to be
wreaked upon the head of His blessed Son? Else
if His stripes did not cleanse me from sin, then WHY
did they whip Him so?"
"Why, child! Do you not know the meaning of
that lash, the cruel blows of the smiters' scourge?
'Twas thus He bare your suffering, and by His
stripes ye are healed. Not a meaningless blow, not
a meaningless pain did 'that precious Body bear. At
the whipping-post He purchased your healing, bare
your suffering and pain. On the cross He purchased
your pardon, forgiveness and cleansing from sin.
Healed by His stripes, cleansed by His blood
blessed double cure for a double curse for all who
will look and live."
Thirty
But have not these twain been separated, till only
Salvation remains? Then His stripes were borne in
vain.
Hearken to the words of the Master : " The works
that I do shall ye do, and greater works than these
shall ye do because I go to My Father. All power
is given unto me, in heaven and in earth. Go ye
therefore and teach all nations baptizing them in the
Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy
Ghost. Teaching them to observe all things, what-
soever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you
always, even unto the end of the world. Amen."
Matt. 28:18-20.
"As ye go preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven
is at hand, cleanse the leper, heal the sick, cast out
demons, freely as ye have received freely give/'
"Into whatsoever city or town ye enter heal the sick
that are therein and say unto them, The Kingdom of
God is come nigh unto you." And He sent them to
preach the Gospel and heal the sick. And said,
' ' These signs shall follow them that believe : in My
name shall they cast out devils ; they shall speak with
new tongues; they shall lay hands on the sick and
they shall recover." Mark 16:17, 18.
Jesus the same yesterday, today and forever still
brings the double cure for soul and body. There is
still life for a look at the Crucified One, and they
who touch the hem of His garment may still be
made whole.
In the fifth chapter of James, the elders of the
church are given instructions to anoint the sick (who
call for them) with oil, and pray the prayer of faith,
having the promise of the double cure . . . The
prayer of faith shall save the sick and the Lord shall
raise him up, and if he hath committed sins they shall
be forgiven him. Confess your faults one to another
and pray one for another that ye may be healed.
What a sweet relationship there here exists between
Salvation and Healing.
This does not mean that we will never die. There
comes a day when the sands of the years are run and
the child of God is caught up and goes sweeping
home to glory. Thank God for that hope ! 'Tis not
that they who claim the promise of healing fear
death. To be absent from the body is to be present
with the Lord. But it does mean that instead of
suffering, and groaning all the days of our lives with
a torturous disease, it is possible to look away to
Jesus and take that for which He paid with cruel
stripes, and the shedding of His precious blood.
Too long have we wandered in weakness and pov-
erty, when we might have had His strength and rich-
es 1 Too long have we lain starving, when we might
have been feasting in Father's banquet hall.
A man in straitened financial circumstances once
bought a ticket for an ocean voyage.
"Now I must be very saving of my few remaining
dollars, "he told himself. " I'll just buy some crack-
ers and drink water with them for the duration of
my voyage, thus leaving a small sum for my arrival. ' '
Days wore by one by one, and the poor man be-
came more and more famished for a good square
meal and more disgusted with crackers and water.
On the day that the steamer was scheduled to arrive
in port he could bear it no longer, if it took the last
cent, he decided that he must have one more good
meal.
Thirty-two
But when he made his way to the dining salon, its
beauty and the fine food which was being served,
course after course at the tables, the white linen and
shining silver caused him to doubt. Such a fine din-
ing room, perhaps he would not have money enough
after all! Catching the eye of the steward he in-
quired :
"Sir, w^ould you please be kind enough to tell me
the cost of a meal in that dining room?" The waiter
looked at the man with amazement and said :
"Why I don't understand what you mean."
"I want to know how much one good, square meal
at that table would cost me, please."
"Why you have a ticket for this steamship voyage,
haven't you?"
"Ticket? Why y-yes," stammered the man.
"Then your meals don't cost you a penny. They
are all included in your ticket. Where have you
been at meal times? Why did you not come to the
table? Your place has been set and held vacant foi
you all the time."
"Why I've been sitting in my state-room eating
crackers and drinking cold water, every day, because
I thought I could not afford the dining room."
And, Oh dear ones, many of us have gone almost
to the end of life 's voyage before realizing the good
things included in our ticket. Salvation, Healing,
the power of the Holy Spirit and rich life in Christ
are yours for the asking. Draw near today and cry :
Thou Son of David, have mercy upon me. I now ap-
propriate Thy promises, and claim as mine the rich
provision Thou hast made for me, even the double
cure with its blessings for body and soul.
Thirty -three
The Scriptural Relationship of Divine
Healing and Salvation
In God's great plan of Redemption, Salvation for
the soul, and Divine Healing for the body, were unit-
ed in holy matrimony, and destined to walk together,
hand in hand, through the ages. Unbelief has sought
to divorce this heaven-born pair; but prayer and
faith still prove they are united.
Healing for the body was included in the atone-
ment made by Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Beaten
with cruel stripes, He purchased healing for the
body. Wounded for our transgressions, He bought
Eedemption for every soul that would believe on
Him with the whole heart.
In the Beginning
In the beginning, man through disobedience, trans-
gressed the law of God. Believing the words of
Satan, rather than the words of God, the inmates of
the garden did exactly what God told them not to
do ; and through their disobedience opened the door
to that inseparable pair, sin and suffering. Man had
sold himself for naught, and engaged himself to be
the bond-servant of the devil. Banished from the
garden, sweating through the toil of the day, groan-
Thirty -four
ing in labor and pain, how hopeless was their state !
But hark ! The voice of God spoke to them and
with His promise came a shaft of light from the Son
of Righteousness, falling athwart the darkness of the
night, cleaving it asunder and promising the opening
of a "New and Living Way"; spelling deliverance
from sin and its awful consequences, and the regain-
ing of that which they had lost. For, His unfailing
Word had promised that the seed of the woman was
to come and bruise the head that bruised His heel.
Hallelujah !
