The Power of the Cross: Old Testament Foundations: Signs, Wonders and the People
The examples of Old Testament outpourings of the Spirit and prophecies of such outpourings, taken all together, strongly indicate that God has always intended kingdom life, life under His rule and reign, in both Old and New Testaments to be “prophetic.”7 On the basis of Rev. 19:10, we can now define the “prophetic” as that which is a “testimony of Jesus Christ.” Old and New Testament evidence connects the prophetic with signs and wonders, and argues that such a prophetic lifestyle includes miraculous healings, deliverances, and other works of power. The democratization of the Spirit from Pentecost onward means that signs and wonders are to be a normal part of kingdom life. So it appears in the Early Church. That is no doubt why God provided lengthy New Testament passages (Rom. 12:1-8; 1 Cor. 12-14; Eph. 4:7-13; I Thes. 5:19-22; I Pet. 4:10-11) to help his people manage his abundant spiritual gifts.
Jesus not only died on the cross for our sins: he rose and ascended on high and—with the Father—sent his Spirit to enter his people and empower them for prophetic living.
Isaiah 53: The Substitutionary Atonement of Christ and Divine Healing
No discussion of healing and the Old Testament would be complete without a look at Isaiah 53. More than any other Old Testament passage, Isaiah 53 portrays the character, the ministry, the sufferings, the death, and the exaltation of the Messiah—as well as his gifting of the church. On the basis of this chapter alone, Isaiah’s book might well be called the “Gospel” of the Old Testament. Among other things, Isaiah’s prophecy anticipates the healing ministry of the Messiah:
Surely he took up our infirmities
and carried our sorrows,
yet we considered him stricken by God,
smitten by him, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
and by his wounds we are healed (Isa. 53:4-5)
Old Testament prophets did not heal everyone who needed healing, nor did Jesus himself. To what extent may we expect God to heal people today?
Category: Biblical Studies, Summer 2006