Boils are mentioned in the Bible as a symbol of suffering and testing. From Job’s trials to the plagues of Egypt, these stories reveal lessons about faith and endurance. Today, we’ll look at how these examples teach us about relying on God in hard times.
Also Read: What Does The Bible Say About Eavesdropping
What Does The Bible Say About Boils
Exodus 9:8-9
“Then the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Take handfuls of soot from a furnace and have Moses toss it into the air in the presence of Pharaoh. It will become fine dust over the whole land of Egypt, and festering boils will break out on people and animals throughout the land.”
This verse recounts the moment when God sent a plague of boils upon the land of Egypt as a part of the escalating series of plagues to convince Pharaoh to release the Israelites from slavery. The boils were a painful and visible affliction experienced by both humans and animals. This demonstrates God’s power to bring physical ailments upon those who oppose His will.
This verse serves as a reminder that God can use physical ailments and suffering to accomplish His purposes. It also highlights the consequences of disobedience and the importance of obeying God’s commands.
Deuteronomy 28:27
“The Lord will afflict you with the boils of Egypt and with tumors, festering sores and the itch, from which you cannot be cured.”
In this verse, God warns the Israelites about the consequences of disobedience. He states that if they turn away from Him and reject His laws, He will afflict them with various diseases and ailments, including boils. These boils, along with other afflictions, will be incurable and cause suffering. This verse emphasizes the severity of punishment that can result from disobedience to God’s commands.
It serves as a reminder that God expects His people to remain obedient and faithful. It also highlights the importance of seeking restoration through repentance and turning back to God when we have strayed.
Job 2:7
“So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and afflicted Job with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head.”
In this verse, Satan challenges God’s assessment of Job’s loyalty by suggesting that Job’s faithfulness is dependent on his favorable circumstances. As a result, Satan is given permission to inflict Job with painful sores covering his entire body. This verse illustrates the extent of Job’s suffering and the physical agony he endured.
It serves as a testament to Job’s unwavering faith, as despite his afflictions, he remains steadfast in his devotion to God. It also reveals that suffering may be permitted in our lives for reasons beyond our understanding, even when we are faithful to God.
Psalm 78:47
“He destroyed their vines with hail and their sycamore-figs with sleet. He gave over their cattle to the hail, their livestock to bolts of lightning. He unleashed against them his hot anger, his wrath, indignation and hostility— a band of destroying angels.”
This verse recounts the punishment that God inflicted upon the rebellious Israelites in the wilderness. God’s anger was unleashed upon them through natural disasters and symbolic acts. The mention of a band of destroying angels implies the involvement of supernatural forces in executing God’s judgment.
This verse reminds us of God’s power to bring forth plagues and natural disasters as a form of divine retribution. It serves as a warning against turning away from God and the importance of remaining obedient to His commandments.
Isaiah 3:17
“Therefore the Lord will bring sores on the heads of the women of Zion; the Lord will make their scalps bald.”
This verse describes the judgment that will befall the women of Zion due to their pride, arrogance, and disregard for God’s laws. As a consequence, the Lord will afflict them with sores on their heads, resulting in their scalps becoming bald.
It serves as a warning against the danger of vanity and foolish pride. It highlights the importance of humility and obedience to God’s commandments in order to avoid the consequences of disobedience.
Jeremiah 14:18
“If I go into the country, I see those slain by the sword; if I go into the city, I see the ravages of famine. Both prophet and priest have gone to a land they know not.”
This verse expresses the despair and devastation that Jeremiah witnesses as he surveys the destruction and suffering caused by war and famine. The people of Israel have ignored the prophets and priests, turning away from God’s guidance and, as a result, facing dire consequences.
It serves as a reminder that disobedience and neglecting God’s word can lead to terrible consequences. It also underscores the importance of heeding the warnings of God’s messengers and remaining faithful to Him in order to avoid such devastating circumstances.
Ezekiel 28:24
“No longer will the people of Israel have malicious neighbors who are painful briars and sharp thorns. Then they will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.”
This verse describes God’s promise to protect the people of Israel from their enemies. God assures them that they will no longer have malicious neighbors who cause pain and harm. This promise is a sign that God is the ultimate authority and protector of His people.
It serves as a reminder that God is sovereign and has the power to protect His people from external threats. It also reinforces the importance of trusting in God’s providence and seeking His guidance and protection in times of trouble.
Hosea 2:13
“I will punish her for the days she burned incense to the Baals; she decked herself with rings and jewelry, and went after her lovers, but me she forgot,” declares the Lord.”
In this verse, the Lord expresses His intention to punish the unfaithful Israelites for their idolatry and neglect of Him. They turned to false gods, pursuing their own desires and pleasures, but forgot the Lord and His commandments.
This verse serves as a warning against idolatry and the pursuit of worldly pleasures at the expense of a relationship with God. It emphasizes the importance of prioritizing God and His will above all else.
Zechariah 14:12
“This is the plague with which the Lord will strike all the nations that fought against Jerusalem: Their flesh will rot while they are still standing on their feet, their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongues will rot in their mouths.”
This verse describes the severe punishment that God will bring upon the nations that oppose and wage war against Jerusalem. The plague mentioned here results in the decomposition of the flesh while the individuals are still alive.
It serves as a cautionary reminder of the consequences that await those who oppose God and seek to harm His people. It underscores the reality of divine judgment and the importance of aligning ourselves with God’s will.
Matthew 8:2-3
“A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy.”
This verse recounts the encounter between Jesus and a man afflicted with leprosy. Despite the social stigma associated with leprosy and the contagious nature of the disease, the man demonstrates his faith in Jesus’ ability to heal him. Jesus responds with compassion and heals the man instantly.
It serves as a powerful testimony to Jesus’ authority and willingness to heal even the most incurable diseases. This verse also underscores the importance of approaching Jesus with faith and humility, trusting in His power to bring about healing and restoration.
Matthew 10:8
“Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.”
This verse is part of Jesus’ instructions to His disciples as He sends them out to proclaim the kingdom of God. He instructs them to heal the sick, including those with leprosy, as a demonstration of God’s power and grace.
It serves as a reminder of the authority and power that believers have been given by Jesus to bring healing and deliverance to those in need. It also emphasizes the importance of freely sharing the gifts and blessings received from God with others.
Mark 9:25-26
“When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the impure spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.””
This verse recounts the deliverance of a boy who was possessed by a deaf and mute spirit. Jesus commanded the spirit to leave the boy, resulting in a convulsive reaction before the spirit finally departed. The boy’s appearance after the deliverance was so lifeless that many thought he was dead.
It serves as a reminder of Jesus’ authority over spiritual forces and His ability to bring about complete restoration. This verse also highlights the power of faith and the transformative impact of encountering the presence of Jesus.
Luke 4:39
“So he bent over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up at once and began to wait on them.”
In this verse, Jesus heals Simon Peter’s mother-in-law who is suffering from a high fever. Jesus rebukes the fever, and it immediately leaves her. After being healed, she rises and begins to serve Jesus and His disciples.
This verse demonstrates Jesus’ authority over physical ailments and His power to bring about instantaneous healing. It also emphasizes the grateful response of those who experience God’s healing touch, as they are transformed and compelled to serve.
John 5:8-9
“Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.”
In this verse, Jesus encounters a man who had been invalid for thirty-eight years. Jesus commands him to get up, pick up his mat, and walk. Instantaneously, the man is healed and obeys Jesus’ command.
This verse highlights Jesus’ power to bring about miraculous healing and restoration. It also emphasizes the importance of obedience to Jesus’ commands as a response to His healing touch.
Acts 14:9-10
“He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed and called out, “Stand up on your feet!” At that, the man jumped up and began to walk.”
This verse describes an incident where Paul encounters a man who has been crippled from birth. As Paul speaks, he perceives that the man has faith to be healed. Paul then commands the man to stand up on his feet, resulting in his instantaneous healing and ability to walk.
It serves as a testimony to the power of faith and the role it plays in receiving God’s healing touch. This verse also highlights the authority and anointing that God can impart to believers for the purpose of bringing about healing and restoration.
Romans 15:19
“by the power of signs and wonders, through the power of the Spirit of God. So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ.”
In this verse, Paul reflects on his ministry and testifies to the power of signs, wonders, and the Holy Spirit in the proclamation of the gospel. He attributes the success of his ministry to the supernatural manifestations of God’s power.
This verse underscores the role of miracles and supernatural interventions in confirming the message of the gospel. It serves as a reminder that God’s power is not diminished but continues to operate through believers to bring about transformation and the proclamation of His truth.
1 Corinthians 12:9
“to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit”
In this verse, Paul discusses the diversity of spiritual gifts that are bestowed upon believers by the Holy Spirit. Among these gifts is the gift of healing, which is given to some individuals for the purpose of bringing about physical restoration and wholeness.
It serves as a reminder of the supernatural gifts that are available to believers through the Holy Spirit. This verse underscores the importance of recognizing and utilizing these gifts for the edification of the body of Christ and the advancement of God’s kingdom.
James 5:15
“And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven.”
This verse highlights the power of prayer and faith in the context of healing. James instructs believers to pray for the sick, and it is emphasized that the prayer offered in faith will result in the healing and restoration of the sick individual.
It serves as an encouragement to seek God’s intervention through prayer and to approach Him with confidence, believing in His ability to bring about healing and forgiveness. This verse also underscores the interconnectedness of physical and spiritual healing.
1 Peter 2:24
““He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.””
In this verse, Peter references the crucifixion of Jesus and the redemptive power of His sacrifice. By bearing our sins in His body, Jesus not only enables us to die to sins and live righteously but also provides the means for our spiritual and emotional healing.
This verse serves as a reminder of the all-encompassing nature of healing that is made available through the work of Christ on the cross. It highlights the significance of His wounds in bringing about restoration and wholeness in our lives.
Revelation 21:4
““He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.””
This verse describes the future state of eternal life as revealed in the book of Revelation. It depicts a time when God will personally attend to His people and eliminate every source of pain, sorrow, and suffering. Death and its accompanying afflictions will be abolished.
It serves as a message of hope and reassurance that, in the presence of God, all forms of affliction and suffering will cease. This verse reminds believers of the ultimate healing and restoration that awaits them in the eternal kingdom of God.