Miracles of restoration are here! God is releasing healing in hearts and forgiveness and reconciliation in relationships of all kinds in this season. Today, I will share another prophetic message from Joseph's story about the healing balm of Gilead.
The Prophetic "Joseph" Journey Continues
I was in an almost empty prayer room in Atlanta, getting ready to leave. The worship leader was playing instrumental music on his acoustic guitar alone on stage. When the clock hit 4pm, I stood up to go. At that very moment, the worship leader sings for the first time, his words striking my heart:
"There is a balm in Gilead ..." I was shocked. The Lord had been speaking to me specifically about the balm of Gilead, as random as it is, for weeks. (Read about it here.) I had even recently been given a small bottle of handmade balm of Gilead as a gift. "Okay, Jesus. I get the message. I will spend more time with you to hear what you want to say to me. I love the sound of your voice."
I set my stuff back down, found an empty row of chairs, and got on my face before the Lord.
The worshiper continued singing an old song I had never heard before, There is a balm in Gilead
To make the wounded whole
There is a balm in Gilead
To heal the sin-sick soul
At that moment I simply knew; God was confirming to me the message he had been speaking to me.
Now, what exactly is the balm of Gilead, why is it related to the story of Joseph, and what does it have to do with what God is doing right now in the lives of many? Let's talk about it.
Prophetic Word: Miracles of Restoration: Anointed with Healing for the Painful Process
Let's pick up where we left off in the story of Joseph and talk about when Joseph was sold into slavery. (If you're just joining this journey, go here to read part 1!) After Joseph's brothers threw him into an empty cistern, something divinely interrupted their plans. As they [Joseph's brothers] sat down to eat their meal, they looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were loaded with spices, balm and myrrh, and they were on their way to take them down to Egypt. Genesis 37:25
Instead of leaving Joseph to die alone in the pit, his brothers sold him onto a caravan carrying a healing balm—the Balm of Gilead.
(You see, in those days, balms of various ingredients were used as a medicinal ointment to heal cuts and wounds and cure those who were sick. Gilead was particularly known for its healing balm.)
I believe that at this moment, when it looked like his brothers destroyed his life and his dreams, Joseph was being anointed with healing balm for the painful process he was about to enter into. To fulfill his destiny, Joseph would need to get to Egypt. Although it wouldn't have been the way anyone would have chosen, God used his brothers' evil plot to get him exactly where he needed to be in Pharaoh's palace. He was taken to the lowest place to be exalted to highest in the land.
So, Joseph being sold onto a cart carrying Balm of Gilead was a foreshadow, a prophetic picture. God had already supplied a healing solution for Joseph's soul for the pain his brothers caused him to help him endure to the finish line ... to see the dreams of God fulfilled in his life.
Prophetic Word: The Healing Balm of Gilead Flows
After Joseph is promoted to second in the land of Egypt (Genesis 41), his family comes to buy food (Genesis 42). Thinking Joseph is dead, his brothers do not recognize him when they see him.
Joseph sees that his youngest brother, Benjamin, did not come with the rest of the brothers. Keeping his true identity concealed, He tells them not to come back to Egypt unless their youngest brother is with them. Although their father, Israel, doesn't want to let Benjamin go with them back to Egypt, he finally concedes and says ...
'If it must be, then do this: Put some of the best products of the land in your bags and take them down to the man as a gift—a little balm and a little honey, some spices and myrrh, some pistachio nuts and almonds. Genesis 43:11
Balm. Spices. Myrrh. Honey. As a gift. For Joseph.
Balm, representing healing.
Myrrh, representing suffering love.
Honey, representing sweetness (for bitterness).
Spices, used for the anointing of service to God.
The same elements that were carried on the cart that his brothers sold Joseph onto as a slave, would now be returned to him as a gift by those same brothers.
It was a full-circle healing moment. His family had been torn apart by his brothers' evil and deceit. They had done the unthinkable, and to most people, the unforgivable.
But it wasn't too hard for God to bring restoration. God had taken Joseph through a process that not only prepared him for the palace,
but refined his character. Joseph was ready to forgive.
But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.” And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them. Genesis 50:19-21 Forgiveness. One of the greatest miracles of all. God always finishes what he starts, but we have a part to play. Like Joseph, we must be willing to choose restoration, we must be willing to forgive and love when the moment of healing comes. So, Joseph a prophetic gift that represented healing balm for his soul, for his family.
Prophetic Release Over Your Life
I want to share a few prophetic insights of how Joseph's story relates to the current season we are in ... and what God may be doing in your life!
Prophetic Word: Full Circle Healing Moments
God is releasing full-circle healing moments. In the very place of pain where relationships ended, he wants to come into those moments and bring a full restoration. He wants to restore relationships between siblings, mothers and fathers, husbands and wives, aunts, uncles, cousins, prodigal sons and daughters, families, friendships, and all kinds of divine connections. He wants to reconcile relationships that were severed in past seasons. He wants to turn the hearts of the fathers back to the sons, and the sons to the fathers, as well as mothers to daughters, and daughters to mothers.
And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” Luke 1:17 NIV God is after hearts - because the miracle must first take place there. God wants to heal hearts with that healing balm of Gilead. He wants to unlock honest communication, bravery, forgiveness, and mercy that triumphs over judgment in the hearts of people so that the restoration can happen. Mercy triumphs over judgment. James 2:13 ESV After all, this is the heart of God! A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. John 13:34 NIV
Testimonies of Restoration
It's already happening. Since I started sharing this word, I have received several messages about how God is doing this right now. Someone shared with me that they started have dreams about people they haven't seen in years that they needed to forgive. And then they saw them in real life and restoration happened!
Others have told me that, after they chose to forgave someone in their heart, they ran into that person or received a call from them (after years of not seeing them!) I have been hearing about daughters and sons coming home and families being restored. God is doing a healing work. The balm of Gilead is flowing, and there is more than enough to go around.
Jesus Our Wounded Healer
But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes we are healed. Isaiah 53:5 NKJV As I wrote this word, I saw a picture of Jesus sitting across from me. He showed me the scars in his hands, and there was healing oil flowing from his hands. Where it looks like it may have been a gruesome sight, honey, oil is flowing. I saw him placing his hands so gently on people's heads and minds to restore them from trauma and memories of the past. I saw him renewing vision and erasing painful images. Can God heal the worst kind of pain? Jesus most certainly can. I see Jesus waiting by the phone, expecting a phone call for the one that has gone away. He is waiting, never leaving, waiting for the phone to ring, and suddenly the calls come in. The broken relationships being restored in a moment, even after years of distance and pain. "Just come home," He says, with relief and tears in his eyes. "Tell them their pain is My pain. My joy will be their joy. I will do a divine exchange in the places of the deepest pain. The balm flowing from my hands for healing, the balm flowing from my feet to help you move forward."
Complete Forgiveness & the prophetic meaning of 777
As God has been unfolding this word to me about Joseph, I started noticing the prophetic numbers 777 randomly throughout my day—on social media, license plates, addresses, and more.
I already knew that the meant perfection and completion as a theme throughout the Bible. One of my favorite examples is found in a conversation between Peter and Jesus.
Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered,“I tell you, not just seven times, but seventy-seven times! Matthew 18:21-22
Do you see how often the number 7 is referenced in this passage? 777. I believe God is speaking about full and perfect forgiveness.
If we want to see the miracle of reconciliation and restoration, we have to be ready to do our part to forgive and reconcile. Are you ready to forgive?
The good news is, Jesus led the way in demonstrating forgiveness. After all, he died while we were yet sinners—all for the sake of love. If we are truly his disciples, can we take the hard path and follow in his footsteps of forgiveness?
There IS a Balm in Gilead
Gilead was known for this balm, that's why the prophet Jeremiah later exclaims a rhetorical question in Jeremiah 8:22, “Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then is there no healing for the wound of my people? And because of their unbelief, he couldn't do any mighty miracles among them” (NIV). The good news is, there IS a balm in Gilead. The balm of healing, flowing from the wounded Healer, Jesus, is being poured out on this generation. Mighty miracles will follow as healing takes place. There is nothing too hard for God! As relationships, marriages, friendships, and families are restored, hearts will be made ready for revival. Are you ready? A prayer to pray: Dear Father, help me to forgive those who have wounded me, and as I do, bring total restoration into my heart and my life. I freely forgive because You have freely forgiven me.Thank you for the healing that you paid I high price for when you died on the cross. Lord, I receive you healing balm today. Thank you that as I do my part, you will always do yours, Lord. Thank you for sending miracles of restoration into my life.
P.S. Do you want to grow in your relationship with God and in hearing his voice in 2024? Join the waitlist for my next Prophetic School! Registration will open in a few weeks.
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About the Author
Mariel is a writer, speaker, and prophetic mentor. Her heart is to encourage this generation with right-now prophetic words that reignite hope during the waiting between a prophetic promise and its fulfillment. Through her ministry, the Embolden Co., she holds seasonal prophetic mentorships, training programs, and retreats to empower people around the world to develop their spiritual gifts and hear God for their lives—so they can bring revival to the nations. You can follow her on social media on Instagram @Mariel_Villarreal_ and Tiktok @Mariel.Villarreal and Facebook @TheEmboldenCompany to get more prophetic encouragement!
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Prophetic, prophetic words, Prophetic ministry, prophetic word of the year, prophetic gift, daily devotional, prophetic words 2023, prophetic message, prophetic word on Joseph, prophetic meaning of 777, prophetic numbers meaning, Joseph bible story devotional, prophetic word miracles of restoration
