Book Review: "Miraculous Healing" by Henry Frost

Of "Miraculous Healing" by Henry Frost, Martyn Lloyd Jones wrote, "This is easily and incomparably the best book I have ever read on this subject." Having read that quote by such a trustworthy pastor-scholar as Lloyd Jones, I was interested in reading this book.

Frost attempts to analyze and discuss the topic of miraculous healing as objectively, and almost, as scientifically as possible. He begins by sharing five instances from his own life in which he or a friend of his was miraculously healed. He then shares five, very similar situations from his own life in which he or a friend of his was not miraculously healed. He then discusses the similarities and differences between the details of those situations. For instance, he notes that in all ten cases, medical means were not rejected; however, in several of those situations, healings happened in spite of medical treatment, not in light of medical treatment. Frost also notes that in the majority of his cases, people did not call for the elders of the church to pray over them; that the sick people all asked for healing with a spirit of submission to God's will, rather than a spirit of demanding God to heal them; that all the sick patients sought God's healing with faith in his healing power...etc.

The strongest point this book makes about miraculous healing is that it is all subject to the sovereignty of our loving, heavenly Father. God tells us to pray to Him, because it is good and right, and we know that the prayers of the righteous person are powerful and effective; that, however, does not guarantee healing. Should a miraculous healing not take place, we ought not beat ourselves over the head, blaming ourselves for not having demonstrated sufficient faith in God. That being said, we ought to follow the appropriate steps given in Scripture for seeking healing, such as confessing unconfessed sin, etc. We ought to pray during suffering for the healing we desire, while submitting that to the will of our all-wise, all-gracious, all-loving heavenly father. Many times, God will not provide a miraculous healing for reasons that only he knows. Other times, God will provide miraculous healing. In either case, his holy character does not change.

While I personally disagreed with a few of Frost's theological positions, I would commend this book to someone interested in a brief overview of the topic. The book was definitely dry at times, and I would be interested to look into other books on this topic from a reformed position.