Trust in God: What the Bible Says about Diseases and Epidemics
Punishments for debauchery
The Old Testament describes a massive epidemic that struck the Israelites for their fornication with the daughters of Moab and the worship of Baal-peor (Num. 25:1-9).
When Moses led the Israelites to the Promised Land, this caused fear and fear on the part of the pagan nations: the Midianites (descendants of Lot, Abraham's nephew) and the Moabites (descendants of Abraham from his third wife Keturah). Not relying on the physical strength of his warriors, the Moabite king Balak decided to enlist the support of the soothsayer Balaam (so that he would curse the Israelites).
At that time, the Jews did not intend to attack their pagan neighbors, since they considered them their distant relatives (through the line of their common forefather Abraham). However, the peace between both sides was broken due to the machinations of Balaam himself: he gave friendly advice to Balak - to corrupt Israelite men with the help of women, so that the God of Israel would turn away from the chosen people. Acting according to this plan, the cunning Midianite and Moabite women invited gullible Jews to their religious holidays, where they engaged in idolatry and adultery.
“And Israel dwelt in Shittim, and the people began to commit fornication with the daughters of Moab, and they invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate [their sacrifices] and worshiped their gods” (Num. 25:1-2).
Turning away from the true God, the Israelites began to worship Baal, a pagan deity installed on Mount Peor (northeast of the Dead Sea). This dangerous cult was distinguished by the most dirty voluptuousness and debauchery. Because of their descent into paganism, God's people were subject to widespread illness and death.
Finding themselves in a dangerous and difficult situation, representatives of the Israeli society, along with Moses, wept at the entrance of the tabernacle - a camp temple that served for making sacrifices and storing the Ark of the Covenant. Despite universal prayers and weeping, the Jew Zimri (chief of the tribe of Simeon), in front of the people, brought the Midianite Hazba (daughter of the leader of the pagan tribe) into his tent. The priest Phinehas spoke out against such brazen debauchery: he took a spear, went into the bedroom and killed the new lovers with his own hands. After this, the All-Merciful God stopped striking the children of Israel.
“And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: Phinehas the son of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest turned away my wrath from the children of Israel, being jealous of me among them, and I did not destroy the children of Israel in my jealousy. Therefore say: Behold, I give him My covenant of peace, and it will be to him and to his descendants after him as a covenant of an everlasting priesthood, because he showed zeal for his God and stood up for the children of Israel” (Num. 25:10-13).
After the death of his father, the high priest Eleazar, Saint Phinehas was chosen in his place. He died at a very old age (about 1500 BC).
"My wounds are from my madness"
The Old Testament mentions dozens of different diseases, the exact meaning of which is not always determined from a medical point of view. For example, the 28th chapter of Deuteronomy says that if God's commandments are violated, Israel faces all sorts of punishments: from pestilence to leprosy. All illnesses are seen as direct results of the Fall and apostasy from God.
As biblical history shows, the Lord sends illness to a person or even to an entire nation as retribution for sins. Thus, the Jewish woman Miriam is punished with leprosy for slandering Moses (Num. 12:1-14).
Diseases, along with other types of punishment, serve as a manifestation of the wrath of God. Several times in various books of the Old Testament the words “sword”, “plague” and “famine” are found (Jer. 14:12; Ezek. 6:11, etc.). The main goal is to put a limit to lawlessness and at the same time incite a person or an entire people to heartfelt repentance (after which diseases and epidemics stop).
Many psalms are dedicated to prayers for healing and calls for help. Trust in God’s mercy is accompanied by recognition and confession of one’s sins: “There is no whole place in my flesh from Your wrath, there is no health in my bones from my sins, for my iniquities have surpassed my head, like a heavy burden they have weighed me down, my wounds stink and fester. from my madness" (Ps. 37:4-6).
“No healing - no health, and in such a way that you can’t even think of a cure. The word of the prophet Isaiah is similar: from head to toe there is no integrity. Strength, organs, juices - everything is damaged, is not in proper form - in accordance with the previous one: the arrows passed right through and upset; the hand reached down and erased. In the flesh or in the body only, which has compassion for the soul, or rather, in the whole being: both soul and body hurt. The reason is the wrath of God: indignation for insulting Him,” explains St. Theophan the Recluse.
Only the Merciful Lord, Who does not desire the death of the sinner, provides healing, which is one of the constant manifestations of Almighty God.
“Honor the doctor with honor”
To heal the sick, the Old Testament prophets not only prayed, but also resorted to medical means. This is stated in the 4th Book of Kings: when King Hezekiah fell mortally ill, the prophet Isaiah came to him and advised him to make a will for his relatives. After the king’s intense and tearful prayer, God announced that he would heal him and add another 15 years to his life. “And Isaiah said, Take a layer of figs. And they took it and applied it to the boil; and he recovered” (2 Kings 20:7).
The Book of Wisdom of Jesus, son of Sirach describes special praise for the medical profession: “Honor the doctor according to the need for him, for the Lord created him, and healing comes from the Most High, and he receives the gift from the king. The doctor's knowledge will raise his head, and he will be held in high esteem among nobles. The Lord created medicines from the earth, and a prudent person will not neglect them... For this purpose He gave people knowledge, so that they would glorify Him in His wonderful deeds: with them He heals a person and destroys his illness. The one who prepares medicines makes a mixture from them, and his work does not end, and through him good comes on the face of the earth. My son, do not be careless in your illness, but pray to the Lord, and He will heal you... And give place to the doctor, for the Lord created him too, and let him not be far from you, for he is needed” (Sir. 38:1- 12).
Quarantine due to leprosy
The rules for diagnosing skin diseases are described in chapters 13 and 14 of the Book of Leviticus. In those days, the Jewish priests were the guardians of public hygiene. Their duties included examining the patient, who was prescribed the 7th quarantine if leprosy (leprosy) was detected. After re-examination, the infected person could be isolated for another week (after which he could be declared cured). In such cases, the priest performed cleansing rites, and the patient himself and his relatives had to offer prayers and fast so that God would send down healing.
The ritual prescribed by Judaism for someone cured of leprosy was performed in several stages and completely excluded magical spells (unlike pagan priests). On the first day, the ritual was performed by a priest outside the settlement from which the leper had been removed. In case of successful recovery, one had to shave off all the hair, bathe and wash one’s clothes. And only then were they allowed to return to the settlement. However, even after receiving healing from leprosy, the person could not immediately enter his home. Only on the seventh day (after shaving, bathing and washing again) was he allowed to return home. On the eighth day he had to make a sacrifice and thereby fulfill the established ritual.
And only after fulfilling all the rules was it believed that the healed person was able to restore his ritual purity and become physically pure before God (Lev. 14:11-31). Therefore, during the final ritual, the former patient performed sacrifices to cleanse the entire environment from the filth brought by his illness. He made a sacrifice in atonement, perhaps, for the desecration of the shrine he had once committed (if leprosy was a punishment for sin). Certain parts of the recovered body were anointed with sacrificial blood and oil. Thus, he was given access to the temple sanctuary.
Healing from leprosy is also mentioned in the New Testament. Thus, Christ, having healed ten lepers, sent them to the priest for ritual cleansing (Luke 17:14).
- Since, according to the Law, the people around Him were not allowed to have contact with lepers, the Lord, in order to lead them to faith by teaching and miracles, without demanding anything from them, shows them mercy and cleanses them from leprosy, so that, with the removal of obstacles to their living together, they would have the opportunity to be with people... Because just as for our sake, keeping the Law, the Lord of the Law did not call the lepers to Himself, and did not even allow them to approach Him, so after He bowed down to their lamentable cries, granting them healing, He sends them to the priests, again acting as required by the Law, explains St. Gregory Palamas.
Based on biblical analysis, important points can be highlighted: illnesses are manifestations of the corruptible nature of fallen humanity, punishments for sins, calls to repentance, atoning sacrifices and tests of fidelity.
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AIDS is not God's punishment for the sin of homosexuality
Let's digress a little. Some people have publicly stated that AIDS is God's punishment for homosexuality. This is wrong for many reasons. This is simply an outrageous statement. First of all, it is an assumption that God has a certain disease for a certain sin. This is a very presumptuous assumption. Who even has the right to say such things? Second, it suggests that homosexuality is somehow worse than promiscuity or any other sexual sin. Where did this idea even come from? Third, most people with AIDS are not homosexuals. So this is an extremely erroneous statement.
"Technological" diagnosis
The most important basis for personalized medicine is molecular diagnostics
. She does not reject classical methods of diagnosis, such as taking an anamnesis, examining the patient, and clinical examination, but the main emphasis is on high-tech analysis of biological macromolecules (DNA, RNA and proteins).
Several aspects of molecular diagnostics can be distinguished as applied to personalized medicine: early detection of disease; selection of adequate treatment with a safe and effective drug; integration of diagnostics and therapy; monitoring treatment and determining prognosis.
Molecular diagnostics are widely used for genetic testing, as well as in genetic screening of large populations. For example, mass genetic testing of newborns is already being carried out in maternity hospitals to identify hereditary diseases. A classic example of such diseases is phenylketonuria, which in our country affects one child out of 8-10 thousand. Children with phenylketonuria develop mental retardation in the future, but if the diagnosis is made in a timely manner, then to prevent the development of pathology it will be enough to exclude from the child’s diet foods containing amino acid phenylalanine.
Molecular diagnostic methods are based on the use of biomarkers
– identified through special studies of certain biological molecules that indicate a particular state of the body’s systems and tissues.
Biomarkers also include regions of genes responsible for a particular trait of the body, for example, a predisposition to a certain disease. And in this sense, today the most important technologies in application to personalized medicine are genotyping of polymorphism
(variability) of genes by single nucleotides, as well as
biological microchips
, with the help of which extended nucleotide fragments of DNA and RNA can be detected in a clinical sample.
Biochips are miniature devices designed to simultaneously record many interactions between different molecules. This technology is based on the complementarity of molecules, i.e. the ability to communicate according to the “lock-and-key” principle. A set of so-called molecular probes are fixed in a strict order on the biochip plate, which selectively react with certain sections of target molecules from a clinical sample taken from a patient.
Biochip technology has immeasurably expanded the diagnostic capabilities of personalized medicine: on its basis, it is possible to create portable devices for molecular diagnostics, while one biochip can simultaneously carry many different probes for various target molecules. This technology also makes it possible to significantly speed up the development of new “personalized” medicines.
Treating illnesses does not mean going against the will of God
Let's get back to your question. God gave man freedom of choice and intellectual abilities. God doesn't mind us talking on the phone and flying on airplanes. Why should He be against us inventing drugs and antibiotics? Show me one passage from the Bible that says that treating a sick person or putting a splint on a fracture is going against the will of God? In fact, Jesus healed many people, thereby showing His compassion for them. We as Christians must do the same. We will certainly not violate God's will if we use medical science to help suffering people.
What did the righteous Porfiry Kavsokalivit say?
Statistics say that many enlightened people suffer from serious illnesses, and those who do not even try to observe moral principles are always healthy and live long. The Athonite elders pondered why illnesses are sent to people. Thus, Saint Porfiry Kavsokalivit argued that the health of every person is like a sea wave. After all, it goes away and then comes. And therefore, apparently, it serves the pedagogical purposes of the Almighty, which are hidden from the person himself.
God wants to bless man
God wants to bless us, but the existence of diseases does not contradict this. The blessings in this life are spiritual and emotional rather than physical. In any case, God did not intend for our lives in our earthly bodies to continue forever. So if one of us dies due to an accident or some disease, it will not violate the will of God. But this does not prove that God does not want to bless us. I have been very blessed by God. I could write a lot about the blessings God has given me in my life. Despite this, I have been sick many times and someday I will die from one of the diseases. Unless some sudden death catches me first.
