How are you?

When two people meet, this is the first question that is always asked – ‘how are you?’
The God who created the man is asking the same question – ‘how are you?’ The Holy Bible says: “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.” (3 John 2).

Physical, mental illness and tension are contributions of the modern world. These are not presents of God. Today, hospitals are overflowing with patients. The situation in prisons is no different. The number of people dying from diseases like cancer, heart disease and AIDS is increasing. Similarly, the number of people suffering from blood pressure, diabetes and cholesterol is also increasing. The number of people dying due to lack of food is less today. The number of people who die from diseases due to eating too much wrong food is more. Surely God does not want His most beloved creature, man, to become sick. At the same time, he wants to give relief to those who are suffering from the disease.

God wanted eternal life for man when he created Adam. He could have been satisfied eating natural food and fruit from the tree of life. Never would have had to work hard. If he had not moved away from God and had not sinned, his tooth would not have fallen out. His hair would not have turned grey and his eyes would not have lost it’s sparkle. There would have been no difference in the rhythm of the heart. Man would have been blessed with abundant life forever. Before Adam had sinned, God had said: “but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die” (Genesis 2:17).

Death entered the world when Adam sinned and fell away from God. Then on, it can be seen that lifespan decreased with each generation. The first ten generations after Adam lived an average of 858 years. Man during these ten generations had multiplied and filled the earth. It might have been to fill the earth that God gave these early generations such a long lifespan. It can be seen that those who live in search of Godly righteousness may get longer life based on God’s plan. At the same time, youngsters lose life due to accidents and ill health.

	Name	Age at the birth of next generation (years)	Lifespan (years)
1.	Adam	130	930
2.	Seth	105	912
3.	Enosh	90	905
4.	Canaan	70	910
5.	Mahalael	65	895
6.	Jared	162	962
7.	Enoch	65	365
8.	Methuselah	187	969
9.	Lamech	182	777
10.	Noah	500	950
11.	Shem	100	600

Methuselah, who lived 969 years, was the oldest person recorded in the Bible. In Noah’s day, the earth was sinful. Later, only eight members of Noah’s family survived the great flood created by God. God not only destroyed others, but also shortened man’s life span. After the time of Noah, the human lifespan decreased again. While Shem, the first generation after Noah lived for 600 years, Arpashad in the second generation lived for 438 years. Saleh of the third generation lived 433 years and Eber of the fourth generation lived 464 years. The average age of this fourth generation was 484 years. On closer examination, it can be seen that the average age of the first ten generations was 858 and for the fourth generation after the flood, the average lifespan had halved. Again, after ten generations by the time of Abraham, the lifespan reduced to 175 years. Decreasing further, by the time of Moses, the sixteenth generation, the age was 120 years. This means that the human lifespan had become 120 years and even lesser like today, which was fixed by God three thousand years ago. The psalmist says: ” The days of our lives are seventy years; And if by reason of strength they are eighty years” (Psalm 90:10). Today, the life expectancy is lower than this in many poor countries.

The Holy Bible says that diseases have no place in human life if we know God and live according to God.

“If you diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord who heals you.”.

(Exodus 15:26)

On another occasion God promised that if they serve him completely, he would bless them with good health : “So you shall serve the Lord your God, and He will bless your bread and your water. And I will take sickness away from the midst of you. No one shall suffer miscarriage or be barren in your land; I will fulfill the number of your days.” (Exodus 23:25, 26).