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Obeisance to the Great physician – The Physician of Gilead

Leave a Comment / Healing, Health / Sebastian Neduveli

Gilead is a beautiful place in Israel that stretches from the southern end of the Sea of Galilee to the northern end of the Dead Sea and from the eastern Jordan to the desert. A mountainous country east of the Jordan river. Abundant rains in winter; a lot of snow in summer! Gilead is adorned with many cascading streams. The sky-high palm, trees like cedar, fig, jaggery, oak, teak, ashoka and pine create a cool woodland atmosphere. Lush vineyards perfect for any wine; The perfumed oil of Gilead was famous. The plateau here is used for cattle rearing and pulse cultivation. In short, Gilead is a place of peace for mind and body. In the Old Testament in the Song of Songs, the beloved says to his beloved girl: “How beautiful you are, my darling! … Your hair is like a flock of goats descending from the hills of Gilead..” “The harvest is past,The summer is ended,And we are not saved!”For the hurt of the daughter of my people I am hurt.I am mourning;Astonishment has taken hold of me.Is there no balm in Gilead,Is there no physician there?Why then is there no recoveryFor the health of the daughter of my people? Jeremiah 8:20-22 This is a very touching scripture in the book of Jeremiah. The medicinal ointment of Gilead was used to cure many diseases. The prophet is asking why the people of Israel could not get rid of their ‘disease’ even though there was a medicinal ointment in their own country. The New Testament (Covenant) points to the physician who came to heal the disease. The New Testament biographers present Jesus as a wonderful person who walked along the shores of Galilee, discipled fishermen on the seashore, and ate with “tax collectors and sinners”. We get the biography of Jesus through the four gospels of the New Testament. One of the four gospel writers is a young doctor! Luke is the only non-Jewish writer in the New Testament who did not see Jesus’ healing ministry as a mere miracle. Luke portrayed the doctor in Jesus as the healer. In the first Gospel, Matthew wrote: ‘And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people. Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them. Great multitudes followed Him—from Galilee, and from Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan.’ (Matt. 4:23-25). If we examine the works of Jesus, we can see that he was providing four types of healing: physical, mental, financial and spiritual. Jesus did not send away any sick person. He often sought patients. The very words of the ‘Physician of Gilead’ were the balm that healed the sick. This healing continued from the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry to the end. Healing was part of the preaching of God’s Word. Jesus highlighted God’s love for man through healing. He was able to bring people who were afflicted with diseased bodies and minds closer to God through healing. No reward was taken for it. Jesus made the dumb speak. The ears of the deaf were opened. The retina of the blind man’s eyes was healed. He gave wisdom to the unsteady. The legs of the paralytic were strengthened. The leper’s skin and body were restored to normal. The crippled woman got up and walked away. The bleeding woman stopped bleeding. He healed the epileptic and raised the dead. It did not require a syringe or a stethoscope. No other person has ever lived in the world who knew and touched the human body and mind so much. “When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick” Matthew 8:16 Exorcism was part of Jesus’ ministry along with healing. The epileptic healed by Jesus (Luke 9:37-43) was demon-possessed. The Gospels have recorded the release and healing of the demoniac who lived in the graves of Gadarenes and walked naked. The healing of the demon-possessed in Capernaum is also highlighted. Besides these, many exorcisms are recorded as having taken place with healings, without being recorded as a separate subject. Jesus is still the most trusted doctor in the world. Desperate patients who were judged by the doctors to not be saved are healed through Jesus.

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God’s health instructions

God has given clear instructions for a healthy life. We can find those through the Bible. God does not allow us to eat whatever is found in nature. Even ‘snake and worms’ are now human edible items. But, God created man as a herbivore. Let’s look at what God said to Adam and Eve: “See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food. Also, to every beast of the earth, to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food”. (Genesis 1:29, 30). In this way, it can be seen that God’s creation man started his life as a herbivore. All parts of the human body were created as for a herbivore. Carnivorous animals have sharp teeth and claws that are suitable for biting and eating meat. But humans have flat ‘molars’ that can chew plant food. Animal intestines also have speciality. Carnivores have a gut that is only three times the length of the body to quickly expel toxic substance. Meanwhile, humans have intestine that is twelve times the size of their body. The digestive juices of carnivores animals contain hydrochloric acid that can quickly digest meat. In comparison, the human digestive juice has only 1/20 intensity. It is clear that God created man as a herbivore. So give importance to plant diet; avoid meat as much as possible. But, we must remember that God has allowed man to eat meat. It is note worthy what God commanded Noah and his sons after the flood. “Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. I have given you all things, even as the green herbs. But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood.” (Genesis 9:3,4). For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him. Romans 14:2,3 It is written by Apostle Paul:“For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.” (1 Timothy 4:4,5). Cleanliness: God gives great importance not only to the choice of food, but also to cleanliness. During the time when the people of Israel lived in the camp, God specifically insisted that they should live cleanly without impurity. Not only the sick person, but even the one who touched the dead body was quarantined from the camp (Numbers 5:1-4). Special instructions were also given regarding leprosy and infectious diseases (Leviticus 13:1-59). The Bible was written in a time when there was no refrigerator. Do not eat unclean meat. It is written to burn meat that is three days old (Leviticus 7:17). In the absence of latrines like today, it has been instruced that when going to defecate, one should carry a iron rod and use it to make a hole and cover it with soil. God has given many more laws of purification. There were many more rules related to cleaniness given by God. Everything must be followed. Moral Laws Must Be Followed: The Bible points out that moral rules must be followed for better health. Do not commit adultery is one of the most important laws in the Ten Commandments. Adultery questions God’s stewardship of the male and female body. This is an action that calls forth the severest punishment from God. It has already been proven by science that syphilis, gonorrhea, AIDS etc. can occur as a result of this. Along with that, the laws of purification in sex are also mentioned in the Bible. Rest is required: God has required us to work and earn our living. But, we must remember that work and rest are two sides of the same coin. A happy, healthy life requires rest. God commanded: “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labour and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates.” (Exodus 20:8-10). Relaxation is also essential for mental health. The seventh day is the Sabbath day; a day to worship God. By worshiping God on that day, one can achieve better spiritual, physical and material life. …And there was none feeble among His tribes. Psalm 105:37