Diseases in the Bible
A lot of people are asking "Is Corona God's judgement?"In order to answer this question properly, we need to look at disease and pestilence in the Bible.
The foundation of our framework is the recognition that we live in a broken world because of the rebellion of humanity through Adam and Eve. When God unpacks the consequences of their sin in Genesis 3, He tells Eve that childbirth will be difficult and He warns Adam that the ground will not easily yield crops. This is the broken world. And in a broken world broken things happen.Now let's look at plague and pestilence in Scripture.
- It's normal in the "handbook": Leviticus was the handbook for holy living in daily life. Leviticus has all sorts of procedures for handling mildew and infectious skin diseases. When you read them you see testing, quarantining and physical distancing. Additionally, scientists have recognised that many of the "unclean animals" listed on the "Do Not Eat list" do, in fact, have more harmful organisms and dangers. (And yes, bat is on the unclean list!) This practical list of management mechanisms and do's and don'ts helps us realise that they dealt with diseases and had measures to put in place when diseases came prowling. Disease was a normal part of their life and world.
- Some Plagues were seen as the judgement of God: Whether it's the ten plagues or the pestilence when David conducted a faithless census, the important thing to realise is that there is almost always a clearly defined causal event. A plague-as-punishment doesn't come about because of general brokenness.
- Plague can come around and wake us up. This is demonstrated in Solomon's temple dedication prayer where he urges Israel to "wake up" when (not "if") pestilence comes.
- There are examples of and promises for healing. Naaman was healed of leprosy and Israelites from disease. There are promises for healing of pestilence and even some passages that may sound like absolute guarantees of protection and healing (Ps 91 comes to mind and we'll look at it in detail tomorrow.)
- In the New Testament we see Jesus powerfully healing people from leprosy, blindness and other illnesses but we also recognise that, even when the Jesus the Son of God was here, not everyone in Israel was healed. We also see Paul suffering from a nasty recurring disease, his "thorn in the flesh" that God didn't take away.
- Sword, Famine and Plague are the "unholy trinity" used very frequently in Jeremiah and Ezekiel and remind us that life in this world is both broken and temporary.
- At one level plague is a regular part of life and should be managed with practical measures like hygiene and quarantine.
- For plague to be a judgement, there should be absolute clarity as to what sin the plague has come to judge.
- God can use the brokenness of the world to "wake us up." This should lead us to prayer, repentance and revival.
- While God can and does heal and protect, we should trust in Him as our God and not claim or demand healing.
- We're all going to die whether by sword, famine or plague. The only way into eternity is through the door of death. We were not made for this world and we should not cling to it too much.
Our passage for today captures this beautifully and what I love about it is that it has both corporate and individual nuances of remorse, repentance and renewal.
| "When famine or plague comes to the land, or blight or mildew, locusts or grasshoppers, or when an enemy besieges them in any of their cities, whatever disaster or disease may come, 38 and when a prayer or plea is made by any of your people Israel--each one aware of the afflictions of his own heart, and spreading out his hands toward this temple-- 39 then hear from heaven, your dwelling place. Forgive and act; deal with each man according to all he does, since you know his heart (for you alone know the hearts of all men), 40 so that they will fear you all the time they live in the land you gave our fathers. (1Kings8:37-40) |
