Devotional Guide, Today’s Reading –Thursday June 6, 2019

Theme: MANAGING CHRONIC ILLNESSES

Text: “All the days wherein the plague shall be in him he shall be defiled; he is unclean: he shall dwell alone; without the camp shall his habitation be.” – Leviticus 13:46.

Comment: God instructed the sick, those with chronic infectious diseases,  to isolate themselves. (Numbers 5:2) Those who are sick simply stay home until they are not contagious, and their sickness doesn’t spread to others. See Numbers 19:3-22.

 For centuries doctors denied the possibility that disease could be transmitted by invisible agents. However, in the late 19th century Louis Pasteur demonstrated in his Germ Theory of Disease that most infectious diseases were caused by microorganisms originating from outside the body. Yet these core principles of sanitation were being practised by the Israelites thousands of years earlier.

The Med-Planet encyclopedia states that the instructions regarding quarantine to prevent the spread of infectious diseases stated in the Holy Bible were several thousand years ahead of its time. Infected persons were instructed to isolate themselves outside the camp until healed, and were to shave and wash thoroughly. The priests that administered care were instructed to change their clothes and wash thoroughly after inspecting a plague victim.

The devastating black plague of the 14th century that claimed millions of lives – one of every three Europeans! – was not broken until quarantine was introduced. The promising results in Vienna compelled other cities to follow suit, and the dreaded plague came to an end.. God Almighty states: “…If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, …for I am the LORD that healeth thee”. – Exodus 15:26.

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