Exodus 15:26 KJV
And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee.
Heart disease and cancer have become far more prevalent in the last hundred years than in biblical times, and it’s largely due to the society we live in. An abundance of junk or unhealthy food and sedentary lifestyles both contribute greatly to cancer and heart disease. In biblical times, people were much more active, and the foods they ate weren’t filled with preservatives and other junk that is commonplace today.
As anyone who watches TV knows, most of us would rather watch sports than play them, enjoy a good cooking show rather than cook in our own kitchen, and watch others play out a made-up lifestyle on TV than create a genuine one for ourselves. Truth be told, our present lifestyles are literally killing us.
The laws that God gave the Israelites addressed health and hygiene, which would have benefited them. They were to avoid fat, pork, shellfish, and other scavengers of the land and sea. (These were considered unhealthy and had to be avoided. Leviticus chapter 11 is very specific.) If you look in the Bible, their diets consisted mainly of fruits, nuts, vegetables, and whole grain breads.
We know today that this is by far the healthiest way to eat, especially when you combine it with physical exercise. When scientists studied the mummified bodies of ancient Egyptians, they discovered all kinds of diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, and cancer.
God was not trying to burden the lives of his people with a bunch of rules and regulations. Instead, He was giving them the optimum plan so they might not just have a life but a healthy one. Do you really need an archaeologist or your own doctor to tell you what you can see with your own eyes and what most people are likely experiencing? Certain diets and lifestyles lead to certain diseases. Why not consider the lifestyle God chose for you and watch the healing that He promised spring forth?
