The promise to ancient Israel was, "If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God. . . I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee." Ex. 15:26. While this promise was given to God's people anciently, it applies with equal force to His people for all time. The Egyptians undoubtedly suffered from the diseases that afflict civilized nations today, and no doubt they were as prevalent then as they are now. The promise of freedom from these diseases was conditional. Those who obeyed God's commandments and statutes had protection. Those who failed to obey were dealt with as were the Egyptians, regardless of what their profession may have been.
It is of interest to note some of the statutes which the Lord had given to afford protection from the diseases and curses which prevailed in Egypt. Leviticus 13 and 14 are devoted entirely to instruction regarding the course to be pursued should some contagious or infectious disease appear. The command was, "Without the camp shall his habitation be." Thus contact with the disease and the spread of it could be prevented. If mold, or a growth of germs, was observed upon the walls of a home, the house was to be emptied and shut up for seven days. After the end of seven days, it was to be inspected, and if the mold still existed, the walls were to he scraped and the place replastered. After this had been done, if the plague again made its appearance, the house was to be torn down and removed. It was unsafe to be inhabited. In this way protection was afforded from diseases which prevailed. These statutes and principles were to be made known to the Canaanites as the people of God entered their land. Moses said unto them:
"Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the Lord my God commanded me, that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it. Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people. For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon Him for? And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day? Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life : but teach them thy sons, and thy sons' sons." Deut. 4 :5-9.
In addition to observing these wise regulations as a means of protection from communicable diseases, God's people were to be separated from the habits of the Egyptians—habits which lowered the vitality of the body tissues, and thus prepared the soil for the seeds of disease. They were admonished not to walk in the way of the nations about them. The Lord gave them statutes of health which would enable them to build up the barriers of defense against such diseases. Disease germs must have soil in order to grow. They do not thrive upon healthy tissue. The vital resistance of the body tissues has to be undermined in order to make germ diseases possible. Thus it was possible for the people to live in the midst of epidemics, and claim protection from them.
In civilized countries we have had some very destructive epidemics in the past—epidemics which at times almost depopulated entire cities. Yet in the midst of these epidemics were those who were not stricken down with them. This was no chance occurrence. The vital resistance of these people was such that germs found no suitable soil upon which to develop. There still exist diseases which are very much dreaded—pneumonia for example. Pneumonia has been termed "the old man's friend." It usually carries away those whose vitality is low because of age, or those in middle life who are apparently strong and robust, but whose tissues are laden with impurities.
The time was, on the island of Cuba, when yellow fever carried off the great majority of the people. The disease had been endemic for centuries. The people came to regard it as an affliction of providence over which they had no control. They were reconciled to the inevitable. After American possession, the causes were discovered. Sanitary conditions were improved. Mosquitoes, which afforded a medium for conveying the germs, were eliminated, and the disease practically disappeared. In the city of Havana not a single death has occurred from yellow fever since, whereas formerly 15,000 deaths occurred every year. The people had perished for lack of knowledge.
Not very many years ago tuberculosis was regarded in America very much as the Cubans regarded yellow fever. Whole families were wiped out. It was regarded as an affliction of providence. Yet the disease is as preventable as was yellow fever in Cuba. The people perished because those who were afflicted with the disease were not required to be sepaiated from their friends. They ate with them and slept with them. In this way the germs of disease were communicated from one to the other. The germ of consumption is just as fatal as is the germ of yellow fever. With increased knowledge as to how this disease is communicated, it is disappearing. We have merely been carrying out the instruction given to ancient Israel—"without the camp shall his habitation be"—and by proper diet and open-air life, have built up the vitality of the body tissues.
Typhoid fever less than half a century ago was fatal in our large cities, appearing each year in epidemic form. We now know that the disease is preventable. Someone has said, "Whenever there is a death from typhoid fever, someone ought to be hanged." When a death occurs from typhoid fever, someone is responsible for it. Pasteurization of milk was instituted, and other sanitary measures were employed. The back streets were looked after. Garbage was taken care of. What has been the result of all this? In 1937 there were nineteen cities in the United States with a population of over 100,000 which had not one death from typhoid fever. This is a marvelous accomplishment. We have discovered how germs of typhoid are communicated, and we have protected the people from the germs which produce the disease. Doctors in some of our large cities who have been in practice for five years have never seen a case of typhoid fever.
In addition to observing these sanitary measures, and thus preventing the spread of germs, attention should be given to personal habits. Wrong habits lower the vitality of the tissue, and prepare the tissue soil for disease. When the children of Israel were taken from Egypt, with the promise that they would be kept free from the diseases that prevailed, they were also instructed to exercise care in the selection of food. They were not to follow the habits of eating which prevailed in Egypt. Instead of meat and fish, which they ate freely, food prepared by angel hands was provided for them. In order to fulfill to them His promises, God had to correct their physical habits. The promise to the people then, and for all time, was based upon obeying the laws of health. Only to those who obey is the promise given, "There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For He shall give His angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways." Ps. 91:9-I1.
Having accomplished much in lessening the prevalence of tuberculosis, pneumonia, and typhoid fever, we felt quite secure until a few years ago when a new epidemic occurred, which was most fatal. I refer to influenza. The germ which is responsible for this disease has not even been discovered yet. In fact, we do not know definitely just how the disease is communicated. It seemed to have been as prevalent in the hill country, where there was no contact with civilization, as in cities, where contact could not well be avoided. We are still fighting an enemy in ambush. We do not know when this disease may again make its appearance, or some other disease even more deadly may appear. We have no right to expect protection unless we are conscious that we have kept our body tissue unfavorable for the development of germs of disease. The time predicted is coming when "a thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand," but the promise is, "It shall not come nigh thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked." Ps. 91 :7, 8.
It is more important to have clean tissues than it is to have clean back yards and clean streets. The promise to the children of Israel of freedom from the diseases which prevailed in Egypt was based not merely upon the statutes which prevented the spread of the germs of disease, but upon the correction of their physical habits. The people were given food different from that which they had while in Egypt, and water out of the rock to quench their thirst.% The Lord said:
"Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto Myself. Now, therefore, if ye will obey My voice indeed, and keep My covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto Me above all people: for all the earth is Mine: and ye shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel. And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the Lord commanded him. And all the people answered together, and said, All that the Lord hath spoken we will do." Ex. 19 :4-8.
When God, in order to fulfill to them His promise of freedom from disease, undertook to correct their habits of eating, "the mixed multitude that was among them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat? . . . There is nothing at all, besides this manna, before our eyes." Num. 11:4-6. The Lord granted them their desire, but "while the flesh was yet between their teeth, . . . the Lord smote the people with a very great plague." Num. 11:33.
"With many of then, God was not well pleased : for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. . . . Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." 1 Cor.10:5-12.
"So they did eat, and were well filled: for He gave them their own desire; they were not estranged from their lust. But while their meat was yet in their mouths, the wrath of God came upon them, and slew the fattest of them, and smote down the chosen men of Israel." Ps. 78:29-31.
They did not merely invite disease and death, but spiritual growth was made impossible. Psalms 106:15 reads: "He gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul."
What we eat and what we drink has very much to do with the experience of the soul and what we are spiritually. Our prayer should ever be "Feed me with food convenient for me: lest I be full, and deny thee." And when invited to eat with sinners, it would be appropriate to offer the prayer: "Set a watch, 0 Lord, before my mouth; . . and let me not ..cat of their dainties." Ps. 141:3, 4. God is no respecter of persons. Profession, or even prayer of itself, affords no protection from disease. Prayer for health, physical or spiritual, is not designed to persuade God to ignore His laws, but to bring us into harmony with them. The promise of Exodus 15:26 still remains true, that if we diligently hearken to the voice of God, He will protect us from all disease.