None of These Diseases

I just finished None of These Diseases - The Bible's Health Secrets for the 21st Century by S.I. McMillen and David E Stern - borrowed on my Kindle from my pastor.

I love books that cause me to stand in awe of God and His Word.  This is one of those books.  The authors are both medical doctors who write from experience and research.  It begins with a look at history - cases where man either followed or didn't follow God's rules - and the results.  For example, in 1847, many many women were dying from "labor fever".  Doctors couldn't figure out why - there were various theories, but nothing they did could stop these women from dying.  Until one doctor (Semmelweis) decided to try washing hands in between performing autopsies and delivering babies.  The death rate of new mothers decreased.  He was actually scorned for this "crazy idea".

From the book:
"Semmelweis had made one of the most important discoveries in the history of medicine - isolating dead bodies from healthy people.  But this idea did not originate with Semmelweis.  Three thousand years earlier, God said to Moses, "Whoever touches any dead body will be off-limits for seven days" (Num. 19:11) Those declared "off-limits" had to take a shower of cleansing before they could reenter the community." (location 355)

It's amazing how brilliant and loving and kind God's Word is!  Even before humans had discovered germs, God knew (of course!) and gave instructions for those who followed Him. 

The authors also explain how God's rules to Moses were counter-cultural.  Take the Egyptians -

"During the embalming process, many people put their hands in the dead body.  The germs that killed the corpse covered their hands.  Then they went out and spread the germs to the market, to their friends, and even to their families.  No wonder the Egyptians were a people of epidemics." (location 362)

For Moses to follow God's laws, he had to turn from the culture he was brought up in, and by faith do what God said.  I know that God's people have always walked with Him by faith, and reading this was such a great example of believing God despite what the world around us says.  There was no "medical reason" to avoid a dead body (that they knew of at the time), yet God's people did this, and in doing so were spared from many diseases.

Some favorite quotes:

"Why does faith produce health?  Much of the benefit comes from the powerful chemical and hormonal changes that faith produces in our bodies...Your attitude of faith will invigorate your mind and energize your immune system.  Every cell in your body will be bathed in soothing chemicals.  Your white cells will scarf up invading bacteria..." (location 2870)

and

"Letting off steam" may be a great picture, but you and I aren't teapots.  Study after study has reached the same conclusion: Hashing and rehashing anger does not release anger; it rekindles it, reinforces it, and reaffirms it.  "When you allow a child to scream, kick, hit or smash objects...you are not reducing the child's anger.  You are increasing his aggressiveness.  You are teaching a cathartic habit." (Carol Tavris, Anger: The Misunderstood Emotion.)  The Bible says, "A fool ventilates anger, but a wise person stays in control" (Prov. 29:11).  God's Word - not Freud's - has stood the test of time."  (location 2963) 

There are many more examples in this book, some historic, some contemporary.  Bottom line: God's Word works!  He is so so good and kind to give us His Word.  He made the world...He knows how to best live in it.