Firstly, great emphasis is given that the contents of this series are intended to give Biblical information and insights on some of its contents. They are not intended to scare or offend anyone. It is one’s prerogative to read and never be shoved into one’s throat.
This piece is a simple sharing of bible passages. It doesn’t endorse any specific faith, religion, denomination, system of beliefs or theology aside from those in the bible.
It is in the “exercise and enjoyment of religious profession and worship, without discrimination or preference” as provided by The Philippine Constitution that this article was made.
If you find them scary, intimidating or offensive, please feel free to take them with a grain of salt and regard them like a badly written movie script.
The bible is not a medicine book
This series would like to give proofs that don’t rely on bible contents to prove the book’s veracity and that it is not outdated. There are medical facts mentioned in the bible way before they were proven to be such.
Before going to the medicine facts, the bible made clear what kind of book is it. It is intended for those who want eternal life. It is not a medicine, science, logic or history book. Many tend to forget this.
“You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.” John 5:39-40, New King James Version
So, this piece is not to be used as a medical reference. This piece is made to point out that the bible is truthfully giving accurate and true information, even in the field of medicine.
There are some instances where the bible gave very specific instructions that had medical/health relation without giving the reason/s why.
Modern medicine unlocked the reasons why and confirmed the writers of the bible indeed knew they are writing about.
The bible’s calling card for medical topics
Leviticus 17:6 is likely the “calling card” of the bible for this topic because it shows an action that was clearly intended for worship purposes but is also undeniably medically sound.
This verse showed God demanding the offered animal’s fat and blood as his share.
6“And the priest shall sprinkle the blood on the altar of the Lord at the door of the tabernacle of meeting, and burn the fat for a sweet aroma to the Lord”, Leviticus 17:6, NKJV
Here are more clear-cut instructions from God Himself on blood and fat on them being not eaten:
17‘This shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all your dwellings: you shall eat neither fat nor blood.’ ” Leviticus 3:17, NKJV
22And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 23“Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘You shall not eat any fat, of ox or sheep or goat. 24And the fat of an animal that dies naturally, and the fat of what is torn by wild beasts, may be used in any other way; but you shall by no means eat it. 25For whoever eats the fat of the animal of which men offer an offering made by fire to the Lord, the person who eats it shall be cut off from his people. Leviticus 7:22-25, NKJV
There is clear indication that blood and fat are prohibited to be eaten.
Modern medicine confirms why eating blood and fat are bad ideas.
It is pointed out, however, that confirmatory knowledge on blood being a medium to transfer diseases and that fat may have a sweet aroma but is generally an unhealthy food didn’t come until hundreds of years after Moses wrote Leviticus.
God takes away blood and fat from being eaten by his people, science confirms both are unhealthy foods
While God’s demands in Leviticus 17:6 are made for worship and sacrifice purposes, they also make perfect sense in a medical way.
Medical wisdom today revealed pretty good reasons why eating animal blood and fat are undesirable and unhealthy.
The Singapore Food Agency declared “Animal blood food products, such as pig’s blood, are prohibited in Singapore as blood can easily support the growth of bacteria and harbour diseases.” in a press release
It also said “Unhygienic harvesting of blood can also result in the introduction of food borne pathogens into blood food products.”
Livescience.com says blood is a possible transmitter of diseases and toxins.
According to the website, in very small amounts (say, a few teaspoons), and if the blood is free from pathogens, blood is likely harmless. Beyond that is another thing.
It also says the strange fact is, blood, when drank, is toxic. When confined to places where blood is supposed to be, such as the heart, vessels, and so on, it is essential for life. But when ingested it’s a very different story.
Of course all toxins have doses, and just as a tiny bit of poison won’t necessarily harm you, the more you eat or drink, the greater the danger.
Because blood is so rich in iron, and because the body has difficulty excreting excess iron, anyone that consumes blood regularly runs a risk of iron overdose. Iron, in high doses it can be toxic. This condition, called haemochromatosis, can cause a wide variety of diseases and problems, including liver damage, buildup of fluid in the lungs, dehydration, low blood pressure, and nervous disorders.
Meanwhile, vox.com say this about fats: Saturated fats are found at high levels in animal-based foods such as red meat (beef, bacon), poultry, and full-fat dairy milks, butter, and cheese. Trans fats can appear naturally in some foods, such as beef and lamb.
As best scientists can tell, trans fats contribute to cardiovascular diseases, whereas unsaturated fats (found in vegetable oils and fish) actually have the opposite effect, lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease. Saturated fats (found in butter and red meat) fall somewhere in between.
The bible’s pinpoint medical accuracy here is phenomenal. God retained his demand for worship but accomplished in a way that the parts of the sacrifice offering he demanded are those bad for human consumption!
It’s even more fascinating that the writing of the instructions was done at a time when no human could understand why the preventing of a sacrificed animal’s blood and fat from consumption was actually for their own good.
This one should make those who bible criticize the accuracy of medical information contained in the bible think twice.
Here are other samples of biblical information declared way before proven to confer with modern medicine:
Loss of Blood causes death and blood gives life
Schools teach the basic information that blood is a vital element for man to stay alive. It carries oxygen throughout the body, nourishment to the body, removes the waste material from the body, and maintains the body’s temperature.
It is also general knowledge that modern medicine techniques use blood to reveal different sickness and impurities like drug usage of an individual. Blood transfusion and dialysis are also used to extend the life of a sick person.
The bible foretold these facts way before modern technology discovered the methods to apply these concepts.
Chapter 17 of Leviticus basically discusses the sanctity of blood. Among the importance emphasized here are the requirements to Israelites to offer blood of ox, lamb, or goat to the tabernacle and the prohibiting of eating of blood.
Verse 11, it specifically states “life of the flesh is in the blood”, an absolute truth long before science showed us more functions than what the common eye observes.
“For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.” Leviticus 17:11, New King James Version
The scientific discoveries simply reinforces the fact that God uses blood to symbolize an offering to atone for dying souls!
For more medical facts in the bible, click here to go straight to another bible claim related to medicine:
Spit and exhaled droplets spread diseases
Quarantine, Social distancing, sterilization are excellent ways to prevent disease spread Sterilization is a good way to prevent disease spread
Good hygiene is a means of preventing diseases
Wine is a good disinfectant and oil helps heal wounds in various ways
Loss of Blood causes death and blood gives life
Circumcision on the 8th day for infants follows sound medical practice on healing of wounds
Prohibition against eating bats and certain birds, generally birds of prey
Laughter is is like a good medicine
Spit and exhaled droplets spread diseases
Way long before the COVID-19 pandemic reminded everyone of the danger of transmitting diseases through coughed and exhaled droplets, the bible fired a warning on being in contact with them. Here’s God Himself telling telling Moses to quarantine Miriam who got spit on:
14Then the Lord said to Moses, “If her father had but spit in her face, would she not be shamed seven days? Let her be shut out of the camp seven days, and afterward she may be received again.” 15So Miriam was shut out of the camp seven days, and the people did not journey till Miriam was brought in again.” Numbers 12: 14-15, NKJV
Medicine has confirmed cough droplets and air exhaled by a person could carry viruses and transmit diseases such as COVID-19 and flu, among others.
Medical experts’ encouraging the wearing face mask and other types of physical protective equipment against contact with cough droplets. In addition, different health offices of governments emphasize the importance of quarantining and social distancing to prevent becoming a close contact of infected persons.
Quarantine and Social distancing are excellent ways to prevent disease spread
Here’s the Lord instructing a person sick with leprosy to identify him/herself and be isolated:
45“The leprous person who has the disease shall wear torn clothes and let the hair of his head hang loose, and he shall cover his upper lip and cry out, ‘Unclean, unclean.’ 46He shall remain unclean as long as he has the disease. He is unclean. He shall live alone. His dwelling shall be outside the camp. Leviticus 13: 1; 4-6, English Standard Version
The principle was applied even during war and economic difficulty times:
3Now there were four men who were lepers at the entrance to the gate. And they said to one another, “Why are we sitting here until we die? 4If we say, ‘Let us enter the city,’ the famine is in the city, and we shall die there. And if we sit here, we die also. So now come, let us go over to the camp of the Syrians. If they spare our lives we shall live, and if they kill us we shall but die.” 2 Kings 7:3-4, ESV
One of the well-known healing stories of Jesus was the cleansing of the Ten Lepers. Notice how they carried this practice by staying away from Jesus and his group before their miraculous healing:
11Now it happened as He went to Jerusalem that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. 12Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off.” Luke 17: 11-12
Medical fact: while leprosy is not highly contagious, research shows Mycobacterium leprae, the bacteria causing lerposy, is transmitted primarily through coughing and sneezing and via the skin during close and frequent contact with untreated, infected persons. (source: healthline.com)
It maybe harsh in the social front but the bible was medically sound when it advises quarantine and social distancing as the right steps to prevent the spread of this disease during a time there is no medical cure yet.
Further, the bible even applied a 14-day long quarantine period, ironically same length as the required time for the modern COVDI-19 during the pre-vaccine times, as advised by the Centers for Desease Control and Prevention.
Leviticus 13 shows God applying a 14-day long quarantine to determine a scab from leprosy:
1And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying: 4But if the bright spot is white on the skin of his body, and does not appear to be deeper than the skin, and its hair has not turned white, then the priest shall isolate the one who has the sore seven days. 5And the priest shall examine him on the seventh day; and indeed if the sore appears to be as it was, and the sore has not spread on the skin, then the priest shall isolate him another seven days. 6Then the priest shall examine him again on the seventh day; and indeed if the sore has faded, and the sore has not spread on the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him clean; it is only a scab, and he shall wash his clothes and be clean.“, Leviticus 13: 1; 4-6
Sterilization is a good way to prevent disease spread
The book of Numbers Chapter 31: 19-24 tells the instructions of Moses and Eleazar to men of Israel who just returned from war. Note how becoming in contact with blood, quarantining and sterilization by fire or water were emphasized:
19And as for you, remain outside the camp seven days; whoever has killed any person, and whoever has touched any slain, purify yourselves and your captives on the third day and on the seventh day. 20Purify every garment, everything made of leather, everything woven of goats’ hair, and everything made of wood.”
21Then Eleazar the priest said to the men of war who had gone to the battle, “This is the ordinance of the law which the Lord commanded Moses: 22Only the gold, the silver, the bronze, the iron, the tin, and the lead, 23everything that can endure fire, you shall put through the fire, and it shall be clean; and it shall be purified with the water of purification. But all that cannot endure fire you shall put through water. 24And you shall wash your clothes on the seventh day and be clean, and afterward you may come into the camp.” Numbers 31: 19-24, NKJV
It is common knowledge that removing, killing, or deactivating fungi, bacteria, spores, and other harmful micro organisms and biological agents present in a specific surface, object or equipment is a good hygienic practice.
It’s the reason we wash plates and spoons before reusing them.
Good hygiene is a means of preventing diseases
Washing and bathing in running water will prevent illnesses and diseases.
“And when he who has a discharge is cleansed of his discharge, then he shall count for himself seven days for his cleansing, wash his clothes, and bathe his body in running water; then he shall be clean”, Leviticus 15:13, NKJV
“When the army goes out against your enemies, then keep yourself from every wicked thing. If there is any man among you who becomes unclean by some occurrence in the night, then he shall go outside the camp; he shall not come inside the camp. But it shall be, when evening comes, that he shall wash with water; and when the sun sets, he may come into the camp.”, Deuteronomy 23, 9-11, NKJV
Don’t wonder why washing of hands in running water is the best recommendation to avoid COVID-19.
Here’s the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety definition of hand washing: “Good” hand washing techniques includes using an adequate amount of soap, rubbing the hands together to create friction for at least 20 seconds, and rinsing under running water.
Here’s the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on the benefits and illnesses prevented by hand washing:
Washing hands prevents illnesses and spread of infections to others because it removes germs from hands. This helps prevent infections because:
1. People frequently touch their eyes, nose, and mouth without even realizing it. Germs can get into the body through the eyes, nose and mouth and make us sick.
2. Germs from unwashed hands can get into foods and drinks while people prepare or consume them. Germs can multiply in some types of foods or drinks, under certain conditions, and make people sick.
3. Germs from unwashed hands can be transferred to other objects, like handrails, table tops, or toys, and then transferred to another person’s hands.
4. Removing germs through handwashing therefore helps prevent diarrhea and respiratory infections and may even help prevent skin and eye infections.
Further, handwashing with soap could protect about 1 out of every 3 young children who get sick with diarrhea and almost 1 out of 5 young children with respiratory infections like pneumonia.
Handwashing also helps battle the rise in antibiotic resistance. Preventing sickness reduces the amount of antibiotics people use and the likelihood that antibiotic resistance will develop. Handwashing can prevent about 30% of diarrhea-related sicknesses and about 20% of respiratory infections (e.g., colds). Antibiotics often are prescribed unnecessarily for these health issues.
If handwashing does these things, how much more could washing the entire body in running water accomplishes.
Wine is a good disinfectant and oil helps heal wounds in various ways
In the gospel of Luke, Jesus told a parable about a good Samaritan helping a stranger who got robbed and wounded by thieves while he fell ill. Part of what the Samaritan did to help the stranger was the use of wine, oil and bandage to treat his wounds:
“But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion. So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.”, Luke 10:33-34, NKJV
Notice the use of wine, oil and bandage to treat the wounds. This practice could have been observable during Jesus’ telling the story so it may not be surprising that this wound remedy was written.
Still, the medical reasons of these remedies became better understood when modern medicine explained their significance.
Wine is proven to the an effective disinfectant useful for reducing risk of wound infection while some oils can benefit the victim with reliefs such as disinfecting the wound, reduce the risk of infection and bacteria, calming and soothing pain and itchiness, and stopping the bleeding.
A doctor also realized that his practice of cleaning wounds and leave it open to “breathe” was so wrong. Dressing is an essential need for wound healing.
Circumcision on the 8th day for infants follows sound medical practice on healing of wounds
“He who is eight days old among you shall be circumcised, every male child in your generations, he who is born in your house or bought with money from any foreigner who is not your descendant”, Genesis 17:12, New King James Version
Why the circumcision is to be carried out specifically on the eighth day?
Modern medical science has discovered that blood clotting in a newborn reaches its peak on that day. The level of vitamin K is highest on this day and vitamin K plays a pivotal role in regulation and control of the important clotting factors in the coagulation pathway that helps in stopping bleeding.
Prohibition against eating bats and certain birds, generally birds of prey
13‘These are the birds you are to regard as unclean and not eat because they are unclean: the eagle, the vulture, the black vulture, 14 the red kite, any kind of black kite, 15 any kind of raven, 16 the horned owl, the screech owl, the gull, any kind of hawk, 17 the little owl, the cormorant, the great owl, 18 the white owl, the desert owl, the osprey, 19 the stork, any kind of heron, the hoopoe and the bat.”, Leviticus 11:13-19, New International Version
The Covid-19 pandemic has taught many why the bible’s advice against eating bats is a good idea for places where these are legally allowed for human consumption.
Nature Reviews Microbiology shares that “over the past 50 years, several viruses, including Ebola virus, Marburg virus, Nipah virus, Hendra virus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV), Middle East respiratory coronavirus (MERS-CoV) and SARS-CoV-2, have been linked back to various bat species.”
It is widely reported that COVID-19 originated from a live animal, most likely a bat, at a wet market in Wuhan, China and likely have caused the human transmission through eating.
Further, sciencenorway.com confirms humans could not eat like scavengers and explains why humans cannot ingest all kinds of nasty things and carcasses that are long dead even if they heat treated it beforehand.
Laughter is like a good medicine
The is a very popular saying “Laughter is the best medicine”. The bible could have inspires the saying with a verse from Proverbs:
A merry heart does good, like medicine, But a broken spirit dries the bones. Proverbs 17:22, NKJV
The saying, as well as the verse, are proven true in several aspects. Here are medical experts and psychologists confirming this fact:
mayoclinic.org, in its article “Stress relief from laughter? It’s no joke”, stated A good sense of humor can’t cure all ailments, but data is mounting about the positive things laughter can do. When you start to laugh, it doesn’t just lighten your load mentally, it actually induces physical changes in your body.
The clinic’s staff enumerated the short and long benefits of a good laugh:
Short-term benefits
- Stimulate many organs. Laughter enhances your intake of oxygen-rich air, stimulates your heart, lungs and muscles, and increases the endorphins that are released by your brain.
- Activate and relieve your stress response. A rollicking laugh fires up and then cools down your stress response, and it can increase and then decrease your heart rate and blood pressure.
- Soothe tension. Laughter can also stimulate circulation and aid muscle relaxation, both of which can help reduce some of the physical symptoms of stress.
Long-term effects
- Improve your immune system. Negative thoughts manifest into chemical reactions that can affect your body by bringing more stress into your system and decreasing your immunity. By contrast, positive thoughts can actually release neuropeptides that help fight stress and potentially more-serious illnesses.
- Relieve pain. Laughter may ease pain by causing the body to produce its own natural painkillers.
- Increase personal satisfaction. Laughter can also make it easier to cope with difficult situations. It also helps you connect with other people.
- Improve your mood. Many people experience depression, sometimes due to chronic illnesses. Laughter can help lessen your depression and anxiety and may make you feel happier.
Cynthia M. Thaik M.D., who wrote the article “Happiness is the Best Medicine” said laughter is contagious and it makes you feel good. Not only that, but being happy also triggers healthy physical changes in the body. In fact, your sense of humor is one of the most powerful tools you have to improve your daily mood and emotional state, which supports your overall health. When you live a joyful life your entire body benefits, especially your heart and mind.
Aside from the benefits mentioned above, Thaik also added that joyful people have less chance of having a heart attack and are more likely to have lower cholesterol, weight management, decreased stress levels, and boosted energy levels.
While the difference between a jolly and angry person is observable during the biblical times, the specific benefits of laughter and joy were still far from being confirmed by researches.
It was another pinpoint claim for the bible as: stress, heart attack, depression, tension, compromised immune system, bad mood, high cholesterol, improper weight, and low energy levels, the things joy and laughter tends to reduce or cure, lead to “drying of the bones”.
Purpose of the bible
The bible made clear what kind of book is it. It is intended for those who want eternal life. It is not a medical, science, logic or history book. Many tend to forget this.
You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life. John 5:39-40, New King James Version
It also made its theme clear. While there are many tales narrated by the bible, one thing remains clear from start to finish: Humans caught in a crossfire between powerful adversaries and one of them, a loving God, is offering redemption/salvation.
The bible says the devil rebelled and continues to rebel against God and dragged humans along to be involved in this godly battle he started.
7And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, 8but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. Revelation 12:7-8, NKJV
…she [Eve] took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband [Adam] with her, and he ate… And the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” So the Lord God said to the serpent…I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed…. Genesis 3: 6, 14-15, NKJV
12Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. Luke 8:12, NIV
God’s love and the danger posed prompted Jesus to come to earth and provided everyone a way to get out of the mess.
16For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16, NKJV
8He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. 1 John 3:8, NKJV
These verses encapsulates what the new testament is for. If you are encourage by these verses, you are invited to search the bible deeper and find out more about Jesus and his teachings.
Conservative approach
The presence of spirits and unexplainable events and multiple scientific, medical, and logical reasons that supports the bible and its authors’ credibility project a possibility that God do exists. If you are still unconvinced of the existence of God despite these proofs, being conservative might be the best alternative here.
Accountants describe conservatism as selecting the option that would show the worst possible financial standing of a business entity when two or more unproven alternatives are available. This is to remove the user of the account’s output be exposed to a bigger risk in case the worst possible scenario happens.
As it stands, the risk of not believing in and obeying God far outweighs the benefits of doubting his existence. It might be best to act conservatively, believe what the bible says, until you have absolutely proven that there is indeed no God nor hell.
By: Armando M. Bolislis
If you are inspired and want to give Jesus a try, continue a deeper search of the bible, especially the New Testament. This will show you how to become his disciple. Always ask the Holy Spirit for guidance in your search.
If you feel the want or need to belong to a Christian church or organization, find one that preaches the Word of God and will help you improve your relationship with Christ and lead you to his eternal promises.
The theologies and doctrines about faith contained in this article are solely from God through the bible. The author is just an instrument used to spread the word for the glory of God. The personal opinions and suggestions on issues outside of biblical coverage from the author doesn’t necessarily reflect the stance of Baguio Herald Express management and staff.
Thank you writer, this kind of content is exately what I was looking for. Im a med student at Brazil, and I wanted to know more about scientific collaboration to bible’s statements. God bless
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Human Growth Hormone (HGH) https://hrtmedical.net/ Therapy is a medically supervised program that uses injections of human growth hormone to increase muscle mass, improve energy levels, and reduce body fat. HGH therapy is not a new treatment, but it has become more popular in recent years as researchers have discovered more about the benefits of HGH therapy.