The Real Meaning of Life

https://biblehub.com/nkjv/2_kings/5.htm

Leprosy was a frequent disease in the Bible, but scripture really doesn’t say too much about it except that the skin turns white, and God gave instructions that those infected were to be isolated so they didn’t affect others.

I did some research, and while leprosy is rare, it still affect about a quarter million people around the world each year, most of which occur in Africa and Asia. I found it funny that the website I found kind of downplayed the disease. “The disease can affect the nerves, skin, eyes, and lining of the nose.” I had to smile, because few people know that the skin is the largest organ of the body, so if leprosy affects the skin, it can be serious.

The website said that today, leprosy could be treated with antibiotics, and if the patient follows the regiment as instructed, they could be cured within one to two years. One to two years.

I don’t remember specifically, but when people got leprosy in the Bible, they usually weren’t affected by the disease for very long, unless they had really separated themselves from God, and it definitely wasn’t one to two years.

I would guess back then, lepers turned to God instead of physicians, because God is the ultimate physician, and He doesn’t need antibiotics to cure you. I may be wrong, but if lepers today turn to God, it is for selfish reasons, just for the healing, and not because of a love for God. If you truly love and obey God, sincerely repent, and pray, not just for yourself and your condition, but for others as well, God can work miracles with you too. And we mustn’t forget, the motive for ALL prayer should be to give thanks for God’s blessings…whether or not you pray for anything else. Being grateful for God’s love and blessings is the first priority of prayer.

And faith. You must have faith in God’s healing powers. And this chapter addresses just that. The commander of the Syrian army, a man named Naaman, was infected with leprosy, so he was sent to Elisha for healing. First, he was angry when Elisha would not talk with him, then he was really angry when told the cure was to bathe in the Jordan River. He left angry, thinking he had wasted his time, and perhaps a little put off that it would be suggested that a man of his stature reduce himself to bathing in a dirty river. But his men finally talked him in to doing it, saying he didn’t have anything to lose.

And when he followed Elisha’s instructions, he came out of the river healed.

God healed him, not only to show him that Elisha was a true prophet of God, but to show Naaman God’s awesome mercy and power. And after that experience, Naaman was convinced.

How many times have we been affected by a problem, and the voice of God gives us the answer? We either aren’t listening for His voice, or we aren’t seeking His help, or if we do believe it was God telling us what to do, we felt it was stupid, or a waste of time, and we ignored it. You can’t lose faith. God loves us and has some awesome, awesome powers. He can do anything. If we just believe, have faith, and listen to God, we will come out on top all every time.

By the way, the bacteria that causes leprosy is carried by armadillos, so it can be contracted here. The website where I conducted my research remarked that the risk of transmission to humans was very slight, but then again, how many of us track down armadillos to play with? Of course the same website said that leprosy was not as infections as some people believe, and is seldom transmitted from human to human.

As for me, I doubt that leprosy has changed that much since Biblical times, and if you don’t mind, I’ll trust God on this one.