Posted on 09/03/2019 5:39:24 AM PDT by Pilgrim's Progress
“It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones” (Proverbs 3:8 KJV).
Haven’t you ever wanted to have a healthy navel? Of course, you have! What is it? It’s an expression. “And marrow to thy bones,” that is the place where the blood is produced and “the life of the flesh is in the blood.” That’s a real sign of health there. Probably every disease known is associated somehow with the blood in some fashion. When that goes bad, you’re in trouble.
So, what does he say will bring us good health? Being not wise in our own eyes, and in all our ways acknowledging Him. It isn’t so much what we do with regards to our healthy as it is our spiritual relationship with God and doing right. When we are right with God, we’ll likely have all things in moderation. Most health issues have to do with our eating habits. Moderation is the key to what we put in our bodies. Overeating is sin, sin is what wears out the body and eventually kills it. “It shall be health to thy navel.”
“Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth” (III John 2 KJV).
That Old Testament Jew was promised good health if he followed the Law, and worshipped God, and was faithful to the dietary restrictions—he would live to a good old age and be strong. It is true that we may live well for God and still be struck down with some illness, but that is not generally the rule. If folks live right, and follow healthy diets, and they will enjoy health to the end. It is true, however, that today, we are living in a dispensation where God has promised all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Not always the physical. The Jews had promise of physical health, but only if he followed the Law strictly. All believers in Christ have the spiritual promise.
John “wished” for good health. What do we know about the Apostle Paul? Have you ever read about or known about a better Christian than Paul? God’s Word tells us that he was sick all the days of his life. Luke, the physician, was one of his travelling partners due in large part to his medical necessities. You would have never met a man that was more law-abiding than Paul. I’m quite certain that his righteousness far exceeded those of the Pharisees which Jesus spoke about. Yet, he had constant infirmity. Why? To keep him from being proud, the messenger of Satan was sent to buffet him as he suffered for the Lord Jesus Christ.
Again, under the Old Testament economy it was different. Follow the Law and be blessed physically. In this dispensation, follow Christ, and it may be your undoing health-wise. But we have all the spiritual blessings that the Jew didn’t have. The Jew didn’t have the security we have, he didn’t have New birth, the baptism of the Holy Spirit, the sealing of that Spirit, he didn’t have a completed Bible—he didn’t have even an inkling of understanding about the afterlife that we have.
As wise as Solomon was, he knew nothing about heaven or the afterlife. He said when we died, we just died, the spirit of man goes where the spirit of the dog goes. He knew nothing of it, no revelation at all, no understanding about any of it.
Let’s read a chapter of Proverbs a day and see what God might have for us. As the Lord leads, share with us what God has shown you in a special way and by His grace let us build up a devotional repository. Let’s keep our knives and forks handy for some daily bread!
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