Topical Encyclopedia Definition and Historical Context:The term "bloody flux" is an archaic expression historically used to describe dysentery, a condition characterized by severe diarrhea with the presence of blood and mucus in the feces. This ailment was common in ancient times and often resulted from unsanitary conditions, contaminated water, or food. In biblical times, such diseases were prevalent and posed significant health challenges to communities. Biblical References: While the specific term "bloody flux" does not appear in the Bible, the condition it describes is consistent with the types of diseases mentioned in the Scriptures. The Bible often refers to plagues and diseases as manifestations of divine judgment or as trials to be endured by the faithful. In Deuteronomy 28:27, the Berean Standard Bible mentions, "The LORD will afflict you with the boils of Egypt and with tumors, festering sores, and the itch, from which you cannot be cured." Although not explicitly dysentery, this passage reflects the broader category of afflictions that could include symptoms like those of the bloody flux. Theological Implications: In the biblical worldview, diseases such as the bloody flux were often seen as consequences of sin or disobedience to God's commandments. The Israelites were warned of various curses, including diseases, if they strayed from the covenant with God. This perspective is evident in the blessings and curses outlined in Deuteronomy 28, where health and disease are directly linked to the people's faithfulness to God. Cultural and Social Impact: In ancient Israelite society, diseases like the bloody flux would have had significant social and cultural implications. Those afflicted might have been considered ritually unclean, impacting their ability to participate in religious and communal activities. Levitical laws provided guidelines for dealing with various forms of uncleanness, emphasizing the importance of purity and the community's health. Healing and Divine Intervention: The Bible also presents God as a healer, capable of curing diseases and restoring health. In Exodus 15:26 , God declares, "If you will listen carefully to the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in His eyes, if you pay attention to His commands and keep all His statutes, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD who heals you." This assurance of divine healing underscores the belief in God's power over physical ailments, including those as severe as the bloody flux. Practical Considerations: In biblical times, practical measures to prevent diseases like the bloody flux would have included adherence to dietary laws, sanitation practices, and quarantine regulations as outlined in the Mosaic Law. These guidelines not only had spiritual significance but also served to protect the community from the spread of infectious diseases. Conclusion: The concept of the bloody flux in biblical times serves as a reminder of the physical and spiritual challenges faced by ancient peoples. It highlights the importance of obedience to God's laws, the role of divine intervention in healing, and the practical measures necessary to maintain communal health and purity. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia Bloody FluxBLOODY FLUX fluks (puretos kai dusenteria, literally "fever and dysentery"): The disease by which the father of Publius was afflicted in Malta (Acts 28:8). the Revised Version (British and American) calls it "dysentery"; a common and dangerous disease which in Malta is often fatal to soldiers of the garrison even at the present day (Aitken, Pract. of Medicine, II, 841). It is also prevalent in Palestine at certain seasons, and in Egypt its mortality was formerly about 36 percent. Its older name was due to the discharge of blood from the intestine. Sometimes portions of the bowel become gangrenous and slough, the condition described as affecting Jehoram (2 Chronicles 21:19). There seems to have been an epidemic of the disease at the time of his seizure (2 Chronicles 21:14, 15), and in the case of the king it left behind it a chronic ulcerated condition, ending in gangrene. Somewhat similar conditions of chronic intestinal ulceration following epidemic dysentery I have seen in persons who had suffered from this disease in India. Smith's Bible Dictionary Bloody Flux(Acts 28:8) the same as our dysentery, which in the East is, though sometimes sporadic, generally epidemic and infectious, and then assumes its worst form. Greek 1420. dusenterion -- dysentery ... dysentery. From dus- and a comparative of entos (meaning a bowel); a "dysentery" -- bloody flux. see GREEK dus-. see GREEK entos. (dusenterio) -- 1 Occurrence. ... //strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1420.htm - 6k Library Paul and his Praying (Continued) Acts xxviii. 1 After the Wreck Index i. Of Subjects Paul in Malta and Rome. On the Words of the Gospel, Matt. viii. 8, "I am not Worthy that ... The Voyage and Shipwreck Homeward Bound Appendix xvi. On the Jewish views About Demons' and the Demonised ... Of Good Angels Resources Why did God prohibit eating meat with blood in it (Genesis 9:4)? | GotQuestions.orgWas the killing of Saul's descendants a just response to Saul's killing of the Gibeonites? | GotQuestions.org What was a blood covenant (Genesis 15:9-21)? | GotQuestions.org Bloody: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus |
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