Topical Bible: Diseases: Often Brought from Other Countries

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Topical Encyclopedia

In the biblical narrative, diseases and plagues are frequently mentioned as instruments of divine judgment or as challenges faced by God's people. The movement of diseases across borders is a theme that can be discerned in several scriptural accounts, reflecting the historical reality of trade, travel, and warfare in the ancient world.

Old Testament Context

The Old Testament provides numerous instances where diseases are depicted as consequences of disobedience or as part of God's sovereign plan. In Deuteronomy 28, God warns the Israelites of the curses that will befall them if they turn away from His commandments, including diseases that are foreign to them: "The LORD will strike you with wasting disease, with fever and inflammation, with scorching heat and drought, with blight and mildew, which will plague you until you perish" (Deuteronomy 28:22). Later in the same chapter, it is stated, "The LORD will bring upon you all the diseases of Egypt that you dreaded, and they will cling to you" (Deuteronomy 28:60). This passage suggests that diseases known to the Israelites from their time in Egypt could be brought upon them again as a form of divine retribution.

New Testament Insights

In the New Testament, the spread of diseases is less frequently attributed to divine judgment and more often seen in the context of Jesus' healing ministry. However, the movement of people and the spread of illness are implicit in the accounts of Jesus' interactions with diverse populations. The Gospels record instances where Jesus heals individuals afflicted with various diseases, some of which may have been introduced through contact with foreign populations. For example, in Matthew 4:24, it is noted, "News about Him spread all over Syria, and people brought to Him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed—and He healed them" . This passage highlights the regional spread of Jesus' fame and the diverse ailments brought to Him, possibly including those from neighboring regions.

Historical and Cultural Considerations

The ancient Near East was a crossroads of civilizations, with trade routes connecting Egypt, Mesopotamia, and the Mediterranean. This facilitated not only the exchange of goods and ideas but also the transmission of diseases. The Israelites, during their sojourn in Egypt and later interactions with surrounding nations, would have been exposed to various foreign diseases. The biblical text reflects an awareness of this reality, often associating foreign diseases with the broader theme of divine testing or punishment.

Theological Reflections

From a theological perspective, the presence of diseases, whether local or foreign, serves as a reminder of the fallen state of the world and the need for divine intervention. The Bible consistently points to God as the ultimate healer and restorer, as seen in passages like Exodus 15:26, where God declares, "If you 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 decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, who heals you" .

In summary, the biblical narrative acknowledges the reality of diseases brought from other countries, often framing them within the context of divine judgment or as opportunities for God's power to be displayed through healing. The movement of diseases across borders serves as a backdrop for the unfolding account of God's relationship with His people and His redemptive purposes in history.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Deuteronomy 7:15
And the LORD will take away from you all sickness, and will put none of the evil diseases of Egypt, which you know, on you; but will lay them on all them that hate you.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

General Remarks on the History of Missions in this Age.
... of his life in a sickness, which brought him to ... She often spoke to him of the
nothingness of ... for the marvellous cures of various diseases, particularly nervous ...
/.../neander/light in the dark places/general remarks on the history.htm

Contentment
... a man suffering, and suffering bravely, I often feel small ... of the strongest when
they are brought down; while ... of sickness; he was a complication of diseases. ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 6 1860/contentment.htm

At Capernaum
... The sick were brought upon couches, they came leaning upon ... Often He passed the entire
night in prayer and ... as a wonder worker or a healer of physical diseases. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/white/the desire of ages/chapter 26 at capernaum.htm

Heb. 4:14 Our Profession
... of a vast amount of trouble, and brought in very ... All these things are often lying
hid within us ... was better acquainted with the dangers, diseases, and remedies ...
/.../the upper room being a few truths for the times/chapter xii heb 4 14 our.htm

Bardesan.
... Nature, that is by Fate, come diseases and blemishes in ... Avida, "by the arguments
thou hast brought forward, that ... put them to death; and very often [3445] they ...
/.../unknown/the decretals/ancient syriac documents bardesan.htm

Book 1.
... come to them, and have been often treated injuriously by ... inflicted upon them, and
they are brought to the ... an extraordinary manner, beyond all other people, and ...
//christianbookshelf.org/josephus/against apion/book 1.htm

Infant Salvation
... Other diseases often come to grieve us ... the children too, who one after another have
been brought by grace ... A little child was saying the other day"and children ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 7 1861/infant salvation.htm

the Use of Humiliation
... conscious of its own deformity, it often borrows the ... local communion with them; and
in other diseases which are ... out one obstinate sinner, nor brought one to ...
//christianbookshelf.org/baxter/the reformed pastor/section 1 - the use.htm

Paracelsus {13}
... and feared for awhile, and then, too often, died sad ... truer science might be discovered,
by which diseases might be ... It was brought back from Babylon by the Jews ...
/.../kingsley/historical lectures and essays/paracelsus 13.htm

Papal Infallibility Explained, and Tested by Tradition and ...
... development, which implies many obstructions and temporary diseases. ... of his diocese,
first brought out the ... Augustine is often quoted by Infallibilists on ...
/.../ 34 papal infallibility explained.htm