The Ministry of Health and Healing

One of the greatest evils that attends the quest for knowledge, the investigations of science, is the disposition to exalt human reason above its true value and proper sphere. Many attempt to judge the Creator and His works by their own imperfect knowledge of science. They endeavor to determine the nature and attributes and prerogatives of God, indulging in speculative theories concerning the Infinite One. Those who engage in this line of study are treading on forbidden ground. Their research will yield no valuable results and can be pursued only at the peril of the soul.

Our first parents were led into sin through indulging a desire for knowledge that God had withheld from them. In seeking to gain this knowledge, they lost all that was worth possessing. If Adam and Eve had never touched the forbidden tree, God would have imparted to them knowledge—knowledge upon which rested no curse of sin, knowledge that would have brought them everlasting joy. All that they gained by listening to the tempter was an acquaintance with sin and its results. By their disobedience, humanity was estranged from God and the earth was separated from heaven.

The lesson is for us. The field into which Satan led our first parents is the same to which he is alluring people today. He is flooding the world with pleasing fables. By every device at his command he tempts men and women to speculate in regard to God. Thus he seeks to prevent them from obtaining that knowledge of God which is salvation.

Today there are coming into educational institutions and into the churches everywhere spiritualistic teachings that undermine faith in God and in His Word. The theory that God is an essence pervading all nature is received by many who profess to believe the Scriptures, but however beautifully clothed, this theory is a most dangerous deception. It misrepresents God and is a dishonor to His greatness and majesty. It tends not only to mislead but to debase those who embrace it. Darkness is its element, sensuality its sphere. The result of accepting it is separation from God. And to fallen human nature this means ruin.

Our condition through sin is unnatural, and the power that restores us must be supernatural, or it has no value. There is only one power that can break the hold of evil from human hearts, and that is the power of God in Jesus Christ. Only through the blood of the Crucified One is there cleansing from sin. His grace alone can enable us to resist and subdue the tendencies of our fallen nature. Spiritualistic theories concerning God make His grace of no effect. If God is an essence pervading all nature, then He dwells in everybody, and in order to attain holiness, a person has only to develop the power within him or her.

These theories, followed to their logical conclusion, sweep away the whole Christian faith. They do away with the necessity for the atonement and make human beings their own savior. These theories regarding God make His Word of no effect, and those who accept them are in great danger of being led finally to look upon the whole Bible as fiction. They may regard virtue as better than vice, but, having shut out God from His rightful position of sovereignty, they place their dependence upon human power, which, without God, is worthless. The unaided human will has no real power to resist and overcome evil. The defenses of the soul are broken down. A person has no barrier against sin. When once the restraints of God’s Word and His Spirit are rejected, who knows to what depths one may sink!

“Every word of God is pure;
He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.
Do not add to His words,
Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar.”
“His own iniquities entrap the wicked man,
And he is caught in the cords of his sin.”
Proverbs 30:5, 6; 5:22.

Searching Into Divine Mysteries

Even the angels were not permitted to share the counsels between the Father and the Son when the plan of salvation was laid. And human beings are not to intrude into the secrets of the Most High. We are as ignorant of God as little children, but, as little children, we may love and obey Him.

Instead of speculating in regard to His nature or His prerogatives, let us give heed to the words He has spoken:

“‘Can you search out the deep things of God?
Can you find out the limits of the Almighty?
They are higher than heaven—what can you do?
Deeper than Sheol—what can you know?
Their measure is longer than the earth
And broader than the sea.’”
“‘Where can wisdom be found?
And where is the place of understanding?
Man does not know its value,
Nor is it found in the land of the living.
The deep says, “It is not in me”;
And the sea says, “It is not with me.”
It cannot be purchased for gold,
Nor can silver be weighed for its price.
It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir,
In precious onyx or sapphire. ...
“‘From where then does wisdom come?
And where is the place of understanding? ...
Destruction and Death say,
“We have heard a report about it with our ears.”
God understands its way,
And He knows its place.
For He looks to the ends of the earth,
And sees under the whole heavens. ...
When He made a law for the rain,
And a path for the thunderbolt,
Then He saw wisdom and declared it;
He prepared it, indeed, He searched it out.
And to man He said,
“Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom,
And to depart from evil is understanding.”’”
Job 11:7-9; 28:12-28.

Deep Mysteries of God

Men and women of the greatest intellect cannot understand the mysteries of God as revealed in nature. Divine inspiration asks many questions that the most profound scholar cannot answer. These questions were not asked that we might answer them. They were asked to call our attention to the deep mysteries of God, to teach us that our wisdom is limited, and that in the surroundings of our daily life there are many things beyond the comprehension of finite beings.

Skeptics refuse to believe in God because they cannot comprehend the infinite power by which He reveals Himself. But God is to be acknowledged as much from what He does not reveal of Himself as from that which is open to our limited comprehension. Both in divine revelation and in nature, God has given mysteries to command our faith. This must be so. We may be ever searching, ever inquiring, ever learning, and yet there is an infinity beyond.

“Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand,
Measured heaven with a span
And calculated the dust of the earth in a measure?
Weighed the mountains in scales
And the hills in a balance?
Who has directed the Spirit of the Lord,
Or as His counselor has taught Him? ...
“Behold, the nations are as a drop in a bucket,
And are counted as the small dust on the balance;
Look, He lifts up the isles as a very little thing.
And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn,
Nor its beasts sufficient for a burnt offering.
All nations before Him are as nothing,
And they are counted by Him less than nothing and worthless.
“To whom then will you liken God?
Or what likeness will you compare to Him? ...
Have you not known?
Have you not heard?
Has it not been told you from the beginning?
Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?
It is He who sits above the circle of the earth,
And its inhabitants are like grasshoppers;
Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain,
And spreads them out like a tent to dwell in. ...
“‘To whom then will you liken Me?’ ...
Says the Holy One.
Lift up your eyes on high,
And see who has created these things,
Who brings out their host by number;
He calls them all by name,
By the greatness of His might
And the strength of His power;
Not one is missing.
“Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel:
‘My way is hidden from the Lord,
And my just claim is passed over by my God’?
Have you not known?
Have you not heard?
The everlasting God, the Lord,
The Creator of the ends of the earth,
Neither faints nor is weary.
There is no searching of His understanding.”
Isaiah 40:12-28.

Learning of God’s Greatness

“In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one cried to another and said: ‘Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!’ And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke.

“Then I said, ‘Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.’

“Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth with it, and said: ‘Behold, this has touched your lips; your iniquity is taken away, and your sin purged.’” Isaiah 6:1-7.

“There is none like You, O Lord
(You are great, and Your name is great in might),
Who would not fear You, O King of the nations?”
“O Lord, You have searched me and known me.
You know my sitting down and my rising up;
You understand my thought afar off.
You comprehend my path and my lying down,
And are acquainted with all my ways.
For there is not a word on my tongue,
But behold, O Lord, You know it altogether.
You have hedged me behind and before,
And laid Your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is high, I cannot attain it.’”
Jeremiah 10:6, 7; Psalm 139:1-6.

“The ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and He ponders all his paths.” Proverbs 5:21.

“‘He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, and light dwells with Him.’” Daniel 2:22.

“‘Known to God from eternity are all His works.’” “‘Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has become His counselor?’ ‘Or who has first given to Him, and it shall be repaid to him?’ For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever.” Acts 15:18; Romans 11:34-36.

“To the King eternal, immortal, invisible,” “who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power.” 1 Timothy 1:17; 6:16.

“‘Will not His excellence make you afraid,
And the dread of Him fall upon you?’”
“‘Is not God in the height of heaven?
And see the highest stars, how lofty they are!’”
“‘Is there any number to His armies?
Upon whom does His light not rise?’”
“‘He does great things which we cannot comprehend.
For He says to the snow, “Be on the earth”;
Likewise to the gentle rain and the heavy rain of His strength.
He seals the hand of every man,
That all men may know His work. ...
He scatters His bright clouds.
And they swirl about, being turned by His guidance,
That they may do whatever He commands them
On the face of the whole earth.
He causes it to come,
Whether for correction,
Or for His land,
Or for mercy. ...
“‘Teach us what we should say to Him,
For we can prepare nothing because of the darkness. ...
Even now men cannot look at the light when it is bright in the skies,
When the wind has passed and cleared them.
He comes from the north as golden splendor;
With God is awesome majesty.
As for the Almighty, we cannot find Him;
He is excellent in power,
In judgment and abundant justice; ...
Therefore men fear Him.’”
“Who is like the Lord our God,
Who dwells on high,
Who humbles Himself to behold
The things that are in the heavens and in the earth?”
“The Lord has His way
In the whirlwind and in the storm,
And the clouds are the dust of His feet.”
“Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;
And His greatness is unsearchable.
One generation shall praise Your works to another,
And shall declare Your mighty acts.
I will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty,
And on Your wondrous works.
Men shall speak of the might of Your awesome acts,
And I will declare Your greatness.
They shall utter the memory of Your great goodness,
And shall sing of Your righteousness. ...
“All Your works shall praise You, O Lord,
And Your saints shall bless You.
They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom,
And talk of Your power,
To make known to the sons of men His mighty acts,
And the glorious majesty of His kingdom.
Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
And Your dominion endures throughout all generations. ...
My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord,
And all flesh shall bless His holy name
Forever and ever.”
Job 13:11; 22:12; 25:3; 37:5-13, 19-24; Psalm 113:5, 6; Nahum 1:3; Psalm 145:3-21.

Lessons From Sacred History

Again, consider the judgment that fell upon Uzzah. As in David’s reign the ark was being carried to Jerusalem, Uzzah put forth his hand to keep it steady. For presuming to touch the symbol of God’s presence, he was smitten with instant death.

At the burning bush, when Moses, not recognizing God’s presence, turned aside to see the wonderful sight, the command was given: “‘Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.’ ... And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God.” Exodus 3:5, 6.

“Now Jacob went out from Beersheba and went toward Haran. So he came to a certain place and stayed there all night, because the sun had set. And he took one of the stones of that place and put it at his head, and he lay down in that place to sleep.

“Then he dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth, and its top reached to heaven, and there the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. And behold, the Lord stood above it and said: ‘I am the Lord God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and to your descendants. ... Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you.’

“Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, ‘Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.’ And he was afraid and said, ‘How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven!’” Genesis 28:10-17.

In the sanctuary of the wilderness tabernacle and of the temple that were the earthly symbols of God’s dwelling place, one apartment was sacred to His presence. The veil inwrought with cherubim at its entrance was not to be lifted by any hand except one—that of the high priest. To lift that veil, and intrude unbidden into the sacred mystery of the most holy place, was death. For above the mercy seat appeared the glory of the Holiest—glory upon which no human might look and live. On the one day of the year appointed for ministry in the most holy place, the high priest with trembling entered God’s presence, while clouds of incense veiled the glory from his sight. Throughout the courts of the temple every sound was hushed. No priests ministered at the altars. The host of worshipers, bowed in silent awe, offered their petitions for God’s mercy.

“These things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.” 1 Corinthians 10:11.

“‘The Lord is in His holy temple.
Let all the earth keep silence before Him.’”
“The Lord reigns;
Let the peoples tremble!
He dwells between the cherubim;
Let the earth be moved!
The Lord is great in Zion,
And He is high above all the peoples.
Let them praise Your great and awesome name—
He is holy.”
“He looked down from the height of His sanctuary.”
“From the place of His habitation He looks
On all the inhabitants of the earth;
He fashions their hearts individually;
He considers all their works.”
“Let all the earth fear the Lord;
Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.”
Habakkuk 2:20; Psalm 99:1-3; 102:19; 33:14, 15, 8.