The Health Message

A blessing to the church and the world

Of Christ it is written that He “went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people” (Matthew 4:23).

According to this Scripture, the work of Jesus was divided into three essential areas:

•———— Teaching

• Preaching

• Healing

Luke, the beloved physician who had a special interest in health issues, registered many miracles that Christ performed related to healing people. No doubt this healing ministry opened many doors for Christ to preach the gospel of the kingdom.

“The Saviour went from house to house, healing the sick, comforting the mourners, soothing the afflicted, speaking peace to the disconsolate.”1

It is not by chance that the expression “healing the sick” comes first in this list. As a matter of fact, Christ used the healing ministry as a powerful entering wedge to reach souls with the message of eternal salvation. He employed much more time in healing the physical diseases of the people than in preaching. Thus many of those who had been benefited by His healing power opened their heart to receive the precious good tidings of salvation.

“The principles of health reform are found in the word of God. The gospel of health is to be firmly linked with the ministry of the word. It is the Lord’s design that the restoring influence of health reform shall be a part of the last great effort to proclaim the gospel message.”2

“As a means of overcoming prejudice and gaining access to minds, medical missionary work must be done, not in one or two places only, but in many places where the truth has not yet been proclaimed. We are to work as gospel medical missionaries, to heal the sin-sick souls by giving them the message of salvation. This work will break down prejudice as nothing else can.”3

In 1863 the light about health principles was brought to the believers of the three angels’ messages. Twenty-five years before the message Christ Our Righteousness, God gave special instructions related to health reform. If God’s people had followed that light, they would have been much more prepared to understand the message brought to them in 1888.

The week of prayer readings for this year will focus in a special way on the example of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and our duty as individuals, families, and church members to follow the light brought so many years ago to God’s people. No doubt that, through this message, God wants to prepare us to understand the broad reach of the everlasting gospel with which the angel of Revelation 18:1 will enlighten the whole world with the glory of the Lord.

Let us follow the precious light that has been given to us a long time ago! R