by Rev. Jack Barr

Hi XXXXXX

You have asked the Question:

How does medicine play a part in God's purpose for our use according to the scriptures?

Answer:
I believe that you should have no fear in using any drugs that your doctor may prescribe for you in the treatment of an illness.

God has provided the doctors with a skill that they are to use to help us, and has provided medicines to ease our sufferings. I will show below the scriptural documentation for this belief.

I, myself, have had both instant and miraculous healings from The Almighty God, and yet there are times when God sent me to doctors for my healing through them.

I watched as one of my sons had cancer, both lungs failed, died, sent back by the Lord. God provided every special doctor that he needed just when he needed that doctor. God healed him when the doctors said that it was impossible. It took a lot of doctors and a lot of medicine (drugs) but God provided all of it. We witnessed so many miracles while he was in the hospital. We saw that God used doctors, drugs and direct healing by God in places, Yes, God could have healed him instantly without him going into the hospital, without the use of drugs, and without using doctors, but then the 40 ++ people who saw the power of God through this would not have accepted Jesus Christ as their savior as these 40 ++ people did, including one of his doctors who had been an atheist and also myself who came to accept Jesus through seeing what my son went through and the power of God. I do not have the space to tell you all of it, but you can read of this testimony by my son and his wife at http://www.barr-family.com/shirlbarr/carltest.htm There were so many miracles God gave them, including the doctors and medicines.

I hope that the above and the scriptures below will answer your question.

Proverbs 17:22 A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.

Proverbs shows us that medicine was used in the Old Testament times and recognizes here that the use of medicine was looked on as good. For an uplifted heart is viewed as being as good as taking or using medicine.

Ezekiel 47:12 And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary: and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine.

Revelation 22:2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

Both Ezekiel and Revelation shows us that God provides for us, and expects us to use, medicine. Both verses are referring to the New Earth, with the river originating directly from God, and along side of this river will be the Trees of Life. The leafs of which are called medicine and are for healing. God could heal everyone directly, and sometimes does, but has chosen to provide different medicines for our healing. And since God does not change, that also means that God has provided medicines for out use today.

Jeremiah 30:13 There is none to plead thy cause, that thou mayest be bound up: thou hast no healing medicines.

Jeremiah 8:22 Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?

Jeremiah shows us that our health would be in jeopardy if we did not have both medicines for healing or physicians (doctors) to administer them.

Colossians 4:14 Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you.

One of the companions of The Apostle Paul, and the writer of the Gospel of Luke, was a physician (doctor) and so his being a doctor was obviously accepted

On the down side of using drugs there is the misuse of drugs which is condemned by the Bible. Two verses in the Book of Revelation (9:21, 18:23) use the word Sorceries, and one verse using the word Witchcraft in the Book of Glatians (5:20) which have a meaning of using, or poisoning with drugs. Since the meaning also includes poisoning, it can be seen that what is spoken of here is the misuse of drugs which will destroy the body, and not drugs taken for the purpose of healing the body.

The following are the two verses in Revelation with the Strong's Identification numbers shown for each word. The word Sorceries is highlighted in red with the Strong's number highlighted in blue. Followed with the definition of the word numbered 5331

Revelation 9:21 Neither <2532> <3756> repented they <3340> (5656) of <1537> their <846> murders <5408>, nor <3777> of <1537> their <846> sorceries <5331>, nor <3777> of <1537> their <846> fornication <4202>, nor <3777> of <1537> their <846> thefts <2809>.

Revelation 18:23 And <2532> the light <5457> of a candle <3088> shall shine <5316> (5652) no more <3364> at all <2089> in <1722> thee <4671>; and <2532> the voice <5456> of the bridegroom <3566> and <2532> of the bride <3565> shall be heard <191> (5686) no more <3364> at all <2089> in <1722> thee <4671>: for <3754> thy <4675> merchants <1713> were <2258> (5713) the great men <3175> of the earth <1093>; for <3754> by <1722> thy <4675> sorceries <5331> were <4105> <0> all <3956> nations <1484> deceived <4105> (5681).

Note:
The word " sorceries " here is the Greek word " Pharmakia " and means drugs. This is the Greek word that we get our word "pharmacy" (drug store) from.

1) 2) 3) 4) = How the Greek word was most often used by the Greeks and those who spoke Greek, with 1) being the meaning most often used, and 4) being the meaning used the least or seldom had this meaning.

It is interesting to note that in the study of Witchcraft today that their published spells etc. incorporate much usage of drugs. And this fits straight into the definition given above and is why many condemn the use of any drugs, even if they are used for healing, for in their minds they can not see the difference, although God does see the difference as we have shown above.

May God Continue leading you into all of His Truths. Trust God.

Rev. Jack Barr