God’s Ultimate Long-term Health Care Plan

"God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us; That thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations. Let all the people praise thee. O let the nations be glad and sing for joy: For thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth.... Then shall the earth yield her increase; and God, even our own God, shall bless us." Psalm 67:1-6

Health has always been one of mankind’s most precious and immediate concerns. O, to be healthy, vibrant—and alive!

Lack of health insurance is associated with as many as 44,789 adult deaths per year in the United States (ScientificAmerican.com, Sept. 17, ‘09). Currently, 46.3 million Americans lack health coverage (American Medical News, Sept. 21, ‘09). Medical News Today reported that in the last decade an average of 195,000 hospital deaths occurred from medical errors in the USA.

Globalization and Health

With the recent global fuel crisis, a severe financial crisis, an ominous changing climate—"all have profound consequences for health" (Dr. Margaret Chan, Director-General, UN World Health Organization).

Developing countries are the first and hardest hit. In those countries, the average household spends as much as 80% of income on food. The first thing to drop out of the diet are healthy foods, like fruits and vegetables and high quality sources of protein. The result is that processed foods—full of fat and sugar—become the cheapest way to fill a hungry stomach. In Haiti mud cakes dried with salt and fat are made to ease hunger by those who cannot afford rice and beans which have risen in price 100 percent. Children starved of essential nutrients are damaged for the rest of their lives.

The world Health Organization estimates there is a nearly 4.5 million shortfall in healthcare workers globally and 57 countries have a severe shortage.

Even so, when people have to pay for care, they tend to wait until the condition is so far advanced that treatment is difficult, if not impossible, and the costs are much higher. Ironically, the costs of health care are themselves a cause of poverty for many millions of people. Poverty then causes more health issues in an continuing cycle.

Calls for international assistance are becoming more frequent and more intense at a time when all countries are stressed by the pressures of financial crises. "The policies governing international organizations need to be balanced….especially in matters of health in this turbulent and tottering world" (Dr. Chan, UN-WHO).

Health Care Debate

An overhaul of the U.S. health care costs is currently in process. Americans spend an average of $7,290 a year on health care, more than twice the average for other developed countries. Despite that, the United States lags in life expectancy, infant mortality and preventable deaths. Some charge that costs are driven up by malpractice suits that force doctors to practice defensive medicine by ordering too many tests. But some patients also drive up costs by demanding excessive tests and services.

"As insurance costs become unaffordable, companies are scaling back or dropping health benefits"(The New York Times, Oct. 1, ‘09). In health care outsourcing, hundreds of uninsured and underinsured Americans have already gone on their own to India for treatments.

There are legions of overworked primary doctors who have to see as many patients as possible in order to cover their costs. As a result, little time is available to discuss the patient’s health issues and prevention of future health problems. Where and when did mankind’s health issues start? Is there any hope for a healthy human race?

Mankind’s Health Issues

Our perfect father and mother of the human race brought sickness on their descendants in their original home—the garden of Eden. God gave a simple test of obedience—as well as the consequences of disobedience. "But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof dying thou shalt die" (Gen 2:17 Hebrew, See margin).

Although Adam lived 930 years, his health began to deteriorate immediately (Genesis 5:5). His children—the human race—as a result, are also born to die (Psa. 51:5 niv). Was that penalty fair? Yes, and for two reasons it was also practical:—

• Then only one "ransom" would be necessary to redeem mankind (1 Cor. 15:22)
• Then mankind would learn the consequences of sin and choose God’s way to attain health and life in His Kingdom for which we pray. "Thy will be done on Earth—as it is in heaven…"

When God’s will is done on Earth as it is done in heaven, then it will be the time when He will "govern the nations upon the earth" and His "saving health" will be among all nations and "judge the people righteously" (Psa. 67:2-4).

In the meantime, God sent Prophets to describe the healing blessings of His Kingdom Plan when the ransomed of the LORD return to Him:

"Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees….Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing….And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The Way of Holiness…" Isaiah 35:3-8

Healing Restoration

How many of us have had knee issues? How sad when our loved one loses hearing—do we have insurance coverage for a hearing aid? Do we know someone who has lost a leg to diabetes—or war? In God’s Kingdom Plan for restoration of health—the lame shall leap as a deer! The deaf will hear. The blind will see—and no glasses will even be necessary.

For the Christian now, only a "narrow" way to heavenly life is open (Matt. 7:14). But when God’s Kingdom comes and His will is "done on earth" (Matt. 6:10)—there will be a "highway" to health and earthly life open for all mankind returning to Him.

"And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away." Isaiah 35:10

Jesus’ Miracles of Healing

Yes, Jesus at his first advent performed many miracles of healing the sick.

"And Jesus was going about in all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people….and they brought to Him all who were ill, taken with various diseases and pains, demoniacs, epileptics, paralytics; and he healed them. And great multitudes followed Him…." Matthew 4:23-25

These miracles of healing served two purposes:

• The miracles drew attention to Jesus’ ministry at his First Advent as Messiah.
• The miracles were a representation of the universal healing Jesus with his Church would accomplish during his Second Advent—the Millennial Kingdom.

Jesus did not heal everyone then—not even everyone in Judea Samaria. In fact, when he called his disciples, he did not promise health and wealth.

"If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me" (Matt 16:24). The Christian is called to the privilege of suffering with Christ—to be prepared for reigning with him to bless the world. (2 Tim. 2:12).

Healing in the New Testament

But wasn’t there healing in the Early Church as recorded in the New Testament? Yes, gifts of the holy Spirit of healing and tongues (foreign languages) were given to establish the Church in its infancy. But then Apostle Paul urges his brethren to move on to a more "excellent way"—bearing the "fruits of the spirit" (Gal. 5:22).

"All do not have gifts of healings, do they? All do not speak with tongues, do they? All do not interpret, do they? But earnestly desire the greater gifts. And I show you a still more excellent way….love" 1 Corinthians 12:30-31 & 13

Doesn’t the Apostle James, however, encourage the sick to go to the elders to be healed?

"Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praises. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him. Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much." James 5:13-17 nas

The word for "sick" in the Greek (astheneo) means without strength, weak. The wearied ones who have committed sins and feel alienated from God should come to those spiritually strong to request prayer for themselves. Therefore, as encouraged to "confess your faults to one another," they desire to be healed of their spiritual sickness. On the other hand, Apostle Paul did not heal Timothy’s physical "frequent ailments," but suggested a practical medicinal remedy (1 Tim.5:23).

Church Prepared to be Sympathetic

All the experiences of those called to "suffer with him" (Rom. 8:17) will be valuable in being prepared for the role of sympathetic priesthood in Christ’s Kingdom. Jesus is "the High Priest of our profession" for us as under Priests (Heb. 3:1). So Jesus’ Church is prepared by going through all the trials of adversity "common to man" (1 Cor. 10:13).The preparation of the whole Christian Age is like a parenthesis between Jesus’ first and second advents—first providing redemption, the second restoration. Jesus returns to restore "that which was lost" (Matt. 18:11) during a "times of restitution" (Acts 3:19-21) gradually, step by step.

God’ Ultimate Plan to Restore Life

But man will come back from the sleep of death having the same character with which he died. Some will have it easier than others on the "Highway of Holiness." A few might not make it to perfection because unwilling to conform to the just and loving laws of Christ’s

Kingdom. But the vast majority of earth’s billions will "get with" God’s Long-Term Plan.

In the symbolic Book of Revelation, the Church is described as the "New Jerusalem," but also as a "Bride" and "a tree of life" bearing fruit for the "healing of the nations."

"And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. 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." Revelation 22:1-2 See also John 7:38

The Christian is called "a tree" (Psa. 1:3)—but in the Kingdom the Church as a whole will be a (symbolic) tree and provide "fruit" for the healing of all mankind! Then, "No resident will [need to] say, "I am sick" (Isaiah 33:24).

Then, instead of worrying about covering funeral costs—which add to grief—families will be joyfully welcoming their loved ones back to life! God’s ultimate Plan for health then will mean life—eternally!

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