LESSON 11:
Cause and Effect for Health
1: In the old days, many people used to believe that diseases and sickness of various kinds were caused by evil spirits or vengeful gods. They thought that these gods sent diseases such as smallpox. They thought that if they could just please their gods with sacrifices then the gods would leave them alone to be well and healthy.
2: Even today, in some places, there are people who still think sickness comes from evil spirits in the air; especially night air! They think some spirits live in trees, or in some valleys or rivers, waiting to trouble anyone who neglects to pacify them with suitable offerings. They think such spirits can cause rheumatism, cholera, plague, diphtheria and other infectious diseases, as well as such things as headache, sterility and blindness. Also, in olden times, people used to believe in the evil eye. They believed that a man, woman or child had some magic power where by just looking at another person, he could cast a spell on him that would cause sickness or even death. People were so afraid of these things that they spent their lives in a round of sacrifice and ceremonies to please these various evil gods and spirits, and they lived in continual fear of displeasing these mysterious powers, and so incurring their wrath.
3: But today we know beyond any shadow of doubt, that for every sickness there is a knowable cause which is not governed by witches, wizards, evil spirits or evil eye. We know that sickness is the effect of knowable causes. When we know the cause, we can avoid the disease or even cure it.
4: For example, a disease which is spread from person to person is tuberculosis. Inside the lungs of people with tuberculosis are tuberculosis germs. Many other commonly dreaded diseases are also spread by germs; and caused by poor health habits. Some of these diseases are cholera, typhoid, diphtheria and leprosy, also malaria. We know what the different kinds of germs look like and how they behave, how they get from person to person, and how to avoid getting them. Diseases can be caused by the things we eat or don't eat, or by improper habits. Other diseases are caused by not getting enough sleep, or rest, or exercise, or work. Some diseases are even caused by the way we think! Many diseases are caused by uncleanliness. Personal uncleanness, environmental uncleanness, mental and moral uncleanness. For all disease there is a definite cause, and the disease is the effect.
5: All diseases are the result of man's breaking the laws which govern his being. Breaking either physical, mental, social or spiritual laws has a bad effect on man's being.
6: Just as it is a law of nature that when a tree is cut, it falls, so it is a law of our being that when we break the law we suffer. Overeat; you have indigestion. Eat too much rich foods and you suffer from obesity and heart trouble and artery diseases. Eat or drink unclean food; you get worms and other intestinal troubles. Overwork and worry; you get a nervous breakdown. Live in constant fear, guilt, remorse, anger and frustration; you go insane. When the cause is there, the effect is inevitable. The wonder is not that we are sick. The wonder is that so many of us are well!
7: By studying the laws of our four-fold being, and by bringing our living habits into harmony with these laws, we can have abundant life free from sickness and disease. And not only a happy life for a few years on this earth, but a happy, healthy life that will never end. As a matter of fact, now scientists tell us that there is really no reason for man's growing old and dying. He should live forever. It is only the knowing or unknowing violation of the laws of life that causes us to die.
8: There are going to be people on this earth who never die. I should like to be one of them. The Bible tells us something about them. They are going to be strong and healthy. They will be perfectly in balance in all four dimensions; physical, mental, social, spiritual. They will not only live on this earth, but they will go into space like the Russian and American astronauts. They will go further than any astronauts. They will go up past the stars, right up to Heaven, the home of God. They will see God and live.
9: The Bible tells us quite a bit about these people. It tells us that if we are among them, we shall be in heaven for one thousand years. Speaking of this, the Bible says, "And they [the saints] lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years." (Revelation 20:4.) Who is a saint? He is a person just like you and me, who has brought all of his life into harmony with the laws of life through the power of Jesus. By God's grace, we can all be saints.
10: The beginning of the one thousand years, or millennium, takes place when Jesus comes to this earth the second time. We read, "For the Lord Himself shall descend from Heaven... Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." ( 1 Thessalonians 4: 16:17.) According to His own promise, Jesus will take the people from this earth with Him to heaven.
11: Heaven is a real place and is millions and millions of miles away. The sun, which is only a small star in our universe is 93 million miles away, and heaven is far beyond that. The Lord is going to take us there.
12: Through the pearly gates we will be invited to enter into the city of God. With the fruit from the tree of life and a drink of water from the river of life, we shall nevermore die. We shall even eat the leaves from the tree of life. All difference in color and race will disappear so that all people will be one nation. God says the name of this wonderful city is New Jerusalem.
13: What will the Saints do in Heaven? The Bible answers: Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world. They will judge the wicked dead. God is a god of justice. Everybody's case will be judged justly. Everyone who is not in that city will get punished according to his deeds. During the one thousand years it will be the work of the saints to decide the degree of punishment for every person who has not been saved.
14: The condition of this world during the one thousand years will be terrible. "The dragon, that old serpent which is the devil and Satan," will be bound for one thousand years. He will be bound by a chain of circumstances. He cannot deceive anyone for nobody is alive here. The saints have all gone to heaven, the wicked are all dead. Satan and his angels are alone here on earth.
15: The Bible tells us, "I beheld the earth, and, lo it was without form and void, and the heavens and they had no light. I beheld the mountains and lo they trembled and all the hills moved lightly. I beheld and there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled. I beheld, and lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the Lord and by His fierce anger. For thus hath the Lord said, 'The whole land shall be desolate: yet will I not make a full end: Jeremiah 23:27.
16: At the end of 1000 years, the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, will descend with all the saints in it. Jesus will lead the way back to this earth. Jesus ascended to heaven from the Mt. of Olives. He will again put His feet on the same mountain. "And the Mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the north, and half of it toward the south: and there will be a great plain. This is where the New Jerusalem will settle down.
17: Then all the wicked dead will be resurrected. Satan will then be free to tempt them and deceive them again. Satan will be loosed, "and he shall go out to deceive the. nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, gog and magog, to gather them together to battle. The number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth and compassed the city, and fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. Revelation 20:8, 9
18: And the Devil, that deceiver, then was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, to burn until he and all the wicked are burned up. This is the end of the wicked and the end of sin. It will be a complete end. "For behold the day cometh that shall burn as an oven, and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly shall be as stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch." The earth itself will melt with fervent heat. All sin will be destroyed. All dirty things will be destroyed. All bad germs and bad habits which cause sickness and disease will be destroyed. All people whose sins have not been forgiven by Jesus will be destroyed completely.
19: Then there will be a new creation. God will make a new heaven and a new earth. We shall see him do it, if we are there. On this New Earth the saints will live happily forever and Jesus will live there with them. We shall study more about the earth made new later. Do not miss any future lessons in this series. Each one will help you understand more of God's purpose for you.
20: Remember: only those who accept Jesus as their personal Saviour will be able to reach this wonderful estate. It is only the power of Jesus which can forgive the sins we have done. It is only the power of Jesus which can change our vile bodies into glorious bodies, it is only the power of Jesus which can change our characters and make us fit to live in heaven to associate with pure and holy angels. It is only the power of Jesus that will, when we ask Him, enable us to live up to all the laws of our being, the laws of life. This is a wonderful privilege. It will be your experience and mine, if we accept Him now and ask Him to take charge of our lives and to bring us into, conformity with His laws of life. Come to Him now in faith, as you are. Confess your sins and be dean. Be ready now, so that when He comes you will not be disappointed. He is coming soon. May God bless you all.
Here is additional information about the Millennium and afterward:
"As it was in the days of Noe [Noah], so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all . . Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed." Luke 17:26:30.
"When they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, and they shall not escape." 1 Thessalonians 5:3.
"And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years." Revelation 20:4 (1 Cor. 6:1:3).
"The rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished." Revelation 20:5.
"I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years." Revelation 20:1:2.
"The rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished." Revelation 20.5 .
"After that, he (Satan] must be loosed a little season" Revelation 20:3
"They went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city; and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them." Revelation 20:9.
"And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death." Revelation 20.14.
"And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away." Revelation 21:1
