Sabbath 12/3/41/120

Dear Friends,

This Sabbath we wish to address a serious problem that is now in the Congo but has the capacity to spread if not handled correctly.  The problem is Ebola and it can be handled correctly if the Laws of God are obeyed. These are contained in the structure of the Law as detailed in the Law of God (L1).

There are simple rules and these are that a dead body is not to be handled on the Sabbath and funerals are not to be conducted on the Sabbath. If a dead body is handled the people handling it are unclean for the prescribed period and certainly over the Sabbath.

Further, dead bodies are not to be placed in the places of assembly and worship as they render them unclean.

Ebola is a particularly vicious disease and all people with it are to be quarantined and they are not to be removed or taken into a general assembly or to homes other than to the set places of quarantine to prevent the spread of the disease. If the household has the disease then the entire household is to remain quarantined.  There is to be no handling of, or exposure to, the dead body other than by properly suited staff.  All people are to be bathed and quarantined until the medical authorities certify the danger of infection is past.

The problems and transmissions in the Congo DR were caused and exacerbated by the townspeople themselves who simply refuse to alter their customs to control the disease.  Three people were taken by force from a quarantine facility by their families and taken, of all places, to the churches so that the ministers could “faith heal” the victims.  The result was two of them died and the third was taken back to the facility to almost certainly die and now there are hundreds exposed to the disease and many now under observation. The rest are being tracked down so they can be placed under observation.

Ebola and other diseases are also being spread by people in Africa not following the Food Laws (No. 015). They are eating “bush meat” which is often unclean. 

All ministry are to police the hygiene and food laws among our people all over the world. They are to educate their people on the Laws of God and those breaking such laws are to be removed from the faith until they repent.

It is important that we understand that we are a chosen holy people called to be a nation of kings and priests.  We are to be clean and kept from uncleanness.  None of us are to be found keeping the traditions of our ancestors above or apart from the Laws of God.

Communicable diseases are to be checked and quarantined at all times. Unclean food is never to be eaten. We are to be Holy as He who called us is Holy, Righteous, Just and True.

Keep us all free from sin and uncleanness.

Note also that this next week we will have the Commentaries on the Surahs of the Koran all finished and on the web. We hope to have the Summary and the Indexes also finished the following week.

Wade Cox