Genesis 1:29 And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. 30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.
The herb of the field was early introduced as an article of food for both man and beast in the garden of Eden, before the fall of Adam and Eve, and it's important that we understand God's reason for doing so, for everything that He does is with a purpose in mind, and always for our best good. It's worthy of note that after the fall, when the curses were pronounced, that God again specified that herbs should be eaten. The question then is why does God stress this particular point, and what are the benefits that will accrue to us when we follow His all-wise instructions?
Herbs serve many useful purposes in the fostering and maintaining of good health, including keeping our digestive system and organs in tip top shape. In addition to this they are to be used medicinally, to stave off diseases and also in the healing processes, because the second instruction pertaining to eating them, comes in the same verse that mentions the "Thorns and thistles" that the human family was to encounter as the earth was cultivated for the production of fruit and grain. These thorns and thistles refer to the various negative circumstances which would of necessity obtain in the labor required to till the soil, such as cuts and bruises, stings and various diseases that would increase with the passage of time. All of these are included in the words "Thorns and thistles" for spiritual things are spiritually discerned. Let's read:
Genesis 3:17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; 18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field.
In the vegetable world, garlic can be used for a host of diseases and ailments, including the significant lowering of cholesterol, anti-clotting of platelets, as an antibiotic, against digestive disorders, and it can also be used against herpes, the common cold, dyspepsia, gastroenteritis, salmonella, urinary tract infections, malignant tumors, detoxification, and it is extremely useful and efficient in any weight-loss program, when used in conjunction with proper diet, rest, and exercise. In addition, whenever a cold or flu is just about to creep upon us, the ingestion of several cloves of crushed garlic throughout the day, coupled together with lemon or orange juice, can go a long way in staving off and preventing the onset of the cold, especially if we desire to nip the flu in the bud.
But there are also other less known herbs and plants that can do tremendous good, of which many are not aware. For instance there is Burnet saxifrage, Damiana, Celandine, Dwarf elder, Hartstongue, Iceland moss, Henbane,Cat's tail, Fucus, Knee holly, Witch hazel, Mugwort, Flax, Rowan, Fraxinella, Ipecac, Juniper, Myrtle, Wormseed, Sundew, Turmeric, Scurvy grass, Pokeweed, Madder, Milfoil, Radish, Tormentil, Storkbill, Wild betony, Red bryony and Rue, just to name a few of the many different plants and herbs God has provided so that our diseases, ailments, and ill-health can be brought to a bare minimum. Even though the necessary research needs to be done by us individually, in finding out how and when to use them, yet the fact is that the information is available to all who desire to live in health, and coupled together with the grace of God, we can avoid to a great extent, the plethora of sicknesses and diseases that are out there.
There is a herb for every ailment we are afflicted with, some are well known and others are not recognized for what they are, and for this reason many people have valuable herbs growing right in their own backyards, but they do not know what's the purpose or use of them. In our day where modern medicine, and the use of many synthetic drugs have become a part of the gold standard for the masses, the use of herbs and plants has become more and more restricted to health and diet enthusiasts, while the multitudes are in many instances treated with drugs which sometimes produce harmful, lifelong effects.
Wherever and whenever it can be avoided, let's leave the use of synthetic, man-made drugs for real emergencies only, for it is much more preferable to use the God-ordained approach of herbs. We therefore end with a passage of scripture which points us to The Great physician, and the methods and medicines He has prescribed, for He has created us, and therefore knows best how to heal the sick and cleanse the lepers. Let's read:
Jeremiah 8:21 For the hurt of the daughter of my people am I hurt; I am black; astonishment hath taken hold on me. 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?
May God add His blessing to the study and practice of His word. "Good night" and God bless!