While being driven through Kenya in East Africa a few years ago, my wife and I saw a large field
of red flowering plants. Our driver told us it was pyrethrum (related to the chrysanthemum). We
immediately recognized the name as the major ingredient of an insect repellant we were using to
protect against mosquitoes that carried the malaria organism.
It was of great interest to find that in a country devastated by malaria, a plant was being grown
for use in reducing the population of mosquitoes that transmit the malaria organism from one
individual to another. Malaria is one of the many aspects of the curse that God has brought upon
mankind because of Adam and Eve’s sin. But right in the middle of the area most affected by
malaria, God has also provided an antidote, a natural means of controlling the disease.
Upon further thought, we realized that the world is full of examples of God’s provision of
antidotes for the curse brought about by sin. Acetylsalicylic acid (or aspirin), found in the bark
of the willow tree, is a pain reliever and protects against heart attack and stroke. Digitalis, found
in the foxglove plant, is used to treat certain kinds of heart disease. Quinine, obtained from the
bark of the cinchona tree, was used early on as a treatment of malaria.
God cursed the ground so that it would produce thorns and thistles and cause man to labor long
and hard, "in the sweat of [his] face," in order to put food on his table. But at the same time, God
has given man the wisdom and knowledge to develop machinery and technology that reduces the
time and labor involved in plowing fields and planting, cultivating, and harvesting crops.
God pronounced upon women, "I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; in
sorrow you shall bring forth children." But at the same time, God has helped man to develop (1)
anesthetics and methods of relaxation (such as the Lamaze method) to reduce the pain of
childbirth, and (2) medications, devices, and timing methods to help reduce the frequency of
conception that was greatly multiplied as part of the curse for sin.
Whenever we think about these many antidotes that God has provided to overcome sin’s curse
upon the world, we are reminded of the most important and wonderful antidote of all. This, of
course, is God’s remedy for the sin, death, and eternal judgment that have come upon all mankind
because of Adam and Eve’s sin (Rom. 5:12-19; 1 Cor. 15:21,22). He has sent His only Son into
the world which He (the Son) created (John 1:3; Col. 1:16) to become a Man. As perfect, sinless
Man, He has taken our sin and guilt upon Himself and suffered God’s righteous judgment on our
behalf. Thus, the sinner who puts his/her trust in the atoning work of the Lord Jesus Christ is
delivered from sin (Eph. 1:7; Rev. 1:5), from death (John 3:16; 5:24; 2 Cor. 1:10), and from
eternal judgment (Rom. 5:16,18; 8:1; 1 John 4:17).
Such thoughts surely cause our hearts to overflow in worship and praise to God for the riches and
glory of His grace (Eph. 1:6,7).
" O the glory of the grace
Shining in the Saviour’s face!"
Let us conclude with a practical application of the thoughts that have been presented here. Let us
not be like Cain who glibly "went out … and … builded a city" after having a curse placed upon
him by the LORD (Gen. 4:11,16,17; see the article by J.G. Bellett in this issue). We may often
avail ourselves of God’s antidotes for sin’s curse (as is His desire, I believe). Let us do so with
thankful hearts and with the desire to use the benefits derived therefrom to bring glory and honor
to God, rather than ease, comfort, and pleasure to ourselves. Let us use labor-saving and sweat-
reducing machinery, computers, and other devices only to have more time and energy available
to serve the Lord. Let us use contraceptives only as definitely led of the Lord in order to be better
able to devote our time and energies to bringing up the children He has already given us, or to
serve Himself in other ways.
" To God be the glory,
Great things He has done!"