Divine healing is probably one of the more controversial subjects in the Scriptures. There are those who believe that healing is for today and there are those who believe that it is not and then there are those that hope it is for today. This teaching on divine healing is a culmination of several years of prayer, study and careful research. It is our prayer that any reader will be blessed and hopefully gain a better understanding of this very important topic.

This teaching is a publication of Yahweh's Covenant Assembly and Fellowship. It is our intention to publish all our literature free of charge to all. We will be limited in the number of copies we can send to a fellowship or home group; however, you will be able to help us by making copies of the various teachings for study--not for sale. It is our hope that these and other teachings will be a blessing to you.

It is important that you understand that while healing is a doctrine, you don't have to agree with this teaching in order to be saved. Many people believe that if you don't agree on every point, a person is not saved. We are held spiritually accountable for the things we know.

In all our teachings we use the Hebrew name of our Heavenly Father, Yahweh, and the Hebrew name for His Son, the Messiah, Yahshua. We do not believe or teach that people that call on 'God' or 'Jesus' are not saved. However, we do believe that when one comes to the knowledge of the true names of the Father and Son, they should want to use them since the Father's name is a designation of Himself. We challenge you to search the scriptures and look at the number of times 'name' in relation to the Father is mentioned. It seems rather important that we know and use the proper names. There are Scriptures that show the importance of both the name of the Father and the Son. (Exodus 3:15; Exodus 20:7; Deuteronomy 32:1; Psalms 135:13; Isaiah 52:6, Zechariah 13:7; Matthew 5:17; Matthew 24:9; John 1:12; John 15:16; John 15:20; John 17:25; Acts 2:38)

As you will also notice, rather than using the word 'Bible'--unless it is used as a reference, we use the terms Old Covenant for the Old Testament and and Brit Chadasha for the New Testamment or the Renewed Old Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34; 50:4-8; Hebrews 8:6-13). Most important, however; the Old Covenant has not been done away with nor has it been replaced by the Brit Chadasha. Also, when we refer to the term 'scripture' or scriptures, we are referring to the Brit Chadasha definition. The words 'scripture' or scriptures' in the Brit Chadasha refers to the Old Covenant (Testament). The Brit Chadasha (New Testament) had not been written at the time of the Messiah and the Apostles.

The word 'Bible' "was originally Phoenician, then passed into Greek, then Latin. It means "books" in Greek, and is only on the cover and commentary text of what we call our 'Bibles'. 'Bible' stems from the word Byblos which was an ancient city named after the female deity, Byblia whose temple was in Byblos. This female deity was the grand-daughter of Apollo, the well known Greek sun deity--another pagan god. Again, we don't doubt a person's salvation just because they use the term 'Bible.'

This teaching was first published in 2000. As our understanding has grown, we have made this revision to better reflect proper terminology; however, the fundamental message remains unchanged. It is our prayer that Yahweh will guide us to the true meaning of the Scriptures and the Brit Chadasha.. Any honest, sincere feedback (with scriptural support) would be most appreciated.

Yahweh's Covenant Assembly & Fellowship

Email: jwlynch@bellsouth.net
 

It is evident Yahweh intended that man should live in a perfect world without all the heartache and horrible things that are so common in our world today. We know this because Yahweh created a beautiful garden and placed the first man and woman, Adam and Eve, there with instructions for living. We also know that their disobedience threw man-kind into an imperfect world where sin, sickness, disease and death became the order of the day. Yet Yahweh also created the body with the amazing capacity to heal itself and in his infinite wisdom planned for man's redemption--both physically and spiritually. We know, however, that not everyone is saved and people do get sick and not everyone is healed. The question one might ask is how did this fall into sin affect the plan of Yahweh for mankind?

"The days of our years are threescore years and ten." (Psalms 90:10)

"Take me not away in the midst of my days." (Psalms 102:24)

"Hear, O my son and receive my sayings; and the years of your life shall be many."
(Proverbs 4:10)

"Why shouldst thou die before thy time?" (Ecclesiastes 7:17)

If some don't die from sickness and disease, then the question would be how are they going to die? I believe that Psalms 104:29 has the answer. "Thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust."

Someone might ask that if it is Yahweh's will to heal, then how are we going to die? Divine healing does not go any further than the promise of Yahweh. Yahweh did not promise that we would never die, but He does say, "I will take sickness away from the midst of thee..the number of thy days I will fulfil" (Exodus 23:25-26). This scripture in Exodus was to the Children of Israel; however, it was conditional. Simply they were to serve Yahweh (verse 25). The question then remains as to how do we serve Yahweh? There are many scriptures that tell us how we are to serve him. Very simply, we are to obey his laws and commands as set forth in Torah. Which means we obviously need to know what those laws and commands are.

The Brit Chadasha tells us the old can't expect to be physically young, but they do have the right to claim Yahweh's gift of health and they can expect healing if Yahweh's conditions are met unless Yahweh, in His infinite wisdom determines a different course for that individual. (II Corinthians 4:16 - "Therefore we faint not; but though our outward man is decaying, yet our inward man is renewed day by day.) Should an individual not be healed, I am convinced that person can be totally at peace with Yahweh's will in their situation. James in the conclusion of his letter (James 5:13-20) not only wished that the recipients would be in good health, but he went a step further by reminding them of the provision Yahweh had made for their healing. Obviously this was not a new teaching but a reminder of standard practice among the believers.

The root of sickness and disease began with the original sin of Adam and Eve. The Scriptures (Old Testament/Covenant) tells us that even when Adam and Eve sinned, Yahweh already had a plan to redeem man from the awful curse. "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; he shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel" Genesis 3:15. This plan so beautifully conceived in the heart of Yahweh is, of course, making reference to the sacrifice of Yahweh's Son, Yahshua, the Messiah--the power of his birth, death, and resurrection. The portion of the verse that reads: "it shall bruise thy head" refers to the first coming of the Messiah as a babe and of his power and resurrection to destroy sin, Satan's seed, and has a double application to his second coming when he will totally destroy Satan and his work. "Thou shalt bruise his heel" shows Satan's work in having the Messiah put to death which fulfilled the plan of Yahweh for the ultimate sacrifice for man's sin. Because of Yahweh's love for his creation, he willingly sent his Son to redeem mankind from their sins and to provide everlasting life to those who accept him and who obey his laws and commandments.

Children are born with various birth defects, i.e., deafness, blindness, addictions and deformities. Some of these deformities are because of drug use and abuse by their parents; other deformities seem to have no obvious reason. Human beings suffer from various illnesses either because sickness and disease are simply a part of this imperfect world or because of their own failure to obey Yahweh's natural and dietary laws. Many suffer from obesity either because of improper diet or something in their body is not working properly which can trigger serious health problems. Fast food with its high fat and sugar content is a steady diet for many. Also, many eat food that by Scriptural law is considered unclean perhaps because of ignorance or their own rebellious choice. To think that Yahweh's law has been done away and that we can ingest anything into our bodies without terrible consequences is a mistake many make today. Isaiah 66:17 tells us "They that sanctify themselves and purify themselves to go to the gardens, behind one in the middle, eating swine's flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse, they shall come to an end together, says Yahweh."

We can see in Genesis 9:3 and Leviticus 11 what Yahweh determined were clean and unclean creatures. The following list is not all inclusive. There are certain animals that are basically garbage collectors because of what they eat, i.e., pigs, dogs, shellfish such as oysters, shrimp, clams, etc. Many people probably would be appalled at the idea of eating a snake, rat, weasel, skunk, or roach but think nothing of eating pork. The Scripture also tells us that we should not eat carnivorous or flesh-eating creatures such as lions and tigers, etc. The permissible animals to be eaten are those which eat foliage and grass such as sheep, cattle, buffalo, goats and deer. Yahweh also gave instructions not to eat animals such as the horse, camel, rabbit and squirrel which are also considered unclean. Neither should eagles, hawks, owls, vultures and crows, etc., which are carnivores be eaten. Only those animals that feed on grains or plants are considered clean and therefore can be eaten. Turkeys, chickens, geese and ducks, etc. fall into this category. Yahweh also gave instructions as to which sea creatures are to be avoided and which can be eaten. Clean fish are those which have both fins and scales such as trout, salmon, perch as well as tuna--though the scales of tuna are very small. Unclean seafood such as catfish, shark, dolphin, octopus and whale are not to be eaten.

Another dilemma we face today is that many of our foods that are considered Scripturally clean have been contaminated in the processing stage by man. Chemicals, artificial colors, artificial flavorings, dyes, and hydrogenated oils have been added to most of the packaged products on the grocery shelf. Many of these artificial substances are either carcinogenic or can cause severe allergic reactions in people. Recent studies indicate that hydrogenated oils contain trans fat which have adverse health effects. Even foods that are considered 'Kosher' often contain hydrogenated oils. (Kosher foods are processed according to Scriptural standards and would not include any unclean animals, or unclean sea creatures, etc.) Farmers also spray harmful fungicides, insecticides and pesticides on their crops which also get into the food chain.

In addition to our polluted food chain, many people also suffer from various ailments because of the abuse to their bodies with alcohol, nicotine and various drugs either illegal or prescription. Then there are also those who never get adequate rest for their bodies. This list could probably go on indefinitely as to why humanity suffers from sickness and disease as well as from the ravages of sin. Is there any way out of this dilemma? What was Yahweh's ultimate plan regarding healing? Are there other factors that undermine the healing process?

The Old Covenant (Testament) is a record of Yahweh's plan for mankind and his dealings with his covenant people, Israel. In the Old Covenant (Testament) there are several types of Atonement given in connection with bodily healing. The brazen serpent is a type of the prophetic suffering Messiah. Yahweh said to the dying Israelites that "everyone that is bitten, when he looketh upon it shall live" Numbers 21:8. One would question why the Israelites were required to look at a type of the Atonement for their healing if healing is not provided in the Atonement for Brit Chadasha (New Testament) believers. However, even though provision was made for healing, there were many people who died. Also, there were probably many who were not bitten at all. The question is what was the determining factor as to who died? Obviously only Yahweh can answer that. He is all seeing and all knowing and therefore knows each individual situation..

"And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was very discouraged because of the way. And the people spoke against Elohim, and against Moses, Why have you brought up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no bread, and there is no water; and our soul loathes this light bread. And Yahweh sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and many people of Israel died. And the people came to Moses, and said. We have sinned, because we have spoken against Yahweh, and against you; pray to Yahweh, that he will take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people. And Yahweh said to Moses, Make you a fiery serpent, and set it on a standard: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he sees it, shall live. And Moses made a serpent of bronze, and set it upon the standard: and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he looked to the serpent of bronze, he lived." Numbers 21:4-9

Another example of the Atonement for healing in the Old Covenant (Testament) is recorded in the 12th chapter of Exodus where the Israelites were required to eat the flesh of the Passover lamb for physical strength. Again one would have to ask why these people were required to eat the flesh of the Passover lamb for physical strength, unless we can receive physical life or strength from Yahshua. Paul says in I Corinthians 5:7: "our Passover is sacrificed for us."

We also know, based on an account in II Chronicles, 30:20, some 765 years after the institution of the Passover, that, "Yahweh listened to Hezekiah, and healed the people" when they kept the Passover. There is also an account in Leviticus 14:18 where the priest is making atonement for the cleansing of the leper. If healing is not in the atonement of Yahshua, why was there an atonement for the leper's healing? There are other prophetic scriptures of the coming Messiah that also point out Yahweh's intention for healing:

"But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." (Isaiah 53:5)

"Bless Yahweh, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities; who heals all your diseases;" (Psalm 103:2-3)

"He sends his word, and heals them, and delivers them from their destructions." (Psalm 107:20)

"My son, attend to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. Let them not depart from your eyes; Keep them in the middle of your heart. For they are life to those that find them, And health to all their flesh." (Proverbs 4:20-22)

Was healing just an Old Covenant benefit or is it for today? Isaiah 53:4-6 paints a graphic picture of what Yahshua provided for us in His sacrifice.

"Surely he has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem him stricken, struck of Elohim, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and Yahweh has laid on him the iniquity of us all."

The above verses point out that Yahweh provided healing for us at the same time he atoned for our sins. We know that based on Romans 5:12 death entered the world by sin. Since disease, which is incipient death, entered the world by sin, it would seem logical that its true remedy could only be found in the redemption of the Messiah. We know that when nature fails to restore health and doctors have done all they can, there is no power that can restore health other than the power of Yahweh. To answer the question of whether healing is for today, we only need to look at the example of Yahshua and His earthly ministry. Yahshua, himself, went about healing the sick. Everything that He did was according to Yahweh's will. John 6:38 tells us: "For I am come down from heaven not to do my own will, but the will of him that sent me." I John 3:8 also tells us: "To this end was the Son of Yahweh manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil." It is important to note here that Yahshua had the Gifts of the Spirit operating perfectly in his life. People that approached him in faith received what they asked for.

Yahshua was in direct opposition to the works of Satan and his evil effects. Every move that Yahshua made and every word he said was meant to destroy the work of Satan. It is important that we believe that Yahshua's attitude toward sickness exemplifies Yahweh's attitude toward sickness. Since Yahshua did heal everyone who believed, it seems reasonable that healing is His will for today:

"And Yahshua went about in all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the good tidings of the kingdom, and healing all manner of disease and all manner of sickness among the people." (Matthew 4:23)

"And the report of him sent forth into all Syria: and they brought to him all that were sick, held with divers diseases and torments, possessed with demons, and epileptic, and palsied; and he healed them." (Matthew 4:24).

"And he says to him, I will come and heal him. And the centurion answered and said, Master, I am not worthy that you should come under my roof: but only say the word, and my servant shall be healed." (Matthew 8:7-8)

"And Yahshua said to the centurion, Go your way; as you have believed, so be it done to you. And the servant was healed in that hour." (Matthew 8:13)

"And when Yahshua was come into Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother lying sick of a fever. And he touched her hand, and the fever left her; and she arose, and ministered to him." (Matthew 8: 14-15)

"That it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bore our diseases." (Matthew 8:17)

"And Yahshua perceiving it withdrew from there: and many followed him; and he healed them all." (Matthew 12:15)

"Then was brought to him one possessed with a demon, blind and dumb: and he healed him, so that the dumb man spoke and saw." (Matthew 12:22)

"And he came forth, and saw a great multitude, and he had compassion on them, and healed their sick." (Matthew 14:14)

"for he had healed many; so that as many as had plagues pressed upon him that they might touch him." (Mark 3:10)

"And wherever he entered, into villages, or into cities, or into the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and supplicated him that they might touch if it were but the border of his garment: and as many as touched him were made whole." (Mark 6:56)

"And when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with divers diseases brought them to him; and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them." (Luke 4:40)

"And all the whole multitude sought to touch him: for power came forth from him, and healed them all." (Luke 6:19)

"And he came down with them, and stood on a level place and a great multitude of his disciples, and a great number of the people from all Judaea and Jerusalem, and the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases; And they that were troubled with unclean spirits were healed." (Luke 6:17-18)

There is also a wonderful account in the Brit Chadasha of an Old Covenant (Testament) provision for healing. It is found in Luke 13:10-16:

"And he was teaching in of the synagogues on the Sabbath day. And behold, a woman that had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years; and she was bowed together, and could in no wise lift herself up. And when Yahshua saw her, he called her, and said to her, woman, you are loosed from your infirmity. And he laid his hands upon her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified Yahweh. And the ruler of the synagogue, being moved with indignation because Yahshua had healed on the Sabbath, answered and said to the multitude: There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the day of the Sabbath. But the Master answered him, and said, You hypocrites, does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering? And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan had bound, lo, these eighteen years, to have been loosed from this bond on the day of the Sabbath?"

There is one account in the Brit Chadasha where Yahshua was hindered from healing. This was in Nazareth. The will of the people limited the number healed there. "And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them. And he marveled because of their unbelief. And he went all around the villages teaching" (Mark 6:5-6). As already pointed out, though Yahshua walked perfectly in the Gifts of the Spirit, healing could only come where there was faith.

"And they went out, and preached that men should repent. And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them. (Mark 6:12-13).

Is any sick? Let him call for the elders of the assembly; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of Yahshua: And the prayer of faith shall save him that is sick, and Yahweh shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, it shall be forgiven him." (James 5:14-15)

"Confess therefore your sins one to another, and pray one for another, that you may be healed. The supplication of a righteous man avails much in its working." (James 5:16).

"Who his own self bore our sins in his body upon the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live to righteousness; by whose stripes you are healed." (I Peter 2:24)

The evidence is convincing that healing is for today. The question then is why do some fail to get healed? We know that scripture is the final authority and Yahweh's Word is the only solution to man's problems. However, this question continues to puzzle many believers because they know that people have received healing either through divine or medical intervention and yet there are others who have died without receiving physical healing.

Are some people healed because Yahweh loves them more than another; thereby showing partiality by healing some individuals but not others? Any student of the Word knows that simply is not true. There are a number of reasons why people fail to receive healing and several are listed below; though this list is not all inclusive:

The needy one must learn from the scriptures what Yahweh's will is in the matter. Lack of knowledge causes one to be ignorant of Yahweh's will which is obedience to his laws and commands.

Proverbs 29:18 tells us "Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he." Yahweh's way of producing faith in our hearts is through His word. There must be a foundation for faith. Romans 10:17 tells us that "faith cometh by hearing..."(KJV). The Word is a seed and that seed must be planted in the heart of the believer to reap the harvest of healing. The Scripture tells us that the Word is the incorruptible seed in I Peter 1:23, "having been begotten again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, through the word of Yahweh, which lives and endures."

Incorruptible means that the seed cannot be destroyed. When a person makes the decision to repent of his sins and to accept what the shed blood of Yahshua did and then to follow Yahweh by being obedient to his laws and commands, there is no power that can prevent that person from being saved or begotten of the Father. Everything we receive from Yahweh comes by grace through faith. Results come when a person hears the Word and receives it and acts upon it. The seed is knowing that it is Yahweh's will to heal. The Word of Yahweh shall last forever and His Word will never fail. There is truth in the statement by F. F. Bosworth in his book Christ theHealer that, "the hand of faith cannot reach out and take from God (Yahweh) what the eye of faith does not first see to be the will of God (Yahweh)."

Yahshua said to the Pharisees in Mark 7:13, that they were guilty of "Making void the word ofElohim by your tradition..." Men have done worse today by making healing, which is a part of the good news, of non-effect by their unbalanced teachings.

Another tradition is that Yahweh is the author of disease and it is His will that some of his worshippers remain sick in order to bring Him glory. If it is not Yahweh's will to heal, then no one would have a basis for faith. One would only know they were a favored one, singled out to be healed, by a special divine revelation. If that were true then healing would not be governed by what the Scripture says but by direct revelation from the Spirit.

If it is not Yahweh's will to heal, then one would have to conclude it surely must be a sin to want to be well and there are millions of people in this condition and who are in direct opposition to Yahweh's will because they have sought medical aid or they desire to be well. If it is not Yahweh's will to heal, one would have to question why man spends countless hours and dollars in medical research and billions of dollars to build hospitals and clinics. It would seem that if being sick could glorify Yahweh more that being well, why wouldn't we desire to stay sick and why did Yahshua go about robbing the Father of all His glory by healing all. After Yahshua ascended to the Father and many believers had been filled with the Holy Spirit, healing continued as evidenced in Acts 5:15-16:

"Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them. There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one" (KJV).

Another example of the traditions of men is Paul's thorn in the flesh (II Corinthians 12:7). Many think that Paul was afflicted with eye trouble. Yet Paul, himself, tells us it was a messenger of Satan sent to buffet him. The Greek word for messenger is angelos which translated means angel of the devil or one of Satan's agents. Weymouth's translation is Satan's angel dealing blow after blow to Paul. Where the word thorn is used in the Scriptures, it is speaking of a personality, not a disease. An example of this is found in Numbers 33:55:

"But if ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you; then it shall come to pass, that those which ye let remain of them shall be pricks in your eyes and thorns in your sides, and shall vex you in the land where ye dwell" (KJV).

When people are deathly ill, they want someone known for great faith to pray for them. Years ago people in need of healing would make whatever sacrifices necessary to attend meetings held by well known healing evangelists. Why? The reason is because they had heard of people being healed of serious diseases. Ministers and elders or anyone who prays for the sick should act just like the disciples in Mark 6:13 who "anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them." The prayer is prayed to Yahweh in the name of Yahshua and it is Yahweh that will raise up the person--not the power of the one praying or the oil but because of what Yahshua did for us. James gives us a promise in James 5:15 that Yahweh will respond to the prayer offered in faith, a prayer which shows secure confidence that Yahweh will heal because the elders have listened to Yahweh and have received this confidence in their hearts.

We know that Yahshua cast out the deaf, dumb, blind and lunatic spirits. (Matthew 15:31; Matthew 4:24; Mark 7:37; Mark 9:25; Luke 7:22; Luke 11:14) When sickness is the work of an evil spirit, that spirit must be cast out for healing to be received.

Sickness and affliction as a harness may be permitted to remain on some so that Yahweh can lead the individual into the center of His will. When this has been accomplished, Yahweh removes the harness. It would seem impossible to "pray the prayer of faith" to get the harness off one who is unwilling to be led into the center of Yahweh's will. The story of Hezekiah is a classic example of this 'harness' and Hezekiah's repentance and ultimate healing (2 Kings 20).
 

Abraham is a wonderful example of someone who rather than casting away his faith by looking at his and Sarah's age, acted on his faith that they would have a son. Mark 11:22 instructs us to "Have faith in Yahweh." A literal translation of this is "Reckon on Yahweh's faithfulness." What this means to us is that in order to receive healing we must think faith, speak faith and act faith. This same holds true if we have been healed and desire to keep our healing.

Mark 11:24 gives us the conditions Yahshua requires for appropriation of the blessing He has promised: "Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them." Healing has not been promised before we believe that He has heard our prayer.

Failure to walk in revealed truth of Scripture, i.e., Ten Commandments, etc., as well as an unforgiving spirit, holding a grudge, wrongs unrighted, etc., hinder the faith of some to receive healing. Yahshua told us in Matthew 6:15: "But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." He also said in Luke 17:3-4 to "Take heed to yourselves: if your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times in the day, and seven times turn again to you, saying, I repent, you shall forgive him." We are also told in Psalm 66:18 that "If I regard iniquity (sin) in my heart, Yahweh will not hear."

James 5:13-16 also discusses the connection that can exist between sickness and sin. Obviously sin is not the cause for all sickness; however, if sin is involved, then the sin needs to be dealt with before healing can occur. James offers assurance that Yahweh will not withhold forgiveness and that such sins will be forgiven. James also points out that it is much better to deal with the sin before it causes illness. He also instructs his readers to confess their sins one to another because there is value in confessing sin out loud and having another believer offer the assurance that the sin is forgiven. James also mentions Elijah at the end of his letter. Obviously he wanted his readers to know that Elijah was an ordinary man, but he had an extraordinary Elohim and since Yahweh answered Elijah's prayers, he will do the same for us today.

Most Christians probably know the definition of sin which is given in 1 John 3:4: "Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law." However, because of erroneous teaching that the law (which is given in the Torah, the first five books of the Old Covenant/Testament) has been done away with and is no longer in effect, many do not know what it means to transgress the law. The Brit Chadasha also tells us in Romans 4:15 that where there's no law, there is no transgression. It is knowing the law that gives us knowledge of when we are sinning. Suppose you were driving down a street that intersected with another. If there was no stop sign, you probably wouldn't stop at the intersection. If another car collided with yours, you would assume it was the other driver's fault. If the policeman investigating the accident gave you the ticket instead, you would probably argue with him because you didn't see how you could possibly be breaking the law. There was no stop sign on your side of the intersection. Without a law, there can be no violation of the law. Many of the laws of our land today have their origin from the law as given to Moses by Yahweh.

One might wonder why the above question in a teaching on health and healing. We have already determined the need for the law. It is through the law that we know of sin. Sin and healing are also very much connected; though not all sickness is caused by sin. There are probably as many opinions about the definition and relevance of Scriptural law as there are believers. Martha Zimmerman in her book Celebrate the Feasts states that 'most modern translators use the word "law" to interpret the Hebrew word Torah, which occurs about 220 time in the Old Testament' (pg. 159). Many Christians probably think of the law as the 613 laws given to Moses (which includes the ten commandments) and are included in the first five books of the Scriptures (Old Testament/Covenant). The New Bible Dictionary tells us that 'Torah' comes from the word 'tora' which is a noun related to the Hebrew verb 'hora' and means to direct; to teach; to instruct in. We use the word Torah in this teaching to refer to the first five books of the Old Covenant (Testament) and the teachings that are included in these five books.

There is an interesting correlation between the 1,050 commands from the Brit Chadasha which are outlined in The Dake Annotated Reference Bible with those of the 613 'Mosaic' laws in the Old Covenant (Testament). Most of the Brit Chadasha commands (some of which are duplicates) have their origin in these 613 laws from the Torah. To further our understanding of the relationship between the laws of the Old Covenant (Testament) and the commands of the Brit Chadasha, we only need to look at the two great commandments given by Yahshua. Matthew 22:34-40 gives us an account of a time when the Pharisees got together and one of them, who was an expert in the law, wanted to know which was the greatest commandment in the law. In verses 37-40 Yahshua told them: "...You shall love Yahweh your Elohim with all your heart, and with all your being, and with all your mind. This is the first and great command. And the second is like it, 'You shall love your neighbour as yourself.' On these two commands hang all the Torah (law) and the Prophets." (I will digress here a little to give some explanation on the terms the law and the prophets. When Yahshua and the apostles were here on earth, they did not have the Brit Chadasha. They had the Scriptures which is defined in the Brit Chadasha as the books of the Old Covenant/Testament that we know about today. These books were broken into three catagories; the Law (Torah), the Prophets and the Writings).

An important point is verse 40 of Matthew 22 where Yahshua says that the law and the prophets hang on these two commandments. we have defined what is meant by the law and prophets above. If one looked at the ten commandments alone which are included in the 613 laws of the old covenant, there are four of the commandments that deal with man's relationship to the Father and six that deal with man's relationship to man. As we begin to understand the teachings in the Old CovenantTestament, we can see how fitting that Yahshua would say these were the two greatest commandments. These two commandments obviously have a much deeper meaning than just a superficial love of Yahweh and your neighbor.

The question remains as to whether all the law or a part of it has been done away with and, if not, what is its relevance for today? Obviously today we cannot practice all 613 laws as originally written. We know that the ceremonial/ritual law--particularly the sacrificial system which was a type and shadow of the coming Messiah has had it's fulfillment in Yahshua. He became the perfect sacrifice and replaced the sacrificial lambs. He has also become our high priest; thereby replacing the priestly office and, of course, since the temple is no longer in place, we cannot worship there nor bring our tithes there; however, we can worship him from where ever we are and we can contribute financially for the preaching of the good news. A particular doctrine that seems to be flourishing today among a number of religious groups is that the 'old law' was nailed to the cross and therefore, doesn't apply to believers; articulated another way is that we are living in a grace dispensation and are no longer under the law because Yahshua came to do away with the law. While this particular doctrine may sound plausible, is it true? Do believers have any responsibility for the laws and commands of our Heavenly Father? Also, how can we define sin or be judged for sinning if the law has no application in our lives.

In order to know what sin is, one must first have a scriptural understanding of the law; to know the remedy for sin, one must have a scriptural understanding of grace. To gain this 'scriptural' understanding, of course, one must study. The dilemma we face is that we no longer have access to the original inspired texts. According to Wilbur Pickering in his book The Identity of the New Testament Text we are "faced with the problem of recovering the original wording of the text from the surviving manuscripts, no two of which entirely agree." He further states that "many centuries and a multitude of copies have intervened since the original writing of the New Testament. Unlike the inspired autographs, these copies are not free from error and must be carefully compared and evaluated in order to determine the original readings" (page 11).

In a comment on the Old Covenant (Testament), W. Gunther Plaut states "readers of the Bible are usually unaware that what they are reading is not 'the' original version of the manuscript and that the translation they use is actually a kind of commentary on the Hebrew text which it means to render. There is no original manuscript available which was written by any of the authors of the Bible. The oldest extant parchment scroll of the Torah dates from about 900 C.E., which is probably more than 1,300 years later than the likely time of its composition. Quite naturally, much happens to a text in the course of oral transmission and copying by hand, and one must not be astonished that a number of variants and versions arose. It is a great tribute to the care and devotion which were lavished on the text that the variants are relatively minor and the scribal corruptions rather few" (page xxiv).

From these two writers as well as others, we realize that we probably have better translations of the original inspired text of the Old Covenant (Testament) than we do of the Brit Chadasha . With this in mind, simply reading the 'Bible' is not always sufficient for a true understanding of Scriptural doctrine and we can't always assume that everything we have known or heard all our lives is totally accurate. It is important for each believer to study for themselves. There are practices from Catholicism that carried over into Christianity that have no scriptural foundation. Christmas and Sunday worship are just two of these practices. The fourth commandment tells us to "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy" (Exodus 20:8). Barrie Ruth Strauss in the book The Catholic Church states: "initially, Constantine seemed to see no conflict between Christianity and the predominant Roman sun-worship, which he headed as emperor. The result was an accommodation of the beliefs and practices of paganism and Christianity. In 321 A.D. Constantine passed a law making Sunday, a day important to both Christians and pagan sun-worshipers, the official day of rest" (page 36). He also instituted the celebration of Christ's (Yahshua's) birthday on December 25, traditionally the feast of the birth of the sun god.

There are a couple of 'proof' texts used to support the doctrine that the Messiah came to do away with the law. The first is from Ephesians 2:15-16 with the added words underlined:

"Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; that he might create in himself of the two one new man, making peace; And might reconcile them both in one body to Yahweh through the torture stake, having slain the enmity by it

The word ENMITY comes from the Greek word 'echthra', word #2189 in Strong's Greek Dictionary, which is a derivative of word #2190. Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament further shows that the word 'enmity' was principally translated from the Hebrew word, AYIB. The Lexicon in Veteris Testamenti Libros, by Koehler and Baumgartner, shows on pp. 35 that the Hebrew word AYIB means: to be hostile TOWARD. The word enmity in Ephesians 2:16 should have been written as enmity toward, enmity to. The enmity is toward something, which is the Law of Yahweh. Paul was saying that Yahshua had abolished the enmity--the hatred and opposition to all of Yahweh's laws--not that Yahshua had abolished the Law of Yahweh.

Another 'proof' text which is used and seems to be misinterpreted is Galatians 3:13 which says: "The Messiah redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us; for it is written, Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree. John 7:49 also tells us: "But this multitude that knows not the law are cursed."

What is the curse of the law? Paul shows the penalty for being cursed in Hebrews 6:8: "but if it bears thorns and thistles, it is rejected and near to a curse; whose end is to be burned." Romans 6:23 also tells us: "For the wages of sin is death; but the free gift of Yahweh is eternal life in the Messiah Yahshua our Master. The curse is the death penalty for having broken the law (spiritual death). We are redeemed from spiritual death--not from the requirement of being obedient to the laws and commands.

A third scripture that is used to support the doctrine that the law has been done away with is from Matthew 5:17: "Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets: I came not todestroy but to fulfil." The word translated 'fulfil' from Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, numerically coded to Strong's Exhaustive Concordance word #4137 (Page 518) means "universally and absolutely, to fulfill, i.e., to cause Yahweh's will (as made known in thelaw) to be obeyed as it should be, and Yahweh's promises (given through the prophets) to receivefulfillment" A more appropriate translation of this scripture in Matthew would have been that 'Yahshua came to establish the law.'

We have already discussed how diet is important for our health and that Yahweh gave specific instructions as to what was to be eaten or left alone. A 'proof' text used often to say that Yahweh meant for us to eat any animal, fowl, fish, etc., is found in Acts 11:1-16.

However, if we read the text in its proper context we find that these verses are not changing Yahweh's dietary laws. This was referring to the Gentiles--in particular, Cornelius. The vision was certainly an attention getter for Peter since Gentiles were not considered 'clean.' Peter was instructed to go to Cornelius' house which he did and because of his obedience, Cornelius and his family were saved and filled with the Spirit.

Again, it is important to obey Yahweh's laws, including his dietary laws. Since sin is defined as the transgression of the law, does it mean that we are sinning when we disobey Yahweh's laws which includes his dietary laws and keeping the Sabbath Holy? It is quite possible that the time spent and money earned in breaking the Sabbath may be spent in illness and doctor bills. It is imperative to know Yahweh's laws and commands including the dietary laws and the effect that disobedience may have on our health and healing. We must hide Yahweh's words in our heart so that we will not sin against him. There are other scriptures in the Brit Chadasha where Yahshua instructed his followers to keep the commandments (law) as well as to teach them.

"Whoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, shall be called least in the Kingdom of heaven: but whoever shall do and teach them, he shall be called great in the Kingdom of heaven" Matthew 5:19.

"And he said to him, why do you ask me concerning that which is good? One there is who is good: but if you would enter into life, keep the commandments. He says to him, which" And Yahshua said, You shall not kill. You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness. Honor your father and mother, and, you shall love your neighbor as yourself" Matthew 19:17-19

We know from the above verses that the Messiah did not come to do away with the law. We also know that neither Paul nor any of the other apostles lived or taught a lawless doctrine?

"For the hearers of the law are not just before Yahweh; but the doers of the law shall be justified" (Romans 2:13).

"What shall we say then? Is the law sin? By no means--however, I had not known sin, except through the law: for I had not known coveting, except the law had said, You shall not covet" (Romans 7:7)

"So that the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and righteous and good" (Romans 7:12).

"Children, obey your parents in Yahweh: for this is right. Honor your father and mother (which is the first commandment with promise), that it may be well with you, and you may live long on the earth" (Ephesians 6:2-3).

"For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days says Yahweh, I will put my laws into their mind, and on their heart will I also write them: And I will be to them an Elohim, and they shall be to me a people" (Hebrews 8:10).

"For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he has become guilty of all. For he that said, Do not commit adultery, also said, Do not kill. Now if you do not commit adultery, but kill, you have become a transgressor of the law" (James 2:10-11).

"And by this we know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that says I know him, and keeps not his commandments, is a liar and the truth is not in him; but whoever keeps his word, in him the love of Yahweh has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in him. He that says he remains in him ought himself also to walk even as he walked" (1 John 2:3-6).

"And whatever we ask we received of him, because we keep his commandments and do the things that are pleasing in his sight. And this is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of His Son, Yahshua, the Messiah, and love one another, even as he gave us commandment. And he that keeps his commandments lives in him, and he in him. And by this we know that he lives in us, by the Spirit which he gave up" (1 John 3:22-24)

It should be rather obvious by now that the law has not been done away with. We are to obey the laws and commands as we rightly divide the Word of Truth which includes Yahweh's dietary laws. However, obedience to the law alone does not guarantee eternal life. Ephesians 2:8tells us: "for by grace have you been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of Yahweh." While it is undeniably true that salvation is a gift, the Scripture also goes on further to let us know "that faith without works is dead." Our works involve obeying Yahweh's laws.

There have been people healed that have abused their bodies badly by improper diet, lack of exercise, alcohol, drug abuse, nicotine, etc. However, they may later become ill again with either the same disease or something even worse and die simply because they didn't change their habits. Ignorance and violation of natural and Scriptural laws can be deadly when it comes to our health. Some may not be supplying their body with appropriate nourishment; some may be overeating and at the same time asking Yahweh to heal them of problems caused by obesity or improper diet. Oftentimes when Yahweh heals, it is not always instantaneously. It is His will to answer our prayers but we don't always receive our healing unless a miracle occurs because we continue to abuse our bodies with improper eating habits. As we have discussed previously, in the Old Covenant (Testament) when Yahweh revealed Himself as Yahweh-Rapha, their Healer, he also imposed health laws to the Children of Israel. There were certain things considered unclean and were not to be eaten. Many in the medical profession today have begun to recognize the benefit of obeying these dietary laws. Today, pork, shrimp, oysters, clams, lobster, etc. are a staple of many diets. Yahweh commanded these not to be eaten. Is it any wonder people are sick?

One might also ask, why isn't everyone saved? It does seem rather foolish to face eternal destruction in the lake of fire when salvation is available. So often people want to 'experience life' and give their hearts to the Messiah when they've had a chance to 'live a little.' However, they don't realize that it is the Spirit that draws and one must seek the Father while he may be found. Also, the Spirit does not always strive with man. While it is our decision to make, it is not in our best interest to wait until a more convenient time for us. The opportunity simply may not be there.

"No man can come to me, except the Father that sent me draw him: and I will raise him up in the last day" (John 6:44)

"For Yahweh so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes on him should not perish, but have eternal life" (John 3:16).

(7)"he again defines a certain day, Today, saying in David so long a time afterward (even as has been said before), Today if you shall hear his voice, Harden not your hearts. (8) For if Yahshua had given them rest, he would not have spoken afterward of another day" (Hebrews 4:7-8).

"And Yahweh said, My Spirit shall not strive with man for ever, for that he is also flesh: yet shall his days be a hundred and twenty years"(Genesis 6:3).

While this verse may be indicating there were a hundred and twenty years left before the flood in Noah's time, I believe it is just as applicable today to nations and individuals who simply forget Yahweh and refuse to obey his laws and commands.

Healing too is provided in the atonement just as salvation is. Often people live sinful lives until some disease overtakes them and then they get saved. Perhaps they once walked in truth but are living in a backslidden condition. Some terrible disease threatens and they repent and recommit their lives to the Father. They began to pray for their healing. Sometimes they receive healing; sometimes not. The Scripture tells us that we can lengthen or shorten our days by the way we live: "The fear of Yahweh prolongs days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened"Proverbs 10:27. Exodus 20:12 also tell us to "Honour your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land which Yahweh your Elohim gives you."

While we can repent of our sins and receive forgiveness, sin does have consequences. We have an example in the Old Covenant of a child that was not healed. This was the child of David and Bathsheba. Remember that David had committed adultery with Bathsheba who was the wife of Uriah. In order to cover his sin, David had Uriah placed on the front lines of battle so that he would die. The child of this adulterous affair was deathly ill. David prayed fervently for his healing. The child died. It seems that in this particular situation the child suffered the consequences of the sin of his parents.

When we see a person of seemingly strong faith that does not receive healing, we often question why it is so. In Jeremiah 1:5, Yahweh told Jeremiah: "Before I formed you in the belly I knew you, and before you came forth out of the womb I sanctified you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations." Yahweh was letting Jeremiah know that he knew him and had a purpose for his life even before he was conceived in his mother's womb. Until that purpose was complete, Yahweh was not finished with Jeremiah. It seems reasonable that same logic holds true for believers today. When we are in need of healing, we pray in faith and trust Yahweh for the outcome. We know that when we belong to Him, we can absolutely pray in faith knowing that either we will be healed or we'll sleep until the resurrection. The fact that everyone is not healed should not negate our faith nor cause us to be discouraged. If healing does not come, only Yahweh has the answer. Ecclesiastes 7:15 says: "All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness."

We must realize that Yahweh knows each of us. He knows where we've been, where we are and what choices we will make in the future. It would be better for one to die before his or her time if that one is saved than to live a long, unrighteous life and reap eternal damnation in the lake of fire for their sins. To reiterate, when someone is not healed, only Yahweh in his infinite wisdom knows the reason in that particular situation.

Our eternal welfare should be our top priority. The Brit Chadasha tells us in Matthew 16:26: For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a mangive in exchange for his soul? We are living in a world where many people have no time for spiritual matters and sin certainly abounds. As already discussed, many professing Christians have been taught that the law has been done away with; yet the Brit Chadasha in I John 3:4 tells us that "Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law."

We are living in an extremely lawless society. People fight to keep the ten commandments hanging in public places; yet, they want to pick and choose which ones they will obey. An example of this is refusing to keep the Scriptural Sabbath Day holy. Nor do they realize the importance of using the Father's name, Yahweh, or that of His Son, Yahshua, the Messiah. There is an interesting scripture in John 17:11-12 which states: "I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name--the name you gave me--so that they may be one as we are one. While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled." By using pagan names and titles for the Father and Son, we miss the power that exists in the name of the Father. The Scripture lets us know how important names were. A person's name represented his character. When Yahweh gave His name to Yahshua, he was giving Yahshua the power and authority to act on His behalf. How we live as believers and Yahweh's purpose for our lives is a determining factor in our success and whether we have long life. Yahweh, in the book of Deuteronomy 26:16-19, gave the Children of Israel the key to success. They were to observe his commands and walk in his ways.

"If it be thy will" is a rather controversial phrase. Many teach that it is a faith destroying phrase for those seeking healing. The thought behind this is that generally when one prays, "If it be thy will" it normally means the person doesn't know the will of Yahweh in the particular matter that he is praying about. Also, if Yahweh has already told us his will, then it would seem to be a negation of our faith to pray, "If it be thy will." We have a very interesting account of Yahshua in the Garden of Gethsemane. Before Yahshua came, he knew his purpose for being here. He knew that he would die for the sins of mankind. Yet we find him in the Garden of Gethsemane praying "...My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will" (Matthew 26:39)

We know that the scriptures do not leave one in uncertainty about their salvation nor should there be uncertainty that healing is provided in the atonement. Praying 'If it be thy will" would seem to be more an act of faith and submission to the Father's will rather than a negation of faith. Previously we have already mentioned that when Jeremiah was called to be a prophet, he was told by Yahweh: "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations" (Jeremiah 1:1). While most of us are not called as prophets, our Heavenly Father has a divine purpose for our lives and he knew us even before we were formed in our mother's womb. Sadly, many go through life, never seeking his purpose for their lives. We know that when we accept Yahshua as Messiah in our lives and obey the laws and commands of our Heavenly Father, we are 'bought with a price' (I Corinthians 7:23). From that moment our destiny is in His hands. He sets the course for our lives.

In Isaiah 57:1 we read: (1)"The righteous perish, and no one ponders it in his heart; devout men are taken away and no one understands that the righteous are taken away to be spared from evil. (2)Those who walk uprightly enter into peace; they find rest as they lie in death. This scripture in Isaiah is making reference to a story we find in II Chronicles 34-35. It is the story of Josiah who became king when he was eight years old. He was a good king and he loved Yahweh. He purged Judah and Jerusalem of the high places and tore down the altars of Baal. Yet he died at a very young age. He was told by the prophetess Huldah that Yahweh was going to bring his wrath upon Jerusalem and the inhabitants of it because they had forsaken him and had burned incense to other elohim. The prophetess also sent a message to Josiah in II Chronicles 34:27-28 that "because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before Elohim, when you heard his words against this place, and against the inhabitants of it, and have humbled yourself before me, and have rent your clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard you, says Yahweh. Behold, I will gather you to your fathers, and you shall be gathered to your grave in peace, neither shall your eyes see all the evil that I will bring upon this place, and upon the inhabitants of it..." Based off this prophecy it seems as if Josiah would suffer a peaceful death; yet he died in battle. Perhaps this prophecy also required Josiah's obedience and we know that in II Chronicles 35:20-23 Josiah was instructed not to engage in battle but he disguised himself and did so anyway.

Yahweh desires our worship, love and obedience to his laws and commands which includes his dietary laws. However, he has allowed us the choice of how we will respond to Him and His Word. Christianity has made a terrible mistake in their teaching that the law has been done away with and that we can eat anything we want including the animals Yahweh proclaimed unclean. Perhaps this erroneous teaching has caused many thousands of believers over the centuries to be sick and die prematurely. Disobedience can be a willful act or an act done in ignorance; however, regardless of the reason, it is still disobedience and there are consequences even if done in ignorance. While disobedience brings pain and perhaps even suffering; however, we have already stated that sickness is not always because of sin and disobedience. We are living in an environment that is conducive to death. We have polluted our earth. Medicines that are meant to be helpful sometimes cause worse side effects than the disease they are meant to cure and as already stated, our food chain has been contaminated with many chemicals, dyes, hydrogenated oils, etc

There should be no doubt that our Heavenly Father loves his children very much. There should be no doubt that healing is for today. If we should come to that time in our lives when perhaps our bodies are ravaged with disease and healing doesn't come, our faith and trust in Yahweh can still be flawless. We can trust him to see us through to the very end and know that should we die, he has a higher purpose for our lives though our mission here physically is finished. Our influence and prayers for our loved ones will continue to work even when we are no longer present in this world.

Bosworth, F. (1974) Christ The Healer, New Jersey, Fleming H. Revell Company

Pickering, W. (1977) The Identity of the New Testament Text, Nashville, New York,

Thomas Nelson Inc. Publishers

Plaut. G., (1981) The Torah, A Modern Commentary, New York, Union of American Hebrew

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Strauss, B. (1992) The Catholic Church: A Concise History, New York,

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White, L. (CE 2000) Fossilized Customs, Louisville, KY, Lew White

Zimmerman, M. (1981) Celebrate the Feasts, Minnesota, Bethany Fellowship, Inc.

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible

The Lexicon in Veteris Testamenti Libros, by Koehler and Baumgartner

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Web Site: http//www.pathfinder.com/drweil/eightweeks/proj/0,1997,1,00.html

"Margarine," Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2000
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King James Version

The Catholic Bible

The Sacred Scriptures, Bethel Edition

Weymouth's Translation
 
 
 

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