Heart, Health & Healing – YAHUAH's Way!

Health Principles from the Creator’s Heart

“For I restore health to you and heal you of your wounds,” declares 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, “for they have called you an outcast saying, ‘This is Tsiyon, no one is seeking her.’”

Yirmeyahu (Jeremiah) 30:17

What does the Scripture Teach About Health?

In the midst of famine, Ya’acob, the patriarch of the 12 tribes, was reported to be in good health and still alive, according to Genesis 43:28. This is the first mention of “health” in Scripture. Yoseph asked his brothers about their wellbeing, and he also asked about the wellbeing of his father. His brothers assured him that Ya’acob was alive and in good health, notwithstanding the harsh famine.

The Hebrew word which has been translated to read “health” in the English text is actually shalum. Just as faithful believers were blessed with shalum during the time of the recent pandemic, so too did Ya’acob, even in his old age, experience shalum when he, as the head of the household, struggled to feed his family. The “good health” that he experienced was entirely the result of His faith in YAHUAH.

The Hebrew language is so rich with meaning and foreshadowing. Messiah YAHUSHUA (whose Name means that YAHUAH is our ‘yashuah’ or deliverance) is also called the Prince of Peace (Sar Shalom). His very Name reminds us always who our deliverer is. Both Shalum and Yashuah can also be used to mean “health” in Hebrew.

Only the Spirit of YAHUAH can bring true peace and safety in these trying times. In fact, the Scripture warns in 1 Thessalonians 5 verse 3 that when the world declares “peace and safety,” sudden destruction will come upon them, as labour pains upon a pregnant woman.

What is Health?

The Merriam Webster dictionary defines good health as freedom from physical disease or pain; the general condition of the body; thriving or doing well; or being sound in the body, mind and spirit.

Interestingly, the Torah commands us to LOVE YAHUAH with all our heart, mind, soul and strength. It is important to note how the act of loving our Creator with our entire being is linked with good health, with wholeness, with abundant living. Messiah said that He came so that we would have life, and that we would have it more abundantly.

YAHUSHUA, whose name means YAHUAH is our deliverer, nailed our sins to the stake when he died 2,000 years ago. He also bore our illnesses and pains and healed them. He not only put away sins; He also healed our illnesses. That’s why the Scripture says: By His Stripes We are Healed! (Isa 53:5)

HALAK SHALUM

When the woman who was suffering with blood discharge for 12 long years finally saw her flow dry up immediately as she touched YAHUSHUA Messiah, He declared that it was her act of faith that brought her breakthrough. He then bid her to Go in Peace. This Hebrew blessing–HALAK SHALOM–is the same blessing which Eli the High Priest gave to Hannah when he agreed with her prayers in the temple, where she poured out her heart to YAHUAH to take away her barrenness and bless her with a son.

HEBREW WORD STUDY

In its simplest form, the Hebrew Word for SHALUM contains three letters: SHIN or “SH,” LAMED or “L,” and “MEM” or “M.”

SHIN represents steadfastness in the way of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, but it can also represent a change or a return to the right path.

The pictograph is shown as two front teeth, and the ascribed meanings include “sharp, press, eat, two.” It reminds us of the power of the Word of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, which is sharper than a two-edged sword, empowering us to divide truth from error.

2 Ti 2:15 says: Study to present yourself approved to Alahym, an unashamed workman who accurately divides the word of truth. 

Heb 4:12  For the word of Alahym is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

LAMED symbolically refers to authority, and it depicts a staff used to goad an animal in the right direction. In this context, we can see how someone who looks to the authority of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 is guided by His staff in the right direction – away from sin and towards righteousness.

MEM symbolically represents water, which also represents the Spirit. It is also said to mean chaos, mighty or blood.

Isa 66:12 says: For this is what 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 says: “I will extend peace [SHALUM] to her like a river, and the wealth of nations like a flowing stream; you will nurse and be carried on her arm, and bounced upon her knees. 

(Graphics courtesy Hebrew aleph-bet graphics: Hebrew4Christians.)

We can see that the letters that make up SHALUM encompass steadfastness, change or a return to the right path through the Word of Truth, which gives us the ability to separate truth from error. It is the Good Shepherd who leads us on the right path, washing us with the water of the Word and by His Set Apart Spirit, healing our hearts through spiritual circumcision and filling our cup with living water to restore our being.

This is ultimately the kind of SHALUM that the Creator, our Heavenly Father, wants us to have. This is indeed the PEACE of the Father that surpasses all understanding and which guards our hearts and our minds through YAHUSHUA the Messiah! This is the measure of Good Health that each child of the King should desire. This SHALUM makes us complete!

שָׁלֹם    שָׁלוֹם
Shâlum: well, happy, friendly; also (abstractly) welfare, that is, health, prosperity, peace. Derived from H7999 – שָׁלַם – which means to be safe or to be complete.

H7965

SCRIPTURAL REFERENCES ON THE HEART

Berĕshith (Genesis) 43:28 –  And they said, “Your servant our father is in good health, he is still alive.” And they bowed their heads down and did obeisance. 

Yeshayah (Isaiah) 58:6-8 – “Is this not the fast that I have chosen: to loosen the tight cords of wrongness, to undo the bands of the yoke, to exempt the oppressed, and to break off every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; when you see the naked, and cover him, and not hide yourself from your own flesh? Then your light would break forth like the morning, your healing spring forth speedily. And your righteousness shall go before you, the esteem of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 would be your rear guard.”

Yirmeyahu (Jeremiah) 8:22 – “Is there no balm in Gil‛aḏ, is there no healer there? Why has the healing of the daughter of my people not come?”

Yirmeyahu (Jeremiah) 30:17 – “For I restore health to you and heal you of your wounds,” declares 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, “for they have called you an outcast saying, ‘This is Tsiyon, no one is seeking her.’”

Yirmeyahu (Jeremiah) 33:3 & 6 – “Call unto Me, and I shall answer you, and show you great and inaccessible matters, which you have not known. See, I am bringing to it relief and healing. And I shall heal them and reveal to them the riches of peace and truth.”

Tehillim (Psalms) 42:11 – Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why the unease within me? Put your hope in Alahym, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my Alahym. 

Tehillim (Psalms) 43:5 – Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why the unease within me? Put your hope in Alahym, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my Alahym. 

Tehillim (Psalms) 67:2  – That thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations.

Mishlĕ (Proverbs) 4:20-22 – My son, listen to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. Let them not depart from your eyes; Guard them in the midst of your heart; For they are life to those who find them, And healing to all their flesh.

Mishlĕ (Proverbs) 14:30 – A healthy heart is life to the body, But envy is rottenness to the bones.

Mishlĕ (Proverbs) 16:24  – Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.

Ma`asei (Acts) 27:34 – So, I pray you to take some food: for this is for your health: for not an hair shall fall from the head of any of you.

Yoḥanan Gimel (3 John) 1:2 – Beloved, I pray that in every way you may prosper and enjoy good health, as your soul also prospers.