12 Steps to Divine Healing by Eddie Russell

My notes from the book:

God’s permitting will allows suffering to be redemptive and bring people back to God. But God’s perfect will, as He is the divine physician, is that all may be healed.

“Nazarene Syndrome” = Jesus failed to heal people in Nazareth, not because he did not want to (he was willing), but because he could not because of their lack of faith.

“The Word of God by its very nature is healing because it is the essence and nature of the Holy Trinity where no sickness, disease, sin nor evil exists” (11).

10 Steps of “The Blood Covenant” or “The Covenant of Strong Friendship”… a Hebrew Covenant Ritual:

Exchanging robes – these robes represented the “person” and his standing in the community. Prodigal Son example.
Exchanging belts – their belts, supporting all their weapons and armours, symbolized giving all their strength, support and protection to each other in any future battle.
Cutting the Covenant – An animal was split in 2 down the middle so that the blood flowed continually. The men would stand back-to-back in the blood. Then each would walk away from the other through the bloody carcass making a figure eight and return to the centre to face each other. This represented that they were dying to themselves, giving up their rights for each other, that only death will separate them, and that “May God do the same to me, and even worse if I ever break this most sacred covenant”
Becoming one life – after this, they raised their right arms, cut the palms, joined them together and the blood flowed again and it began to mix. The right hand held the sword, so offering the right hand signified peace. At this point they would swear allegiance to each other. Since they believed that life is in the blood, they were now becoming “one life”. A contract sealed in blood is binding and absolute.
- This is the origin of our handshake.
- The remnant of blood eventually became the red candle wax seal that bore the signature or crest of the party & later became the postage stamp.
- In Christianity, the sacrament of Confirmation is the seal of the Holy Spirit that protects the person for the everlasting life purchased in the wounds, scars and the blood of Jesus the price paid for our redemption and deliverance.
The exchange of names – each would take the last name of the other as part of his name.
- This is the origin of the bride taking the last name of the groom.
- Serfs (those owned by the lord of the land and in service to him) would be named by their occupation (eg. blacksmith) and then would take on a Christian name (eg. John… so John the blacksmith) and this would eventually be shortened (John Smith)… so surname comes from the term serf’s name.
Making a scar – when completed, they would make a scar by rubbing the cuts together to make a large welt. This became a permanent testimony to the covenant b/c it is impossible to erase it; the scar became to seal, guarantee and permanent reminder of their covenant. From now on, if attacked, all they had to do was to raise their right arms and display the scar to the enemy. This told him that he would have to fight his covenant partner if he harmed him and, he would not know how powerful he was.
- Again, we have remnants of this ritual in the wedding ring. Gold has replaced the scar. The wedding ring was eventually put on the third finger on the left hand because they believed a nerve or artery was in this finger that led to the heart, and so by offering that finger, one offered their whole heart wherein dwells their love. The bride and groom would hold hands and so the blood made them one.
Giving the Covenant terms – each party would declare the terms, the blessings for keeping these terms and the curses if they broke them.
The memorial meal – when this was over, they completed the covenant with a memorial meal. They would eat bread and drink wine to represent their body and blood.
- In wedding ceremonies, this is represented by the wedding cake = the bride and groom are now one body in their new nature, symbolized by the little figures atop of the cake.
The Blood-sprinkled tree – when the meal was over, they planted a tree. This tree became the “memorial to the covenant” and was sprinkled with blood of the dead animal using hyssop sticks.
- Some civic ceremonies plant trees to mark significant events.
They now become friends – a Hebrew was only a “friend” after the blood covenant, “The Covenant of Strong Friendship”
- God called Abraham his friend
- Jesus called his disciples his friends at the Last Supper.

Example of Abram:

Abram was aware of these blood covenants.
Genesis 15 – God’s blood covenant with Abram. Abram saw in a dream God walking through the two pieces. Exchange of names = Abraham (H from YHWH). Circumcision = male scar that is hidden because God is a hidden God (act of faith since Hebrews could not hold up this scar in battle, but rather had to trust in God). God tested Abram because Abram did not take part in the original walking through the blood covenant (could not be valid without it). Abram already was well aware that the pagans continually offered up their firstborns to their own gods. Abram knew God could not break this covenant because God could not destroy himself.

Adoption:

But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, ⁵in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children. ⁶And because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” ⁷So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir, through God. ~ Galatians 4:4–7

The Jewish concept of adoption is entirely different from what we mean by it.
In the Jewish tradition, a boy is a slave in his father’s house until his Bar Mitzvah. Until then, he is not to enter the synagogue with his father and must learn his religion through his mother. At 13, and thus “adopted” into his family, he is no longer considered a slave not knowing his master’s business, but a son who inherits all that his father has.
Therefore, the entire Covenant promises are ours now because we have access to the family inheritance.