The Meaning Behind Touching the Hem of the Garment

In the June 2009 "Word of the Month" published on the NAC website (http://www.nak.org/en/faith-and-church/word-of-the-month/archive/old/article/16220/ ), the "Chief Apostle" has set forth a very bland explanation of the meaning of touching the hem of the garment, an explanation that is incomplete and devoid of the true and rich meaning of this sacred act. The article reads as follows:

June 2009: Touching the hem of the garment
During the time of the Lord Jesus’ activity on earth, He would often wander through the villages and towns. So it was that He and His disciples came to the Sea of Galilee on one occasion. By this time, word had spread that He had healed people of various diseases and disorders. When the people realised who this was, they sent for the sick in the surrounding country and brought them to the Lord. The sick implored the Son of God that they might only touch the hem of His garment, and the Bible relates that all who touched His garment were healed (cf. Matthew 14: 35–36).

The events of that time revolved around physical ailments. Here we are going to focus on spiritual sicknesses and those that affect our immortal souls. There are some who cannot believe: they do not believe that God sent His Son to earth for the redemption of mankind, they do not believe in the redemptive power of the sacrifice of Christ or the mission of the Apostles of Jesus Christ.

Others have no peace in their hearts, because fear, need, and concerns define their daily lives. Others in turn are concerned about their future. They have lost hope, and feel no love in their hearts because the promise of the return of God’s Son has faded far into the distance for them. They no longer expect His imminent return.
All who want to be healed of such illnesses are counselled to touch the hem of the garment of Jesus Christ! Then you will find healing and relief.

How can we possibly touch the hem of His garment? Spiritually speaking it is possible. We have the gift of prayer at our disposal. If we have a longing to be liberated from these infirmities of the soul, then let us bend our knees and pray. If our faith needs to be strengthened, why don’t we pray for it and so touch the hem of the Lord’s garment? Then His power and strength will flow into our hearts, we will feel that God is with us, and we will be filled with peace and joy. In this manner we will gain new hope, and will be filled with love. Our prayers are complemented by the divine services, where the gospel is proclaimed and Holy Communion is celebrated. The house visits from our Priest will also help us touch the hem of our Redeemer’s garment: praying together opens new doors! When we involve ourselves in the congregation, this likewise supports our efforts to touch the garment of the Lord.

This healing of our spiritual sicknesses and the alleviation of the infirmities of our immortal souls are essential, for we are heading toward the goal of our faith. In order to reach this goal we need to maintain a strong faith, a firm hope, and steadfast love. After all, we want to be worthy when the Lord returns, so that He can take us unto Himself and so that we can be with Him for all eternity.

That is our goal, and it is simply wonderful that we all have the same goal – not just any goal, not several goals. For this reason let us strive toward this goal and touch the hem of the Son of God’s garment today, so that we may receive help for the infirmities of our souls and so that we can be filled with peace and joy.
(From a divine service by the Chief Apostle)

Tim’s reply:

The information conveyed in the above article is horribly deficient of substantive Scriptural information, as there is a very rich meaning behind the hem of the garment. This meaning is completely ignored by the Chief Apostle, as its true Scriptural meaning is incompatible with the errant and lawless doctrine of the NAC, a doctrine that is not unlike the doctrines of other errant Christian denominations. It is another example of the egregious half-truths propagated by men who do not take the Scriptures seriously and thus do not take the time to study them in detail. Yahshua our Messiah would have certainly been compliant with the ordinances of Yah and would have been wearing tassels on the hem of his garment per the commandment found in Numbers 15:37-41.

And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying, "Speak to the children of Yisra’ĕl, and you shall say to them to make tzitziyot on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and to put a blue cord in the tzitzit of the corners. And it shall be to you for a tzitzit, and you shall see it, and shall remember all the commands of יהוה and shall do them, and not search after your own heart and your own eyes after which you went whoring, so that you remember, and shall do all My commands, and be set-apart unto your Elohim. I am יהוה your Elohim, who brought you out of the land of Mitsrayim, to be your Elohim. I am יהוה your Elohim.”

These "tzitzit" are actually tassels or cords of blue that symbolize the commandments of Yah and are to be a reminder to all who see them that they must keep and obey the commands of the Most High.

Obedience to Yah’s commands yield healing, prosperity and blessing whereas disobedience to these commands yield destitution, desolation, and destruction.

Those that reached out for the hem of Yahshua’s garment were showing their repentance by embracing the tassels that symbolize compliance with Yah’s commands.

Now you know what touching the hem of Yahshua’s garment truly means.

Consider the following texts on the topic.

Deuteronomy (Debarim) 22

22:12 “Make tassels on the four corners of the garment with which you cover yourself."

Ezekiel 8

Eze 8:3

And he put forth the form of an hand, and took me by a lock of mine head; and the spirit lifted me up between the earth and the heaven, and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door of the inner gate that looketh toward the north; where [was] the seat of the image of jealousy, which provoketh to jealousy.

Lexicon / Concordance for Ezekiel 8:3

8:3
וַיִּשְׁלַח תַּבְנִית יָד וַיִּקָּחֵנִי בְּצִיצִת רֹאשִׁי וַתִּשָּׂא אֹתִי רוּחַ בֵּֽין־הָאָרֶץ וּבֵין הַשָּׁמַיִם וַתָּבֵא אֹתִי יְרוּשָׁלְַמָה בְּמַרְאֹות אֱלֹהִים אֶל־פֶּתַח שַׁעַר הַפְּנִימִית הַפֹּונֶה צָפֹונָה אֲשֶׁר־שָׁם מֹושַׁב סֵמֶל הַקִּנְאָה הַמַּקְנֶֽה׃

English (KJV) (Help)	Strong's	Root Form (Hebrew)	Tense
And he put forth	h7971	שלח shalach
the form	h8403	תבנית tabniyth
of an hand,	h3027	יד yad
and took	h3947	לקח laqach
me by a lock	h6734	ציצת tsiytsith
of mine head;	h7218	ראש ro'sh
and the spirit	h7307	רוח ruwach
lifted me up	h5375	נשא nasa'
between the earth	h776	ארץ 'erets
and the heaven,	h8064	שמים shamayim
and brought	h935	בוא bow'
me in the visions	h4759	מראה mar'ah
of God	h430	אלהים 'elohiym
to Jerusalem,	h3389	ירושלם Yĕruwshalaim
to the door	h6607	פתח pethach
of the inner	h6442	פנימי pĕniymiy
gate	h8179	שער sha`ar
that looketh	h6437	פנה panah
toward the north;	h6828	צפון tsaphown
where [was] the seat	h4186	מושב mowshab
of the image	h5566	סמל cemel
of jealousy,	h7068	קנאה qin'ah
which provoketh to jealousy.	h7069	קנה qanah

Psalm 17

Psa 17:8 Guard me as the apple of Your eye. Hide me under the shadow of Your wings,

Psalm 36

Psa 36:7 How precious is Your kindness, O Elohim! And the sons of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings.

Psalm 61

Psa 61:4 Let me dwell in Your Tent forever, Let me take refuge in the shelter of Your wings. Selah.

Haggai 2

Hag 2:11 “Thus said יהוה of hosts, ‘Now, ask the priests concerning the Torah, saying,
Hag 2:12 “If one bears set-apart meat [or flesh] in the fold of his garment, and with the edge he touches bread or stew, or wine or oil, or any food, is it set-apart?” ’ ” And the priests answered and said, “No.”
Hag 2:13 And Ḥaggai said, “If someone defiled by a dead body touches any of these, is it defiled?” And the priests answered and said, “It is defiled.”
Hag 2:14 And Ḥaggai answered and said, “ ‘So is this people, and so is this nation before Me,’ declares יהוה, ‘and so is every work of their hands. And whatever they bring near there is defiled.

Zekaryah 8

Zec 8:23 “Thus said יהוה of hosts, ‘In those days ten men from all languages of the nations take hold, yea, they shall take hold of the edge of the garment of a man, a Yehuḏite¹, saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that Elohim is with you.” ’ ”

Malachi 4

Mal 4:2 “But to you who fear My Name the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings.

Matthew 9

Mat 9:20 And see, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the tzitzit¹ of His garment. Footnote: ¹See “Tzitzit” - Explanatory Notes and Num. 15:37-41, Dt. 22:12.
Mat 9:21 For she said to herself, “If I only touch His garment, I shall be healed.”
Mat 9:22 But יהושע turned, and when He saw her He said, “Take courage, daughter, your belief has healed you.” And the woman was healed from that hour.
Mat 9:23 And when יהושע came into the ruler’s house, and saw the flute players and the crowd making a noise,
Mat 9:24 He said to them, “Go back, for the girl is not dead, but sleeping.” And they laughed at Him.
Mat 9:25 But when the crowd was put outside, He went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose.
Mat 9:26 And this report went out into all that land.

Luke 8

Luk 8:43 And a woman, having a flow of blood for twelve years, who, having spent all her livelihood on physicians, was unable to be healed by any,
Luk 8:44 came from behind and touched the tzitzit of His garment. And immediately her flow of blood stopped.
Luk 8:45 And יהושע said, “Who touched Me?” And when all denied it, Kĕpha and those with him said, “Master, the crowds throng You and press upon You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’ ”
Luk 8:46 But יהושע said, “Somebody did touch Me, for I knew power went out from Me.”
Luk 8:47 And the woman, seeing that she was not hidden, came trembling, and falling down before Him she declared to Him in the presence of all the people why she had touched Him and how she was healed immediately.
Luk 8:48 And He said to her, “Take courage, daughter, your belief has healed you. Go in peace.”

In Conclusion

The hem of the Messiah's garmet bore the tassels of blue that were commanded in the Scriptures and are to remind all who see them to keep the commandments of Yah. Those that touched the hem of the Messiah's garment were confessing the rebellion against Yah's commandments and were expressing not only their repentance but their renewed commitment to observe and obey the commandments of Yah. Therefore the thought of touching the hem of the Messiah's garment is not an obscure abstraction but is rather a clear symbolic act of repentance and commitment to obey Yah and keep His commandments.

Do you wish to be healed of your sicknesses? Do you desire to be blessed in every way?

Blessed in the city and in the field?
Blessed in children and livestock?
Blessed with plenty of food?
Blessed when you come in and when you go out?
Blessed to see your enemies smitten before you?
Blessed to receive the good treasure of Heaven, the rain in its season, the work of your hands?
Blessed to lend to other but not borrow?
Blessed with eternal life?

Do you wish to avoid being cursed?

Cursed by plagues and diseases from which there are no cures?
Cursed by your enemies triumphing over you?
Cursed with hunger and want of all?
Cursed with debt and slavery?
And ultimately, cursed in the lake of fire?

On the last day, do you wish to hear Yahshua our Messiah say to you, “Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the reign prepared for you from the foundation of the world?” Or will you hear Him say, “Depart from me for I never knew you, worker of lawlessness?”

It is vitally important for us today to touch the hem of Yahshua's garments by obeying the commandments of Yah so that we will not be workers of lawlessness!

Now you understand why the adversary that speaks in the NAC does not want you to know what this sacred act truly represents! The adversary does not want you to obey the commands of Yah. The adversary wants you to be condemned as a worker of lawlessness!

If you desire true physical or emotional healing, if you desire true peace and true prosperity, if you desire true blessing and favor from the Most High, then resolve today to grasp the hem -- or the tassels -- of Yahshua's garment by obeying the commandments of Yah.

Life Line to Members of the New Apostolic Church

Escape from an apostate church through knowledge of Scriptures.

The Meaning Behind Touching the Hem of the Garment

June 2009: Touching the hem of the garment

Tim’s reply:

Deuteronomy (Debarim) 22

Ezekiel 8

Psalm 17

Psalm 36

Psalm 61

Haggai 2

Zekaryah 8

Malachi 4

Matthew 9

Luke 8

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