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I am going to take a short pause from my series on resisting the devil this week in order to address an important subject that we have been promising to talk about for some while now. It's a subject that is affecting a lot of families currently. As some of you know, my wife and I have been working on what we call the 'Lilith Project' which is an in-depth examination of the baneful effects of this demoness on both men and women alike. This will be a continuation of a sermon given last June. Because this is one of the major demonic issues of this generation and a huge subject that is going to take a lot of time to complete, and because a lot of people have been asking us how this Project is progressing, I felt it necessary to give you a review and primer from the pulpit to set the ground for further study and to encourage you to prayerfully examine this subject in greater depth yourself.

This sermon will be mostly for the men but with much for the women also. It is time for Yahweh's men to be set free from the captivity of lies that keeps them spiritual dwarfs and from performing their godly calling as leaders at home and in the Messianic Community. Some are cowering in mental caves hiding from reality and others shooting off their mouths thinking that by being vocal, aggressive and behaving like bullies that they are being true men. They're frustrated, angry and desperate, and some of them want liberty. We hope that both the men and the women who find themselves in such a situation can find the freedom they are so desperate for.

When I originally started the Lilith Project it was my intention to do as much research as I could on the subject, combine it with what others have already written, and then expand what was written based on personal experience with myself and with others. The material that's available is good but it's mostly historical and analytical rather than experiential. This demon is elusive by virtue of the web of deceit she spins but she is definitely conquerable. It just requires a decision to conquer in Yah'shua's Name.

I realised, after a personal encounter, that to take the intellectual approach would be self-defeating because of the very system that this demoness employs: covering heart-issues with an intellectual buffer zone or masking layer. When somebody researches and writes about this subject, particularly if they have this demon problem themselves, they are automatically working to a demonically-inspired script of which they are not aware. And inasmuch as this demoness is expert at incorporating and merging the scripts of others, craftily telling the truth intellectually but in a sufficiently emotionally detached state as to make them quite useless in ministering to someone trying to get to grips with the problem, I realised at the outset that the only way to successfully tackle this issue was by a direct appeal to the heart without a lot of reference to others' experiences or their carefully managed scripts designed to steer the soul away from a real solution leading to deliverance.

Satan is more than able to write a report about himself that will engage and interest the mind in such a way as to perpetuate the system of self-deception. He can get us to read and study ad infinitum without our even scratching the surface of the real issues. So in a way, even this essay is a 'risk' to the person reading it who is hoping of finding solutions to the Lilith question. The most I can hope for, then, is to encourage you not to simply intellectually absorb what I have discovered and incorporate it into your own scripts - into the façade presented to the world to convey normalcy and to court acceptance - but to take a penetrating look into your own heart and simply state the truth as it is. And whilst I must on occasion inevitably use some psychological terms in order to get handles on various concepts and experiences, I don't want the 'psychology' to be the main point of focus - psychologists soon learned (or at least some of them did) early in the last century that in creating a psychiatrist-client dependency and trust, a bridge was created between the two in which the psychiatrist ended up shaping the psyche of his client in his own image, and defeating the whole purpose of psychoanalysis. The psychoanalyst ended up projecting himself. As ministers we must avoid the same as well by ensuring that all answers are obtained from Yahweh Himself.

Another danger is to let such an enquiry slip into the third person - 'he' or 'she' - and thus make another kind of distance through depersonalisation. It's easy to speak of one's heart as though it's something 'there' in the far distance. When that happens, masking is taking place. It's a symptom of self-protection. Many a person with this demoness will say: 'I want to choose this but my heart won't' as though the heart were some independent 'he' or 'she'. The intellectual approach simply won't work, and doesn't work. There has to be full heart engagement and no splitting. The person with this problem must say 'I' and 'me' and not try and project self out as some impersonal, feelingless entity. It means first of all taking responsibility for what one feels or doesn't feel. It means getting real.

The core of the Lilith Syndrome is a flight and hiding mechanism. It is a flight in terror from a human dark mother into the arms of a demonic dark mother offering a place of concealment and relief from the trauma inflicted by the human mother. In place of the pain of rejection from a human dark mother it offers a numbing of the heart so that the pain does not have to be confronted and dealt with. It offers a feelingless world without responsibility, without meaningful human interactions, without risk of being hurt but does not - because it is demonic - protect the one demonised from hurting others. Indeed the one thus demonised doesn't usually care about how the other person feels - they are more than willing to hurt with caustic remarks, lies and the like. The demonic creates an egocentric illusion or fantasy world that absolves the one demonised of any sort of responsibility for others. Those with this demoness are usually thoughtless and selfish, and when they do do something to help, it is rarely with a selfless agenda - they give to manipulate into getting something for themselves.

Children have a reflexive need and natural response to be embraced, accepted, protected and loved unconditionally which was placed into them by the Creator. This need is so great that when it is not fulfilled the terror and pain is so overwhelming that the child will run to the first female - human or spiritual - who has the appearance of being a safe haven, because flight in terror blinds. The one crying need is to be protected. The demonic will entice with a lie and offer what seems to be a solution - a solution to the pain which removes the personal responsibility to deal with its origin and a mask that will protect him from future betrayals of trust.

It is the default responsibility of a parent to be a haven of safety and love for his or her children. It doesn't matter what their background experience is - whether they are themselves dysfunctional or not - it's still their calling - a calling placed inside their hearts by the Creator. When you choose to get married and have children you are accepting responsibility for that calling. But when the parents are themselves emotionally crippled because of similar rejection, it establishes a generational curse that passes its wicked combination along a family line, bringing in its wake, amongst other things, numerous psychosomatic health problems that have no obvious physiological origin. It strangles the ability to form deep and meaningful relationships with others and establishes a family line of emotional orphans without the ability to nurture and sustain emotional connections. It emasculates men and sends a signal to the women that they must either be the men in their own lives, performing the male warrior rôle for which they were not equipped (but which demons will generously equip them to do, subverting them in the process and making them obnoxious to real men), or they must find another man to do the job for them. Emotionally crippled men and women are scouring everywhere for partners who will, as they suppose, fulfil their needs.

When a man, who is called to be head of his wife and children, fails to lead, he creates a leadership vacuum in the lives of his family that must be filled by something or someone which will come a long and present itself. A wife who is not properly led will turn to someone else without necessarily being conscious of what she is doing spiritually. She may turn to a stronger man to lean on with initially no other motive than to have a friend and a counsellor. But by turning to another man for leadership she can create ungodly dependencies and soul-ties that lead her to commit the sin of spiritual adultery and - if she lets it unfold to its natural conclusion - to physical adultery as well. Her husband, by his failure to lead, is laying temptation before her path that needn't be there. And whilst she is responsible for her choice to succumb to the temptation, as Eve was in Eden, he is nevertheless responsible for creating that open door to demons whose goal, once they have got a foot into her soul, is to lead her and their marriage to destruction. It is not uncommon to find such scenarios leading to physical adultery, divorce and destroyed families. Adam should have been watching his wife a bit more closely.

If the wife doesn't turn to another man, then she may turn to a strong-minded woman in whom she feels she can confide and concede leadership to. This also is the spirit of adultery. If it goes far enough, spiritually and physically, it can lead to lesbianism. Yet the husband created the temptation in the first place. It doesn't negate the woman's responsibility to be faithful or to be held accountable for being a spiritual adulteress, but it does make life harder for her because he has failed to give her what she needs.

What happens in this situation is that what belonged to her husband - his leadership rights and responsibilities, and her need for the same - she will, if she is weak, transfer to that other woman. In both situations - the transference of submission from her husband to another man or woman - the man will react, and he will react strongly. He will react as one whose territory has been threatened by an aggressor. He will feel his soul-tie to her being weakened or severed which will cause him considerable pain - the soul-tie through which he has been pouring himself into his wife which she has cut off - in whole or in part - and linked what belonged to him alone to another woman. He will see that what rightfully belongs to him has been given to another and he will be aroused to anger and jealousy. And it's the same type of anger and jealousy that provokes Yahweh when we idolatrously give to other people and things what belongs to Him alone. But this provoked anger and jealousy can, and will, catalyse the rift and, if he is not very careful, push his wife farther away from him and deeper into the arms another male or female adulterous confident. (The male confident may be her father, incidentally, and whilst this is safer than the arms of another married or unmarried man, what may happen is that she returns to him as though she were unmarried, seeking the security she had before she made her wedding vows. That also is the spirit of adultery because the father in this situation is declaring that he has not given his daughter away by reclaiming his former position). He is reacting to a wrong - a very serious wrong - and demanding back what is rightfully his.

He will do one of two things: he will either withdraw into coldness (if he has a Lilith problem) because he's afraid of a hostile reaction from his wife or, if he does not, he will passionately explode because this owning, into which he has invested his life-energy, is something that is deeply built into his psyche by the Creator, just as protectiveness of a mother's children against an external threat is built into her by the Creator too. He will accuse. She will react. And if he is not careful - because he has a demonic issue of his own - he will falsely accuse also to externalise his outrage as vehemently as he can and in proportion to his pain. The problem with a demonically-inspired outrage, even if its root is just, is that it will simply provoke her demons to outrage as well and what can result is an unholy battle. They both then find themselves in the situation of being pawns in a demonic theatre to create deeper and deeper rifts and mistrust until one or the other decides to 'finish it' and end the marriage. It takes considerable willpower on the part of both of them to say, 'No! I will fight to save my marriage in all truth and righteousness'.

In this situation, who has the responsibility to take the initiative in making things right? Well, we are each responsible for our own choices to sin and Yahweh will not absolve us of the responsibility for making right what we have done wrong. He will likely instruct in dreams with warning signs if you are in denial or refusing to repent. We can't blame shift and say: 'He (or she) made me do it'. Eve was responsible for taking that forbidden fruit - for taking Satan into her confidence and choosing to listen to him as a counsellor - but Adam was equally responsible for listening to his fallen wife and failing to do what? - to take the leadership position! He chose to submit to his wife's judgement and counsel instead of to Yahweh's.

So repentance is not quid pro quo - it can't be, "I'll repent if you'll repent, but you repent first!" BUT when it comes to leadership, the husband can not pass the buck. He can't expect his wife to lead - and if he does that, he is fleeing his divine calling and forcing her into an ungodly rôle. And men often do. Instead of assuming their Yahweh-given responsibility, they instead blame their wives for the wrong choices they make for lack of proper leadership. The wife is responsible for not resisting Satan and sinning herself but she will never get the inspiration and confidence to safely trust her husband if he, as the divinely appointed head, does not accept responsibility for his failure to adequately protect his wife. At the same time it is not her place to 'demand' that he takes the initiative - it is not her right to do so, it is his duty. Her duty is to take the initiative in repenting for her own adultery. But it will be a lot easier for her - and inspire her with confidence in him - if she sees him doing what he is supposed to be doing: assuming responsibility for his own failure to lead, repenting for accusing her of things she was not guilty of and spoken in a moment of rage - usually with demonic prompting - and if it was demonic, the demonic will strike at a weak or vulnerable spot in her that will make her feel betrayed.

This scenario made me look at the Lord's Prayer in a new light. It helped me understand a phrase in it that I never fully understood and over which theologians have wrestled to find meaning. It's where Yah'shua addresses Yahweh saying:

"Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil" (Mt.6:13; Lk.11:4)

This verse led the Mormon leader Joseph Smith to change this to, "Suffer us not to be led into temptation" (IV, JST) or in other words, "Don't allow us to fall into temptation" because he, like so many others, reading the verse as literally translated, assumed that Yahweh might actually lead man into danger which would require subsequent deliverance from evil - and that didn't make a lot of sense. According to James Trimm who translated the excellent Hebraic-Roots Version (HRV) of the New Testament from Aramaic:

"This portion of the Lord's Prayer closely parallels the 'Morning Prayer' (m.Ber.9:1; b.Ber.60b). It literally reads 'lead us not into temptation'. Now why would Elohim lead us into temptation anyway? (see James 1:13-14 - "When tempted, no one should say, 'Elohim is tempting me.' For Elohim cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed' - NIV). Mt.6:13 is actually a Hebrew idiom in which an active verb is used to express not the doing of a thing, but permission to do it. A good example is in the Tanakh in Jer.4:10: 'YHWH, surely you have greatly deceived this people' (meaning YHWH would allow people to be deceived). Another example is in the Torah in Ex.4:21: 'I [YHWH] will harden his heart that he shall not let the people go' (meaning YHWH would allow Pharaoh's heart to be hardened). Thus the passage in Mt.6:13 is a Hebrew idiom better understood as we have it translated here" (footnote #407, p.1186, HRV).

Trimm therefore correctly translates this passage:

"And let us not come into temptation, but deliver us from all evil" (Mt.6:13, HRV).

So what does this have to do with a marriage relationship? A husband, by virtue of his position as leader of his wife and children, should not suffer them - or allow them - to be led into temptation by his own sinful actions - by his own failure to lead them properly.

Yahweh always leads perfectly, but man is imperfect. He will make mistakes so he needs to be extra careful in watching out that he does not lead his wife into unnecessary temptation - temptation not permitted by Yahweh in order to test her. He can't assume that some unrighteous action by him can be 'used' by Yahweh to 'test' her in order to later justify his sinful actions - he can't possibly know how to test someone. Only Yahweh has the omniscience to be able to do that righteously and constructively.

Similarly, fathers are warned in Scripture not to "provoke [their] children to wrath but to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of Yahweh" (Eph.6:4, KJV). If he does unrighteously provoke, whether wife or children, he is accountable and he must be willing to be the first - by taking the initiative - to put the chain of sin to an end. That means he must first of all confess his sin both to Yahweh and his wife, and repent of his failure to lead because she has the right to expect that leadership of him. She can't manage on her own without falling! His calling as a leader does not give him the licence to do as he wants. He has the right to command her, and she has the duty to obey him in all things, but not to force her to break Torah. By the same token, this does not give wives and children the right to be wrathful or angry in any and all situations - the warning is not to provoke - that is, to push them beyond their ability to exercise proper self-control.

But even if she doesn't want to be led by him, because of a rebellion issue of her own, he must still repent for his failure to fulfil Yahweh's commandment to him. It takes courage to repent in such a situation especially when you are met with a barrage of insults, accusations, contempt, and a lack of love, but do it he must. Thereafter the husband has the right to rebuke and chasten for unrighteous behaviour. But he must not neglect to get himself straight. And whether he deliberately or ignorantly failed to lead - whether he had a spiritual issue or not that caused him to fail to lead - whether it was because he had no true education from his own father on leadership - is besides the point. This isn't something he can procrastinate. He doesn't have the luxury of saying things like: 'I'm a spiritual cripple, I don't know what to do, you lead' - once he makes the decision to do what is right, and resists the temptation to hide away from his responsibility, Yahweh will empower and teach him. I guarantee it.

The point is that he has to take responsibility for his action by behaving as the leader. He can't avoid it. There are no excuses in avoiding it. He can seek help but he can't blame-shift or flee. A righteous wife will encourage him to lead, resist the temptation to go to other authorities that would place her in an adulterous relationship spiritually, and patiently wait for him to take the right steps. Threatening him by going on strike or leaving is not the solution unless he is being violent or abusive to her or their children. The Scriptural instructions inspired by the Ruach haQodesh to her, stand, no matter what the situation:

"Your beauty ... should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in Elohim's sight. For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in Elohim used to make themselves beautiful. They were submissive to their own husbands, like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her master. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear" (1 Peter 3:3-6, NIV).

What, then, is an unspiritual wife? The opposite. What is the opposite of spiritual beauty? Spiritual ugliness. What is spiritual ugliness? The opposite of gentleness and quietness. And what are they? Aggressiveness and noisiness. What else constituted spiritual beauty? Submissiveness. What is the opposite of submissiveness? Rebelliousness. What else constitutes spiritual beauty? Obedience and respect. Are these to be earned or given? Scripture says nothing about earning them. Are these only to be shown to the husband who is perfect in all his ways? Obviously not, else how, as Paul says, would a believing wife sanctify an unbelieving husband (1 Cor.7:14). How would she win him? By being aggressive and constantly reminding him of his heathenish ways? Would he be attracted and moved to repentance by the spirit in such a person? No, but is he sees the light of a virtuous woman shining in her - that spiritual beauty reflected in gentleness, quietness, submission and obedience - is he not more likely to be won over to her Elohim? Of course he would! Therefore how much more important is such conduct in a marriage between believers! Having a right spirit is more important than being theological correct because we are won, ultimately, by grace and love in peace, not by being 'right'. The truth is important, but truth expressed in deeds will always beat truth expressed in an ugly hard, threatening or self-righteous spirit.

What of the husband's conduct? If, as he repents, and does what is right, addressing what spiritual issues need to be addressed as necessary - if his wife then refuses to step back under his righteous leadership, then she is responsible for her continued sinning in seeking counsel from false authorities. She is responsible for her own spiritual adultery, not him. But if she is submitted to Yahweh, she will rejoice at her husband's repentance and return to him fully, delighting in her submission to him.

Unfortunately, there will always be men and women who think they are 'exceptions' and have the right to behave in the way they want 'because that's the way they are'. What we are, or think we are, is irrelevant - it's what Yahweh wants us to be that counts, and we must learn to discipline ourselves to pursue the habits of righteousness by persistent resistance against anything that is contrary to the divine model given by Yahweh in Scripture. The men must lead as Abraham led and the women must imitate Sarah, each accepting responsibility for their own sphere of repentance and not demanding or expecting a quid pro quo as a condition for fulfilling theirs. As a Christian debater responded to a woman who said that a woman should only be submissive when her husband was perfect: 'If wives only have to submit to perfect husbands, then husbands only have to provide for perfect wives and children.' A wife is responsible to submit even if her husband does not provide, and a husband is responsible to provide even if his wife does not submit. As Debi Pearl in her essay, The Jezebel Profile, noted in commenting about marital discord when a woman asked her:

"'Why do you always blame the women; what about the men?' So to the women I say, you cannot change 100% of the marriage, but you can change 50% of it, and that may improve your marriage by 200%". [1]

Now I know there may be husbands hearing or reading me today who will recognise the demonic lies that may have poisoned and broken relationships in their families. And if they are men with a heart for Yahweh and His Torah they'll want to put things right, no matter how frightened they may be. I used the word 'frightened' deliberately. Wives often are fearful of being submissive because they fear to be abused, but fail to realise that for many men, righteous leadership is frightening too. Remember Peter said to the women: "Do what is right and do not give way to fear". Neither need be led by fear if they trust that Yahweh's order is right. Because if both love Him, and fear Him, and openly discuss the Scriptures and the mitzvot, they will trust that the divine order of headship and submission is holy, pure and good, and will lead to their happiness. But those who do not have a heart for Yahweh - or who have a divided heart - will find excuses to procrastinate their repentance and quite likely continue their blame-shifting. And incidentally, this can apply to fathers and sons too, if a father has failed to properly lead his son.

For those of you men who have fallen into this sin, a word of warning: don't assume that because you have seen the error of your way and have repented, or are repenting, that your wife will necessarily rush back into your arms. It really depends what her own issues are. It may depend on what yours are too. She may not believe you have repented or she may always have hated Yahweh's laws on leadership and headship and become even more entrenched. Or she may have become influenced by women who have this fear of men and acquired that fear through an ungodly soul-tie. She may have a Jezebel spirit in her. One thing you can be sure of is that the chances are that her rebellious behaviour is driven by fear based on lies, and that because of those lies she is driven by demons. She may still leave you because of her own demonic problems. She may see that you are a spiritual dwarf or boy-man (because you have Lilith in you) and despise you as a wimp. If that's true, do something about it, not because she demands it but because your head, Yah'shua, does! Choose to be a man and trust Yahweh to direct your steps to that place of manhood. But if you have done right, and are continuing to do right, no matter what distress it may be causing your wife because it is exposing lies and demonic principalities, Yahweh will justify and empower you to become what He wants you to be. You have to take control and let the chips fall where they may, and the women in their turn must relinquish control. They must resist the temptation to direct a man's repentance - it's not their business to do so, because they are not Yahweh's appointed heads and never will be.

This is true in any situation where we have to choose the right in the face of hostility. Remember, it's not a rebellious wife who is your enemy if you have done right, but the lies and demons that drive her. All you can do is counteract the lies with truth and stand your ground no matter what in a spirit of gentle firmness and love, without railing accusation. In short, you need the Ruach haMashiach - the Spirit of Messiah.

Nothing can be achieved in terms of building the Kingdom of Yahweh in our assemblies or in our families until the proper godly authorities are in place. And when I say 'authority' I do not just mean the 'right' to rule. By godly authority I mean the duty to rule in holiness - in truth.

Pastors who inherit congregations where the rôles have all been twisted and messed up have to stick their necks out and risk losing their jobs. I personally knew one man from a Protestant denomination in California who did just that. He had a well-paid pastoral job, a free home and worldly comforts as part of the job ticket. But the moment he started preaching the truth and calling for holiness, the Church Board met and threw him out. He lost everything except his wife and children (some lose even those). He moved and started his own small ministry. We have always been good friends. And although he is an antinomian Pentecostal, I respect and admire him for standing up for what he believes to be true and acting on it. That represents a true quality of leadership and true manhood. But such is not just for one in every two or three hundred men who may be called to be pastors of assemblies because every man is called to be the pastor of his own family. Today man is just a figurehead or, more likely, an emasculated eunuch under the bondage of Jezebel. These men need rescuing because their wives and children need rescuing from this devilish conspiracy to destroy families and the happiness of mankind. The first commandment to the Messianic Bride - to us - is:

"Do not worship any other elohim, for Yahweh, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous Elohim" (Ex.34:14, NIV).

What that means is that as Messianic Israel - as the Bride of Messiah - we are to have no other Sovereign or spiritual Authority in our lives but Yahweh, because Yahweh is jealous. He is passionately protective of His own! What that also means is that a wife and the children under his headship are to have no other earthly sovereign or authority - spiritual or temporal - but their husband or father in Yahweh because their husband or father is jealous for them - passionately jealous for them, in fact. If he isn't passionately jealous for them, something is wrong with him! This is not jealously in a negative, murderous way, but in a positive, protective way. I'll state it right out and I hope you men will imitate me - I am passionately jealous for my wife and children and I refuse to be anything else. If anyone threatens that position and responsibility I have, they'll get a bucket load of my anger, and it will be righteous anger too, because all I am doing is protecting divinely-instituted borders. I am defending the holiness and righteousness of the fence of Torah - not mechanically but passionately in the Ruach haQodesh from the depths of my heart.

It is very, very hard for people coming out of the world system where there are no or few fences anymore to understand these things. Such behaviour is regarded as male chauvinism or machismoism. It isn't. It's holy. It's pure. It's good. It's right. And it's safe - and any true woman wants that. She wants to be protected, loved and cherished in such a way that she knows she will always be safe in her husband's love. He's not doing it because of an egotistical power trip but because he knows what is good and blessed. He knows what his family needs because he needs it himself from his Heavenly Father. It is this righteous patriarchal structure - and I underline the word righteous here to distinguish it from all the false patriarchy where men want to be boss whilst behaving like lawless, precocious little boys without a head of their own - it is this righteous patriarchal structure that the world needs in order to restore sanity and hope again. It is this righteous, godly and divine patriarchal structure that the Messianic Community will perish without.

However, there is another dimension to this which we must not forget, which leads me to the subject of matriarchy. Just as there is true and false patriarchy, so there is true and false matriarchy. To begin with, though, what does 'matriarchy' mean in a righteous context? How can you have female-ruling when men are supposed to rule?

The answer to that question is to be found in asking another one: how can you have Yahweh ruling men if man is himself supposed to rule? And we can answer that question by reminding ourselves that Yah'shua rules under His Father. He is His Father's executive. Similarly, a wife is her husband's executive officer. He delegates authority and rulership to her under himself. He makes her a co-ruler under himself when she fully submits to him just as the Ruach haQodesh is a co-ruler under Yahweh the Father, but not before. Until she submits she cannot receive authority. He sends the Ruach out to us under His authority to comfort us, teach us, and lead us in the ways of righteousness. Yahweh gives authority to the Ruach haQodesh to rule in certain situations, just as He does Yah'shua. Today He calls Eldresses to rule the younger women as spiritual mothers but not in place of, or as a replacement for, their own mothers or fathers, but with their consent. The Eldress is not the same as an Elder. She has a different rôle and set of responsibilities. She operates within different spiritual parameters. The Pastress presides as a Matriarch over a congregation as a spiritual mother under the Pastor, and as a mother presides over her children under her husband. She is not a rule-maker - she comforts, exhorts and sustains the rules already laid down. The Patriarch establishes the rules. She is a counsellor, and adviser, a helper, but she is to be taught by her husband.

And now I would like to share an interesting concept with you. I have spoken mostly of the need of men to regain their manhood. How does a woman, who has entered illegally into the realm of male authority herself, or conversely submitted herself to other men or women, regain her true womanhood? How does a woman who has adopted an unnatural male approach become female again? Ironically, she has to be 'male' to retake what she has surrendered to the false authority. She has to be bold and affirmative in order to be soft and female again. Before she can resurrender to her husband, she has to declare spiritual war on the unseen principalities and powers that have tricked her - the ones that make her spiritually unbeautiful - the ones that want to make her to take charge and correct her husband - and return to Yahweh what belongs to Yahweh, and she has to cut all ungodly soul-ties between other men and women to whom she has surrendered. The latter can be painful, very painful, but it is very necessary, because sacrificing feelings the that were released or created in such an ungodly relationship can seem like the end of the world. It can seem as if something good is being destroyed and the soulish nature will rebel at that. In many ways, this is the hardest of all things to do. I'll give you a biblical illustration in a minute but first let me describe what happens in an imaginary situation.

A woman is married to a man who refuses to be a leader. He is a wimp. He can't answer to her needs. So she turns to a brother - a close family friend - who is a real man, and seeks his counsel. As time passes as she opens her heart wide and shares the deepest of her feelings, they inevitably develop a relationship. She looks up to him as being a truly wonderful man. She starts falling in love with him and feeling alive for the first time in her life. She slips into physical adultery and feels on top of the world. The feelings all scream that this is what she needs and must have but the truth is she is sowing a bitter harvest for both herself and for him. She is in violation of Yahweh's commandments, she's breaking Torah and scorning the cross of Yah'shua who died to cleanse such sinful behaviour and associated guilt away. What she is doing may feel good but it is evil and sorrow awaits both her and him. To do the right thing that relationship has to be destroyed - it has to be ended, and the soul-ties cut. The man who was a family friend has now become lethal poison to the spirit of righteousness.

The Bible relates a similar story. It tells of the daughter of King Saul who was married to the future King David. Saul was filled with murderous jealousy and drove David into exile, and when he was gone, gave his daughter to another man called Paltiel who she 'married' adulterously. David, after his exile was over, and Saul was dead, demanded his lawful wife back again. We read:

"Then David sent messengers to Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, demanding, 'Give me my wife Michal, whom I betrothed to myself for the price of a hundred Philistine foreskins.' So Ish-Bosheth gave orders and had her taken away from her husband Paltiel son of Laish. Her husband, however, went with her, weeping behind her all the way to Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, 'Go back home!' So he went back" (2 Sam.3:14-16, NIV).

It doesn't say here how Michal felt about this. Her so-called 'husband' was, however, besides himself with grief. Presumably they had been together a good while. Maybe they even had children. We do know that Michal scorned David and was made barren by Yahweh because of her disdain.

As we look at this incident, we can either look at it through the lens of the emotions or through the lens of truth and holiness. What Saul arranged and what Phaltiel agreed to was evil. They imposed on Michal something that was evil. Michal had been in love with David (1 Sam.18:20) and that godly soul-tie was ruined by evil men. She soul-tied, under unrighteous patriarchal duress, with a new man, Phaltiel, under the wrath of Elohim for violation of His mitzvot. So who do we sympathise with? What are we to do with Paltiel's feelings? Something was born that felt good but which was evil. It was wrong and it had to be destroyed, for righteousness' sake.

Yahweh demands justice and righteousness. Our feelings cannot negate either of them. The fact that it 'feels' the same in a holy and an adulterous relationship does not validate the feelings of the latter. A sacrifice has to be made. Something precious was surrendered to someone who had no right to it. In the Garden of Yahweh this is depicted as a white flower of chastity. That flower has to be restored to its rightful owner. And David was the rightful owner of Michal's. Paltiel crushed it by committing a cardinal sin - they were both deserving of death and should, under the Old Covenant, have been stoned to death. They were separated from Yahweh and from eternal life until the abomination had been put right!

The point here is that when what belongs to a righteous owner is restored to its proper place, Yahweh heals and makes all things right. Today's Michal's under the New Covenant must return to their husbands what they may have given to a lover or intimate friend. There are Torah-boundaries to marriage and friendship and we are not allowed to cross them.

One of Satan's greatest delights is messing in affairs of the heart - in marriages and friendships particularly. Whether it is a man or a woman who has been enticed by sin to cross those boundaries does not matter - they must return to the security of the sheepfold and make things right because their eternal salvation is at stake if they do not. They cannot afford to cling onto sin that leads to death just because of feelings that make them feel 'alive' for a brief period of time. Intimate experiences and feelings gained at the expense of truth and holiness lead to death - they will not last. And the only way to prolong them is by pushing truth and reality into denial - burying it into the subconscious along with the demons of self-justification who will stay there to rob the soul of life. Adultery kills, whether spiritually, physically or both. And those who welcome it face the lake of fire and a bitter torment. Do not dabble with what Yahweh calls "strange fire" (Lev.10:1; Num.3:4; 26:61) or what modern versions call "unauthorised fire" (NIV). Authorised and unauthorised fire look the same and may feel the same but the one sanctifies and the other destroys. Emotions and sexual sensations feel the same but some are authorised by Yahweh and some are not. Be careful. Whatever leads you outside the camp of Israel and/or drives away the Ruach haQodesh will condemn you to destruction. Satan will give you counterfeits and make you feel 'good' but those feelings will not have Yahweh as their source.

My sermon today to you has only been a brief excursion into this topic. There's a great deal more to be said which we will be examining in due course. Lilith is a particularly nasty demoness - aren't they all - but this one is expert at putting up fronts of righteousness. She's a harlot, sharing and spending with others the holy and consecrated things that belong exclusively to the marriage covenant. She exposes the nakedness of others and tries to put them to shame. She's a trickster, subtle and devious, and full of self-justifications and unholy rationalisations. Her vile affections and subtlety are found all over the Bible. See if you can spot her activity in this story from Genesis:

"Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country of Gilead when Laban overtook him, and Laban and his relatives camped there too. Then Laban said to Jacob, 'What have you done? You've deceived me, and you've carried off my daughters like captives in war. Why did you run off secretly and deceive me? Why didn't you tell me, so I could send you away with joy and singing to the music of tambourines and harps? You didn't even let me kiss my grandchildren and my daughters good-by. You have done a foolish thing. I have the power to harm you ..." (Gen.31:25-29, NIV).

Now you know the story of Jacob well and of his deceptions and how he got tricked in his turn. Up until his Jabbok experience, his life was full of deception. He tricks his brother Esau and his father Isaac with the help of his mother Rebekah. Then Laban tricks him into marrying his elder daughter before he will give his younger one. Then Jacob steals away from Laban with his family with Laban in pursuit falsely claiming he still has some sort of ownership rights over his daughters! This wily, devious man, who outsmarted Jacob in trickery, was engaged in a contest of wills and subtlety as each tried to outdo the other. So Jacob has stolen away, knowing he could not remain in Harran any longer, pursued by his father-in-law claiming rights over the daughters he has already given away in marriage! So he threatens Jacob - "I have the power to harm you". Jacob is only saved because of what Laban says next:

"But last night the Elohim of your father said to me, 'Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad'" (Gen 31:29, NIV).

But Jacob was hardly innocent because his wife Rachel had stolen Laban's idols, though he didn't do it. Why did Jacob flee? He explains:

"I was afraid, because I thought you would take your daughters away from me by force" (Gen.31:31, NIV).

What a messy relationship! And his wife Rachel had got him into hot water by stealing idols, presumably done out of fear too, believing that if her father couldn't consult his gods he wouldn't be able to find Jacob after he had fled! Well she gave Satan legal rights to send demons, and Laban's found hers. Only Yahweh's intervention prevented him from sure destruction and by direct revelation to Laban without the need for idols. Jacob was a coward! And not until he got to the Jabbok river and faced his true self when he wrestled with an angel did this demonic stranglehold of fear get defeated and he started learning to trust Yahweh completely. No longer would he stoop to deception to protect himself, as he supposed. He became a true man and a true Israelite as an overcomer of his carnal dispositions to walk in demonic ways.

May Yahweh bless you as you imitate Scriptural patterns and obey Torah with a clear conscience. Let man be man and woman be woman, according to Yahweh's ordination, in the proper order, for the sake of love. Amen.

Footnotes

[1] www.jesus-is-lord.com/jezebel.htm

Author: Lev-Tsiyon

Glossary of MLT Hebraic, Greek and English Terms For other terms and full details please see the Micropedia A Adon(ai) = Master, a pagan fertility god, Adonis; used by many Messianics but not MLT (a)eon(ian) = 7 dispensation- or age-long time periods, not forever (see le-olam-va-ed) Alef-Tav = Alpha-Omega, A-Z, first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet = Yah'shua Amen = truly, let it be so, written Amein by some Messianics Apocrypha = Hebraic Scriptures not a part of the Protestant canon (e.g. Baruch) Anti-Messiah = Hebraic term for the end-time Antichrist or anyone opposed to the Messiah antinomian = lawless Christian who disregards all or part of Torah/commandments Ashkenazi Jew = East European Jew descended from the Turkic-Japhethite Khazars Assembly = church, congregation, ekklesia, community, fellowship, koinonia, gathering Azazel = the Yom Kippur scapegoat B Baal, Ba'al = any other master than Yahweh, usually demonic in MLT terminology Bachor(im) = firstborn son(s) Bar/Bat Mitzvah = Son/Daughter of Commandment, covenant to obey Torah at age 12 being = soul, the whole person (spirit and body), e.g. "my whole being" Beit, bet, beth = house, e.g. Beit Yisrael (House of Israel), Beth Lechem (House of Bread) Beit haMikdash = Yahweh's Temple in Yerushalayim B'rit Chadashah = the New Covenant; B'rit Chadashah Scriptures = New Testament B'rit Milah = circumcision - abolished in the B'rit Chadashah, replaced by Mikvah C canon = authoritative Scripture (Heb. qaneh, Gk. kanôn = measuring instrument) Catechumen = a serious, covenanted investigator seeking Mikvah or Baptism in MLT Chag haMatzah = Feast of Unleavened Bread, second of the annual feasts of Yahweh Chavurat Bekorot = MLT's Priesthood Order, Holy Order and Assembly of the Firstborn Cohen = priest; Cohen Gadol = High Priest (also spelled Kohen) Council of Yah's elohim = the heavenly Assembly of the Firstborn or Chavurat Bekorot D demon = fallen malek or angel in rebellion against Yahweh (Heb. shad; see Êl-Shaddai) derech = the Way, Path or Road - Yah'shua and the Gospel are the Way Drash = moral or homiletic interpretation of Scripture - see PaRDeS E Echad = One, Union of two or more in one (as opposed to Yachid) - see Elohim Echad Godhead Doctrine = Father Yahweh, Son Yah'shua and Sevenfold Ruach (Mother) Êl, Eloah, Elah = God the Father, Yahweh Êl-Elyon = Most High God, Yahweh Êl-Shaddai = Master/Lord over all shads or demons Elohim = God, the Godhead (Father, Son & Holy Spirit), lit. 'Mighty One(s)', 'Ruler(s)' elohim = Israelite judges, rulers, angels or gods (false deities, idols, demons) emunah = faith, actively trusting, clinging or adhering to (especially Yahweh or Yah'shua) emet = truth, Yah'shua is the Emet Ephraimite = descendant of the patriarch Ephraim and head of Messsianic Israel F Feasts of Yahweh = the 7 annual Moedim (Pesach, Chag haMatzah, Yom haBikkurim, Shavu'ot, Yom Teruah, Yom Kippur and Sukkot) G Gan-Eden = Garden of Eden, Paradise and state of the purified heart in Messiah goy(im) = nation(s), Israelites or gentiles not born in or converted to the Covenant H hallelu-Yah = praise Yah(weh)! Heylel = proper name of Satan or haSatan = the Adversary, the devil Sabbath = Yom Shabbat (Friday to Saturday sunset, add 1 day in IDL Zone) Hochmah = Wisdom, title of the 7-fold Ruach haQodesh I IDL = International Date Line, false man-made time division in Pacific Ocean IDL Zone = Area between the true Divine Date Line (Lake Van/Eden) and the false one Israeli = citizen of the modern Edomite-Khazar Republic of Israel (not Biblical Israel) Israelite = citizen of biblical state of Israel or a modern follower of the Messiah J Jew = post-biblical term describing descendants of Edomite and Khazar converts to Judaism Johannine = pertaining to the Apostle Yochanan (e.g. Gospel of John) Josephite = descendant of the patriarch Joseph, the head of Messianic Israel Judahite = a person in direct descent from the patriarch Judah, forefather of the Messiah Judaism = a Talmudic-based religion rejecting Yah'shua the Messiah Judean = a citizen of the Kingdom or Province of Judah until the 2nd Century diaspora K Kadosh la Yahweh = set-apart or dedicated to Yahweh, 'Holiness to the Lord', MLT motto Karaites = Jews (from 700 AD) who reject the Talmud and accept only the Tanakh kashrut = keeping kosher, food laws of Yahweh and correspinding lifestyle Ketuvim = Writings or Hagiographa of the Tanakh Khazar = a Turkic convert to Judaism ~700 AD forming the Ashkenazi Jewish community kosher = clean foods authorised by Yahweh for human consumption L Lashon Hara = evil-speaking, gossip or slander legalism = false route to salvation through works (self-salvation) le-olam-va-ed = dispensation- or age-long, aeonian, not eternal, forever or for eternity Lev = heart, as in Lev-Tsiyon = heart of Zion Lev-Tsiyon = Heart of the Fortress [of Yahweh], Hebrew name of MLT's founder M Master = Lord, Sir, Adon(ai) - (one in authority, a ruler - a king, husband, prophet, judge) Malak(im) = Angel(s), heavenly supernatural messenger(s) manna = wafers of honey, bread from heaven (lit. 'what is this?') matzah = unleavened bread, see Chag haMatzah Menorah = 7-armed candlearbra = the 7 annual Moedim and 7-fold Ruach haQodesh Messiah = Christ; Anti-Messiah = Antichrist Messianic Community = Body of Christ, sum total of all true believers; all true fellowships Messianic Israel = all who worship Yahweh, trust in Yah'shua, obey Torah and overcome Messianic Jew = Messianic convert from Judaism still clinging to Talmudic traditions Midrash = aggadic interpretation of scripture viâ Drash, a scriptural discussion Mikvah = baptism by immersion of convert into Yah'shua or of wife into husband Mishpachah = family: nuclear, congregational, tribal or the whole of Messianic Israel MLT = Mishpachah Lev-Tsiyon = family of the heart of the fortress [of Yahweh] Mishpat = right-ruling or judgement mitzvah/mitzvot = commandment(s) moed(im) = appointment(s) of Yahweh, 7 Annual Feasts, Sabbath and Rosh Chodesh N Nefilim, Nephilim = giant offspring of materialised demons and human women Nevi'im = prophetic writings of the Old Testament or Tanakh New Birth = spiritual conversion in the Ruach haRishon, being 'born again' with new heart Nidah = a woman's menstruation period during which no intercourse is permitted O Olive Branch = collection of revelations, prophecies and visions published by MLT P Paraclete = Comforter, Advocate (NEB), Counsellor, Ruach haQodesh (Gk. paraklêtos) PaRDeS = method of textual interpretation (homiletics) - see P'shat, Remez, Drash, Sod Patriarch = a father who is head of his family, clan or tribe (lit. 'father-ruler') Pentateuch = first five books of the Tanakh (Genesis-Deuteronomy), also called Torah peribolaion = headcovering worn by daughters/wives in submission to fathers/husbands Pesach = Passover, first of the annual feasts of Yahweh Peshitta = an Aramaic version of the Bible Prototrinitarianism = early, simplified MLT formulation of the Echad Godhead Doctrine Prush(im) = Pharisee(s) Pseudepigrapha = Non-canonical Hebrew writings additional to the Apocrypha P'shat = literal, contextual, philological, exoteric, outer meaning of Scripture - see PaRDeS Q Qadosh Qadoshim = Holy of Holies, most sacred set-apart room of the Beit haMikdash Qodesh, Kodesh = set-apart, holy (see Ruach haQodesh) R Rabbi = Teacher, term used by Messianic Jews and some Messianic Israelites = Pastor Refuge, the 12 Cities of = divinely protected MLT fortresses during the 7-year Tribulation Remez = hint or allegorical level of Hebraic understanding of Scripture - see PaRDeS Rosh Chodesh = monthly New Moon appointment of Yahweh ruach = spirit of a person (lit.'breath') Ruach Elohim = Spirit of God (the Spirit of the collective Godhead or Elohim) Ruach haChamashee = 5th Ruach presides over Yom Teruah and Yom Chamashee Ruach haQodesh = the Sevenfold Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost (lit. 'Set-Apart Breath') Ruach haRevee = 4th Ruach presides over Shavu'ot, Yom Revee and Bar Mitzvah Ruach haRishon = 1st Ruach presides over Pesach, Yom Rishon and the New Birth Ruach haShanee = 2nd Ruach presides over Chag haMatzah and Yom Shanee Ruach haSheshi = 6th Ruach presides over Yom Kippur and Yom Sheshi Ruach haShleshi = 3rd Ruach presides over Yom haBikkurim, Yom Shleshi and Mikvah S Sabbath = Yom Shabbat (Friday to Saturday sunset, add 1 day in IDL Zone) Satan = rebel archangel Heylel, father of lies, devil, chief demon (lit.'Adversary') Sephardic Jew = West European Jew of mixed blood containing many Judahites Septuagint = Greek translation of the Tanakh, LXX Shegal haShabbat = 7th Ruach (Sabbath Queen) presides over Sukkot and Yom Shabbat Shekinah = Divine Presence and Glory of Yahweh-Elohim Set-apart = holy, sanctified, consecrated, dedicated, separated (to and by Yahweh) Shabbat-Shabbaton = High Sabbath (e.g. Yom Kippur) Shalom = heavenly peace, standard Hebraic greeting invoking Yahweh's peace Shamash(im) = servant(s), deacon(s), attendant(s) Shavu'ot = Pentecost or Weeks, fourth of the annual feasts of Yahweh Sheol = grave or pit, euphamism for Hades or hell - also see Tartarus shofar = ram's horn, blown during Yahweh's Moedim simcha = joy, keynote of Sukkot Sod = mystical, anagogic, inner or esoteric understanding of Scripture - see PaRDeS Sukkot = Tabernacles or Booths, seventh of the annual feasts of Yahweh Synagogue = Greek word used by Jews and Messianics (but not MLT) for a meeting house T talmid(a) = male/female disciple or student Talmud = scriptures, teachings and commentaries belonging to non-Messianic Judaism Tanakh = acronym for Old Testament Scriptures - Torah, Nevi'im & Ketuvim Tartarus = place of imprisonment under the earth for rebellious angels and Nephilim teshuvah = repentance, remorse and contrition leading back to Torah obedience Torah = Yahweh's teachings or Law; New Covenant Torah includes Yah'shua's teachings Tribulation, the Great = the final 7 years of the present aeon when Anti-Messiah rules Trinity = Catholic Godhead formula - see Echad Godhead Doctrine and Prototrinitarianism Tsiyon = Zion, a fortress, a name of Jerusalem and a prominent hill Tzitzit/Tizitziyot = tassel(s) worn by men in remembrance of Torah U Universalism = salvation of all at the cosmic Yovel, with different rewards and punishments Y Yachid = one, single person or item, as opposed to Echad (many in one, unity) Yah'shua the Messiah = Jesus Christ (the Son) Yahudah = Judah - see Judahite Yahweh, Yah, YHWH = the true Name of our Heavenly Father, also carried by Yah'shua Yahweh-Elohim = LORD God (the Father, Yahweh as Head of the Godhead or Elohim) Yahweh haQatan = the sent Yahweh = Yah(weh)'shua, Malak of Yahweh's Presence Yam Suf = Sea of Reeds, the true Israelite Exodus water crossing, not the Red Sea Yarden = Jordan River (lit. 'meanderer') Yerushalayim = Jerusalem Yisrael = Israel (lit. 'ruling with Êl') = true believers under the New Covenant Yom Chamashee = 5th day of the week (Thursday, Friday in IDL Zone) Yom Din, Yom haDin = (the) Day of Judgement Yom haBikkurim = Feast of Firstfruits, third of the annual feasts of Yahweh Yom Revee = 4th day of the week (Wednesday, Thursday in IDL Zone) Yom Rishon = 1st day of the week (Sunday, Monday in IDL Zone) Yom Kippur = Day of Atonement, sixth of the annual feasts of Yahweh Yom Shabbat = 7th day of the week and Sabbath Rest (Saturday, Sunday in IDL Zone) Yom Shanee = 2nd day of the week (Monday, Tuesday in IDL Zone) Yom Sheshi = 6th day of the week (Friday, Saturday in IDL Zone) Yom Shleshi = 3rd day of the week (Tuesday, Wednesday in IDL Zone) Yom Teruah = Day of Trumpets, fifth of the annual feasts of Yahweh Yosef = Joseph - see Josephite Yovel = Jubilee or Year of Jubilee Z Zaqen(im) = elder(s) of an assembly or congregation, or senior members of a community Zoë Life = Greek term for spiritual life in the Messiah Commonly Used MLT Abbreviations For additional abbreviations and explanations, please see the Micropedia A Amp.V(er). = Amplified Version of the Bible Aram. = Aramaic AV = Authorised Version of the Bible - see KJV B BCAY = B'rit Chadashah Assembly of Yahweh - see NCCG BoA = Books of Abraham (e.g. 1Abr., 2Abr., etc.) C cp, cf = compare with CB(Q) = Chavurat Bekorot CEV = Contemporary English Version of the Bible ch. = chapter CJB = Complete Jewish Bible CLNT = Concordant Literal New Testament CYe = Council of Yah's elohim E Eng. = English F ff. = and onwards/forwards fn = footnote G Gk. = Greek GNB = Good News Bible - see TEV H Heb. = Hebrew, Hebraic HEM = Holy Echad Marriage, eternal marriage HO = Holy Order - see Chavurat Bekorot HOC = Holy Order Collection of revelations - see OB HRV = Hebraic-Roots Version of the Bible I ibid. = ibidem (lit. 'in the same place'), referring to a book previously cited ICJC = Independent Church of Jesus Christ, earlier name of NCCF ISRV = Institute for Scripture Research Version of the Bible J JB = Jerusalem Bible JBP/Phillips = J.B.Phillips translation of the New Testament JNT = Jewish New Testament K KJV = King James Version of the Bible - see AV L LB = Living Bible lit. = literally or literature LXX = Septuagint, Greek translation of the OT M MLT = Mishpachah Lev-Tsiyon Moff. = Moffatt translation of the Bible MRC = Messianic Renewed Covenant Version of the NT MS(S) = Manuscript(s) N NASB, NASV = New American Standard Bible/Version NC&C = New Covenants & Commandments - see OB NCCF = New Covenant Christian Fellowship, earlier name of NCCG NCCG = New Covenant Church of God, earlier name of MLT - see BCAY NCP = New Covenant Press, publishing arm of MLT NCW = New Covenant Witness, MLT magazine NEB = New English Bible NIV = New International Version of the Bible NKJV = New King James Version of the Bible Nor. = Norwegian NT = New Testament, B'rit Chadashah NWT = New World Translation of the Bible, unreliable Jehovah's Witness version O OB = Olive Branch - see NC&C op.cit. = opere citato (lit. in the work cited) OT = Old Testament, Tanakh P p(p). = page(s) pl. = plural - see s. PWNC = Prophetic Words of the New Covenant, revelation cataloging system - see OB Q QED = quod erat demonstrandum (lit. which was shown to be proved) R RCF = Restoration Christian Fellowship, earlier name of ICJC RhQ = Ruach haQodesh, Holy Spirit RSTNE = Restoration Scriptures True Name Edition of the Bible RSV = Revised Standard Version of the Bible RV = Revised Version of the Bible S s. = singular - see pl. S&G = Smith & Goodspeed Version of the Bible T TEV = Today's English Version of the Bible - see GNB V Vulg. = Biblia Vulgata, Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible W WEB = World English Bible Glossary Copyright ©2007 Mishpachah Lev-Tsiyon (MLT) - All Rights Reserved

Last updated on 20 March 2007

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Copyright ©2007 Mishpachah Lev-Tsiyon (MLT) - All Rights Reserved

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