CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM

In this lesson we will learn the following:

1) The structure of the cardiovascular system.

2) The function of the cardiovascular system.
3) Spiritual lessons that they teach us.
4) Diseases which affect this system.

In the beginning of time the Lord had a thought

To make us a heart, though he knew what it wrought
When not in control by the one who had made
The tenderest organ that much disobeyed
Its loving Creator who was caused to so groan
When it hardened itself like a rugged hard stone
Choosing to follow its will every day
And always avoiding the straight narrow way
Carrying a load of its burdens and cares
That its loving Creator was willing to bear
Seeing through time what the cost was to make
This rebellious organ that would sever and break
All of God’s laws, that would make it tick right
But instead of so doing, it tended to fight
The loving Creator that realized its need
Knew the only answer was to have His heart bleed
And suffer His own to feel all the sin
That this delicate organ had burdened on Him
But knowing this price He still fashioned your heart
To unite it with His, and never to part

1) STRUCTURE OF THE CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM:

Your cardiovascular system is made up of your heart and blood vessels. The heart is a triangular organ and
about the size of your fist and is located between the lungs in the lower portion of the mediastinum (the
subdivision in the portion of the thoracic cavity.)

If you cut open the heart, you will see that it is hollow, not solid and can only be made full when it has blood
running through it. The same is true of us spiritually, the Bible tells us that the life is in the blood, and Jesus asks
us to drink His blood, which is being a partaker of his life. Without his life in us, it is like having no blood run
through the heart, and we are empty, always seeking to fill that heart with something that we think is satisfying,
but which only Jesus can fill it.

The heart contains four cavities or hollow chambers. The two upper chambers are called atria, and the two lower
chambers are called ventricles. Just as the human heart has four chambers, there are four gospels of the Bible
which show the love of God giving His life for lost mankind, just as the four chambers are used to give life to
our bodies.
 The atria are smaller than the ventricles, and
their walls are thinner and less muscular. Atria
are often called receiving chambers because
blood enters the heart through veins that open
into these upper cavities. Eventually blood is
pumped from the heart into arteries that exit
from the ventricles; therefore the ventricles are
sometimes referred to as the discharging
chambers of the heart. Around about the
temple of Jerusalem were chambers, which
had treasures in them,

“And at that time were some appointed over the chambers for the treasures,” Neh.12.44, Jesus said, “For
where your treasure is, there will your heart be also,” Luke.12.34. The heart is to place the treasure in, and
what greater treasure can we have in our hearts than the life of Jesus.

When you look at the structure of the heart it wont be long before
you notice that it has two separate divisions, the left and right side
are separated by a veil of tissue (the interventricular septum) and
perform different functions, though there work is dependent upon
one another. One side of the heart is filled with life (oxygen), the
other side filled with waste (carbon dioxide.) When Jesus came as
a man He had two separate functions but greatly depended upon
one another. His work was composed of giving life ("I am come
that they might have life, and that they might have it more
abundantly." John 10.10.) as is the case with the left side of the
heart, and just as important and needful to life was the second
phase of His ministry, that was in receiving death ("...Except a corn
of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die,
it bringeth forth much fruit." John.12:24), shown by the right side
of the heart. There was also a veil between these two divisions,
"Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by
the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he hath
consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;"
Heb.10:19,20. At the same time that the heart of Christ was torn in
two at death, was the same time that the veil of the sanctuary was
torn. "And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was
rent in the midst." Luke.23:45. The left side of the heart can be
likened to His divinity, for it is only divinity that can offer life, and
the other side can be likened to His humanity, that carried the
burden of sin.

The heart has a covering and a lining. Its covering is called the pericardium, which consists of two layers of
fibrous tissue with a small space in between. Just as the law of God can be wrapped up and contained in two
laws, love to God and love to man, so too can the physical heart be wrapped up in two tissues of the
pericardium, the visceral pericardium and parietal pericardium. It fits around the heart like a loose fitting sack
allowing room for the heart to beat, so too within those two laws there is room for all of us to keep God’s law
perfectly. The wall of the heart has three distinct layers, an outer pericardium, a middle pericardium, and an
inner pericardium, there are also three distinct persons that are a protective wall to the heart of the Christian, the
Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
 The heart is protected by the sternum, which is the breastplate of righteousness. The heart is situated in front of
the backbone, representing Christ as our foundation. The heart is enclosed laterally by the lungs, representing
the protection and aid of the Holy Spirit.

The tricuspid valve is composed of three leaflets or

cusps. This valve prevents blood to go from the right
atrium to the right ventricle and not flow in the opposite
direction. Again we see the working of the three
agencies of the God head to direct the blood, or the life
of the sinner in the right direction.

Ventricle

Blood is supplied to the tissues of the heart by the first

two branches of the aorta, called the right and left coronary arteries.

When there is a blockage in the heart, the oxygen supply is cut off and can lead to a heart attack, or a condition
known as ischemia, when a portion of the heart dies. Nabal had this condition when he partook of the wrong
spirit and caused death to his heart. 1Sam.25.37: "But it came to pass in the morning, when the wine was gone
out of Nabal, and his wife had told him these things, that his heart died within him, and he became as a stone."

The heart is surrounded by muscle fibers that stimulate it to action giving us strength of heart. "My flesh and my
heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever." Psa.73.26.

The heart has a special node called sinotrial node (also

known as the pacemaker of the heart) which is a small
mass of specialized muscle tissue just beneath the
epicardium. What is amazing about the node is that the
cells are excited without any physiological outside agent,
(such as nerve fibers) and initiate impulses that spread into
the myocardium and stimulate cardiac muscle to contract.
Although they are not excited by any nerve or agent of the
body they are excited by the power of God. "The physical
Listen to the
organism of man is under the supervision of God; but it is
heart beat.
not like a clock, which is set in operation, and must go of
itself.

The heart beats, pulse succeeds pulse, breath succeeds

breath, but the entire being is under the supervision of God. "Ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building." In
God we live and move and have our being. Each heart-beat, each breath, is the inspiration of him who breathed
into the nostrils of Adam the breath of life,--the inspiration of the ever-present God; the great I AM." RH 1904-
03-17. "He fashioneth their hearts alike; he considereth all their works." Psalm 33:15.

When there is more activity in the body through strenuous exercise there is a greater need for more blood and
the heart has to beat more rapidly to supply the demands of the cells which is primarily oxygen and waste
elimination. This too is the case spiritually, when God's people are more active in service for Him they receive
a greater supply of the Holy Spirit (represented as the air) through the blood of Jesus Christ, which in turn
causes a more effective elimination of sin out of their lives.
An increase of temperature increases the heart rate, and low temperature slow down the heart rate. We need to
be hot for the Lord, our hearts burning within us of the love of Jesus Christ, that we our not spewed out of His
mouth because of our cold indifference to the message of salvation.

Structure and function of blood vessels:

The blood has to flow through the body’s

100 000 kilometers of blood vessels to
adequately supply those areas with
sufficient oxygen and nutrients that are
desperately needed.

ARTERIES: Arteries have layers of

smooth muscle cells, elastic fibers, and
connective tissue. The muscle around the
artery is an involuntary muscle which is
not under our conscious control.
Remember that muscles represent works,
but since the muscle is not under our
control, then this is likened to the work of
God in applying His cleansing blood to
our lives moment by moment.

As the heart alternately contracts and relaxes, blood is forced into the large arteries, then moves into smaller
arteries, finally to reach the smallest branches, called arterioles, which feed into the capillary beds of all body
organs and tissues. Blood then proceeds from the capillaries into the venules, (which are small veins) into larger
veins, and ultimately into great veins converging on the heart.

Arteries are red in color and veins are blue. Red is a symbol of God’s forgiveness in the Bible: “But if we walk
in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son
cleanseth us from all sin.” 1John.1.7. Blue is a symbol of God’s law: “Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid
them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put
upon the fringe of the borders a ribband of BLUE: And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon
it, and remember all the COMMANDMENTS of the LORD,” Num.15.38,39.
“I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.”
Psa.40.8

The arteries are made up of three distinct layers, the endothelium composed of epithelium, the second layer is
made up of muscle fibers, and the third consists chiefly of connective tissue. Again we see the three agents used
in the distribution of the blood throughout the body. There are three heavenly agents also used in the
distribution of the blood of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and for the giving of life.

The arterial pressure depends on a variety of factors, including heart action, blood volume, resistance to blood
flow, and the viscosity of the blood.

Arteries were designed by God deep under the skin, whereas veins are more on the surface as it is not as
dangerous to cut a vein as an artery, due to the fact that in an artery the blood is being forced from the heart by
the pumping action of the heart, whereas veins are fighting against gravity to go up to the heart, and do not have
the pressure behind them as does an artery. Remember red = cleansing, blue = obedience. This teaches us a
spiritual lesson, as it is beyond the eyes of man to see how deep the cleansing blood of Jesus is applied to our
lives (like trying to see all the arteries,) but you can see the obedience to the law, (just as you can see the blue
veins.)

AORTA: "Thou wilt show me the path of life:

in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand
there are pleasures for evermore." Psalm 16:11.
The aorta is the largest artery in the body. It
extends upward from the left ventricle, arches over
the heart to the left, and descends just in front of
the vertebral column.

The first portion of the aorta is called the Aortic arch

ascending aorta. At its base are located three
cusps of the aortic semilunar valve, and opposite
each one is a swelling in the aortic wall called an
aortic sinus. The right and left coronary arteries
spring from two of these sinuses. Pulmonary Trunk
Three major arteries originate from the arch of the
aorta (aortic arch). They are the brachiocephelic
artery, the heft common carotid artery, and the left
subclavian artery. These are branches that supply
blood flow to the upper part of the body.

God has designed a most incredible invention of blood

distribution from the largest artery of the body. Jesus
said, "I am the vine, ye are the branches...". John 15:5. Just as the branches receives there blood supply from
one source, so we can only receive life from one source, Christ Jesus our savior.

The portion of the descending aorta above the diaphragm is known as the thoracic aorta, and it gives off
numerous other branches to the thoracic wall and the thoracic visceral organs.

Below the diaphragm, the descending aorta becomes the abdominal aorta, and it gives off branches to the
abdominal wall and various abdominal visceral organs.
The descending aorta terminates near the brim of the pelvis, where it divides into the right and left common iliac
arteries. These supply blood to the lower regions of the abdominal wall, the pelvic organs, and the lower
extremities.

The aorta ascends and descends to direct blood to the brain (the throne of God) and also to the most distal
locations, such as the feet. "(Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower
parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill
all things.) Eph. 4:9-10.

Just as the aorta sends forth streams of blood to fill every part of
the body with His life, so too was the blood of Christ to His church.
However His blood was not just shed for His people but the whole
world, to every soul the offer of life has been given, and if a soul is
lost, it is because it has rejected the offer of life through the blood
of Jesus Christ.

Blood is supplied to parts within the neck, head, and brain

through branches of the subclavian and common carotid
arteries. The main divisions of the subclavian artery to
these regions are the vertebral and thyrocervical arteries.
The common carotid communicates to parts of the head
and neck by means of the internal and external carotid
arteries.

The vertebral arteries pass upward through the foramina of

the transverse process of the cervical vertebrae and enter
the skull by way of the foramen magnum. Along their
paths, these vessels supply blood to the vertebrae and to the
ligaments and muscles associated with them.

Within the cranial cavity, the vertebral arteries unite to form a single basilar artery. This vessel passes along the
ventral brain stem and gives rise to branches leading to the pons, midbrain, and cerebellum.

The thyrocervical arteries are short vessels that give off branches to the thyroid glands, parathyroid glands,
larynx, trachea, esophagus, and pharynx, as well as to various muscles in the neck, shoulder, and back.

All the branches that lead off of the Aorta, and their associated branches extend throughout the body, teaching
us a very important lesson. "One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all." Eph
4:6.

CAPILLARIES: The distribution of blood in the various capillary pathways is regulated mainly by smooth
muscles that encircle the capillary entrances. These muscles form precapillary sphincters that may close a
capillary by contracting or open it by relaxing. Those who do not study the body in light of the creators
engineering ability do not know how the sphincters are controlled. However it is observed that they open or
close depending on the demands of the cell for oxygen. This shows us many spiritual lessons, firstly, if we feel
our need of the Holy Spirit, God assures us that we shall be supplied. "If ye then, being evil, know how to give
good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask
him?" Luke 11:13.

Another lesson is that the blood is the medium through which the Spirit is given. It is the blood of Jesus Christ
that brought the promise of the Spirit to man. The blood and the spirit (oxygen) are always united together.
"And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in
one." 1st John 5:8. "The Lord will imbue us with his Holy Spirit, in order that we may feel our need and seek
his help. Those who seek him with the whole heart will find him." RH.1895-11-19. There are three blood
vessels that transport oxygen to the body, and there are three blood vessels that transport carbon dioxide out of
the body. The capillaries are used in both instances as they serve in duel capacities. Again we see the Godhead
used in both facilitating life to the body and eliminating waste from the body. Just as the sanctuary of old was
being daily continually cleansed from its defilement through the blood so also is it likewise in our bodies. It is
the power of the Godhead that is used in the cleansing of the soul from sin.

Just as the heart can supply oxygen to every part of the body, so too can Christ supply the needs of every soul
that believes in Him. His heart is big enough and strong enough to fulfil all our requirements and bring life and
joy to the most diseased stricken soul.

The capillaries are between the arteries and the veins, and are purple in color. Purple in the Bible represents
royalty. “And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe,
and said, Hail, King of the Jews! and they smote him with their hands.” John.19.2,3 When we unite the
cleansing blood of Jesus with obedience to the law we become royalty, represented by the purple. It is at the
capillary level that the nutrients are taken to all parts of the body, and so too is it spiritually, when we unite the
cleansing of the blood of Jesus with obedience to His law that we are able to receive the spiritual nutrients into
our souls.

VEINS: The veins return the waste laden blood back to the heart, showing us that all sin returns back to the
heart of God, and by the blood of Jesus Christ is eliminated from the soul. Again we see three layers composing
the veins, signifying the Godheads role in removing sin out of our lives.

Many veins, particularly those in the arms and legs, contain flap-like valves that project
inward from their linings. These valves, are composed of two leaflets that close if the
blood begins to back up in a vein. The valves assist the blood in being returned to the
heart, and open up as long as the blood flow is towards the heart and close when it is
heading in the opposite direction. This illustrates the love of God towards His people in
that He prevents them receiving back the sins that His blood has washed away. He
doesn't want His people to reabsorb the sins that have committed, but to escort them
back to the heart of infinite love.

As well as providing pathways for returning blood back to the heart, the veins function
as reservoirs that can be drawn on in time of need. For example if there is a hemorrhage
that is accompanied by a drop in arterial blood pressure, the muscular walls of the veins
are stimulated reflexly by sympathetic nerve impulses. This mechanism ensures a nearly
normal blood flow even when there is as much as 25% of blood volume that has been
lost. The Bible is full of cases of spiritual hemorrhaging, those who's sins nearly cost
them their life, such as king David, Jacob, Aaron, Peter, Samson, Mary Magdalene, and
many others, but they have one thing in common, they all realized their need of the
blood of Jesus
Christ. Though much blood may have been shed by some, such as the case of Mannasseh or Paul, there was a
reservoir of blood that was available to them. It is fortunate for us that the Lord has sympathetic nerve impulses
towards His people, that ensures an adequate blood supply for all sinners to lay hold of in time of need, great is
the love of God towards His people!

BLOOD PRESSURE: Blood pressure is the force exerted by the blood against the inner walls of the blood
vessels. Although such a force occurs throughout the vascular system, the term blood pressure is most
commonly used to refer to arterial pressure in various branches of the aorta. The force of blood through the
arteries is great force and shows us that there is greater power in God's love to give us life. It also can even be
heard if one places their head on the bosom of infinite love, as did the apostle John in the upper room. "Now
there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved." John 13:23. How strong the heart
beats of Jesus would have been to John whom shared a closer communion with Jesus than any other disciple. It
is no surprise that John's great theme was the love of God, he knew it by experience, for he had rested on the
very heart of God.

When Jesus was on the cross His heart suffered under incredible pressure, no human language can express the
suffering that He went through in order to atone for our sins. When a Roman soldier pierced His side it is
recorded that blood and water came out of the wound, John.19.34. This is an extremely rare medical condition
that comes as a result of intense suffering, causing the water to separate from the blood. "No sorrow, no agony,
can measure with that which was endured by the Son of God. Man has not been made a sin-bearer, and he will
never know the horror of the curse of sin which the Savior bore. No sorrow can bear any comparison with the
sorrow of Him upon whom the wrath of God fell with overwhelming force. Human nature can endure but a
limited amount of test and trial. The finite can only endure the finite measure, and human nature succumbs; but
the nature of Christ had a greater capacity for suffering; for the human existed in the Divine nature, and created
a capacity for suffering to endure that which resulted from the sins of a lost world." BT.1915-09-01.

WITHOUT THE PRECIOUS

BLOOD OF CHRIST RUNNING
THROUGH US, WE WILL
HAVE AN EMPTY HEART
"Christ's heart was pierced by a far sharper pain than that caused by the nails driven into his hands and feet. He
was bearing the sins of the whole world, enduring our punishment,--the wrath of God against transgression. His
trial involved the fierce temptation of thinking that he was forsaken by God. His soul was tortured by the
pressure of great darkness, lest he should swerve from his uprightness during the terrible ordeal." YI.1899-07-
20.

The surge of blood that is pumped from the heart through the arteries causes them to expand and recoil, and can
be felt as a pulse in the artery. As long as there is a pulse there is life. "The life is in the blood..." Lev 17:11.
"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life..." John 14:6. Without His life in us we are dead,
though we be alive in a physical sense of the word.

VISCOSITY: Viscosity is a physical property of a fluid and is related to the ease with which its molecules
slide past one another. A fluid with a high viscosity tends to be sticky like syrup, and one with a low viscosity
flows easily like water. The presence of blood cells and plasma proteins increases the viscosity of the blood.
Since the greater the blood's resistance to flowing, the greater the force needed to move it through the vascular
system, it is not surprising that blood pressure rises as blood viscosity increases and drops as viscosity
decreases.

When Jesus was on the cross the viscosity of His blood would have increased, primarily because of two factors,
a lack of water, "After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be
fulfilled, saith, I thirst." John 19:28. Lack of water makes the blood more sticky and consequently causes
higher blood pressure. Another factor is toxic build up in the blood stream, this would have been the case with
Jesus due to Him bearing the sins of the world.

Other factors that cause an increase in heart rate and a rise in blood pressure include the presence of chemicals
such as epinephrine, emotional responses such as fear and anger, physical exercise, and an increase in body
temperature.
 When Jesus was on the cross He was
under immense stress, which would
have released epinephrine from the
adrenal glands. He also experienced
emotional pressures such as feeling
Betrayed, forsaken, and rejected. He
suffered the physical torturous
exercise of carrying a cross to the
place of His execution. "The Son of
God was delivered to the people to be
crucified; with shouts of triumph they
led the dear Saviour away. He was
weak and faint from weariness, pain,
and loss of blood by the scourging and
blows which He had received; yet the
heavy cross upon which He was soon
to be nailed was laid upon Him. Jesus
fainted beneath the burden. Three
times the cross was placed upon His
shoulders, and three times He
fainted." EW. 175.

Jesus had His heart

torn in two so that
your heart would be
made whole!!!

He was also stripped of His clothes and publicly put to shame, which would have also had an influence on His
body temperature. Friends, why did He do it? Because love can do no other, it is the embodiment of sacrifice.
It wasn't the nails that kept Him to the cross, it was His heart of infinite love for you and I!

2) THE FUNCTION OF THE CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM

PATHS OF CIRCULATION: The blood vessels of the cardiovascular system can be divided into two major
pathways - a pulmonary circuit and a systemic circuit. The pulmonary circuit consists of those vessels that carry
blood from the heart to the lungs and back to the heart, while the systemic circuit is responsible for carrying
blood from the heart to all other parts of the body and back again.

Just as the path of the blood takes a circular route in one direction so also did the blood of Jesus Christ. First
like the heart he came to give life, to put His Spirit in them, as the lungs put the spirit of life into the blood. "In
him was life..." John 1:4. His heart of love flowed forth in rich streams of vitalizing life to those who accepted
Him as their source of life. However "The Life" had to lay down His life in order that the dead may come back
to life, (those dead in trespasses and sins).

He had to shed His blood, and it was first shed in the temple, on the cold stone floors, symbolic of the coldness
and hardness of the hearts of those He came to save. But His blood not only fell there, it fell upon the hard
stony ground of the streets of Jerusalem, and worst of all it fell upon His own people: "Then answered all the
people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children." Matt.27:25. What a tragedy that they didn't say "His
blood be in us, and in our children." His blood fell upon the thorns that pierced His brow, symbolic of the sins
that pierced His mind and heart. Then His blood was to fall upon a tree, a dead dry tree, which was symbolic of
us: "For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?" Luke.23:31. But Jesus was the
green tree: "And all the trees of the field shall know that I the LORD have brought down the high tree, have
exalted the low tree, have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree to flourish: I the LORD have
spoken and have done it." Eze 17:24. The blood fell upon everything that typified the hardness, coldness, and
barrenness of man's heart, and finally it fell upon the dry earth, in God's last attempt to portray the lesson of His
Son's blood to man, that His only hope is to receive the life of Christ into his heart. However the circulatory
route was not yet complete, it had to be taken to heaven and there be offered for the sins of the whole world, to
be accepted on mans behalf as sufficient price to redeem him and allow him entrance into the kingdom of God.
Thus the sins of man entered the very heart of God.

THE PULMONARY CIRCUIT:

Blood enters the pulmonary circuit as it
leaves the right ventricle through the
pulmonary trunk. The pulmonary trunk
extends upward and posteriorly from
the heart and. About 2 inches above its
origin, divides into right and left
pulmonary arteries. These branches
penetrate the right and left lungs. After
repeated divisions, they give rise to
arterioles that continue into the
capillary networks associated with the
walls of the alveoli, where gas
exchanges occur between the blood and
the air.

From the pulmonary capillaries, blood

enters venules, which merge to form small veins. They in turn converge to
form still larger ones. Four pulmonary veins, two from each lung, return
blood to the left atrium, and this completes the vascular loop of the
pulmonary circuit. In this system we can we again the three powers of the
Godhead.
The heart representative of the fathers work in distributing life, however He doesn't do it independently of His
son, which is represented by the blood that He shed. However the Son unites His work with that of the Spirit,
just as blood unites itself to that of oxygen which in turn gives life to the body (His church, Col 1:18.)
THE SYSTEMIC CIRCUIT: The freshly oxygenated blood received by the left atrium is forced into the
systemic circuit by the contraction of the left ventricle. This circuit includes the aorta and its branches that lead
to all body tissues, as well as the companion system of veins that returns blood to the right atrium. The Aorta is
the largest artery in the body. It extends upward from the left ventricle, arches over the heart to the left, and
descends just in front of the vertebral column.

THE VENOUS SYSTEM: Venous circulation is responsible for returning blood to the heart after exchanges
of gases, nutrients, and wastes have been made between the blood and body cells.

CHARACTERISTICS OF VENOUS PATHWAY: The vessels of the venous system begin with the merging
of capillaries into venules, venules into small veins, and small veins into larger ones. Unlike arterial pathways,
however, those of the venous system are commonly interconnected in irregular networks, so that many unnamed
tributaries may join to form a relatively large vein.

Blood pressure decreases as the blood moves through the arterial system and into the capillary networks. In
fact, little pressure remains at the venule ends of the capillaries. Therefore, blood flow through the venous
system in not the direct result of heart action, but depends on other factors, such as skeletal muscle contraction
and breathing movements. In a later lesson you will learn that muscles are likened to our works, and breathing
is likened to receiving the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Knowing this we can see another lesson that venous
blood flow teaches. The heart representing the love of God distributes life to every soul (or cell) in the body
through the blood of Christ, but to get the sin laden blood back to the heart requires some effort on our part,
represented by the muscular contractions, combined with the aid of the Holy Spirit.

On the other hand, larger veins typically parallel the courses taken be named arteries, and these veins often have
the same names as their companions in the arterial system. Thus, with some exceptions the name of a major
artery also provides the name of the vein next to it. For example the renal vein parallels the renal artery, the
common iliac vein accompanies the common iliac artery and so forth.

What spiritual lesson can we learn from this? The artery is red and gives life, representing God's mercy and
atonement towards the sinner. The vein is blue and carries waste out of the body, corresponding to the second
phase of Christ's ministry, to remove sin from the sinner, and is representative of law of God, (Num.15:38-41).
This does not mean that the law removes sin, for it has no power to do that, but the soul who has been cleansed
by the blood of Jesus, can now keep the law through the life that he receives from Christ. "For what the law
could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and
for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not
after the flesh, but after the Spirit. " Rom.8:3,4. Since the path of life lies next to the path of righteousness and
Holiness it would make sense that these two blood vessels accompany each other in the same pathway
throughout the body. "In the way of righteousness is life; and in the pathway thereof there is no death."
Pro.12:28.

The veins from all other parts of the body converge into two major pathways that lead to the right atrium. They
are the superior and inferior venea canae.
Blood flow through the heart:

The heart acts as two separate pumps. The right atrium and the right ventricle perform a task quite different from
the left atrium and ventricle. When the heart beats, first the atria contract simultaneously. This is atrial systole.
Then the ventricles fill with blood, and they too contract together during ventricular systole. Although the atria
contract as a unit followed by the ventricles below; the right and left sides of the heart act as separate pumps. As
we study the blood flow through the heart, the separate functions of the two pumps will become clearer.

The blood enters the right atrium through two large veins called the superior vena cava and inferior vena
cava. The right heart pump receives oxygen-poor blood from the veins. After entering the right atrium, it is
pumped through the right AV or tricuspid valve and enters the right ventricle. When the ventricles contract,
blood in the right ventricle is pumped through the pulmonary semilunar valve into the pulmonary artery and
eventually to the lungs, where oxygen is added and carbon dioxide is lost.

DESIGNED TO LAST A LIFETIME

WITH REASONALBE CARE!
“Keep thy heart with all diligence;
for out of it are the issues of life.”
Pro.4.23
The heart is an incredible organ, it
pumps about 15 000 liters of blood
every day, that is approximately 382
555 000 liters in a life time of seventy
years. No pump that man has
designed can come close to matching
its complexity. It also is found to be a
very efficient consumer of oxygen.
The heart only gets about 10% of the
oxygen received by the entire body,
but the heart uses 80% of its share of
oxygen, making it three times more
efficient in this category than other
parts of the body. Oxygen is likened
to the Holy Spirit, and its influence
on the spiritual heart is needed more
than any other organ. “Cast away
from you all your transgressions,
whereby ye have transgressed; and
make you a new heart and a new
spirit: for why will ye die, O house of
Israel?” Eze.18.31.

THOUGHTS FROM SCRIPTURE ABOUT THE HEART

THE LORD ASKS US TO SEEK HIM WITH ALL OUR HEART DEUT 4.29

WE ALSO NEED TO SERVE HIM WITH ALL OUR HEART DUET 11.13

A CURSE OF DISOBEDIENCE WAS ASTONISHMENT OF HEART DUET 28.28

LOVE THE LORD WITH ALL THINE HEART DUET 30.6

THE PROUD HAVE HEARTS AS FAT AS GREASE PSALM 119.69-70

GOD HEALS THE BROKEN IN HEART PSALM 147.3

HOPE DEFERRED MAKES THE HEART SICK PRO 13.12

A SOUND HEART IS THE LIFE OF THE FLESH PRO 14.30

A MERRY HEART DOES GOOD LIKE MEDICINE PRO 17.22

 GIVE PRO 23.26
GOD

YOUR HEART
GOD’S PEOPLE HAVE THE LAW IN THEIR HEARTS ISA 51.7

SIN IS GRAVEN UPON THE HEART JER 17.1

THE LORD SEARCHES THE HEART JER 17.10

LOVE COMES OUT OF A PURE HEART 2 TIM 1.5

THE HEART CAN HARDEN EX 4.21

IN THE LAST DAYS MEN’S HEARTS SHALL FAIL FOR FEAR LUKE 21.26

OUR HEARTS OUR PURIFIED BY FAITH ACTS 15.9

GOD SENDS HIS SPIRIT INTO THE HEARTS OF HIS PEOPLE GAL 4.6

3) DISEASES OF THE CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM:

HEART DISEASE
 “Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the
whole heart faint.” Isa.1.5

Heart disease is the number one killer in the western world today. There are some countries of the world where
the risk of having a heart attack is very low. In these countries the cholesterol levels are low, being around 60-
90, whereas in this country we have not been excited if an adult shows a cholesterol level of 200-300. The heart
attack rate is four times greater if the cholesterol level is above 260 than if it is below 200. A mere 10%
reduction in cholesterol reduces the likelihood of having a heart attack by 25%.

Blood flows into the heart muscle by way of two small vessels called the left and right coronary arteries. The
coronary arteries are the aorta’s first branches. In both coronary thrombosis and coronary embolism, a blood clot
plugs up some part of a coronary artery. Blood cannot pass through the plugged up vessel and so cannot reach
the heart muscle cells in normal supplies. Deprived of oxygen, these cells soon die or are damaged. This is
commonly referred to as a heart attack.

HEART ATTACK
My heart is sore pained within me: and the terrors of death are fallen upon me.
Psa.55.4

A.) CAUSE: Interruption of the oxygen supply to muscles of the heart, which is mostly attributed to a High
fat diet, which leads to a build of cholesterol which sticks to the interior of the blood vessels, restricting the
passageway of oxygen.

B.) SYMPTOMS: Crushing, viselike chest pain that may radiate to the left arm, neck or epigastrium and
sometimes simulates the sensation of acute indigestion or a gallbladder attack. The person usually becomes
clammy, short of breath, faint, and anxious, and often feels death is imminent. (3)

3.) CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO ITS CAUSE: Lack of exercise, little dietary fiber, too much sugar,
eating refined products such as white bread, too many oily foods, stress, lack of sunlight, overeating, tobacco
and alcohol.

HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE

What do the traditional treatments for high blood pressure have to offer our population?. The first approach in
treating hypertension with drugs is to prescribe mild drugs at first. These drugs can generally be placed in three
categories. The first category consists of drugs which have a diuretic effect on the body. A diuretic drug is one
that causes increased urination in an effort to expel excess fluids which tend to accumulate in the body of a
person with high blood pressure. The second category of drugs consists of those medications which cause the
heart to pump less blood through the arteries and veins. The third category of drugs include prescriptions which
lower the resistance of the blood vessels to the blood which flows from the heart.

SYMPTOMS: Headache, vertigo, nosebleeds, twitching muscles, nausea, vomiting, cardiac arrhythmia. The
person may be confused, irritable and may have convulsions. Cardiac arrest, heart failure or a stroke.

PROBLEM CAUSE
• The heart pumps faster • Stress.
• .The blood vessels constrict. • Too much salt & protein
• There is an increase in blood volume. • Too much fat, which coats the lining of the blood
vessels.
• There is a partial blockage of one or more of • Constipation, due to lack of fiber, refined foods, flesh
the blood vessels. foods, and a high protein diet.
• There are toxins in the blood which create a • Lack of good quality and quantity of water, bad diet,
traffic jam within the blood vessels. smoking tea and coffee.

• The kidneys and/or liver are not functioning • Lack of physical activity, poor diet, and intemperate
properly. habits.
• The individual with hypertension is obese. • Bad diet, lack of water.

• Thicker viscosity. • Stress & lack of clothing on extremities.