Cleansed

      The title of this week's Sabbath reading portion is M'tzora, meaning "Infected one". This year this particular reading portion, which comes from Leviticus chapters 14 and 15, occurs on the Sabbath called Ha-Gadol, the Great Sabbath, which is the Sabbath before Passover, which occurs next week. Keeping that in mind, we will see how this M'tzora reading portion will help to prepare us for the coming Passover. The first verse of Lev. 14 says: "Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 'This shall be the law of the leper (sara- to be diseased of the skin [flesh], stricken with leprosy, to scourge, to strike down, one stricken or smitten [see Isa. 53:4], scabbed) for the day of his cleansing: He shall be brought to the priest."

     Leprosy is a condition of the flesh. For those who are called to walk in the Spirit of God, we understand that we are not to walk in the flesh or its cravings which lead to death. Paul wrote that in his flesh, nothing good dwells, but in his own strength, he is unable to change this (Rom. 7:18-20). However, as Paul continued to write about the sin in his flesh, or spiritual leprosy, he also asked the question: "Who will deliver me from this body of death?" His answer to his own question is Jesus Christ (Rom. 7:22-25). We see that within the Hebrew meaning of the word "leper", is "to scourge", "one stricken or smitten". The Roman scourge marks that covered Jesus' body, front and back, were for the healing of the spiritual leprosy of our flesh. Isaiah prophesied about the Messiah, the Servant of God: "Surely He has borne (nasa- bear, lift up, take away, carry, forgive, endure, be swept away) our griefs (holi/halal - sickness, calamity, disease, grief, an evil/profane, pollute, stain, defile, wounded, desecrate, pollute oneself, to violate a covenant, to wound, bore through or pierce) and carried (sabal - to bear a load, drag oneself along, to carry a heavy burden) our sorrows (makob/ka'ab - pain, sorrow, anguish, affliction, pain of soul/hurt, mar, feel pain, a sorrowing soul, afflict); Yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed." (Isa. 53:4-5). Jesus was scourged, stricken and smitten with our spiritual leprosy in order to carry it away from us and heal us.

     The Gospels tell us that Jesus had the authority to cleanse lepers: "...behold, a man who was full of leprosy saw Jesus; and he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, 'Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.' Then He put out His hand and touched (aptomai/apto - to attach oneself to, to adhere to, cling to, to fasten fire to a thing/to fasten to, set on fire, light, kindle) him, saying, 'I am willing; be cleansed.' Immediately the leprosy left him. And He charged him to tell no one, 'But go and show yourself to the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing, as a testimony to them, just as Moses commanded." (Lk. 5:12-13, see also Lk. 17:11-19). The disciples of Jesus were also sent out with His commands, including the command to "cleanse the lepers". (Mt. 10:5-8). Jesus could have just spoken the Word and the leper would have been healed, but He touched the leper. As we see above in the Greek meaning of the word, this wasn't a simple touch, but Jesus adhered Himself to the leper, and cleansed him with spiritual fire. Are we, His disciples, ministering to the spiritual lepers in this same manner? We will see more about this cleansing fire later.

     Jesus also healed a woman who was afflicted with the same affliction, a continual bloody discharge, as is mentioned in this Sabbath's reading portion from Lev. 15:25-28. The woman who encountered Jesus had the discharge for twelve years and was therefore considered to be "unclean" according to the Law of Moses. She had not found healing anywhere else although she had spent all of her money to do so. She was healed by touching (aptomai, same as above) the hem/fringe/specially knotted tassels (tzitzit) of His garment (tallit - prayer shawl) (see Lk. 8:40-48). Jesus felt the healing power flow out of Him to her.

     Our starting verse in Lev. 14:1 above talked about the day of the leper's cleansing. The word "cleansing" in Hebrew, tahora/tohar/tasher, means much more than we would think. It means: "purifying, cleansing, blood of purification, purity of heart/purifying, clearness, glory, luster, brightness, splendor, majesty/to be clean, pure, purge, purifier, to be bright, shine, uncontaminated, morally innocent, holy, wash oneself with water, perfect, miraculously freed from leprosy, to become clean and pure as opposed to the filth of leprosy." The cleansing associated with leprosy is also associated with the bright, shining, splendor, majesty, holiness and perfection of the glory of God, according to the Hebrew root word meanings above. This glory is the root or source of the cleansing, as well as its result. The cleansing that cleanses the leper is by the power of God. Sometimes, I find that often we view this kind of cleansing as something determined and accomplished by ourselves. We want to decide what needs to be cleansed, and how and when it will be cleansed. In an opposite manner, David's prayer to the LORD was: "Purge me...Wash me...Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me." (Ps. 51:7, 10). David put his cleansing into the hands of the LORD.

     Even the disciples had difficulty understanding the difference between the sovereign work of God in cleansing and ineffective "self-help" religious ideas. Just before the day of the Passover feast, Jesus, our Passover Lamb of God who came to take away the sins of the world (Jn. 1:29-36), had a meal with His disciples. Judas had already decided to betray Jesus, and Jesus knew that He was about to leave this world and go the Father. Jesus got up from the meal, took off His outer clothing and wrapped Himself in a towel (lention - linen cloth [see info Shroud of Turin], towel or apron). He poured water in a basin and began to wash (nipto - to cleanse) His disciples' feet and wipe (ekmasso - wipe off, wipe away, to handle or squeeze away) them with the towel. When Jesus got to Simon Peter, Peter was reluctant to be washed by His Master, saying, "Lord, are You washing my feet?" Jesus answered him: "What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this." Peter said to Jesus: "You shall never wash my feet!' Jesus answered him, 'If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me." Peter then agreed to be washed whole-heartedly. (Jn. 13:1-9). Again, Jesus physically touched and cleansed them, and wiped the filth away.

     We see this kind of sovereign cleansing again in the reading portion of this Sabbath that is directly related to Shabbat Ha-Gadol, the Great Sabbath that precedes Passover. This reading is from Malachi 3: "But who can endure the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega, see note below) day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner's fire (es - fire, burning, fiery, flaming, heat, altar-fire, splendor, brightness) and like launderers' (kabas - to wash by treading with feet, also in the sense to purge from sin) soap (borit/bor/barar - alkali used in washing, something having a cleansing property/cleanness of hands, purity/chosen, clean, manifest, bright, purge out, make shining). He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; He will purify the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega, see note below) sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer to the LORD an offering in righteousness." (v. 2-3). This prophecy is directed towards the (Messianic, see note below) priesthood of God, which will be cleansed and refined, purified and purged by the LORD Himself.

     It is interesting that included in the tradition of the Passover Seder, or meal, hands are washed twice under flowing water during the course of the meal. As we can see by the reading selections for this Sabbath before Passover, the theme of the LORD is "cleansing". Passover is not only observed by the Jewish people, but because of its relationship with the blood of the Lamb many Christians also observe Passover. The blood of the Passover Lamb painted on the door frames caused the angel of death to pass over the houses of the Israelites leaving them untouched, while at the same time, the plague of the death struck all of the first born of the Egyptians. Because of this final plague of the LORD, the Israelites were set free from slavery in Egypt. see (Ex. 12:5-14, 29-33). Our Communion, or Lord's Supper, came to us as Jesus revealed the meaning of Passover's Lamb (Himself), bread and wine to His disciples (Mt. 26:26-29, 1 Cor. 11:23-26).

     Passover is often viewed and observed in a tradition-based manner as a memorial of a past miraculous deliverance by God's Might, rather than of His continuing present-day power. We are assured by God's Word that He is not a relic confined to the past, but He also inhabits and miraculously works in our present and our future. From this Sabbath reading portion for the Great Sabbath before Passover, the LORD said: "For I am the LORD, I do not change...Return to Me and I will return to you." (Mal. 3:6-7, see also Heb. 13:8). Passover was also a prophecy of the Lamb of God to come, the Messiah/Christ Jesus (see Jn. 1:29-36), whose blood would deliver us from sin and death and, as we can see from our study above, Passover is still full of the deliverance power of God. Who else but God can cleanse us of the vanity and death of our mortal flesh?  This could be why God wanted Passover to be remembered throughout all future generations. Passover is still working on our behalf. As Passover is observed this year, whether by Jews or Christians, we must understand the meaning of that doorway painted with the blood of the Lamb and approach it reverently with head bowed. It is a doorway of power as well as past, present-day and future faith (Jn. 10:7-10). Through the blood-stained doorway is Spirit and life. Outside the doorway is flesh and death. It is a doorway that, as we enter through it, we enter by the life and the blood that was shed for our deliverance. Let us take this opportunity to ask and allow the Lord to do a Passover work in us - to purge us, wash us, and create in us a clean heart and a steadfast spirit, as David prayed. Let us return to the LORD, and He will return to us. 

     *NOTE: aleph-tav written in Hebrew as אֶת, are the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet. In the New Testament, these letters are translated as Alpha and Omega written as Α Ω , the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. These letters are those by which Jesus Christ identifies Himself in the Book of Revelation: see Rev. 1:8, Rev. 21:6, Rev. 22:13.

     If you would like to learn more about the cleansing of God, you can join me in my prayer: "Father God and LORD of all, You have commanded Your people to remember Your Passover. You still deliver Your people by Your mighty right arm. You sent Your Passover Lamb, Your own Son, Jesus, to deliver us from the death of our own sins and flesh. By Your Holy Spirit, which You sent to lead me into all truth, teach me to walk in the knowledge of Your Passover and to teach future generations that You still deliver. As I pass through the blood-stained Doorway that You provided for me, into Your covenant of Spirit and eternal life, let me put all other things aside, and seek Your cleansing. Forgive me, Lord, when I have limited Your Passover to the past and tradition, and not recognized the eternal power of Your Passover. I ask this in the name of Jesus, my Passover Lamb. AMEN."

     

     

Zion

      This week's Sabbath reading portion is titled T'azria, which means "She bears seed". We can already see a special significance of this title as God prophesied to Satan from the beginning that the woman would bear a seed that would crush Satan's head (see Gen. 3:15). The reading portion includes Leviticus Chapter 12. The title of the Sabbath portion comes from Lev. 12:2: "If a woman have conceived seed..." (KJV). The word for seed here is the Hebrew word zara, which means "sow, conceive, yielding or producing seed, expanding, scatter seed, to disseminate, become pregnant, to be made fruitful." We are reminded here of the parable that Jesus taught about the sower who sows seed, which is the Word of God, and the great fruitfulness of it, or the lack of resulting fruitfulness (Mt. 13:3-9, 18-23).

      This chapter of Leviticus deals with the laws of Motherhood and Childbirth. The LORD is very protective over the mother and the child, providing a period of cleansing, forty to eighty days, and an atoning sacrifice for the new mother in the law of Moses. If the mother was not able to provide a lamb for the atoning sacrifice, the LORD accepted a more humble sacrifice instead. 

     A male child born was to be circumcised (mul - to destroy or purge the unclean and profane from minds, heart, and body; consecrate self; cut to harvest grains) on the eighth (semini - above the perfection of seven; plenteous, abundance, rich, fat, robust man, shine, to cover, plumpness; octave:lowest and gravest note sung by men's voices) day of life. We can see that circumcision has a much richer meaning than we might have thought, and we can see why God made circumcision a sign of His covenant with Abraham, and the miraculous promises that were connected to that covenant. As is included in the meaning of the word circumcision in Hebrew, Paul wrote that although physical circumcision profits in every way, God is looking for the inward circumcision of the heart (see Rom. 2:28-29, Rom. 3:1-2). The circumcision of the eighth day is not to benefit God, but to bless and benefit the new child, who will be entrusted with the oracles of God (see Rom. 3:1-2 above). While many view childbirth as just a physical and biological process of reproduction, solely within the control and choice of the parents, God views childbirth as a powerful spiritual event of precious and defining significance, and as such He made the spiritual provision for it in the Law of Moses.

     What is extremely interesting in this week's assigned Sabbath reading portions is the connection made between the rituals of birth from Leviticus, above, to a prophetic Word from Isaiah. This connection will add to our understanding of a great mystery in scripture: the mystery of Zion. Zion is viewed as being a synonym for Israel and for Jerusalem, and we will see that connection, but we will also see more.  We will try to search more deeply into Zion.

     How is Zion connected to birth? Isaiah wrote in the very last of his recorded prophecies about the fact that the sacrifices made by God's people have become empty in His sight, saying: "...Just as they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delights in their abominations, so will I choose their delusions, and bring their fears on them; Because, when I called, no one answered, When I spoke they did not hear; But they did evil before my eyes, and chose that in which I do not delight." (Isa. 66:3-4). They worshipped the LORD with offerings, but not out of love and regard for Him. These are not the people that the LORD will look upon, but He will regard those who are poor and of a contrite spirit, and who tremble at His word (v. 2). The LORD then begins to speak to those who do tremble at His word, to those who were hated and cast out by those who thought they should be ashamed: "Before she was in labor, she gave birth; before her pain came, she delivered a male child. Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall the earth be made to give birth in one day? Or shall a nation (goy/geva/gev/ga'a/gab - nation, people, Gentiles, heathen, of Israel, of non-Hebrews, of descendants of Abraham, body, corpus/the back, behind, body/back, midst, body, belly/rise up, be exalted in triumph, be lifted up, be risen, raised up, to increase, magnificent, of God/back - see Ps. 129:3: "The plowers plowed on my back; They made their furrows long.") be born at once? For as soon as Zion was in labor, she gave birth to her (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) children. Shall I bring to the time of birth, and not cause delivery?" says the LORD. "Shall I who cause delivery shut up the womb?" says your God. Rejoice with (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all you who love her; Rejoice for joy with her, all you who mourn for her; That you may feed and be satisfied with the consolation of her bosom, that you may drink deeply and be delighted with the abundance of her glory." (v. 7-11). Attached to this reading portion from Isaiah, there is also a reference to "the new heavens and the new earth" (v. 22) which we also see in the New Testament. 

     We usually associate the Hebrew word goy, which is translated above as the word, "nation", as meaning Gentiles or non-Hebrew people, but Strong's Concordance does not limit the meaning of goy to that, as we see above.  Many feel that the "nation" being born in a day, as in the above verse, refers to the re-birth of the nation of Israel by U.N. proclamation in 1948. It can also mean, as we look deeper into the Hebrew meanings, that there was a day when a people would be established, both of the Hebrews and of the Gentiles. This type of people would be established from a body, or corpus. These people were to be born out of something or someone who was raised up and exalted in triumph. Zion brought forth *aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega (*see explanation at the end of this blog entry) children, and Jerusalem would become not only a physical place, but an *aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega place of supernatural consolation and abundance. Are we able to see how "Zion" might mean more in the eyes of some than the surface understanding of the location of natural place only? One meaning doesn't replace or negate the other but is incorporated into it as one. 

     We will also see the very important association of Zion with King David. Whenever I see David doing something in scripture, I look for a prophetic revelation of Messiah/Christ because it is from David's house that the Messiah would come. We know that David had this special prophetic and revelatory gift regarding the Messiah/Christ (example - Ps. 22). Let's look a little further into "Zion" with this in mind.

     "Zion" is first mentioned in 2 Sam. 5:7 and 9: "Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion (that is, the City of David)....Then David dwelt in the stronghold, and called it the City of David. And David built (bana - establish, build up, repair, have children, obtain children, beget children) all around from the Millo (Millo/mala - rampart, mound/filled, overflowing, abundance, consecrate) and inward (bayit/bana - dwelling, within, home as containing a family, descendants as an organized body/see bana above)). So David went on and became great, and the LORD God of hosts was with him". As we can see, many of the meanings connected with this conquest of Zion has to do with having or begetting children, or a dwelling containing children.

      The Jebusites (yebusi/yebus/bus -"threshing place"/tread down, reject, trample down as a thing despised, loath, be polluted), a tribe of Canaanites, who possessed Zion had said that King David and his army would never be able to come into their fortified stronghold. They claimed that even the blind and the lame of the stronghold would be able to repel David. David conquered the stronghold anyway and renamed it the "City of David". A threshing floor, part of the meaning of "Jebusite", is where the wheat or grain and the chaff are separated by beating it, and the edible part of the wheat is gathered into the barn and the useless chaff/tare is gathered and burned. It represents the judgment place of the Messiah/Christ (Mt. 13:24-30). The blind and the lame mentioned here spiritually represent "men who walk in the darkness of ignorance" and those who are "scornfully awkward like the leaping priests of Ba'al", whom Elijah destroyed. The spiritual "chaff" meant for judgment thought that they could escape it if they controlled the threshing place. As with the Jebusites and David, Hell, full of the spiritually blind and lame (see above meanings, also related to the root word of the Greek Hades), could not stop the invasion of Messiah/Christ after His death (Rev. 1:17-18).

     We also learn important information about the concept of "Zion" from its meaning in Hebrew. We will see that Zion represents a transformation. From the Hebrew word siyon and the root, siya, we have the meanings "parched place" and "dryness, drought, desert, barren, solitary place, to parch". However, from the Hebrew root siyun we have the meaning "signpost, monumental and guiding pillar, waymark, a pillar being erected whether for sepulchral purposes or to show the way." Going from a parched, solitary place, Zion became a signpost to show the way. In our faith, an empty dry sepulchre or tomb became the signpost, the monumental and guiding pillar to the resurrection of Jesus, the son of David, the Messiah/Christ for both Hebrew and Gentile people (see Rom. 1:16).  The prophet Ezekiel wrote of a similar transformation in a valley of very dry bones, which became alive again by the Word of the LORD (Ezek. 37:1-10). 

     From our Sabbath reading portion, Isaiah wrote: "And it shall come to pass that from one New Moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, all flesh shall come to worship before Me,' says the LORD." (Isa. 66:23). The meaning of "flesh" as used in the above verse is very significant. It is the Hebrew word basar, which means: "flesh, mankind, all living things (creatures), the living body, the whole body, organs of regeneration and reproduction." Basar also means: "bear tidings, publish, preach, show forth, gladden with good news, to announce salvation as good news, to receive good news, glad tidings, made more fair and beautiful by joy and cheerfulness." We have the manifestation of the awesome meaning of basar in scripture at the birth of Messiah/Christ as an angel of God declared to the shepherds near Bethlehem: "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ (Messiah) the Lord. And this will be the sign (note that the meaning of Zion is also as a signpost or way marker) to you: you will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.' And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace, goodwill toward men." (Lk. 2:10-14).

     We have come full circle to the laws of childbirth with which we started in Lev. 12, above. Mary, the mother of Jesus, fulfilled the requirements of the law of Moses for both mother and male child according to the Gospel (see Lk. 2:21-24). Jesus had been circumcised on the eighth day and Mary completed the days of purification and offered the more humble sacrifice allowed of "a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons." at the Temple in Jerusalem. (v. 24). However, while many would believe that she brought the more humble offering allowed by law to the Temple, she had really brought the preferred offering according to Lev. 12 for her purification: she indeed brought the Lamb to the Temple, who was her newborn son, Jesus. (see Jn. 1:29-36).

     As Isaiah promised, Zion brought forth a spiritual people and nation (goy, see above) in a day. Apostle Peter (Simon), who was a Jew, wrote of this basar transformation of Zion: "Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, 'Behold I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious, and he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame...you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy." (1 Pet. 2:6, 9-10). 

     The Word of God is awesome in its richness and hidden depths! We are invited by scripture to search out those depths (see Prov. 25:2, Acts 17:10-12).

*NOTE: aleph-tav written in Hebrew as אֶת, are the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet. In the New Testament, these letters are translated as Alpha and Omega written as Α Ω , the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, which is the name of Jesus Christ in the Book of Revelation: see Rev. 1:8, Rev. 21:6, Rev. 22:13.

     If you would like to learn more about being part of Zion and spiritual birth, you can pray with me:   "Father, You have made a special people, both of Jews and Gentiles, who were born in a day through the precious cornerstone of Zion, Jesus. As part of Zion, You transformed me from a dry, isolated and parched place, into a pillar that is meant to show the way to Christ and life. New spiritual life is birthed out of Zion for me and for all flesh. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit who will teach me Your Word and lead me into this special place of Zion built upon Jesus Christ. I ask this in the name of Jesus. AMEN.".

AbovePerfection

      This week's Sabbath reading portion is titled Sh'mini, which means "8th Day". The reading portion includes Lev. 9 through Lev. 11. The title comes from Lev. 9:1: "It came to pass (haya/hava/ava - exist, become (like), be established, to be finished/existence, shall be, become, breathe, the breath of living creatures, to live/ negatively, the root ava mentioned above includes the meaning: lust, greatly desire, covet, be greedy, crave, long for, turn aside) on the eighth day that Moses called Aaron and his sons and the elders of Israel." There is a positive and a negative meaning associated with the phrase "It came to pass", as we can see. Breathing life is created, existence is established, or the opposite of life - the darkness of heart that leads to sin and death is established.

     We see here in the meaning of the Hebrew of this verse that something became alive and breathing, came into existence on the eighth day. "Eighth" in Hebrew is semini. It is an ordinal number, showing a progression in order like sixth, seventh, eighth, and so on. The root words connected to semini: semone and samen, refer to "a surplus above the perfect seven" and "fatness, plenteousness". There is also a root word, saman, which can mean to shine from fat or oil, or, in a negative sense, to be covered in the grossness of fat, and to cover the heart with fat to render it callous so as not to heed the words of the prophet (see Isa. 6:10). Again, we can have a positive or negative result when going "above the perfect seven". The abundance above the seven can work two different ways depending upon the heart of the person. In another reading portion from this Sabbath, Solomon wrote of a man having great plenty in every way, "but his soul be not filled with good (tob - goodness, beauty, favor, gladness, joy, delight, merry, agreeable, to do rightly)". It would have been better, Solomon wrote, if that man had been a stillborn child rather than to not to see this goodness. He calls it vanity and an evil affliction (Eccl. 6:1-6). Good and goodness are part of the character and name of God (see Ex. 34:5-7, Ps. 23:5-6). Psalm 23 is an "eighth day Psalm" to me, incorporating the eighth day blessings of abundance, which are those blessings that result from exceeding above the perfection of "seven". We will read about those blessings and where they come from later.

     However, we see a problem today. We have a very prosperous society, but there is sickness of heart and mind, an evil affliction as Solomon wrote, because we consume the bounty, the fatness, but we as a society have systematically and deliberately removed the knowledge of the goodness of God. Without being able to incorporate that goodness, having all of earth's riches sickens the soul rather than gladdens it. Without the goodness that is rooted in God, Solomon wrote that man has no hope or future regardless of how much wealth he has or how long his days are (v. 10-12). Rather than the eighth day blessing, we are living the eighth day curse. Let's now see what happened on the eighth day in Lev. 9.

     The eighth day in Lev. 9 marks the beginning of the priests' ministry, after Aaron and his sons spent seven days of consecration, being set apart as holy. So in numeral order, the eighth day is above or beyond the perfection of the seven of consecration. This priestly ministry started with peace offerings, sin offerings and burnt offerings made to the LORD to make atonement for the priests and the people. This eighth day would be a special day: "...for today the LORD will appear to you...and the glory of the LORD will appear to you." (v. 4, 6). From the sacrifices, Aaron's sons "presented (masa - find, attain, suffice, deliver, secure, to meet, to encounter, to detect, to discover, to come to, obtain knowledge of, be in possession of) to him the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) blood, which he sprinkled all around on the altar (mizbeah/zabah - altar/to slaughter, kill, sacrifice, to slaughter in divine judgment)." (v. 18).  After the offerings were completed, the LORD kept His promise: "Then Aaron lifted (nasa - lift up, bear up, carry, forgive, be exalted, take up) his (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) hand toward the people, blessed them, and came down (yarad - descend, sink down, go down alive into Hades [see Ps. 55:15-16], those who go down to the grave) from offering the sin offering, the burnt offering and peace offerings. And Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle of meeting, and came out and blessed the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) people. Then the glory of the LORD appeared to all the people, and fire came out from before the LORD and consumed the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) burnt offering and the fat on the altar. When all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces." (v. 22-24). This was an awesome eighth day event. The glory and fire of the LORD answered their offerings.

     The Hebrew word for blessing used above as Aaron blessed the people, also contains the meaning "to curse": (barak - bless, salute, kneel down, cause to kneel, be blessed, be adored, also to break down, to curse, to imprecate some evil on one by calling upon God, blaspheme, impious words against God, to wish ill). As we have seen above, the eighth day can have a dual meaning. What made the eighth day above such a wondrous event? 

     We can see the hint of the presence of Jesus Christ in this eighth day event. He is in the offering. He is in the knowledge of the blood. He is in the descent of Aaron from the brazen altar of sacrifice, just as Jesus descended into the realm of death and the grave after offering Himself as a sacrifice for us. There He led captivity captive, took the keys of authority over death, hell and the grave, and "ascended far above all the heavens". (see Ps. 68:18-19, Eph. 4:7-10, 1 Pet. 3:18-19, Jn. 20:16-18, Rev. 1:17-18). The eighth day to us must be all that is contained in the death, burial, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ into the realm far above the highest realms: the realm of all glory, which He has delivered to us (Jn. 17:22-24). It is from this realm of glory above the highest realms that He blesses us with all of the riches and abundance, particularly spiritual riches, of that glory realm (Phil. 4:18-29). The word "above" in Hebrew is al, meaning, "over, in addition to, above, excess, pre-eminence, state of rest, on high, the Highest". The root word, ala, of "above" gives us a deeper understanding of this highest region: "offer up, bring, come, cause to ascend, go up, light, increase, raised, arose, to be taken up into, go up over, exalted".  The al "above" is the place of God (Gen. 28:12-13). We have the scripture also from Paul: "...to know the love of Christ which passes (hyperballo - beyond anything, surpass, exceed, excel) knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fulness (pleroma - fulness, abundance, copiousness) of God. Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above (hyper - beyond, more than, above, very chiefest) all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen." (Eph. 3:19-21). What a wonderful eighth day calling to which we have been called! Paul tells us to "walk worthy of the calling to which you were called...". (Eph. 4:1).

     We have seen the duality in meaning of the eighth day, which can be either abundant blessing, or abundantly empty and hopeless life, a curse. The dividing line between the two, as we saw in the Hebrew meanings of Lev. 9 above, is the new and abundant life of glory in Jesus Messiah/Christ (see Jn. 10:7-11), or the vanity and evil of a life without Him and the work of salvation which He completed (Eph. 2:12-13). 

     We see this duality again immediately after the glory was experienced on the eighth day. This is what occurred: "Then Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it, put incense on it, and offered profane (zur - estranged, gone away, turn aside, depart, stranger, foreigner, enemy, loathsome, alienated, prostitute, adulterer, falsehood, lie) fire before the LORD, which He had not commanded them. So fire went out from the LORD and devoured them, and they died before the LORD. And Moses said to Aaron, 'This is what the LORD spoke, saying: 'By those who come near Me I must be regarded as holy; And before all people I must be glorified." (Lev. 10:1-3). These two priests, who had experienced the eighth day blood and glory, approached the LORD in a manner that did not respect His holiness and glory. By doing so, the LORD did not recognize them as priests, but as strangers, and destroyed them. Jesus mentioned the same thing about some of those who will claim to know Him and serve him doing spiritual works in His name. To them He will say: "I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness." (see Mt. 7:21-23). Jesus will not accept "strange fire" from us, a fire mixed with something loathsome and foreign to the Lord. Are we coming before the Lord with strange fire?

     Moses had two kinsmen of the dead priests to carry their dead (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) brethren from the front of the sanctuary, and out of the camp (v. 4-5). However, to Aaron and his two remaining sons who were still serving in the tabernacle, Moses gave a serious warning not to defile their holy priestly robes with signs of mourning for the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) burning which the LORD had kindled, or to come out of the tabernacle "...lest you die, for the anointing oil of the LORD is upon you.' And they did according to the word of Moses." (v. 6-7). We want the anointing of the Lord, the priceless Holy Spirit, but do we understand the standards by which the Lord commands that we wear His anointing? Paul wrote: "Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are." (1 Cor. 3:16-17, see also 1 Cor. 6:19-20).

     As those who are part of the eighth day new and abundant life in Messiah/Christ, which is above the perfection of seven, we also have been made priests by God (1 Pet. 2:9-10). We are purposed to be blessed, as we offer our pure worship to God. We are here to bring God's eighth day glory among His *aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega people. Our golden bowls of incense are not filled with strange fire, but prayers, declaring the new song: "You (the Lamb, Jesus) are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; For You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth." (Rev. 5:9-10).

     Let's learn to walk worthy of this exceeding abundance from above that has been given to us from God through the death, burial (descent), resurrection and ascension of His Son.

*NOTE: aleph-tav written in Hebrew as אֶת, are the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet. In the New Testament, these letters are translated as Alpha and Omega written as Α Ω , the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, which is the name of Jesus Christ in the Book of Revelation: see Rev. 1:8, Rev. 21:6, Rev. 22:13.

     If you would like to know more about the eighth day and its calling and blessings, you can pray with me: "Dearest Father, You have called me into Your eighth day abundance through our Savior, Your Son, Jesus. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit to lead me into the new life of glory and priestly ministry before You. You said that You have filled me with all fulness of God. Through Christ, I have been joined to You in the highest realm, the realm of glory and exceeding abundance. This is the substance of Your Kingdom, and this is the calling and purpose to which I have been called. Help my understanding so that my offerings to You in holiness will bring forth Your glory in the earth. I ask this in the name of Jesus. AMEN."

     

Commands

       This week's Sabbath reading portion is titled Tzav which means "Command" and includes Leviticus Chapters 6 through 8. In Lev. 6:8-9, the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 'Command (sava - command, appoint, order, ordain, send a messenger, set up, cause to exist, to commission) (aleph-tav written in Hebrew as אֶת/Alpha and Omega in Greek as Α Ω , referring to Jesus Christ: see Rev. 1:8, Rev. 21:6, Rev. 22:13)-Aaron and his sons, saying, 'This is the law of the burnt offering...". The Hebrew letters of sava shown above for the word "command" are tsadhe, vaw and heh, which have the combined meanings of "Behold the nail that joins to righteousness."  We believers in Christ can't help but see Him and the nails of His crucifixion in this meaning. We also see Messiah/Christ in the meaning of the word sava/command because in another Sabbath reading from Malachi Chapter 3, the LORD promises to "send My messenger...even the Messenger of the covenant" who will purify the Levites like a refining fire in order to restore righteousness to an offering that will be pleasant to the LORD (Mal. 3:1-4). The attitude of the priests towards the offerings to the LORD had become mixed with a natural or worldly attitude which caused the offerings to become unacceptable, and the priests were not even aware that this had happened. The priests had lost the significance and holy value of the offering. This Messenger (malak - messenger, representative, angel, deputy, priest, prophet, teacher, ambassador, king) of the covenant is described as "the LORD, whom you seek...Behold He is coming".

     Before the Book of Leviticus, there were no offerings specified by God for sin, trespass or peace (for the purpose of thanksgiving). Before the Book of Leviticus, the Law of Moses only mentioned offerings and sacrifices in connection to the Feasts of the LORD (Ex. 23:14-19) including Passover, and for the tabernacle, and for the sanctification of the tabernacle along with Aaron and his sons. At the beginning of Leviticus, the LORD called (cried out) to Moses and began to give him instruction on the various offerings that would be required for sin, trespass and peace.  Why had this sudden development become necessary? The prophet Jeremiah gives us understanding below.

     In another reading portion from this Sabbath, the Word of the LORD to the prophet Jeremiah gives this revelation regarding these offerings: "For I did not speak to your (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-fathers, or command (see sava, above) them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices. But this (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-thing (dabar - speech, word, things, commandment, purpose, promise, oracle, commune, setting or hanging in order, to lead flocks to pasture, involving leading and following) is what I commanded (sava) them, saying, 'Obey My voice (qol - voice, speech, sound, thunderings, call aloud), and I will be your God, and you shall be My people. And walk in all the ways that I have commanded (sava) you, that it may be well with you.' Yet they did not obey or incline (nata - stretch out, extend) their (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-ear (ozen/azan - ear, hearing, receiver of divine revelation/to hear, listen, perceive by the ear, hear and obey), but followed the counsels and the dictates of their evil hearts, and went backward (ahor/ahira/ra/ra'a - back parts, behind, backside, on the back/"brother or kindred of evil, wickedness, mischief, hurt, sore, affliction, grieved, injury, malignant, distress/evildoer, afflict, hurt, be broken in pieces) and not forward (panim/pana - face, presence, turn towards/to face, to turn back)." (Jer. 7:22-24). Jeremiah is referring to the original command that God had intended for and promised to His people as He told Moses: ",,,tell the children of Israel: You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to Myself. Now, therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is mine. And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel...Then all the people answered together and said, 'All that the LORD has spoken we will do'...And the LORD said to Moses, 'Behold, I come to you in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with you, and believe you forever." (Ex. 19:3-9). However, when the time came, the people with the aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega-ears refused to hear for themselves (Ex. 20:18-19). They did not go forward (turning to face the LORD), but turned backward, as Jeremiah said.

     Jesus repeatedly exhorted the people who came to Him to hear Him: "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!" (Mt. 13:9, 43, Mk. 4:9, 23, Lk. 14:35, 8:18, 9:44). Jesus also gave this same command to the seven churches of Revelation who needed to hear by the Holy Spirit either the Lord's correction or encouragement (Rev. 2:7, 11, 17. 29, 3:6, 13, 23). Jesus also spoke of the aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega kind of ears when He said during one of His Sabbath teachings: "My sheep hear My voice (phone/phaino/phos/phao - sound of uttered words/shed light, bring forth into the light, cause to shine, be resplendent, become evident/light, heavenly light, having an extremely delicate, subtle, pure, brilliant quality, of truth and knowledge together with the spiritual purity associated with it/to shine, make manifest), and I know them, and they follow (see dabar, above) Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand...I and My Father are one." (Jn. 10:27-28, 30). There were also those who "stopped their ears" in order to refuse hearing Stephen as he related God's plan of salvation, and then they stoned him to death (Acts 7:54-60). The Greek language gives us a beautiful picture of the nature of the LORD's spoken voice (see above phone/phaino/phos/phao). This is the same voice that spoke, and the creation was brought into the light and manifested, including the life in men (see Gen. 1:1-28, Jn. 1:1-5, 14). 

     The prophet Isaiah wrote about hearing the voice of the LORD: "Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in abundance. Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live (haya - save, quicken, revive, recover, be restored to life, revive from death); And I will make an everlasting covenant with you - The sure mercies of David." (Isa. 55:2-3). Here, the LORD was not just talking about physical life as a result of hearing, but the life of the soul, even revival from death, according to the meaning of the Hebrew above. In another part of scripture, God told the prophet Ezekiel to speak the prophetic Word of the LORD over the valley of dry bones. Those very dry bones, although they didn't have physical ears, "heard" the Word of the LORD and began to manifest flesh, and draw breath, "...and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army." (Ezek. 37:1-10). No wonder the LORD told His people to hear His voice and obey His commands and live! (Deut. 4:1).

     Ezekiel told us that there can even be the resurrection of the dead by hearing. Jesus raised Lazarus after four days of death by commanding in a loud voice: "Lazarus come forth!", and he did (Jn. 11:43-44). Jesus also said: "Most assuredly I say to you, he who hears My word (logos/lego - a word uttered by a living voice, of speech, anything reported in speech, thing spoken of/to say, to speak) and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live...Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth - those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation." (Jn. 5:24-29 excerpt, see also Dan. 12:1-3). Our resurrection from the dead is manifested by our having aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega-ears that hear the voice command of the Son of God.

     This Tzav Sabbath is the Sabbath that comes right before Resurrection Sunday this year. Jesus, the righteous offering before God, was crucified on Passover, and raised three days later on the Feast of First Fruits. Because of this, scripture calls Him our Passover Lamb (1 Cor. 5:7-8), and the First Fruits (Lev. 23:9-14) of the resurrection of the dead (1 Cor. 15:20-23). The apostle Peter wrote that Jesus had received (lambano - to take with the hand, lay hold of, to take upon one's self) from God the honor and glory "when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: 'This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.' And we heard this voice when we were with Him on the holy mountain (meaning the Mount of Transfiguration)." (2 Peter 1:17-18). This Resurrection Sunday is a time of thanks, triumph and celebration in the resurrection of Jesus, and therefore the promise of our own resurrection. It is also a perfect time to confirm our commitment and understanding that we will hear the resurrection voice of the Son of God with our aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega-ears in all that He tells us and obey it.

     If you would like to learn more about hearing the voice of God, you can pray with me:  "Dearest Father, You have called me to have ears to hear and a heart to obey Your Words. Forgive me when I have "stopped my ears", refused to hear You, and turned backward instead of turning forward towards Your face. The wondrous resurrection of Your Son, Jesus, was accomplished so I could follow Him as He commands and calls me by His voice into everlasting life. All creation responds and manifests to the commands of Your voice and, by Your Holy Spirit, so do I. In Jesus' name, I pray and give You thanks. AMEN."

     

SceptersAndOfferings

      This Sabbath occurs right before the holiday of Purim and Palm Sunday. The title of this Sabbath reading portion comes from Leviticus 1:1, and is Va-yikra, meaning "and he called": "Now the LORD called (qara - call, cried, weeping, named, bidden, preach, read aloud, invited, utter a loud sound, cry out, to summon, to be called or chosen, to encounter, meet, to call by name) to Moses, and spoke to him from the midst of the tabernacle of meeting, saying, 'Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: When any one of you brings an offering to the LORD, you shall bring your offering of the livestock - of the herd and of the flock." Va-yikra is also the Hebrew title of the third Book of the Bible which we call "Leviticus". In general, this Book is about the various types of offerings to be brought to the LORD and the instructions or commands to the priests who minister these offerings on behalf of the people. This Sabbath reading includes Leviticus Chapters 2 through 5. At the end of the Book of Exodus, we read that the LORD filled the tabernacle with the cloud of His glory, and this same glory lead the Israelites through the wilderness. Now we read that the LORD is calling out in a loud voice for Moses. The call dealt with the necessity for offerings to be made by the people. We will look at the topic of offerings later.

      Because this Sabbath reading portion comes before Purim, it is also designated as Zachor which means "Remember". Purim from the Book of Esther commemorates the victory over an enemy named Haman who plotted to wipe out all of the Jews of Persia (Iran/Iraq). The Bride of the King, Esther, who had hidden the fact that she was Jewish, was placed by God in a position to intercede with the King to prevent the execution of this wicked plan. Esther was also "called" by God in a special way. Esther said to her uncle, Mordecai, when he asked her to intercede with the King in his inner (penimi/panim/pana - inner, inward/presence, face, sight, countenance, person/turn to look, prepare, respect, behold, turn oneself ) court (haser/hasar - court, enclosure/sound of a trumpet), that the king had not qara called her into his presence for thirty (Hebrew letter lamed - shepherd's staff representing kingly authority, leadership, rulership: see Gen. 41:46, 2 Sam. 5:4, Lk. 3:23) days. If she entered the inner court without the king's qara call, she would be put to death unless the king held out (yasat - stretch out, extend) his golden (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega in Greek, ref. Jesus Christ: see Rev. 1:8, Rev. 21:6, Rev. 22:13) scepter towards her, representing his kingly favor, permission and pardon (Esther 4:10-11). Her uncle, Mordecai, reminded her that her qara call or purpose from the heavenly King, God, was not to be ignored: "Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king's palace any more than all the other Jews. For if you remain completely silent (haras - deaf and dumb, show deafness, speechless, to plow in iniquity and to reap calamity) at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" (Esther 4:13-14). Esther told Mordecai to gather the (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) Jews in a three day fast for her: "And so I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish (abad - a lost and wandering sheep, to be ready to perish, put to death [of divine judgment]), I perish!". (v. 15-16). Esther approached the inner court of the king: "So it was, when the king saw (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) Queen Esther standing in the court, that she found favor in his sight, and the king held out to Esther the golden (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) scepter that was in his hand. Then Esther went near (qarab - draw near, bring near, approach, enter into, cause to draw near, join, make ready, receive) and touched the top of the scepter." (Est. 5:2). The meaning of scepter (sarbit/sebet) in Hebrew is: "scepter, dart, spear, rod of empire, rod, staff, branch, offshoot, shepherd's hook, mark of authority, mark of a tribe, rod used for beating or to give support, measuring rod."

     As I read this account in Esther, I can see the king tilting his scepter forward towards Esther granting her permission to draw near. The definition of scepter, and the aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega designation written in front of the word "scepter" in Hebrew, brought a picture to my mind of Jesus on the cross, with his upper body and head tilted forward towards us in death, a detail which I found to be confirmed by the findings regarding the image on the Shroud of Turin. This to me is a poignant picture of God tilting His royal Scepter, in the Person of His offered Son, forward towards us to indicate His favor, invitation and pardon to enter His inner court and draw near to Him. It is written in the Book of Hebrews: "But to the Son He (God) says: 'Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter/rod of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore, God, Your God, has anointed (Hebrew:masakh/Greek:Chrio) You with the oil of gladness more than Your companions." (Heb. 1:8, Ps. 45:6-7). And: "Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." (Heb. 4:16). We also read in Genesis, as Jacob prophesied over his sons, he said in part over his son, Judah (the tribe of David, the Messiah, Jesus): "The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh (referring to the Messiah/Christ) comes; and to Him shall be the obedience of the people." (Gen. 49:10). Balaam, who was hired to bring a curse against Israel, delivered instead a prophecy of the Scepter that will rise out of Israel, referring to the Messiah/Christ, to judge the people (Num. 24:17). In numerous places in scripture, the Messiah/Christ is referred to as a branch (Jer. 33:15-18, Jer. 23:5, Zech. 3:8, Zech. 6:12-13) and as a shoot (Isa. 11:1-5), both of which are mentioned in the meaning of "scepter", above. When Jesus entered Jerusalem on what we call Palm Sunday in the week of His crucifixion, He entered as a King (basileus/basis - prince, commander, lord of the land, king/foundation of power, sole of the foot) (Lk. 19:37-38). The rod of rulership (scepter) over the nations, as Jacob prophesied, is with Christ (and us) on His return (see Rev. 2:26-27).

     In another reading portion from this zachor Sabbath before Purim, and also Palm Sunday this year, the prophet Isaiah wrote the Word given to him from the LORD for His people: "But now, thus says the LORD who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel: 'Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called (qara - see above) you by name; you are Mine...Everyone who is called (qara - see above) by My name, whom I have created for My glory; I have formed him, yes, I have made him." (Isa. 43:1, 7). Leviticus Chapters 2 through 5 that are included in this Sabbath's reading deals with different kinds of offerings to bring to the LORD for sins, trespasses and guilt. This chapter from Isaiah shows the grief of the LORD that His special people, whom He has qara called by His name, do not call upon Him, and do not bring Him sweet offerings (ola and minha - burnt offering, what is laid on the altar, ascend, go up, go up in smoke, be taken up/gift, offering, sacrifice, tribute) even though He has the power to pardon them: "I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; And I will not remember your sins." (v. 22-25).  What is in our hearts regarding offerings to be made to the LORD? Is He grieved with us also as He was with Israel? The LORD holds the scepter for either judgment or favor and pardon.

     If the LORD is looking for an offering, then what offering did Esther bring when, against the law of the kingdom, she presented herself before the king uninvited? She was obedient to the word that Mordecai brought to her although she had been hesitant at first. She participated in a prayerful fast sacrificially to break the yoke of the enemy (see Isa. 58:1-6), and she offered herself, saying: "...if I perish, I perish." What are we who are qara called by His name willing to offer Him during this Purim/Palm Sunday/Resurrection Sunday season? We saw above that the meaning of the Hebrew word for offering, ola, a burnt offering, is "that which is laid on the altar, to ascend, to go up as smoke goes up". This acceptable offering, following the pattern of the tabernacle, is dead flesh, but it is transformed into another form by the holy fire (our God is a consuming fire [Deut. 4:23-24; Heb. 12:28-29; see also 1 Kings 18:37-39]; the Holy Spirit as tongues of fire [Acts 2:1-4]; the Word of God as fire in our hearts and bones [Jer. 20:9]) of the consecrated altar, into a sweet-smelling odor ascending before the LORD. The odor of death has become the odor of ascent. We also know that these offerings for sin under the Law of Moses are a shadow and type of the Offering of the Son of God, Jesus, that was made for all of our sins. We have scriptures that speak of the odor of this type of holy offering: "Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma." (Eph. 5:1-2).  Paul also wrote: "Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us, diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing...For we are not, as so many, peddling the word of God; but as of sincerity (eilikrineia/eilikrines - purity, cleanness/found pure when unfolded and examined by the sun's light, tasted as genuine), but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ." (2 Cor. 2:14-15, 17). Paul also wrote: "I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." (Phil. 4:18-19). In Rom. 12:1-2, Paul wrote about offering ourselves as a holy, living sacrifice acceptable to God. Then he speaks of being "transformed". In another place, Paul wrote of being transformed in a moment from corruptible to incorruptible, in what is called in churches "The Rapture" (1 Cor. 15:51-54).

     The nature of the offering in God's eyes as we can see above is the qara calling by which He has called us, but also the oneness of character with Him, with His Spirit, and with His Son, the Word.  In another reading from this Sabbath, we find out about making offerings and sacrifices that are unacceptable to God because they had nothing to do with sacrificial service to God, which is a reflection of His character. King Saul of Israel was commanded by the Word of the LORD from the prophet and judge Samuel, to destroy all of the people and animals of the wicked Amalekites (1 Sam. 15:1-3). However, although Saul's army defeated the Amalekites, he decided to spare their King Agag's life and the best of the enemy's livestock because both he and the Israelites "were unwilling to utterly destroy them." (v. 8-9). They only destroyed what they considered to be "despised and worthless". Saul explained to Samuel: "...for the people spared the best of the sheep and the oxen, to sacrifice to the LORD your God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed." (v. 15). Saul acted like he was doing an honor to God in his actions. Saul finally admitted that he was motivated to disobey the Word of the LORD because he "feared the people and obeyed their voice" instead (v. 24). However, Saul's disobedience could not be pardoned. Then Word of the LORD to Saul (v. 26, 28) was that the LORD had rejected Saul as king. Samuel revealed to Saul the power of the true offering: "Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams." (v. 22). Do we think that an offering to the LORD is only about the money that we choose to give? It is the sacrifice of obedience to the LORD rather than the implementation of our own ideas and choices that is at the heart of the true offering that transforms the corruptible flesh into the smoke and pleasing fragrance that ascends to the throne of God. Contrast Saul's relationship with God to the relationship that Jesus had with His heavenly Father. The pleasing fragrance of Christ's sacrifice is that He did the will of His Father in heaven, saying: "...nevertheless not My will, but Yours be done." (see Lk. 22:41-43, also Jn. 6:38-40, and regarding our obedience: Mt. 7:21-27). What kind of offering are we bringing to God during this Purim, Palm Sunday and Resurrection Sunday season? Is it an offering of transformation?

     If you would like to know more about offering a holy living sacrifice that is acceptable and pleasing to God, you can join in my prayer: "Heavenly Father, in this season that represents Your defeat of the enemy of Your people, and the defeat of the greatest enemies, sin and death, by Your Son, the King, who rose from the dead for all of us. You tipped Your Scepter, Your Son, towards us on the cross to grant us pardon and favor. I ask that You find my offerings to be acceptable in Your sight, and a pleasing fragrance in Your nostrils. Let me join with My Savior in saying "not my will, but Yours be done" in and through me always. Cleanse my heart and purify me so that I can bring my offerings before You with sincerity and truth. Fill me with the holy fire of Your Word and Your Holy Spirit so that I may offer myself in obedience, in my giving, in service and works, done not in my own name and will, but in Your great name. I ask for this transformation in my life from the corruptible to the incorruptible in the name of Jesus. AMEN."

 Recommended reading:

"The Shroud of Turin: The Perfect Summary"

"Will You Heed the Celestial Warning?"

Neglected

      This is Part 2 of a double Sabbath reading, Va-yakheil and P'kudei, meaning "and he assembled" and "accounting of" that began last week. The Part 1 blog entry is titled "Precious" (click here) and dealt with how Moses' assembly of the items of the tabernacle from the innermost chamber (God's beginning work in our hearts) to the outermost curtains reflected how God's work of salvation through Jesus manifests in us. The LORD also had Moses account for every free will offering that contributed to the construction of the tabernacle, the process of the creation of every piece of the tabernacle, and at the end of the process, Moses also had to examine and account for the finished items before they were installed in the tabernacle according to the pattern that God had given him.

     This week's continuing study will begin in 1 Kings Chapters 7 through 9 with the assembling of Solomon's temple in Jerusalem generations later: "And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel had come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth (represented in the Hebrew letter daleth meaning the earth, material creation, a door, a path, way of life, movement into or out of) year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv (month of April-May, month of flowers,  "brightness", splendor, prominent), which is the second month, that he began to build the house of the LORD." (1 Kings 6:1). It took Solomon seven (represented in the Hebrew letter zayin meaning completion, spiritual perfection, to cut, to pierce) years to complete the building of the temple "in all its details and according to all its plans" in the eleventh (represented by the Hebrew letters yod + aleph meaning imperfection, disorder, incompleteness, man's works as opposed to God's works) year of his reign as king (v. 37-38). 

     If we consider the number meanings above, we might be able to see a second or hidden message: The beginning of the building of the temple represented a work that would affect all of creation. the time period of completion of this work represented spiritual perfection and completion accomplished through Christ's finished work of salvation (the use of the word "pierced"). However, we see a problem in the meaning of the eleventh year, and I think that problem lies with Solomon at this point of his life, because it marks a moment in his reign. The LORD doesn't say this directly, but He does have a Word of warning for Solomon: "I have consecrated this house which you have built to put My name there forever, and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually. Now if you walk before Me as your father David walked, in integrity of heart and uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded you, and if you keep My statutes and My judgments, then I will establish the (Hebrew written letters aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega in Greek, representing Jesus Christ : see Rev. 1:8, Rev. 21:6, Rev. 22:13) throne of your kingdom over Israel forever, as I promised David your father...But if you or your sons at all turn away from following Me...but go and serve other gods and worship them, then I will cut off (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) Israel from the land which I have given them; and this house which I consecrated for My name I will cast out of My sight..." (1 Kings 9:4-7). To me, these words of solemn warning are directed to Solomon because the LORD knew that there was a problem in Solomon's heart, even if it was not yet apparent to others. The LORD knows the heart (Jer. 17:9-10, Ps. 139:23-24, Prov. 15:11,1 Sam. 16:7). Jesus knew what was in the hearts of those with whom He dealt as well (Jn. 2:23-25).

      King David, Solomon's father also said to Solomon before he died: "As for you, my son Solomon, know the (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind; for the LORD searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever. Consider now (ra'a - see, perceive, have vision, discern, look intently at, look at the face, visions), for the LORD has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary (miqdas/qadas - sacred place, holy place, holy thing/consecrate, sanctify, be separate, separate oneself, set apart as sacred, clean); be strong and do it." (1 Chron. 28:9-10). David was telling Solomon that he must know aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega God not from a distance but by the experience of spiritual vision and perception, by "seeing" Him face to face, in order to build His house of salvation. 

     We know that Solomon's heart did become divided as he worshipped the foreign gods of his wives (1 Kings 11:1-8). Solomon's son, Rehoboam, did indeed lose the throne over Israel and Israel became a divided nation under two separate kings (1 Kings 11:11-13,1 Kings 12:1-19), only to be restored in the future as the prophet Ezekiel described the kingdom of the Messiah, the descendant of David (Jesus Christ the aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega), who would come, and His tabernacle established in the midst of them (Ezek. 37:24-28). We also know that the temple that Solomon built would later be ransacked and ruined by a foreign invader, and the people taken into captivity. The LORD indeed knows the heart.

     When Solomon completed the temple after seven years, he made an accounting of all of the materials that had been used to build and furnish the temple, and he assembled the furnishings after the same pattern as Moses did with the tabernacle - from the innermost chamber (1 Kings 8:6), outwards (see previous post "Precious" for details). Then the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD so that the priests could not continue ministering (1 Kings 8:10-11). This also occurred when Moses finished the tabernacle in the wilderness (Ex. 40:34-35).

     The innermost chamber of the tabernacle/temple, which was established first in the pattern of assembly, contains both the Ark containing the written Word of God, and the Mercy Seat of the Atoning Blood, reflects the salvation that begins in our hearts and continues outwardly to transform and manifest in our lives. We are the temple of the Spirit of God, and of His glory (1 Cor. 3:16-17).

     From another of this week's Sabbath reading portions, we will see that another King, Joash or Jehoash, restored the worship of God to the southern Kingdom of Judah: "...Jehoash (meaning "given by the LORD"; fire, flames, altar fire, supernatural fire, internal ardor of the mind, splendor, brightness) became king, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Zibiah (sebi/saba - glory, glorious, beauty, honor, pleasant/go forth to battle) of Beersheba (meaning "well of the 7-fold oath"). Jehoash did what was right in the sight of the LORD all the days in which Jehoiada the priest instructed him." (2 Kings 12:1-2). The glorious temple of God that Solomon had built generations earlier had fallen into neglect and disrepair. It was in Jehoash's heart to repair the temple. He told the priests: "All the money of the dedicated gifts that are brought into the house of the LORD - each man's census money (the half shekel of redemption from each person for the upkeep of the tabernacle under Moses' law), each man's assessment money - and all the money that a man purposes in his heart to bring into the house of the LORD, let the priests take it themselves, each from his constituency; and let them repair  (hazaq - strengthen, prevail, become strong, be resolute, be secure, repair, keep hold of, sustain, fortify, mend, behave valiantly, to bind strongly, gird loins) the (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) damages/breaches (bedeq/badaq - fissure, rent, breach, leak, gap/mend, repair) of the temple, wherever any dilapidation/breaches (see bedeq/badak above) is found." (v. 4-5). The prophet Isaiah later wrote a similar Word of the LORD, incorporating the Hebrew meanings that we see used here: "Then your light shall break forth like the morning, your healing shall spring forth speedily, and your righteousness shall go before you; The glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; You shall cry, and He will say, 'Here I am.'...Then your light shall dawn in the darkness, and your darkness shall be as the noonday...You shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail. Those from among you shall build the old waste places; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; And you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach, The Restorer of Streets to Dwell In." (Isa. 58:8-12, excerpt). This promise of the LORD was given to those who "build" into others' lives, to those who "repair" the broken hearts, because of their delight and pleasure in the LORD, in His ways and Word, thereby sharing in His salvation character as well.

     So what happened to the repairs to the temple that King Jehoash commanded be made by the priests? Absolutely nothing! The aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega breaches of the temple did not touch the hearts of the priests. The neglected temple continued to lay in disrepair for another twenty-three years after the King's command until the King dealt with it again: "Why have you not repaired the damages on the temple?..." (2 Kings 12:6-7). The King forbad them from receiving any more money from their constituency, but to use the money they had been receiving all of those twenty-plus years for the purpose of upkeeping and repairing the temple. The priests refused to make repairs without being able to continue receiving the money from the people (v. 8). Money seems to be a very good test to determine where our hearts are, or are not, in the LORD! The High Priest, Jehoiada, who had been the one to instruct the King in the LORD, came up with another idea of how to receive the funds from the people, and the repairs were made (v. 9-12).

     From these Sabbath readings, I think that the care and attention to the house of the LORD, or its shameful neglect, is not about a physical building, but it is about what the building represents: the dwelling place of God among His people. Again, God's dwelling place, His throne, is not in the inner chamber of a physical building, but in what the inner chamber, the Holy of Holies or the Most Holy Place, represents - a person's heart. This physical tabernacle or temple represents God's promise to man of His salvation through His Son, Jesus, so that we may dwell with the LORD, and He with us, forever: "And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, 'Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God." (Rev. 21:3, see also Ezek. 37:27, Jn. 14:1-4, 6).

     In this double Sabbath reading for these last two weeks, we have seen the important roles of kings and priests in the establishing and upkeeping of the tabernacle or temple of the LORD according to the pattern of His precise instructions. Moses, who was appointed to build the tabernacle, was also considered a prince, as well as a prophet (Heb. 11:24-28, Acts 7:35-36). We also, as believers in Christ, have been made to be kings and priests before God through His Son (Rev. 1:5-6, Rev. 5:9-10, 1 Pet. 2:5, 9, Ex. 19:6).  We may sometimes acknowledge this exalted position with a kind of spiritual pride, but, as we see in this Sabbath double reading portion, the position of king and priest also carries a responsibility to ra'a consider the LORD (see above) and obey His voice, as David told his son, Solomon, to do. Not only are we to be a living part of the assembly of (Va-yakheil) His House of Salvation, but the LORD makes an accounting of (P'kudei) every detail in His House. As the LORD said above in the Hebrew meaning of the words, the establishing of His House according to the pattern which He has ordained has an impact on all of the material creation. Paul also wrote: "For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God...the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God." (Rom. 8:19, 21).

     We saw how the House of Salvation was neglected and fell into disrepair, and how the priests were slow and uncooperative to obey the king's command to repair it. The author of the Book of Hebrews wrote: "Therefore we must give heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. For if the word spoken through the angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience  received a just reward, how shall we escape if we neglect (ameleo - neglect, make light of, have no regard for, don't care about) so great a salvation, which at first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?" (Heb. 2:1-4). If we have grown neglectful towards our salvation, and the transformation it creates in us from our innermost being, outward, then we need to make a return visit to the Most Holy Place of our spiritual tabernacle, which is our hearts, to reconnect with the life-giving wells of salvation (Isa. 12:2-3, Jn. 4:10-15). Revival starts within our innermost being, and then flows outward: from out of our bellies "shall flow rivers of living water." (Jn. 7:38).

     If you would like to know more about building and repairing the spiritual House of the LORD, you can pray with me: "Heavenly Father, through the sacrifice of Your Son, Jesus, You have made a way for me to enter into the Most Holy Place of Your tabernacle, where first I received my salvation, and where You established Your tabernacle in my heart. Help me, Lord, by Your Holy Spirit and Your Word in me to be conformed to Your image and character. Help me to be A Repairer of the Breach, and A Restorer of Streets to Dwell In. As Your spiritual tabernacle in and with me is established and also repaired from my neglect, let the material creation also walk in the glorious liberty of the children of God. I ask this in the name of Jesus. AMEN!"