Prepare

We have been in the Book of Leviticus, which is Latin and means "of the Levites (priests). In Hebrew, this third book of the Bible is called Va-yikra, or "And He called". We read last week of the glory and the privilege of the priesthood, and its ministry before God and the people. The priests made the atonement for the sins of the people, and the people were forgiven. The priests brought reconciliation between God and the people, who had been separated from each other by sin. This is a prophetic pattern of the ministry of Christ on our behalf. Last week we read that we also have been given, as priests of God, the ministry of reconciliation, reconciling all things back to God through the atonement and forgiveness of Jesus Christ. What a privilege and trusted responsibility we have been given by God! This week's Sabbath reading is titled Tzav, meaning "Command", and we will see the importance of the command of God regarding this priestly service. This week's reading portion includes Leviticus chapters 6 through 8. This Sabbath is also Shabbat Ha-Gadol, the Great Sabbath before Passover. What do these two topics, the priesthood and the Passover, have in common that they should be joined together in this week's reading? One answer is preparation. On the day when the Passover lamb was to be killed, Jesus commanded His disciples to prepare (hetomazo/hetomas/heteos - make ready, make necessary preparations, to level the road before the king's arrival, to prepare the minds of men to give Messiah a fit reception/prepare and make ready to receive one coming/fitness) for the Passover that they would share together (Lk. 22:7-13). Even the first Passover, during the slavery of the Israelites in Egypt, required a specific preparation (see Ex. 12). During the Passover meal observed by Jesus and His disciples referred to above, Jesus explained to the twelve the meaning of the Passover elements, the bread and the wine (see also Gen. 14:18-20), and how they applied to His coming sacrifice, and the new covenant that was being given to them because of this. He also revealed the presence at the Passover table of His betrayer, meaning Judas (Lk. 22:14-22). It is very revealing of the hearts of man that immediately after these very somber and tremendous revelations, the disciples began to argue regarding which one among them should be considered the greatest (Lk. 22:24). Does man have no shame, no humility, no reverence? The answer is no, they don't. Perhaps we consider ourselves to be exceptions to this sad condition? The chapters this week from Leviticus describe the solemn consecration and service of the priests, and the connection of these things to Christ. The priests put on priestly aleph-tav garments (Lev. 8:10), and were consecrated with the aleph-tav anointing oil (v. 12). The priests laid their aleph-tav hands (v. 14, 22) upon each offering brought to the aleph-tav tabernacle (v. 10): "Everyone who touches its flesh (of the offering) must/shall be holy..." (Lev. 6:27). These offerings were not to be prepared and handled lightly. Even the aleph-tav ashes (hadesen/dasen - fat ashes/to anoint, to smear) of the aleph-tav burnt offering (haola/ala - to go up, ascent, go up in smoke/raise, recover, restore, to go up, light, raised, arose, to lift oneself) were to be treated with reverence by the priests (Lev. 6:8-11). From the meaning of the Hebrew words used, we can see the promise of resurrection in the smoke of the burnt offering. How dangerous to treat them profanely, or with unclean hands and hearts! There are other interesting connections of the priests, the offerings, and the tabernacle itself to Christ. Aaron the high priest is written in Hebrew as aleph-tav Aaron. His sons were his aleph-tav sons. As mentioned in previous posts, aleph, tav are the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet, and Jesus used them to describe Himself in the Book of Revelation, as "the Alpha and the Omega (translated from Greek), the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End". So many details surrounding the priests, their clothes, the anointing oil of their consecration, the tabernacle, and the offerings, were connected to the aleph-tav of Christ in this week's Sabbath portion. All of these things (aleph-tav dabar- *words matter, speech, say, talk, arranging in order, to lead flocks to pasture, to rule, subdue, to follow) were done at the command (Tzav) of the LORD (Lev. 8:36). The anointing (masiah/masah - anointed, specifically the Messiah/anoint, smear, spread a liquid, consecrate) of the priest (Lev. 4:3) is directly connected to the Messiah. We can see that the consecration, the atonement, forgiveness and reconciliation ministry of the priests in the tabernacle, which was a prophetic picture of Christ's ministry for the world, required a solemn pattern to be followed, according to the exact commands of the LORD. Other reading portions from this week's Sabbath reveal what happened when the priests and the people did not follow this aleph-tav pattern of the Messiah. The prophet Jeremiah was also from the line of the priesthood (see Jer. 1:1). Jeremiah is commanded by the LORD to stand in the gate of the LORD's house, and expose the iniquities of God's people, calling upon them to mend their ways. The word of the LORD to His people was: "Behold, you trust in lying words that cannot profit. Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, burn incense to Ba'al (a false god), and walk after other gods whom you do not know, and then come and stand before Me in this house which is called by My name, and say, 'We are delivered to do all these abominations'? Has this house, which is called by My name, become a den of thieves in your eyes? Behold, I, even I, have seen it, says the LORD." (Jer. 7:1-10, excerpt). I believe that this Word of the LORD is being addressed to the priests, because the activities being described, the burning of incense and standing before the LORD in His house, would involve the priests. The LORD said that His command to the forefathers when they first left Egypt wasn't concerning the burnt offerings and sacrifices, "But this (written in Hebrew as aleph-tav dabar - see above *meaning) is what I commanded them, saying, 'Obey My voice, and I will be Your God, and you shall be My people. And walk in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well with you.' Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but followed the counsels and dictates (serirut/serar - imagination, lust, stubbornness, twisted, hardness of heart/to be an enemy,to be a hostile opponent) of their evil hearts and went backward and not forward." (Jer. 7:22-24). If the priests and people of God continued to ignore this (aleph-tav dabar), God's voice, the LORD warned: "...they shall be like refuse on the face of the earth. Then death shall be chosen rather than life by all the residue of those who remain of this evil family..." (Jer. 8:2-3). More important than the sacrifices themselves, is the obedience to the voice of God. The sacrifice is only effective if it is the result of obedience to the voice of Him who commands us. Another portion from this week's Shabbat Ha-Gadol reading is: "So Samuel (the priest, prophet, judge of Israel) said: '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. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness as iniquity and idolatry. Because you (referring to King Saul) have rejected the word of the LORD, He also has rejected you from being king." (1 Sam. 15:22-23). Saul was very proud of the numerous sacrifices that he had offered to the LORD on this occasion, but he had not done it in accord with what the LORD had told him to do. Jesus' sacrifice was the fruit of His obedience to His Father, and in turn, that effective sacrifice produced much fruit (Phil. 2:5-11). His obedience brought glory to God His Father. Our own obedience results in the effective defeat of evil spiritual powers in the heavenly realms (2 Cor. 10:3-6). As we see witchcraft, the occult, iniquity and idolatry begin to pervade this era, is it because God's people have refused to obey His voice? Passover was the deliverance from death. Jesus repeatedly declared that He, the Aleph-Tav, was the living bread of eternal life. (Jn. 6:32-51). When we leave out The Aleph-Tav, the Messiah Son of God, from any of these aleph-tav things, we walk in death rather than life. Finally the prophet Jeremiah mourns: "For the hurt of the daughter of my people I am hurt. I am mourning; Astonishment has taken hold of me. Is there no balm in Gilead, is no physician there? Why then is there no recovery for the health of the daughter of my people?" (Jer. 8:21-22). This is the heart of a true priest. Where were the cries of the other priests in the land? Jeremiah called on the Balm of Gilead (rare perfumed ointment produced in the Gilead region, and used medicinally), and the Physician who can heal his people. Both of these terms were associated with the Messiah, the Anointed One, who is Christ. Jeremiah was calling for the Aleph-Tav associated with the priestly service of atonement, forgiveness and the reconciliation between man and God. Another of this week's reading portions that is assigned to this Shabbat Ha-Gadol, the Great Sabbath before Passover, is from the prophet Malachi, whom tradition says was a Levite, the tribe of priests. Again, this portion deals with the priesthood and the people of God. It also speaks about a necessary preparation: "Behold, I send My messenger, and he will prepare the way before Me. And the LORD, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple, even the Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight. Behold, He is coming,' says the LORD of hosts. But who can endure the (aleph-tav) day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner's fire and like launderer's soap. He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver; He will purify the (aleph-tav) sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer to the LORD an offering in righteousness.' (Mal. 3:1-3). Part of the preparation for the arrival of the LORD is the purification of His aleph-tav priests. Only then will the offerings be restored to offerings of righteousness, as the LORD had intended them. As a result of this preparation and purging of the priests before the aleph-tav day of the LORD and His coming, much of the same wickedness that Jeremiah and Samuel noted, such as sorcerers, adulterers, perjurers, exploiters, and oppressors, will be judged (v. 4-5). We also are called to be the priests of God in Christ (1 Pet. 2:9-10, Rev. 1:5-6, 5:8-10). However, in this office, God is looking for aleph-tav priests, who are, in these aleph-tav dabar things, obedient to the voice of God. We saw above that Jesus' disciples did not understand what it meant when Jesus said: "Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat." There is a preparation for Passover and its expression in Communion (see 1 Cor. 11:27-32). There is a preparation of consecration for the priesthood so that the hands that touch the offerings are holy, and there is a preparation of purifying, purging, cleansing and refining for the priests of the aleph-tav day of the LORD's coming. If you would like to know more about this important command (Tzav) to "prepare", you can join me in my prayer: "Heavenly Father of all, Your Son, Jesus, has commanded us to go and prepare a place for Your Passover, the Sacrificed Lamb given for life. You have commanded Your aleph-tav priests to lay their aleph-tav hands upon this precious Offering that You have sent for our sins. Help me by Your Holy Spirit to obey Your voice, because our obedience is even more precious to You than an empty sacrifice offered without the presence of Your Aleph-Tav Son, Jesus. If I have been slow to obey Your voice, forgive me Lord, and prepare me to offer righteous offerings of obedience to You. I ask these things in Jesus' name. AMEN."

Leviticus

This week's sabbath reading portion begins what we refer to as the Book of Leviticus. "Leviticus" is a Latin word meaning "of the Levites". It is about the law pertaining to the priests (hakohen/kahan - priest, prince, mediator of religious services to God/a prophet, predict, undertake anyone's cause, riches, abundance, opulence, glory, as a bridegroom makes himself splendid), who were from the Israelite tribe of Levi. The Hebrew phrase used for the Book that we call "Leviticus" is Va-yikra, meaning "And He (the LORD) called", and it is also the title of this sabbath's reading portion, which covers Leviticus chapters 2 through 5. The priesthood played a vital role in God's provision for covering the sins of His people, and forgiving them. The LORD accomplished this with a system of sacrifices and offerings. This sacrificial system and priesthood would be a prophetic image of the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ that would cover our sins and destroy the power of death forever. We also have been called to be a priesthood before God, based upon our acceptance of the Chief Cornerstone of life, Jesus (1 Pet. 2:5, 9-10, Rev. 1:6, Rev. 1:5-6, Rev. 5:10). There are many specifics in the law regarding the priesthood, and the offerings to be brought before God, but one main idea repeated in this week's reading is: "So the priest shall make atonement for them, and it shall be forgiven them." (Lev. 4:20, 26, 5:13, 16, 18). The idea of ministering atonement, or kapar in Hebrew, is very powerful. The individual Hebrew letters of the word for atonement, kaph, phe, reysh, carry the meaning "to be covered by the palm of the hand or wings in order to gain entrance to the Most High". The meaning of kapar, or atonement is "to overspread, to cover, to purge, make atonement, make reconciliation, to expiate, cleanse, forgive, be merciful, receive pardon, make expiation for an offender". Our priesthood before God, based upon these meanings, is an awesome responsibility. The apostle Paul wrote: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation (katallage/katallasse - adjustment of a difference, restoration to favor, atonement/to reconcile those at variance, to change mutually), that is, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." (2 Cor. 5:17-21). Not only is man reconciled to God through this priestly ministry received from and through Christ, but in so doing, man is also being reconciled to "all things" which are of God, including "a new creation". A new creation is not found only in the New Testament, but in the Old Testament, or Tanakh, as well, by the prophet Isaiah when writing of priests and Levites (Isa. 66:21-24). The apostle Peter also looked at our "priestly" role in reconciling the old and new creations. As Peter wrote of the current heavens passing away, and earth being melted away by the fervent heat of the day of the Lord, he also said that we: "...in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God...according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells...looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless." (2 Pet. 3:10-14). Three times Peter wrote that we were to be looking towards with expectation, thereby hastening, the new heavens and the new earth. Again we are placed in the middle, in reconciliation, between the passing away of the old, and the manifestation of the new. There are some other unusual reconciliations to which the priesthood is connected. The Jewish rabbis have written of the "four levels of existence", and although the idea may seem unfamiliar to us on its surface, I think we can learn from it. Because I don't rely upon men's interpretations and doctrines, we will also be reading several scriptures that confirm this principle of which the rabbis wrote. The rabbis have also connected the four levels of existence to the priesthood, as we will see, which is also pertinent to our priesthood in Christ, as we will see. The first level of existence is Atzilut, meaning "near". This first level contains the presence of God. Some of the prophets also had a direct encounter with this first level of Atzilut, and so are included in it. Moses, Ezekiel, Isaiah, and in the New Testament, Paul, who was caught up to Paradise, and John the Revelator saw into, or were called up into, this first level. Regarding the priesthood, the High Priest is also included in this first level as he alone was allowed to come into the presence of God one day a year, on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, to apply the blood of the sacrifice to the Mercy Seat in the Holy of Holies of the tabernacle/temple. Our High Priest, Jesus, also inhabits this highest level with His Father (Jn. 10:30, Acts 2:32-35, Eph. 1:20-23). He has also joined us with Himself in this Atzilut level (Jn. 17:19-26). The second level of existence is Beriah, or "Creation", which existed before the Garden of Eden, and is associated with the archangels. The priests of God are connected to this level according to the rabbis. The third level of existence is Yetzirah, or "Formation", which would include the lower creation of the Garden of Eden, the souls of men, the realm of angels (both good and bad). It is called the "mixed realm". The Levites of the priesthood are associated with this level. Lastly is Asiyyah, or "Making", which is solely the physical realm of creation. The rabbis associated this level with the general congregation of Israelites. All four levels of existence were represented therefore in the tabernacle of Moses, as we can see. If we follow this idea of the rabbis, we can see that the priesthood is the connection that runs from the lowest level of creation, the physical realm of earth, to the highest, which is the presence of God. The rabbis also wrote that the four colors associated with the priestly garments, gold, blue, purple ("mixed" level), and red ("For God so loved the world, that He gave [the red blood of] His only begotten Son..."), represent the four levels mentioned above. We can see this same connection in the New Testament. Jesus taught His disciples to pray "The Lord's Prayer" (Mt. 6:9-13). This is very much a priestly prayer, as we can now understand: "And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors." We can see the priestly connection, or reconciliation, to the first level as taught by the rabbis, above, when Jesus said: "Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." Jesus also said the following to His disciples, which has priestly overtones: "If you forgive/remit (aphiemi/apo - to send away, forgive, keep no longer/separate) the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain (krateo/kratos - be master of, rule over, continue to hold/strength, dominion, power) the sins of any, they are retained." (Jn. 20:23, see also Lev. 4:40, etc). In another part of scripture, Jesus brought this priesthood to mind when He said: "Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth, concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them." (Mt. 18:18-20, 16:18-19). We see here again the joining of the earthly, or physical, creation with the first level in heaven through the believer-priest, and the presence and name of Jesus. One more example before we move on. Paul wrote of the reconciliation achieved across the different levels: "For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Rom. 8:39, Eph. 3:9-11, 17-19). Paul's affirmation sliced through all of the levels and joined us directly with the highest level of the Father through Jesus. It is the name of Jesus, in whom we have received our priesthood, that reconciles the levels of the creation with the highest level, that of the glory of God the Father, through His total humility and obedience, of which we should also be of the same mind (see. Phil. 2:5-11). This necessary humility and obedience of Christ, which should also be of our mind, is also revealed in this week's sabbath reading portion, as was pointed out to me by a student of the original Hebrew scriptures. The title of this third Book of the Bible, "and He called" in English, has a special hidden element that only becomes revealed in the actual reading of the Tanakh, the Hebrew "Old Testament". The word "called" written in Hebrew (va-yyikra) has an unexplained smaller sized aleph letter at the end of the Hebrew word. This unusual miniaturized version of the ending aleph letter does not change the spelling or meaning of the word itself, so why is it there, and in miniature size? The rabbis have this explanation: the small aleph is there to remind us that when God calls someone, he/she must decrease and become smaller, so that God may become larger in his/her life. Interestingly, John the Baptist said something similar in what appears to be a comment on the levels of existence, and their connection to his purpose. John was of the priestly order, his father being Zacharias the priest (Lk. 1:5, 8-9), as well as being a prophet. John said this: "He (Jesus) must increase, but I must decrease. He who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all. And what He has seen and heard, that He testifies; and no one receives His testimony." (Jn. 3:30-32). This is the small aleph at work in John's life. As he decreased, Jesus, the heavenly level from above increased. This is very important to our walk as priests as well, if we are to be effective in reconciling all of creation to the glory and presence of God in the name of Jesus. Finally, in these first chapters in Leviticus, or Va-yikra, there is a repeated reference to the "sweet savor/aroma" to the LORD from the offerings which the priests oversaw (see Lev. 1:9, 17, 2:2, 9,12, 3:5, 16, 4:31). The Hebrew words used for the expression "sweet savor/aroma" mean "a restful, delightful, pleasing, soothing, sweet scent that breathes and touches with acceptance". We have this same idea from the New Testament: "Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance/savor of His knowledge in every place. For we are to God the fragrance/sweet savor of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing." (2 Cor. 15-17). That sweet aroma, produced by the priests overseeing offerings in the tabernacle, that pleased, soothed and delighted God, and caused the breath of acceptance to come from Him, is the fragrance of Christ and His triumph and knowledge, the same fragrance that is diffused by us, His priests. As we continue in the Book of Leviticus (Va-yikra), we will be learning more about the priesthood, and how it applies to our walk of faith and spiritual purpose. If you would like to learn more about the priesthood of the tabernacle, and our priesthood, you can join me in my prayer: "Father of Glory, You have made us priests of Christ before You. Lead us by Your Holy Spirit as we learn more about that priesthood so that we can fulfill it as you have called us to do. Help us to be ministers of reconciliation through Christ, joining all creation to Your presence and glory, as we have been joined to You in Christ. All creation groans for this manifestation of the sons of God, diffusing the fragrance of Christ to those who are both living and perishing. Let the knowledge and victory of Jesus, fill the whole earth through us, as we become less, and Christ in us becomes more. I ask this in Jesus' name. AMEN."

Patterns

The title of this week's Sabbath reading, Va-yakheil/l'kudei, from Exodus chapters 35 through 40, and additional readings from the First and Second Books of Kings. This reading portion is a combination of two usually individual portions. The titles mean "and he assembled" and "accounting of". The reading portions cover the building of the items needed for the tabernacle, and then its assembly, and the building and assembly of Solomon's temple, which was established centuries later. Not only are the houses of God assembled, but there is an accounting for every item, and for every donation to the work. In Ex. 38:21, 24-31, a detailed accounting and inventory was made for all of the furnishings of the tabernacle by Ithamar, the son of Aaron the priest, and for every talent weight (kikar/karar - a round weight or coin/a circular dance or leap of exultation) and shekel of gold, silver, and bronze used in the tabernacle, and for every item made from those metals, down to the smallest hooks, sockets and pegs. Nothing of the giving of God's people was overlooked or considered unimportant before the LORD. Nothing went unaccounted for. Jesus also told a parable of a returning master requiring his servants to make a strict accounting for the talents that had been given to them. Those who were found faithful with the talents given to them were rewarded with rulership and greater responsibility. Those who made a poor accounting of the talents given to them were removed from the presence of the master, and cast into outer darkness. Jesus said that there will be a similar accounting required when "the Son of man comes in His glory..." (Mt. 25:14-30). To me, the strict accounting not only recognizes the precious giving of God's people, but also applies to financial integrity in the house of God, and to the spiritual fruit that God expects to come from each of our lives, according to the opportunities that He places before us. There are some other things that we should keep in mind as we see the houses of God established: There was not a house of God, nor will there ever be, that is not based upon the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Secondly, each house of God carries a prophetic message or promise as a revelation for God's people. Thirdly, each prophetic revelation is more glorious than the previous as spoken by Haggai the prophet: "The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine', says the LORD of hosts. 'The glory of this latter temple/house shall be greater than the former,' says the LORD of hosts. 'And in this place, I will give peace,' says the LORD of hosts." (Hag. 2:8-9). Three times in these two verses, the LORD repeats His name as "the LORD of hosts" (Yehovah sabaot), meaning the LORD of the heavenly armies that go to war and do battle at His command. Repeating this name three times here means that the LORD is placing special emphasis on the fact that He will go to war to secure this promise regarding His latter house. The word "hosts" (sabaot) also refers to those who serve the LORD in His sacred tent. This is the priesthood, to which we are also called (Rev. 1:6, 5:10, 1 Pet. 2:9-10). The apostle Paul also wrote of the increasing glory of each believer (2 Cor. 4:18). The LORD's reference in the above verse to the silver and gold belonging to Him is part of the "accounting" that God demands, as we will see later. Let's see some examples of the revelation of Jesus Christ as the foundational principle for the tabernacle of Moses. His presence is in a sacrificial form in every piece of furniture, and in every offering to be brought. This pattern of the heavenly things, and the all-important prophetic promise of the Son of God to come, was revealed to us centuries before the tabernacle of Moses when Abraham offered his own son, Isaac, the inheriting son of promise, to God on Mt. Moriah (Gen. 22:1-18). The promise of the Son of sacrifice, Jesus, is in the acacia/shittim wood from which most of the furnishings of the tabernacle are made. A friend reminded me the other day of the depth of meaning of "acacia/shittim" wood: shittem/sotet - "hard ebony wood having bark covered with dark thorns, scourging thorns/to flog, a whip, to pierce". We can see the sacrifice of Christ in the meaning of the Hebrew words, as He was scourged with whips, and pierced with thorns for our spiritual and physical healing Isa. 53:5, 1 Pet. 2:24). In regard to the tabernacle, those who were harvesting and preparing the shittim wood for use there were no doubt pierced and bloody from the thorns on its bark also. The acacia or shittim wood was also used to construct both the uprights and the cross pieces to support the sides of the tabernacle. There were five uprights on each of the two sides. (Ex. 36:31-34). Even though these acacia/shittim bars were just used for supports, God commanded them to be covered with gold. They were precious in His sight for a reason: these supports for the tabernacle formed the pattern of three complete crosses on one side of the tabernacle, and three crosses on the other side. Jesus was crucified with two other men, so there were three crosses erected on Calvary/Golgotha. The pattern becomes very clear for us to see. Future Sabbath readings will show that once the tribes of Israel were encamped around the completed tabernacle, a cross was formed, with the bottom leg longer. The water of the laver constructed from shittim wood, was used to wash the hands and feet of the priests before they served God in the tabernacle (Ex. 30:18-21, 40:30-32): "...for Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet in water from it...lest they die. And it shall be a statute forever to them...throughout their generations." As another student of scripture mentioned to me, the bronze that covered the shittim wood of the laver was made of bronze mirrors owned by the women (Ex. 38:8). These mirrors, or looking glasses, have a very deep meaning in the Hebrew. It is the word mara/mare/ra'a, meaning "vision, mode of revelation, visions sent by God/look upon, countenance, pattern, supernatural vision/behold, look upon, consider, appear, seer, discern, to look on another". What revelation did God want His priests to "see" every time they washed their hands and feet in the mirrored laver? The prophet Zechariah wrote: "And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look upon Me whom they pierced. Yes they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn...In that day a fountain shall be opened...for sin and for uncleanness." (Zech. 12:10, 13:1). After the Passover meal on the night He was arrested, Jesus poured water into a basin and washed His disciples' feet (Jn. 13:3-5). The apostle Paul wrote about a "mirror" revelation also: "But we all, with unveiled face, beholding, as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord." (2 Cor. 3:18). Even the Shroud of Turin carries the tabernacle revelation of the mirror, because the image of Christ that it carries is a mirror, or reversed, image. The solid gold lamp of the tabernacle also represents Jesus, Who said, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life." (Jn. 8:12). In order for the lamp in the tabernacle to give light, it was kept filled with the oil of olives that would have been crushed and bruised for their oil. Isaiah 53:5 says that the Servant of God who would offer His innocent life for our sins and transgressions was "...bruised (daka - break, crush (down), bruise) for our iniquities...". These are just a few examples of the essential prophetic revelation and promise of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ given to God's people through this tabernacle. There isn't room enough here to go into all of the many powerful representations of the sacrificed Christ that were revealed in the tabernacle. This revelation of the tabernacle was given to us in the Book of Exodus, which means "the way or road out of", and the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is the greatest exodus ever provided to God's people - the only exodus available from the destructive power of sin, death, and eternal darkness (see Jn. 14:6, 1 Pet. 2:9-10). I am so very thankful that the mercy of God provided this exodus for me, and for all who will see and take it. After the tabernacle was established, the cloud of the LORD descended and the tabernacle was filled with the glory of the LORD so that Moses could not enter it (Ex. 40:34-35). Moses had been in the presence of the LORD many times, until his face shone with the glory of it, but Moses could not be in the glory that filled the tabernacle, so great was this glory. The children of Israel would camp when that cloud stood still over the tabernacle, and move on, following the cloud, when it lifted from the tabernacle - the cloud by day, and the fire by night "in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys." (v. 36-38). In the Book of Revelation, it is revealed that there are those who are noted as special, with "His Father's name written on their foreheads": "...These are the ones who follow the Lamb (Jesus) wherever He goes. These were redeemed from among men, being firstfruits to God and to the Lamb." (Rev. 14:4). Israel followed the glory of God. Now let us go from the tabernacle to the temple built by King Solomon, which is also included in this week's Sabbath reading. This temple brought the first-time revelation of a connection of both a King and kingdom with the house of God. King David designed the temple (see 1 Chron. 28:5-21), and his son, Solomon, completed the work his father commanded him to do . This temple also had a new purpose as a house of prayer for all who come to it, and as a place where the judgments of God could be alleviated with repentance and prayer. This new purpose was prayed, led and consecrated by the king, based on visitations of the LORD to him (2 Chron. 6:19-42, 7:7, 12-16). However, with kingly privilege also came kingly responsibility. The LORD warned Solomon that if he turned to other gods, the LORD would reject this imposing temple, and its resulting desolation would become a sign to all people (2 Chron. 19-22). A temple is worthless without the presence and glory of God. The LORD wants His people to see the patterns established by His house, and if we have ignored the revelation of the pattern, we can repent and go back. The house is supposed to speak something important to us (Ezek. 43:10-11). This temple of Solomon's was different from the pattern of the tabernacle. The tabernacle had one golden lamp, but the temple had ten. The tabernacle had one bronze laver, but the temple had ten. The temple of Solomon also had a new item, not seen before. It had a huge, round bronze basin resting on twelve bronze oxen, and it held an estimated 12,000-17,000 gallons of water, based upon the described volume of "two thousand baths". This large bronze basin was called "the Sea" (1 Kings 7:23-26, 38, 49). Jewish rabbis write that they believe that this huge bronze basin represented the whole world, and the twelve oxen were the twelve tribes of Israel. To us, the twelve oxen could also represent the twelve apostles who were commanded to take the Gospel of Christ to the whole world, as we are also commanded by Christ to do (Mt. 28:18-20, Mk. 16:15-18, Lk. 24:46-49). In addition, Solomon had the whole interior of the temple overlaid with gold, which differed from the pattern of the tabernacle before it (1 Kings 6:20-22). There were also two bronze pillars installed and given the names of "Jachin" (meaning "it will be established", and also the name of two priests), which stood on the right side, and the other pillar was named "Boaz" (the kinsman-redeemer, and the founding father of the eternally royal House of David), which stood on the left side of the entrance hall. These two pillars represented a house of priests and kings joined together. Revelation 1:6, and 5:10 describe believers as priests and kings, or a kingdom of priests, to God. Peter described "a royal priesthood" (1 Peter 2:9). This same prophetic promise was given to Moses also regarding the people of God (Ex. 19:5-6). Jesus is our priest, as well as King, ever making intercession for us at the right hand of God (Heb. 7:24-27, Mk. 16:19). In another connection between this temple and kings, another portion from this week's Sabbath reading tells us about a son of a king who was hidden in the temple of God to prevent a usurper of the throne from killing him (2 Kings 12). This was the boy king Jehoash (meaning "Jehovah gave"). During his reign, the temple of Solomon was repaired of its damages/breeches (aleph-tav bedaq - fissure, rent, gap, leak, breech) and dilapidation/breech (badaq - to mend, repair breeches, restore ruins) (v. 5) after long years of neglect from idol worship. Isaiah wrote of these "restorers", like King Jehoash, also: "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 the Paths to Dwell In." (Isa. 58:12). This restoration and repair occurs because God's people have returned to a righteous path (v. 9-11). The King, Jehoash, was restoring more than a temple building. Again we see a prophetic connection between a king and the house of God. Jesus, the King of kings, also spoke of repairing and restoring, as we will see later. When the glory of God filled the temple built by Solomon, the priests were not able to stand and continue ministering (1 Kings 8:10-13). Again an inventory of furnishings was done for the temple established by Solomon. The accounting of the gold used was 100,000 talents, or 4,000 tons, the silver used was 1 million talents, or 40,000 tons, and so much bronze was used that it could not be weighed. All of this was pre-supplied by the father, David (see 1 Chron. 22:14, 1 Kings 7:47). To me, this incredible wealth represented the riches and glory, both materially and spiritually, of the Kingdom of God. Jesus, the Son of the Most High King, like Solomon, also finished the work that His Father in heaven had given Him to do, saying: "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work." (Jn. 4:34, 17:4, Jn. 19:30). The kingship represented as being joined to this temple was not in the form of a temporary, earthly king, but an eternal King and Kingdom, as prophesied to David (1 Chron. 28:4, 7). In a few weeks, we will commemorate Jesus' triuphant entry into Jerusalem on what is now called Palm Sunday. Palm branches were waved by the whole population of Jerusalem. The palm branches were a symbol of victory, and were generally reserved for royalty. As Jesus rode into the city, the crowd shouted: "Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!" (Lk. 19:38). Immediately upon His arrival in the city, Jesus, the proclaimed King, entered the temple and drove out those who were misusing it by buying and selling there, and He taught in the temple daily (Lk. 19:45-48). Jesus had also announced the establishment of a temple built upon a new revelation or vision given to Peter in a moment, recognizing and declaring Jesus as "the Christ, the Son of the living God". Again, this would be a different kind of temple, a new kind of temple, a living temple, and it would have a new purpose, and a new glory: "And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build (oikodomeo - build up from foundation, restore, repair, establish) My church (ekklesia - called out gathering or assembly of people), and the gates (pyle - large gate in a wall or a prison) of Hades (realm of the dead; the grave, death, hell) shall not prevail (katischyo - overcome, overpower, be superior in strength) against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." (Mt. 16:17-19). This is the spiritual house of God, the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:19). Each one of us who belong to Christ is this temple, and each one is being built together into an even greater temple, a temple made of living stones, with Christ as the chief cornerstone of the foundation (1 Peter 2:5-7). When this house is filled with glory, it is the same glory that the Son had with the Father from the beginning, from before the world was. The Son said to His Father: "...I have finished the work which You have given Me to do." (Jn. 17:4-5, 22). If you would like to know more about the tabernacle and temples of God, and His glory that fills them, you can pray with me as I pray: "Heavenly Father, You have given Your people a prophetic picture of Your increasing glory, as You revealed more and more about Your obedient Son, Jesus, Who finished all that You gave Him to do. You are building a spiritual house filled with the glory of Christ, a glory that He had with You from before the world was. You are building a house that cannot be overpowered by the grave, death, and hell, and You are building this living house from the called out assembly of Your people. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit, so that I can be like Jehoash and Jesus, a Repairer of the Breach, and a Restorer of the Paths to Dwell In. I ask this in the name of Your Son and King, Jesus. AMEN."

idols

We have certain ideas of what constitutes an idol. We usually connect idol worship with a kind of paganism, and the worship of a god or gods other than the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Who is the God of all creation. Sometimes we view an idol as anything that we make more important than God in our lives. This week's sabbath reading portion from Exodus chapters 31 through 34 titled Ki Tissa, meaning "when you elevate", includes the familiar account of the golden calf. However, I began to think about what constitutes the worship of idols, and began to see some unexpected things. It made me think about what we may be "elevating", as stated in the reading portion title, that we may not usually associate with idolatry. As this week's sabbath reading begins, Moses had been on the mountain receiving detailed instructions regarding the construction of the tabernacle and everything connected with it. It is at this time that Moses also received what we call The Ten Commandments: "And when He (the LORD) had made an end of speaking/communing with him (Moses) on Mount Sinai (meaning "thorny"), He gave Moses two tablets of the Testimony (edut - testimony, witness, precept of God, revelation), written with the finger (espa/seba - forefinger particularly as in the finger of the priest applying blood or oil/dip into divers colors, colored cloth) of God." (Ex. 31:18). The word "speaking/communing" used in the above verse is the Hebrew word dabar, which includes the meanings "to speak, say, commune, to speak together, to arrange in order, to lead flocks to pasture, to direct people, to subdue, to lay snares, to plot against, to destroy). From this we learn that the words spoken by God not only lead His flock, or people, to safe pasture, but at the same time, sets up plots and snares to destroy the enemy. This dabar Word that leads us is a type of exodus, or "the way or road out of" for God's people who heed it, and the way or road into trouble for those who do not. For me, it was also interesting to see that as God gave many detailed instructions for the building of His tabernacle to Moses, a tabernacle which would play a huge role in the spiritual lives of His people, the LORD immediately followed those instructions with a warning: "Speak also to the children of Israel, saying: 'Surely My sabbaths shall you keep, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the LORD who sanctifies you...keep the Sabbath...observe the Sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel forever; for in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day He rested (sabat - rest, celebrate, sit down and be still, to cease, put an end to, exterminate, destroy, leave, take away, remove, restrain) and was refreshed (napas - take a breath, to be breathed upon, refreshed by a current of air)." (Ex. 31:13, 16-17). The consequences of not keeping the Sabbath holy, as the LORD views it as holy, was death (v. 15). Here is a warning against the first idol presented in this reading portion: the tabernacle. Does that surprise you? It surprised me! The tabernacle was to be a work of the finest craftsmen, who were appointed by God and called by name, who were filled with the Spirit of God, and gifted by God in wisdom, understanding, knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship (Ex. 31:1-6). The tabernacle itself was to be constructed of the finest elements including gold, jewels, and expensive dyes and fabrics. The tabernacle would be a prophetic image of the Messiah, the Savior to come. It would be the setting for the priesthood and the atoning and sacrificial power and presence of God, even the throne of God upon the Mercy Seat in the Holy of Holies. However, in doing this appointed work, they were not to forget the Sabbath, and the holiness and power of the Sabbath for rest and refreshing, the power of the Sabbath as a sign (ot - a token, a distinguishing mark, miracles, proof, flag, beacon, a memorial sign of the past and a sign pointing to the future, a sign of the covenant) between the children of Israel and God. The tabernacle tent, and later, the temple building, became an idol to the Israelites. They wrongly felt that they were safe from attack as long as the temple of God, containing the Ark of the Covenant, was in their midst (see Jer. 7:1-2, 4). Creating an idol of the tabernacle/temple was a deception that weakened them, and kept them from seeking the LORD in repentance. Jesus corrected this attitude: "Yet I say to you that in this place there is One greater than the temple.
But if you had known what this means, 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice', you would not have condemned the guiltless..." (Mt. 12:6-7). Jesus also shocked His disciples when He said regarding the magnificent temple in Jerusalem that they were admiring: "Do you not see all these things? Assuredly I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down." (Mt. 24:1-2). Jesus was zealous for the temple fulfilling prophecy (Isa. 56:7, Jer. 7:11), not for the building's sake, but for what it represented - a house of prayer for all nations, a representation of the spiritual place where a soul could speak to God, and know that he is received (Mt. 21:12-13). The temple Jesus prophesied about here to His disciples was indeed destroyed by the Romans within a generation of Jesus' death and resurrection. The glorious temple that Solomon had built centuries earlier was also destroyed and ransacked by a conquering king from Babylon as prophesied. In our lives, the idolization of the temple may sometimes take the form of an idolization of a church building, or of the work that God has ordained for each of us to do. In these cases, the "work" becomes more important than what the work represents, which is God Himself, and God's fellowship, reconciliation, grace and salvation towards man while there is still time to receive it. In fact, one of the greatest tabernacles ever to exist was not one of the glorious structures, but the plain, personal tent of one man, Moses, which he moved and pitched (nata - outstretched, extend, elongate, bend down, coming down, descending) outside and far away from the camp of the Israelites (Ex. 33:7). So great was this personal aleph-tav-tabernacle (as written in the Hebrew), that whenever Moses entered it to speak to the LORD, all of the Israelites watched him, and they worshipped the LORD from the doorways of their own tents (v. 8-10). To this solitary, personal tent, the LORD descended in a cloud, and spoke to Moses face to face (v. 11). In this personal tabernacle, Moses called upon the grace of the LORD five times, seeking His forgiveness for the Israelites who had sinned against the LORD by worshipping a molded golden calf. The LORD answered Moses' pleas by His grace. (v. 12-17). This tabernacle had no outer glory, but was filled inwardly with the glory and presence of God. These are the temples that we are called to be also (1 Cor. 3:16-17, 1 Cor. 6:19-20). Some of the greatest "works" of the LORD are not accomplished on grand stages, in front of crowds of thousands, but are done in private, where no human eyes can see. The greatest "work" of all was accomplished in a lonely place, also outside the gates of the city, on a cross. In the same vein, we can sometimes "elevate" and take great pride in our own salvation, as if it was the result of an accomplishment of ours! We may fall into the trap of feeling superior to others because of the work of Jesus on our behalf. This then becomes an idol to us, which God brings to our eyes in this week's Sabbath portion. We read for the first time in scripture of the Book in which our names are written as belonging to God. As Moses pleads with God to spare the Israelites, he cries: "Oh, these people have committed a great sin, and have made for themselves a god of gold (referring to the golden calf)! Yet now, if You will forgive their sin - but if not, I pray, blot me out of Your book which You have written." (Ex. 32:31-32). Moses was willing to give up his own eternal relationship with God if the people of God could not be spared. The apostle Paul expressed a similar thought as he desired with all his heart to see his own Jewish people accept the Savior and Messiah, Jesus: "...I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh, who are Israelites..." (Rom. 9:2-4). Who gets removed from the Lamb's Book of Life is up to the Lord, not us, but would we ever be able to lay our own salvation on the line for the salvation of others? Do we care enough about the salvation of others to even consider doing so? It is unthinkable! The prayers of Moses and Paul were not empty religious words, but heart-felt cries that reflected the cry of God's own heart, and I believe that those prayers were heard and understood by God in that spirit. As we read above, as God gave Moses the detailed plans for the tabernacle and priestly garments, He emphasized that His Sabbath should not be neglected. Here is another idol to many - the Sabbath. What does it mean to God, and what has man decided that it means? Jesus dealt with this idol when He healed, casted out demons, and spoke the truth regarding the Sabbath in the synagogues and temple. The people had made the Sabbath into a religious idol, creating rules, and persecution surrounding it. Jesus said that God was indeed working on the Sabbath, and so He was doing the same works as His Father- works of miracles, and healing: "For this reason the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill Him, because He had done these things on the Sabbath. But Jesus answered them, 'My Father has been working until now, and I have been working...Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner." (Jn. 5:16-19). Also, as we saw in the meaning of the word "rest" above, spiritual enemies of man are being exterminated, destroyed, removed, and restrained in the Father's and the Son's "work" of the Sabbath. Jesus didn't break the Sabbath, He embodied the Sabbath, as He saw what His Father was doing on the Sabbath. God intended the Sabbath to be rest and refreshing to man, and as an eternal sign , the meaning of which includes "miracles" as discussed above. The Sabbath is holy because it is a time to stop the ordinary cares and activities of life in order to listen and hear, and look and see the works of rest, mercy and refreshing that the Father is doing, so we, like Jesus, may do the same. It is a sign of His covenant. There is a Lord of, and contained within, the Sabbath (Mt. 12:8), but the Sabbath itself is not lord over man. This is why Jesus also said, "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath." (Mk. 2:27-28). It is unfortunate that the marvelous, true intentions of the Sabbath are ignored, or have become subject to a form of idolatry that elevates man's own interpretations and doctrines, rather than God's. The Sabbath of man's interpretation becomes a form of godliness while denying its power (2 Tim. 3:5). A more obvious idol to our understanding, the golden calf that we heard about above, is found in this week's reading in Ex. 32. Moses had been on the mountain, communing with God for an extended period of time, and the Israelites grew fearful. They said to Aaron, Moses' brother and future high priest: "Come, make us god(s) that shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him." (Ex. 32:1). The first problem here is that the children o Israel so quickly lost touch with the truth that it was not Moses who brought them out of the land of Egypt, but God (Ex. 20:2, Ex. 29:45-46 and over 80 additional verses). Moses was His prophet, leader, and would become the one who delivers the Word of God to the people of God. With their eyes on Moses, they lost the knowledge of the sovereignty and salvation of God (Ex. 14:13-14). This is a type of idolatry also, isn't it? When Moses was removed from their sight, the people insisted that Aaron make them an idol to take the place of Moses and the God he served. Aaron listened to them, and fashioned a golden calf for them with an engraving tool. Then the people said: "This is your god, O Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt!" (Ex. 32:4). When Moses saw what they had done, he asked his brother, Aaron: "What did this people do to you that you have brought so great a sin upon them?" (v. 21). Aaron blamed the people as being evil, and then lied, telling Moses that he threw their gold into the fire, and the calf just came out by itself (v. 24). The voice and desires of the people became an idol to Aaron, "elevated" above the truth he knew of God. He did whatever they told him to do, even though he knew it was wrong, and called it evil. We see the same today, as churches listen to the voices of the people, even knowing it is evil, rather than the voice and Word of God which saves. Joshua described this voice of the people as "a noise of war", and not in a good way (Ex. 32:17-18). To me, the golden calf, although it may represent a specific pagan god of then and now, really represents the idolatrous worship of the fears and desires of the people. Idols, which are made by man, have no power, as was shown in another portion from our sabbath reading in 1 Kings 18. The prophet Elijah exposed the uselessness of the false gods that Israel had chosen to follow, which were Ba'al and Asherah. He confronted the King, four hundred and fifty of the false prophets who served these gods, and all the people of Israel who had turned to these gods. In the "showdown", the false prophets did all that they could to make their gods answer them, including sacrificing a bull, calling on their gods' names, leaping about, and eventually, out of desperation, cutting themselves until their own blood gushed out, but their gods did not answer (1 Kings 18:25-29). As Elijah set up a sacrifice to the true and only God of Israel, the LORD answered Elijah with fire from heaven that consumed the offering: "Now when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, 'The LORD, He is God! The LORD, He is God!" ( 1 Kings 18:38-39). Establishing and elevating idols of the work of men's hands and ways, or giving way to idols to please the people, may be easy and tempting to do, but they will never testify to the saving power of God. From another of this Sabbath's readings, Psalm 96, scripture says: "For the LORD is great and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but the LORD made the heavens. Honor and majesty are before Him; strength and beauty are in His sanctuary (miqdas/qadas - sacred, holy place, hallowed part/sanctify, dedicate, consecrate, prepare, purified)...For He is coming, for He is coming to judge the earth. He shall judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with His truth." (v. 4-6, 13). If you would like to learn more about the worship of God in Spirit and in Truth, you can join me in my prayer: "Heavenly Father, I want to give a true testimony of Who You are, or how You reign over all creation as the only God. I only want to elevate You and Your name. Cleanse me, Lord, and cleanse my nation, of all idols. There is only one name under heaven by which man may be saved, and it is the name of Jesus, Your only begotten Son. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit, Who will lead me into all truth, and guard my heart. Let my heart, my mouth and my life be a testimony of You. I ask this in Jesus' name. AMEN."

Glory&Beauty

Sometimes in the day to day routines and problems of life, I forget the kind of majesty that God has made available to us. In reading this week's sabbath portion titled T'tzavveh, meaning "You shall command", I was reminded of the system of glory and beauty that God has ordained for us in the heavenly realms now, in this life, and the exodus, or "way or road out of", that has been provided in this system of glory and beauty. This week's sabbath reading, starting in Exodus chapters 27 through 29, deals with the establishment of the priesthood which would serve God in the tabernacle of the wilderness. The brother of Moses, Aaron, and his four sons were set apart for the priesthood: "And you shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for beauty. So you shall speak to all who are gifted artisans (hakam + leb - exceedingly wise in heart and understanding), whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they make Aaron's garments, to consecrate him, that he may minister to Me as priest...So they shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother and his sons, that he may minister to Me as priest." The LORD commanded that the work on portions of Aaron's garments be "artistically worked", and "intricately woven". Although God has gifted these artisans with a Spirit of Wisdom, I wonder if they mastered their craft under their slavery to Pharaoh. Where else would they learn the application of the finest workmanship? Slaves would have no need to make themselves intricately created garments. On these intricately made garments, Aaron the priest was to wear two sets of stones. One set of two onyx stones were to be worn on each shoulder, and twelve, representing the tribes of Israel were to be on a breastplate "over his heart", which was to be attached to the priest's ephod. These stones on the breastplate of judgment (vaw-aleph-tav attached to "judgment") would contain the "Light and Perfection" of the LORD, the Urim (aleph-tav attached) and the Thummim (aleph-tav attached). (Ex. 28:9-12, 20-30). The attachment of an aleph tav, the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet, inserts the presence of Jesus, the Messiah, who called Himself the Alpha and the Omega translated into the Greek, or the Aleph-Tav. Urim is a word that means "lights, revelation, shine, glorious". Thummim means "perfection, upright, completeness, innocence, end, finished, done, accomplish, consumed, spent". As Jesus, the Light of the world (Jn. 8:12), hung attached to the front of the cross, as if He were the breastplate attached on the front of Aaron's body over the heart region, He said, "It is finished." (Jn. 19:30). He served as the Urim and Thummim, the Light and the Perfection, the confirmation of God's plan of salvation. In another portion from this week's sabbath reading, David's life was saved by consulting the Urim and the Thummim of the priest's ephod (see 1 Sam. 23:1-13). Upon the stones that were attached to Aaron's shoulders and on the breastplate, the names of the twelve tribes of Israel were engraved: "With the work of an engraver in stone, like the engravings of a signet...And the stones shall have the names of the sons of Israel, twelve according to their names, like the engravings of a signet, each one with its own name..." (v. 11,21). These engravers gifted by God, were to engrave the stones as one would engrave a signet ring, the symbol of royal authority. Slaves don't wear signet rings, so the Hebrews would have had to perfect their Spiritual gifts from God by serving Pharaoh and his court in their slavery. This is a good reminder to us that although we may be gifted by God, those gifts are perfected into artisan quality by the trials and difficulties we may face (1 Pet. 4:12-14). Regarding the engraving of the stones worn on the shoulders and on the ephod of the priest, and continuing in the imagery of the Cross, Jesus was also engraved. He was engraved, both front and back according to the Shroud of Turin, with the many marks of a whip. Isaiah and Peter both wrote that these engravings into His skin were and are for our healing (Hebrew:rapa/Greek: iaomai - heal, physician, cure, repaired, restore favor, make whole, to mend, to pardon/heal, cure, make whole: to free from errors and sin, to bring about one's salvation). Scripture refers to the Book of Life, and the Lamb's Book of Life (Phil. 4:3, Rev. 3:5, 13:8, 17:8, 20:12,15, 21:7, 22:19). Could that Book have been written by the whip marks that engraved our names into Jesus flesh, as names were to be engraved like a signet upon the stones of the priest's garment? A Living Book, as well as a Book of Life? We are called living epistles (meaning "to send a message"): "...clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart." (2 Cor. 3:3). Would Jesus be less than a living epistle? As Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father on our behalf, does each mark upon Him bring our name before the Father as a memorial? If it seems distasteful to imagine our names engraved upon Jesus in this painful manner, we can also consider the verse: "Can a woman forget her nursing child, and not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, yet I will not forget you. See (hen - Behold!), I have inscribed/graven (haqaq - to cut out, engrave, cut upon, mark out, decree) you on the palms of My hands (root word kapap - bore out, dig out, bend oneself, to submit oneself); your walls are continually before Me." (Isa. 49:15-16). The LORD tells us here to see, to look upon the engraving upon His body. He wants us to see them. The words and images contained in the description of the priestly garments and regalia bring to my eyes the image of Christ, our High Priest (see Heb. 4:14-16, 8:1), positioned on the cross. God also told Moses to follow the pattern shown to him on the mountain concerning everything related to the tabernacle (Ex. 25:40). This command must also include the garments of the priests. The Book of Hebrews tells us that the pattern followed by Moses on earth was after the heavenly things (Heb. 8:5). In scripture, the engraving works both ways. In Rev. 2:17, each of those who overcome with Christ are given a white stone with a new name that only they will know, written upon it. Revelation 22:4 says: "They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads." This is what I see in the pattern concerning the garments of the priest, Aaron (meaning "light bringer"). If this is the image of Christ's priesthood, then it is also the image of our priesthood of glory and beauty, because we also are called to be kings and priests (Rev. 1:6, 5:10). In another part of the description of the priest's robe, scripture says: "And upon its hem you shall make pomegranates of blue, purple, and scarlet, all around its hem, and bells of gold between them all around...And it shall be upon Aaron when he ministers, and its sound (qol - voice, thunder, proclamation, send out, call aloud, the voice of God thundering) will be heard (sama - hear, obey) when he goes into the holy place before the LORD and when he comes out, that he may not die." (Ex. 28:33-35). There are various thoughts and traditions regarding the bells (pa-amon/pa'am - stroke, beat, being struck, like the strike needed to sound a bell, beat persistently, hit, impel) and pomegranates (rimmon/ramam- upright, lifted up, exalted, high, lofty, rise up) on the hem of Aaron's robe. However, the Hebrew meanings of the words as shown above, used in these verses, give us another very clear image. The LORD is listening for a certain sound to be produced, a thunderous proclamation, and this sound will keep Aaron from dying when he enters into the presence of the LORD in the Holy of Holies. Considering the meaning of the words, perhaps the sound that pacifies God toward men is the sound associated with the beating and lifting up of His Son, Jesus. Every strike upon Jesus had a sound and a meaning before the Father's eyes and ears. The prophet Isaiah brought the Word of the LORD regarding this: "Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise (daka/dak - break, beat to pieces, humble, trample, afflict, chastise, reprove) Him; He has put Him to grief, when You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed (zera - seed, child, fruitful, harvest, yielding seed, produce seed, scatter seed), He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand. He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge, My righteous Servant shall justify many, for He shall bear their iniquities." (Isa. 53:10-11). In Isaiah's verse, there is a beating of His Servant, or chastising, and this pleases the LORD because of the seed that is produced. The Son/Servant is beaten to produce seed, to produe a harvest, therefore it is pleasing. Pomegranates are all seed! There is very little pulp in this fruit and it is inedible, but the fruit is filled with edible and delicious seeds. Once you open the fruit, you have to "beat it" with a wooden spoon to get the edible seeds to fall out. God's Son wasn't beaten against His will, but He willingly submitted to the abuse and execution, knowing it would please His Father as the Son's soul became an offering for sin. Jesus told His disciples before His arrest: "Put your sword in its place...Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels? How then could the scriptures be fulfilled, that it must happen thus?" (Mt. 26:52-54). The Father was listening. Jesus never prayed for those legions of angels, which the Father would have sent. Jesus submitted to all that followed so that the scriptures would be fulfilled. Some of those scriptures pertain to the garments that consecrated Aaron as priest, and were for glory and beauty. Isaiah says that the Father was pleased with His Son's choice. This sabbath is a special sabbath called Zachor, which means "Remember". It is the sabbath before Purim. In the remembrance of Purim, we see another example of the sacrificial priesthood of Christ. Queen Esther, clothed in her royal attire of glory and beauty, voluntarily risked her life in order to come before her husband, the King, saying "If I perish, I perish!" (see Esther 4:11-17). Because she came sacrificially, she was accepted into the presence of the King, and "she did not die." She made intercession before the King on behalf of the Jewish people, herself included, and exposed Haman's plot of genocide. Many view Esther as a prophetic type of the Church, the Bride of Christ, and so she was, as she followed "the exodus - sacrificial way, the road out of" of the prophesied Christ, our Priest of intercession. If you would like to know more about Jesus Christ as our Priest before the Father on our behalf, you can pray with me: "Heavenly Father, You have given Your Son as my High Priest covered in glory and beauty. He is ever making intercession before You on my behalf. He is engraved with my name, written in His living book. The thundering sound proclaimed by His sacrifice is pleasing to Your ears, because it has produced abundant seed and harvest of souls, including mine. By Your Holy Spirit, help me to continue to learn the revealing of Christ in the imagery of the garments of Your priesthood, so I may learn how to be a priest before You in the image of Jesus, Your Son. I ask this in Jesus' name. AMEN." **There is a free ebook now available that was written by a well-respected author and expert on the subject of the fascinating Shroud of Turin titled: "The Shroud of Turin- A Perfect Summary". You can get this free ebook by going to www.TheShroudofTurin.org/freebook.**