Build

       Last week we looked at the kind of offering that God requires to build His Tabernacle/Temple/Spiritual House.  This week I hope that we will be able to see how that House of God is for the purpose of, and containment of His glory, and how the use or misuse of His vessels of glory can affect the building of God's kingdom.

     In a vision of Isaiah the prophet, he saw and heard angelic creatures in heaven who stood above the throne of the Lord, crying, "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory (kabode - glory, honor, abundance, splendor, dignity, reputation, reverence, weight, copiousness, heaviness, majesty, magnificent, the heart and soul)!" And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke. So I said: "Woe is me, for I am undone (dama - to cease, cut off, destroy, perish, to make an end of, to lay waste, to desolate)! Because I am a man of unclean (tame - unclean, impure, defiled, polluted, profane God's name, profane with wickedness) lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega in Greek, as Christ referred to Himself: see Rev. 1:8, Rev. 21:6, Rev. 22:13) King, the LORD of hosts." (Isa. 6:3-5). According to Isaiah's vision, the whole earth is full of the glory of the LORD, and the glory of the LORD reflects the magnificent holiness of His heart and soul as we see from the meaning of the Hebrew words. Jesus told His Father in heaven that He had given us the same glory as the Father had given Him (see Jn. 17:22-23)). This is an incredible gift. This week's Sabbath reading portion will teach us about the design and pattern of the glory and our treatment of the glory.

     This week's Sabbath reading portion is titled T'tzavveh, meaning "you shall command", which begins in Exodus Chapter 27 and runs through part of Chapter 30. The title comes from Ex. 27:20, in which the LORD says to Moses: "And you shall command the (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) children of Israel that they bring you pure oil (semen/samen - from a primitive root meaning "to shine") of pressed olives (zayit/ziv - as yielding illuminating oil, to adorn, to shine, to be clothed, splendor, brightness, freshness and beaty, clear and brilliant/brightness) for the light, to cause the lamp to burn continually." While olive oil is often associated with the Holy Spirit, this Sabbath reading also leads us to connect it to "the glory" by its meaning in Hebrew.

     The next command given to Moses was to take and dress Aaron and his sons in "holy garments" to be made by gifted artisans whom the LORD has filled with the spirit of wisdom (Ex. 28:1, 3). The LORD said: "And you shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for beauty." (v. 2). As the LORD describes in detail the garments for Aaron the high priest, He also says: "...And you shall make hats (migba'a - turban, headgear, mitre) for them, for glory and beauty.  So you shall put them on (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) Aaron your brother and on his sons with him..." (Ex. 28:40-41). Although sacrifices and the anointing of sanctification were also commanded regarding the priests and the tabernacle, the LORD said: "...at the door of the tabernacle of meeting before the LORD, where I will meet you to speak with you. And there will I meet with the children of Israel, and the tabernacle shall be sanctified by My glory. So I will consecrate the (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) tabernacle of meeting and the altar. I will also consecrate both Aaron and his sons to minister to Me as priests. I will dwell among the children of Israel and will be their God." (Ex. 29:42-45). The glory of the LORD sanctifies His house, and we are the spiritual house of God, the temple of the Holy Spirit. Not only does the glory sanctify His House, but the garments of the priests, as we are also called to be, were to reflect the glory of the LORD.

     In another reading from this Sabbath, the prophet Ezekiel had a remarkable vision of the building of a Temple of the LORD, which many believe will be the third Temple to be built in Jerusalem, and, as usual, the House of God has a present spiritual application for us as well. After Ezekiel describes the details of this prophetic Temple of God, he also sees the following: "Afterward he (a "man" whose appearance was like the appearance of bronze: see Ezek. 40:3) brought me to the gate that faces towards the east. His voice was like the sound of many waters; and the earth shone with His glory...and I fell on my face (see also Rev. 1:12-18). And the glory of the LORD came into the temple by way of the gate which faces toward the east. The Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court; and behold, the glory of the LORD filled the temple.  Then I heard Him speaking to me from the temple, while a man stood beside me. And He said to me, 'Son of man, this is the (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) place of the soles of My feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel forever. No more shall the house of Israel defile My holy name (see Isaiah above - "unclean lips"), they nor their kings, by their harlotry or with the carcasses of their kings on their high places."  (Ezek. 43:1-7). The imagery of this glory-filled Temple as Ezekiel would relate it to Israel, would change their profaning ways, just as Isaiah was changed by his vision. In this case, the glory was not confined to the Temple that Ezekiel saw prophetically, but the whole earth shone with that glory, as Isaiah also saw above. We are familiar with the glory as believers in Christ, and as Jesus declared, we are partakers in that same glory. However, this is not to be a point of boasting for us, but a point of change. How can we experience the glory of God and not be changed? The glory that Jesus, the Word, had, was the glory of the only begotten of the Father, and was manifested by His being full of grace and truth, not for His own benefit, but for the benefit of others (Jn. 1:14). So we can also see that the Word of God as Jesus, is directly connected to His glory from this verse in the Gospel of John. Jesus also described Himself as a temple, saying, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.'...But He was speaking of the temple of His body." (Jn. 2:18-21, also see Rev. 21:22-23).

     We saw above in Exodus, that the priests' garments were designed for glory and beauty. In another reading portion from this Sabbath, we will see that David's prophetically promised kingdom is preserved by a portion of the priest's garment. In 1 Sam. 23, Saul was the king of Israel, but the report of the attack of the Philistines at Keilah, who were robbing the grain from the (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) threshing floors, was brought to David's attention. David had already been anointed by Samuel to be the next king of Israel, but he was not yet king. Saul hated David as a rival and sought his life. Upon hearing of the attack of the Philistines, "...David inquired of the LORD, saying, 'Shall I go and attack these Philistines?' And the LORD said to David, 'Go and attack the Philistines and save (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) Keilah.' (1 Sam. 23:1-2). As the king, it would have been Saul's job to inquire of the LORD and go into battle, but he didn't do it. He was busy seeking David to kill him. David's men were reluctant to go on this mission and expose themselves to Saul's discovery. David inquired again of the LORD, and the LORD told him to go and attack the Philistines (v. 3-4).  The attack was successful, and the inhabitants of Keilah were saved (v. 5). Saul indeed heard about David being at Keilah and prepared to go there and kill David. A priest, Abiathar had fled to David at Keilah, and brought the priest's ephod, the breastplate of the priest's garment (see above), in his hand. David inquired of the ephod that if Saul attacked David at Keilah, would Keilah give him over to Saul. The LORD answered that David would be delivered into Saul's hands, so David and his men fled, and their lives were saved (v. 6-13). David sought the grace and truth of the glory that was in the LORD's spoken Word (Jn. 1:14), and he sought the glory and beauty that was in the priestly garments (Ex. 28:2). This saved his life and built his future kingdom.

     While David's kingdom was being built up, in another reading portion from this Sabbath, Saul's kingdom was about to come crashing down, because he would profane the glory of the LORD. The prophet/judge Samuel came to King Saul with a command of the LORD: "The LORD sent me to anoint you king over His people, over Israel. Now therefore, heed the voice of the words of the LORD....Now go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them."  (1 Sam. 15:1-3). According to Jewish oral tradition, the Amalekites were involved in a form of occultism that included changing shapes, even into animal shapes. They had also mistreated Israel. For these reasons the LORD wanted all destroyed, including the animals. As the LORD pronounced judgment on them, they are written in Hebrew as aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega Amalekites (as written in v. 3). This indicates that they had known the LORD but had chosen instead to profane Him and follow after acts of spiritual darkness. We already know that the Word of the LORD, which came in the flesh as Jesus, is full of glory from Jn. 1:14, but Saul did not obey it. He captured (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) Agag (meaning "I will overtop", "I shall increase"; flame), the king of the Amalekites, alive, and saved the best of their animals because it seemed like a good idea to him (v. 7-9). The LORD told Samuel that He greatly regretted setting up (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) Saul as king, "for he has turned back from following Me." (v. 10-11). Not only did Saul disobey the voice of the Words of God, but he built a monument to himself at Carmel! (v. 12). Samuel heard the sounds of the animals as he approached Saul's camp. He said to Saul: "When you were little in your own eyes, were you not head of the tribes of Israel? And did not the LORD anoint you king over Israel?..." (v. 17). Saul still had the hardness of heart to defend his disobedience to Samuel., saying, "But I have obeyed the voice of the LORD...", and he blamed the people for taking the best of the animals to offer before the LORD (v. 20-21). 

     Samuel announced the fall of Saul's kingdom in this way: "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 is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) word of the LORD, He also has rejected you from being king." (V. 22-23). Saul tried to repent, but it was too late (v. 24-26). Saul even tried to physically seize Samuel's robe as he turned away, but Samuel again said, "The LORD has torn the (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) kingdom of Israel from you today, and has given it to a neighbor of yours, who is better than you (referring to David). And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent/relent. For He is not a man, that He should repent/relent." (v. 27-29). It had seemed right to Saul to bring the huge offering to the LORD, but in the eyes of the LORD it was a despised offering that reflected Saul's rebellion and disobedience to the voice of the (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) Word of the LORD. It is this Word that is full of His glory (see Jn. 1:14). Saul also showed where his heart truly was when he built, not the temple of God, not the Kingdom of God, but a monument to himself at Carmel (meaning "garden land", fruitful field, planted field, orchard, vineyard, vines, vintage, full ears of corn).

     We should also know that the Amalekite king, Agag, whom Saul left alive against the Word of the LORD, would have a descendant generations later named Haman, described as an Agagite (Esther 3:1-2), who would plot to have all of the Jews of Persia killed because one man had offended him. The genocide order was in place and, except for a miracle of God, would have been carried out. He was one of the most notorious villains in scripture. His destruction, along with all of his sons, is recorded in the Book of Esther, and celebrated by the festival of Purim, which will occur in March. The LORD's commands, which Saul considered to be unreasonable, were also based upon His omniscient knowledge of the future. 

     There is a connection between "obedience" as the LORD speaks of it to Saul above, and His glory. In Phil. 2:5-11, the humble obedience of Jesus Christ towards His Father, even by His death on the cross, caused God to exalt Him highly and give Him a name that is above all others. By this name, all creation is brought into worship and reverence, confessing that Jesus Christ is LORD, "to the glory of God the Father".

     If you would like to know more about building the place and the kingdom of the glory of God, you can pray with me: "Father of all, You have made all things, including me, for Your glory. I pray, Father, that by Your Word and by Your Spirit, You would teach me to glorify You in all that I think, say, and do. Lead me to walk in obedience and to seek and honor Your Word rather than my own will. Forgive me, Lord, when I have sought my own glory and praises. Help me to remain "small in my own eyes" so that I may be made big in Your eyes. Let me be a spiritual temple that is filled with the glory of Almighty God in Christ. I ask these things in Jesus' name, which is the name above all names! AMEN."

     

     

TheOffering

      The title of this week's Sabbath reading portion is T'rumah, meaning "offering". T'rumah comes from the Hebrew root word, rum, which has a powerful meaning for all of us because it means "heave offering, to rise (up), be high, exalted, set on high, to be raised, lifted, lifted up upon, to lift up oneself, elevate, to offer, to become high and powerful". I immediately think of Jesus Christ crucified as a rum offering for our sins and raised up in resurrection. The word t'rumah is used in one of our beginning verses from this Sabbath, found in Ex. 25: "Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: "Speak to the children of Israel, that they bring Me an (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega in Greek, the name of Jesus in Rev. 1:8, Rev. 21:6, Rev. 22:13) offering. From everyone who gives it willingly (nadab - make willing, offered freely, give willingly, volunteer, spontaneously) from his heart (leb/lebab/labab - inner man, heart, the soul, the life, mind, wisdom, understanding, conscience, friendly, kindly, seat of courage/in the midst of (heaven)/transport with love, ravish my heart) you shall take My (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) offering." (Ex. 25:2). Every component of the tabernacle would be brought from the spiritual pattern of heaven into the natural realm of earth from these aleph-tav, rum offerings. 

     According to this verse this offering requested by God for the building of the tabernacle is connected to and identified with The Aleph-Tav, Jesus, in the written Hebrew, and must be given by the will and love of each heart. The purpose of this offering is to contribute various precious items to be used in the construction of a tabernacle, the pattern of which the LORD will show Moses: "And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them. According to all that I show you, that is, the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furnishings, just so shall you make it." (Ex. 25:8-9). The tabernacle of the dwelling of God among His people is built upon a voluntary love offering. Jesus' voluntary offering of Himself (see Jn. 10:14-15 and 17-18) is also the chief cornerstone of the spiritual temple being built with each of us as the living stones of it (Eph. 2:20).  As the children of Israel brought the various precious items that would construct the tabernacle, we are the precious items that are being used to construct God's spiritual house. We are the temple of the presence of the Holy Spirit as a result of Christ's free-will aleph-tav, rum offering. Jesus is the offering of God, given because of God's love for the world (Jn. 3:16-17). Christ also loved the Church, the Ekklesia, and gave Himself for it before it existed as such (Eph. 5:25-27). 

     As we continue to look at the offering in this T'rumah Sabbath reading portion in 1 Kings 5, young King Solomon is preparing to build the temple that his deceased father, King David, had designed and supplied. In order to build the temple in Jerusalem, Solomon will need cedar timber from Lebanon. Solomon sent a message to King Hiram (hiram/hur - free-born, noble-born/fine white linen [see Rev. 19:6-8], white cloth) of Tyre (sor - "a rock") in Lebanon telling him of his plan to build the temple according to the will of his father, and to request the cedar. Lebanon was known for its tall, straight and fragrant cedar (erez/araz) trees, which had deep roots, were without knots, and unlikely to decay. Hiram had already reached out to Solomon earlier: "Now Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants to Solomon because he heard that they had anointed him king in place of his father, for Hiram had always loved David." (1 Kings 5:1). When Hiram heard the (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) words of Solomon, "he rejoiced greatly and said, 'Blessed be the LORD this day, for He has given David a wise son over this great people!" (v. 7). Hiram answered Solomon's request, writing: "I have considered the message which you sent me, and I will do all you (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) desire concerning the cedar and cypress (beros - tall, stately, noble, fruit bearing tree used especially for making lances and musical instruments) fir logs...Then Hiram gave Solomon cedar and cypress logs according to all his desire." (v. 8, 10). In exchange, Solomon sent Hiram great amounts of wheat for fine bread, and olive oil every year. There was peace between Hiram and Solomon and the two of them made a treaty together (v. 12). Solomon began this huge building project which would take seven years because of his obedience and love for his father, and Hiram became part of this holy endeavor with Solomon because of his love for David, who was a forefather of the Messiah/Christ who was also called "the Son of David" (see Lk. 18:35-43). We can conclude from this, I believe, that Hiram represents prophetically the believers who have been transformed and purified by the aleph-tav, rum offering of Jesus Messiah/Christ.

     The tabernacle was built to bring the dwelling presence of God among His people as stated in the verses from Ex. 25 above, and the temple was built to bring the Ark of the Covenant and the holy vessels into the sanctuary according to another Sabbath reading portion in 1 Chron. 22:19. David said: "Now set your heart and your soul to seek the LORD your God, to bring the (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) ark of the covenant of the LORD and the holy vessels of God into the (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) house that is to be built for the name of the LORD."

     The aleph-tav, rum offering is not defined only by the giving things or money, as is the usual manner of thinking, but for the offering to be "high and powerful" (see the meaning of rum above) the offering must be of the life, the leb/lebab heart, and the soul of the giver. This principle becomes clearer in the New Testament, as Jesus, and then the apostles, reveal the power of the aleph-tav, rum offering. 

     The first thing that comes to mind are the words of Jesus when He said: "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it..." (Mt. 16:24-25). Then Jesus spoke about rewarding each according to his works (v. 27). We most often interpret these verses above as pertaining to martyrdom or severe persecution for our faith in Christ, but there is also a spiritual meaning to be considered. Paul wrote of this meaning: "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in/of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." (Gal. 2:20). This is a picture of an aleph-tav, rum offering that is high and powerful and working in and through us.

     Jesus also mentioned rewarding "works" in connection with taking up one's cross in the Mt. 16 verses above. Part of Christ's "work" while on the cross as an aleph-tav, rum offering for our sins included these words said (lego - affirm over, maintain, teach, command, direct, speak out, to lay forth, put forth, ask, to call by name, to collect, to gather): "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do." (Lk. 23:34). When we see sin, do we make this same aleph-tav, rum offering of words from our heart, soul, and life to our Father on behalf of the sinners? We have been given this authority to do so. Jesus said these powerful words to His disciples: "Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.' And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, 'Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." (Jn. 20:21-23). Sometimes we don't have the opportunity to preach or teach directly to someone regarding sin, but we do have the opportunity to give the offering of ourselves in this manner. Jesus found this "work", and the "work" of accepting one of the criminals who was crucified beside Him, was important enough to use His struggling breaths on the cross to speak it as an offering before His Father. Another of His "works" on the cross was to ensure by His Words that His widowed mother would have a place in a household of faith, a spiritual temple of God, to have a place in the Ekklesia Church that would be born out of His death and resurrection (Jn. 19:25-27). Do we speak these aleph-tav, rum offering words from our lives, hearts, and souls to our heavenly Father on behalf of the poor, weak, and vulnerable in order to bring them into the family of God? 

     The apostle Paul wrote of the power of the aleph-tav, rum offering as a living offering: "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living (zao - be among the living, have true life worthy of the name, living water having vital power in itself and exerting the same upon the soul) sacrifice (thysia/thyo - sacrifice/slay, kill [of the paschal/Passover lamb]), holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable (logikos/logos - agreeable to reason, spiritual: pertaining to the soul/speech, sayings [of God], precepts given by God, the Word/Christ) service (latreia/latreuo - divine service, the service and worship of God, to perform sacred services/to officiate or discharge the sacred office of the priest, render service, homage, worship to God).  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." (Rom. 12:1-2). It is this type of high and powerful, aleph-tav, rum offering that builds the tabernacle, temple, spiritual house of the salvation of God upon the cornerstone of the Passover Lamb (see above), Jesus Christ, and I think that it is an example of an important precept from the Word of God that can transform us and renew our minds as we are conformed to the image of Christ (Rom. 8:28-30).

     The apostle Paul also wrote more about the power and exaltation of the aleph-tav, rum offering: "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Phil. 2:5-11). The Kingdom of God under the rule of Jesus Christ over all of creation was and is established through high and powerful, aleph-tav, rum offerings.

     If you would like to know more about these powerful, tabernacle/temple-building, aleph-tav, rum offerings, you can pray with me: "Heavenly Father, by Your mercies, by Your Word, and by Your Spirit, help me to walk in the knowledge of the aleph-tav, rum offering, even as Christ offered Himself from His heart and soul in this manner for all of us. According to Your Word, You desire for me to understand the meaning of "taking up my cross" and following Your Son. It is this offering that conquered death, hell, and the grave. It is this offering that brings salvation into a life and adds another living stone to the spiritual temple of God. Help me to understand that Your Kingdom is built upon this kind of "high and powerful" offering. I ask this in Jesus' name. AMEN."

Mishpatim

      The Book of Ezekiel opens with an accounting of the day on which "the word of the LORD came expressly to Ezekiel (hazak - strengthen, repair, prevail, courage, encourage, make strong, make bold, be resolute) the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the River Chebar (kebar - length of space, continuance of time, long ago, formerly, now, already); and the hand of the LORD was upon him there." (Ezek. 1:3). On this day, Ezekiel said, "the heavens were opened and I saw visions (mar'a/mar'e/ra'a - a vision as a mode of revelation, mirror, looking glass/appearance, sight, vision, phenomenon, spectacle, countenance, form, visage, pattern/to see, look at, perceive, consider, foresee, seer, discern, be visible, to be caused to see) of God." (v. 1). Last week we read about the direct and powerful encounters in scripture that several had with God which changed their lives. Here is another of those encounters.

     Ezekiel's vision begins with a whirlwind cloud coming out of the north "with a raging fire engulfing it." (v. 4). Within this whirlwind of burning cloud, Ezekiel sees four angelic creatures, with each of the creatures having four wings and four faces, and "they went wherever the Spirit wanted to go..." (v. 12). The appearance of the (angelic) creatures "was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches going back and forth among the living creatures. The fire was bright, and out of the fire went lightning." (v. 13). Ezekiel went on to give a very specific description of what he further saw. Eventually he said that above these creatures was the firmament (raqia - extended surface, expanse, vault of heaven supporting waters above, visible arch of the sky, the heavenly ocean to which the stars are fixed). Ezekiel's vision continues to advance upward, seeing above the firmament to the likeness of a throne, and on the throne " was a likeness with the appearance of a man high above it (v.  26). From His waist up, the man's appearance was the color of amber "with the appearance of fire all around within it", and a voice like the sound of many waters. From the Man's waist down, "...the appearance of (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega in Greek as Jesus was referring to Himself: Rev. 1:8, Rev. 21:6, Rev. 22:13) fire with brightness all around." (v. 27). The brightness that Ezekiel saw around and within this Man was like the appearance of a rainbow: "This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD." (v. 28). The likenesses of both the throne and the Man seen by Ezekiel are very similar to descriptions of Jesus Christ in Rev. 1:13-16 and Rev. 4:3. 

     This awesome and glorious vision changed Ezekiel's life. He received his prophetic calling at that time, and the Word of the LORD for the children of Israel (Ezek. 2:2), who, at this time, along with Ezekiel, were in the middle of their seventy-year captivity by the conquering Babylonians/Chaldeans. They were captives in a foreign land far from their home, as their own land lay in the destruction of war. The Word of the LORD that God had for captive Israel was a Word for a rebellious people who had transgressed against God, whom God described as "impudent" and "stubborn". (v. 3-5). Evidently, their traumatic captivity had not broken through to them, and the LORD very much wanted to break through to them (and perhaps to us). They also had true prophets like Jeremiah telling them that unless they repented, they would fall to Babylon, be taken into captivity. However, the people of Jerusalem chose to believe the more appealing prophecies that promised them victory. After all, would God ever turn away from His people, His city, His temple? Yes, He would, although He would never forget His covenant with them.

     The passage from Ezekiel Chapter 1 above is part of this week's Sabbath reading portion titled Mishpatim, meaning "Judgments/Ordinances". In its way, it is a sad commentary regarding the character of God's people, while, at the same time, it gives us a wonderful view of the character of God. The title comes from the first verse in Ex. 21: "Now these are the judgments (mispat/sapat - judgment, justice, ordinance, manner, right, cause, measure/to judge, govern, vindicate, punish, defend, condemn) which you shall set before them...". In these times, I found that the reading portions for this week brought a very important lesson to me. 

     This Sabbath reading portion includes Ex. 21 through 24. The LORD had just spoken (not yet written on tablets) the Ten Commandments from the mountain top. The LORD then began to speak of the justice to be shown to slaves and servants, and to victims of violence and kidnapping. The LORD demanded that foreigners and the poor were not to be mistreated and were to receive the same uncorrupted justice as others. The children of Israel agreed: "So Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD and all the judgments. And all the people answered with one voice and said, 'All the words which the LORD has said we will do." (Ex. 24:3). An altar was constructed, and sacrifices made by the (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) young men. After Moses wrote all of the LORD's judgments in a Book (of the Covenant). he sprinkled the blood of the sacrifices on the altar, on the Book, and also on the people, saying, "This is (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) the blood of the covenant which the LORD has made with you according to these words." (v. 8). This aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega blood (of Christ) is the same blood that became the New Covenant through Messiah/Christ (see 1 Cor. 11:23-26). These mishpatim judgments that had been spoken by God became a blood-sealed covenant between God and His people, the Israelites.

     We can see the heart of the LORD reflected in His mishpatim judgments concerning the weak, the abused and the vulnerable. As we look at another portion from this Sabbath, we will see that the people of God did not keep this covenant of justice.  During the siege of Babylon against the city of Jerusalem (Jer. 34:1), the prophet Jeremiah had delivered the prophetic Word of the LORD to the king of Judah, Zedekiah, telling him that he would not escape from the king of Babylon, but neither would the king be killed by the sword (Jer. 34:2-5). The king had received this mercy from the LORD because: "...King Zedekiah had made a covenant with (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) all the people who were in Jerusalem to proclaim liberty to them: that every man should set free his (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) male and (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) female slave...that no one should keep a Jewish brother in bondage." (v. 8-9). The princes and the people obeyed "that no one should keep them in bondage anymore" and let their (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) slaves go. However, the princes and the people who had entered into this covenant of liberation changed their minds, "...and made the male and female slaves return, whom they had set free, and brought them into subjection (kabas - subject, subdue, force, keep under, bring into bondage, violate, tread down, conquer, trample under foot) as male and female slaves." (v. 11). The LORD was not pleased and gave this prophetic Word to Jeremiah to deliver to the people: "...you turned around and profaned (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) My name, and every one of you brought back (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) his male and (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) female slaves, whom you had set at liberty...and brought them back into subjection to be your...slaves. Therefore...Behold, I proclaim liberty to you', says the LORD - 'to the sword, to pestilence, and to famine! And I will deliver you to trouble among all the kingdoms of the earth...I will give them into the hands of their enemies and into the hand of those who seek their life..." (v. 16-17, 20). Although God had assured His people that, even in the face of captivity, He would not forget His covenant (of mercy) with them (Jer. 33:25-26), they had immediately forgotten the covenant of liberty that they had established in the Spirit of God's mishpatim judgments. While they were facing enslavement themselves from a brutal enemy, they refused to show mercy and justice in their own hearts while enslaving others, even their own brethren.

     As we see above, although we believe that we can discern the evil in other men's hearts, we often are unable to discern the same evil in our own hearts. Jesus shocked the religious leaders of His day when He told them what lives in the heart (not just some hearts), though a man looks righteous on the outside: "But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man..." (Mt. 15:18-20). Ezekiel prophesied that the LORD would give us new hearts (Ezek. 36:26-27), and John wrote that if we confess our sins to the LORD, He will forgive them and cleanse us (1 Jn. 1:9). This is why Jesus came for us all - so that we did not have to remain dead in our sins, as slaves to sin, but could live in Him.

     It is good to keep these things in mind when we read from the prophet Amos, in another of this week's Sabbath readings. Amos wrote the Word of the LORD to His people concerning the Northern Kingdom of Israel, which went into captivity approximately 150 years before the Southern Kingdom of Judah did: "...shall surely go into captivity...Seek the LORD and live, lest He break out like fire in the house of Joseph, and devour it, with no one to quench it in Bethel (meaning "House of God") - You who turn justice (mispat/mishpatim - see above) into wormwood (la ana - bitterness, to curse, poisonous, accursed, hemlock), and lay righteousness to rest (yanah - leave, withhold, withdraw, abandon, be quiet) in the earth!" (Amos 5:4-7). The LORD accused His people of treading down the poor, taking bribes to afflict the just, and diverting the poor from justice. He urged them to "Seek good and not evil, that you may live; So the LORD of hosts will be with you, as you have spoken. Hate evil, love good; Establish justice (mispat/mishpatim - see above) in the gate. It may be that the LORD God of hosts will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph." (v. 14-15). According to this verse, while God's people were transgressing the mishpatim judgments in this manner, they were saying, "The LORD is with us"! The LORD promised them that there was coming "the day of the LORD" (which they desired to see!) when they would be wailing in the streets.  In the same spirit, do we also look for the Day of the LORD to come, and the wicked to be judged, not realizing that the judgment begins in Bethel - in the house of the LORD? When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the first thing He did was to sternly establish mishpatim justice in the Temple, the House of God, the place of His Name (Mt. 21:12-14). 

     The prophet Malachi also wrote the Word of the LORD to His people: "And I will come near you for judgment (mispat/mishpatim - see above); I will be a swift witness against sorcerers, against adulterers, against perjurers, against those who exploit/oppress (asaq - press upon, oppress, violate, defraud, do violence, obtain deceitfully, be crushed, drink up; to strive, contend, quarrel) wage earners and widows and orphans, and against those who turn away an alien/sojourner/foreigner - Because they do not fear Me,' says the LORD of hosts." (Mal. 3:5). 

     The Spirit that causes us to walk in these mishpatim judgments of the LORD (see Ezek. 36:27) is beautiful, and the LORD desires His people to walk in this beauty: "He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you but to do justly (mispat/mishpatim - see above), to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God." (Mic. 6:8). 

     If you would like to know more about the mishpatim justice of God, you can pray with me: "Heavenly Father, You have called me to walk in Your mishpatim justice towards others. Your Son, our Savior, walked in it, and established it. Heal me Lord, of any spiritual blindness that would prevent me from walking in Your Word by the Spirit of God. Help me to understand Your high and perfect standard of justice that reflects Your goodness and holiness, and the needed mercy that You have provided for me in the blood of Jesus. Let me be transformed by both. I ask this in the name of Jesus. AMEN."

Changed

     This Sabbath's reading portion is titled Yitro, referring to Jethro, Moses' father-in-law. Jethro/Yitro/yeter in Hebrew means "his abundance, his excellence, tent cords that tie tent curtains to the tent pegs in the ground, exceed the measure, remnant, remainder/remnant". If we visualize the meaning of Jethro's name as "a tent cord", it is the connection between the tent peg, or nail (Christ attached to the cross) attached to the earth, and the tent curtain, or (heavenly) tabernacle. Maybe we can think of this as "the Jethro effect" for the purposes of this study, as we will see. This "Jethro effect" should also be working in all of us who are believers in Messiah/Christ Jesus. 

     This Sabbath portion from the Torah includes Exodus Chapters 18 through 20. As we begin the reading, Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses' father-in-law, "has heard of all that God had done for Moses and for (aleph-tav/ "Alpha and Omega" in Greek, referring to Jesus: see Rev. 1:8, Rev. 21:6, Rev. 22:13) Israel His people - that the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt." (Ex. 18:1). Having heard this news, Jethro took his daughter, Moses' wife, (aleph-tav) Zipporah with her two sons to Moses in the wilderness, then encamped at the mountain of God. (v. 2-5).  

     When Jethro met with Moses upon his arrival, Moses bowed down and kissed him: "And Moses told his father-in-law all that the LORD had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel's sake, all the hardship that had come upon them on the way, and how the LORD had delivered them." (v. 8). 

     At this point, Jethro's life is changed. Jethro rejoiced for all the good that the LORD had done for Israel. Jethro blessed the LORD and said: "Now I know that the LORD is greater than all the gods; for in the very thing in which they behaved proudly, He was above them." (v. 11). Then Jethro took a burnt offering and other sacrifices to offer to God." All of the elders of Israel and Arron, Moses' brother, came to eat bread with Jethro before God (v. 12). Jethro had not been there when the LORD had done these miraculous works for the Israelites, but he was changed just by hearing about them. As evidence of the change in Jethro's life, he advised Moses with a word of wisdom that would change how Moses taught, governed and judged the children of Israel in the wilderness (v. 13-27). Jethro had told Moses: "Listen now to my voice; I will give you counsel, and God will be with you..." (v. 19). Jethro's changed life had great impact on Moses and the people of God. As we read last week, a future generation of Jethro would also aid in the deliverance of the Israelites from the enemy general, Sisera. This is the far-reaching purpose of "the Jethro effect".

     In another reading portion from this Sabbath, the prophet Isaiah experiences the Lord in a miraculous way: "In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) temple...And one (seraph [fiery] angel) cried to another and said: 'Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!" (Isa. 6:1-3).

     Isaiah's life was changed as a result of what he saw. He cried: "Woe is me, for I am undone (dama - cause to cease, perish, destroy, be cut off at the sight of the theophany [a visible manifestation of God to humankind])! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) King, the LORD of hosts." (v. 5). At this cry of Isaiah, one of the seraphim angels brought a live coal (rispa,resep - hot, glowing stone or coal, spark, flame, fire bolt, hot thunderbolt) from the heavenly altar in the temple, and touched it to Isaiah's lips, saying: "Behold, this has touched your lips; Your iniquity is taken away, and your sin is purged." (v. 6-7).

     A question was then asked in heaven: "Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?" To this, Isaiah answered: "Here am I! Send me." (v. 8). Isaiah was then given a prophetic word to be brought to the people of God: "Keep on hearing, but do not understand; Keep on seeing, but do not perceive.' Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; Lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and return/convert (sub - turn back (to God), turn back (from evil), repent, be restored) and be healed." (v. 9-10, see also 2 Chron. 7:14). This spiritual blindness and deafness would continue until a time of waste and desolation in the land with the exception of a remnant, or tree stump, having the holy seed (v. 11-12, see also Rom. 11:16-18). Some may think that this prophetic word was fulfilled by the period of Babylonian Captivity, but Jesus, and later His apostles, were still preaching this prophecy given to Isaiah centuries after the return from the Captivity (see Mt. 13:13-16, Mt. 18:1-5, Acts 28:24-27). We may be able to say that this "Jethro effect" on Isaiah's life would institute a powerful prophecy that would set the stage for the Gospel being not only for the Jewish people, but because of the presence of this temporary spiritual blindness, to the Gentiles also (see Rom. 1:16-17, Rom. 11:7-8 Rom. 11:25-27,). It is, in part, because of this prophecy of Isaiah that salvation was allowed to come to every nation, tribe, kindred and tongue.

     In another reading portion from this Yitro Sabbath, we read about "the Jethro effect" occurring on a special occasion in Israel in Nehemiah 7:73 and Ch. 8: "When the seventh month came, the children of Israel were in their cities." (Neh. 7:73). The "seventh month" is the month of Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles. A portion of Israel, 42,360 (Neh. 7:66), had returned from their captivity in Babylon, and had been very focused on re-building the wall and their ruined cities. However, on the first day of the seventh month, all of the people had been gathered together "as one man" in Jerusalem in front of the Water Gate, which was used to bring living water into the temple, especially on the Feast of Tabernacles (see Jn. 7:37-40). Once assembled, Ezra the scribe brought the (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) Book of the Law (the Torah) before the assembly: "Then he read from it in the open square (rehob/rahab - open place, plaza/to be or grow wide or large, be enlarged, make room, broad pasture, the borders or extent of a kingdom) that was in front of the Water Gate from morning until midday, before the men and women and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) Law." (Neh. 8:1-3). We can understand that this was a holy root or stump spoken of in Isaiah's prophecy, a small remnant (yitro/Jethro) of Israel, meeting in a place that symbolized, by the meaning of the Hebrew word, an enlargement or widening pasture for many more people to come. These congregated people were not the blind, deaf, and unperceiving people of the Isaiah prophecy. Ezra made sure to have teachers stationed among the congregation who would explain the Law to the people as it was read so that they would understand (v. 7-8). When the (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) words of the law were heard, the (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) people wept (v. 9). A people who had been busy in each of their respective cities experienced "the Jethro effect" from the hearing of the words of the Law. Because it was the first day of the seventh month, a day of celebration, Ezra and Nehemiah encouraged the people not to weep, for "This day is holy to the LORD your God." (v. 9). However, later in the month, on the twenty-fourth day, those of Israelite lineage separated themselves from the foreigners in their midst, fasted and confessed their sins, and worshipped the LORD their God (Neh. 9:1-2). "The Jethro effect" set up a prophetic picture of all who would later come into the Kingdom of God, all who would become sheep in that enlarged pasture of the Lord.

     We can't leave this topic before looking at one more event. In Ex. chapters 19 through 20 from this week's Yitro/Jethro reading portion, the LORD put on a display of His power and presence never before seen in scripture. The LORD came down to the top of Mt. Sinai (meaning "thorny", one of the three principal summits in the Sinai range) to give His law to His people. This event came exactly three months to the day (Ex. 19:1-2) after His people witnessed the terrible night of the death of the first born in Egypt, and the miracle deliverance from this death by the blood of the Passover Lamb. After that event, they then experienced the miracle crossing through the Dead Sea as the waters of the Sea were heaped up into huge walls so they could pass through, that then closed up again to drown Pharaoh's pursuing army. Now, three months later, they were encamped at the foot of Mt. Sinai, the mountain of the LORD. The people began to witness a powerful display.  The LORD wanted Moses to deliver the Word of the LORD to His people: "You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought (bo - to come in, enter, go in, to be brought in, to attain, enter into [one's body], of a bride: to enter into the house of a husband, of a man: to enter unto a woman) you to Myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) 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." (Ex. 19:4-6, see also 1 Pet. 2:9-10). Many view this as a formal marriage covenant between God and His people, and the meaning of the Hebrew word, bo, used above, supports this view. Moses delivered this message to the people, and the people answered together in agreement (v. 7-8). "Then it came to pass on the third day, in the morning, that there were thunderings and lightnings, and a thick cloud on the mountain; and a sound of a trumpet was very loud, so that all the camp trembled. And Moses brought the people who were in the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. Now Mount Sinai was completely in smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire. Its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly. And when the blast of the trumpet sounded long, and became louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him by voice. (v. 16-19).

     Although this moment at the foot of the mountain of God was frightening in its intensity, if I had witnessed it, it would have brought this question to my mind: "Is anything impossible for this God? NO!"  This should have brought forth "the Jethro effect" in the people of God, but sadly, this was not the case. At witnessing this amazing sight, God's people said to Moses: "You speak with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die." (Ex. 20:18-19). Moses assured them not to be afraid, but the people from that day forward, challenged Moses and Aaron, and tested and rebelled against God on many occasions. They even worshipped a calf made from their gold jewelry that they had demanded be created. They demanded to go back to Egypt. They doubted God and His prophet Moses at every challenge that was set before them. The opportunity for "the Jethro effect" was missed by the people.

     The LORD reveals Himself to us on so many occasions throughout our lives, almost daily in what He calls "our daily bread", looking for "the Jethro effect" to take place in us, to change us. When God's people are willing to be changed by "the Jethro effect", it is an earth-shaking, and earth-changing event, as we have seen in this Sabbath reading. It is a terrible shame upon us when we disregard the blessed daily visitations of God to each of us and therefore refuse to be changed by them. We become like those who are blind, deaf, and unperceiving, of which Isaiah prophesied. Life should not go on as it normally does after these miraculous encounters with our Father, His Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Lord is looking for "the Jethro effect" in our lives. Second Cor. 3:18 says: "But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed (metamorphoo - to change into another form, to transform, transfigure) into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord."

     If you would like to know more about how God looks for change in each of us, you can pray with me: "Heavenly Father, in Your mercy, grace, and love, You visit me daily in some way. I ask You to give me eyes to see, ears to hear, and a heart to understand how these visitations are to change me. Your Word says that I am changed from glory to glory by the Spirit of the Lord. I pray that I would never miss any opportunity to display "the Jethro effect" in my life. I ask this in the name of Jesus. AMEN."