RevolutionaryHope

      When an angel came to Mary with the announcement that she would bear a Son, who was in fact, "the Son of the Highest", Mary was very bewildered by such a possibility. The angel explained and concluded by saying, "For with God nothing will be impossible." (Lk. 1:35-37). 

     This Sabbath reading portion is a double-titled portion: Tazri'a-M'tzora. Tazri'a means "She bears seed", and M'tzora means "infected one". One of the infections from which the LORD offers a remedy in this Sabbath reading portion is the leprosy infection: "Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 'This shall be the law of the leper for the day of his cleansing: He shall be brought to the priest." (Lev. 14:1-2). The priest would accept the sin offering, "and make atonement for him who is to be cleansed from his uncleanness." (v. 19). The verses 3-9 describing the cleansing offering and practice to be done are full of *aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega, too many to document here. The presence of the *aleph-tav in written Hebrew indicates the presence of Jesus to us, because He identified Himself with the *aleph-tav in the Book of Revelation (see *note at the bottom of the page for details). This is also confirmed by the healing of lepers by Jesus many generations later as recorded in the Gospels.

     There is an important thing to know about this cleansing of leprosy which the LORD prescribes to the one afflicted in the Law given to Moses: leprosy was an incurable disease. This is the modern definition of leprosy: "Leprosy- lepra tuberculosa - a chronic infectious disease caused by the bacillus leprae and characterized by the formation of growths in the skin, mucous membranes, peripheral nerves, bones and internal viscera, producing various deformities and mutilations of the human body and usually terminating in death." Death is still the usual outcome according to this definition even though leprosy is now treated with medicine.

     The first documentation of the disease was recorded in ancient Egypt and was attributed at the time to the infection of the waters of the Nile River.  It is believed to have spread to other nearby nations from there. Leprosy is one of the oldest recorded diseases. Today, it is estimated that 2-3 million people are permanently disabled because of leprosy, with India having the greatest number of cases.

     Even though leprosy was a sure death sentence at the time of Moses, the people of God were able to be cleansed through *aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega offerings as given in the Law and ministered through and under the oversight of the priest. Before this, the world had never known this hope and promise regarding the cleansing of leprosy, and the deliverance from certain death.

     There was a prophet in Israel, Elisha (meaning "God is salvation"), who had received a double portion of the anointing that his spiritual mentor, Elijah, had upon his life. Elisha lived in Samaria in the Northern Kingdom of Israel. Both Elisha and his mentor, Elijah, were not prophets in the sense that they received the prophetic Words of the LORD and recorded them in a book as Isaiah and Jeremiah did. Instead, these prophets prophesied primarily through the deeds that they did from the hearing of the Word of the LORD to them. Elijah and Elisha brought the Kingdom of God into the earth by doing His works.

     At this same time, there was a great and mighty man of valor, Naaman (na'aman/na'em - pleasantness/pleasant, beautiful, sweet, delightful, lovely, show gracious favor toward), a man of integrity, who was the commander of the enemy Syrian army. He was also a leper. Naaman had an Israelite slave in his household who had been brought back as a captive to Syria as a young girl after the Syrians had gone on raids into Israel. (2 Kings 5:1-2). This Israelite slave girl said to Naaman's wife: "If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! For he would heal him of his leprosy." (v. 3). Even his captive slave admired Naaman and cared what happened to him. It was as a consequence of this true statement of a little captive slave girl from Israel that Naaman, the Syrian commander, received the news of hope.

     Naaman went to his master, the king of Syria, and told him what the captive Israelite slave girl had said. The Syrian king told Naaman to go to Israel to seek out this prophet, and the king would send a letter to the king of Israel. Naaman took with him large amounts of gold and silver, as well as clothing, prepared to pay for his healing. This letter from the Syrian king to the king of Israel told the king of Israel to heal his servant, (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-Naaman, of leprosy. The king of Israel was shocked by (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-letter and went into mourning, tearing his clothes and saying, "Am I God, to kill and make alive, that this man sends a man to me to heal him of his leprosy?...see how he seeks a quarrel with me." When Elisha heard about the distress of the king of Israel, he told the king not to tear his clothes but to send the Syrian, Naaman, to him, "and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel." (v. 4-8). Elisha was telling the king not to be a messenger of hopeless mourning regarding this event.

     When Naaman came to Elisha's house with his horses and chariot, Elisha would not even come out of his house to speak with him! The prophet sent a servant out to give Naaman this message: "Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored to you, and you shall be clean." (v. 9-10). It is interesting to know that the cleansing of leprosy according to the Law given to Moses, requires that the one suffering from leprosy to be sprinkled seven times. (see Lev. 14:7).

     At first, Naaman was offended and "furious" by the strange instructions and the manner that the instructions had been given to him, but his servants respectfully suggested to Naaman that he might as well do it: "So he went down and dipped seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean." (v. 11-14). Naaman and all of his aides returned to Elisha, and Naaman said to the prophet: "Indeed, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel; now therefore, please take a gift from your servant." However, Elisha refused the gift, saying: "...I will receive nothing." 

     The miraculous healing of Naaman the Syrian's leprosy could have been a turning point in the enmity between Syria and Israel. However, the corrupt action of Elisha's servant seems to have impacted upon that possibility as we will see.

     As Naaman left, Elisha's servant, Gehazi (gehazi/gay'/geva - "valley of vision"/steep valley/pride, lift up), pursued (radap - pursue, chase, persecute, harass, pursue ardently, run after a bribe) Naaman and asked for silver and garments on behalf of the prophets, which Naaman gladly gave to him. Elisha perceived in the Spirit what his servant had done and asked Gehazi: "Is it time ('et/'ada - a fit or proper time, an opportunity, a certain time/adorn oneself, to attack in a hostile manner) to receive (laqah - lay hold of, take in the hand, take possession of, take in marriage, accept, receive, capture, seize, procure) money and to receive clothing, olive groves, and vineyards, sheep and oxen, male and female servants?" Elisha then said to his servant, Gehazi: "Therefore the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and your descendants forever.' And he went out from his presence leprous, as white as snow." (v. 15-27). Considering the meaning of the Hebrew laqah above, could it be possible that receiving the wealth of the Syrian commander also meant receiving or "being married to" the means by which that wealth, as Elisha described it above, was acquired? Abraham, generations earlier, also refused to accept the spoils that were offered to him that were captured in battle by the king of Sodom because it would rob God of the glory He had in Abraham's life. (see Gen. 14:21-24). Perhaps these deeper issues require careful and obedient discernment through the Holy Spirit.

     At a moment that was meant to glorify God for His gracious deliverance of Naaman from the death sentence of leprosy, a moment powerful to pull down spiritual strongholds over a man and even possibly over his nation, Gehazi used that moment to enrich himself.

     From Elisha's question to his servant, it also seems that this miraculous healing came at a pivotal time and purpose in the will and plan of God that would affect something very important. Not long after this miracle healing took place and the inappropriate acceptance of Naaman's gift by Gehazi, it is recorded in scripture that the king of Syria went to war against Israel (see 2 Kings 6:8) and besieged Samaria in a severe and desperate famine (see 2 Kings 6:24-25). 

     The healing of leprosy was a revolutionary, powerful and gracious provision of God beyond all worldly knowledge that was placed into the hands of Israel, for their benefit and even for the benefit of those outside of Israel as the LORD would use it. It was even more importantly a prophetic representation of the ministry of Jesus Messiah/Christ, who healed the unhealable and cleansed the uncleanable, thereby giving hope to the hopeless. All of these things were foretold by the prophets of God. (Ex. 4:6-7, Ps. 51:1-2, 7, Ezek. 36:25, Acts 10:15). As His servants, we are called to have a deeper discernment and understanding regarding this treasure of hope that has been given to the world through Jesus Messiah/Christ, especially at this time.

     If you would like to learn more about our revolutionary hope in Jesus Messiah/Christ, you can pray with me: "Father of all life, You miraculously and sovereignly injected hope into the world that was filled with hopelessness. You provided this hope to point us to the coming of Your Son, Jesus, regarding whose birth the angel said: "...with God, nothing will be impossible." Help me, Lord, to be guided by Your Holy Spirit in discerning Your miraculous works. Help me, Lord, not to question or speak against or judge Your works of salvation, healing and deliverance that You have brought to someone's life. Each one that You touch is part of Your plan for salvation in the earth. I never want to call common what You have sovereignly made clean, but I want to be instead a living "AMEN!" of celebration. I ask this in the name of Jesus. AMEN."

 *NOTE: aleph-tav written in Hebrew as אֶת, are the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The meaning of the two pictographic Hebrew letters can also be interpreted "Adonai (Lord) of the Cross/Covenant". In the New Testament, these letters are translated as Alpha and Omega written as ΑΩ , the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. These letters are those by which Jesus Christ identifies Himself in the Book of Revelation: see Rev. 1:8, Rev. 21:6, Rev. 22:13. 

     

LightofGod

     Last week we studied the Sabbath portion titled Sh'mini, which means "Eighth Day". The Hebrew word not only includes the number eight as well as numbers built upon the number eight like eighteen, eighteen thousand and so on, but the meaning of sh'mini or semini/samen/saman includes so much more. It includes the idea of "plenteous, fat, robust, rich/to shine with oil, to cover with fat or oil." The idea is the overflowing riches of the anointing and shining with the oil of anointing. 

     In keeping with the understanding of the word semini, the Sabbath portion also includes Atz'ma'ut, a recognition of the anniversary of the restoration and independence of the modern nation of Israel. Atz'ma'ut in the Hebrew means "to become an entity". God prophesied that He would restore Israel as a nation, and approximately 2,000 years after its demise, Israel was restored as an independent nation on May 14, 1948. This was a great miracle and fulfilment of prophecy. However, the miracle doesn't end there. While the nation of Israel prospers greatly and is the premier military power in the area, the promise of semini goes so much further. If we limited the fulfilment of God's promises to the 1948 physical re-establishment of the nation of Israel, we would be robbing Israel of the great prophetic semini promises of God for the spiritual riches and anointing that He has for Israel that will impact the world. Because of this, God's semini promises for Israel are important for all of the people and nations of the earth.

     If the Atz'ma'ut anniversary of Israel does not occur until May 14, why does a March/April Sabbath reading portion include it? It was decided that the month of Nisan, which is the month of Passover, is the perfect time to examine the great miracle of this restoration, and God's semini prophecies for Israel.

     The first Atz'ma'ut anniversary reading portion from the Sh'mini Sabbath is from the prophet, Micah, whose Hebrew name Michayahu means "Who is like the LORD (Yahweh)?":

     "Now it shall come to pass in the latter ('aharit/'ahar - after part, end, latter time, future time, posterity, remnant/afterwards, seeing, in the background, hinder parts) days that the mountain of the LORD's house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and peoples shall flow to it. Many nations shall come and say, 'Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths.' For out of Zion the law shall go forth, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He shall judge between many peoples, and rebuke strong nations afar off; They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore....'In that day,' says the LORD, I will assemble the lame, I will gather the outcast and those whom I have afflicted; I will make the lame a remnant, and the outcast a strong nation; so the LORD will reign over them in Mount Zion from now on, even forever." (Mic. 4:1-7, excerpt, also Isa. 2:1-4). Isaiah, who earlier in time wrote this same Word of the LORD added: "O house of Jacob, come and let us walk in the light of the LORD." (Isa. 2:5).

     How wonderful is the semini shining oil of the anointing that will flow out of Jerusalem, as the LORD, Himself, teaches all people and nations! How wonderful is the shining anointing that causes the end of war among the nations of the whole world! How wonderful is the shining anointing that creates a nation from the lame and the outcasts that no one valued! This is not an Atz'ma'ut celebration remembrance that is limited to the physical restoration of the nation of Israel, miraculously brought back from non-existence in 1948, but a Sh'mini celebration of the shining anointing of the LORD, that will change the world. Believers in Messiah/Christ view this prophetic vision of Micah's as the reign of Messiah/Christ Jesus on earth after His return.

     Another Atz'ma'ut (anniversary) reading portion from this Sh'mini Sabbath is from Isaiah 60: "Arise, shine; for your light has come! And the glory of the LORD is risen upon you. For behold, the darkness (hosek/hasak - darkness, misery, destruction, sorrow, obscurity, wickedness, of Hades/become dark, grow dim, confuse) shall cover the earth, and deep darkness ('arapel - heavy thick darkness, gloom, heavy dark cloud) the people; but the LORD will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you. The Gentiles shall come to your light, and the kings to the brightness of your rising. Lift up (nasa - lift up, arise, to carry, forgive, hold up, obtain, cast eyes upon) your eyes ('ayin - sight, a fountain, look well, regard) all around (sabib/sabab - on every side, in a circle/walk around, march around, turn oneself, change, transform), and see (ra'a - see, look, consider, seer, discern, perceive, foresee, have vision, to be visible): They all gather together, they come to you; your sons shall come from afar, and your daughters shall be nursed at your side. Then you shall see (ra'a, see above) and become radiant (nahar - flow together, lightened, to shine, to beam, be radiant), and your heart shall swell with joy...The wealth of the Gentiles shall come to you...And they shall proclaim the praises of the LORD...For the LORD will be your everlasting light, and the days of your mourning shall be ended. Also your people shall all be righteous; they shall inherit the land forever, the branch of My planting, the work of My hands, that I may be glorified. A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation. I, the LORD, will hasten it in its time." (Isa. 60:1-6, excerpt, 20-22).

     As Isaiah wrote the LORD's prophecy above, it must have reminded him of His vision of the Lord on His throne in the temple of God in heaven, and the seraphim angels that cried out to each other: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!" (Isa. 6:3).

     Even when all around is a thick, deep darkness, the LORD is asking above for Israel to "see" with spiritual sight, to turn in place and look all around them and "see into being or visibility" what the LORD has declared over Israel. This goes beyond the establishment of the nation of Israel in 1948, as miraculous as that was. This is a vision of radiant beaming light that shines out from Israel. Nations and people will be drawn out of that crushing darkness towards this beaming sh'mini oil of shining. Israel and all of us who value the Word of the LORD are to prophetically "see" this vision. 

     In the 1930's and 40's a thick darkness of lies and oppression did attempt to cover the earth and to subject all of the people, especially Jewish people, to the point of extinction. However, out of this time of darkness, the nation of Israel was born in 1948. We are living in a time when a great spiritual darkness from hell of destruction, wickedness and misery is again trying to overcome the world. Even now, Isaiah's words from the LORD are again calling out to Israel and to all of us who believe to look up and look all around us and "see" this promise of the manifestation of the light and glory of the LORD coming forth to the world from this restored nation. "All around", or sabib/sabab in Hebrew, includes the meaning of to change, to transform (see above). Seeing with ra'a prophetic sight, brings the invisible into visibility (see ra'a meaning above) and transforms the nations and people even beyond the borders of Israel as the shining light overwhelms the darkness.

     Darkness cannot be destroyed with military strategies or bombs. It is a spiritual power. As Isaiah wrote, darkness, even the thick darkness of Hell, is only overcome with the eternal and gloriously radiant Light of God from within His people whom He has raised up: "Arise, shine; for your light has come! And the glory of the LORD is risen upon you," Isaiah wrote.

     At the current time of great darkness, we are called to lift our eyes all around us and ra'a see the glory of the Kingdom of God, and the glory of the Messianic/Christ's Kingdom here on earth as it is in heaven, and to be that same glory of beaming radiance, the same sh'mini shining with the oil of anointing, that overcomes the darkness. 

     John wrote: "This is the message we have heard from Him (Jesus) and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin." (1 Jn. 1:5-7, see also Jn. 1:4-5, Jn. 8:12, Col. 3:1-4, 2 Pet. 3:13-14, Lk. 21:28). The prophecy of Isaiah above is still powerful, still working, still being fulfilled in the earth. To both the nation of Israel, and to the Jewish and Gentile believers in Messiah/Christ, who are the light of the world as Jesus is the Light of the world, let this Light so shine. (see Mt. 5:14-16).

     The vision of the LORD didn't end in 1948, and the intention of the vision is to beam this shining light into the darkness. The prophet Daniel spoke of those who shine. Jesus spoke of that shine and told us all to be it. He is the source of that shine because He is Messiah/Christ, the Anointed One, anointed with the sh'mini shining oil of Kingship. If you can ra'a see and be the shine, then you will also see Him as the source of it.

     When David wrote of the LORD as his Shepherd in Psalm 23, he said: "...You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over," he was speaking in a way that incorporates the meaning in Hebrew of the Sh'mini (see above) Sabbath.   

     The Hebrew word, Atz'ma'ut, the anniversary of Israel's independence included in the Sh'mini Sabbath, also has in its root meaning the word "bone." Israelites use this meaning to point to the prophecy regarding the valley of dry bones of "the whole house of Israel" that come to life again as Ezekiel obediently prophesied the Word of the LORD over those dry bones, which have been long imprisoned in death. (Ezek. 37:1-14). This was written while Ezekiel and the Israelites were still kept in captivity in Babylon. The LORD promises that He will "...open (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-your-graves" and bring you into the land of Israel...Then you shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-your-graves, O My people, and brought you up from your graves. Then I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land." (v. 12-14).

      (*Aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) resurrection from death, the voice that opens graves (see Jn. 5:24-25), did come to the nation of Israel generations after their captivity in Babylon ended and they were returned to the land. From that nation of Israel, the news of the Resurrection and the Life, the Messiah/Christ (see Jn. 11:23-27), was spread by Israelite believers to other people and nations, changing/transforming millions and millions of lives over two thousand years.

     God's wondrous and miraculous plan for the nation of Israel and its impact on the world was not begun and completed in 1948 but began in eternity and will continue into eternity, including playing a key role in the return of Jesus to earth to rule and reign forever. In the meantime, Arise, shine against the darkness. Look up and all around and "see" it according to the Word of the LORD.

     If you would like to learn more about the battle of Light against darkness, and our "seeing", "being", and "shining" role in it, you can join with me in prayer: "Heavenly Father of Light! You have prophesied to Israel and to all of us the truth of Your purpose and plan to overcome the kingdom of darkness that attempts to cover the earth and all of the people. You sent Your beloved Son, Jesus, to be the Light of the world, and He called me and those who believe on Him to be the same Light. Father, I want to be that Light. Your Word is Light. Let Your Word, who is Jesus, and Your Spirit, who is truth, dwell within me and shine from me. Anoint my head with Your pure oil, Father, and transform me into Light and transform also those who see Your Light in me. Father, let darkness recede from before Your Light as I turn all around and "see" and believe that the whole earth is filled with the glory of God. I ask this in the name of Your Son, my Savior, Jesus. AMEN."

 *NOTE: aleph-tav written in Hebrew as אֶת, are the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The meaning of the two pictographic Hebrew letters can also be interpreted "Adonai (Lord) of the Cross/Covenant". In the New Testament, these letters are translated as Alpha and Omega written as ΑΩ , the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. These letters are those by which Jesus Christ identifies Himself in the Book of Revelation: see Rev. 1:8, Rev. 21:6, Rev. 22:13. 

Consecrated

      The title of this week's Sabbath reading portion is Sh'mini, which means "the eighth day." This title comes from Leviticus 9:1, which says: "It came to pass on the eighth (semini/samen/saman - eight/plenteous, fat, robust, rich/to shine with oil, to cover with fat-oil) day (yom - time, day, daily, year, ever, continually, full, always, whole, day as opposed to night) that Moses called Aaron and his sons and the elders of Israel." At this point, Aaron and his sons had spent seven days in the tabernacle until their consecration had ended. (see Lev. 8:31-36). They spent those seven days of consecration (millu'/mala' - installation of priests, setting stones/gems, dedicatory sacrifice, sacrifice of inauguration/fill, fulfill, full, complete, consecrate, accomplish, replenish, overflow, gather) eating ('akal - eat, devour, consume, destroy, slay, burn up) the burnt offering of consecration (Lev. 8:28) and the bread from the basket of consecration offerings (see Lev. 8:31). 

     The "basket" mentioned above that contained the bread of the consecration offerings, is the Hebrew word and root sal/salal, which means: a slender rod of which baskets are woven, a basket woven from reeds/raise up, lift up, exalt, extol, esteem highly, to gather, to make a way level by casting up stones, make plain. The basket is made of slender rods or reeds that can be woven. The Messiah/Christ, the Elect One in whom the LORD delights, is prophetically connected to a bruised reed by Isaiah: "A bruised reed He will not break, and smoking flax (linen or cotton used for a wick) He will not quench. He will bring forth justice for truth." (Isa. 42:3). The reed of Egypt and Palestine grows to a great height, and it is jointed in its stem like bamboo. It has a magnificent blossom at the top of the reed. It is so slender and tender that a gust of wind can flatten it, but then it will immediately be raised up to its upright position. Jesus was laid down in death but rose back up again like the reed. The Gospel of Matthew references this prophecy from Isaiah, and Jesus' fulfilment of it. (see Mt. 12:15-21). When the soldiers mocked Jesus' Kingship before His crucifixion, they struck Him with the reed that they had placed in His hand. (Mt. 27:27-31). Jesus is both the Bread (Jn. 6:35, 48-51) and the (reed) Basket that contains the consecrating Bread, which is His Body raised from the dead. Just as Aaron and his sons were told to eat the bread from the basket of consecration offerings, Jesus took bread and broke it and told us to eat it, saying, "Take, eat; this is My body." (Mt. 26:26). The Bread that is His sacrificed body not only feeds us Life but consecrates us as it follows the pattern above. During this time of Passover and the Resurrection, partaking in the elements of Communion with the Lord is especially meaningful.

     Now, on the eighth day, the ministry of Aaron and his sons as priests of the atonement would begin: "And Moses said to Aaron, 'Go to the altar, offer (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-your-sin-offering-and-your-burnt-offering and make atonement (kapar - atonement, purge, reconciliation, forgive, merciful, cleansed, appease, pardon, pitch covering) for yourself and for the people. Offer (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-offering of the people, and make atonement for them, as the LORD commanded." (Lev. 9:7).

     The purpose of the seven days of consecration was in order to minister the atoning sacrifice for themselves as priests and for the people. Jesus, as indicated by the Hebrew written *aleph-tav above is our offering for the atonement for sin. 

     As the followers of Messiah/Christ, He also consecrated us with His own body. It is not a consecration for the purpose of religious oppression and hypocrisy, for which Jesus condemned the Pharisees and scribes, but it is a consecration in Messiah/Christ and His atonement blood of mercy and forgiveness, and it was always meant to be so as the prophetic pattern revealed. This consecration requires serious consideration on our parts. Paul wrote that we are called to holiness, called to come out from among the worldly, the profane and the unclean things (as Aaron and sons were commanded to remain in the tabernacle for seven days). (see 1 Thess. 4:7, 2 Cor. 6:17-18)). The Book of Hebrews calls it a heavenly calling. (Heb. 3:1).

     The Lord Jesus told us to take and eat of His body. His body and blood were the one-time and forever offering for the sins of the world, forming a new covenant between God and the people: "But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Holy Place once for all, having obtained (for us) eternal redemption." (Heb. 9:11-12). God made Messiah/Christ "who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." (2 Cor. 5:21). Jesus fulfilled the will of God to be a sin offering for the world, not out of a religious obligation, but out of the love of the Father for the world, and the love of the Son for the Father and for us. We can understand why the apostle Peter wrote to us that love covers a multitude of sins. (1 Pet. 4:7-8). Our greatest and life-changing gift from God was planned and provided to us out of love through His beloved Son, Jesus.

     Part of the prophetic pattern established by the priesthood under Moses was that they must eat (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the sin-offering which God said was most holy (see Lev. 6:17) in the same way that Christ told us to eat of Him. We eat of Him not for ourselves only, but, if we can see the prophetic pattern of the priesthood which we will read below, we are to eat of Christ, the most holy sin offering, to minister priestly atonement for the sins of the world, for which sins Messiah/Christ substituted Himself and died. 

       Here is that interesting image of the pattern of the priesthood. On one occasion, the two living sons of Aaron had burned up the offering completely but had not eaten any of it, nor applied the blood as it was commanded be done. Moses asked them: "Why have you not eaten ('akal - to eat, devour, consume, destruction of the flesh) (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-sin-offering in a holy place, since it is most holy, and God has given it to you to bear the guilt of the congregation, to make atonement for them before the LORD?...indeed, you should have eaten it in a holy (place), as I commanded." (Lev. 10:16-18). Aaron answered that because of the recent deaths of his two other sons by the fire of the LORD, which devastated Aaron (see Lev. 10:1-3), Aaron feared that the LORD might not have found (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-sin-offering acceptable had he eaten it. Aaron and his remaining two sons might have born the judgment of the LORD because of it. Moses accepted this reason from Aaron. (v. 19-20). The eating of the sin offering by the priest was to make atonement for the sin guilt of the people, which had been placed upon (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-offering.

     Paul wrote of a warning when eating and drinking of the body/bread and blood/wine of Messiah/Christ in Communion. Paul wrote: "Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged." (1 Cor. 11:27-31). This is very much like what Aaron told Moses. We cannot correctly understand what Paul was warning us if we do not understand the prophetic pattern of the priesthood established by God with Moses as we read it above. We have received a royal priesthood from God through Messiah/Christ Jesus. It is the priesthood of the light and mercy of the Kingdom of God through Christ, ministered to others as we also have received it ourselves. (see 1 Pet. 2:9-10). It is a Sh'mini "eighth day" (see the meanings at the top of the page) priesthood. While it is a glorious priesthood, it is a priesthood that requires humility, discernment and self-examination. 

     From another reading portion of this Sh'mini "Eighth Day" Sabbath, when David received the prophetic promise of Messiah/Christ, who would come from David's own line, David was moved with great humility, asking the LORD: "Who am I, O LORD God? And what is my house, that you have brought me this far?...What more can David say to You for the honor of Your servant?..." (see 1 Chron. 17:11-20). We have received more than a prophetic promise. We have received all of the "Eighth Day" rich and shining-with-oil fulfilment of that promise in Messiah/Christ Jesus. Let us receive Him with the same humility as David did, and let us receive Him in the holy place.

     If you would like to learn more about our consecration and priesthood in Jesus Christ, you can join my prayer: "Heavenly Father, You have offered Your own Son, Jesus, who was without sin but became my sin, as my most holy eternal sin offering. Help me, LORD, to minister Your Son as the atonement for sin, not only for myself, but for all of the people. LORD, You consecrated Your priesthood in order to begin their ministry of atonement in Your name. As I remember the Lord's death and resurrection this week, and the Table of the Lord that holds the elements of His most holy sacrifice for the sins of the world, let me approach in consecration, please Lord, and with soul-bearing humility and gratitude, on behalf of all of the people, as I proclaim His death until He comes. I ask this in the name of Jesus. AMEN."

    *NOTE: aleph-tav written in Hebrew as אֶת, are the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The meaning of the two pictographic Hebrew letters can also be interpreted "Adonai (Lord) of the Cross/Covenant". In the New Testament, these letters are translated as Alpha and Omega written as ΑΩ , the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. These letters are those by which Jesus Christ identifies Himself in the Book of Revelation: see Rev. 1:8, Rev. 21:6, Rev. 22:13.