Calling

      This week's Sabbath reading portion is titled Va-yikra which means "And He called." Va-yikra is also the Hebrew name for the third Book of the Bible that we call "Leviticus." This Book is about the calling of the priests into the service of the LORD in His tabernacle, and the offerings to the LORD that the priests are supposed to minister. This sabbath portion's name comes from the first verse of Chapter 1: "Now the LORD called (qara - to call out, cry out, proclaim, utter a loud sound, to summon, invite, appoint, call and endow, give name to) to Moses, and spoke to him from the tabernacle of meeting..." This is the same Hebrew word, qara, as God used in calling and naming His creation (see Gen. 1:5, 1:8, 1:10 ) and by which Adam "called" all of the beasts of the creation in order to name them. (see Gen. 2:19-20). It is an authoritative "calling" that establishes an identity and purpose.

     As the Book of Leviticus begins, it begins with a blood sacrifice. God called Moses to speak to the children of Israel about the kind of blood sacrifice (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-offering to bring to the tabernacle that would be accepted for each man's atonement (kapar - atonement, purge, reconciliation, forgive, pacify, merciful, cleansed, pardon, cover over, atone for sin, propitiate [see Rom. 3:23-26, 1 Jn. 2:1-2]).

     After the Israelite brings his (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-offering to the tabernacle, he will kill it there. Then the priests take over. They will take (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-blood and sprinkle (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-blood around the altar. (v. 5). Then the man shall flay/skin (pasat - strip, flay, strip off, spread out, deploy in a hostile array, to unclothe-plunder-flay, invade, stretch out, to rush upon, to attack) the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-burnt-offering. I think that we can see the connection here in the word "flay/skin" to the whipping of Jesus, our (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-burnt-offering not only for our atonement, but for the atonement for the whole world as scripture tells us. Part of being the atonement (see kapar above) is also that Jesus reconciles all creation to the Father, which same ministry of reconciliation has been given to us. (see 2 Cor. 5:18-19).

     So the priesthood was to have a direct role in receiving and applying the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-burnt offerings of the children of Israel. As we believers in Messiah/Christ are called to a spiritual royal priesthood (see 1 Pet. 2:9-10, Rev. 1:5-6, Rev. 5:8-10, Rev. 20:6), we also have this ministry before the Father of the receiving and applying of His Son's atoning blood on behalf, not only of ourselves, but for the people. Revelation 20:6 noted above ties this priesthood of God and Christ with those of the first resurrection who will also reign with Messiah/Christ for one thousand years. They are called blessed and holy. Jesus made clear the "calling" authority that He has given to us by saying, "Peace to you! As (kathos - according as, just as, in the degree that, in proportion as, in that manner, like) 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). What are we doing with this qara calling from Messiah/Christ who is sending us in the same manner in which He was sent by His Father? Jesus, who also taught us to pray saying in part, "And forgive us our debts/trespasses, as we forgive our debtors/those who trespass against us," adding "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." (Mt. 6:9-15). This also is part of our priestly qara calling. The forgiveness is not predicated upon what we or others "deserve" to receive. It is based upon the words of Jesus, saying: "As the Father sent Me...".

     From another Sabbath reading portion in Isaiah 43, the LORD mourns that His people haven't qara called upon Him. They have neglected the atonement burnt offerings which call out to Him, in the same manner that the atonement blood of His own Son, Jesus calls out to Him - not for vengeance, but for forgiveness. (Heb. 12:22-24). The blood cries out eternally. The LORD, in Isa. 43, faults their teachers/mediators (lus - ambassador, intercede, teacher, interpreter, mocker, scorn, derision, boast, talk arrogantly), and the LORD said that the "princes of the sanctuary", the royal priests, would become profaned, and the people accursed. Teachers/interpretors/mediators/ambassadors of God became mockers and scorners as they failed to teach the people the truth.

     The people had not been properly taught that it is the LORD "who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; and I will not remember your sins." (Isa. 43:22-28). The apostle Paul took his “ambassadorship” (see the meaning of lus above) very seriously as he begged us to be reconciled (see the meaning of kapar atonement above) to God through the atonement of Messiah/Christ. (see 2 Cor. 5:20-21). The whole point of the "ambassadorship", both in Isaiah 43 and 2 Corinthians 5, is to minister to men to the kapar atonement reconciliation blood of our burnt offering, Jesus.

      The priests of Leviticus ministered the atonement blood of the offerings for hundreds of thousands of the children of Israel. In so ministering, the hands of the priests were continually handling the blood of atonement. Would the presence of the atonement blood be evident on our hands as the royal priests of Jesus Messiah/Christ? Have we neglected to minister it on behalf of the people as the LORD mentioned in Isaiah 43? If so, have we left the blood of Atonement in Messiah/Christ behind a closed Door (Jesus is the Door of the sheep)? Who knows if our opening of the Door of Atonement, who Christ is and which Christ provided, will not also open the Door for the entrance of the Spirit of Grace and repentance? (PLEASE NOTE: A SUBMITTED COMMENT FROM A READER CONTAINING IMPORTANT THOUGHTS HAS BEEN ADDED TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS BLOG ENTRY.)

     God must surely bless those who, in quiet times of intercession (see lus above) with the LORD, minister the precious atonement blood of His Son that cries out to the Father on behalf of all creation, including man.

     This is how the apostle Paul described the qara calling of the LORD for His purpose towards us who believe in the Son, Jesus: "And those whom He thus foreordained, He also called; and those whom He called, He also justified [acquitted, made righteous, putting them into right standing with Himself]. And those whom He justified, He also glorified [raising them to a heavenly dignity and condition or state of being]." (Rom. 8:30 AMPC - Amplified Version). God has called us to a high and heavenly calling in Jesus Messiah/Christ, including that of a royal priesthood.

     If you would like to learn more about the priestly ministry of the Atonement blood of Jesus, you can join my prayer: "Heavenly Father, the blood of Your Son, Jesus, cries out to You from the Mercy Seat for forgiveness and purging of our sins. Lord, the blood of our Atonement, Jesus, is meant to be spread out beyond ourselves. The blood of Jesus cries out for the whole world. This is why You sent Your Son, Father, and He completed the work that You ordained for Him. The blood of the Atonement is priceless and most precious, yet it was freely poured out to make the way for the reconciliation of all creation. Father, I pray for the reconciliation of all man to You, which is the desire of Your heart. I say to all men: "Be reconciled to God, your Father and Creator, by the blood of Jesus." I ask these things 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. 

SPECIAL NOTE: THE FOLLOWING VALUABLE COMMENT WAS SUBMITTED BY A READER:

"The priests of Leviticus ministered the atonement blood of the offerings for hundreds of thousands of the children of Israel. In so ministering, the hands of the priests were continually handling the blood of atonement. Would the presence of the atonement blood be evident on our hands as the royal priests of Jesus Messiah/Christ?"

There is a mystery connected to this question. 

In the Old Testament, when the word "consecrate/consecrated" occasionally appears (referencing the priests/priesthood), there is a hidden phrase in the Hebrew. 

"Fill the Aleph-Tav hand(s)."

Some examples of where this appears is Exodus 28:41, 29:29, 29:33, Leviticus 8:33, 16:32, and 21:10.

When reading "consecrate(d)" in Hebrew, it reads "fill his/their (Aleph-Tav) hands".

You can search this yourself by putting [H4390+H853+H3027] in the search bar of your online concordance (I use Blue Letter Bible) or by looking up the references I provided and viewing the interlinear translation that shows the Hebrew.

At the crucifixion, Jesus' (Aleph-Tav) hands were pierced and bloodied.

His HANDS WERE FILLED, but not with an animal sacrifice.

They were filled with HIS OWN BLOOD, the true offering.

Jesus is our true High Priest.

"Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which HE HATH CONSECRATED for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; And having an HIGH PRIEST over the house of God; Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water." ~~Hebrews 10:19-22

At the cross, Jesus stretched out His Aleph-Tav hands, and they were filled-- not with the blood of animals, but with His own atoning life, CONSECRATING the new and living way into the heavenly sanctuary. 

As His royal priesthood, our calling is to bear the evidence of that same atonement in OUR OWN HANDS, living as those marked by His sacrifice and entrusted with His ministry.

~~The Berean

PriestlyCalling

      The title of this week's Sabbath reading portion is Va-yikra, which means "And he called". Va-yikra is also the name of the third book of the Torah, which we call "Leviticus", which is about the priesthood and the sacrificial offerings of the tabernacle. The title Va-yikra comes from the first and second verses of Leviticus Ch.1: "Now the LORD called (qara - call, cried, proclaim, named, preach, bidden, invited, utter a loud sound, call and commission, call and endow, appoint, weeping, to encounter, to meet) to Moses, and spoke to him from the tabernacle of meeting, saying, 'Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: 'When any one of you brings an offering to the LORD, you shall bring your (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) offering of the livestock - of the herd (baqar - young, cattle, ox, to seek, enquire, consider, search, look for, reflect, admire, care for, discern, associated with ploughing stripes in the ground) and of the flock (son - sheep, goats, lamb, shepherd, sheepfold, multitude, wool-producing, flock)." 

     These first few chapters of Leviticus, or Va-yikra, deal with the various offerings and the specific purposes given to these offerings that were to be made before the LORD. We see from the Hebrew meaning of the words "herd" and "flock" in the above verses that the person of Jesus and His flock are within. The children of Israel were to seek out, discern, consider, search for their Shepherd, to care for Him even before He physically manifested to them later in time. He was prophetically pictured for them as an offering for atonement (kapar - atonement, purge, reconciliation, forgive, pacify, to be covered, be merciful, cover over with pitch, make propitiation, obtain forgiveness) of sin (Lev. 1:4). These (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) offerings to be brought to the LORD were to be burnt offerings, the Hebrew word ola/ala, which means "ascent, stairs of ascending, going up in smoke/ go up, climb, rise, excel, be exalted, be taken away, fetch up." We know that Jesus rose from the dead to ascend to His Father when He asked Mary Magdelene, "Whom are you seeking?" (Jn. 20:14-18) and later ascended into heaven, received by a cloud, before the eyes of His disciples. (Acts 1:6-11). Jesus ascended like the smoke of the burnt offering.

     The fact that this reading portion comes at the time when Passover and Resurrection Sunday are approaching is important for our understanding. In these first verses of Leviticus, the LORD was establishing a calling - commissioning and endowing the prophetic system of offerings administered by the priesthood. These burnt offerings for sin, trespass and peace were considered to be "most holy" by the LORD, and were to be ministered by the priests as atonement to prevent the people from suffering the curses caused by sin: "And he (the anointed priest) shall do with the bull as he did with the bull as a sin offering; thus he shall do with it. So the priest shall make atonement for them, and it shall be forgiven them." (Lev. 4:20). This is also the purpose of Jesus Messiah/Christ as our atonement for sin by His blood of sacrifice. (Isa. 53:5-7, Rom. 3:23-25, 1 Jn. 4:9-10). Not only is He our burnt offering, but He is also our High Priest who presented the burnt offering of Himself before the Father on our behalf. (Heb. 4:14-16, Heb. 5:1). After His death and resurrection, Jesus said to one of His followers: "Do not cling (haptomai/hapto - fasten one's self to, touch, cling to/to fasten fire to a thing, set on fire, light a fire to) to Me. for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, 'I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God." (Jn. 20:17). It is also the case that by the command of the LORD, the lamb sacrificed on Passover must be "roasted in fire." If any of the lamb is left until morning, it is to be burned with fire. (see Ex. 12:8-10). Paul called Jesus "our Passover". (1 Cor. 5:7-8).

     Reading these Sabbath verses above, I also consider the following things: 1) We are entering the Passover/Resurrection season. 2) Jesus is expressed in the burnt offerings and became our eternal burnt offering. 3) We also have been commissioned and endowed by God as Priests (see 1 Pet. 2:9-10, Rev. 1:5-6, Rev. 5:9-10). Not only are we called to be priests, but royal priests according to the scriptures, ministering The Atonement, which is Jesus Messiah/Christ, that restores the relationship between God and His people and wipes out the curse of sin. We are the people of The Sacrifice, partakers of the altar (see 1 Cor. 10:18) as priests. The Burnt Offering which we minister not only overcomes sin, but death, Hell and the grave also. This Burnt Offering, who was Jesus, was meant not only for a select few but for the whole world. (Jn. 3:16-17). 

     One way that we administer both the Passover and the Atonement of Christ is through the Table of the Lord, also called Communion (koinonia/koinonos/syn - intercourse, fellowship, intimacy, association, joint participation/companion, of the altar in Jerusalem on which the sacrifices are offered, be one's partner in shedding the blood/denoting union, resemblance, completeness). Paul warns that we are to discern the Lord's body in this administration and receiving: "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." (1 Cor. 11:28-30).

     The Communion which we observe was taken directly by the Lord Jesus from the Passover meal that He celebrated with His disciples before He suffered and was crucified. (see Lk. 22:7-8, 14-20). Of the Passover cup from which Jesus gave to His disciples to drink, He said: "This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many (polys - multitude, numerous, great, abundant, plenteous, the harvest to be gathered, a large part of mankind, the rest of mankind)." (Mk. 14:24). The blood of the Passover Lamb, who is Jesus, has expanded from applying to a household to "the harvest to be gathered, the rest of mankind."

     As Paul wrote of the revelation regarding Communion that he had received from the Lord, he said in conclusion: "For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim (katangello - preach, show, declare, teach, speak of, announce, to make widely known, to put a law or decree into effect by official proclamation, proclaim publicly/from the root word kata: motion or diffusion or direction from the higher to the lower + root word angelos: to bring tidings, a messenger: especially an angel, one who is sent to execute God's purpose) the Lord's death till He comes." (1 Cor. 11:26).

     As part of Passover, the story of the deliverance of God's people from slavery was to be told to the children of the household (Ex. 12:24-27). The Passover Communion of the Lord Jesus Christ is, according to Paul's revelation above, to be made widely known, beyond the individual and household, to "the world", as ones sent in order to execute God's purpose in it. We are to make known His death, Paul wrote, as what we now know to be a covering atonement burnt offering to God for the sins of man. Passover was the prophecy given by the command of the LORD God to His people, and the Table of the Lord, or Communion, is the execution of that prophetic proclamation or decree by His messengers - us. 

     We often view Communion as an intimate and personal joining to the Lord, which it is, but it also accomplishes widely and much more in the Spirit as we can see.

     How are we ministering as priests this powerful gift that we have been given by Messiah/Christ for our joining with Him in His atonement sacrifice? Has it become just a ritual to us, not discerning the depth of purpose in it? Every stripe on the Lord's broken body and every drop of His blood unites the participant/partaker to Himself, and testifies farther beyond to the world. Paul wrote: "The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion (see meaning above) of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread...Are not those who eat of the sacrifices partakers (koinonos -see above) of the altar?" (1 Cor. 10:16-18). 

     Paul wrote that we were to examine ourselves as we partake of the Burnt Offering Sacrifice which is the Savior, Jesus. As His priests, are we handling the Body and Blood of Jesus with holy hands and a reverent heart? This week's Sabbath reading portion also asks God's people, Israel, to examine themselves.

     In Isaiah 43, we read of how the LORD feels towards His people as He pleads with them to examine themselves, especially in how they think of Him: "But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel: 'Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called (qara - see above) you by your name; You are Mine...Since you were precious in My sight, you have been honored, and I have loved you; therefore I will give men for you, and people for your life. Fear not, for I am with you...Everyone who is called (bara - to create, shape, form, choose, of transformations, of birth, of miracles, of something new, of heaven and earth) by My name, whom I have created for My glory; I have formed him, yes, I have made him." (Isa. 43:1-7, excerpt). This is how God thinks of His people. 

     However, the LORD also spoke in this same reading portion from Isaiah of how His people thought of Him: "But you have not called (qara - see above) upon Me, O Jacob; and you have been weary of Me, O Israel. You have not brought Me the sheep for your burnt offerings, nor have you honored Me with your sacrifices....But you have burdened Me with your sins, you have wearied Me with your iniquities...Therefore I will profane (halal/hala - pollute, wounded, sorrow, make common, violate the honor of/be weak, be diseased, wounded, grieved, infirmity, pain) the princes of the sanctuary; I will give Jacob to the curse, and Israel to reproaches."  (v. 22-28, excerpt). The condition of the princes of the sanctuary became as Paul warned in 1 Cor. 11 above, when he cautioned us to examine ourselves as we think to become partakers of the Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus.

     From another reading portion of this "called" Sabbath, Solomon warned: "Walk prudently when you go to the house of God; and draw near to hear rather than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they do evil. Do not be rash with your mouth, and let not your heart utter anything hastily before God. For God is in heaven, and you on earth; therefore let your words be few...Do not let (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) your mouth cause (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) your flesh to sin, nor say before the messenger of God that it was an error..." (Eccl. 5:1-6, excerpt). It is true that we go into the house of God to talk, and sometimes rashly, rather than to hear His voice. We value our own words very highly, but sometimes our words would be better left not spoken, especially before God. As priests, our ears should be attuned to the voice of the LORD rather than to our own voice. Do we enter the House of God expecting to hear His voice?

     We have read above of how the people of The Sacrifice, the partakers of the altar, should reverence the LORD. Isaiah 33 brings us the Word of the LORD regarding our integrity towards others: "He who walks righteously and speaks uprightly, he who despises the gain of oppressions, who gestures with his hands, refusing bribes, who stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed, and shuts his eyes from seeing evil: He will dwell on high; his place of defense will be the fortress of rocks; Bread will be given him, his water (mayim - waters, washing, watering, watersprings, wells, purification, streams, living water, rest and peace) will be sure. Your eyes will see the King in His beauty; they will see the land that is very far off." (Isa. 33:15-17).

     As priests, we are privileged not only to partake of the atoning sacrifice of Christ ourselves, but to minister it on behalf of others. The Passover lamb was to cover not only the individual but the whole household. The Passover Lamb, Jesus, was sent to cover not only the individual but the whole world, as He is received as our sacrifice. Are we ministering this covering atonement burnt offering for sin, transgressions and peace? If we who are called don't do it, who will? If we who are called don't treat the covering atonement burnt offering with the reverence its holiness deserves, then who will? The LORD said of the burnt offering: "...it is most holy." (Lev. 6:25). The inhabitants of the world need to hear from the royal priests of the Lord.

     If you would like to learn more about the power of God in the priestly ministering of His burnt offerings, including, His Son, Jesus, you can pray with me: "Dear Lord Jesus, You became my Burnt Offering, my Atonement covering my sin, my Passover Lamb who delivers from death. As You did this, You called me to be a royal priest in ministry before God on behalf of the people. You have allowed me to handle the sacrifice of Your body and Your blood in Communion, and to be a partaker of the altar of God. Fill me with the Holy Spirit so that I can "show/proclaim" Your death as a sacrifice for my sin and the sins of the world until You come. I ask this in Your holy name, 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.