2/08/2014

Parashat 20 Portion 66 -Shemot 29:1-46 Haftarah: Yesh 61:7- 62:5 Second Writings: Heb 2:10-18



Blessing for the Torah Reading:
Baruch atah YHVH, Eloheynu, Melech ha-O’lam, asher bachar banu m’kol ha-amim,
v’natan lanu eht Torah-to. Baruch atah YHVH, noteyn ha-Torah. Ameyn.”

(Blessed are you, YHVH, our Elohim , King of the Universe, you have selected us from among all the peoples, and have given us your Torah. Blessed are you, YHVH, giver of the Torah. Ameyn.)

One of the greatest surprises waiting for us before and when Yahshua returns to rule and reign over all the earth is going to be in the area of personal relationships. I believe this is true because in Hebraic thinking truth has two wings – the physical and the spiritual – these two realms will be restored to be in perfect harmony with each other. Looking at the present state of relationships in the world as well as within families and including the believing community makes us realize that we have a  v e r y  l o n g way to go.

When Yahshua returns he is not going to wave a magic wand and all relationships are going to be in perfect harmony. It will take one thousand years to reach perfect maturity and unity amongst Yisrael and the nations of the world. There will be one last final rebellion when ha Satan is released from his chains and after that never again will there be disunity amongst mankind.

At last the Torah will be our final authority over all relationships, personal conduct and worship. Yahshua had a very good reason in mind when he said that heaven and earth would pass away but not one word (jot or tittel) of the Torah – Mat 5:17-19.

Why stick around for one thousand years if we and everything about our lives and worship is going to be perfect.

Let’s look once again at what happens when the Covenant is renewed in our hearts.
Jer 31:31  “See, the days are coming,” declares יהוה, “when I shall make a new covenant with the house of Yisra’ĕl and with the house of Yehuḏah1, Footnote: 1See Heb. 8:8-12, Heb. 10:16-17.
Jer 31:32  not like the covenant I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Mitsrayim, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them,” declares יהוה.
Jer 31:33  “For this is the covenant I shall make with the house of Yisra’ĕl after those days, declares יהוה: I shall put My Torah in their inward parts, and write it on their hearts. And I shall be their Elohim, and they shall be My people.
Jer 31:34  “And no longer shall they teach, each one his neighbour, and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know יהוה,’ for they shall all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,” declares יהוה. “For I shall forgive their crookedness, and remember their sin no more.”

We look at this scripture and somehow think that we will not have to be taught Torah. That’s not what the scripture says. It says we will not have to be taught to know YHVH. That is why the “shemah” is so central to our faith. The sad commentary of many believers is that we do not know YHVH as He is meant to be known.

I believe we need to fear YHVH knowing that He will never allow anyone in His presence who has a history of unresolved conflicts in his or her life. That’s why we will be placed in tribes to work out our differences and come into a perfect unity of the faith during the millennium.

Yahshua said that we were not to even bring an offering (by the way there will be offerings in the millennium) if we knew that a brother had some grievance against us.

Mat 5:23  “If, then, you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother holds whatever against you,
Mat 5:24  leave your gift there before the altar, and go, first make peace with your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
Mat 5:25  “Be well-minded with your opponent, promptly, while you are on the way with him, lest your opponent deliver you to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you be thrown into prison.
Mat 5:26  “Truly, I say to you, you shall by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny.

Reconciliation is more important than bringing an offering and worship to YHVH with a wrong heart.
Perhaps the remainder of these verses imply that strong demonic bondages come upon us when we leave the door open in the area of troubled or broken relationships.
Shaul addresses this very critical situation when he says:

1Co 11:27  So that whoever should eat this bread or drink this cup of the Master unworthily shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Master.
1Co 11:28  But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup.
1Co 11:29  For the one who is eating and drinking unworthily, eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the body of the Master.
1Co 11:30  Because of this many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep.
1Co 11:31  For if we were to examine ourselves, we would not be judged.
1Co 11:32  But when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Master, that we should not be condemned with the world.

The problem of unresolved conflict and unconfessed sin is so huge that it will take the devastation of the great tribulation to bring us to our senses.


Our Torah portion begins:

     Exo 29:1  “And this is the task you shall do to them to set them apart to serve Me as priests: Take one young bull and two rams, perfect ones,

א  וְזֶה הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר-תַּעֲשֶׂה לָהֶם

     Note the use of the word “davar” in Hebrew which means “word or thing” The sages say that the word “davar” is used so that when there is no temple so that we would always be reminded that while heaven and earth were still in existence this “word” too was valid and to be obeyed for an appointed time when the temple service and priesthood would be restored.

     Exo 29:2  and unleavened bread, and unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil – make these of wheat flour.
Exo 29:3  “And you shall put them in one basket and bring them in the basket, along with the bull and the two rams.
Exo 29:4  “Then you shall bring Aharon and his sons to the door of the Tent of Meeting, and wash them with water.
Exo 29:5  “And you shall take the garments, and shall put on Aharon the long shirt, and the robe of the shoulder garment, and the shoulder garment, and the breastplate, and shall gird him with the embroidered band of the shoulder garment,
Exo 29:6  and shall put the turban on his head, and shall put the set-apart sign of dedication on the turban,
Exo 29:7  and shall take the anointing oil, and pour it on his head and anoint him.
Exo 29:8  “Then you shall bring his sons and put long shirts on them,
Exo 29:9  and shall gird them with girdles – Aharon and his sons – and put the turbans on them. And the priesthood shall be theirs for an everlasting law. So you shall ordain Aharon and his sons.

It was only Aaron and his sons and their descendants who could enter into the set apart place to minister at the table of show bread and the altar of incense and to keep the Menorah burning. Only Aaron and his sons and those of their descendants appointed as High Priests could enter into the Most Set Apart place once a year during Yom Ha Kippurim. Sadly in later years this began to change as spiritual corruption began to prevail amongst the priesthood. (Korach and his followers till this day question this Aaronic authority)

This problem of rejection of YHVH’s appointed authority is very deeply rooted in those who call themselves believers.
Most people who claim to have a relationship with “Christ” would undoubtedly reject the true Messiah if he were to suddenly appear to them today.
So deep was the rejection of YHVH’s authority in Yahshua’s day that the religious elite along with the majority of their followers executed the Messiah while he was here on earth 2000 years ago.

The same hateful attitude still lives on even in our day when believers are challenged with that fact that Yahshua the anointed One was a Jewish rabbi who taught Torah observance.

Exo 29:10  “And you shall bring near the bull before the Tent of Meeting, and Aharon and his sons shall lay their hands on the head of the bull.
Exo 29:11  “And you shall slaughter the bull before יהוה, by the door of the Tent of Meeting,
Exo 29:12  and take some of the blood of the bull and put it on the horns of the altar with your finger, and pour all the blood beside the base of the altar.
Exo 29:13  “And you shall take all the fat that covers the entrails, and the appendage on the liver, and the two kidneys and the fat that is on them, and burn them on the altar.
Exo 29:14  “But the flesh of the bull, and its skin and its dung, you shall burn with fire outside the camp. It is a sin offering.

Yahshua was presented as the perfect sin offering OUTSIDE the camp as well.

Exo 29:15  “And take one ram, and Aharon and his sons shall lay their hands on the head of the ram,
Exo 29:16  and you shall slaughter the ram, and you shall take its blood and sprinkle it all around on the altar.
Exo 29:17  “And cut the ram in pieces, and wash its entrails and its legs, and place them upon its pieces and on its head.
Exo 29:18  “And you shall burn the entire ram on the altar. It is a burnt offering to יהוה, it is a sweet fragrance, an offering made by fire to יהוה.
Exo 29:19  “And you shall take the second ram, and Aharon and his sons shall lay their hands on the head of the ram,
Exo 29:20  and you shall slaughter the ram, and take some of its blood and put it on the tip of the right ear of Aharon and on the tip of the right ear of his sons, on the thumb of their right hand and on the big toe of their right foot, and sprinkle the blood all around on the altar.
Exo 29:21  “And you shall take some of the blood that is on the altar, and some of the anointing oil, and sprinkle it on Aharon and on his garments, on his sons and on the garments of his sons with him. And he and his garments shall be set-apart, and his sons and the garments of his sons with him.
Exo 29:22  “And you shall take the fat of the ram, and the fat tail, and the fat that covers the entrails, and the appendage on the liver, and the two kidneys and the fat on them, and the right thigh – it is for a ram of ordination –
Exo 29:23  and one loaf of bread, and one cake made with oil, and one thin cake from the basket of the unleavened bread that is before יהוה.
Exo 29:24  “And you shall put all these in the hands of Aharon and in the hands of his sons, and you shall wave them – a wave offering before יהוה.
Exo 29:25  “Then you shall take them from their hands and burn them on the altar as a burnt offering, as a sweet fragrance before יהוה. It is an offering made by fire to יהוה.
Exo 29:26  “And you shall take the breast of the ram of Aharon’s ordination and wave it – a wave offering before יהוה, and it shall be your portion.
Exo 29:27  “And from the ram of ordination you shall set apart the breast of the wave offering which is waved, and the thigh of the contribution which is raised, of that which is for Aharon and of that which is for his sons.

Exo 29:28  “And it shall be from the children of Yisra’ĕl for Aharon and his sons by a law forever, for it is a contribution. And it is a contribution from (with) the children of Yisra’ĕl from their peace offerings – their contribution to יהוה.

Tim Hegg makes an interesting comment on this verse which is implied by the Hebrew text that this second offering or peace offering was shared by the Aaronic priesthood with fellow Yisraelites. Foreigners (zar) were not permitted to partake. Imagine the honour of sharing this second wave or peace offering with a fellow high priest.

Exo 29:29  “And the set-apart garments of Aharon are for his sons after him, to be anointed in them and to be ordained in them.

The Hebrew word for ordained literally means to “fill the hands” This could imply that priests received in their hands blessings from YHVH that they were to pass on to the Yisraelites. Laying on of hands is not some new church invention it comes from ancient Hebraic times.
Laying on of hands requires an act of submission from the one receiving the blessing.

Exo 29:30  “The priest from his sons in his place, puts them on for seven days, when he enters the Tent of Meeting to attend in the set-apart place.
Exo 29:31  “And take the ram of ordination and cook its flesh in a set-apart place.
Exo 29:32  “And Aharon and his sons shall eat the flesh of the ram, and the bread that is in the basket, by the door of the Tent of Meeting,
Exo 29:33  and they shall eat those offerings with which the atonement was made, to ordain them, to set them apart. But let a stranger not eat them, because they are set-apart.
Exo 29:34  “And if any of the flesh of the ordination offerings, or of the bread, be left over until the morning, then you shall burn up what is left over. It is not eaten, because it is set-apart.
Exo 29:35  “And so you shall do to Aharon and his sons, according to all I have commanded you. Seven days you shall ordain them,
Exo 29:36  and prepare a bull each day as a sin offering for atonement. And you shall cleanse the altar when you make atonement for it, and you shall anoint it to set it apart.
Exo 29:37  “For seven days you shall make atonement for the altar, and set it apart. And the altar shall be most set-apart – whatever touches the altar is to be set-apart.
Exo 29:38  “And this is what you prepare on the altar: two lambs, a year old, daily, continually.
Exo 29:39  “Prepare the one lamb in the morning, and the other lamb you prepare between the evenings,
Exo 29:40  and one-tenth of an ĕphah of flour mixed with one-fourth of a hin of pressed oil, and one-fourth of a hin of wine as a drink offering, with the one lamb.
Exo 29:41  “And prepare the other lamb between the evenings. And with it prepare the grain offering and the drink offering, as in the morning, for a sweet fragrance, an offering made by fire to יהוה
Exo 29:42  a continual burnt offering for your generations at the door of the Tent of Meeting before יהוה, where I shall meet with you to speak with you.
Exo 29:43  “And there I shall meet with the children of Yisra’ĕl, and it shall be set apart by My esteem.
Exo 29:44  “And I shall set apart the Tent of Meeting and the altar. And Aharon and his sons I set apart to serve as priests to Me.
Exo 29:45  “And I shall dwell in the midst of the children of Yisra’ĕl and shall be their Elohim.
Exo 29:46  “And they shall know that I am יהוה their Elohim, who brought them up out of the land of Mitsrayim, to dwell in their midst. I am יהוה their Elohim.

Any priesthood which is appointed by men and not by YHVH and does not teach and proclaim obedience to Torah IS A FALSE PRIESTHOOD.
Shaul addresses this issue of a priesthood that was meant to lead YHVH’s people onto maturity.

Heb 5:1  For every priest taken from among men is(present passive nominative 3person sing) appointed(present tense) on behalf of men in matters relating to Elohim, to offer(present tense) both gifts and offerings for sins,
Heb 5:2  being able to have a measure of feeling for those not knowing and being led astray, since he himself is also surrounded by weakness.
Heb 5:3  And on account of this he has to offer for sins – as for the people, so also for himself.
Heb 5:4  And no one obtains this esteem for himself, but he who is called by Elohim, even as Aharon also was.
Heb 5:5  So also the Messiah did not extol Himself to become High Priest, but it was He who said to Him, “You are My Son, today I have brought You forth.”1 Footnote: 1See 1:5, Ps. 2:7.
Heb 5:6  As He also says in another place, “You are a priest forever according to the order of Malkitseḏeq,”1 Footnote: 1Ps. 110:4.
Heb 5:7  who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and petitions with strong crying and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His reverent fear,
Heb 5:8  though being a Son, He learned obedience by what He suffered.
Heb 5:9  And having been perfected, He became the Causer of everlasting deliverance to all those obeying Him,
Heb 5:10  having been designated by Elohim a High Priest “according to the order of Malkitseḏeq,”
Heb 5:11  concerning whom we have much to say, and hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.
Heb 5:12  For indeed, although by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first elements of the Words of Elohim. And you have become such as need milk and not solid food.
Heb 5:13  For everyone partaking of milk is inexperienced in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe.
Heb 5:14  But solid food is for the mature whose senses have been trained by practice to discern both good