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.
This week
we look to the instruction regarding the priesthood that served in the
Tabernacle.
The
shocking truth about this priesthood is that they have been ‘’missing’’ for
almost 2000 years and almost no one seems concerned about their absence – let
us remind ourselves once again the instruction YHVH gave regarding this
priesthood was a ‘’law forever’’ to all generations, while this current heaven
and earth exist.
Jer 6:10 To whom shall I speak and
give warning, so that they hear? See, their ear is uncircumcised, and they are
unable to listen. See, the word of יהוה is a
reproach to them, they do not delight in it.
Jer 6:12 “And their houses shall
be turned over to others, fields and wives together. For I shall stretch out My
hand against the inhabitants of the land,” declares יהוה.
Jer 6:13 “For from the least of
them even to the greatest of them, they are all greedy for gain. And from the
prophet even to the priest, all act falsely.
Jer 6:14 “And they heal the breach
of My people slightly, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace.
Jer
6:16 Thus said יהוה,
“Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is,
and walk in it; and find rest for yourselves. But they said, ‘We do not walk in
it.’
Jer 6:17 “And I raised up watchmen
over you, and said, ‘Listen to a voice of a shophar!’ But they said, ‘We
do not listen.’
Jer 6:18 “Therefore hear, you
nations, and know, O congregation, what is upon them!
Jer 6:19 “Hear, O earth! See, I am
bringing evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they
have not listened to My words, nor My Torah – and they rejected it.
Hos
4:6 “My people have perished for lack of knowledge. Because you have
rejected knowledge, I reject you from being priest for Me. Since you have
forgotten the Torah of your Elohim, I also forget your children.
Jer
5:30 “An astounding and horrible matter has come to be in the land:
Jer 5:31 The prophets have prophesied falsely,b and the priests rule by their own hand, and My people have loved it so. And what are you going to do at the end of it?
‘’Until when will we begin to listen and obey?’’ …. Isa 6:11 Then I said, “יהוה, until when?” And He answered, “Until the cities are laid waste and without inhabitant, and the houses are without a man, and the land is laid waste, a ruin, Isa 6:12 and יהוה has removed men far away, and the forsaken places be many in the midst of the land. (until there is almost nothing left standing on earth)
כ וְאַתָּה תְּצַוֶּה- you shall command …. (צִוִּיתָ is the present tense form)
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כ וְאַתָּה תְּצַוֶּה
אֶת-בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְיִקְחוּ אֵלֶיךָ שֶׁמֶן זַיִת זָךְ כָּתִית--לַמָּאוֹר:
לְהַעֲלֹת נֵר, תָּמִיד. |
Exo 27:20 “And you, you are to command the children of
Yisra’ĕl to bring you clear oil of pressed olives for the light, to cause the
lamp to burn continually.
Exo 27:21 “In the Tent of Meeting,( מועד) outside the veil which is before the Witness,( העדת) Aharon (Strongs 175 -‘’light bringer’’)and his sons are to
tend it from evening until morning
before יהוה – a
law forever to their generations, from the children of Yisra’ĕl.
Exo 28:3 “And you, speak to all the wise of heart,
whom I have filled with a spirit of wisdom, and they shall make the garments of
Aharon, to set him apart, for him to serve as priest to Me –
Exo 28:1 “And
you, bring near Aharon (Heb ‘’light bringer) your brother and his sons with
him, from among the children of Yisra’ĕl, for serving as priest to Me: Aharon,
Naḏaḇ and Aḇihu, Elʽazar and Ithamar, the sons of Aharon.
Exo 28:2 “And you shall make set-apart garments for
Aharon your brother, for esteem and for comeliness.
Exo 28:3 “And you, speak to all the wise of heart, whom I have filled with a spirit of wisdom, and they shall make the garments of Aharon, to set him apart, for him to serve as priest to Me.
The priestly garments remind us of that YHVH intends to return man to his
original state. This priesthood
commanded by YHVH were called to be light bearers for ‘’all generations’’ - Jer 33:18 And for the priests, the
Lěwites, there is not to cease a man to offer ascending offerings before Me, to
kindle grain offerings, and to slaughter continually.’ ” (for all
days)
וְלַכֹּהֲנִים, הַלְוִיִּם, לֹא-יִכָּרֵת אִישׁ, מִלְּפָנָי:
‘’There are traditions from both Jewish and
Christian sources that teach that before the fall, the skin of Adam and Chavah
was luminous. In other words, they were “covered” by divine light and would
“glow,”
It is
recorded in the scripture that both the skins of Moshe and Yahshua ‘’glowed’’:
Exo 34:29 And it came to be, when
Mosheh came down from Mount Sinai, while the two tablets of the Witness were in
Mosheh’s hand when he came down from the mountain, that Mosheh did not know
that the skin of his face shone since he had spoken with Him.
Exo 34:30 And Aharon and all the children of Yisra’ěl looked at Mosheh and saw the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him.
Mat 17:2 and He(Yahshua) was
transformed before them, and His face shone like the sun, and His garments
became as white as the light.
Mat 17:3 And see, Mosheh and Ěliyahu appeared to them, talking with Him.
We know that man lost his esteemed covering (אוֹר light) when he sinned and became aware of his nakedness – skin. (עוֹר)
אוֹר Light (aleph, vav, resh)
עוֹר Skin (ahyin, vav, resh)
It is commonly taught that this priesthood has been ‘’done away with’’
and that ‘’Jesus’’ had replaced this ‘’outdated’’ Levitical priesthood. How
does one answer such a position?
It is very clear from the teaching in scripture that YHVH requires all
men to be accountable, not only to Him or His anointed Messiah, but also to one
another- Eph 5:21 subjecting yourselves to each other in the fear of Elohim. And to
those leaders whom He appoints over us - Heb 13:17 Obey
those leading you, and be subject to them, for they watch for your
lives, as having to give account. Let them do so with joy and not groaning, for
that would be of no advantage to you.
It is very clear that we as human beings and sadly even as believing
human beings don’t like to submit to authority. This condition will become
worse in the last days(2 Tim 3:1-5) - Rom 13:1 Let every
being be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority
except from Elohim, and the authorities that exist are appointed by
Elohim. Rom 13:2 So he who opposes the authority withstands the
institution of Elohim, and those who withstand shall bring judgment on
themselves.
Most believers would have difficulty in submitting to the authority of a
Levitical priesthood, now, or even in the millennium. For this reason, before
the return of Messiah YHVH is going to ‘’purge’’ His people from all
‘’rebels’’.
Eze 20:35 “And I shall bring you
into the wilderness of the peoples, and shall enter into judgment with you face
to face there.
Eze 20:36 “As I entered into
judgment with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Mitsrayim, so I
shall enter into judgment with you,” declares the Master יהוה.
Eze 20:37 “And I shall make you
pass under the rod, and shall bring you into the bond of the covenant,
Eze 20:38 and purge the rebels from among you, and those who transgress against Me. From the land where they sojourn, I bring them out, but they shall not come into the land of Yisra’ěl. And you shall know that I am יהוה.
Let us
examine the priestly garments:
Exo 28:4 “And these are the garments which they make:
a breastplate,( חשׁן) a
shoulder garment, אפוד a
robe, מעיל
an embroidered long shirt, כּתנת a turban, מצנפת and
a girdle אבנט
And they shall make set-apart
garments for Aharon your brother and his sons, for him to serve as priest to
Me.
Exo 28:6 and shall make the shoulder garment(ephod) of gold, of blue and purple and scarlet material, and fine woven linen, the work of a skilled workman.
Exo 28:7 “It is to have two shoulder pieces joined at
its two edges, and so it is joined together.
Exo 28:8 “And the embroidered band of the shoulder
garment, which is on it, is of the same workmanship, made of gold, of blue and
purple and scarlet material, and fine woven linen.
Exo 28:9 “And you shall take two shoham stones and
engrave on them the names of the sons of Yisra’ĕl,
Exo 28:10 six of their names on one stone, and the
remaining six names on the other stone, according to their birth.
Exo 28:11 “With the work of an engraver in stone, like
the engravings of a signet, engrave the two stones with the names of the sons
of Yisra’ĕl. Set them in settings of gold.
Exo 28:12 “And you shall put the two stones on the
shoulder pieces of the shoulder garment as stones of remembrance for the sons
of Yisra’ĕl. And Aharon shall bear their names before יהוה on his two shoulders, for a remembrance.
Exo
28:13 “And you shall make settings of
gold,
Exo
28:14 and two chains of clean gold like
braided cords, and fasten the braided chains to the settings.
Exo
28:15 “And you shall make a breastplate
of right-ruling, a work of a skilled workman, like the work of the shoulder
garment. Make it of gold, of blue and purple and scarlet material, and
fine woven linen.
Exo
28:16 “It is square, doubled, a span (זרת Strongs 2239 – half a cubit) its length, and a span its width.
Exo
28:17 “And you shall put settings of
stones in it, four rows of stones: The first row is a ruby, a topaz, and an
emerald; (see similar precious stones in the foundation of the New Jerusalem–
Rev 21)
Exo
28:18 and the second row is a turquoise,
a sapphire, and a diamond;
Exo
28:19 and the third row is a jacinth, an
agate, and an amethyst;
Exo
28:20 and the fourth row is a beryl, and
a shoham, and a jasper. They are set in gold settings.
Exo
28:21 “And the stones are according to
the names of the sons of Yisra’ĕl, twelve according to their names, like the
engravings of a signet, each one with its own name, for the twelve tribes.
Exo
28:22 “And you shall make braided chains
of corded work for the breastplate(choshen) at the end, of clean gold.
Exo
28:23 “And you shall make two rings of
gold for the breastplate, and shall put the two rings on the two ends of the
breastplate.
Exo
28:24 “And you shall put the two cords
of gold in the two rings which are on the ends of the breastplate,
Exo
28:25 and the other two ends of the two
cords you fasten to the two settings, and put them on the shoulder pieces of
the shoulder garment in the front.
Exo
28:26 “And you shall make two rings of
gold, and shall put them on the two ends of the breastplate, on the edge of it,
which is on the inner side of the shoulder garment.
Exo
28:27 “And you shall make two rings of
gold, and put them on the two shoulder pieces, underneath the shoulder garment,
on the front of it, close to the seam above the embroidered band of the
shoulder garment,
Exo
28:28 and they bind the breastplate by
means of its rings to the rings of the shoulder garment, using a blue cord, so
that it is above the embroidered band of the shoulder garment, so that the
breastplate does not come loose from the shoulder garment.
Exo
28:29 “And Aharon shall bear the names
of the sons of Yisra’ĕl on the breastplate of right-ruling over his heart, when
he goes into the set-apart place, for a remembrance before יהוה, continually.
Exo
28:30 “And into the breastplate of
right-ruling you shall put the Urim and the Tummim, and they shall be on the
heart of Aharon when he goes in before יהוה.
And Aharon shall bear the right-ruling of the children of Yisra’ĕl on his heart
before יהוה,
continually.
Exo
28:31 “And you shall make the robe of
the shoulder garment all of blue.
Exo
28:32 “And the opening for his head
shall be in the middle of it, a woven binding all around its opening, like the
opening in a scaled armour, so that it does not tear.
Exo
28:33 “And on its hem you shall make
pomegranates of blue and purple and scarlet material, all around its
hem, and bells of gold between them all around:
Exo
28:34 a golden bell and a pomegranate, a
golden bell and a pomegranate, on the hem of the robe all around.
Exo
28:35 “And it shall be upon Aharon to
attend in, and its sound shall be heard when he goes into the set-apart place
before יהוה and when he comes out, so that he
does not die.
Exo
28:36 “And you shall make a plate of
clean gold and engrave on it, like the engraving of a signet: SET-APARTNESS TO יהוה.
Exo
28:37 “And you shall put it on a blue
cord, and it shall be on the turban – it is to be on the front of the turban.
Exo
28:38 “And it shall be on the forehead
of Aharon, and Aharon shall bear the guilt of the set-apart gifts which the
children of Yisra’ĕl set apart in all their set-apart gifts. And it shall
always be on his forehead, for acceptance for them before יהוה.
Exo
28:39 “And you shall weave the long
shirt of fine linen, and shall make the turban of fine linen, and you shall
make the girdle of woven work.
Exo
28:40 “And make long shirts for Aharon’s
sons. And you shall make girdles for them, and you shall make turbans for them,
for esteem and comeliness.
Exo
28:41 “And you shall put them on Aharon
your brother and on his sons with him, and shall anoint them, and shall ordain
them, and shall set them apart, and they shall serve as priests to Me.
Exo
28:42 “And make linen trousers for them,
to cover their nakedness, reaching from the waist to the thighs.
Exo
28:43 “And they shall be on Aharon and
on his sons when they come into the Tent of Meeting, or when they come near the
altar to attend in the Set-apart Place, so that they do not bear crookedness
and die – a law forever to him, and to his seed after him.
Midrash
– For us to gain insight into these matters concerning the Tabernacle – the
most taught subject in scripture- we need to go beyond what men have been
teaching on this subject - we need the Set Apart Spirit to give to us a revelation
of what was going on in the Mind of YHVH when He gave us these Tabernacle
instructions.
It appears that this priesthood was a mirror for YHVH and for us of a restored mankind that would once again enter into the very Presence of YHVH.
2Co
3:5 Not that we are competent in ourselves to reckon any matter as
from ourselves, but our competence is from Elohim,
2Co
3:6 who also made us competent as servants of a renewed covenant, not of
the letter but of the Spirit, for the letter kills but the Spirit gives
life.
2Co
3:7 But if the administering of death in letters, engraved on stones, was
esteemed, so that the children of Yisra’ěl were unable to look steadily at the
face of Mosheh because of the esteem of his face, which was passing away,
2Co
3:8 how much more esteemed shall the administering of the Spirit not
be?
2Co
3:9 For if the administering of condemnation had esteem, the administering
of righteousness exceeds much more in esteem.
2Co
3:10 For indeed what was made esteemed had no esteem in this respect, in
view of the esteem that excels.
2Co
3:11 For if that which is passing away was esteemed, much more that which
remains in esteem.
2Co
3:12 Having then such expectation, we use much boldness of speech,
2Co
3:13 and not like Mosheh, who put a veil over his face[a] so that the children of Yisra’ěl
should not look steadily at the end of what was passing away. Footnote: aSee Exo_34:33-35.
2Co
3:14 But their minds were hardened, for to this day, when the old
covenant is being read, that same veil remains, not lifted, because in Messiah
it is taken away.
2Co
3:15 But to this day, when Mosheh is being read, a veil lies on their
heart.
2Co
3:16 And when one turns to the Master, the veil is taken away. Exo_34:34, 2 Cor 11:3-4
2Co
3:17 Now יהוה is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of יהוה is, there is freedom.
2Co 3:18 And we all, as with unveiled face we see as in a mirror the esteem of יהוה, are being transformed into the same likeness from esteem to esteem, as from יהוה, the Spirit.b Footnote: bSee also 2Co_3:17-18.
However, these
instructions are a shadow of a more superior priesthood as stated in the book
of Hebrews:
Heb 7:11
Truly, then, if perfection were through the Lěwitical priesthood – for under it
the people were given the Torah – why was there still need for another priest
to arise according to the order of Malkitseḏeq, and not be called according to the
order of Aharon?
Heb 7:12 For the priesthood being changed,[b] of necessity there takes place a change of law also. Footnote: b Gk ‘’metathesis’’ Meta (from the Greek meta- μετά- meaning "after" or "beyond") is a prefix meaning more comprehensive or transcending.[1] and ‘’thesis’’ The word "thesis" comes from the Greek θέσις, meaning "position", and refers to an intellectual proposition. Therefore in regard to the Torah the the priesthood was elevated, not changed as to be done away with.
Heb 7:21 For
they indeed became priests without an oath, but He became Priest with an
oath by Him who said to Him, “יהוה has sworn and shall not regret, ‘You are a priest forever
according to the order of Malkitseḏeq.’ ” Psa_110:4.
Heb 7:22 By as
much as this יהושע has
become a guarantor of a better(Gk ‘’krite'-tohn’’) covenant. Gk ‘’krite'-tohn’’ of a derivative of G2904; stronger,
meaning the covenant was made more sure.)
1Jn 3:1
See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of
Elohim! For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know
Him.
1Jn 3:2 Beloved ones, now we are
children of Elohim. And it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we
know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He
is.
1Jn 3:3 And everyone having this expectation in Him cleanses himself, as He is clean.
Blessed are you YHVH, our Elohim, King of the Universe, you have given us your Torah of truth, and have planted everlasting life within our midst. Blessed are you, YHVH giver of the Torah – Amein.