Parashat
29 – Acharei Mot - “After the death”
Vayikra/ Leviticus 16:1–18:30
We will look at these two portions separately.
The greatest desire our Messiah has is to unite and
reconcile the Creation with the Creator. This Torah portion essentially shows
us how this is accomplished. This restoration is deeply and profoundly
connected to the significance of Yom Kippur and human sexuality.
Our journey into the “kadosh ha kadoshim” or the most set
apart presence of YHVH is the greatest love story known to man, it’s about how we come into the
bridal chamber of the Almighty to enjoy an indescribable intimacy and union with the Lover of our souls
forever and ever.
Regarding this journey back to our Creator our Messiah
once said “You go
astray, not knowing the Scriptures1 nor the power of Elohim.” (Matt
22:29)
We as
Christians have been led astray concerning our redemption because of the
erroneous teachings given to us by our fathers regarding our freedom and
deliverance from sin. Many dear believers suffer such guilt and condemnation
because they struggle with secret sins and don’t experience the so called
victory and prosperity they are continually promised by many of the so called
“good news preachers” of our time.
Let us
consider carefully the following passage of scripture that has been erroneously
taught and forms the basis of much of the error the church has been teaching
for centuries.
Heb 10:1 For the Torah, having a shadow of the good matters
to come, and not the image itself of the matters, was never able to make
perfect those who draw near with the same slaughter offerings which they
offer continually year by year.
The Torah is a shadow because the real image and truth it refers to will
not be fully known while this present heaven and earth still exist (Matt
5:17-19).
The Torah is perfect (Psa 19:7
The Torah of יהוה is perfect, bringing back the
being) and only the Messiah can cause the Covenant of Torah to have a perfect
work in us and in so doing enable us to be presented to the Father (Jude 1:24).
Heb 10:2 Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be
offered? Because those who served, once cleansed, would have had no more
consciousness of sins.
Heb 10:3 But in those offerings is a reminder
of sins year by year. (7000 years)
Heb 10:4 For it is impossible for blood of bulls and
goats to take away sins.
Heb 10:5 Therefore, coming into the world, He says,
“Slaughtering and meal offering You did not desire, but a body You have
prepared for Me.
Heb 10:6 “In burnt offerings and offerings for
sin You did not delight.1 Footnote: 1Ps. 40:6, 7.
Heb 10:7 “Then I said, ‘See, I come – in the roll of
the book it has been written concerning Me – to do Your desire, O Elohim.’ ”
Heb 10:8 Saying above, “Slaughter and meal offering,
and burnt offerings, and offerings for sin You did not desire, nor
delighted in,” which are offered according to the Torah,
The Messiah came to show us that all the offerings and instruction of
the Torah point towards him, nothing in the Torah can be properly understood if
it is not seen to reveal the ministry and the mission of Messiah, as soon as
you separate the Torah from Yahshua the Messiah the Torah just becomes another
book of man’s religion.
Heb 10:9 then He said, “See, I come to do Your desire,
O Elohim.” He takes away the first to
establish the second.
What is the desire of YHVH?
He wants to be united to His People – the essence of the instruction of
this Torah portion.
What are the ‘first and the second’? (Note the word covenant is added in
error where it appears in italics – not in the original manuscript
The book of Hebrews itself defines “first and second” (Heb 9:1-9)
Heb 9:1 Now the first covenant indeed had regulations of worship and the earthly set-apart place.
Heb 9:2 For a Tent was prepared:
the first part, in which was the lampstand, and the table, and the showbread,
which is called the Set-apart Place.
Heb 9:3 And after the second
veil, the part of the Tent which is called Most Set-apart,
Heb 9:4 to which belonged the
golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold, in
which were the golden pot that held the manna, and the rod of Aharon that
budded, and the tablets of the covenant, [Aaron and his successors were
expressly commanded to burn incense in a “censer” in the most set apart place
before the mercy-seat. This was to be done on the great day of atonement, and
but once in a year; Lev_16:12-13.]
Heb 9:5 and above it the keruḇim of esteem were overshadowing the place of atonement – about which
we do not now speak in detail.
Heb 9:6 And these having been prepared like this, the
priests always went into the first part of the Tent, accomplishing the
services.
Heb 9:7 But into the second part the high priest went
alone once a year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for sins
of ignorance of the people,1 Footnote: 1Num. 15:15-28.
Heb 9:8 the Set-apart Spirit signifying this, that
the way into the Most Set-apart Place was not yet made manifest while the first
Tent has a standing,
Heb 9:9 which was a parable for the present time in
which both gifts and slaughters are offered which are unable to perfect the one
serving, as to his conscience,
Heb 10:10 By that desire we have
been set apart through the offering of the body of יהושע Messiah once for all. (YHVH wanting to become one with us)
Heb 10:11 And
indeed every priest stands day by day doing service, and repeatedly offering
the same slaughter offerings which are never able to take away sins.
Heb 10:12 But He,
having offered one slaughter offering for sins for all time, sat down at
the right hand of Elohim,
Heb 10:13 waiting
from that time onward until His enemies are made a footstool for His feet.
Are Yahshua’s enemies completely under his feet yet???????
Heb 10:14 For by one
offering He has perfected for all time those who are being set apart.
Many translations tragically make an error with the tense
of the verb. The verb “being set apart” is not a past tense verb and it implies
THAT WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF BEING SET
APART AND THAT THIS WORK THAT HAS BEEN PERFECTED IN THE HEAVENS STILL NEEDS TO
BE PERFECTED IN US.
Heb 10:15 And the
Set-apart Spirit also witnesses to us, for after having said before,
Heb 10:16 “This is
the covenant that I shall make with them after those days, says יהוה, giving My laws into their hearts,
and in their minds I shall write them,”1 Footnote: 1Jer.
31:33, Heb. 8:8-12.
Heb 10:17 and,
“Their sins and their lawlessnesses I shall remember no more.”
HAS THIS HAPPENED YET?????
Heb 10:18 Now
where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer a slaughter offering
for sin.
After 7000 years (at the end of the Milleneum) there will
no longer be any kind of offering made for sin, because then we will be
separated eternally from our sin. This is a work only YHVH is powerful enough
to do (this is why people are in error, they don’t know the power of YHVH to
separate us from sin)
Heb 10:19 So,
brothers, having boldness to enter into the Set-apart Place by the blood of יהושע,
Heb 10:20 by a new
and living way which He instituted for us, through the veil, that is, His
flesh,
Heb 10:21 and having
a High Priest over the House of Elohim,
Heb 10:22 let us
draw near with a true heart in completeness of belief, having our hearts
sprinkled from a wicked conscience and our bodies washed with clean water.
Heb 10:23 Let us
hold fast the confession of our expectation without yielding, for He who
promised is trustworthy.
Heb 10:24 And let
us be concerned for one another in order to stir up love and good works,1
Footnote: 1Mt. 16:27.
Heb 10:25 not
forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the habit of some, but
encouraging, and so much more as you see the Day coming near.
Heb 10:26 For if
we sin purposely after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no
longer remains a slaughter offering for sins,1 Footnote: 1See
also 6:6, Heb. 9:7, Num. 15:15-28.
Heb 10:27 but some
fearsome anticipation of judgment, and a fierce fire which is about to consume
the opponents.
Heb 10:28 Anyone
who has disregarded the Torah of Mosheh dies without compassion on the witness
of two or three witnesses.
The verb “has disregarded” (aorist active nominative
singular verb) indicates a verb that continues from the past into the future.
Heb 10:29 How much
worse punishment do you think shall he deserve who has trampled the Son of
Elohim underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was set apart
as common, and insulted the Spirit of favour?
The blood of the covenant is considered to represent the
entire system of offerings as instructed in the Temple Service in theTorah. To
separate Messiah from these is a sin that will be severely punished. It is
compared to trampling the son of man under our feet. It is through these
offerings that we will come to perfectly receive and walk in the redemptive
work of Messiah that will bring us into the presence of YHVH forever.
Blessing for the Torah
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
(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.)
Torah Readings:
1. 16:1-17
2. 16:18-24
3. 16:25-34
4. 17:1-7
5. 17:8 – 18:5
6. 18:6-21
7. 18:22-26
8. Maftir: 18:27-30
Haftarah: Ezekiel 22:1-19 (A); 22:1-16 (S)
Aliyah Rishon 16:1-17
“The
Torah introduces the Yom Kippur service by saying that YHVH spoke to Moshe
after the death of Aaron’s two sons, Nadav and Abihu, which implies that there
was a connection between the tragedy and the YomKippur service. In addition
this verse adds a new dimension to the cause of their death, by saying that
they died when they approached before YHVH, an element that was emitted from
the narrative in 10:1-2 which mentioned only their sin of offering an unbidden
incense of fire. The sages say the offence of bringing strange fire alone would
not have caused their death; they believe their ventured unauthorized into the
most set apart place without an appointment was possibly the cause”.
Lev 16:1 And יהוה spoke to Mosheh after the death of
the two sons of Aharon, as they drew near before יהוה, and died.
Lev 16:2 And יהוה said to Mosheh, “Speak to Aharon
your brother not to come in at all times to the Set-apart Place inside the
veil, before the lid of atonement which is on the ark, lest he die, because I
appear in the cloud above the lid of atonement.
Lev 16:3 “With
this Aharon should come into the Set-apart Place: with the blood of a young
bull as a sin offering, and of a ram as a burnt offering.
Lev 16:4 “He
should put on the set-apart linen long shirt, with linen trousers on his flesh,
and gird himself with a linen girdle, and be dressed with the linen turban –
they are set-apart garments. And he shall bathe his body in water, and shall
put them on.
Lev 16:5 “And from
the congregation of the children of Yisra’ĕl he takes two male goats as a sin
offering, and one ram as a burnt offering.
The “Azazel” also reminds us of Yahshua
who was led out
into the same wilderness and tempted by ha Satan for 40 days. Yahshua overcame
this temptation and secured a victory over the enemy who seeks to keep us
captive in our sin.
Lev 16:6 “And
Aharon shall bring the bull as a sin offering, which is for himself, and make
atonement for himself and for his house.
Lev 16:7 “And he
shall take the two goats and let them stand before יהוה at the door of the Tent of Meeting.
Lev 16:8 “And
Aharon shall cast lots for the two goats, one lot for יהוה and the other lot for Azazel.
Lev 16:9 “And
Aharon shall bring the goat on which the lot for יהוה fell, and shall prepare it as a sin
offering.
Lev 16:10 “But the
goat on which the lot for Azazel fell is caused to stand alive before יהוה, to make atonement upon it, to send
it into the wilderness to Azazel.
Lev 16:11 “And
Aharon shall bring the bull of the sin offering, which is for himself, and make
atonement for himself and for his house, and shall slaughter the bull as the
sin offering which is for himself,
Lev 16:12 and
shall take a fire holder filled with burning coals of fire from the altar
before יהוה, with his hands filled with sweet
incense beaten fine, and shall bring it inside the veil.
Lev 16:13 “And he
shall put the incense on the fire before יהוה, and the cloud of incense shall cover the lid of atonement
which is on the Witness, lest he die.
Lev 16:14 “And he
shall take some of the blood of the bull and sprinkle it with his finger on the
lid of atonement on the east side, also in front of the lid of atonement he
sprinkles some of the blood with his finger seven times.
Lev 16:15 “And he
shall slaughter the goat of the sin offering, which is for the people, and
shall bring its blood inside the veil, and shall do with that blood as he did
with the blood of the bull, and sprinkle it on the lid of atonement and in
front of the lid of atonement.
Lev 16:16 “And he
shall make atonement for the Set-apart Place, because of the uncleanness of the
children of Yisra’ĕl, and because of their transgressions in all their sins.
And so he does for the Tent of Meeting which is dwelling with them in the midst
of their uncleanness.
Note atonement was made for uncleanness – Hebrew “tumah”
which means to be contaminated because of sexual, ethical or spiritual
impurity.
Atonement was also made for “transgressions” – Hebrew
“pasha” which implies breaking away from just authority – rebellion against
man, YHVH and His Torah.
Lev 16:17 “And no
man should be in the Tent of Meeting when he goes in to make atonement in the
Set-apart Place, until he comes out. And he shall make atonement for himself,
and for his household, and for all the assembly of Yisra’ĕl.
Aliyah
Sheni 16:18-24
Lev 16:18 “And he shall go out to the altar that is
before יהוה, and make atonement for it. And he
shall take some of the blood of the bull and some of the blood of the goat, and
put it on the horns of the altar all around.
Lev 16:19 “And he
shall sprinkle some of the blood on it with his finger seven times, and cleanse
it, and set it apart from the uncleanness of the children of Yisra’ĕl.
Lev 16:20 “And
when he has finished atoning for the Set-apart Place, and the Tent of Meeting,
and the altar, he shall bring the live goat.
Lev 16:21 “Then
Aharon shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, and shall confess
over it all the crookednesses of the children of Yisra’ĕl, and all their transgressions
in all their sins, and shall put them on the head of the goat, and shall send
it away into the wilderness by the hand of a fit man.
Lev 16:22 “And the
goat shall bear on itself all their crookednesses, to a land cut off. Thus he
shall send the goat away into the wilderness.
Lev 16:23 “Aharon
shall then come into the Tent of Meeting, and shall take off the linen garments
which he put on when he went into the Set-apart Place, and shall leave them
there.
Lev 16:24 “And he
shall bathe his body in water in the set-apart place, and shall put on his
garments, and shall come out and prepare his burnt offering and the burnt
offering of the people, and make atonement for himself and for the people,
Aliyah Shlishi 16:25-34
Lev 16:25 and burn
the fat of the sin offering on the altar.
Lev 16:26 “And he
who sent away the goat to Azazel washes his garments, and shall bathe his body
in water, and afterward he comes into the camp.
Lev 16:27 “And the
bull for the sin offering and the goat for the sin offering, whose blood was
brought in to make atonement in the Set-apart Place, is brought outside the
camp. And they shall burn their skins, and their flesh, and their dung with
fire.
Lev 16:28 “And he
who burns them washes his garments, and shall bathe his body in water, and
afterward he comes into the camp.
Lev 16:29 “And
this shall be for you a law forever: In the seventh month, on the tenth day of
the month, you afflict your beings, and do no work, the native or the stranger
who sojourns among you.
[This is the day of Atonements/Yom haKippurim – “afflict
your beings” were Hebraically always understood to mean a total fast. So on
this day of Atonements, NO work is to be done and we are to fast (from sunset
to sunset, the 10th of the Seventh Scriptural month].
Lev 16:30 “For on
that day he makes atonement for you, to cleanse you, to be clean from all your
sins before יהוה.
Lev 16:31 “It is a
Sabbath of rest [Shabbat Shabbaton] for you, and you shall afflict your beings
– a law forever.
Lev 16:32 “And the
priest, who is anointed and ordained to serve as priest in his father’s place,
shall make atonement, and shall put on the linen garments, the set-apart
garments,
Lev 16:33 and he
shall make atonement for the Most Set-apart Place, and make atonement for the
Tent of Meeting and for the altar, and make atonement for the priests and for
all the people of the assembly.
Lev 16:34 “And this
shall be for you a law forever, to make atonement for the children of Yisra’ĕl,
for all their sins, once a year.” And he did as יהוה commanded Mosheh.
Aliyah Reviee 17:1-7
Lev 17:1 And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying,
Lev 17:2 “Speak to
Aharon, to his sons, and to all the children of Yisra’ĕl, and say to them,
‘This is
the word which יהוה has
commanded, saying,
Lev 17:3 “Any man
from the house of Yisra’ĕl who slaughters a bull or a lamb or a goat in the
camp, or who slaughters it outside the camp,
Lev 17:4 and does
not bring it to the door of the Tent of Meeting, to bring an offering to יהוה before the Dwelling Place of יהוה, blood-guilt is reckoned to that
man. He has shed blood, and that man shall be cut off from among his people,
Lev 17:5 in order
that the children of Yisra’ĕl bring their slaughterings which they slaughter in
the open field. And they shall bring them to יהוה at the door of the Tent of meeting,
to the priest, and slaughter them as peace offerings to יהוה.
Lev 17:6 “And the
priest shall sprinkle the blood on the altar of יהוה at the door of the Tent of Meeting,
and shall burn the fat for a sweet fragrance to יהוה.
Lev 17:7 “And let
them no longer slaughter their slaughterings to demons, after whom they whored.
This is a law forever for them
throughout their generations.” ’
Aliyah
Chamishi 17:8-18:5
Lev 17:8 “And say to them, ‘Any man of the house of
Yisra’ĕl, or of the strangers who sojourn among you, who offers a burnt
offering or slaughtering,