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Hebrew: Baruch attah YHVH
eloheinu melech ha-olam, asher kideshanu b'mitzvotav, v'tzivanu la'asok
b'divrei Torah. V'ha'arev na YHVH eloheinu et divrei toratecha befinu uvfi amecha
beit Yisrael. V'niyeh anachnu v'tze'etze'einu v'tze'etza'ei amecha beit Yisrael
kullanu yodei sh'mekha v'lomdei toratecha lishmah. Baruch attah YHVH hamelamed
Torah le'amo Yisrael. Baruch attah YHVH Eloheinu melech ha-olam, asher bachar
banu mikol ha'amim venatan lanu et torato. Baruch attah YHVH, noten haTorah.
English
translation:
Blessed art Thou, YHVH our Elohim, King of the universe, who has made us set
apart through His commandments and commanded us to actively study Torah. Please
YHVH, our Elohim, sweeten the words of Your Torah in our mouths and in the
mouths of all Your people Israel. May we and our offspring, and the offspring
of Your people, the House of Israel, may we all, together, know Your Name and
study Your Torah for the sake of fulfilling Your desire. Blessed are You, YHVH,
Who teaches Torah to His people Israel. Blessed are You, YHVH our Elohim, King
of the universe, Who chose us from all the nations and gave us the Torah.
Blessed are You, YHVH, Giver of the Torah.
This
week’s Torah portion discusses the instructions “chukim” regarding the sin
(chatat) offering.
The
English word “sin” comes from the name of the mythological moon god called
“Sin.”
“Sin” is defined in the dictionary as:
Deliberate disobedience
to the known will of YHVH.
A condition of estrangement from YHVH resulting
from such disobedience.
Something regarded as being shameful, deplorable,
or utterly wrong.
The
Biblical Hebrew language gives us some further insight.
The
Hebrew word for sin is “chatat” and means to lose your way or depart from the
proper course. Always in the context of departing from the instructions of the
Torah.
The Apostolic Scriptures (or Second Writings that
was wrongfully translated as New Testament) also define sin as the transgression
of Torah.
1Jn 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin
transgresseth also the law(Torah) for sin is the transgression of the law(Torah).
The Hebrew language goes on to give important insight into the subject
of sin.
Three Hebrew words are used to give us deeper insight into the human
condition. We find these words used in the following scriptures:
Dan 9:24 “Seventy weeks are decreed for your people
and for your set-apart city, to put an end to the transgression, and to seal up sins,
and to cover crookedness, and to
bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up vision and prophet, and to
anoint the Most Set-apart.
Scholars tell us that exactly 70x7 weeks which they say equals 490 years
later was when Messiah was executed.
Exo 34:7
watching over kindness for thousands, forgiving crookedness and transgression and sin, but by no means
leaving unpunished1, visiting the
crookedness of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to
the third and the fourth generation.
“Transgression” or “Pesha” means to break away
from just authority. This leads to you doing what is right in your own eyes.
“Sin” – “chatat” – the primitive meaning is to”
miss.”
“Iniquity” – “avon” – perversity or depravity –
to twist or distort or to be under the control of wickedness. In other words
you are overcome with sins that seem to have control over you. Paul describes
such a situation.
I call it the “sin factory” Many Christians
believe that Yahshua came to close down the “sin factory” If this was true how
do we explain why so many “sin factories” are still very much in operation in our lives.
Rom 7:18 For I know that in me, that is in my flesh,
dwells no good. For to wish is present with me, but to work the good I do not
find.
Rom 7:19 For the good that I wish to do, I do not do;
but the evil I do not wish to do, this I practise.
Rom 7:20 And if I do that which I do not wish, it is
no longer I who work it, but the sin dwelling in me.
Rom 7:21 I find therefore this law, that when I wish
to do the good, that the evil is present with me.
Rom 7:22 For I delight in the Torah of Elohim1
according to the inward man, Footnote: 1Ps. 119:16.
Rom 7:23 but I see another law in my members, battling
against the Torah of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin
which is in my members.
Rom 7:24 Wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me
from this body of death?
Rom 7:25 Thanks to Elohim, through יהושע Messiah our
Master! So then, with the mind I myself truly serve the Torah of Elohim, but
with the flesh the law of sin.
Religious leaders
often downplay the seriousness of sin. We have an enormous problem – we cannot
stop sinning and our sin was the cause of the Messiah’s death.
The
truth is that it was not primarily the execution stake that killed Yahshua.
Yahshua literally died from his heart rupturing in his body. The evidence was
that when he was pierced, water and blood came out of his body. Medical science
proves that he died of a broken heart.
“Yahshua's
death after only three to six hours on the execution stake surprised even Pontius
Pilate. The fact that Yahshua cried out in a loud voice and then bowed his head
and died suggests the possibility of a catastrophic terminal event. One popular
explanation has been that Yahshua died of cardiac rupture. In the setting of
the scourging and being nailed to a wooden beam with associated hypovolemia,
hyperemia, and perhaps an altered coagulable state, friable non-infective
thrombotic vegetations could have formed on the aortic or mitral valve. These
then could have dislodged and embolized into the coronary circulation and
thereby produced an acute transmural myocardial infarction. Thrombotic valvular
vegetations have been reported to develop under analogous acute traumatic
conditions. Rupture of the left Ventricular free wall may occur, though
uncommonly, in the first few hours following infarction. End quote.
There
are also other medical explanations for Yahshua’s death that will not be
mentioned in this study.
However
it is generally agreed that Yahshua’s death had something to do with serious
heart failure. We assume that it was the burden that he bore for our sin that
was the actual cause of his death.
Yahshua
was and always will be the only way provided for by YHVH for our salvation.
Yahshua was and has always been the ONLY way of salvation for both so called
Old Testament and New Testament saints.
Before
Yahshua came, the offerings pointed us forward to Yahshua’s finished work.
After Yahshua came the offerings will point us back to his finished work.
Midrash:
We see that Yahshua was being pointed
to when the very first transgression was committed in the Garden of Eden.
Gen 3:21 And יהוה Elohim made
coats of skin for the man and his wife and dressed them.
In other words after Adam and Eve
sinned an animal was killed and its skin was used to cover their nakedness.
At the time of their transgression we
see the first Messianic promise given to Adam and Eve.
Gen 3:15 “And I put enmity between you and the woman,
and between your seed and her Seed1. He shall crush your head, and
you shall crush His heel.” Footnote: 1First promise of the Messiah.
Later on in the book of Beresheet (Genesis) we find another reference to Messiah
when Avraham offers up Yitzchak to YHVH. We are told at this time that Yitzchak
was about 30 years old and willingly laid down his life to be killed. We know
that YHVH stopped Avraham just before he was ready to plunge the knife into his
son. Then Avraham found a ram caught up in a thorn bush. Messiah was also
caught in a thorn bush – a crown of thorns was upon his head when they were
executing him.
YHVH must have spoken to Adam and Eve
and Avraham and many others before Yahshua came and explained that it would
only be the offering of His son that would bring us redemption.
There is no way that all the words
spoken by YHVH to His people have been recorded throughout history. We find
proof of this in the Apostolic scriptures (the Second or Messianic Writings).
The Torah has many other “shadows” of
the coming Messiah - and a remnant of devout men and woman KNEW about Yahshua
before he came.
Our Torah begins:
Lev 4:1 And יהוה spoke to
Mosheh, saying,
Vayikra/Leviticus contains about 90% direct speech of YHVH –
more than any other book in the scriptures.
Every word spoken in this week’s
parasha is a direct word from YHVH.
Psa 119:89 Forever, O יהוה, Your word
stands firm in the heavens.
Psa 119:90 Your
trustworthiness is to all generations; You established the earth, and it
stands.
Psa 119:91
According to Your right-rulings They have stood to this day, For all are
Your servants.
Lev 4:2 “Speak to
the children of Yisra’ĕl, saying, ‘When a being sins by mistake against any of
the commands of יהוה, which are not
to be done, and shall do any of them:
ב דַּבֵּר אֶל-בְּנֵי
יִשְׂרָאֵל, לֵאמֹר--נֶפֶשׁ כִּי-תֶחֱטָא בִשְׁגָגָה מִכֹּל מִצְוֹת יְהוָה, אֲשֶׁר לֹא תֵעָשֶׂינָה; וְעָשָׂה, מֵאַחַת
מֵהֵנָּה.
"For
if we sin deliberately (hekousios = willfully) after receiving the
knowledge (epignosin = full knowledge) of the truth, there no longer
remains an offering for sins, but a fearful prospect of judgment, and a fury of
fire which will consume the adversaries. A man who has violated the law of
Moshe dies without mercy at the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much
worse punishment do you think will be deserved by the man who has spurned the
Son of YHVH, and profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified,
and outraged the Spirit/Ruach of favour? For we know him who has said,
'Vengeance is mine, I will repay,' And again, 'The Master will judge his
people.' It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living Elohim."
(Hebrews 10:26-31)
Highlighting
the tension described above, the Editors of the Harper Study Bible (1952)
have this comment on Leviticus 4:2:
"Sins
of ignorance were sins wrongfully committed by an Israelite out of weakness or
waywardness without any intent to renounce
the sovereignty of YHVH.
Sins
committed with the intention of rejecting YHVH's sovereignty were to be
punished by cutting off their perpetrators from among the people (Numbers
15:30-31).
That
atonement should be required for sins of ignorance demonstrates that ignorance
is no adequate excuse for failure to keep the Laws of YHVH. Believers are
enjoined to study the Scriptures (II Timothy 2:15) and failure to acquaint
themselves with the commandments of YHVH affords no excuse. This kind of sin
must also be confessed and forgiven (I John 1:9). Even in the case of
unbelievers, ignorance is basically willful, according to Romans 1:21,28."
Num 15:29 ‘For him who does whatever by mistake
there is one Torah, both for him who is native among the children of Yisra’ĕl
and for the stranger who sojourns in their midst.
Num 15:30 ‘But (and not but) the being who does whatever
defiantly whether he is native or a stranger, he reviles יהוה, and that
being shall be cut off from among his people.
Num 15:31 ‘Because
he has despised ,(Heb. Gadaph – to revile – to speak evil of Torah)the word of יהוה, and has
broken His command, that being shall certainly be cut off, his crookedness is
upon him.’ ”
If we refuse to acknowledge that our sin is a violation
of Torah and then defiantly speak evil of Torah we then enter into the very,
very dangerous territory of willful sin.
Rom 1:21 because, although they knew Elohim, they did
not esteem Him as Elohim, nor gave thanks, but became vain in their reasonings,
and their undiscerning heart was darkened.
Rom 1:22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools,
Rom 1:23 and changed the esteem of the incorruptible
Elohim into the likeness of an image of corruptible man, and of birds and of
four-footed beasts and of reptiles.
Rom 1:24 Therefore Elohim gave them up to uncleanness
in the lust of their hearts, to disrespect their bodies among themselves,
Rom 1:25 who changed the truth of Elohim into the
falsehood, and worshipped and served what was created rather than the Creator,
who is blessed forever. Amĕn.
Rom 1:26 Because of this Elohim gave them over to
degrading passions. For even their women exchanged natural relations for what
is against nature,
Rom 1:27 and likewise, the men also, having left
natural relations with woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with
men committing indecency, and receiving back the reward which was due for their
straying.
Rom 1:28 And even as they did not think it worth-
while to possess the knowledge of Elohim, Elohim gave them over to a worthless
mind, to do what is improper,
Rom 1:29 having been filled with all unrighteousness,
whoring, wickedness, greed, evil; filled with envy, murder, fighting, deceit,
evil habits; whisperers,
Rom 1:30 slanderers, haters of Elohim, insolent,
proud, boasters, devisers of evils, disobedient to parents,
Rom 1:31 without discernment, covenant breakers,
unloving, unforgiving, ruthless;
Rom 1:32 who, though they know the righteousness of
Elohim, that those who practise such deserve death, not only do the same but
also approve of those who practise them.
Lev 4:3 ‘If the
anointed priest sins, bringing guilt on the people, then he shall bring to יהוה for his sin which he has sinned a young
bull, a perfect one, as a sin offering,
Lev 4:4 and he
shall bring the bull to the door of the Tent of Meeting before יהוה, and shall lay his hand on the bull’s
head, and slaughter the bull before יהוה.
Lev 4:5 ‘And the
anointed priest shall take some of the bull’s blood and bring it to the Tent of
Meeting,
Lev 4:6 and the
priest shall dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle some of the blood seven
times before יהוה, in front of
the veil of the set-apart place.
Lev 4:7 ‘And the
priest shall put some of the blood on the horns of the altar of sweet incense
before יהוה, which is in the Tent of Meeting, and pour
all the blood of the bull at the base of the altar of the burnt offering, which
is at the door of the Tent of Meeting.
Lev 4:8 ‘Then he
takes all the fat of the bull as the sin offering, the fat that covers the
entrails and all the fat which is on the entrails,
Lev 4:9 and the
two kidneys and the fat that is on them by the loins, and the appendage on the
liver, which he removes with the kidneys,
Lev 4:10 as it was
taken from the bull of the peace offering. And the priest shall burn them on
the altar of the burnt offering.
Lev 4:11 ‘But the
skin of the bull, and all its flesh, with its head and legs, its entrails and
dung –
Lev 4:12 all of
the bull – he shall bring outside the camp to a clean place, where the ashes
are poured out, and burn it on wood with fire. Where the ashes are poured out
it is burned.
Lev 4:13 ‘And if
the entire congregation of Yisra’ĕl strays by mistake, and the matter has been
hidden from the eyes of the assembly, and they have done against any of
the commands of יהוה, which are not
to be done, and shall be guilty,
Lev 4:14 when the
sin which they have sinned becomes known, then the assembly shall bring a young
bull for the sin, and bring it before the Tent of Meeting.
Lev 4:15 ‘And the
elders of the congregation shall lay their hands on the head of the bull before
יהוה, and the bull shall be slaughtered before יהוה.
Lev 4:16 ‘And the
anointed priest shall bring some of the bull’s blood to the Tent of Meeting,
Lev 4:17 and the
priest shall dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle it seven times before יהוה, in front of the veil,
Lev 4:18 and put
some of the blood on the horns of the altar which is before יהוה, which is in the Tent of Meeting, and pour
all the blood at the base of the altar of burnt offering, which is at the door
of the Tent of Meeting.
Lev 4:19 ‘Then he
takes all the fat from it and shall burn it on the altar.
Lev 4:20 ‘And he
shall do with the bull as he did with the bull as a sin offering – so shall he
do it. And the priest shall make atonement for them, and it shall be forgiven
them.
Lev 4:21 ‘And he
shall bring the bull outside the camp, and burn it as he burned the first bull.
It is a sin offering for the assembly.
Lev 4:22 ‘When a
ruler sins, and by mistake has done against any of the commands of יהוה his Elohim which are not to be done, and
shall be guilty,
Lev 4:23 or if his
sin which he has sinned is made known to him, then he shall bring as his
offering a buck of the goats, a male, a perfect one.
Lev 4:24 ‘And he
shall lay his hand on the head of the goat, and slaughter it at the place where
they slaughter the burnt offering before יהוה. It is a sin
offering.
Lev 4:25 ‘And the
priest shall take some of the blood of the sin offering with his finger, and
shall put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and pour its blood at
the base of the altar of burnt offering,
Lev 4:26 and burn
all its fat on the altar, like the fat of the slaughtering of the peace
offering. And the priest shall make atonement for him for his sin, and it shall
be forgiven him.
Lev 4:27 ‘And if
any being of the people of the land sins by mistake by doing against any
of the commands of יהוה which are not
to be done, and shall be guilty,
Lev 4:28 or if his
sin which he has sinned shall be made known to him, then he shall bring as his
offering a female goat, a perfect one, for his sin which he has sinned.
Lev 4:29 ‘And he
shall lay his hand on the head of the sin offering, and slaughter the sin
offering at the place of the burnt offering.
Lev 4:30 ‘And the
priest shall take some of its blood with his finger, and shall put it on the
horns of the altar of burnt offering, and pour all the blood at the base of the
altar,
Lev 4:31 then
remove all its fat, as fat is removed from the slaughtering of the peace
offering. And the priest shall burn it on the altar for a sweet fragrance to יהוה. And the priest shall make atonement for
him, and it shall be forgiven him.
Lev 4:32 ‘And if
he brings a lamb as his sin offering, he brings a female, a perfect one.
Lev 4:33 ‘And he
shall lay his hand on the head of the sin offering, and slaughter it as a sin
offering at the place where they slaughter the burnt offering.
Lev 4:34 ‘And the
priest shall take some of the blood of the sin offering with his finger, and
shall put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and pour all the
blood at the base of the altar.
Lev 4:35 ‘Then he
removes all its fat, as the fat of the lamb is removed from the slaughtering of
the peace offering. And the priest shall burn it on the altar, according to the
offerings made by fire to יהוה. So the priest
shall make atonement for his sin that he has sinned, and it shall be forgiven
him.
In conclusion the so called Old
Testament never taught that the offering of an animal would take away our sin.
It is also very clear from the book
of Ezekiel chapters 40 -48 that the offering system of animals will be
established in the millennium.
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.
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.
Heb 10:4
For it is impossible for blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
There is excellent commentary on these and many
other apostolic scriptures that clearly teach that the