10/23/2023

Parashat 23 ‘’Pekudei’’Portion 80 Shemot 38:21-39:32 Yer 30:18-25 +31:7-8 Rom 12:1-13

“Pekudei” – Giving an account of …..

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.

אלה פקודי

Exo 38:21  These were the appointments (pekudei) (or the giving of a full account) of the Dwelling Place, the Dwelling Place of the Witness, which was appointed (pukad) (to give an account) by the command of Mosheh, for the service of the Lĕwites, by the hand of Ithamar, son of Aharon the priest.

 

This is a full accounting for the construction of the Tabernacle. They made sure all instructions and materials were correctly performed and materials used accounted for.

 

The title of our parasha “pekudei” comes from a root Hebrew word “pakad” if we look carefully at the various definitions given in BDB (S6485) we will see that this is a very complicated word and various scholars interpret it differently. Perhaps this word in its “Pual” form could mean – “to be called to give a full account or to be ‘’settled’’ in full”.

This same root word “pakad” appears in the Hebrew translation of John 19:30.

Joh 19:30  So when יהושע took the sour wine He said, “It has been accomplished!” And bowing His head, He gave up(וַיַּפְקֵד) His spirit.

 

ל וַיִּטְעַם יֵשׁוּעַ מִן־הַחֹמֶץ וַיֹּאמֶר נִשְׁלָם וַיֵּט אֶת־רֹאשׁוֹ וַיַּפְקֵד אֶת־רוּחוֹ׃

 

Directly translated could read: “ Yahshua tasted the vinegar and said peace will be perfected and he bowed his head and surrendered His Spirit giving a full account of His life and mission on earth”.

 

In the Greek translation of the above verse the word “Tetelestai” is used for “it is accomplished”. This was an accounting term used in those days when an outstanding account was fully paid.

 

“Pekudei” is a “pual” verb. This is the passive form of the active “piel.” The implication is that this is an intense passive verb form indicating that some intense action was taken on our behalf to make sure our debt was fully paid and any subsequent debt we mistakenly or ignorantly got ourselves into would also be taken care of. It also implies that whatever we would require to successfully complete our mission and calling  in life would also be fully supplied to us by our Father.

 

2Pe 1:3  as His Mighty-like power has given to us all we need for life and reverence, through the (full) knowledge (Gk ‘’epiginosis’’ – revelatory knowledge) of Him who called us to esteem and uprightness. 

 

So, we too must give an account of our lives before the Messiah.

 

Rom 14:10  But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you despise your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Messiah.

 

1Co 3:13  each one’s work shall be revealed, for the day shall show it up, because it is revealed by fire. And the fire shall prove the work of each one, what sort it is. 

1Co 3:14  If anyone’s work remains, which he has built on, he shall receive a reward. 

1Co 3:15  If anyone’s work is burned, he shall suffer loss, but he himself shall be saved, but so as through fire. 

1Co 3:16  Do you not know that you are a Dwelling Place of Elohim and that the Spirit of Elohim dwells (‘’shachan’’) in you?  ‘’shachan’’ relates to ‘’mishkan’’ relate to our teaching on the Tabernacle.

1Co 3:17  If anyone destroys the Dwelling Place of Elohim, Elohim shall destroy him. For the Dwelling Place of Elohim is set-apart, which you are. (or destroys or undermines the instructions regarding the tabernacle)

1Co 3:18  Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become foolish, so that he might become wise. (Mat 5:17-19)

 

Exo 38:22  And Betsal’ĕl son of Uri, son of Ḥur, of the tribe of Yehuḏah, made all that יהוה had commanded Mosheh.

Exo 38:23  And with him: Oholiaḇ son of Aḥisamaḵ, of the tribe of Dan, an engraver and designer, an embroiderer in blue and purple and scarlet material, and in fine linen.

Exo 38:24  All the gold prepared for the work, in all the work of the set-apart place – and it was the gold of the wave offering – came to be twenty-nine talents and seven hundred and thirty sheqels, according to the sheqel of the set-apart place.

Exo 38:25  And the silver from the ones counted of the congregation was one hundred talents and one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five sheqels, according to the sheqel of the set-apart place:

 

32480 ounces of gold @ $1923.60 per ounce = $62 478 528 = R1 187 092 032 This is over one billion rands –

YHVH is making an extremely profound statement to the world – Entering His Presence is not cheap – And He has paid in full what was required for us to enter His Presence.

 

Exo 38:26  a beqa, half a sheqel for a head, according to the sheqel of the set-apart place, for everyone passing over to those counted, from twenty years old and above, for six hundred and three thousand, five hundred and fifty men.

Exo 38:27  And the hundred talents of silver were for casting the sockets of the set-apart place and the bases of the veil: one hundred sockets from the hundred talents, a talent for each socket.

Exo 38:28  And of the one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five sheqels he made hooks for the columns, and overlaid their tops, and made bands for them.

Exo 38:29  And the bronze of the wave offering was seventy talents and two thousand four hundred sheqels.

Exo 38:30  And with it he made the sockets for the door of the Tent of Meeting, and the bronze altar, and the bronze grating for it, and all the utensils for the altar,

Exo 38:31  and the sockets for the courtyard all around, and the bases for the courtyard gate, and all the pegs for the Dwelling Place, and all the pegs for the courtyard all around.

 

The number 1175 is the gematria of all the Hebrew letters combined. Yahshua is referred to as the Aleph Tav – the beginning and the end. He is also the sum of all YHVH’s redemptive work and is therefore not only the beginning and the end but everything in between as well. The hooks or ‘’vavim’’ in Hebrew were used to hang the curtains – it is not a coincidence that almost all sections of the Torah scrolls are joined with the letter ‘’vav’’.

 

Let’s compare the value of the Tabernacle to the treasures captured in Nineveh Babylon:

(Note: Thus, to mention only one or two examples, the images in the temple of Belus, at Babylon, consisted of several thousand talents of gold, to say nothing of the golden tables, the bedsteads, and other articles of gold and silver (Diod. Sic. 2, 9; Herod. 1, 181, 183). In the siege of Nineveh, Sardanapalus erected a funeral pile, upon which he collected all his wealth, including 150 golden bedsteads, 150 golden tables, a million talents of gold, and ten times as much silver and other valuables, to prevent their falling into the hands of the foe (Ctesias in Athen. 12, 28, p. 529). According to a statement in Pliny's Hist. Nat. 33, 3, on the conquest of Asia by Cyrus, he carried off booty to the extent of 34,000 lbs. of gold, beside the golden vessels and 500,000 talents of silver, including the goblet of Semiramis, which alone weighed 15 talents. Alexander the Great found more than 40,000 talents of gold and silver and 9000 talents of coined gold in the royal treasury at Susa (Diod. Sic. 17, 66), and a treasure of 120,000 talents of gold in the citadel of Persepolis (Diod. Sic. 17, 71; Curtius, v. 6, 9). For further accounts of the enormous wealth of Asia in gold and silver, see Bhr, Symbolik i. pp. 258ff.) – Wiki.

The tabernacle used 29 talents of gold; in the above record we have one million talents of gold! The tabernacle used 100 talents of silver in the above record we have 500 000 talents of silver!

One talent = 75lbs x16 ounces x $1900 per ounce x One million worth of gold = $2 280 000 000 000 X 19 to get rands = R 43 320 000 000 000 –

What can we deduce from such a comparison?

The idolatry of Babylon and of mankind’s idolatry, knows no bounds to the extent its leaders and followers will go to, to gather astronomical amounts of wealth to establish a pagan based lifestyle and religion.  Revelation 18 tells us what happens to this spirit of Babylon in the last days.

Rev 18:14  “And the fruit that your being longed for has gone from you. And all your riches and splendour are lost to you, and you shall find them no more, not at all. 

Rev 18:15  “The merchants of these, those who became rich by her, shall stand at a distance for fear of her torture, weeping and mourning, 

Rev 18:16  and saying, ‘Woe! Woe, the great city that was dressed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls! 

Rev 18:17  For in one hour such great riches was laid waste.’

 

Isa 60:5  “….. for the wealth of the sea is turned to you, the riches of the nation’s come to you. 

 

‘’The largest landowner in the world currently is King Charles III of England. How much land does the Royal Family own? He and the British Royal Family own more than 6,600,000,000 acres of land around the world. The RCC owns 28 000 000 acres of real estate.’’ (Heb 10:34)

 

It can be compared to the destiny of the spirit of Esav in the last days and the destruction of a Revived Roman Empire (Idumia)

Oba 1:6  “How Ěsaw shall be searched out! His hidden treasures shall be sought out!

Oba 1:10  “Because of your violence against your brother Yaʽaqoḇ, let shame cover you. And you shall be cut off forever.

 

Making the Priestly Garments

 

Any person who ever makes it into the presence of YHVH will look back over their lives and have no doubt whatsoever that they are standing in His Presence because of an intercessory priestly ministry anointed and appointed by YHVH.

Religion creates an extremely dangerous perception that through our efforts, belief system or the confession

of our faith that we can somehow secure our eternal salvation and entry into YHVH’s Presence.

 

Rom 9:16  So, then, it is not of him who is wishing, nor of him who is running, but of Elohim who shows favour. 

YHVH shows His Favour to mankind through His appointed priesthood. Eph 4:11

 

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. 

 

 

Exo 39:1  And of the blue and purple and scarlet material they made woven garments, to do service in the set-apart place. And they made the set-apart garments which were for Aharon, as יהוה had commanded Mosheh. 

Exo 39:2  And he made the shoulder garment of gold, of blue and purple and scarlet material, and of fine woven linen. 

Exo 39:3  And they beat out sheets of gold and cut it into threads, to work it in with the blue and purple and scarlet material, and the fine linen, the work of a skilled workman. 

Exo 39:4  They made shoulder pieces for it to join it, it was joined at its two edges. 

Exo 39:5  And the embroidered band of his shoulder garment that was on it was of the same work of gold, and blue and purple and scarlet material, and of fine woven linen, as יהוה had commanded Mosheh. 

Exo 39:6  And they made the shoham stones, set in plated work of gold, engraved as signets are engraved, according to the names of the sons of Yisra’ěl. 

Exo 39:7  And he put them on the shoulders of the shoulder garment, stones of remembrance for the sons of Yisra’ěl, as יהוה had commanded Mosheh. 

Exo 39:8  And he made the breastplate, a work of a skilled workman, like the work of the shoulder garment, of gold, of blue and purple and scarlet material, and of fine woven linen. 

Exo 39:9  It was square, they made the breastplate double, its length a span, its width a span, doubled. 

Exo 39:10  And they filled it with four rows of stones: a row of ruby, a topaz, and an emerald was the first row; 

Exo 39:11  and the second row a turquoise, a sapphire, and a diamond; 

Exo 39:12  and the third row a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst; 

Exo 39:13  and the fourth row a beryl, a shoham, and a jasper – set in plated work of gold in their settings. 

Exo 39:14  And the stones were according to the names of the sons of Yisra’ěl, twelve according to their names, engraved like a signet, each one with its own name according to the twelve tribes. 

Exo 39:15  And they made braided chains of corded work for the breastplate at the ends, of clean gold. 

Exo 39:16  And they made two settings of gold and two gold rings, and put the two rings on the two ends of the breastplate. 

Exo 39:17  And they put the two cords of gold in the two rings on the ends of the breastplate. 

Exo 39:18  And the two ends of the two cords they fastened in the two settings, and put them on the shoulder pieces of the shoulder garment in the front. 

Exo 39:19  And they made two rings of gold and put them on the two ends of the breastplate, on the edge of it, which was on the inward side of the shoulder garment. 

Exo 39:20  And they made two gold rings and put them on the two shoulder pieces, underneath the shoulder garment, on the front of it, close to its seam above the embroidered band of the shoulder garment. 

Exo 39:21  And they bound the breastplate by means of its rings to the rings of the shoulder garment with a blue cord, so that it would be above the embroidered band of the shoulder garment, and that the breastplate would not come loose from the shoulder garment, as יהוה had commanded Mosheh. 

Exo 39:22  And he made the robe of the shoulder garment of woven work, all of blue. 

Exo 39:23  And the opening of the robe was in the middle, like the opening in a scaled armour, with a woven binding all around the opening, so that it would not tear. 

Exo 39:24  And they made on the hem of the robe pomegranates of blue and purple and scarlet material, twined. 

Exo 39:25  And they made bells of clean gold, and put the bells between the pomegranates on the hem of the robe all around between the pomegranates: 

Exo 39:26  a bell and a pomegranate, a bell and a pomegranate, all around the hem of the robe, for the service, as יהוה had commanded Mosheh. 

Exo 39:27  And they made the long shirt of fine linen, the work of a weaver, for Aharon and his sons, 

Exo 39:28  and a turban of fine linen, and the turban ornaments of fine linen, and short trousers of fine woven linen, 

Exo 39:29  and a girdle of fine woven linen with blue and purple and scarlet material, the work of an embroiderer, as יהוה had commanded Mosheh. 

Exo 39:30  And they made the plate of the set-apart sign of dedication of clean gold, and wrote on it an inscription like the engraving of a signet: SET-APARTNESS TO יהוה

Exo 39:31  And they put on it a blue cord, to fasten it above on the turban, as יהוה had commanded Mosheh. 

Exo 39:32  And all the work of the Dwelling Place of the Tent of Appointment was completed. And the children of Yisra’ěl did according to all that יהוה had commanded Mosheh, so they did. 

 

Act 15:16  ‘After this I shall return and rebuild the Booth of Dawiḏ which has fallen down. And I shall rebuild its ruins, and I shall set it up, 

Act 15:17  so that the remnant of mankind shall seek יהוה, even all the nations on whom My Name has been called, says יהוה who is doing all this,’ 

Act 15:18  who has made this known from of old. Amo_9:11-12

 

2 Maccabees 2: It was also in the same document that the prophet, having received an oracle, ordered that the tent and the ark should follow with him and that he went out to the mountain where Moses had gone up and had seen the inheritance of God. Jeremiah came and found a cave dwelling, and he brought there the tent and the ark and the altar of incense; then he sealed up the entrance. Some of those who followed him came up intending to mark the way but could not find it. When Jeremiah learned of it, he rebuked them and declared, “The place shall remain unknown until God gathers his people together again and shows his mercy. Then the Lord will disclose these things, and the glory of the Lord and the cloud will appear, as they were shown in the case of Moses and as Solomon asked that the place should be specially consecrated.”

 

Very few people believe that the Ark of the Covenant will be found again.

Very few believers believe that the sacrificial services will not continue when Messiah returns.

 

What if they are wrong? Heb 10:28  Anyone who has disregarded the Torah of Mosheh dies without compassion on the witness of two or three witnesses. 

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? 

 

What if the rediscovery of the Ark of the covenant is part of an end time restoration of all things?

 

Act 3:20  and that He sends יהושע Messiah, pre-appointed for you, 

Act 3:21  whom heaven needs to receive until the times of restoration of all matters, of which Elohim spoke through the mouth of all His set-apart prophets since of old. 

 

Jer 3:14  “Return, O backsliding children,” declares יהוה, “for I shall rule over you, and shall take you, one from a city and two from a clan,a and shall bring you to Tsiyon. Footnote: aSee Isa_27:12

Jer 3:15  “And I shall give you shepherds according to My heart, and they shall feed you with knowledge and understanding. 

Jer 3:16  “And it shall be, when you have increased,(Heb ‘’rabah’’ become great) and shall be fruitful in the land in those days,” declares יהוה, “that they no longer say, ‘The ark of the covenant of יהוה.’ Neither would it come to heart, nor would they remember it, nor would they visit(יפקדו) it, nor would it be made again. 

 

יפקדו – same root word as ‘’pekudei’’ or the ‘’Ark’’ will be ‘’accounted’’ for, because according to 2 Maccabees 2 the Ark of the covenant will be discovered again in the last days when YHVH gathers all the tribes of Israel together.

 

Finally, Don Moen gives a wonderful testimony of how he composed a song about the Tabernacle:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGJlPdSZKds

 

I just want to be where you are
Dwelling daily in your presence
I don't want to worship from afar
Draw me near to where you are

I just want to be where you are
In your dwelling place
In your dwelling place forever
Take me to the place where you are
'Cause I just want to be with you

 

Full Song:

(143) Don Moen - I Want to Be Where You Are | Praise and Worship Songs - YouTube

 

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,