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.
תרומה – lift up a free will offering or gift to YHVH
Contributions for the Set apart place
Exo 25:1 And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying,
Exo 25:2 “Speak to the children of
Yisra’ěl, that they take up a contribution(תרומה) for Me. From everyone
whose heart moves him you shall take up My contribution.
Exo 25:3 “And this is the
contribution which you take up from them: gold, and silver, and bronze,
Exo 25:4 and blue and purple and
scarlet material, and fine linen, and goats’ hair,
Exo 25:5 and rams’ skins dyed red,
and fine leather, and acacia wood,
Exo 25:6 oil for the light, spices
for the anointing oil and for the sweet incense,
Exo 25:7 shoham stones, and stones to be set in the shoulder garment and in the breastplate.
Exo 25:8 “And they shall make Me a Set-apart Place, and I shall dwell in their midst.
Exo 25:9 “According to all that I show you – the pattern of the Dwelling Place and the pattern of all its furnishings – make it exactly so.
Introduction to the Tabernacle:
We begin this week with the amazing
study and adventure into the construction and purpose of the Tabernacle – in
Hebrew ‘’mishkan’’ from the Hebrew word ‘’shachan’’ the place where the
presence of YHVH dwells. The Hebrew word ‘’shekinah’’ is also related to
‘’Mishkan’’ and speaks of ‘’dwelling or settling’’ in the presence of YHVH.
Why the tabernacle? – since the fall of man, no mortal has ever looked directly at heavenly things, or stood in the presence of YHVH. And so YHVH in His mercy shows us a way back into His presence after been removed from His presence and the Tree of Life in the garden. It is all about YHVH’s great invitation and provision for us to return back into His Presence.
This ‘’portable temple’’ was built in the wilderness by the Israelites around 1450 B.C. after they were freed from Egyptian slavery. It was the first resting place of the ark of the covenant. It served as a place of worship and offerings during the Israelites’ 40 years in the wilderness. ‘’
‘’There are 50 chapters in the Scriptures devoted to the ‘’mishkan’’ or Tabernacle: 13 in Exodus; 18 in Leviticus; 13 in Numbers; two in Deuteronomy; and four in Hebrews’’ and is most probably the most taught about subject in all of scripture.
But how does this teaching apply to us today? Col 2:17 ‘’…which are a shadow of what is to come…’’
Rev 21:3 And I heard a loud voice from the heaven saying, “See, the Booth(mishkan- משכן) of Elohim is with men, and He shall dwell(shachan) with them, and they shall be His people, and Elohim Himself shall be with them and be their Elohim.
Rev 21:3 ואשמע קול גדול מן־הכסא לאמר הנה משכן אלהים עם־בני
האדם ושכן בתוכם והמה יהיו־לו לעם והוא האלהים יהיה אתם (אלהיהם)׃
And so how does the ‘’mishkan’’ of Elohim dwell with man?
Joh
1:14 And the Word became flesh and pitched (shachan)His tent among us, and we saw His esteem,
esteem as of an only brought-forth of the father,
complete in favour and truth.
Rom
8:11 And if the Spirit of Him who raised יהושע from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Messiah from the
dead shall also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit dwelling in
you.
2Co 4:7 And we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the excellence of the power might be of Elohim, and not of us
And so, this Torah portion begins by telling us about the free will offerings made by the Israelites to build a temporary structure for YHVH’s presence on earth. The second writing teaches how this shadow will eventually become a reality and permanent dwelling for the presence of YHVH on earth.
And so, we too present ourselves as free will offerings to YHVH.
Rom
12:1 I call
upon you, therefore, brothers, through the compassion of Elohim, to present
your bodies a living offering – set-apart, well-pleasing to Elohim – your
reasonable worship.
Rom 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you prove what is that good and well-pleasing and perfect desire of Elohim.
1Co 6:19 Or do you not know that your body is the Dwelling Place (shachan)of the Set-apart Spirit who is in you, which you have from Elohim, and you are not your own?
1Co
3:11 For no one is able to lay any other foundation except that which is
laid, which is יהושע
Messiah.
1Co
3:12 And if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious
stones, wood, hay, straw,
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(shachan) of Elohim and that the Spirit of Elohim dwells in you?
Eph
2:20 having been built upon the foundation of the emissaries and
prophets, יהושע
Messiah Himself being chief corner-stone,
Eph
2:21 in whom all the building, being joined together, grows into a
set-apart Dwelling Place in יהוה,
Eph 2:22 in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling(Mischan) of Elohim in the Spirit.
1Co 3:16 Do you not know that you are a Dwelling Place(shachan) of Elohim and that the Spirit of Elohim dwells in you?
1Co 12:7 And to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for profiting,
Eph
4:3 being eager to guard the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace
–
Eph 4:4 one body and one Spirit, as you also were called in one expectation of your calling,
Orderly
Worship – How
His Mischan is established on earth.
1Co
14:26 What then is it, brothers? Whenever you come together, each one has
a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation.
Let all be done for upbuilding.
1Co
14:27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three,
each in turn, and let one interpret.
1Co
14:28 And if there is no interpreter, let him be silent in an assembly,
and let him speak to himself and to Elohim.
1Co
14:29 And let two or three prophets speak, and let the others
discern.
1Co
14:30 And if there should be a revelation to another who sits by, let the
first be silent.
1Co
14:31 For you are all able to prophesy one by one, so that all learn and
all be encouraged.
1Co
14:32 And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.
1Co 14:33 For Elohim is not Elohim of disorder but of peace, as in all the assemblies of the set-apart ones.
Joh 14:26 “But the Helper, the Set-apart Spirit, whom the Father shall send in My Name, He shall teach you all, and remind you of all that I said to you.
In these last days I believe YHVH desires to give the remnant of His people a life changing revelation of the ark of the covenant – it is the revelation of the Torah written on their hearts (two tablets); guided and disciplined by a Set Apart priesthood (rod of Aharon); been sustained from the daily ‘’bread’’ or proceeding word from Heaven (manna)that will draw us, protect us and keep us in His Presence. This is the ‘’Call’’ of YHVH and central theme and purpose of all scriptures. This has been fulfilled by Yahshua and is busy been fulfilled in the lives of all those whom He has called out of darkness into His marvelous light. (Symbolic of the three objects found in the ark of the covenant)
Caveat: We need to consider many wonderful
saints that have gone before us and are still with us who have not had the same
exposure as some of us have had in the Hebrew root’s movement.
YHVH is a Righteous Judge and knows that if these saints had the same exposure and grace that has been extended to us, they too would have come to the same conviction and embracing of YHVH’s counsel as we have.
The following You tube videos give a three-dimensional graphic presentation of the ‘’Mishkan’’ (tabernacle).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aq0jhO1KDw4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szq2vV1W56k
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEqCl5n3Bis
Rev 2:7 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies. To him who overcomes[a] I shall give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise[b] of Elohim.
The Ark of the Covenant
Exo 25:10 “And they shall make an
ark of acacia wood two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a
cubit and a half high.
Exo 25:11 “And you shall overlay
it with clean gold, inside and outside you shall overlay it. And you shall make
on it a moulding of gold all around.
Exo 25:12 “And you shall cast four
rings of gold for it, and put them in its four corners, two rings on one side,
and two rings on the other side.
Exo 25:13 “And you shall make
poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold,
Exo 25:14 and shall put the poles
into the rings on the sides of the ark, to lift up the ark by them.
Exo 25:15 “The poles are in the rings
of the ark, they are not taken from it.
Exo 25:16 “And into the ark you
shall put the Witness which I give you.
Exo 25:17 “And you shall make a
lid of atonement of clean gold, two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a
half wide.
Exo 25:18 “And you shall make two
keruḇim of gold, make them of beaten work, at the two ends of the lid of
atonement.
Exo 25:19 “And make one keruḇ at
one end, and the other keruḇ at the other end. Make the keruḇim from the lid of
atonement, at its two ends.
Exo 25:20 “And the keruḇim shall
be spreading out their wings above, covering the lid of atonement with their
wings, with their faces toward each other, the faces of the keruḇim turned
toward the lid of atonement.
Exo 25:21 “And you shall put the
lid of atonement on top of the ark, and put into the ark the Witness which I
give you.
Exo 25:22 “And I shall meet with you there, and from above the lid of atonement, from between the two keruḇim which are on the ark of the Witness, I shall speak to you all that which I command you concerning the children of Yisra’ěl.
According to the ‘’mishnah yadayim 3.5’’ all the writings are ‘’kodishim’’ (set apart) but the Song of Songs are most set apart or ‘’kodesh kodeshim) and is used to describe the inner sanctuary where the ark of the covenant was kept.
Son
3:9 King Solomon made himself a litter-bed (‘’apiron’’ or palanquin) of Lebanon's trees.
Son 3:10 He made its poles of silver, its back gold, its seat of purple, its middle(interior) was paved (Heb – ‘’ratzuf’’ where in this bedroom chamber perfect union takes place) with love by the daughters of Jerusalem.
Some rabbis teach that the Song of Songs is an allegory of the deep love between YHVH and Israel and when Solomon speaks of his bridal chamber it is a veiled reference to the ark of the covenant found in the ‘’kodesh kodeshim’’ of the Tabernacle.
The Hebrew word ‘’ratzuf’’ in Son 3:10 implies that all the elements of the Tabernacle were connected, yet also separated. The goal and purpose of the different elements of the Tabernacle was to show us a way back to the most set apart place. This, of course, could only take place through a Priestly mediation.
The Table for Bread (‘’breaking bread together a celebration of covenant and a prelude
to intimacy)
Exo 25:23 “And you shall make a
table of acacia wood two cubits long, a cubit wide, and a cubit and a half
high.
Exo 25:24 “And you shall overlay
it with clean gold, and shall make a moulding of gold all around,
Exo 25:25 and shall make for it a
rim of a handbreadth all around, and shall make a gold moulding for the rim all
around.
Exo 25:26 “And you shall make for
it four rings of gold, and put the rings on the four corners that are at its
four legs.
Exo 25:27 “The rings are close to
the rim, as holders for the poles to lift the table.
Exo 25:28 “And you shall make the
poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold, and the table shall be lifted
with them.
Exo 25:29 “And you shall make its
dishes, and its ladles, and its jars, and its bowls for pouring. Make them of
clean gold.
Exo 25:30 “And you shall put the showbread on the table before Me, continually.
The Golden Lampstand (speaking the pure language of love by candle light)
Exo 25:31 “And you shall make a lampstand
of clean gold – the lampstand is made of beaten work. Its base and its shaft,
its cups, its ornamental knobs and blossoms are from it,
Exo 25:32 and six branches shall come
out of its sides: three branches of the lampstand out of one side, and three
branches of the lampstand out of the other side;
Exo 25:33 three cups made like
almond flowers on one branch, with ornamental knob and blossom, and three cups
made like almond flowers on the other branch, with ornamental knob and blossom
– so for the six branches coming out of the lampstand.
Exo 25:34 “And on the lampstand
itself are four cups made like almond flowers, with ornamental knob and
blossom,
Exo 25:35 and a knob under the
first two branches of the same, and a knob under the second two branches of the
same, and a knob under the third two branches of the same, according to the six
branches coming out of the lampstand.
Exo 25:36 “Their knobs and their
branches are of the same – all of it one beaten work of clean gold.
Exo 25:37 “And you shall make
seven lamps for it, and they shall mount its lamps so that they give light in
front of it.
Exo 25:38 “And its snuffers and
their trays are of clean gold.
Exo 25:39 “It is made of a talent
of clean gold, with all these utensils.
Exo 25:40 “So see, and do according to the pattern which was shown to you on the mountain.
There is a common view that all these elements have been done away with and now your average believer has direct access into the Presence of YHVH. See Matt 5:17-19
We realize that the Tabernacle was only a ‘’shadow and type’’ of things to come – Col 2:17. However let us consider the actual size of the Tabernacle – its outer court was only about 45 metres long and 22,5 metres wide. This small portable structure was surrounded by between 2 and 3 million people – 603 550 men 20 years older. It appears that compulsory attendance or participation of the ministry of the Tabernacle was not required, after-all it was constructed by free-will offerings and made no demands for men’s loyalty or commitment, however any violation of the sanctity of the Tabernacle would incur swift and severe judgment. (My personal conviction is that only those who embrace the vision and value of the Tabernacle will be allowed to enter the millennial reign of Messiah)
Yet in spite of YHVH’s Presence and His provision manna; the cloud by day; the fire by night –( Deu 29:5 “And I have led you forty years in the wilderness. Your garments have not worn out on you, and your sandals have not worn out on your feet.) only two men of the first census and their families made it into the promised land.
Heb
3:7 Therefore, as the Set-apart Spirit says, “Today, if you hear His
voice,
Heb
3:8 do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, in the day of trial
in the wilderness,
Heb
3:9 where your fathers tried Me, proved Me, and saw My works forty
years.
Heb
3:10 “Therefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, ‘They
always go astray in their heart, and they have not known My ways.’
Heb 3:11 “As I swore in My wrath, ‘If they shall enter into My rest...’ ” Psa_95:7-11.
Heb 4:1 Therefore, since a promise remains of entering into His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it.
Heb 4:8 For if Yehoshua had given them rest, He would not have spoken of another day after that.
Heb
4:10 For the one, having entered into His rest, has himself also rested
from his works, as Elohim rested from His own.
Heb 4:11 Let us therefore do our utmost to enter into that rest, lest anyone fall after the same example of disobedience.
‘’That rest’’ may well be referring to the millennial kingdom of Messiah.
Not even Paul assumed he would be part of it – Php 3:11 if somehow I might attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Also note the use of the conditional clauses used in Phil 3:11, Heb 3:11 (repeated several times in Hebrews chapter 3 and 4) as well as the condition preposition used in Ps 95:11
(ἄν)A primary particle, denoting a supposition, wish, possibility
or uncertainty.
Heb 3:11
(אם) conditional clauses of possible situations Ps 95:11
(εἰ) A primary particle of conditionality; if…as in - Php 3:11 if somehow I might attain to
the resurrection from the dead. (And subsequent entry into the millennial reign of Messiah)
Sadly, many
if not most of our modern translations don’t translate these conditional
clauses.
So, why
‘’if’’- 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 and Rom 9:18 So, then, He favours whom He wishes, and He hardens whom
He wishes.
No
religious doctrine or teaching is able to show us a way back into His Presence
–it is only His ‘’Amazing Favour (Grace)’’ Freely given and gratefully
received.
Hag 2:8 The silver is Mine, and
the gold is Mine,’ declares יהוה of
hosts.
Hag 2:9 Let the esteem of this latter House be greater than the former,’ said יהוה of hosts. ‘And in this place I give peace,’ declares יהוה of hosts.”
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 th.e Torah – Amein