2/10/2024

Parashat 31 Portion 101 Emor Lev 22:17-23:8 Joel 3:13-21
















Blessed are You, 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 – especially we who were once gentiles excluded from the citizenship of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise having no expectation and without Elohim- have now through the blood of Messiah have gained access into the covenants and have obtained citizenship into the commonwealth of Israel.  Blessed are You, YHVH, Giver of the Torah and the Guardian of Israel.

We must remind ourselves as often as we can that we cannot fully obey and walk in all the blessings of the Torah until YHVH has fully restored the Temple service and Levitical priesthood.

Perhaps YHVH is amazed that there is so little appetite or desire amongst those who claim to be believers for the return of the Temple service – once again a sad reflection of the true spiritual condition of those who call themselves believers – both Jew and Gentile.

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. 

Deu 4:30  “In your distress, when all these words shall come upon you in the latter days, then you shall return to יהוה your Elohim and shall obey His voice. 

Acceptable Offerings

אשׁר יקריב – ‘’when you draw near …’’ Bringing offerings to YHVH was associated with believers desiring intimacy with their Creator – this will never change.

Lev 22:17  And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying, 

Lev 22:18  “Speak to Aharon and his sons, and to all the children of Yisra’ěl, and say to them, ‘Any man(אישׁ אישׁ) (no male was exempt) of the house of Yisra’ěl, or of the strangers in Yisra’ěl, who brings (אשׁר יקריב) his offering for any of his vows or for any of his voluntary offerings, which they bring to יהוה as an ascending offering, 

Lev 22:19  for your acceptance, is a male, a perfect one from the cattle, from the sheep, or from the goats. 

The burnt offering is the first of the voluntary or free will offerings offerings, which were made to express thanks, worship, devotion, and commitment to YHVH – not expecting any favour or benefit from YHVH in return.

A vow offering involved a promise to give oneself, or another person (as in a dedication of someone), or one's possessions to YHVH, either so He would bestow some blessing, or because He had already bestowed a blessing. People made vows to do something or not to do something. Vows were normally temporary.

 (Leviticus 17:8–9). The foreigner was to bring his burnt offering to the tabernacle, just like any natural-born Israelite. When a burnt offering was made at the tabernacle, it was clear that the sacrifice was made to YHVH and not to another god.

 Numbers 15:14-16  says, “For the generations to come, whenever a foreigner or anyone else living among you presents a food offering as an aroma pleasing to YHVH, they must do exactly as you do. The community is to have the same rules for you and for the foreigner residing among you; this is a lasting ordinance for the generations to come. You and the foreigner shall be the same before YHVH: The same laws and regulations will apply both to you and to the foreigner residing among you.”

It is also worth reminding ourselves that the Messiah did not come to earth to start a new religion called ‘’Christianity’’ He came to show us the way back to our ancient Hebraic roots - 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. 

http://www.livingwithfaith.org/blog/the-gentiles-and-the-temple

Lev 22:20  ‘Whatever has a defect, you do not bring, for it is not acceptable for you. 

Lev 22:21  ‘And when a man brings a slaughtering of peace offerings to יהוה, to complete a vow, or a voluntary offering from the cattle or the sheep, it is to be perfect to be accepted, let there be no defect in it. 

Lev 22:22  ‘Those blind or broken or cut, or having an ulcer or eczema or scabs, you do not bring to יהוה, nor make an offering by fire of them on the slaughter-place to יהוה

Lev 22:23  ‘As for a bull or a lamb that has any limb deformed or dwarfed you do prepare as a voluntary offering, but for a vow it is not accepted. 

Lev 22:24  ‘Do not bring to יהוה what is bruised or crushed, or torn or cut, nor do it in your land

Lev 22:25  ‘And from a son of a stranger’s hand you do not bring any of these as the bread of your Elohim, for their corruption is in them, and defects are in them, they are not acceptable for you.’ ” 

Lev 22:26  And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying, 

Lev 22:27  “When a bull or a sheep or a goat is born, it shall be seven days with its mother. And from the eighth day and thereafter it is acceptable as an offering made by fire to יהוה

Lev 22:28  “But do not slay a cow or a sheep and its young on the same day. 

Lev 22:29  “And when you slaughter a slaughtering of thanksgiving to יהוה, slaughter it for your acceptance. 

 "... the sacrifice of thanksgiving is actually a peace offering that is motivated by thanksgiving. This type of offering included an animal sacrifice as well as various sorts of cereal or bread offerings."

Lev 22:30  “It is eaten that same day, leave none of it till morning. I am יהוה

Lev 22:31  “And you shall guard My commands and do them. I am יהוה

Lev 22:32  “And do not profane My set-apart Name, and I shall be set-apart among the children of Yisra’ěl. I am יהוה, who sets you apart, 

Lev 22:33  who brought you out of the land of Mitsrayim, to be your Elohim. I am יהוה.” 

Feasts/ Appointments of YHVH

Lev 23:1  And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying, 

Lev 23:2  “Speak to the children of Yisra’ěl, and say to them, ‘The appointed times of יהוה, which you are to proclaim as set-apart gatherings, My appointed times, are these: 

The Sabbath/Shabbat

Lev 23:3  ‘Six days work is done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest, a set-apart gathering. You do no work, it is a Sabbath to יהוה in all your dwellings. 

The Passover/Pesach

Lev 23:4  ‘These are the appointed times (moadim) of יהוה, set-apart gatherings which you are to proclaim at their appointed times. 

Lev 23:5  ‘In the first new moon, on the fourteenth day of the new moon, between the evenings, is the Pěsaḥa to יהוה.[a]Footnote: aPassover. 

Lev 23:6  ‘And on the fifteenth day of this new moon is the Festival (chag) of Matzot[b] to יהוה – seven days you eat unleavened bread. Footnote: bUnleavened Bread. 

Lev 23:7  ‘On the first day you have a set-apart gathering, you do no servile work

Lev 23:8  ‘And you shall bring an offering made by fire to יהוה for seven days. On the seventh day is a set-apart gathering, you do no servile work.’” 

It is extremely significant that the Messiah himself will perform all these offerings when he returns to rule and reign over all the earth:

 Numbers 15:14-16 says “All the people of the land are to give this contribution to the prince in Yisra’ěl.

Eze_45:17  “And on the prince are the ascending offerings, and the grain offerings, and drink offerings, at the festival, the new moons, the sabbathsin all the appointed times of the house of Yisra’ěl. He is to prepare the sin offering, and the grain offering, and the ascending offering, and the peace offerings to make atonement for the house of Yisra’ěl.”

Eze_45:22  “And on that day the prince shall prepare for himself and for all the people of the land a bull for a sin offering.

Eze_46:2  “And the prince shall enter by way of the porch of that gate from the outside, and he shall stand by the post. And the priests shall prepare his ascending offering and his peace offerings. And he shall bow himself at the threshold of the gate, and shall go out, but the gate is not shut until evening.

Eze 46:16  Thus said the Master יהוה, “When the prince gives a gift of some of his inheritance to any of his sons, it belongs to his sons, it is their possession by inheritance. 

Eze 46:17  “And when he gives a gift of some of his inheritance to one of his servants, then it shall be his till the year of release, then it shall return to the prince. Only the inheritance of his sons is theirs. 

The Torah can only be fully obeyed and all its blessings fully realized when there is a Temple priesthood and service under the rule of King Messiah.

All the appointments (moedim) were originally meant to be accompanied by various offerings:

Daily Offerings

Num 28:1  And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying, 

Num 28:2  "Command the children of Yisra’ěl, and you shall say to them, ‘Take heed to bring My offering, My food for My offerings made by fire as a sweet fragrance to Me, at their appointed time.’ 

Num 28:3  “And you shall say to them, ‘This is the offering made by fire which you bring to יהוה: two male lambs a year old, perfect ones, daily, a continual ascending offering. 

Num 28:4  The one lamb you prepare in the morning, and the other lamb you prepare between the evenings, 

Num 28:5  with one-tenth of an ěphah of fine flour as a grain offering mixed with one-fourth of a hin of pressed oil, 

Num 28:6  a continual ascending offering which was offered at Mount Sinai for a sweet fragrance, an offering made by fire to יהוה

Num 28:7  and its drink offering, one-fourth of a hin for each lamb. Pour out the drink to יהוה as an offering in the set-apart place. 

Num 28:8  And the other lamb you prepare between the evenings. As the morning grain offering and its drink offering, you prepare it as an offering made by fire, a sweet fragrance to יהוה

Sabbath (Shabbat in Hebrew) Offerings

Num 28:9  And on the Sabbath day two lambs a year old, perfect ones, and two-tenths of an ěphah of fine flour as a grain offering, mixed with oil, with its drink offering, 

Num 28:10  the ascending offering for every Sabbath, besides the continual ascending offering with its drink offering. 

Monthly Offerings (The Rosh Chodesh offerings)

Num 28:11  And on the beginnings of your new (rosh)moons (chodesh) you bring near an ascending offering to יהוה: two young bulls and one ram, and seven lambs a year old, perfect ones; 

Num 28:12  three-tenths of an ěphah of fine flour as a grain offering, mixed with oil, for each bull; two-tenths of an ěphah of fine flour as a grain offering, mixed with oil, for the one ram; 

Num 28:13  and one-tenth of an ěphah of fine flour, mixed with oil, as a grain offering for each lamb, as an ascending offering of sweet fragrance, an offering made by fire to יהוה

Num 28:14  And their drink offering is half a hin of wine for a bull, and one-third of a hin for a ram, and one-fourth of a hin for a lamb. This is the ascending offering for each new moon throughout the new moons of the year, 

Num 28:15  and one male goat as a sin offering to יהוה is prepared, besides the continual ascending offering and its drink offering. 

Passover Offerings (The Pesach offerings)

Num 28:16  And in the first new moon, on the fourteenth day, is the Pěsaḥa of יהוה, Footnote: aPassover. 

Num 28:17  and on the fifteenth day of this new moon is a festival. For seven days unleavened bread is eaten. 

Num 28:18  On the first day is a set-apart gathering, you do no servile work. 

Num 28:19  And you shall bring near an offering made by fire as an ascending offering to יהוה: two young bulls and one ram, and seven lambs a year old, perfect ones they are for you, 

Num 28:20  and their grain offering, fine flour mixed with oil. Prepare three-tenths of an ěphah for a bull, and two-tenths for a ram. 

Num 28:21  Prepare one-tenth of an ěphah for each of the seven lambs, 

Num 28:22  and one goat as a sin offering, to make atonement for you. 

Num 28:23  Prepare these besides the ascending offering of the morning, which is for a continual ascending offering. 

Num 28:24  According to these you are to prepare the food of the offering made by fire daily for seven days, as a sweet fragrance to יהוה. It is prepared besides the continual ascending offering and its drink offering. 

Num 28:25  And on the seventh day you have a set-apart gathering, you do no servile work. 

We need not feel condemned because of our inability to observe these appointments fully - Rom 8:1  There is, then, now no condemnation to those who are in Messiah יהושע.- Act 17:30  “Truly, then, having overlooked these times of ignorance, Elohim now commands all men everywhere to repent, 

A quote from a Christian scholar – https://www.gotquestions.org/millennial-sacrifices.html

There are several passages in the ‘Old Testament’, the TeNaKh (Torah, Nevi’im (Prophets), sn Ketuvim (Writings) that clearly indicate animal sacrifice will be re-instituted during the millennial kingdom. Some passages mention it in passing as the topic of the millennial kingdom is discussed, passages like Isaiah 56:6-8; Zechariah 14:16; and Jeremiah 33:15-18

The passage that is the most extensive, giving the greatest detail, is Ezekiel 43:18-46:24. It should be noted that this is part of a greater passage dealing with the millennial kingdom, a passage that begins with Ezekiel 40. In Ezekiel 40, YHVH to give details of the temple that will exist during the millennial kingdom, a temple that dwarfs all other temples previously built, even Herod’s temple that was quite large, which existed during the earthly ministry of Messiah

After giving details concerning the size and appearance of the temple and the altar, YHVH then begins to give detailed instruction as to the animal sacrifices that will be offered (Ezekiel 43:18-27). In chapter 44, YHVH gives instructions as to who will be offering sacrifices to YHVH. YHVH states that all of the Levites will not be offering blood and fat to YHVH due to previous sin; it will be those from the lineage of Zadok (verse 15). Chapters 45 and 46 continue to mention that animal sacrifices will be made.

The primary objection made to the idea of animal sacrifices returning during the millennial kingdom is that Messiah has come and offered a perfect sacrifice for sin, and there is therefore no need to sacrifice animals for sin. However, it must be remembered that animal sacrifice never removed the sin that spiritually separated a person from YHVH.

Hebrews 10:1-4 says, “For the Law, since it has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the very form of things, can never by the same sacrifices year by year, which they offer continually, make perfect those who draw near. Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, because the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have had consciousness of sins? But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins year by year. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins" (NASB).

It is incorrect to think that animal sacrifices took away sins in the TeNaKh (what is actually wrongfully called Old Testament), and it is incorrect to think they will do so in the millennial kingdom. Animal sacrifices served as object lessons for the sinner, that sin was and is a horrible offense against the Mighty One, and that the result of sin is death. Romans 3:20  says, “Because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.”

Most premillennial scholars agree that the purpose of animal sacrifice during the millennial kingdom is memorial in nature. As the Lord’s Supper is a reminder of the death of ‘Christ to the Church’ today, animal sacrifices will be a reminder during the millennial kingdom. To those born during the millennial kingdom, animal sacrifices will again be an object lesson. During that future time, righteousness and holiness will prevail, but those with earthly bodies will still have a sin nature, and there will be a need to teach about how offensive sin is to a holy and righteous God. Animal sacrifices will serve that purpose, "but in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins year by year" (Hebrews 10:3). End quote.

Gentiles will also bring offerings to YHVH in the millennium - Isa 56:6  “Also the sons of the foreigner who join themselves to יהוה, to serve Him, and to love the Name of יהוה, to be His servants, all who guard the Sabbath, and not profane it, and are holding onto My covenant – 

Isa 56:7  them I shall bring to My set-apart mountain, and let them rejoice in My house of prayer. Their ascending offerings and their slaughterings are accepted on My slaughter-place, for My house is called a house of prayer for all the peoples.” 

Isa 56:8  The Master יהוה, who gathers the outcasts of Yisra’ěl, declares, “I gather still others to him besides those who are gathered to him.” 

Eph 4:1  I call upon you therefore, I the prisoner of the Master, to walk worthily of the calling with which you were called, 

Eph 4:2  with all humility and meekness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 

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, 

Eph 4:5  one Master, one belief, one immersion, 

Eph 4:6  one Elohim and Father of all, who is above all,[a] and through all, and in you all. Footnote: aSee Mar_12:32, Mar_12:34, 1Co_8:6, 1Ti_2:5, Mar_12:29-34

All believers, without exception, have been influenced in some degree by idolatry – 2 Cor 11:3

Worship of YHVH in Spirit and in truth is the only cure for such idolatry – Jn 4:23

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.