Transcript RECOGNITION - Qodesh Ministries

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THE MESSIANIC PROPHECY BIBLE PROJECT
http://www.messianicbible.com
HEAR O ISRAEL
www.hearoisrael.org
SHEEPFOLD GLEANINGS WRITTEN BY JULIE PARKER
www.sheepfoldgleanings.com
MESSIANIC ISRAEL ALLIANCE
http://www.messianicisrael.com
AZAMRA TORAH FOR OUR TIME – RABBI AVRAHAM
GREENBAUM
http://www.azamra.org
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Torah: Leviticus 1:1-5:19
Haftorah: Isaiah 43:21-44:23
B’rit Chadashah: Mark 7:1-30, Hebrews 10:1-14, 13:10-16
All references: The Scripture 1998+ unless otherwise noted
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We have learned “why” the Almighty desired for the Tabernacle to be
built:
“And they shall make Me a Set-apart Place, and I shall dwell in their
midst. (Exodus 25:8)
We saw the Shekinah glory of ‫ יהוה‬come down to fill the Tabernacle:
And the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the esteem of ‫יהוה‬
filled the Dwelling Place. (Exodus 40:34)
So we’ve accomplished the goal, right? He is dwelling among us.
Something is still amiss:
And Mosheh was not able to come into the Tent of Meeting, because
the cloud dwelt on it, and the esteem of ‫ יהוה‬filled the Dwelling Place.
(Exodus 40:35)
The glory of ‫ יהוה‬has come down to fill the Tabernacle, and even the
faithful Moshe is not able to enter the place where He is dwelling. This
leads us into the book of Vayikra:
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The book of Vayikra, as the 3rd book of Moshe, is the heart of the
Torah. Aleph-Beis and are just starting to read, commence their study
of the CHUMASH (Five Books of Moses) with VAYIKRA Jewish teacher
Avraham Yehoshua Greenbaum writes:
“…the Torah code of sacrifices and purification may appear ancient,
primitive, complicated and irrelevant. But if we are willing to explore
the Torah with the fresh eyes of children, ready to take the word of G-d
on trust, with faith and belief, we can discover that the sacrificial
system contains the keys to repentance and the healing of the soul and
the entire world.”
“Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the reign of Elohim as a
little child, shall certainly not enter into it.” (Mark 10:15)
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The oldest name for the Third Book of Moses is Torat Kohanim (Law of
the Priests). It describes the Temple sacrifices, the functions of the
priesthood (Kohanim), and the duties of Israel, the priestly nation.
Vayikra contains 247 of the 613 instructions in the Torah. Known as the
book of the Levitical Law, it is considered to be the most “Jewish” of the
Bible. It is also the least understood and studied by the Christian
community.
For a cynical, sophisticated age that feels entitled to call anything and
everything into question, the Torah code of sacrifices and purification
may appear ancient, primitive, complicated and irrelevant. But if we are
willing to explore the Torah with the fresh eyes of children, ready to
take the word of ‫ יהוה‬on trust, with faith and belief, we can discover
that the sacrificial system contains the keys to repentance and the
healing of the soul and the entire world.
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In the original Hebrew text, the word Vayikra has one specific feature:
it's written with a little aleph at the end. There are three sizes of the
letters in Torah – intermediate, oversized and miniature – and every
time we have a letter of a different size there is a specific message.
In its appearance the aleph (‫ )א‬is very insignificant. The standard size
letters spell out the word vayikar, which can mean “and he
encountered” or “and he chanced upon”. Unlike vayikra which refers to
a “calling” or a “purposeful meeting by request”, vayikar suggests an
“accidental meeting” or just a “mere event”.
The sages have pointed out the differences between the call to Moshe
which begins Vayikra and ‫’יהוה‬s appearance to the pagan prophet
Bilaam: And ‫ יהוה‬came to Bilʽam, and put a word in his mouth, and
said, “Go back to Balaq, and say this.” (Numbers 23:16) . Thus it is
pointed out that ‫ יהוה‬reveals Himself to the pagan Balaam by an
incomplete form of address (vayikar), whereas to the prophets of Israel
He appears in a complete form of address containing the aleph.
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The pictograph of the aleph is an ox head, representing power and
strength. The golden calf that the Israelites worshipped showed their
association with Elohim and the ox. The aleph points to the Almighty
as many of the titles for ‫ יהוה‬begin with this letter – El, Elohim, El
Shaddai, Elohay Tzvaoth etc.
‫יהוה‬, by virtue of His leaving off the aleph in His appearance (vayikar),
did not completely reveal Himself to the pagan Balaam. His call to
Balaam was only for the purpose of accomplishing His will. The small
aleph in Vayikra 1:1 is also a visual of what our strong and powerful
Messiah did for us (humbled Himself) in order that we are now even
able to RESPOND to His call (vayikra) to us:
For, let this mind be in you which was also in Messiah ‫יהושע‬, who,
being in the form of Elohim, did not regard equality with Elohim a
matter to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a
servant, and came to be in the likeness of men. (Philippians 2:5-7)
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A contrast on the small aleph is that you can find a large aleph in the
ancient scrolls at the beginning of the first word in 1 Chronicles 1:1:
‫אדם‬
The small aleph is understood to represent the humility of Moshe (and
by association, Yeshua), whereas the large aleph represents the
arrogance of Adam, or man in general. We know that the cause of the
first sin was the arrogant attitudes of Adam and Chava (Eve) who
believed the words of the serpent who told them that if they ate from
the tree of the knowledge of good and evil they would become as
great as Elohim! Moshe and Yeshua…both portrayed very humble
people.
Mostly, the aleph is a silent letter at the end of a word. The small aleph
teaches us that we must be very sensitive to the call. For those who
look, it will be visible. For those who listen, you will hear the
difference. If you do not look or listen, vayikra will become vayikar. We
do not want to be without the aleph!
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The
early
church
fathers discarded
‫’יהוה‬s
Torah
(His loving teaching and instruction) altogether, calling His
teaching (Torah) nomos (law) instead of life. Nomos is a word that
relates to the law of sin and death, not the law of life.
Only the priest is allowed to enter the tabernacle/mishkan, thus
it is important the bride understand the principles of the
tabernacle/temple (Ezekiel 43: 10-12). Learning to walk in His
courts correctly brings abundant life. Leviticus is where we gain
understanding of life in Yeshua, called Spirit Life, which provides
oil for the bride’s lamp.
Without Leviticus (our instruction book), we will not know how to
live in the bridal chamber as it is a manual for life. Obeying His
instructions is operating in the realms of life which leads to
abundant blessings. Doing what He has asked us to do is called
“faith” (holiness) (Hebrews 11). This is how He knows we love
Him: when we do what He has asked us to do by walking in
obedience to His Word which contains His love, His will and
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purpose for our lives. (John 13:34-15:17).
Many who have become believers in Yeshua have labeled Vayikra as
“obsolete” or “done away with”. In doing so, they have thrown out the
holiness code and have lost the instructions on how to “draw near” to
‫ יהוה‬in order that He might “dwell with us”:
And what agreement has Messiah with Beliyaʽal? Or what part does a
believer have with an unbeliever? And what union has the Dwelling
Place of Elohim with idols? For you are a Dwelling Place of the living
Elohim, as Elohim has said, “I shall dwell in them and walk among
them, and I shall be their Elohim, and they shall be My people.”
Therefore, “Come out from among them and be separate, says ‫יהוה‬,
and do not touch what is unclean, and I shall receive you. (2
Corinthians 6:15-17)
By ignoring the sacrifices, a believer cannot have the proper
understanding of what Yeshua’s sacrifice did for us…or better yet, what
His sacrifice continues to do for us. The sacrificial system taught how
the death sentence ‫יהוה‬decreed against man, as a sinner, was atoned
for when an innocent animal died in his place.
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Leviticus opens in Chapter 1, verse 1 with; VaYiqra el Moshe
va‟ye daber YHVH eli m‟ohel mo‟ed la‟amar… or, in English, And
‫ יהוה‬called to Moshe, and spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting,
saying… Verse 2; “Speak to the children of Yisra‟el, and say to
them, „When anyone of you brings an offering to ‫יהוה‬, you bring
your offering of the (behemah) livestock, of the cattle (bakar) or
of the flock (tzon).”
The Hebrew word for “offering” is Strong‟s #7133, “qorban” and
is from the root “qarab “, #7126 which means to “draw near”.
The “Qorban” is the act of “drawing near”. Qorban is spelled
“kuf–reish–beit-nun”. The numeric value of these letters is 353
which equals “moshiav” or “restoration”.
Observant Jews today understand that the word(s) “Torah” and
“Torot” (plural) mean “instructions” and “teachings”. So, as they
learn these teachings of the qorbanot (offerings) and understand
their inner significance and the statement these offerings make
about the relationship between mankind and Elohim, in one way
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it’s as if they are performing this service to ‫יהוה‬, even today.
Now, the rabbis point out a grammatical inconsistency in this
verse. The English translation of this verse that we read, “Speak
to the children of Yisra’el, and say to them, „When anyone of you
offers an offering to ‫יהוה‬, you bring your offering of the livestock,
of the cattle or of the flock.” isn’t how the verse is written. We
would expect to read in the Hebrew, the phrase “adam mikem ki
yakrib”, or "when one of you offers an offering".
Instead, what it says is “adam ki yakrib mikem”, or "when one
offers an offering of you". The essence of the “offering”, say the
rabbis, is that we offer ourselves. We bring to ‫ יהוה‬our faculties,
our energies, our thoughts and emotions. The physical form of
the “qorban”, the animal offered on the altar, is only the external
manifestation of an inner act. This word is found 25 times in our
parasha.
The real offering is “mikem”, "of you". We give ‫ יהוה‬something of
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ourselves.
In Hebrew, the root karav – the one from which the words lehakreev ,
to sacrifice, and korban, sacrifice, are formed - is the same root that
forms the word lehitkarev – to come near, to draw near, to come
closer. If you want lehitkarev leElohim, to come closer to God – you
have to lehakreev, to go through korban, sacrifice. It is the same
process, the same root. And only when we learn to sacrifice does the
real closeness, the real intimacy with God come. This new closeness
with God is even greater than we previously experienced. God stops us
– because He wants us closer to Himself. He wants us lehakreev - and
by doing that, lehitkarev.
We always have this choice: to recognize the presence of God, the
hand of God, the voice of God – or to see just a cloud, interfering with
our plans. When Yeshua is saying: "Father, glorify Your name," and the
Voice from heaven answers Him (John 12:27-29), among the people
who stood by and heard, were those who said: "it was thunder!" It is
always our choice: to recognize God's voice from heaven – or to hear
just thunder.
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In the 1st century, some of the Pharisees had elevated their own
traditions to being sufficient for “drawing near” to the Almighty,
and called them “Qorban”. When people elevated traditions over
the Word, Yeshua always set them straight:
And He said to them, “Well do you set aside the command of
Elohim, in order to guard your tradition. “For Mosheh said,
‘Respect your father and your mother,’ and, ‘He who curses
father or mother, let him be put to death.’ “But you say, ‘If a man
says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have
received from me, is Qorban (that is, a gift),” ’ you no longer let
him do any matter at all for his father or his mother, nullifying
the Word of Elohim through your tradition which you have
handed down. And many such traditions you do.” (Mark 7:9-13)
Thus we can understand “Qorban” to be an expression of
worship, as taught by ‫יהוה‬, whereby one is able to bring the
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offering of his commitment and loyalty to his Creator.
There are five major types of offerings or korbanote (plural of Qorban):
1. Olah (Elevation offering) – for total consecration of the offerer’s
life to ‫יהוה‬
2. Mincha (Grain offering) – token of the offerer’s life to his fellow
man
3. Shelamim (Peace offering) – symbolizes fellowship between ‫יהוה‬
and His people
4. Chatat (Sin offering) – brought to atone for personal or
congregational sin
5. Asham (Guilt offering) – brought for sins not considered as serious
as the sin offering, swearing falsely, etc.
All of these different types of offerings are for drawing near to ‫יהוה‬.
However, only the last two are offered for sins. The first three are also
voluntary offerings, whereas the last two are commanded.
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Baruch A. Levine in The JPS Torah Commentary notes that:
“the chatat and the asham were offered for the purpose of securing
God’s forgiveness. Their Presentation was obligatory, pursuant to
transgressions of religious law, committed either by omission or
through inadvertent violations. In most cases, the sacrifice served to
remove the charge against the offenders and to restore them to a
proper relationship with Elohim and to fit membership in the religious
community.”
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To understand sacrifices and some very important and
misunderstood concepts of the Brit Chadasha, we must also
understand that there are two basic types of sins: Intentional
and Unintentional
The definitions of these words can vary slightly from our
Western mindset. It appears that only those sins committed in
out-right rebellion are termed as “intentional”. Sins committed
because of carelessness, or omission, or because of perhaps fear
are usually defined as unintentional. However, the important
point to remember is that under the Levitical system, there is NO
sacrifice for intentional sin. That meant technically EVERYONE
could be found guilty under the Law because all have sinned!
For there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and
does not sin. (Ecclesiastes 7:20)
‘But the being who does whatever defiantly, … he reviles ‫יהוה‬,
and that being shall be cut off from among his people. ‘Because
he has despised the word of ‫יהוה‬, and has broken His command,
that being shall certainly be cut off, his crookedness is upon him.’18
Atonement – means being Reconciled to God. But your
crookednesses have separated you from your Elohim. And your
sins have hidden His face from you, from hearing. (Isaiah 59:2)
The Torah reveals that our sins separate us from God (Isaiah
59:2), and that the offering (also called oleh in Hebrew, which
means to go up) or blood sacrifice is necessary to reconcile us to
Him.
‘For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you
upon the altar to make atonement for your lives, for it is the
blood that makes atonement for the life.’ (Leviticus 17:11)
The word atonement in English actually comes from at-onement, and originally it meant to be at one, or at harmony with
someone. Behind this word is a sense of a dispute being resolved
and a relationship reconciled.
Similar to the word atonement, the Hebrew word koper means
to atone, to reconcile, or to bring back into unity, persons at
variance with one another. The atoning sacrifice, therefore, re19
establishes a right relationship with God.
‘If his offering is a burnt offering of the herd, let him bring a
male, a perfect one. Let him bring it at the door of the Tent of
Meeting, for his acceptance before ‫יהוה‬. ‘And he shall lay his
hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it shall be accepted
on his behalf to make atonement for him. ‘And he shall slaughter
the bull before ‫יהוה‬. And the sons of Aharon, the priests, shall
bring the blood and sprinkle the blood all around on the altar
which is at the door of the Tent of Meeting. ‘And he shall skin the
burnt offering and cut it into its pieces. ‘And the sons of Aharon
the priest shall put fire on the altar, and lay the wood in order on
the fire. ‘And the sons of Aharon, the priests, shall arrange the
pieces, with the head and the fat on the wood which is on the
fire on the altar. ‘But its entrails and its legs he washes with
water. And the priest shall burn all of it on the altar as a burnt
offering, an offering made by fire, a sweet fragrance to ‫יהוה‬.
‘And if his offering is from the flock, from the sheep or from the
goats as a burnt offering, let him bring a male, a perfect one. 20
(Leviticus 1:3-10)
In Hebrew the elevation offering is called the olah, meaning: to cause
to ascend up to ‫ יהוה‬as a flame and smoke ascent by burning. In
Greek olah is holocausta, which conveys its meaning as being wholly
burnt. The olah is brought by a person to atone for his sins of impure
thoughts.
Does the olah apply to believers today? Yes, Since the tabernacle is in
us and we are ministering priests before ‫ יהוה‬the question is what
would the offering be today? The olah is how we elevate other people
before ‫יהוה‬. When ‫ יהוה‬dwells in us and we fellowship with each other,
‫ יהוה‬dwells in our midst. This becomes the elevation/olah offering. It is
all about how we treat people and how we handle others; this reveals
our approach to ‫יהוה‬. Treating others well is the elevation offering.
When we come face to face with others we come presence to
presence with ‫ יהוה‬as Yeshua dwells within us. “For where two or three
are gathered together in My Name, there I am in their midst.”
(Matthew 18:20)
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The person brings the offering to the door, or entrance of the
Tent of Meeting. There, “he is to lay his hands on the head of the
offering, and it shall be accepted on his behalf to make
atonement for him”. Laying his hands on the head of the
offering, he is leaning on the animal, laying himself upon and
identifying himself with his offering. This is a very dramatic
picture of this “offering”, this “qorban” (drawing near) being “of
you”.
The same way we are to lay our old natures on the stake and
draw near to Yeshua by taking up His cross on a daily basis.
And those who are of Messiah have impaled the flesh with its
passions and the desires. (Galatians 5:24)
And He said to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, let
him deny himself, and take up his stake daily, and follow Me.
(Luke 9:23)
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There is also a great Hebrew word play in verse 9, as we‟re told that
the priest is to wash the entrails and the legs with water and then offer
them as a burnt offering. The word translated as entrails (or inward
parts) is “qereb”, Strong‟s #7130”. “Qarab” (drawing near) and “qereb”
(inward parts) are spelled the same, but with different vowel points.
“Qereb” is defined as the “inner part” or “seat of thought and emotion
or personality”.
The word translated as legs here is “qara”, Strong‟s #3767 meaning
also “to bow down” or “kneel”. “Qarab” – “qereb” – “qara”. This
process of drawing near to ‫יהוה‬, our High Priest washes our
personality (our heart or inner man). And, “qara” (the legs) is a picture
of our kneeling before Him, in the “waters” (“living waters”) of the
“Mikveh”.
Of course the blood of bulls and goats never took away sin. As a
“covering”, it was a picture of our atonement, Yahshua; as we read
from the Brit Chadashah reading this week in Hebrews 10. It was about
us drawing near to ‫ יהוה‬and the resulting work He does in us.
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..It is a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, a sweet
fragrance to ‫יהוה‬. (Leviticus 1:13)
It is a sweet fragrance, a sweet savor. But, just what does that
mean? The Hebrew words used for “sweet fragrance” are
“reyach” (fragrance), spelled reish-yud-chet and “nicho‟ach”
(sweet) spelled nun-yud-chet-chet. “Reish-yud-chet” also spells
“Ruach” (Spirit) and that the root word for “nicho‟ach” is “Nunchet-chet”, which spells “Nachat”, which is “satisfaction” or
“gratification”. This “sweet fragrance” is also the “gratification
of ‫’יהוה‬s Spirit”. So, this asks the question, “Why?” “How does
the offering of an animal bring gratification to the Holy Spirit of
‫ ”?יהוה‬Because Yah said so, and it has been done. “His will was
our will! Just as in those primordial days of creation, when G-d
spoke and reality came into being, at last a perfect intimacy and
alignment of desire and action, the human and the Divine, has
occurred. Look no further: This is what G-d wants. This is why He
created and this is why He placed man at the front and the
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centre of His creation. That His will be done!”
Why the animals? It’s not the flesh of these animals that’s important.
It’s their spiritual integrity that matters. They are pure and innocent.
This is why ‫ יהוה‬states throughout the Torot of animal offerings that
they be perfect and without defect. This goes beyond the physical.
Their behaviour is examined as well.
Scripture makes it abundantly clear that Yeshua, the Suffering Messiah
(the sacrificial offering), was found to be without fault, sin, or blemish.
Eg. Pilate symbolically washed his hands in a basin and said, .. Pilate
said to them, “You take Him and impale Him, for I find no guilt in Him.”
(John 19:6) During the time of the Temple, before the Passover lamb
was slain as a sacrifice and offered to God, it was to be inspected for
four days in order to make sure that it was a pure and without blemish
(tamim). Similarly, before Yeshua was slain on Passover as the
unblemished Lamb of God, He entered Jerusalem and taught in the
Temple for four days in full view of the people and religious leaders.
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‘And when anyone brings a grain offering to ‫יהוה‬, his offering is to be of
fine flour. And he shall pour oil on it, and put frankincense on it, and he
shall bring it to the sons of Aharon, the priests, and he shall take from it
his hand filled with fine flour and oil with all the frankincense. And the
priest shall burn it as a remembrance portion on the altar, an offering
made by fire, a sweet fragrance to ‫יהוה‬. ‘And the rest of the grain
offering is for Aharon and his sons, most set-apart of the offerings to
‫ יהוה‬by fire. .. ‘No grain offering which you bring to ‫ יהוה‬is made with
leaven, for you do not burn any leaven or any honey in an offering to
‫ יהוה‬made by fire. ‘Bring them to ‫ יהוה‬as an offering of the first-fruits,
but they are not burned on the altar for a sweet fragrance. ‘And season
with salt every offering of your grain offering, and do not allow the salt
of the covenant of your Elohim to be lacking from your grain offering.
With all your offerings you bring salt. ‘And if you bring a grain offering
of your first-fruits to ‫יהוה‬, bring for the grain offering of your first-fruits
green heads of grain roasted on the fire, ..(Leviticus 2:1-16)
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These verses speak of the “Mincha” or “grain offering” a freewill
offering. “Grain” is a picture of “people” in Scripture. Verse 2
„And when anyone brings a grain offering to ‫יהוה‬, his offering is
to be of fine flour. And he shall pour oil on it, and put
frankincense on it,‟ As we‟ve seen, an “offering”, “qorban”, is a
“drawing near”. So, when we, the “grain”, offer ourselves
(“yakrib mikem”), “draw near” to Elohim, we are to come as
“fine flour”.
The presentation of flour as an offering was very labourintensive. First the wheat had to be planted and cared for by
watering and weeding before the harvest. The grains were then
crushed and ground into flour that was sifted (13 times) before
being offering to Yahweh.
The word for “fine flour” here is “solet” (samech-lamed-tav)
which literally means “peeled barley” or “grain with the outer
shell (husk) peeled away leaving the inner head, or self,
exposed”. It also refers to grain that is sifted, shaken and re-sifted
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until it is very fine or refined.
The “grain offering” cooked in the “oven”. The Hebrew word here is
“tanuwr” (tav-nun-vav-reish) which literally means “furnace” as in the
“furnace of affliction”.
Moshe told the Children of Yisra‟el in Deuteronomy 4:20: “But ‫יהוה‬
has taken you and brought you out of the iron furnace, out of
Mitsrayim, to be His people, an inheritance, as it is today.
And, in Isaiah 48:10: “See, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have
chosen you in the furnace of affliction.
This offering prepared in the oven or furnace represents the
“Passover” as it refers to the “deliverance” out of Mitzrayim, the
“furnace of affliction”, which took B’nei Yisra’el to Sinai.
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Second offering comes from the Hebrew word for “griddle” is
“machabat” (mem-chet-bet-tav) and comes from the word for
“flat cakes”, “chabeth” which is from two roots, “chai” or “life”
and “beit” or “house” or “dwelling”. Notice that this grain
offering is first mixed with oil, then divided into bits and then has
oil poured on it. Why double oil? What is this a picture of? If oil
is the Ruach, then there are two outpourings; One at “Shavu’ot”
in Acts Chapter 2 and the one in the latter days, as Kepha spoke
in Acts 2:16-21. “This “grain offering” on the “griddle”
represents Shavu’ot and brings together the giving of the Torah
at Sinai and the outpouring of Ruach HaKodesh.
Notice how it says that this offering is to be divided into bits
before the oil is poured upon it. This is why The Spirit gave
diverse tongues to the talmidim; in order for this divided grain
offering to hear and understand, and then believe. This is our
“Deliverance” by the blood of Yahshua and the working out of
our Salvation in fear and trembling through our return to Torah. 29
The offering prepared in the “stewing pot”. The Hebrew word
here is “marcheshet” (mem-reish-chet-shin-tav) which means
“cauldron” and “boiling” or “refining pot” speaking of the very
last days. Zechariah the prophet wrote these words from ‫ יהוה‬in
And it shall be throughout all the soil,” declares ‫יהוה‬, “that two
thirds therein are cut off and die, and one third is left therein.
“And I shall bring the third into fire, and refine them as silver is
refined, and try them as gold is tried... (Zechariah 13:8-9)
The word “nekhoshet”, means “copper” or “bronze”, that
represents “harlotry” and/or “idolatry”; which is what is being
refined out of the “grain offering” or “mincha”, as it is prepared.
Three times the prophet Isaiah talks about the future refining of
B’nei Yisra’el in the same context as the “Ingathering of the
exiles”. If we read a chapter on either side of chapter 25, you’ll
see that there is no mistake when these things come about. This
“grain offering” prepared in the refiner’s cauldron is speaking of
the “deliverance” yet to come, at the “Feast of Ingathering”,
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“Sukkot”, the third pilgrimage feast.
Are there three grain offerings here, or just one? Where are these
offerings prepared? At home? At the altar of Elohim?
We need to understand that these offerings are prepared, “cooked” or
“baked”, in our dwellings, homes and communities. We make them
and prepare them ourselves and then bring them to the priest and
before ‫יהוה‬. These represent three periods in history and the
“appointed seasons” or “Mo’edi” as we read earlier regarding the
times of “deliverance”.
“Three times a year all your males appear before ‫ יהוה‬your Elohim in
the place which He chooses: at the Festival of Unleavened Bread, and
at the Festival of Weeks, and at the Festival of Booths. And none should
appear before ‫ יהוה‬empty-handed, but each one with the gift of his
hand, according to the blessing of ‫ יהוה‬your Elohim which He has given
you. (Deuteronomy 16:16-17)
This command went beyond just silver or money. It included the
“mincha” or “grain offering” from the home, It‟s about coming before
Elohim with the “yakrib mikem”, the “offering of you”.
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There were different ways of preparing the minchah. First, as an
unleavened cake baked in the oven as a cake or wafer and, second,
prepared over the fire in a griddle then “broken” in pieces
(representing Yeshua’s body that was broken for us). The third manner
was to cook it in a pan.
But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our
crookednesses. The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by
His stripes we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5)
As Yeshua gave up his body we are give up our bodies:
And taking bread, giving thanks, He broke it and gave it to them,
saying, “This is My body which is given for you, do this in remembrance
of Me.” (Luke 22:19)
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“Solet” oil is then poured over it, it is anointed.
“Frankincense” is put in it. The word for “frankincense”” is “lebanah”
which comes from the root “laban” or “white”. Lebanah (frankincense)
is a pure sweet smelling substance that is a key ingredient in the Setapart (kadosh) incense that is burned before ‫יהוה‬.
In other words, when we come before Him, offering ourselves to our
Elohim, we set ourselves apart; we make ourselves ready, with our
inner man exposed, anointed and white or pure. ‫ יהוה‬indeed
completes this process in us. But we are to separate ourselves from
that which defiles us.
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. (Romans 12:1)
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‘No grain offering which you bring to ‫ יהוה‬is made with leaven, for
you do not burn any leaven or any honey in an offering to ‫יהוה‬
made by fire. (Leviticus 2:11)
When we make an offering of the “grain”, “ourselves” in “drawing
near” to our Elohim, there cannot be sin in us. This reminds us that
our deliverance is made complete in Yahshua. The Hebrew word
for “honey” is “debash” (dalet-bet-shin) which is from “debor”, as
in “Deborah” or “bee” and means also “that which is sweet”.
“Debor” shares the same spelling as “debar” which means the
“word”. In Hebrew thought, “honey” represents the “sweetness of
the Word” of Elohim. This is a warning not to place “sin” and the
“Word of ‫ ”יהוה‬upon the altar of our Elohim.
For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have
tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Setapart Spirit, and have tasted the good Word of Elohim and the
powers of the age to come, and fall away, to renew them again to
repentance – having impaled for themselves the Son of Elohim 34
again, and put Him to open shame. (Hebrews 6:4-6)
‘And season with salt every offering of your grain offering, and
do not allow the salt of the covenant of your Elohim to be lacking
from your grain offering. With all your offerings you bring salt.
(Leviticus 2:13)
As Children of ‫ יהוה‬we are joined to Him through a Covenant of
Salt (Numbers 18:19; 2 Chronicles 13:5; Matthew 5:13). The term
“Covenant of Salt” is indicative of the everlasting nature of the
Covenant relationship between the children of salt, and their
Creator ‫יהוה‬.
It is ‫’יהוה‬s desire to be sealed with us in an eternal covenant
relationship, seasoned with salt. At Hebrew weddings the
Covenant of Salt is shared between the bride and the groom in
response to the covenant they were making between each other
held for them in eternity with ‫יהוה‬.
Salt also symbolized hospitality. ‫’יהוה‬s people should be the
world’s most hospitable people.
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In the past, when you settled a dispute with your neighbour you
would then invite the person into your home to share a dish of
salt. Each of you would lick your finger, dip it in the salt and then
eat the salt together. This was the symbol of friendship that
healed the rift. This is why the offerings we make to Him are
salted, to heal any innocent violation or offence we have made to
‫ יהוה‬or our fellow man.
Salt is a preservative that prevents decay and corruption. It is
eternal, purifying, never changing, and abiding forever. Salt is the
very symbol of ‫’יהוה‬s character and reliability His, faithfulness.
Salt is pure, germs cannot live in it; in the same way, believers also
are to be pure. Salt purifies; as such, believers are called to be the
salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13). They purify the world by not
accepting false philosophies, dishonest ways of doing business,
selfish desires, etc. Salt added for the flavour and satisfaction of a
meal represents how believers should add spiritual interest, hope
and excitement to other people’s lives. Salt produces thirst; the
believer should produce spiritual thirst in those around them. 36
The qualities found in salt are the qualities found in the character
and attitude of the priesthood, the bride of Yeshua.
“You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt becomes tasteless, how
shall it be seasoned? For it is no longer of any use but to be thrown
out and to be trodden down by men. (Matthew 5:13)
“For everyone shall be seasoned with fire, and every offering shall
be seasoned with salt. “Salt is good, but if the salt becomes
tasteless, how shall you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at
peace among one another.” (Mark 9:49-50)
Let your word always be with favour, seasoned with salt, so that you
know how you ought to answer each one. (Colossians 4:6)
Lack of salt in the diet leads to an energy graveyard; a month
without salt and a person would die a slow agonizing death – you
consider the (spiritual) analogy! Sodium regulates the passage of
nutrients into the cells. Nutrients cannot enter your cells and you
have malnutrition and exhaustion no matter how good your diet.
Without Yahweh we are spiritually starved and morally exhausted.37
One of the best ways to maintain health is to replenish it with
natural organic elements contained in real sea-salt or Himalayan
salt, not synthetic substitutes. Without salt, we run out of
electrolytes, and without electrolytes, our batteries die out. Just
a small amount each day recharges the cells, and energizes the
mind and body.
Salt Baths: The antiseptic and hygienic healing powers of saltwater baths are well known from the ancient world to modern
times. They are rich in minerals and microelements and have
wonderful therapeutic properties. The healing properties include
rehabilitating the skin, the immune system, circulatory system,
respiratory system and much more. People come from all over
the world to sit and enjoy the therapy that comes from the high
content of salt from the Dead Sea. There are also therapeutic
cosmetic companies who sell the mud and cosmetics made from
the Dead Sea for their healing qualities.
38
‘And if that which he presents is a peace offering, if he is bringing
it of the herd, whether male or female, he brings a perfect one
before ‫יהוה‬. ‘And he shall lay his hand on the head of his offering,
and slaughter it at the door of the Tent of Meeting. And the sons
of Aharon, the priests, shall sprinkle the blood on the altar all
around. ‘And from the peace offering he shall bring an offering
made by fire to ‫יהוה‬, the fat that covers the entrails and all the
fat that is on the entrails, 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. ‘And the sons of Aharon shall burn it
on the altar upon the burnt offering, which is on the wood, which
is on the fire, as an offering made by fire, a sweet fragrance to
‫יהוה‬. ...All the fat belongs to ‫יהוה‬. ‘An everlasting law throughout
your generations in all your dwellings: you do not eat any fat or
any blood.’ ” (Leviticus 3:1-17)
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Shelamim is a Hebrew word from shalem or shalom, meaning a peace,
friendship or fellowship offering to ‫יהוה‬. This was brought as a freewill
offering in thanksgiving for the peace, friendship and fellowship they
experienced with ‫ יהוה‬and His faithfulness to fulfil the Covenant to
them. It was a volunteer gift to bless ‫ יהוה‬or offered as praise to Him.
Do we do the Fellowship Offering today? The fellowship/Peace
offering is still in place today. It was to be “a lasting ordinance for the
generations to come.” We are called to assemble to come near to His
Presence. This is a volunteer offering of the heart, where brothers
come together in peace as a group to praise and worship and offer
thanksgiving to ‫יהוה‬. Staying outside the assembly/ekklesia of ‫ יהוה‬on
the Sabbath (with no fellowship) does not constitute keeping the
fellowship offering.
40
.."Tell the people of Isra'el: 'If anyone sins inadvertently against any of
the mitzvot of Adonai .. if he does any one of them, then, ..he is to
offer .. a young bull without defect as a sin offering for the sin he
committed. .. The anointed cohen is to take some of the bull's blood
and bring it to the tent of meeting. The cohen is to dip his finger in
the blood and sprinkle some of the blood seven times in the presence
of Adonai in front of the curtain of the sanctuary. The cohen is to put
some of the blood on the horns of the altar for fragrant incense
before Adonai there in the tent of meeting. All the remaining blood of
the bull he is to pour out at the base of the altar for burnt offerings, ..
He is to remove from the bull for the sin offering all of its fat — the
fat covering the inner organs, all the fat above the inner organs, the
two kidneys, the fat on them near the flanks, and the covering of the
liver, which he will remove with the kidneys as it is removed from an
ox sacrificed as a peace offering; and the cohen is to make these
parts go up in smoke on the altar for burnt offerings. But the bull's
hide and all its flesh, with its head, the lower parts of its legs, its inner
organs and dung .. he is to bring outside the camp to a clean place,
where the ashes are emptied out. ..(Leviticus 4:1-12 CJB) 41
The sin offering, or chatas in Hebrew, was the first of the
two required offerings we are to bring before Yahweh. The chatas
was required to atone for unintentional sin resulting from
carelessness or laxness, and is to be accepted as a personal
responsibility for our lack of judgment that defiles the Tabernacle
(ourselves included). This was offered by the priests and the
congregation, as well as by individuals. When the sacrifice was
offered for a priest or the congregation, a bull was slaughtered.
The blood was applied in three ways, first sprinkled seven times in
the Holy Place, toward the veil, in front of the Holy of Holies.
Secondly the blood was smeared on the horns of the golden altar
of incense and, thirdly, the blood was poured out on the ground
at the bottom of the brazen altar where the fat and kidneys were
burned. The remainder of the bull was burned outside the camp
to complete the atonement for unintentional sin. In an offering for
a leader, in which case a male goat was required, or an individual,
when a female goat/lamb or bird was to be offered, the blood
was placed only on the brazen altar. It was a required offering
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since no one in Israel was without sin.
“ If a person who is a witness, sworn to testify, sins by refusing to
tell what he has seen or heard about the matter, he must bear the
consequences. If a person touches something unclean, whether the
carcass of an unclean wild animal, a domestic animal or a reptile,
he is guilty, even though he may not be aware that he is unclean. If
he touches some human uncleanness, no matter what the source
of his uncleanness is, and is unaware of it, then, when he learns of
it, he is guilty. If someone allows to slip from his mouth an oath to
do evil or to do good, and he doesn't remember that he clearly
spoke this oath, then, no matter what it was about, when he learns
of it, he is guilty. .."If someone sins by doing something against any
of the mitzvot of Adonai concerning things which should not be
done, he is guilty, even if he is unaware of it; and he bears the
consequences of his wrongdoing. He must bring a ram without
defect from the flock, or its equivalent according to your appraisal,
to the cohen for a guilt offering; the cohen will make atonement
concerning the error which he committed, even though he was
unaware of it; and he will be forgiven. It is a guilt offering — he is
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certainly guilty before Adonai.“ (Leviticus 5:1-19 CJB)
The guilt offering was called asham in Hebrew and spoke of the
covering of guilt. The asham was a required offering. A person
who unintentionally misappropriated, for personal use, sanctuary
property would be held responsible and was viewed as guilty
regardless of his intention.
Secondly, the asham was brought when there was a doubt as to
whether a sin had been committed or not.
Thirdly, the asham was for an intentional trespass against ‫ יהוה‬in that
one lied under oath, defrauded his fellow man by cheating, stealing,
lying, or did not return lost property to his neighbour. In so doing he
was guilty and his sin was before ‫יהוה‬. He offered a bull and made
restitution for the full amount plus added a fifth as penalty. Basically
every case of asham involved some inherent status destruction of
some sort, rather than a simple mistake.
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Our thoughts/deeds contaminate not only ourselves but the
interaction with our fellow man also, bringing defilement into the
sanctuary. Vows and oaths are very serious in ‫’יהוה‬s Kingdom.
An example of the importance of truthful words in scripture is
Ananias and Sapphira, who sold a piece of property and promised
or vowed the amount they received to Yahweh. In the process they
decided not to give the full amount promised, but held back a
portion for their own personal use. Once given to ‫ יהוה‬it becomes
holy. Ananias and Sapphira defiled the offering with their unclean
thoughts and deeds, thus bringing death upon themselves (Acts 5:111).
Many are sick among us enslaved by their thoughts and mouths.
Their hearts have been deceived and do not magnify the truth
behind the image they were made in. What we sow, we reap. “For as
he thinketh in his heart, so is he” (Proverbs 23:7 KJV).
Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing
the law; rather, through the law (Torah) we become conscious of
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sin (Romans 3:20-25) (Psalm 40:6-8).
“VaYiqra” (And, He called). While He indeed called to Moshe; in so
doing, He called to all. He formed us in order to choose us to be His
people. But, we have let Him down.
this people I have formed for Myself, let them relate My praise. “But
you have not called on Me, O Yaʽaqoḇ, for you have been weary of Me,
O Yisra’ĕl. “You have not brought Me the sheep for your burnt
offerings, nor have you esteemed Me with your slaughterings. I have
not caused you to serve with grain offerings, nor wearied you with
incense. “You have not bought Me sweet cane with silver, nor have you
satisfied Me with the fat of your slaughterings. You have only burdened
Me with your sins, you have wearied Me with your crookednesses. “I, I
am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake, and
remember your sins no more. “Remind Me, let us enter into judgment,
together; relate, that you might be declared right. “Your first father
sinned, and your interpreters have transgressed against Me. “So I have
profaned the chief ones of the set-apart place, and I have delivered up
Yaʽaqoḇ to the curse, and Yisra’ĕl to scorn. (Isaiah 43:21-28)
46
‫ יהוה‬first reminds us that “this people” He formed for Himself. The term
“this people” is in the Hebrew “zuw am”. The spelling here is “zayin-vav”
“ayin-mem”. The numeric value of the letters in this phrase “zuw am” is
123, which equals the name “Hannah”, which means “favor / grace”. Here
He says that, “this people I have formed for Myself”. The word for
“formed” is “yatsar” and also means “pre-ordained”. Elohim pre-ordained
this people to be His possession.
He says that they/we no longer “draw near” (“qarab”) or seek to “ascend”
to Him (“olah”) by bringing ourselves as offerings. We no longer bring Him
“sweet cane” with “silver”. From “Parsha Terumah” where we learned that
“sweet cane” is in Hebrew “qaneh” which was a sweet reed plant used in
the set-apart incense. “Silver” or “keseph” represents our love for Elohim.
“You have not brought Me sweet cane with silver” in Hebrew is; “qanah
qaneh keseph” which also means “You have not brought Me sweet savor
with your love”. The “offerings”, the “drawing near” and “ascending” are a
“sweet fragrance” and “bring gratification to the Spirit of Elohim”. It’s not
the smell of burning animal flesh that delights our Father, it’s our “drawing
near”, the offering of ourselves.
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He tells us to remind Him. He wants to hear us call to Him. He
wants us to ask Him to enter into judgment with us. “Relate”
(say it), He says, that we might be declared right, “Tzaddik” in
Hebrew (Righteous). Then ‫ יהוה‬says something that seems
puzzling in verse 27; “Your first father sinned, and your
interpreters have transgressed against Me.” The term “first
father” in the Hebrew is “rishon ab” and means “ancestors”
(plural) or “chief fathers” as in those who were once in authority
over you. “Interpreters”, as you might have guessed, refers to
“teachers” or “those who translate and interpret” for us (as in
the Scriptures). But, ‫ יהוה‬chose an interesting word to use here.
He didn‟t use rabbis or scribes. Instead the word here is “luwts”
(lamed-vav-tzadee), Strong‟s #3887 also meaning “to mock”, “to
boast” or “talk arrogantly”. The letter lamed means “teaching”,
vav is the “hook” and tzadee is the “righteous”. “Luwts” is
literally “teaching that hooks the righteous”. The numeric value
of “luwts” is 126 which equals “avon” which is “iniquity” or “sin”.
He finishes in verse 28 by saying that this is why he profaned the
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priests and delivered us up to be scorned.
“But now hear, O Yaʽaqoḇ My servant, and Yisra’ĕl whom I have
chosen. Thus said ‫ יהוה‬who made you and formed you from the
womb, who helps you, ‘Do not fear, O Yaʽaqoḇ My servant, and
Yeshurun, whom I have chosen. ‘For I pour water on the thirsty,
and floods on the dry ground. I pour My Spirit on your seed, and
My blessing on your offspring, and they shall spring up among the
grass like willows by streams of water.’ “One says, ‘I belong to
‫ ;יהוה‬another calls himself by the name of Yaʽaqoḇ; another writes
with his hand, ‘Unto ‫יהוה‬,’ and names himself by the name of
Yisra’ĕl. “Thus said ‫יהוה‬, Sovereign of Yisra’ĕl, and his Redeemer,
‫ יהוה‬of hosts, ‘I am the First and I am the Last, besides Me there is
no Elohim. ‘And who is like Me? Let him call and declare it, and lay
it before Me, since I appointed the everlasting people. And the
events that are coming and those that do come, let them declare
these to them. ‘Do not fear, nor be afraid. Have I not since made
you hear, and declared it? You are My witnesses. Is there an Eloah
besides Me? There is no other Rock, I know not one.’ ” (Isaiah 49
44:1-8)