Zion's Voice

Torah Reflections    32     

Torah Portion                   Leviticus 25 : 1  to  26 : 2

Haftarah Portion           Jeremiah 32 : 6 – 27

The Torah of YHWH given to Moses

The Lord spoke to Moses with an amazing promise of blessing for the Israelites.

The LAND was to have a Sabbath rest. Imagine that. These dear people were destined to be, in effect, subsistence farmers, vinedressers, orchardists and graziers. Sure there were other skills in their community, sufficient for them to live together in harmony with clothing, shoes and other essentials for living, but their main source of wealth would be produced by what they grew in the fields.

What God was saying to these people, who had been slaves in Egypt for their whole lifetime thus far, was that they were to have a one year holiday every seven years. Incredible. But how would they survive if they took a holiday? God promised them that in the sixth year of harvest, there would be a bumper crop, sufficient to last three years.

But, this promised blessing came at a price!

In order to enjoy this blessing, the Lord required that they “observe My statutes and keep My judgements, and perform them”. The full impact of the blessing would then be available to them. The Lord continued “then the Land will yield its fruit, and you will eat your fill, and dwell there in safely”. Sounds too easy doesn’t it?

But there’s more. Whatever did grow of its own accord in their fields was to be freely available to their servants, guests and livestock. The principle being that they did not sow, so neither should they reap.

That Land Sabbath is known as the “shemittah year”. It is still practiced today in many parts of Israel, but not in all Israel. And the sad truth, however, is that a large majority of Israelis today do not fulfil the conditions God laid down for the full blessing to flow to them.

In addition to the “shemittah”, there was also to be a “Sabbath of Sabbaths”. That is, after every SEVEN “shemittahs”, there was to be a special year, the fiftieth year, known as “the Jubilee”. This year had even more significance for them, in that, in the event that they had chosen to sell their land rights to someone else, for whatever reason, that land would be returned to them in the year of Jubilee without cost to them. WOW !! What a blessing that was. Or would have been if the practice was ever implemented. There is no record in Scripture, or anywhere else, of that ever taking place.

So now let us learn a lesson from what we have just seen here. Just as these Israelites were promised blessing, so are we. Our church teaching is clearly focussed on the grace of God. Our salvation is wrought by our faith in the sacrificial death and resurrection of Yeshua, not by works. So none of us can do anything of ourselves to merit salvation. The Scripture even tells us that “our (self) righteousness is as filthy rags”. However, just as these Israelites in our parashah today, missed the abundant blessing God had prepared for them (by their unwillingness, or laxity, to fulfil the conditions on which God’s promise was made), so too, we miss out on the very best God has for us by our unwillingness, or laxity, in keeping the commands of God for us. Let me be clear, I am not referring here to a salvation issue, but to our receiving the abundant blessing God wants to bestow on us.

We are quite adept at deciding the reasons why God said “so and so”, As though God did not have His own reasons for so commanding what He did. We content ourselves by saying “Jesus kept all the commandments, so we do not have to”. Well, Jesus said “If you love Me you will keep My commandments” (John 14:15,23,24 and 15:10).

Our parashah ends with an exhortation not to make idols for ourselves. The reference for the Israelites was relating to carved images and pillars, which were pagan symbols of worship. There are many cultural practises in the world today where this still has relevance. In our society however, we have become skilled in setting up many other kinds of idols which come between us and the worship of God. I do not need to list them.

The final word today regards the observance of “My Sabbaths”. There are the weekly Sabbaths and the special Sabbaths we read in last week’s parashah. The festivals listed in Leviticus 23. Most of us in the ‘church’ do not even know when they occur!! They are described in Scripture as ‘everlasting’, ‘throughout your generations’, and ‘forever’.

The challenge for me this week is to understand what God is saying to ME in this passage of Scripture. I trust that you too find it just as challenging.                   

Shabbat Shalom

RS

Torah Portion for  15th May -  21st May

Torah portion            Leviticus 21:1 to 24:23

Haftarah portion     Ezekiel 44 : 15-31

“Speak”

Understanding God’s times

Each week there are lessons, reminders, encouragements and even chastisements. Almighty God, in His love, wisdom and grace, speaks to each person according to ones relationship with Him.

It would be a worry if one received NOTHING from the reading of His Word !!  If the reading were mechanical, even legalistic.

Leviticus 23 contains the well-known declaration of the “mo’edim”, the “appointed times” of the Lord. Within our churches today they are often perceived as ‘Jewish Festivals’, consigned to antiquity, even obsolete.

But Almighty God called them “MY FEASTS” in Leviticus 23:2. They are described as being ‘a statute forever throughout your generations’. They are festivals observed by Yeshua, by the disciples in the early church, by Paul. No-where in the Scriptures are they superseded by any other festival.

In effect, God was saying to the people “these are the times when I will be there, I want you to come and meet with me”. Once every week on Shabbat, then another seven times in the year for a stated number of days.

These Holy (set apart) Festivals were prophetically significant in the life, death and resurrection of Yeshua (Passover), as well as the giving of the Torah on Mt Sinai and the coming of the Holy Spirit (Pentecost). Many also see that the next set of festivals (Trumpets, Day of Atonement and Tabernacles) are prophetic of the return to this earth of Yeshua.

However, in Leviticus 23:22, we have a strange looking verse which appears to have nothing at all to do with these “appointed times”. They are a repetition of the commandment in Leviticus 19:9,10. This activity of “gleaning” reminds us of Ruth, the Moabitess, a gentile who joined herself to the people of God.

In terms of timing, sitting as it does between those festivals already completed in Yeshua, and those which speak of His future return, is it possible that this verse, referring to ‘the poor and the stranger’ is talking about the time of the gentiles? Which when completed will herald the return of Yeshua?

There is, of course, a more simple explanation. That God is here reminding us all of an obligation we have as believers in Him to extend our hand to those in need.

Did you know that a principal reason for tithing was the caring for the :-

“Levite, because he has no portion nor inheritance with you, and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow who are within your gates, may come and eat (freely) and be satisfied, that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hand, which you do.” Deut 14:29

So then, it appears that this act of caring for those in need is part and parcel of what God intended, He commanded it. IF that is an “appointed activity”, consider carefully how best to respond.

We would appear, today, to have two different ways of understanding the Scriptures. The first is to take God at His word. At best this is the view of a minority of Christians. The prevailing attitude, which most of us learned from an early age, is that God is quite flexible in His requirements of His people. We ‘do it God’s way’ when it doesn’t inconvenient us, or when that way conforms to ‘traditional’ practise.

Understanding God’s times is a responsibility we all share. Ask Him, and He will show you.                        

Shalom and Blessings

RS

Torah Portion for  8th May -  14th May

Torah portion           Leviticus 19 : 1  to  20 : 27

Haftarah portion     Amos 9 : 7 – 15

“Holy people”

“Be ye holy, because I am holy”

God said “Be ye holy, because I am holy”.  This is an entreaty almost universally appropriated by every believer, at least in principle if not in fact!!  “Holy” has a much simpler meaning than many understand. It means “set apart”. Different even. At least different from those around us.

The negative side of “holiness” is found in Leviticus 18 : 2,3

“According to the doings of the land of Egypt, where you dwelt, you shall not do; and according to the doings of the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you, you shall not do; nor shall you walk in their ordinances.”

You are NOT to behave as the Egyptians, amongst whom you were living for the last 400 years, and you are NOT to behave like the Canaanites, where you are going to live for the next several hundred years.

Then God shows them the positive side of “holiness”.

“You shall observe My judgments and keep My ordinances, to walk in them: I am the Lord your God.”

Let us now completely ignore the statement in Malachi 3 :6 (look it up). Let us take the ‘church’ teaching that declares that Yeshua kept all the “Law”, so we do not have to. It’s a tall ask, but let’s do it !

We still believe that our call is to “holiness” don’t we? (See paragraph 1 above) That is to be “set apart”. So we now only look to that which we can read in the “Brit Hadassah”, the ‘New Covenant’.

Yeshua was clear in His declaration when asked about the ‘great commandment’.  See Matthew 22:37-40 and Mark 12 : 28-32 for His response. Note that Yeshua did nothing except quote the Torah. Then we look at the “Letter to the Gentiles” which we read in Acts 15 : 23 – 29 (noting their comment in Acts 15:21 which precedes it).

All fair-minded people will conclude that there is an overwhelming reason to believe that the “means toward holy living” are the same for the people in the days during and following Yeshua’s life, as they were for the people hearing Moses instructions in our Parashah this week. “Be ye holy, because I am holy”

The rest of the parashah goes into much detail. It deals with issues of familial morality, adultery, witchcraft, homosexuality, bestiality and general wickedness.

Some, even today, maybe especially today, have questioned the reasons why God displaced the inhabitants of the Land of Canaan in order to give it to the Israelites. Well, the answer is found in this parashah. Look at Leviticus 18:24 -27.

We may look also at the trends towards similar patterns of behaviour in the world today and ask .. “How long O Lord, how long?”

In the midst of such overt wickedness, God is still looking for a people to call His own. The Israelites have been promised that their salvation is of the Lord, for His own reasons, in His own way, and in His own timing. Gentiles are in the period of opportunity. One day, the Scriptures declare, the ‘fullness of the gentiles’ will be complete. The door WILL be closed. When that happens, a people, Jew and Gentile together will be “One New Man” in worship of Almighty God. King of the Universe. They WILL be joined together, a people called “holy, because I am holy”.

The Scriptures seem to be abundantly clear on the issue of “holiness’. It is God’s way, NOT our way. There is only ONE standard by which ‘holiness’ can be measured. Our parashah this week laid it out plain and simple for the Israelites of old.

Ask the Lord, this week, ‘Lord, what do you expect of me when you say:-‘ “Be ye holy, because I am holy”?

Shabbat Shalom

RS

Torah Portion for  1st May - 7th May

Torah portion             Leviticus 16 : 1  to  18 : 30

Haftarah portion     1 Samuel 20 : 18 - 42

“After the death”

Know before whom you stand

After the two week ‘break’ in the regular Torah reading schedule, for Pesach, we return to Leviticus. When we left the regular schedule we were informed about God’s instructions to the Levites in dealing with contagious diseases and the like. The practises seemed to be to ensure both ritual and physical cleanliness, ensuring both spiritual and physical well-being.

In our ‘reflection’ on the “Sh’mini” parashah a few weeks ago, we learned about the wrath of God, manifest the untimely death of Nadab and Abihu, Aaron’s sons. We might have thought that would be the end of the matter. But it was not. It was as though God had ruminated on this event and had decided to make sure that Aaron didn’t make a similar error. Read what He said to Moses.

“…… the LORD said to Moses: "Tell Aaron your brother not to come at just any time into the Holy Place inside the veil, before the mercy seat which is on the ark, lest he die; for I will appear in the cloud above the mercy seat.”

Nabad and Abihu had been presumptuous. They over-stepped the mark. We might even say that they had been over familiar with God! They had lacked respect. They did things THEIR way.

There is a good lesson for us here. The Psalmist (Psalm 111:10), I presume King Solomon, told us that “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” didn’t he?  That fear (“yarah” in Hebrew) has the meaning of “utter reverence”, and not “being frightened of”. However, if we were to witness the power of God manifested in the manner it was shown towards Nadab and Abihu we might feel differently. There is no place for ‘familiarity’ in our relationship with Almighty God.

Many synagogues have a special cabinet, which they call “The Ark”, in which the Torah Scrolls are kept. Often, that cabinet has these Hebrew words inscribed upon them. “Da lifnei mi atta omed”  It translates as:-     “Know before whom you stand”

They are words which I have pasted in the front cover of my Bible.

The words “What a friend we have in Jesus” are accurate, and we sing those words with joy, but we need to remember He is our ‘friend’, He is our redeemer, NOT our “mate”. Know before whom you stand.

Our parashah continues with explicit instructions for Aaron regarding the times when he could enter the Holy Place in the Tabernacle, and also the precise way in which he should prepare himself, including the way he must dress, to meet with our Holy God. Nothing is left to chance. God is saying “this is the way, walk ye in it” (Isaiah 30:21).

In the event, God instructed Moses to tell Aaron that his entry into that Holy Place was to be just ONCE each year. That time is specified as a most solemn occasion to be remembered in perpetuity by the Israelites. Today, in Israel, it is the time when EVERYONE, religious and secular, observe a solemn time of introspection. For the ten days (known as days of awe) leading up to this special day, Jews put things right with each other. Then YOM KIPPUR, the day that Aaron was told to enter the Holy Place to make atonement for himself and the people, is a day of fasting and prayer. It is not just a story in a book. It is a day of encounter with Almighty God.

And yet what I observe is that we Christians appear to think that our way is better. I wrote last week that I considered the Christian’s separation from its Hebrew roots to be one of Satan’s greatest victories over mankind. We have been robbed of the mo’edim” “of the Lord. We are the poorer for it.

In Matthew 13 we read many parables about the “Kingdom of Heaven”. A cursory knowledge of Hebrew thought tells us that this is actually the “Kingdom of God”. That Kingdom is with us, even though the King is still to appear in Jerusalem, the capital of His Kingdom on Earth, to reign for 1000 years. Our responsibility as citizens of that Kingdom is to honour the King, in loyal obedience to His authority.

We also know that at that time we will all be part of the “One New Man”, Jew and Gentile together in harmony, worshipping the King. Hallelujah. In the meantime, as we await His appearance, we could engage ourselves in ‘practice’. But that involves obedience and compliance with His commandments!!   Know before whom you stand.

Shabbat Shalom

RS

Torah Portion for  24th April - 30th April

Torah portion                Exodus 13 : 17  - 15 : 26

Haftarah portion        Numbers  28 : 16 – 25

“Passover”

Abundant life

We come to the last day of the celebration and remembrance of “Pesach”.

The parashah narrative begins with the statement of fact that the Pharoah had finally agreed to “let the people go”. It continues with the story of the journey of escape from Egypt, and the drowning of the pursuing Egyptian army, and it ends with the provision of “sweet water” to drink out of the bitter waters of Marah. A fascinating story.

These events are well known. Even non-Christian sceptics are familiar with the story, so we do not need to re-visit the detail. But we need to find the lessons for ourselves as the story unfolds.

Last week we focussed on the prophetic significance of the whole season of the three Pesach festivals. This week we learn of the detail of the way the event unfolded for them in practical terms. In fact, as we arrive at the very end of the “Feast of Unleavened Bread” in our study this week, we see the hand of Almighty God, and a picture of Yeshua Ha’Mashiach in this parashah.

We could look at the provision of food, which rained down from Heaven each night, sufficient to satisfy each family for the whole day ahead. And that which was not eaten that day rotted before the next day! It was to be gathered and eaten FRESH each day (Miraculously, the same food lasted TWO days when the weekly Shabbat came around).

The Apostle John, in Chapter 6 from verse 32, records the words of Yeshua when He described Himself as “the Bread of Life”. He goes further by relating the “bread from Heaven” in Moses time with Himself.

“Then Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."

It is not going too far to equate the Israelites need for a daily gathering of that bread, with our need today for a ‘daily gathering’ of the bread which Yeshua is. He taught us to pray ‘give us this day our daily bread’. I believe that this phrase has both a literal and a spiritual meaning. We need to gather our ‘bread’ DAILY, just as those Israelites did in our parashah.

We could look at the provision of water. Moses was told to strike the rock, out of which poured an abundance of clean fresh, life-giving water. Our beloved Apostle Paul, writing to the church at Corinth used a most interesting description of this water.

“Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, all ate the same spiritual food,  and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ”    1 Corinthians 10 : 1- 4.

Paul is suggesting here that the miracle of the provision of water from the Rock extended to that Rock actually following them around!! The plain sense of this is that it was Yeshua Himself, there with the Israelites on their journeying’s in the wilderness who sustained them with life giving water. On another occasion, when Yeshau was attending the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem, at the time of the water libation Ceremony in the Temple He said:-

“On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water."”  John 7 : 37,38

So then, as the “mo’ed” of Pesach concludes for another year, we remind ourselves that the Passover Seder which starts the celebration of this season always ends with the participants saying “Next Year in Jerusalem”. An anticipatory statement about the coming of Messiah. So we who are believers in Yeshau, can see the way in which this “appointed time” of Pesach not only speaks of Yeshau perfectly fulfilling His role as the ‘Lamb that was slain’, but also throughout the whole parashah we have reminders of His role in our lives as the sustainer of our life

For the believer, without Him there is no hope of life. With Him we have abundant life …. IF we choose to access it.  Praise be to Him.

Shabbat Shalom

RS

Torah Portion for  17th April - 23rd April

Torah portion      Exodus 12 : 21 - 51 

Numbers 28 : 16-25                                                                                                      

Haftarah portion     Joshua  5 : 2  to  6 : 1

“Passover”

Chag Sameach

The regular sequence of Torah readings is interrupted this week because of the “mo’ed” of Pesach.

Leviticus 23 and Deuteronomy 16 have the commandments about annual observances of the “mo’edim”. (The Hebrew word for “appointed times”, which in turn is usually translated into English as “feasts”). These are times when God specified He would meet with His chosen ones.

Today, they are most often referred to as “Jewish Feasts”. That correctly describes the fact that they are observances remembered by Jews. But it is an incorrect understanding of the Scriptures.

When God gave these instructions to Moses, He carefully worded these ‘appointed times’ (mo’edim) as MY ‘mo’edim’. They may be characterized as times when God says, in effect, “I will be there to meet with you on these specific occasions”. Those who choose not to attend miss an opportunity of blessing through meeting with Him at His invitation.

This festival, known as “Pesach” (Passover), embraces THREE festivals in a period of eight days. The first of these remembers the actual day in history (the 14th day of the first month, Nisan) when the Israelites experienced the ‘salvation’ of the firstborn in their families by placing the blood of the Pesach Lamb on the doorposts and lintels of their houses in Egypt. The Lord ‘passed over’ their houses when He saw the blood.

It also is the exact Hebrew calendar date of the crucifixion of Yeshua. The Christian celebration of Easter (replacing Passover) was formalized at the Council of Nicea in the days of the Emperor Constantine of Rome. It signalled the official separation of the “church” from its Hebrew roots. (In my view one of Satan’s major victories over mankind).

The second remembrance is known as the “Feast of Unleavened Bread” which occurs on the very next day, Nisan 15. (It is a High Sabbath), and it lasts seven days, and begins and ends with a special Sabbath,  Note that there are always three Sabbaths during this Pesach festival.  The “High Sabbath” which marks the beginning of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, (and the Sabbath which marks the end of the festival, PLUS the normal weekly Sabbath). It is this “High Sabbath” which is the Sabbath mentioned in John 19:31 before which the Jews were anxious to confine Yeshua’s body to the grave. Then the ‘normal’ weekly Sabbath occurred immediately prior to the resurrection of Yeshua. This confirms the statement of Yeshua in Luke 11:29 (as well as in Matthew and Mark) when asked for a sign. Read it. The complete lack of understanding of this fact has caused conventional church teaching to major on an incorrect “Good Friday” crucifixion story !

Unleavened Bread is eaten during the whole eight day period of the Pesach remembrance. To Jews it is a remembrance of the fact that they ate unleavened bread,(as commanded in Exodus 12:18) as they fled from Egypt on the night of Passover. Leaven is a symbol of SIN, so to believers, the Unleavened Bread also represents the sinless body of the Messiah which was buried in the grave for three days and three nights.

The third festival in this Pesach season is the “Feast of Firstfruits”. It occurs on the day AFTER the weekly Sabbath in Pesach week. (Always a SUNDAY). It signified the beginning of the Barley Harvest and was celebrated by a priest waving an ‘omer’ (a measure) of Barley in the temple in Yeshua’s day. But it was also the day on which Yeshua was resurrected from the grave. Believers refer to it as Resurrection Sunday. (but in association with Easter rather than Passover!) It signifies that Yeshua became the “Firstfruits from the dead”.  (see 1 Corinthians15:23).

We should be grateful that churches worldwide (all varieties) remember the death and resurrection of Yeshua.  And that they do so sincerely. But more and more, many people are realizing that our roots are inextricably founded in Judaism and the Lord’s “mo’edim” (appointed times). Those that do then focus more on Passover than Easter.

In addition to your own church fellowship, this year, take the trouble to find a fellowship of believers who celebrate Passover, (I assure you the dates will not clash with Easter!) and join them in that celebration. You will be enlightened, blessed and immeasurably enriched as you do.

Chag Sameach   (Happy Holiday)

Shabbat Shalom

RS

Torah Portion for  10th April - 16th April

Torah portion            Leviticus 14 : 1  to  15 : 33

Haftarah portion     Malachi 3 : 4 – 24

"The leper”

A light to our path

Following the healing of the leper, described in Matthew 8, Yeshua told him to follow Moses’ instructions. Our parashah this week begins with those instructions, which included making an offering to the Lord for the restoration of fellowship following the healing.

The leprous condition is equated to sin. It is a sign of “uncleanness”. It has to be dealt with. No half measures, complete eradication. And until that point, the leprous person had to be segregated from fellowship, outside the camp. Restoration of fellowship involved blood sacrifice (as well as some other ritual practices). We might argue that the terms seem harsh, or even incomprehensible to us. But God is God. He specified the conditions then, and He specifies the conditions today!

It is analogous to our situation as sinners before the Lord. Our sin separates us from fellowship with Almighty God. We cannot assume that fellowship on our terms, much as we might try. He has provided the means. Our part is to follow God’s way, which also involves the blood sacrifice.

In practical terms, as we read through the parashah this week, these instructions make a lot of sense in that they are designed to contain the natural spread of disease and “uncleanness”. The whole parashah deals with the “uncleanness” of body and property. I find myself reluctant to over spiritualize this passage, but it is important to find the practical lesson for us today.

The Apostle Paul, writing to Timothy (2 Timothy 3 :16,17) said:-

“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

With the passage of time, and the enormous change in both lifestyle and living standards, these instructions seem archaic. However, we know that they are there, in part, that we might understand the nature and character of Almighty God.

Our God is a caring God. He is EL SHADDAI (Almighty God). He is YHWH-RAPHE (God who heals). It is not His wish that any should go astray. His instructions are given for our benefit and delight. Remember the words of King David in Psalm 119 : 104–108 :-

“Through Your precepts I get understanding; Therefore I hate every false way. Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. I have sworn and confirmed that I will keep Your righteous judgments. I am afflicted very much; Revive me, O LORD, according to Your  word. Accept, I pray, the freewill offerings of my mouth, O LORD, and  teach me Your judgments”.

David accepted that during his life, he would, and did, encounter affliction. We are no different. What makes the real difference is how we deal with that affliction. Most of us have encountered people who seem to have endured incredible affliction. We marvel at the peace and tranquillity of spirit which they portray. Almost invariably we find that they are people who have a close walk with God.

A few weeks ago, I speculated that Leviticus would be the place where "New Year resolutions” terminated!! Those who set out to read the Scriptures from Genesis to “Maps” in one year meet a hurdle in Leviticus. It is a difficult book to read without getting ‘bogged down’ in detail. It does not flow easily in the modern context, and we need to constantly remind ourselves that it is an ‘instruction manual’ for the Priesthood. (the Levites).

BUT it IS still the Word of God. It IS there for our instruction in righteousness. I commend you to persevere. There are blessings abundant for those who "endure to the end”.

May I respectfully request of those who regularly read these 'reflections' to please share with us any insight God might illuminate to you as you study this passage. We will all be the wiser for the sharing!!

God’s word is a light to our path

Shabbat Shalom

RS

Torah Portion for  3rd April - 9th April

Torah portion             Leviticus 12 : 1  to  13 : 59

Haftarah portion     Ezekiel 45 : 16 – 46 : 18

“Has conceived”

It’s about your body!

The parashah this week makes for quite easy reading, but is rather more difficult to relate to modern day living in Australia! But there are lessons for us.

We remind ourselves that the instructions in the book of Leviticus were given for the benefit of the priests. Those instructions had significant relevance to the interpersonal relationships between the Levitical Priesthood and the people amongst whom they ministered. When a new baby was born, it would have been a member of the Levitical priesthood who would officiate at the “brit milah” (circumcision).

Circumcision was a covenant sign which was instituted in Abraham’s day, some hundreds of years earlier. Perhaps this provides our first lesson from this parashah. The commandments of the Lord are everlasting, even if the people forget them or simply neglect to practise them. Just ponder the differences in lifestyle which had occurred in the 500 or so years since Abraham was given this instruction. The Israelites had endured over 400 years (that’s several generations of people) of slavery in Egypt. During that time, of which we have little description except for its latter days, it is possible that the covenant observances had fallen away. They were now being led through a desert land, where, in effect, God had them all to Himself, so that He could now begin, again, to teach them to live as He purposed they should live. To train them in the ways of righteously living together as “His special treasure”.

It might have been tempting for them to say “O that was an instruction for a different people years ago, it doesn’t apply to us” But in His love, mercy and grace towards them, He began the task of instructing them again. Can anyone else (other than me!) remember this verse of that beautiful hymn we used to sing years ago?

His love has no limits, His grace has no measure,
His power no boundary known unto men;
For out of His infinite riches in Jesus
He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again.

Apart from the “brit milah”, the rest of the portion focuses on the relationship between the Levitical Priesthood and the people in respect to contagious and discharging infections. The detail is quite remarkable. It provided an authority amongst them for determining who should be isolated from the community and for how long. It also would have given them a sense of respect for the Priests amongst them.

In illustration of this, look at Matthew 8:4. A man with leprosy asked Yeshua to “make me clean”. We may assume that this poor man had followed the procedure we have just read about in our parashah. Then Yeshua healed him, made him clean again, but that was not enough. He then instructed the man to strictly ‘observe the commandment of Moses’. Read it. We sometimes lose sight of the fact that Yeshua (as well as ALL His disciples, including the Apostle Paul) was completely Torah observant all His life on Earth, and did not rescind any commandment. In fact, we read in Matthew 5:19 that anyone who teaches otherwise will be called “least in the Kingdom of Heaven”. Heavy stuff eh!

Our parashah continues to the end of Chapter 13 instructing the Levitical Priests how to deal with infections (which are given the general term of ‘leprosy’) which are observed on fabrics and skins. It is not very inspiring reading, except that it again illustrates God’s amazing love and care for those who are His. On this point we may learn another lesson from this parashah. Because we know that we worship Almighty God, who does not change, we may be sure that He has exactly the same concerns for our welfare as He did for these Israelites of old.

When Yeshua commissioned His disciples to go and spread the good news of the Kingdom of Heaven in Matthew 10, He assured them, amongst other things, that “the very hairs of your head are numbered”. An amazing statement of love and concern for those who are his.

But we cannot leave this parashah without stating the obvious. God has for all time made provision for those who willingly join Him in fellowship. That applied to the Torah of Moses and the means of ‘drawing near’ which was the characteristic of the sacrificial system. It applies to those who ‘draw near’ today by willingly accepting the salvation offered by the atoning death and resurrection of Yeshua.

In BOTH instances, there was, and is, MORE involved. It is not JUST an assent with the mind, it is an action which changes a lifestyle. The Apostle Paul has put it much better than I ever could.                          

Read Romans 12:1,2      

It’s about your body!                                

Shabbat Shalom

RS

Torah Portion for 27th March - 2nd April
 

Torah portion             Leviticus 9 : 1  to  11 : 47

Haftarah portion     Ezekiel 36 : 16 – 38

“Eighth”

A reflection of the future!

For the past two weeks we have learned about the sacrifices, their purpose, and the manner of their presentation before the Lord. Our parashah last week concluded with the consecration of Aaron and his sons for their Priestly duties. That included consuming their portion of the various sacrifices which had been made in the consecration process. For a period of seven days, they were required to remain inside the Tabernacle.

Our parashah this week starts on the “eighth” day. The day the Priestly consecration was complete.

Moses instructs Aaron to make a series of sacrifices, for both himself and for the people, in the precise order we discussed last week. Moses tells him that when that is done “The Glory of the Lord will appear to you”.

In effect, deal with the sin first (the sin offering or trespass offering). Commit yourselves completely to God (the burnt offering or grain offering). Establish fellowship or communion between the Lord, the Priest and the people (peace offering). Then be amazed at the “Shekina” of the Lord. On that particular occasion, the “shekinah” of the Lord appeared to all the congregation in the form of fire. Fire which consumed the burnt offering which was on the altar. Fire which assured the people that their sacrifice was acceptable to Almighty God. Fire which caused them to fall on their faces in worship.

Can you see, as I see, a future event which is foretold by this parashah before us today?

In Revelation 19 : 4 we read of the time when Babylon (the kingdom of the great harlot of Scripture, Satan) is finally defeated. Salvation, made possible by sacrifice of the “Lamb of God”, is proclaimed. The sacrificial death and resurrection of Yeshua Ha’Mashiach is complete and accepted. The ‘four and twenty elders’ fall down before the Throne of God in worship saying “Amen! Allelujah!” and Yeshua, our sacrifice, appears.

“His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns.

 He had a name written that no one knew except Himself.

He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called

The Word of God.”

Behold the “shekinah” of God.  Hallalujah, what a saviour!.

Leviticus Chapter 10 then relates a story about two of Aaron’s four sons. Nadab and Abihu, who, seemingly, took matters into their own hands. We are not told anything of their motive, but whatever it was displeased God. The Bible students amongst us may care to research this matter !!

My speculation is that in the midst of the exultation of the people at seeing the “shekinah” of God, they took it upon themselves, as high profile Priests, to try to share the “shekinah” of God by attempting to deflect some of that adulation to themselves.

Five times in the Torah alone (the five books of Moses), God is described as “a jealous God”. He will not share His glory with anyone. Satan was cast out of fellowship with God because he sought equality with God. In Matthew 7:21, we read of some people who are destined to be very disappointed when ‘the books are opened’. Dare we speculate that they will be those who seek to share in the “shekinah” of God? There are some high profile ‘Priests’  today, very wealthy people, who, in my view, seek to share the “shekinah” of God by the way they present themselves. Perhaps they should read this “reflection”!!!

Our parashah ends with a dissertation on “kosher” foods. What an unpopular topic that is!! There will be MANY who sincerely believe that this particular set of commandments is obsolete. Those same people will sincerely have reasons of their own for believing what they believe, and I have mine.

Sufficient to say, these commandments are in the Book. God does NOT have to explain Himself. He has His own reasons for including them, and if you are at all exercised by this, then just ask Him to show you.

As always there is so much more teaching available every week. This is just “my personal reflection” on a small part of it. Why not share yours with a friend?   Or even Zion’s Voice.     It could be a reflection of the future!

Shabbat Shalom

RS

Torah Portion for 20th March - 26th March

Torah portion              Leviticus 6 : 8  to  8 : 36

Haftarah portion     Jeremiah 7:21 to 8:3 and 9:22,23

“Command”

Why the sacrifices?

Last week we dealt with the general purposes and types of offering which Moses was commanded to declare to the people. In this parashah, Moses is given specific instruction regarding the precise way each of these offerings was to be made, and what was to happen to them.

With the exception of the Burnt Offerings, which (apart from the skin) was to be totally consumed in the fire on the altar, the other offerings would be used, in part, as food for the Priests who officiate at that offering, as follows:-

1. Burnt Offering            God’s portion, the whole animal. Priests portion, the skin (to be sold)

2. Grain Offering           Priests own offering, all for God. Others offering,  God’s portion, a memorial amount (handful). Priests portion, the remainder (which had to be consumed within the court of the Tabernacle).

3. Peace Offering            God’s portion, the fatty portions. Priests portion, Breast (which was given to the High Priest for a wave offering), Right foreleg, given to the officiating priest (as a Heave offering). Remainder was for the Offeror (which was to be eaten the same day).

4. Sin Offering                 God’s portion, the fatty portions. If the offering was for the High Priest and the congregation of Israel, all that remained was to be burnt outside the camp. If the offering was for others, the Priests were to eat it within the court of the Tabernacle.

5. Trespass Offering      God’s portion, the fatty portions. Priests portion, the remainder which was to be eaten within the court of the tabernacle.

God’s instructions were precise. No-one was left to guess what to do next. We should all take careful note of this. When God gives us an instruction, we do not have the option of making changes to suit our mood or our circumstances.

When God sent Yeshua to dwell amongst us, Yeshua verified that He did not come to do His own will, but that of the Father who sent Him. There was no variation option available to Him. Do you think that we have an option which was not even afforded to the ONLY Son of God?

Now it is true, that we no longer have a requirement to offer animal sacrifices. In fact Gentiles were never asked to offer animal sacrifices. It is wonderfully true that Yeshua Himself became the acceptable sacrifice, (the sinless Lamb of God without blemish), for sin for any who put their trust in Him. It is the will of God that NONE should perish, so to that extent Yeshua’s atoning death was for everyone, but we know that many today are dismissive of that sacrifice, even contemptuous. God has specified Himself how those who reject His love offering will end.

In our parashah today, we may conclude that amongst the Israelites there would also have been two groups of people. Those who accepted God’s instructions regarding sacrifice, and those who said “well that’s not the way I see it!!” God has afforded all of us that option. But for those who accept the provision that He has made, both then and now, He specifies HOW it has to be. And that is GOD”s WAY.

When more than one kind of offering was presented (as in Numbers 6: 16,17), the procedure was usually as follows :-

First, the sin offering, then the burnt offering or grain offering, then the peace offering, in that order. This sequence furnishes part of the spiritual significance of the sacrificial system.

First sin had to be dealt with (the sin offering or trespass offering). Second the worshipper committed himself completely to God (the burnt offering or grain offering). Third, the fellowship or communion between the Lord, the Priest and the Worshipper (peace offering) was established. To put it another way, there were sacrifices for expiation (sin offerings or trespass offerings), consecration (burnt offerings and grain offerings), and communion (peace offerings).

It is easy to dismiss these portions of Scripture from Leviticus as being obsolete, which in detail, since the destruction of the Temple, they are. But the principles of renewal and reconciliation of relationship with a Holy God remain. In Yeshua, He has provided all the sacrifice we need for our fellowship with Him. But the principle of how we get to that point remains.

Our sin has to be dealt with. That begins with our acknowledgement that we are sinners and we need to repent. Our commitment to serve God in God’s way is what is called consecration to Him. Our reconciliation is complete when we willingly decide to obey His commandments.

Shabbat Shalom

RS