Category Archives: Scripture

Scripture Studies

Overview of the Book of Leviticus/Vayikra

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Outline of Leviticus

Leviticus is divided into to main parts. Chapters one to 16 deal with laws of sacrifice and purification. In the second section (chapters 17–25), Elohim sets forth his demands for holy living that his people might maintain a right relationship with him. Chapter 26 lays out the blessings and curses for obedience to YHVH’s commands. The final chapter of the book ends with some miscellaneous laws.

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  • The five main offerings (Lev 1–7)
  • The ordination of priests (Lev 6:8–7:38)
  • Laws of cleanliness (food, childbirth, diseases, etc.) (Lev 11–15)
  • Day of Atonement (Lev 16–17)
  • Moral laws regulating relationships between humans (Lev 18–20)
  • Regulations for priests, the offerings of the annual feasts (Lev 21:1–24:9)
  • Punishment for blasphemy, murder, etc. (Lev 24:10–23)
  • The Sabbatical year, Jubilee, land laws, slavery (Lev 25)
  • Blessings and curses (Lev 26)
  • Regulations pertaining to vows made to YHVH (Lev 27)

Themes and Main Points of Leviticus

  • Leviticus stands at the center of the Torah, and there’s a reason for this, since it shows man how to come into relationship with Elohim.
  • Holiness (or set-apartness) is the key theme of Leviticus. The set-apartness of YHVH and the need for man to become set-apart (Heb. kadosh, Lev 11:44). Leviticus lays out the terms are laid out by which an unholy, profane, polluted or sinful people can come into a spiritual and even contractual relationship with their holy, morally pure and sinless Creator. It spells out the terms of the contract including penalties for its violation and blessings for adherence to it.
  • Leviticus carries on to completion the giving of the Torah-law, which started in Exodus 20 and left off in Exodus 25, which firmly established Israel’s covenant constitution with Elohim with the Torah being the terms or legal corpus of that constitution.
  • This book, for the first time in detail, shows man the way of expiation and forgiveness of sin, thus pointing the way in major detail to Yeshua the Messiah, the Lamb of Elohim, who was yet to come and who would ultimate take away men’s sin by his sacrifice on the cross.
  • Its narrative covered probably only a month.
  • It is the first book of Torah rabbinic Jews started teaching their young children, since it is believed that those who are pure in heart (i.e., children) should be engaged in the study of purity (i.e., the laws of purification and atonement—central themes of Leviticus).
  • Even today, Leviticus remains the foundation for Jewish life, since it includes the laws pertaining diet, the feasts, sex, marriage, family purity, and our relationship with our fellow man.
  • Leviticus is at the heart of the modern Jewish synagogue service, and forms the basis for the daily devotions of religious Jews. Jewish liturgical prayer is largely based on the Tabernacle service outlined in this book.
  • The offerings and other ceremonies served to show the holiness of YHVH.
  • YHVH can only be approached through proper and prescribed protocols.
  • In Leviticus, spiritual set-apartness (holiness) is symbolized by physical perfection. All blemishes or defects symbolize man’s spiritual defects, which break his spiritual wholeness. Therefore, the religious system in Leviticus required:
  • Perfect animals for sacrifices (Lev 1–7)
  • Priests without physical deformity (Lev 8–10)
  • A woman to be ritually purified from hemorrhaging after birth (Lev 12)
  • Ritual purification from sores, burns, baldness (Lev 13–14)
  • Ritual purification from a man’s bodily discharges (Lev 15:1–18
  • Ritual purification after a woman’s menstrual cycle (Lev 15:19–33)
  • Those with certain diseases or ailments had to leave the camp (symbolic of leaving YHVH’s Presence—like Adam and Eve leaving the Garden of Eden after they had sinned). Israelites could be readmitted to the camp (symbolic of returning to YHVH’s Presence) only after certain protocols had been performed and the person had been pronounced whole by the priests.
  • In Exodus 19:6, YHVH’s call for Israel to be a kingdom of priests. As such, they were to be a light to the nations and to show Elohim’s glory to the world (Deut 4:4–8). Israel was to be YHVH earthly representation of YHVH’s kingdom on earth. Leviticus showed Israel how to walk in a set-apart (kadosh or holy) manner before YHVH and the world.
 

Blog Scripture Readings for 3-15 Through 3-21-15

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THIS WEEK’S SCRIPTURE READINGS FOR STUDY AND DISCUSSION:

Parashat Vayikra — Leviticus 1:1 – 5:26 (6:7)*
Haftarah — Numbers 28:9-15; Exodus 12:1-20; Ezekiel 45:16-46:18**
Prophets — Isaiah 9:1 – 18:7
Writings — Proverbs 15:1 – 21:31
Testimony — John 13:17 – 18:40

Most of this week’s blog discussion points will be on these passages. If you have general comments or questions on the weekly Scripture readings not addressed in a blog post, here’s a place for you to post those. Just use the “leave a reply” link below.

The full “Read Through The Scriptures In A Year” schedule, broken down by each day, can be found on the right sidebar under “Helpful Links.” There are 4 sections of scripture to read each day. One each from the Torah, the Prophets, the Writings, and from the Testimony of Yeshua. Each week, the Torah and haftarah readings will follow the traditional one-year reading cycle.

* Verse numbers in parenthesis refer to the verse number in Christian Bibles when it differs from the Hebrew Bible or Tanakh.

** A different Haftarah is read when it is a special sabbath in Jewish tradition. This week is Shabbat HaChodesh.

Weekly Blog Scripture Readings for 3/15 through 3/21/15.

 

A Final Word on the Tabernacle of Moses and Theosis

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The process of man going from being a physical and human creature to becoming an immortal and glorified child of the Most High, in theological terms, is called theosis. This is an ancient Christian concept that is still held by the Eastern Orthodox Church referring to the spiritual process that occurs resulting in the deification of man. The goal of theosis is to become like Elohim and to become eventually united with him spiritually. Theosis is the biblical concept of a redeemed or spiritually regenerated individual becoming a partaker YHVH’s divine nature (2 Pet 1:4), and being adopted into the family of Elohim (see verses below). It is about man becoming like Elohim — becoming part of the family of Elohim as a son of Elohim (John 10:34; Ps 82:1; 1 John 3:1–3).

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This is our theosis, that as the Ruach haKodesh (the Holy Spirit) identified Yeshua as the Son of Elohim at his  baptism, so we too become a son of Elohim at our baptism, when we become a new creation through Yeshua and the work of the Holy Spirit (Gal 2:20; 2 Cor 5:17). At that time, one is begotten into the family of Elohim, and when one receives one’s glorified body at the resurrection one will be fully born or adopted into the family of Elohim as a full-fledged son of Elohim, for, as the Scripture says, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is (1 John 3:1–3).

Paul refers to theosis in several places when he uses the term adoption. Continue reading →

 

New Video: Golden Calf Worship in the Church

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What was the sin of the golden calf, and how has that sin come down to the modern mainstream church? “Come out her my people” is Elohim’s plea to his end time saints. This video explores these issues.

 

The Tabernacle of Moses and Sets of Three —A Picture of One’s Spiritual Journey

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The Tabernacle of Moses from its front to back represents one’s progression in one’s spiritual journey starting with initial salvation leading to eternal life in YHVH’s eternal spiritual kingdom. This view is from man’s perspective.

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From YHVH’s view inside the holy of holies above the ark of the covenant in the glory cloud, looking outward, the perspective is different. We’ll discus this in a moment.

In the outer court of the tabernacle, all the rituals and furnishings pointed to death, judgment, washing or cleansing. These prophetically foreshadowed salvation through Yeshua’s atoning death on the cross, with Yeshua being the door to salvation, acceptance of his death on the cross for one’s sins followed by and baptism for the remission of sins. In the set-apart (kadosh or holy) place inside the tabernacle, everything pointed to life, light, food, fragrant incense, the fruits and gifts of the Holy Spirit — or life in a spiritual relationship with Elohim subsequent to one’s taking the initial and beginning steps of salvation. The outer court speaks of basic salvation for the redeemed believer in Yeshua, while the holy place speaks of spiritual growth and maturity, of moving from spiritual babyhood and growing into spiritual adulthood or maturity.

Paul speaks of man being subdivided into three parts — body, soul and spirit (1 Thess 5:23). The tabernacle’s outer court seems to relate more to the physical or body realm of the person, while the holy place speaks more of the soul or psychological, volitional and emotional aspects of man’s inner realm or psychological realm. Finally, the holy of holies portrays man approaching YHVH through the realm of his spirit man.

As one progresses into the tabernacle, it is as if YHVH is drawing man into an ever deeper relational walk with him starting at the most basic level progressing upward until man is finally communing with YHVH on a Spirit to spirit level (in the most holy place). It is the Father’s desire that men progressively grow until they are communing with him at the highest spiritual level (see John 4:23–24).

As noted earlier, this forward progression from the tabernacle’s entrance Continue reading →