Seven Steps to Consecrating the Priests/Saints

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Exodus 28:1–29:46, Note the seven steps required to consecrate the priests for service in the tabernacle. Let’s compare them with the steps a believer goes through to become a “chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a set-apart nation, a peculiar people that you should show forth the praises of him who has called you out of darkness into [Yeshua’s] marvelous light” (1 Pet 2:9). These steps relate to the process a believer goes through from initial salvation to his ultimate glorification.

  1. The priests were taken from among the children of Israel (Exod 28:1). This prefigures divine election. YHVH calls or chooses each person. Yeshua called his disciples (John 15:16–19). They did not call or choose him, but they had to respond to that call.
  2. They were then brought into the door of the tabernacle (Exod 29:4). The door of the tabernacle is Messiah Yeshua who is the door to the sheepfold. No man comes to the Father except through Yeshua (John 10:1–18 and 14:6). The door is comprised of four colors, which speak of the person and work of Yeshua: blue, scarlet, white and purple. It also speaks of the four Gospels, which are the door to understanding the Person and work of Yeshua.
  3. They were washed (Exod 29:4). Upon accepting the work and Person of Yeshua, one must be immersed for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38) to identify spiritually with the death, burial and resurrection of Yeshua (Rom 6:3–14), and the washing of the water of the Word (Eph 5:26).
  4. They were clothed in their official garments (Exod 29:4–9). The redeemed believer is to put on the robes of righteousness. (Gal 3:27, “For as many of you as have been baptized into Messiah have put on ­Messiah.”) Paul talks about fruits of righteousness through Yeshua in Philippians 1:11. Righteousness is Torah obedience (Ps 119:172) and is a mark of the end-time believers/saints (Rev 12:17 and 14:12) and of the bride of Messiah (Rev 19:8).
  5. They laid their hands on the head of the animals that were sacrificed, blood was shed and sprinkled on Aaron and his sons, matzoh (unleavened bread) was waved and burnt, and they ate the flesh of the ram and the matzoh (Exod 29:10–26, 32–33). Each believer has to take personal responsibility for his own sins. The sacrifice of Yeshua, the Lamb of Elohim, at the cross must become personal to each person each must have his own personal relationship with Yeshua. Each must “eat” the flesh and “drink” the blood of Yeshua individually (John 6:35–58). Communion pictures this and is a personal and individual matter.
  6. They were anointed with oil (Exod 29:21). Each person must receive the Set-Apart Spirit (Ruach) of Elohim
  7. They are sanctified or set-apart for a special, divine purpose (Exod 29:44). Only after going through these steps is one set apart unto YHVH as a set-apart priesthood doing the set-apart work of YHVH.

Only on the basis of following YHVH’s steps, as outlined above in a spiritual manner, can one have fellowship with the Father. And what was the result? Relationship with the Father! Read Exodus 29:44–46 below,

And I will sanctify the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar. I will sanctify also both Aaron and his sons, to minister to me in the priest’s office. And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will be their Elohim. And they shall know that I am YHVH their Elohim, that brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, that I may dwell among them: I am YHVH their Elohim. (emphasis added)

This is all accomplished through Yeshua living in us spiritually. Yeshua is the Chief Cornerstone of the spiritual building of which the saints are a part (Eph 2:20). He is the end result or goal of the Torah (Rom 10:4). He is the Author and the Finisher of our Faith (Heb 12:2), the Beginning and the End, the Aleph and Tav (Alpha and Omega, Rev 21:6; 22:13) of everything. He is calling us to be  his “royal priesthood.”

 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who has called you out of darkness into his marvelous light, which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of Elohim, which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. (1 Pet 2:4–10, emphasis added)

Our faith in Yeshua stays alive and vibrant because of the sacrifices of devotion and praise we offer up daily—morning and night as did the priests of old.

 

Blog Scripture Readings for 3/18–3/24/12 Midrash

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Exodus 29–35; Isaiah 11–24 and John 10–16

Most of this week’s blog discussion points will be on these passages. The full year’s Bible Reading Schedule can be found on the right sidebar under “Helpful Links.”

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.

 

Back to the Future with Moses at Mount Sinai

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Moses’s bringing the children of Israel into a covenantal (marriage) agreement with YHVH at the foot of Mount Sinai contains powerful prophetic symbolism that applies to us now. Point-by-point, it foretold the steps that Yeshua would take through his death on the cross as he brought the spiritually lost (you and me) into a covenantal (marital) relationship with him.

Exodus 24:6, Moses sprinkled half the blood of a sacrificed animal on the altar, which prophetically pointed to Yeshua shedding his blood on the cross, so that we might enter into a covenantal relationship with YHVH. The wine Yeshua drank at the last supper that ratified the Renewed Covenant signified the blood he was about to shed at the cross (Matt 26:26–28). When we as redeemed believers drink the third cup (i.e., communion) of the Passover Seder and eat the bread, we are signifying our marital commitment to YHVH-Yeshua. We are accepting the terms (our marriage agreement or ketubah) of the covenant—the Renewed Covenant, which includes the Torah being written on our hearts by the Spirit of Elohim (Jer 33:31–33; Heb 8:8–10).

Exodus 24:7, Israel agreed to the terms of the ketubah the third time (see also Exod 19:8 and 24:3). As Israel pledged loyalty and obedience to YHVH, even so, we also must confess with our mouths and believe in our hearts that Yeshua was raised from the dead, and then walk in righteousness, which is obedience to the Torah (Rom 10:9–13; Ps 119:172).

Exodus 24:8, Moses sprinkled the blood of an innocent animal over the people, which is a prophetic picture of Yeshua shedding his blood at the cross for the redemption of sinners from the penalty of sin, so that they might enter in a sinless state into a covenantal relationship with YHVH (Heb 9:18–22).

Exodus 24:9–12, Only after the blood of the sacrificed animal was shed and sprinkled over the people were the elders permitted access into the Presence of Elohim. Only through the shed blood of Yeshua and through the veil of his flesh are we able to come boldly to Elohim’s throne of grace (Heb 10:19–20; 4:16).

 

Did Yeshua Break the Sabbath?

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John 5:18, [Yeshua] … broke the Sabbath. Listen to an interesting and sad, but true story. About ten years ago, I was in a meeting where a Bible teacher was giving a message on the end times. In the middle of his teaching and totally out of context, he quoted this passage from John and claimed that Yeshua broke the Sabbath. There was a rustle in the audience of about 300 people. A little later, he made the same statement again and began to deride the Sabbath. This time there was an audible moan from some in the audience—many of whom were Sabbath keepers. I felt like he had hit me in the gut. A little later, he made the same statement again, and continued to bash Sabbath observance. This time, I could hold my peace no longer. I stood up and challenged him in the middle of the meeting. To say that Yeshua had broken the Sabbath was to call Yeshua a sinner, and that Yeshua had not broken the Sabbath, but some Jewish legal traditions (or halakhah) pertaining to the Sabbath. The speaker was flustered and had no response, and the host of the meeting decided to take an intermission.

A year later, this Bible teacher had suddenly and unexpectedly dropped dead in the pulpit while preaching. I can’t help but wonder…. Had this false teacher simply pulled down a concordance from his bookshelf and looked up the word broke in the Greek, and had read John’s statement in verse 12 in the context of verses 8–10, he wouldn’t have been teaching this blasphemous heresy about our Master and Redeemer!

Here is the explanation of this passage:

The word broke is the Greek word luo meaning “to loose, untie someone or something bound, to dissolve, destroy.” According to The Theological Dictionary of the NT, luo means “to free from prison, open something closed; destroy fetters, foundations, walls; to release.”

What Yeshua was breaking was the Jews’ extra-Torah legal traditions that made the Sabbath a burden by prohibiting the alleviation of human suffering and need on this day (John 5:8–10). He was in no way violating the Torah, since there is no Torah prohibition from healing on the Sabbath or carrying one’s bed roll.

In attempting to follow the Torah through men’s traditions, many of the Jews of Yeshua’s day had actually omitted the weightier matters of the Torah (justice, mercy and faith, Matt 23:23), and had forgotten that YHVH is more concerned with heart issues rather than religious legalism, since he desires mercy over sacrifice, and the knowledge of Elohim over burnt offerings (Hos 6:6).

 

Blog Scripture Readings for 3/11–3/17/12 Midrash

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Exodus 22–8; 2 Kings 21–25; Isaiah 1–10 and John 3–9

Most of this week’s blog discussion points will be on these passages. The full year’s Bible Reading Schedule can be found on the right sidebar under “Helpful Links.”

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.

 

Doctrines of Men Built on Weak Foundations

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Parashah Mishpatim: Exodus 21–23

Exodus 21:1, These are the judgments [mishpatim]. Most of the Torah-laws listed in Exodus chapters 21 through 23 are civil in nature and relate to our relationship with our fellow man (as summarized by the phrase, “you shall love your neighbor as yourself,” Lev 19:18).

These laws would correspond to the second half (the fifth through tenth) of the Ten Words or Commandments of Exodus 20.

These civil laws are an expansion or elucidation of those foundational principles given in chapter 20. For example, death by someone’s animal is an expansion of the “thou shalt not murder” command. The charging of usury on loaned money is an expansion of the commands not to covet or steal. The land sabbath and annual sabbaths (appointed times or moedim) are an expansion of the weekly Sabbath.

It should be possible to see how all of YHVH’s Torah commands spring from the original ten, which form the foundation for the rest of the Torah.

Additionally, the approximately 1056 imperative commands found in the Testimony of Yeshua (NT) all spring from the 613 found in the Torah. Think about it. YHVH’s Word would be in opposition to itself if any of the 1056 were to contradict or nullify any of the 613. If they did, that would make YHVH into a liar and his word inconsistent with itself (Mal 3:6; Heb 13:8; John 10:35).

Yet have you ever heard this taught in the church? If it were, how many doctrines of men would come crashing down?

 

The Passover of the Jews???

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John 2:13, Passover of the Jews. (See also John 5:5; 6:4; 11:55; 12:1; 13:1.) Have you ever wondered why John often uses this phrase? What other Passovers were there that necessitated specifying which Passover he was referring to?

This “Passover of the Jews” is in opposition to the Passover feasts held by competing religious sects of the time (e.g., the Essenes at Qumran and the Samaritans). The modern Samaritans following ancient calendric traditions, for example, will hold their Passover on May 4 in 2012 as opposed to April 6, which is this year’s likely date on the biblical calendar.

The ancient Qumran community embraced an “unorthodox liturgical calendar that [set] them apart from the rest of Jewry” (The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls in English, by Geza Vermes, p. 41). For example, on the Qumran community’s solar-based calendar that is based on a 364-day year, the Passover always fell on a Wednesday (Ibid. p. 79).

As you can see, determining on what days the biblical feasts fall was as controversial then as it is now!

(For additional enlightening studies on the biblical calendar, check out my articles at http://www.hoshanarabbah.org/pdfs/cal_demyst.pdf and http://www.hoshanarabbah.org/pdfs/new_moons.pdf and http://www.hoshanarabbah.org/pdfs/vis_moon.pdf.)