Tag Archives: Aaron

Let our robes of righteousness speak louder than our words!

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Exodus 39:1, The holy garments for Aaron. The vestments of the high priest (kohen hagadol) are symbolic of the robes of righteousness that saints should be wearing in preparation for the return of the Messiah.

Gold symbolizes purity of heart. Blue symbolizes heaven and spirituality. White linen pictures robes of righteousness. White symbolizes purity and sinlessness. Red represents blood—the blood of Yeshua that cleanses from sin. The high priest wore a belt that represents truth, according to Paul (Eph 6:14). White linen pants represented sexual purity. The white turban represented purity of thought and humility (the opposite of conceit). He wore a gold crown inscribed with the words, “Kadosh l’YHVH” meaning “Set-Apart to YHVH.” The dangling pomegranates represented the fruits of the Spirit of Elohim, which should be manifesting in the life of the saint. The golden bells jingled when the priest walked. As we walk through life, people should hear and see our good spiritual fruits.

All of our actions speak loudly and clearly as to who we are and what we believe. Also, Yeshua said that our words reveal the true condition of our heart (Luke 6:45). How do people really view us? What are we really like when we are alone—our thought life and our words—our secret life? Is there a discrepancy between our secret and public lives? If so why? How set apart and righteous are we … in reality?

If we are called to be a set-apart priesthood then hadn’t we better get busy cleaning up our act and start acting like one?

Jewish tradition tells us that a rope was tied to the leg of the high priest in Second Temple times so that while ministering in the innermost sanctuary of the temple if he was impure and YHVH struck him dead (as happened to Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, when they offered up strange fire) the corpse could be dragged out by the rope. Doesn’t all this show us that we should take being righteous and set apart seriously? Remember Hebrews 12:14: “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man will see the Master.”

 

Some Troubling Verses in Hebrews 7 Explained

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Hebrews 7:12, Priesthood being changed…a change also of the law [Torah]. The Greek words for being changed and a change are respectively metatithemi (a verb) and metathesis (a noun). The the verb means “to transpose, to transfer, to go or pass over, to fall away or desert from one person or thing to another.” Many people interpret this verse to mean that YHVH’s Torah-law was changed (i.e., invalidated or annulled) by the new covenant, but is this what the author is saying here?

Before going further in our discussion, let’s lay out some basic truths of the Scriptures.

YHVH doesn’t change (Mal 3:6; Heb 13:8; Jas 1:17). The word torah [in English, translated as law] means “instructions, principles, teachings” and came directly from YHVH to his people. The Torah teaches men how to love YHVH and love one’s fellow man. It is YHVH’s instructions in righteousness and reflects his very character and nature. Who YHVH is doesn’t change.

It is a sin (a violation of the Torah) to change the Torah (Deut 4:2; 12:32).

So in this light, what is this verse really saying? It declares that the priesthood was changed. The Levitical priesthood that was temporarily and parenthetically inserted into the Melchizedek priesthood (both priesthoods are revealed in the Torah, see Exod 19:2, 4 cp. 28:1; 32:29). In the former priesthood, a father acted as the priest over his family Continue reading →

 

The Glorious Garments of the High Priest Point to Yeshua

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Genesis 28–29

The Garments of the High Priest

(Some of this information is derived from Martyn Barrow’s tabernacle web site and from the ArtScroll Stone Edition Chumash along with several other sources as noted in the text.)

High Priest

The high priest was required to wear eight vestments while performing his duties in the tabernacle or else his service was invalid. The garments that the high priest wore along with those of the regular priests set them apart from the rest of Israel thereby elevating them in the eyes of Israel for the special and sacred work of Elohim they were doing.

The priestly attire was called the Eight Vestment (Sh’moneh G’dim) or the Gold Vestments since some of them contained gold. Actually, only seven of his vestments were specifically made for his duties as high priest. His linen breeches would have been worn anyway as a part of his regular dress, so they were not special as were the other seven garments. On certain parts of the Day of Atonement, the high priest wore only four vestments all made of white linen. The ordinary priests wore these four white vestments all the time.

As with so many things found in the tabernacle, the high priest’s garments comprised of four colors: sky blue, royal purple, blood crimson woven onto a background of pure snow white linen. Additionally, the high priest’s head plate was of gold, along with the 72 bells sown onto the hem of his Ephod, the golden chains holding the Breastplate to his shoulders, the bases to the shoulder stones and the gold thread woven into the Ephod. The color blue signifies godliness or heaven. Some see purple as signifying royalty or kingliness. Others see an additional meaning. Red and blue combine to make purple. Blue represents the divine while red speaks of the human, earthly or animal aspect of man (and of Yeshua). After all, red blood is the symbol of life and the name of the first man was Continue reading →

 

Your Mouth: Your Best Friend and Worst Enemy!

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Numbers 12:1–3, Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses. This is slander! None of us are immune from this sinful proclivity of man’s fallen nature. Sadly, such activity is rife within our congregations! As long as we give in to gossip and slander we will grieve the Spirit of Elohim and will not advance spiritually. We’re all guilty of this. Confess your sin and repent now! What does YHVH say about those who sow seeds of discord among brethren? How does view it? (See Prov 6:16 and 16.) How did the apostles handle such individuals? (Note Rom 16:17; Tit 3:10; 2 Thess 3:6; 1 Tim 3:5.) What was the penalty that YHVH prescribed for Miriam because of the evil misuse of her mouth? (Read Num 12:14.) How does this penalty compare with that which Paul prescribes for those who cause division and strife with in the congregation? What does Paul teach about slandering or rebuking an elder in the congregation? (See 1 Tim 1:19.) What does he call such activity? (Read verse 20.)

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Seven Ways to Misuse the Mouth

(From a book entitled Stop the Runaway Conversation by Dr. Michael Sedler)

The Backbiter: One who speaks against an absent individual. All criticisms and comments, as the name implies, are made without the accused being present or are behind his back. (Ps 15:2–3; Rom 1:30; Prov 25:23; 2 Cor 12:20)

The Busybody: One who seeks out information on a false report and spreads it by means of gossip, slander, backbiting, etc. YHVH takes this very seriously. In fact, he equates being a busybody with being an evildoer or even a murderer. (1 Pet 4:15; 1 Tim 5:13; 2 Thess 3:11)

The Complainer: One who finds fault. This type of person often uses a personal situation as a platform for his or her complaint. “I was treated unfairly.” “Do you know what this person did?” You think that’s bad, let me tell you what happened to me.” These are the types of phrases that will come from such a person. (Num 11:1; Jude 16)

The Murmurer: One who grumbles. We find that this person is usually complaining but only loudly enough for those in close proximity to hear. The murmuring person is seldom happy or pleased with the outcome of situations. Like the complainer, he looks for faults and then justifies a bad attitude with his comments. (Phil 2:14; Num 16:2; Jude 16)

The Slanderer: This is an individual who tries to injure someone’s reputation or character by false and defamatory statements. (Num 14:36; Jer 6:28; 9:4; 1 Tim 3:11; Prov 10:18; Ps 101:5)

The Talebearer (or Gossip): This is a person who elaborates and exaggerates so as to make a story more dramatic or “juicy”). (Prov 11:13; Lev 19:16; Rom 1:28–30; see also Prov 18:8; 20:19; 26:20,22; 1 Tim 5:13)

The Whisperer: This is an individual who talks about other people privately, secretly and covertly in order to hurt them. (Prov 16:28; Ps 41:7)

 

BEWARE: the Mouth!

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Numbers 12:1–3, Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses. This is slander! None of us are immune from this sinful proclivity of man’s fallen nature. Sadly, such activity is rife within our congregations! As long as we give in to gossip and slander we will grieve the Spirit of Elohim and will not advance spiritually. We’re all guilty of this. Confess your sin and repent now! What does YHVH say about those who sow seeds of discord among brethren? How does view it? (See Prov 6:16 and 16.) How did the apostles handle such individuals? (Note Rom 16:17; Tit 3:10; 2 Thess 3:6; 1 Tim 3:5.) What was the penalty that YHVH prescribed for Miriam because of the evil misuse of her mouth? (Read Num 12:14.) How does this penalty compare with that which Paul prescribes for those who cause division and strife with in the congregation? What does Paul teach about slandering or rebuking an elder in the congregation? (See 1 Tim 1:19.) What does he call such activity? (Read verse 20.)

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Seven Ways to Misuse the Mouth

(From a book entitled Stop the Runaway Conversation by Dr. Michael Sedler)

  1. The Backbiter: One who speaks against an absent individual. All criticisms and comments, as the name implies, are made without the accused being present or are behind his back. (Ps 15:2–3; Rom 1:30; Prov 25:23; 2 Cor 12:20)
  2. The Busybody: One who seeks out information on a false report and spreads it by means of gossip, slander, backbiting, etc. YHVH takes this very seriously. In fact, he equates being a busybody with being an evildoer or even a murderer. (1 Pet 4:15; 1 Tim 5:13; 2 Thess 3:11)
  3. The Complainer: One who finds fault. This type of person often uses a personal situation as a platform for his or her complaint. “I was treated unfairly.” “Do you know what this person did?” You think that’s bad, let me tell you what happened to me.” These are the types of phrases that will come from such a person. (Num 11:1; Jude 16)
  4. The Murmurer: One who grumbles. We find that this person is usually complaining but only loudly enough for those in close proximity to hear. The murmuring person is seldom happy or pleased with the outcome of situations. Like the complainer, he looks for faults and then justifies a bad attitude with his comments. (Phil 2:14; Num 16:2; Jude 16)
  5. The Slanderer: This is an individual who tries to injure someone’s reputation or character by false and defamatory statements. (Num 14:36; Jer 6:28; 9:4; 1 Tim 3:11; Prov 10:18; Ps 101:5)
  6. The Talebearer (or Gossip): This is a person who elaborates and exaggerates so as to make a story more dramatic or “juicy”). (Prov 11:13; Lev 19:16; Rom 1:28–30; see also Prov 18:8; 20:19; 26:20,22; 1 Tim 5:13)
  7. The Whisperer: This is an individual who talks about other people privately, secretly and covertly in order to hurt them. (Prov 16:28; Ps 41:7)