Tuesday, March 12, 2024

Torah Portions Vayak’Hel/Pekudei – As the LORD Commanded Moses

The video version is at: https://youtu.be/JpmZ5zfsMlA

Reading – Exodus 35:1-19; Exodus 40:17-38

 

By Dan and Brenda Cathcart

After the sin of the golden calf, Moses made atonement for the children of Israel. God renewed the covenant with them. The plans for building God’s dwelling place in the midst of their camp could go forward. This Torah portion details the steps that were followed to build the tabernacle and to make the garments for Aaron and his sons to serve as priests in God’s dwelling place. What is God communicating to us through these instructions and the steps that the children of Israel followed?

The time had finally arrived. Moses spent forty days outside the camp in supplication with God to forgive the children of Israel. Then, God called Moses back up the mountain for an additional forty days. When he came down from the mountain with the new tablets of the Commandments, Moses’ face shone with the glory of God.

Exodus 34:29 NKJV 29 Now it was so, when Moses came down from Mount Sinai (and the two tablets of the Testimony were in Moses' hand when he came down from the mountain), that Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone while he talked with Him.

This was different from when Moses came down from the mountain the first time. What was different during this second forty days in God’s presence? This time, after Moses successfully interceded for the children of Israel, God revealed His glory to Moses and proclaimed His name to him. When Moses came down from the mountain, he reflected both God’s glory and God’s name. From then on, every time Moses went into the presence of God, he came out reflecting that glory.

Exodus 34:34 NKJV 34 But whenever Moses went in before the LORD to speak with Him, he would take the veil off until he came out; and he would come out and speak to the children of Israel whatever he had been commanded.

Moses, as a type of Messiah, foreshadows Yeshua’s coming as a human dwelling place for God in our world and His role to build the kingdom of God as God’s permanent dwelling place on Earth. This will be realized when the New Jerusalem comes down out of heaven.

Revelation 21:2-3 NKJV 2 Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.

The day that Moses came down from the mountain would have been the tenth of Tishri which God would set aside as the Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. We, also, recognize this day as the day of Judgment. When Yeshua returns from His stay in the presence of God, He will shine with the glory of the Father and the revelation of His name.

Revelation 1:7-8 NKJV 7 Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen. 8 "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End," says the Lord, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."

Peter, James, and John received a glimpse of this glory when Yeshua was transfigured in their presence.

Matthew 17:1-2 NKJV 1 Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; 2 and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.

Returning to the time of Moses, as the building of the Tabernacle and the creation of Aaron’s garments progressed throughout the next six months, Moses probably went into God’s presence frequently to receive instructions and guidance. The first instruction Moses relayed to the people was to keep the Sabbath.

Exodus 35:1-3 NKJV 1 Then Moses gathered all the congregation of the children of Israel together, and said to them, "These are the words which the LORD has commanded you to do: 2 "Work shall be done for six days, but the seventh day shall be a holy day for you, a Sabbath of rest to the LORD. Whoever does any work on it shall be put to death. 3 "You shall kindle no fire throughout your dwellings on the Sabbath day."

This instruction was especially important. There seems to have been a fierce desire and impatience to get on with the work of completing the dwelling place for God. After eighty days of not knowing whether God would still take them as His people and would still want to dwell with them, there must have been immense relief as well as excitement that God still wanted them to build a tabernacle for Him. They must have been tempted to work every day to get the tabernacle completed as soon as possible. However, God reminded them to keep the Sabbath. In this context, that meant no work on the tabernacle on the Sabbath. Even kindling a fire to heat the metal to prepare it for the work was prohibited. Resting on the Sabbath day, even as they built the tabernacle, was a reminder of both their covenant with God and that God is the creator who created for six days and rested on the seventh.

Exodus 31:16-17 NKJV 16 'Therefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant. 17 'It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel forever; for in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed.'"

We, also, are eager to build God’s dwelling place on Earth. If we follow this model, we are to work for six days to build God’s kingdom, and on the seventh day, we are to rest. It seems that we have this backward! We tend to work only one day a week on building God’s tabernacle.

With this boundary established for the work, Moses put out the call for the people to bring an offering for the construction of the Tabernacle and for the garments for Aaron and his sons.

Exodus 35:4-9 NKJV 4 And Moses spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, "This is the thing which the LORD commanded, saying: 5 'Take from among you an offering to the LORD. Whoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it as an offering to the LORD: gold, silver, and bronze; 6 'blue, purple, and scarlet thread, fine linen, and goats' hair; 7 'ram skins dyed red, badger skins, and acacia wood; 8 'oil for the light, and spices for the anointing oil and for the sweet incense; 9 'onyx stones, and stones to be set in the ephod and in the breastplate.

The people were so willing to give that, eventually, Moses had to cut off their offerings. Everything needed for the tabernacle had been provided.

Exodus 36:6-7 NKJV 6 So Moses gave a commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, "Let neither man nor woman do any more work for the offering of the sanctuary." And the people were restrained from bringing, 7 for the material they had was sufficient for all the work to be done-indeed too much.

We, also, are to bring our offerings of fine gems, metal, and fabric for the building of the temple. They are not to be substandard, but the very best.

1 Corinthians 3:12-14 NKJV 12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is. 14 If anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward.

The work on the tabernacle required that the materials be organized, that the plans be carefully followed, and that the craftsmanship be of the highest quality. To accomplish this, God told Moses to appoint two men to head the work. These men were Bezalel and Aholiab.

Exodus 36:1-2 NKJV 1 "And Bezalel and Aholiab, and every gifted artisan in whom the LORD has put wisdom and understanding, to know how to do all manner of work for the service of the sanctuary, shall do according to all that the LORD has commanded." 2 Then Moses called Bezalel and Aholiab, and every gifted artisan in whose heart the LORD had put wisdom, everyone whose heart was stirred, to come and do the work.

It seems that Bezalel’s expertise was in the building of the structure and the furnishings of the tabernacle such as the Ark of the covenant while Aholiab’s expertise was with the fine detail such as the engraving and the design of the fabric and intricate metal work.

Exodus 38:22-23 NKJV 22 Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made all that the LORD had commanded Moses. 23 And with him was Aholiab the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, an engraver and designer, a weaver of blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and of fine linen.

These two men and those assisting them were filled with the Spirit of God and, through the Spirit, were gifted with wisdom and understanding. The meanings of these names reveal interesting additional insight into these men who were chosen by God. Bazalel was the son of Uri, the son of Hur from the tribe of Judah. His name, “bets-al-ale,” number 1212 in Strong’s Concordance, means in the shadow of God. Uri, number 217 means fiery, and Hur, number 2354, can mean one of two things from either number 2353 or 2352, meaning either white linen or to bore. As “white linen”, we see purity and the forgiveness of God, as “to bore,” we see Bazelel’s skill in working with metal. Aholiab was the son of Ahisamach of the tribe of Dan. His name, “O-hol-e-awb,” Number 171, means “the tent of his father.” Ahisamach, number 294, means brother of support. So, Bazelel works in the shadow of God, using fire to refine the metal bringing purity and the forgiveness of God. Aholiab supported his brother Bazalel in building the tent of their Father God! All this through the power of the Spirit of God.

We, also, are filled with the Spirit of God to have wisdom and understanding to build the dwelling place of God. Paul talks about some of the gifts of the spirit for the building up of the spiritual temple of God in his first letter to the assembly in Corinth.

1 Corinthians 12:4-7 NKJV 4 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:

As work on the tabernacle began, two things stand out. The first is that all the work of the artisans is combined together and described as being done by an anonymous person referred to as “he.”

Exodus 36:8-10 NKJV 8 Then all the gifted artisans among them who worked on the tabernacle made ten curtains woven of fine linen, and of blue, purple, and scarlet thread; with artistic designs of cherubim they made them. 9 The length of each curtain was twenty-eight cubits, and the width of each curtain four cubits; the curtains were all the same size. 10 And he coupled five curtains to one another, and the other five curtains he coupled to one another.

Notice in verse ten that “he coupled five curtains to one another.” As the description of building the parts of the tabernacle continue, the account is written as if it is all done by a single person indicated by the pronoun “he.” The Hebrew grammar doesn’t use pronouns as we use them in English. The separate word “he” doesn’t exist. Instead, the verbs are masculine singular indicating one person. This use of the masculine singular indicates that all of the work is viewed as being done by one person. Collectively, the artisans work as one with no distinction to build the tabernacle.

In the continuation of Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, he emphasizes that we, also, are one body, each with his role to support one another in the building of the body of Christ, that is the spiritual temple.

1 Corinthians 12:12 NKJV 12 For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ.

The second thing to notice in the construction of the tabernacle is that it is all done as the LORD had commanded. In Exodus 35:10, those who volunteered as artisans where those the LORD had commanded. In Exodus 35:29, the work was as the LORD had commanded. In Exodus 38:22, Bezalel made all that the LORD commanded. It goes on and on throughout the description of the construction of the tabernacle and the making of the garments for the priesthood.

Finally, all the work is completed. It is ready to be assembled. The garments for Aaron and his sons are waiting for them to begin their service to God. It was all completed as the LORD commanded Moses.

Exodus 39:42-43 NKJV 42 According to all that the LORD had commanded Moses, so the children of Israel did all the work. 43 Then Moses looked over all the work, and indeed they had done it; as the LORD had commanded, just so they had done it. And Moses blessed them.

All the work was done! Everything was in place and ready to be assembled. They brought the work of their hands to Moses and he blessed them. When we have completed our work, we bring it to Yeshua. Yeshua compared the kingdom of heaven to the return of a master who was on a long journey. When the master returned, he evaluated the work of his servants. He praised the servant who expanded the wealth of the master.

Matthew 25:23 NKJV 23 "His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.'

When our Master Yeshua returns, we long to hear His words spoken of us, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

So Moses received the parts of the tabernacle and the garments for Aaron and his sons. He took the parts and carefully assembled them to make the dwelling place of God on Earth. On the first day of the first month exactly one year after God spoke to Moses about making that day the first of months for them, Moses set up the tabernacle.

Exodus 40:1-2 NKJV 1 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 2 "On the first day of the first month you shall set up the tabernacle of the tent of meeting.

This dwelling place for God would be the place where God would meet with His people. Moses put up the tabernacle, placed the ark of the testimony in its place and set it apart by putting up the vail. He brought in the table for the showbread, the menorah, and the incense altar. He put the screen over the entrance to the tabernacle. He set up the bronze altar and the laver in the courtyard along with the curtains and the gate to the courtyard. He anointed and consecrated that altar and laver. He brough Aaron and his sons before the LORD and clothed them in their garments. He anointed them as priests. He did all that the LORD commanded him to do.

Exodus 40:16-17 NKJV 16 Thus Moses did; according to all that the LORD had commanded him, so he did. 17 And it came to pass in the first month of the second year, on the first day of the month, that the tabernacle was raised up.

When all was complete, Moses and Aaron stood outside the tabernacle and the glory of God filled the place.

Exodus 40:34-35 NKJV 34 Then the cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. 35 And Moses was not able to enter the tabernacle of meeting, because the cloud rested above it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.

When Solomon built the temple in Jerusalem, he built it according to the pattern that God had given David.

1 Chronicles 28:11-12 NKJV 11 Then David gave his son Solomon the plans for the vestibule, its houses, its treasuries, its upper chambers, its inner chambers, and the place of the mercy seat; 12 and the plans for all that he had by the Spirit, of the courts of the house of the LORD, of all the chambers all around, of the treasuries of the house of God, and of the treasuries for the dedicated things;

The details for building the temple in Jerusalem follow the same pattern as that of building the tabernacle from the free will offering of the people, to the skilled artisans, to the filling of the temple with God’s presence.

There will be a day when the construction of the temple of God’s permanent dwelling place, the New Jerusalem will be complete. John describes the New Jerusalem as a bride prepared for her husband. One of the angels shows John the New Jerusalem descending out of heaven built with the precious stones and filled with God’s glory. Notice that it descends after the Day of Judgment.

Revelation 21:9-11 NKJV 9 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came to me and talked with me, saying, "Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb's wife." 10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, 11 having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal.

Like with the tabernacle and the temple, God’s description of this city is detailed. It is being built exactly according to the LORD’s command. We have a role in building this city and, also, as being built as part of the city. God has entrusted the building of His permanent dwelling place on earth to us. May we, like Bezalel and Aholiab, be given the spirit of wisdom and understanding to build our part of the eternal New Jerusalem as the LORD commanded us.

Study Questions:

Teaching Questions

1.      We tend to work on building God’s kingdom one day of the week and then resting for this task the other six. How can we turn this around? How can we use Moses’ example of going frequently into God’s presence as an example for us?

 

2.      The children of Israel willingly brought more than enough offerings to build the tabernacle and garments of the priesthood. What lesson can we learn from this?

 

3.      The meanings of names are important throughout scripture. What deeper understanding about the building of the tabernacle is revealed through the meanings of Bezalel and Aholiabl’s names?

 

General Portion Questions

 

4.      The title of this teaching, “As the LORD Commanded Moses” indicates that the entire construction process as well as making the garments for the priests was done precisely as commanded. What are the commands given to us about building the New Jerusalem, the eternal dwelling place of God with man?

 

5.      In what way are the artisans a single entity as they build the various parts of the Tabernacle? How are we to be a single entity or body? Why is this so important?

 

6.      What other insights did you gain from this teaching? What indicators are there in this Torah Portion that point to Messiah Yeshua?

 

© 2023 Moed Ministries International. All Rights Reserved.

           

Thursday, March 7, 2024

Torah Portion Ki Tisa – Show Me Your Glory

The video version is available at: https://youtu.be/gjry5yHpZwk

Reading – Exodus chapter 33

 

By Dan and Brenda Cathcart

Following the completion of the Tabernacle and the establishment of the priesthood under Aaron the high priest, Moses, once again returns to the top of Mount Sinai to receive instructions from God. But the people encamped at the base of the mountain grew impatient when, in their estimate, Moses was delayed in returning to them. This is the time in the account of the Exodus where we see the incident of the Golden Calf; a story that most of us are very familiar with. Having committed this egregious sin, what would become of this barely formed nation that God had declared was His nation? Would they still be His people? Would God still dwell among them? And would He still take them to the Promised land? Will the result of the people’s sin have far-reaching effects on their relationship with God?

In Moses’ prolonged absence, and under pressure from the people, Aaron took it upon himself to create an idol and declare that it was the god who brought them out of Egypt!

Exodus 32:4-5 NKJV 4 And he received the gold from their hand, and he fashioned it with an engraving tool, and made a molded calf. Then they said, "This is your god, O Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt!" 5 So when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it. And Aaron made a proclamation and said, "Tomorrow is a feast to the LORD."

There at the base of the still smoking and shaking mountain, while Moses was in God’s presence, and at the very the place where God declared that He would once more dwell with man, and the people had declared that they would obey all the LORD had commanded, Aaron led the people in rebellion against God in a similar manner to Adam.

In the beginning, Adam was the chosen priest of God. Adam, along with Eve, the woman God provided for Adam, gave into the enticements of the serpent to do what God had specifically instructed them not to do. Adam then turned and blamed someone else; he blamed Eve and ultimately blamed God for his own actions. As a result, Adam and Eve were exiled from the garden and from God’s presence.

Genesis 3:23-24 NKJV 23 therefore the LORD God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken. 24 So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.

Aaron was also God’s chosen priest. He gave into the pleas of the people to do what God had instructed them not to do. Aaron then blamed the people, Moses, and ultimately God.

Exodus 32:21-24 NKJV 21 And Moses said to Aaron, "What did this people do to you that you have brought so great a sin upon them?" 22 So Aaron said, "Do not let the anger of my lord become hot. You know the people, that they are set on evil. 23 "For they said to me, 'Make us gods that shall go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.' 24 "And I said to them, 'Whoever has any gold, let them break it off.' So they gave it to me, and I cast it into the fire, and this calf came out."

God was ready to abandon them all and turn to Moses to build a great nation.

Exodus 32:9-10 NKJV 9 And the LORD said to Moses, "I have seen this people, and indeed it is a stiff-necked people! 10 "Now therefore, let Me alone, that My wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them. And I will make of you a great nation."

I suppose that if Moses wasn’t the humble man and servant of God that he was, he may have accepted God’s offer. God was ready to annihilate the nation of Israel and start over with Moses and his descendants. However, Moses didn’t agree to God’s offer. Instead, Moses interceded for the children of Israel on the basis of God’s reputation and promise.

Exodus 32:11-13 NKJV 11 Then Moses pleaded with the LORD his God, and said: "LORD, why does Your wrath burn hot against Your people whom You have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? 12 "Why should the Egyptians speak, and say, 'He brought them out to harm them, to kill them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth'? Turn from Your fierce wrath, and relent from this harm to Your people. 13 "Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Your servants, to whom You swore by Your own self, and said to them, 'I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven; and all this land that I have spoken of I give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it forever.'"

Moses’ intercession was not based on the merit of the people; they had zero merit before God at this point! Moses’ arguments were based on God’s promise to Abraham.

God responded to Moses’ plea and relented from immediate judgment of the people and sent Moses down from the mountain to deal with them. There was still going to be consequences for their sin of building and worshiping the idol! When Moses went down from the mountain, he carried the tablets that God had made and engraved with the testimony of the covenant. When Moses saw the behavior of the people for himself, his anger was as fierce as God’s anger.

Exodus 32:19 NKJV 19 So it was, as soon as he came near the camp, that he saw the calf and the dancing. So Moses' anger became hot, and he cast the tablets out of his hands and broke them at the foot of the mountain.

Moses broke the testimony of the covenant at the threshold of God’s dwelling place on the mountain! He called for those on the side of the LORD to come to his side and join in putting to death those who had worshiped idols. The sons of Levi rallied to Moses’ side.

Exodus 32:27-29 NKJV 27 And he said to them, "Thus says the LORD God of Israel: 'Let every man put his sword on his side, and go in and out from entrance to entrance throughout the camp, and let every man kill his brother, every man his companion, and every man his neighbor.'" 28 So the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses. And about three thousand men of the people fell that day. 29 Then Moses said, "Consecrate yourselves today to the LORD, that He may bestow on you a blessing this day, for every man has opposed his son and his brother."

Those who participated in cleansing the camp from sin, namely the Levites, were now consecrated to God. This is the same term God used when He told Moses to consecrate Aaron and his sons to serve God. The Hebrew phrase for consecrate in this verse is “maw-lay yad-kam,” from numbers 4390 and 3027 in Strong’s Concordance literally meaning “to fill your hand.” The Levites are to fill their hands with service to the LORD so He could bless them.

The fate of national Israel was not yet determined, however. Repentance on the part of the remaining people had to take place, and Moses would go up to God on Mount Sinai to make atonement for them.

Exodus 32:31-32 NKJV 31 Then Moses returned to the LORD and said, "Oh, these people have committed a great sin, and have made for themselves a god of gold! 32 "Yet now, if You will forgive their sin-but if not, I pray, blot me out of Your book which You have written."

Moses went before God and made an astonishing offer. Moses offered to take the place of entire nation of Israel in the judgment that God was going to hand out on them. If God could not forgive the sin of the nation, then Moses asked that God blot him out of His book of the righteous. Moses is offering to give up his standing among the righteous for the nation of Israel. Moses had refused God’s offer to make him a great nation; now the tables are turned, and God refused Moses’ offer to be written out of the book for the sake of his people.

God declared that each person would be accountable for their own actions.

Exodus 32:33-34 NKJV 33 And the LORD said to Moses, "Whoever has sinned against Me, I will blot him out of My book. 34 "Now therefore, go, lead the people to the place of which I have spoken to you. Behold, My Angel shall go before you. Nevertheless, in the day when I visit for punishment, I will visit punishment upon them for their sin."

Although God had relented from immediate judgment, atonement had not yet been made for the children of Israel. God told Moses to take the people and go to the Promised Land and God would send His angel to lead the way, but God Himself would not go with them.

Exodus 33:1-3 NKJV 1 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Depart and go up from here, you and the people whom you have brought out of the land of Egypt, to the land of which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, 'To your descendants I will give it.' 2 "And I will send My Angel before you, and I will drive out the Canaanite and the Amorite and the Hittite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite. 3 "Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey; for I will not go up in your midst, lest I consume you on the way, for you are a stiff-necked people."

Like Adam, they were being exiled from God’s dwelling place! When Moses told the people that God would not go with them, the people mourned. However, instead of gathering up the people and departing Mount Sinai, Moses took his tent, pitched it outside the camp and called it the tent of meeting. Now instead of God dwelling in the midst of them, they could only observe the place of God’s presence from a distance. This was a vivid demonstration of what they had given up when they worshiped the idol they had built.

Exodus 33:7-9 NAS95 7 Now Moses used to take the tent and pitch it outside the camp, a good distance from the camp, and he called it the tent of meeting. And everyone who sought the LORD would go out to the tent of meeting which was outside the camp. 8 And it came about, whenever Moses went out to the tent, that all the people would arise and stand, each at the entrance of his tent, and gaze after Moses until he entered the tent. 9 Whenever Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the entrance of the tent; and the LORD would speak with Moses.

Moses told God that he wasn’t going to leave Mount Sinai until God told him who He would send with him to lead the people.

Exodus 33:12-13 NKJV 12 Then Moses said to the LORD, "See, You say to me, 'Bring up this people.' But You have not let me know whom You will send with me. Yet You have said, 'I know you by name, and you have also found grace in My sight.' 13 "Now therefore, I pray, if I have found grace in Your sight, show me now Your way, that I may know You and that I may find grace in Your sight. And consider that this nation is Your people."

Moses was insistent that the nation of Israel was God’s nation, not Moses’ nation. The word “consider” is the Hebrew word “ra-ah,” number 7200 meaning to see, provide, or see to it. Moses is asking God to see to it that they are His people.

The conversation with God continued with God’s response that His presence would go with Moses.

Exodus 33:14 NKJV 14 And He said, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest."

An interesting note here is something that we don’t see it in the English translation. The Hebrew, the word translated as “you” is in the singular form. God is telling Moses that He would go with Moses and give Moses rest. This implies that God would not go with the children of Israel as a whole. This understanding of the singular form of “you,” makes sense of Moses’ response in the following verses. Moses found this arrangement unacceptable and too much like the offer to do away with Israel altogether and make a nation from Moses.

Exodus 33:15-16 NKJV 15 Then he said to Him, "If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here. 16 "For how then will it be known that Your people and I have found grace in Your sight, except You go with us? So we shall be separate, Your people and I, from all the people who are upon the face of the earth."

Moses declared that there was no point in him leading the children of Israel to the Promised Land if God didn’t go with them! The whole point of God taking the children of Israel to the Promised Land was so that they would be recognized as different from the other nations. Moses found grace with God and, by extension through Moses’ intervention on their behalf, grace was also extended to the children of Israel. It appears that God agreed with Moses’ argument and stated that He would do what Moses asked and go with the children of Israel on their journey to the Promised Land.

Exodus 33:17-18 NKJV 17 So the LORD said to Moses, "I will also do this thing that you have spoken; for you have found grace in My sight, and I know you by name." 18 And he said, "Please, show me Your glory."

God granted Moses’ request to see God’s glory. God would show Moses His goodness and glory and declare His name to Moses.

Exodus 33:19-20 NKJV 19 Then He said, "I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion." 20 But He said, "You cannot see My face; for no man shall see Me, and live."

Moses then spent another forty days on the mountain making atonement for the sins of the children of Israel. When He returned once again to the people, he had a new set of stone tablets of the testimony with him, and he was ready to build the dwelling place of God. At this time, however, God’s dwelling place was outside the camp in the Tent of Meeting. Those who wanted to seek the LORD had to leave the camp to do so. But atonement must be made so that God’s dwelling place could be in the camp.

At the very beginning of this Torah portion, between the instructions regarding the Incense Altar and the Bronze Laver, God gave instructions for a census and what is described a ransom for their soul.

Exodus 30:11-12 NKJV 11 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 12 "When you take the census of the children of Israel for their number, then every man shall give a ransom for himself to the LORD, when you number them, that there may be no plague among them when you number them.

This census involved everyone from twenty years of age and older. Each were to give a half shekel offering to the LORD and, unlike the free will offering for the Tabernacle, this offering of the half shekel was mandatory. We see that the purpose of this offering was to make atonement for their souls.

Exodus 30:16 NKJV 16 "And you shall take the atonement money of the children of Israel, and shall appoint it for the service of the tabernacle of meeting, that it may be a memorial for the children of Israel before the LORD, to make atonement for yourselves."

Through their repentance and subsequent obedience to the LORD, the children of Israel received grace through Moses. Grace is frequently described as “unmerited favor.” In Hebrew, it is the word “chanan,” number 2603 meaning to bend or stoop in kindness to an inferior. The one who extends kindness to an inferior is not obligated to extend that kindness, so we get the idea of “unmerited favor.” Even though atonement was made for and by the children of Israel, God extended grace to His people. Grace was extended, but not without cost.

When Moses was on the mountain making atonement for the children of Israel, God spoke to Moses that He was renewing the covenant.

Exodus 34:10 NKJV 10 And He said: "Behold, I make a covenant. Before all your people I will do marvels such as have not been done in all the earth, nor in any nation; and all the people among whom you are shall see the work of the LORD. For it is an awesome thing that I will do with you.

The children of Israel were still God’s people. God later repeats His instructions to Moses about the dwelling place they were to build for Him and about the garments for Aaron and his sons to minister as priests before Him. God’s grace was extended to Israel through the intercession of Moses. God would go up to the Promised Land with Israel and make His dwelling place among them.

When Moses came down the mountain with the testimony of the covenant with him, the intention was to establish the kingdom of God on the earth in the midst of the people. For us today, when Yeshua returns, this mission will be accomplished. Yeshua will bring the testimony of the covenant with him, He will establish His kingdom in the Promised Land at Jerusalem, and will dwell among His people.

Study Questions:

Teaching Questions

 

1.      At the very beginning of this Torah portion is the commandment that all the males 20 years old and up are to offer a half shekel each regardless of their financial situation. This offering is called a “ransom” for their souls (Strong’s #3724) in verse 12 and for the purpose of “atonement” for their souls (#3722) in verse 15. What is the relationship between these two words? How do these words relate to the half shekel?

 

2.      What are the arguments that Moses uses to convince God not to destroy Israel?

 

3.      How did God’s reactions to the sin of the Golden Calf reveal both His judgment and His grace?

 

General Portion Questions

 

4.      Moses broke the first set of tablets containing the testimony of the covenant when he cast them down at the foot of the mountain. (Exodus 32:19) What is the significance of this being at the threshold of God’s dwelling place?

 

5.      What was the purpose in building the Golden Calf? Who did they seek to serve by it? If their heart was in the right place, why were they punished? What does this teach us about faith and our relationship to God’s commandments?

 

6.      What other insights did you gain from this teaching? What indicators are there in this Torah Portion that point to Messiah Yeshua?

 

© 2023 Moed Ministries International. All rights reserved.

Wednesday, February 21, 2024

Torah Portion Tetzaveh – Take Aaron and His Sons

The video teaching is available at: https://youtu.be/Rrnm3xOs5Gs

Reading – Exodus 27:20-28:1-5; 29:38-30:10


By Dan and Brenda Cathcart

This Torah portion continues with the description of the tabernacle, the dwelling place of God in the midst of His people Israel. However, the focus turns away from the physical building and its furnishing to the garments that they were to make for Aaron and his sons to minister in the tabernacle before the LORD. These instructions are sandwiched by three specific duties that God lays out for the priests. These are their service to God through the menorah and the altar of incense and the command to bring the daily offering. Each of these tasks was to be done continually. What is the message God is communicating through these garments and these three tasks?

The seven branched menorah represents the light of God’s presence in the Tabernacle. The children of Israel were to provide the oil for the lamp so that it could burn continually.

Exodus 27:20-21 NKJV 20 "And you shall command the children of Israel that they bring you pure oil of pressed olives for the light, to cause the lamp to burn continually. 21 "In the tabernacle of meeting, outside the veil which is before the Testimony, Aaron and his sons shall tend it from evening until morning before the LORD. It shall be  a statute forever to their generations on behalf of the children of Israel.

Aaron and his sons were to tend the lamp each evening and morning. This implies that the lamp was to be lit each evening to burn throughout the night. The Stone Edition Chumash presents Rashi’s understanding of this practice.

Rashi (Shabbos 22b) comments that if any of the flames were still burning in the morning, the Kohen would extinguish them in order to clean the lamps, but he would allow the western one to continue burning. During times when the Jewish people were worthy, a miracle happened and the western lamp never went out. … The eternally burning western lamp was proof of God’s Presence in the Temple.[i]

This duty of tending the menorah was the first duty God gave to Aaron. It was their last duty at night and their first duty in the morning. As such, it symbolizes the new creation. The first words God spoke into the darkness of creation were “Let there be light.” This light at creation was not the light of the sun or the moon; they were created on the fourth day. This light is the light of God’s Presence in His creation. When the new Jerusalem comes down out of heaven, there will be no need for the light of the sun, moon, or even the menorah because God and the Lamb are its light.

Revelation 21:23 NKJV 23 The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light.

The priests have the sacred duty to tend the light of God’s Presence in His dwelling place on Earth in the midst of His people.

In order to perform their duties, the priests had to be clothed appropriately. Their garments are described as being for glory and for beauty.

Exodus 28:2-3 NKJV 2 "And you shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for beauty. 3 "So you shall speak to all who are gifted artisans, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron's garments, to consecrate him, that he may minister to Me as priest.

The Hebrew word translated as “glory” is “kaw-bode,” number 3519 in Strong’s Concordance meaning to be heavy or weighty only in good sense of splendor or glory. This is the glory of the LORD the children of Israel saw in the pillar of cloud when God provided the manna from heaven and in the devouring fire at the top of Mt. Sinai. When the children of Israel saw Aaron in his vestments of his office of high priest, they were to be reminded of God’s glory.

The word “beauty” is “tif-aw-raw,” number 8597, meaning ornament, beauty, honor, or glory. When Moses describes the nation of Israel as a special people exalted above the other nations, the word “tif-aw-raw” is translated as honor.

Deuteronomy 26:19 NKJV 19 "and that He will set you high above all nations which He has made, in praise, in name, and in honor, and that you may be a holy people to the LORD your God, just as He has spoken."

Aaron wore the garments of the high priest for glory and beauty as well as for honor. The children of Israel, as a nation of priests, wore the garments of their holiness in honor of their position before God. Yeshua states that those who overcome will be given white garments and will be presented before the Father.

Revelation 3:5 NKJV 5 "He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.

In the context of the church of Sardis to whom Yeshua spoke these words, those who overcome are those who remember the salvation they have received, repent of their sins, and complete the deeds they have been given to do. In other words, they have been faithful to the office to which they have been called.

The garments for Aaron, the high priest, are different from that of his sons who would serve under him. Aaron’s garments are both colorful and full of symbolic meaning about his office of high priest. The first garment described is the ephod made of woven linen embroidered with gold, blue, purple and scarlet thread.

Exodus 28:5-6 NKJV 5 "They shall take the gold, blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and fine linen, 6 "and they shall make the ephod of gold, blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and fine woven linen, artistically worked.

The ephod contained the same colors as the veil across the Holy of Holies. In addition to the blue, purple, and scarlet, the ephod was embroidered with fine thread made from thin sheets of gold cut into thread.

Exodus 39:3 NKJV 3 And they beat the gold into thin sheets and cut it into threads, to work it in with the blue, purple, and scarlet thread and the fine linen, into artistic designs.

Two stones representing the twelve tribes of Israel were fastened to the shoulders of the ephod.

Exodus 28:9-10 NKJV 9 "Then you shall take two onyx stones and engrave on them the names of the sons of Israel: 10 "six of their names on one stone, and six names on the other stone, in order of their birth.

God explains that by wearing these stones on his shoulder, Aaron is bearing the names of the tribes of Israel as a remembrance before God.

Exodus 28:12 NKJV 12 "And you shall put the two stones on the shoulders of the ephod as memorial stones for the sons of Israel. So Aaron shall bear their names before the LORD on his two shoulders as a memorial.

Each stone was engraved with the names of six of the sons of Jacob in their birth order. In Hebrew, each set of six names contained exactly twenty-five letters. The tribes were well balanced on Aaron’s shoulders. Not only did Aaron bear the names of the tribes on his shoulders, he, also bore them as a remembrance on the breastplate in four rows of three stones.

Exodus 28:21 NKJV 21 "And the stones shall have the names of the sons of Israel, twelve according to their names, like the engravings of a signet, each one with its own name; they shall be according to the twelve tribes.

These stones were worn on Aaron’s chest near to his heart. Every time he went into the holy place, God would see the two stones on Aaron’s shoulders and the twelve stones near to his heart and remember his people.

Exodus 28:29 NKJV 29 "So Aaron shall bear the names of the sons of Israel on the breastplate of judgment over his heart, when he goes into the holy place, as a memorial before the LORD continually.

In turn, Aaron would feel the weight of responsibility for Israel on his shoulders and carry their needs close to his heart. Every time he went into the holy place, he carried the entire nation of Israel with him. Goran Larsson in his book Bound for Freedom explains:

He stood as the representative of the people before God and performed his service on their behalf. He shouldered responsibility for the well-being of his people and took upon himself their burdens both openly and in private. His people were to be inscribed on his heart in such a way that their needs became his needs.[ii]

The breastplate itself was to be made of the same fine linen as the ephod embroidered with the same colors of gold, blue, purple, and scarlet. It was to be doubled to form a pouch in which the Urim and Thummim were kept.

Exodus 28:30 NKJV 30 "And you shall put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Thummim, and they shall be over Aaron's heart when he goes in before the LORD. So Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel over his heart before the LORD continually.

The Urim and Thummim were stones of judgment. Their placement over Aaron’s heart was a reminder that he held the judgment of Israel in his hands through his office of high priest. Because of the presence of the Urim and Thummim, the breastplate was called the breastplate of judgment. The actual meaning of the words Urim and Thummim is debated with different root words proposed for each. The most popular understanding is that “Urim,” number 224, means lights, and that “Thummim,” number 8550, means perfections or completeness. The Septuagint uses Greek words indicating that they refer to revelation and truth. The Urim and Thummim were used by the high priest to inquire of God and make judgments. They were symbolic of the light of God’s perfect judgment.

The next item of the high priesthood is a blue robe with a binding around the neckline to prevent tearing. Pomegranate shapes in blue, purple, and scarlet were to be attached to the hem alternating with golden bells. Once again, the colors were the same colors as those used in the veil in front of the Holy of Holies. The bells would sound whenever Aaron went into the holy place.

Exodus 28:33-35 NKJV 33 "And upon its hem you shall make pomegranates of blue, purple, and scarlet, all around its hem, and bells of gold between them all around: 34 "a golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, upon the hem of the robe all around. 35 "And it shall be upon Aaron when he ministers, and its sound will be heard when he goes into the holy place before the LORD and when he comes out, that he may not die.

The word pomegranate is the Hebrew word “rim-mone,” number 7416, as a description of the tree’s upright growth. Rim-mone comes from the word “raw-mam,” number 7426, meaning to rise or exalt. Although the meaning of the pomegranates and the bells is unknown, they may have served to remind the priests of the need to be humble and holy when they enter the dwelling place of the LORD.

The next item that Aaron was to wear was a gold plate inscribed with the words “Holiness to the LORD.” This plate was to be attached to his turban.

Exodus 28:36-37 NKJV 36 "You shall also make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it, like the engraving of a signet: HOLINESS TO THE LORD. 37 "And you shall put it on a blue cord, that it may be on the turban; it shall be on the front of the turban.

 A blue cord is used to attach the plate to the turban. Later, the children of Israel were told to wear a blue cord on the corners of their garments as a reminder of God’s commandments.

Numbers 15:38-39 NKJV 38 "Speak to the children of Israel: Tell them to make tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and to put a blue thread in the tassels of the corners. 39 "And you shall have the tassel, that you may look upon it and remember all the commandments of the LORD and do them, and that you may not follow the harlotry to which your own heart and your own eyes are inclined,

All those who looked at the high priest would immediately see that he is set apart to the LORD. Similarly, looking at the blue cords called tzit-tzit found on the corners of the garments would be a reminder of God’s commandments which set the nation of Israel apart as a holy nation.

The garments that Aaron’s sons wore were all made of fine linen which was traditionally white. In contrast, colorful garments were made of wool because they more easily accepted the dyes. When Aaron went into the Holy of Holies once a year to make atonement for the tabernacle and the people, he did not wear the garments marking him as the high priest. He wore special white vestments that were almost the same as the simple white linen garments that the rest of the priesthood wore.

Leviticus 16:4 NKJV 4 "He shall put the holy linen tunic and the linen trousers on his body; he shall be girded with a linen sash, and with the linen turban he shall be attired. These are holy garments. Therefore he shall wash his body in water, and put them on.

When going into the presence of God whose earthly throne was on the Mercy Seat between the cherubim, Aaron came as an ordinary priest. It is perhaps a bit ironic that the most holy garments Aaron wore were those of simple white linen. The Stone Edition Chumash comments that white linen is symbolic of forgiveness.[iii]

After these instructions about the garments Aaron and his sons were to wear while ministering before the LORD and the instructions for their installment as priests, the Torah describes the next two duties of Aaron after tending to the menorah. The next duty was to bring the continual or tamid offering twice a day.

Exodus 29:38-39 NKJV 38 "Now this is what you shall offer on the altar: two lambs of the first year, day by day continually. 39 "One lamb you shall offer in the morning, and the other lamb you shall offer at twilight.

The first  and last offerings on the altar each day is a lamb. Any other offerings brought during the day would be brought between these two offerings. This offering fits the description of the burnt offering in which all of the animal is burnt on the altar and the smoke rises to God bringing the one who offers the animal into the presence of God. As such, these two offerings represent opening the path into God’s presence.

The third duty, and the last one of this Torah portion, is to bring the incense offering twice a day at morning and evening.

Exodus 30:7-8 NKJV 7 "Aaron shall burn on it sweet incense every morning; when he tends the lamps, he shall burn incense on it. 8 "And when Aaron lights the lamps at twilight, he shall burn incense on it, a perpetual incense before the LORD throughout your generations.

God instructs that the incense be brought in the morning and the evening at the same time that Aaron is to tend the menorah. According to rabbinic tradition, offering the incense is the holiest service a priest could perform. Goran Larsson comments that the smoke of the incense represented the presence of the LORD.[iv]

These three tasks are to be performed every day. In addition, before Aaron and his sons could begin their service, they were to wash their hands and feet in the bronze laver.

Exodus 30:19-20 NKJV 19 "for Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet in water from it. 20 "When they go into the tabernacle of meeting, or when they come near the altar to minister, to burn an offering made by fire to the LORD, they shall wash with water, lest they die.

As Aaron and his sons start their day, they begin by putting on their priestly garments. They, then, proceed to the bronze laver and wash their hands and feet. Any dust as well as impurities must be washed away before they begin their service to God. Notice that Aaron and his sons are not given any footwear to wear. Moses was told to remove his footwear when God appeared before him in the burning bush because it was sacred ground. The grounds of the tabernacle were likewise sacred grounds because of God’s presence, and, thus, the priests wore no footwear.

After washing, they enter the tabernacle and tend to the lamps. The lamps of the Menorah which shined throughout the night would be extinguished. If the center light was still burning, it would remain lit throughout the day. Aaron would bring the incense offering inviting God’s presence to remain in the Tabernacle. They would, then, exit the tabernacle and begin the day with the first of the two daily offerings. In the temple, the ritual was much more involved, and these three specific tasks would have happened simultaneously. At the end of the day, the priests would again wash in the laver, bring the closing daily offering, and then enter the tabernacle to light the menorah for the evening.

The light of the menorah and the incense are a reminder of the shekinah glory as the cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night. Finally, Aaron and his sons would remove their priestly garments. Their service to God was completed until the next day.

Through these three tasks and the garments for Aaron and his sons, God is communicating details of how He would dwell with the children of Israel. As a royal priesthood, we must put on the garments given to us to serve God. We must wash off any impurities before we come into God’s dwelling place. Our ability to approach God is opened up through the offering of the lambs. We must act to bring God’s dwelling place down to Earth through the light and the incense of His presence. Yeshua said to seek to enter the kingdom of God.

Study Questions:

Teaching Questions

 

1.      The Study focuses on three tasks, tending the menorah, bringing the daily tamid offering, and bringing the incense offering, that God commanded that Aaron and his sons perform continually. The Hebrew word that is translated as continually or always in our Torah portion is “taw-meed,” number 8548, meaning to stretch, continuance, constant, regular, or continual. What is the significance of these three tasks especially in the context of being performed continually? How does this apply to Yeshua our high priest? Although we would not be considered “high priests,” we are a royal priesthood, so how would we fulfill these commandments in our lives?

 

2.      Aaron’s garments were for glory and beauty. What does this mean? What does this mean in terms of Yeshua our high priest, as well as us in our own lives?

 

3.      Aaron wore the name of the twelve tribes on his shoulder and on his breastplate. What was the purpose for wearing the names? How does it apply to Yeshua our high priest as well as us in our own lives?

 

General Portion Questions

 

4.      Describe the garments for Aaron’s sons, the “ordinary” priests (Exodus 28:40-43). The Stone Edition Chumash stated that the white linen is symbolic of forgiveness. How is this reflected in the garments of the priests and the garments of the high priest when he goes into the Holy of Holies (Leviticus 16:4)

 

5.      We didn’t cover the ceremony for anointing Aaron and his sons into the priesthood in Exodus 29. What elements of this seven day ceremony stand out to you and why?

 

6.      What other insights did you gain from this teaching? What indicators are there in this Torah Portion that point to Messiah Yeshua?

 

© 2023 Moed Ministries International. All right reserved.



[i] Stone Edition Chumash. General Editors Rabbi Nosson Scherman and Rabbi Meir Zolotowiitz. Mesorah Publications, ltd. ©1998, 2000. Page 691.

[ii] Goran Larsson. Bound for Freedom. Hendrickson Publishers. ©1999 Hendrickson Publishers, Inc. Page 220.

[iii] Stone Edition Chumash. General Editors Rabbi Nosson Scherman and Rabbi Meir Zolotowiitz. Mesorah Publications, ltd. ©1998, 2000. Page 637.

[iv] Goran Larsson. Bound for Freedom. Hendrickson Publishers. ©1999 Hendrickson Publishers, Inc. Page 234.