SHABBAT SHALOM: Parasha: "Tetzaveh" (you shall command)
EXODUS 27:20-30:10.............EZEKIEL 43:10-27..............PHILIPPIANS 4:10-20
In this Parasha, we see various themes, commands that Adonai gives concerning praise and worship, our relationship with the KING of kings and LORD of lords.
"LIGHTING THE LAMPS" (the menorah) pure olive oil is used to light the lamps (seven) from the evening to the morning, Aaron and his sons would tend to this task. We can look at this from the view point of believers in Messiah Yeshua, that Our Messiah is ALWAYS on the watch, to care for us, when we are asleep from the evening to the morning, HIS light is burning bright, as a "watchman" during the night. The lamps need the olive oil and a wick in each lamp to make them all light. We can look at the oil as the "anointing" of the Ruach Ha Kodesh on our lives, as long as we are connected to the oil, WE as believers can have the Messiah's light, didn't HE himself say, "Ye are the light of the world" (Matt 5:14)
THE VESTMENTS OF THE PRIESTS: another important aspect of worship, every article had a meaning, the stones carved with the names of the tribes of Israel, on the shoulders of the priest, He carried the burden of Israel before Adonai, as Yeshua carried OUR burden before the Father, the burden of sin was HIS to bare, the sin of the whole world, the vestments were made of fine linen of the colors; blue, purple, scarlet, and gold thread was used. We can see these colors in symbolic ways; "blue" reminds us of the sky, the heavens, "purple" the color of royalty, "scarlet" reminds us of the blood Messiah shed, and "gold" reminds us of purity, the purity of Messiah, his life, his blood, his royal priesthood before the Father, and Heaven, our eternal home
THE BREASTPLATE AND EPHOD: very important part of the vestment. Inside the ephod were the "Umim and Thumim" meaning "lights and perfections" or "perfect lights" one can only imagine what these might have been. Some say they were two stones that "lit up" when questions to Adonai were asked, some say it might have been a parchment with the sacred name of God written, the Yod, Hey, Vav, and Hey, and when questions to God were asked, the stones on the breastplate, carved with the names of the tribes of Israel, lit up or glowed, different letters of the names of the tribes of Israel would light up forming "words" these would have to be deciphered by the priest through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, but this is just an idea. We will know for sure what the "Urim and Thumim" were when we are home in heaven. But we know for sure that Yeshua is the LIGHT and he is all about PERFECTION. we as believers are "seen as perfect" and as "light" in the eyes of Adonai through the blood of Messiah, we are "Kadoshim" to Adonai
CONSECRATION OF AARON AND SONS: they were consecrated as "priests" using the following articles: 1 bull, 2 rams, unleavened bread, and oil. What a picture this paints of Messiah Yeshua and us as believer "priests". The bull could symbolize the "strength" of God, as the ancient Hebrew letter "Alef" illustrates. the 2 rams reminds us of Yom Kippur when two goats were used, one to be sacrificed and one to bare the "sins of Israel" but here rams are used, the blood sprinkled on the altar, and also placed on the right ear lobe, the right thumb, and the right toe of Aaron and his sons. We can look at this as the mission of each believer-priest in Messiah: to "Hear" the Word of God, listening to HIS voice, to "Do" his will, doing, performing mitzvoth, and to "walk" in HIS ways. The oil is the "anointing" of the Spirit of God on our lives, and the "unleavened bread" reminds us of "Yeshua the Bread of Life"
DAILY SACRIFICES: also symbolic of Messiah Yeshua, every day, two lambs, fine flour, oil, and wine. Yeshua is the "Lamb of God" who took away the sin of the world with his "blood" (wine) and who is the "bread of life" (fine flour) why 2 lambs? one for the morning and one for the evening. Also the number 2 is the number for a covenant, it takes "2" to make a covenant, one to give the other to receive, "2" in a marriage, the "bride" and the "bridegroom" (reminds us of something? hello?)
THE ALTAR OF INCENSE: made of gold and acacia wood, again, the wood is the humanity of Messiah, and the gold, his purity, the incense is burned and the smoke goes up! reminds us of our prayers, that go "up" to God in the Heavens.
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EZEKIEL 43:10-27
Ezekiel has a vision of the millennial temple, and describes the altar for sacrifices. It will have 4 horns on each corner, and bulls, goats, and rams will be the sacrifices, we see that these are clean animals, and the blood of these animals placed on the 4 horns, in the 4 corners of the altar, we can look at this as the "4 corners of the world, the North, South, East and West, and the blood of Messiah was/is "all sufficient" for people in ALL four corners of the world. We can also look at the 4 horns as a picture of Calvary's cross, Messiah was pierced in his two wrists, the head was crowned with thorns, and the feet were also pierced.
____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ________________
PHILIPPIANS 4:10-20
We see Rav Shaul commending the believers in Philippi, because of their support for him as a missionary and rabbi-preacher-evangelist. HOWEVER, he also states that he was content in ALL conditions, whether with or without funds, empty or full stomach, He just trusted Adonai for his needs, "I can do ALL things through Messiah who gives me strength" and being content in ALL conditions can only come through God's grace and strength. Are we content in ALL conditions? or...do we sometimes sing this song.........
grumble groan, grumble groan, grumble, grumble, grumble, groan, whine and cry, Wo is me, my oh my, my oh my, If things don't get better, I'll cry and cry! (hope that isn't your song)
SHABBAT SHALOM....................Rabbi Ben Avraham
EXODUS 27:20-30:10.............EZEKIEL 43:10-27..............PHILIPPIANS 4:10-20
In this Parasha, we see various themes, commands that Adonai gives concerning praise and worship, our relationship with the KING of kings and LORD of lords.
"LIGHTING THE LAMPS" (the menorah) pure olive oil is used to light the lamps (seven) from the evening to the morning, Aaron and his sons would tend to this task. We can look at this from the view point of believers in Messiah Yeshua, that Our Messiah is ALWAYS on the watch, to care for us, when we are asleep from the evening to the morning, HIS light is burning bright, as a "watchman" during the night. The lamps need the olive oil and a wick in each lamp to make them all light. We can look at the oil as the "anointing" of the Ruach Ha Kodesh on our lives, as long as we are connected to the oil, WE as believers can have the Messiah's light, didn't HE himself say, "Ye are the light of the world" (Matt 5:14)
THE VESTMENTS OF THE PRIESTS: another important aspect of worship, every article had a meaning, the stones carved with the names of the tribes of Israel, on the shoulders of the priest, He carried the burden of Israel before Adonai, as Yeshua carried OUR burden before the Father, the burden of sin was HIS to bare, the sin of the whole world, the vestments were made of fine linen of the colors; blue, purple, scarlet, and gold thread was used. We can see these colors in symbolic ways; "blue" reminds us of the sky, the heavens, "purple" the color of royalty, "scarlet" reminds us of the blood Messiah shed, and "gold" reminds us of purity, the purity of Messiah, his life, his blood, his royal priesthood before the Father, and Heaven, our eternal home
THE BREASTPLATE AND EPHOD: very important part of the vestment. Inside the ephod were the "Umim and Thumim" meaning "lights and perfections" or "perfect lights" one can only imagine what these might have been. Some say they were two stones that "lit up" when questions to Adonai were asked, some say it might have been a parchment with the sacred name of God written, the Yod, Hey, Vav, and Hey, and when questions to God were asked, the stones on the breastplate, carved with the names of the tribes of Israel, lit up or glowed, different letters of the names of the tribes of Israel would light up forming "words" these would have to be deciphered by the priest through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, but this is just an idea. We will know for sure what the "Urim and Thumim" were when we are home in heaven. But we know for sure that Yeshua is the LIGHT and he is all about PERFECTION. we as believers are "seen as perfect" and as "light" in the eyes of Adonai through the blood of Messiah, we are "Kadoshim" to Adonai
CONSECRATION OF AARON AND SONS: they were consecrated as "priests" using the following articles: 1 bull, 2 rams, unleavened bread, and oil. What a picture this paints of Messiah Yeshua and us as believer "priests". The bull could symbolize the "strength" of God, as the ancient Hebrew letter "Alef" illustrates. the 2 rams reminds us of Yom Kippur when two goats were used, one to be sacrificed and one to bare the "sins of Israel" but here rams are used, the blood sprinkled on the altar, and also placed on the right ear lobe, the right thumb, and the right toe of Aaron and his sons. We can look at this as the mission of each believer-priest in Messiah: to "Hear" the Word of God, listening to HIS voice, to "Do" his will, doing, performing mitzvoth, and to "walk" in HIS ways. The oil is the "anointing" of the Spirit of God on our lives, and the "unleavened bread" reminds us of "Yeshua the Bread of Life"
DAILY SACRIFICES: also symbolic of Messiah Yeshua, every day, two lambs, fine flour, oil, and wine. Yeshua is the "Lamb of God" who took away the sin of the world with his "blood" (wine) and who is the "bread of life" (fine flour) why 2 lambs? one for the morning and one for the evening. Also the number 2 is the number for a covenant, it takes "2" to make a covenant, one to give the other to receive, "2" in a marriage, the "bride" and the "bridegroom" (reminds us of something? hello?)
THE ALTAR OF INCENSE: made of gold and acacia wood, again, the wood is the humanity of Messiah, and the gold, his purity, the incense is burned and the smoke goes up! reminds us of our prayers, that go "up" to God in the Heavens.
____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ______________
EZEKIEL 43:10-27
Ezekiel has a vision of the millennial temple, and describes the altar for sacrifices. It will have 4 horns on each corner, and bulls, goats, and rams will be the sacrifices, we see that these are clean animals, and the blood of these animals placed on the 4 horns, in the 4 corners of the altar, we can look at this as the "4 corners of the world, the North, South, East and West, and the blood of Messiah was/is "all sufficient" for people in ALL four corners of the world. We can also look at the 4 horns as a picture of Calvary's cross, Messiah was pierced in his two wrists, the head was crowned with thorns, and the feet were also pierced.
____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ________________
PHILIPPIANS 4:10-20
We see Rav Shaul commending the believers in Philippi, because of their support for him as a missionary and rabbi-preacher-evangelist. HOWEVER, he also states that he was content in ALL conditions, whether with or without funds, empty or full stomach, He just trusted Adonai for his needs, "I can do ALL things through Messiah who gives me strength" and being content in ALL conditions can only come through God's grace and strength. Are we content in ALL conditions? or...do we sometimes sing this song.........
grumble groan, grumble groan, grumble, grumble, grumble, groan, whine and cry, Wo is me, my oh my, my oh my, If things don't get better, I'll cry and cry! (hope that isn't your song)
SHABBAT SHALOM....................Rabbi Ben Avraham