Continue reading »]]> The Torah portion Nasso begins with a commandment from God to Moshe to take a census of the descendants of the families of Gershon and M’rari.  These are two of the three Levitical families responsible for serving and carrying (nasso) the various parts of the Tabernacle as the children of Israel traveled through the wilderness.

The root word for serving is עבד (avad). Although this word is generally translated “work,” it might be better understood in the context of the priests performing their service for the Mishkan (tabernacle).  “Avad” indicates a work being performed for another out of obligation or gratitude, as in a servant doing work for his master.  The term “Avodah” refers to all the various services that the priests performed in the Temple and the Tabernacle.  However, the first time “avad” is used is actually in Gan Eden (Garden of Eden) where Adam is working or “serving” the garden as a priest in the Temple.  The garden is really the first “house” designed by and for God in order to instruct His people on how to approach Him in service and worship.

The word “avad” here in Nasso also has a number of variations, which are used a total of 24 times.  In fact, this Torah portion contains the first mention of the number 24 in Scripture, which is found in Numbers 7:88.  There were 24 bulls to be sacrificed as peace offerings for the dedication of the altar by the twelve princes of Israel.  In addition, the silver vessels that were dedicated to the altar weighed 2400 shekels.  The entire chapter deals with the completion of the Tabernacle and the dedication of the altar by these leaders of Israel.  It seems the number 24 is related to the service of the Tabernacle, the priesthood, and, in particular, the service of the altar.

Another example of this connection to the Temple and the number 24 can be found in Genesis in the parshah Noach.  The word for ark, “tevah,” backwards is “the house” and is used 24 times.  Just like the garden, the ark represented the Temple as the place where the services were performed. Noach functioned as a priest fulfilling his duties in the service of the house, just as Adam “served” the garden, and just as the Levitical families “served” the Tabernacle.

This was the basis for 1 Chronicles 23-27.  In these five chapters, God gave David, by the Spirit, all the designs for the Temple and its services. Scripture here describes the divisions of the descendants of Aharon for the priesthood, the descendants of Asaf for the music, the divisions of the gatekeepers, and the people of Israel for their military service, all in relationship to some variation of the number 24.  The specific names of the 24 courses of the priesthood are outlined in 1 Chronicles 24.

Since the priests were quite numerous and scattered throughout the land of Israel, it was not possible for all them to serve at the Temple at the same time.  Therefore, a system was devised that divided them into groups to serve the Temple each week.  These were the 24 courses or divisions of the priests called the “mishmarot,” which comes from the root “shamar,” and means “to guard” or to be “given custody of.”  King David assigned each of the 24 priestly divisions to a weekly service, at which time the priests were responsible for maintaining the schedule of the offerings at the Temple.  These 24 courses repeated twice each year.

When the First and Second Temples were built, the priests assumed their roles in maintaining the offerings.  Again the association between the service of the altar and the offerings was a function of the priesthood.  Each of the 24 groups were then divided into six priestly families or houses called “bettai avot,” with each of the six serving one day of the week. (There are varying opinions on the actual number of the family divisions – anywhere from 4-9).  Each of the 24 divisions of the priests and the 6 divisions of the “houses” had a leader called a Rosh Mishmar and a Rosh Bet Av respectively.  On Shabbat all six worked together in tandem.

The 24 “mishmarot” changed every Sabbath at the completion of the morning service, which was performed by the priests serving the previous week.  Then the new incoming priests were responsible for the evening service of Shabbat along with the ceremony for the laying out of the new “lechem haPanim” (showbread).  However, on the biblical festivals, all 24 courses were present in the Temple to officiate.  In effect, the 24 courses of the priesthood were the representatives for the entire nation of Israel because, according to Ta’an 4:2, “how can a man’s offering be offered while he does not stand by it?”

Those in Jerusalem who actually “stood by” while the sacrifice was being offered were also called the “ma’amad,” or “ammud,” which means the standing ones.  A “ma’amad” was the group of Israelites representing a particular geographic area.  In addition to the priests, all the people of Israel, which constituted the “ma’amad,” assembled in the city of the ma’amad.  At that time, Eretz Israel was divided into 24 districts and each of the 24 “ma’amad” groups was associated with one of the 24 “mishmarot” families of the Levites and the priests.  Both the “ma’amad” group and the “mishmarot” of the priests represented the same district.

Another interesting connection to the number 24 is found in the slaughter area of the Temple precincts, in which there were 24 rings and 24 tables that corresponding to the 24 “mishmarot.”  Each priestly “mishmar” had its own ring in the Temple as well as its own location for the vestments.

“To the north of the altar were rings, six rows of four each, and some  say four rows of six each, at which they slaughtered the animal offerings.” And what exactly were these rings? Tif’eret Yisrael explains, ‘ “Every Mishmeret (Ma’amad), of the twenty-four, had its own special ring, (embedded into the stone floor of the courtyard north of the altar) fashioned similar to an arch, which opened on one side on a pivot. They would raise the arch on its pivot and place the neck of the animal under it.  Then the ring would be closed and the end attached to the floor thus preventing the animal from moving around.’ ”

Now perhaps the concept of the 24 elders in the book of Revelation makes a little more sense.  There certainly has been much conjecture concerning who these elders might represent, but without an understanding of the function and design of the Temple, it is easy to come to some wrong conclusions.  Generally, it is believed these elders represented the leaders of the 12 tribes of Israel in combination with the 12 apostles of the New Testament.  It is more likely, however, that John was referring to the leadership of the 24 courses of the priesthood who were responsible for the offerings in the Temple and the service at the altar.

“Surrounding the throne were 24 other thrones and on the thrones sat elders dressed in white clothing wearing gold crowns on their heads.”

Revelation 4:4

“Each one held a harp and gold bowls filled with pieces of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people.”

Revelation 5:8

The prayers eventually became the substitute for the offering services at the altar and the golden bowls of frankincense were originally part of the service for the “lechem haPanim” (showbread), which the incoming priests were responsible for each Shabbat.  This was the role of the 24 mishmarot of the priesthood.

It is clear that without a solid understanding of the structure, design and services of the Temple, it is quite a challenge to grasp much of the book of Revelation.

Continue reading »]]> “The glory of Adonai stayed on Mount Sinai and the cloud covered it six days. On the seventh day He called to Moshe out of the cloud. To the people of Israel the glory of Adonai looked like a raging fire on the top of the mountain.”

Exodus 24:16,17

One of the main themes in this week’s Torah portion is the concept of the sevenths. Every seventh year was to be a Shabbat or complete rest for the land itself and a Shabbat rest for Adonai. In addition, seven times seven years, was to be a Yovel or a great release for the children of Israel. In that year “each man shall return (ta’shvu) to the land he possesses.”

“Dwell in these lands and I will be with you and bless you because I will give all these lands to you and to your descendants, I will fulfill the oath (a seven) which I swore to Avraham your father.”
Genesis 26:3

Seven is probably the most significant of all the numbers. It is used in countless places in Scripture to allude to nearly every aspect of ancient agricultural, civilian, judicial and religious life. “All sevens are beloved” according to Leviticus Rabbah 29:11. It is a number that represents the completion of a cycle or pattern that includes days, weeks, months, years, festivals, marriage, and judgment, just to name a few. In that cycle, the focus is always a return back to the beginning because seven is described as the “thread that fuses all things back to their source.”

The Hebrew word for seven is שבע (sheva), which also contains the word “to return” or שב (shav). From seven we get שבוע or an “oath.” Much of this week’s portion emphasizes the number seven (sheva) so I intend to connect seven to an oath (shavua) in a rather unusual way. Two links, in particular, stood out to me, Beersheva and Batsheva. Beersheva means well of seven or oath, and Batsheva means daughter of seven or oath.

An oath (shavua/seven) was originally God’s promise or declaration that He would fulfill his word (the Torah), through His work of creation, as witnessed by heaven and earth. The number seven is holy and inviolable and so are His “words” that are formed from the twenty-two Hebrew letters. Rabbi Hirsch said, “An oath obligates a person through everything that was made in the seven days of creation.” A word or an oath is said to impose an obligating force upon the person making that pledge, which, in this case, is God Himself. As soon as the word is uttered, the promise is considered binding. It became a common practice to make seven declarations when making an oath. God’s oath (shavua) to mankind was that He spoke the creation in seven declarations or seven days.

Let’s look at another interesting oath in light of the first oath (shavua), which was confirmed through the seven days of creation. Abraham, who is really a picture of God the Father, made this oath. The story begins in Genesis 21 with a dispute between Abraham and Abimelech over a well of water that Abraham dug and that Abimelech’s servants seized. Through that dispute, Abraham ultimately established a long lasting covenant with Abimelech, King of Gerar. Importantly, the covenant was said to actually coincide with Isaac’s birth. Abraham then confirmed this covenant by giving seven ewes (female lambs) to Abimelech. Even though Abimelech was somewhat confused by the gift Abraham declared, “The seven ewes you are to take from my hand so that it may be for me a witness that I dug this well.” Therefore, Abraham called the place BeerSheva (well of seven or oath) “because there they took an oath the two of them.” The ewes, then, were the sign of the oath that was confirmed between them, and a sign that the water coming forth from this well always belonged to Abraham. Henceforth, if Abraham is a picture of the Father, whom might Abimelech, the seven ewes, and the water represent?

I would like to suggest Abimelech is a picture of the righteous of the nations who have joined themselves to Abraham and his seed, and that the seven ewes and the water in the well represent the Holy Spirit. The significance, however, is in the birth of Isaac, as well as in Isaac becoming a burnt offering in the next chapter, Genesis 22. The story of the Akeidah, or the binding of Isaac, alludes to Isaac’s resurrection from the dead. Certainly we recognize a similar pattern in the life, death and resurrection of Yeshua. The fruit of Messiah’s resurrection was that the Holy Spirit would be poured out on all flesh including the righteous of the nations.

“When the counselor comes, whom I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of Truth, who keeps going out from the Father – will testify on my behalf.”
John 15:26

The key to the seven ewes can be found in 1 Samuel 12:3, which is the parable of Natan the prophet who shares with David about how a rich man took advantage of a poor man’s ewe. In describing the ewe, Natan says the lamb was “like a daughter to him.” Natan was, of course, referring to the wife of Uriah the Hittite, Bathsheba, whose name is better expressed in Hebrew as Bat Sheva (daughter of seven or oath). Bat Sheva is connected to the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is actually a feminine idea in Hebrew thinking and was often referred to as the “Bat Kol” or the “daughter of the voice.” All the matriarchs, and most of the wives in the Tanakh, were assumed to be pictures of the Spirit operating in the family and in the home. It was also understood that the “Bat Kol” was related to the seven attributes of the Spirit.

“A staff will emerge from the stump of Yeshai and a shoot will sprout from his roots. The Spirit of God will rest upon him – a spirit of wisdom and understanding, counsel and strength, a spirit of knowledge and fear.”
Isaiah 11:1

There are also numerous of references to the seven-fold nature of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament. Many are found in Revelation.
“A lamb appeared to have been slaughtered. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven-fold spirit of God sent out into all the earth.”
Revelation 5:6

The pattern further reveals David as a picture of God the Father, and BatSheva as a picture of the Holy Spirit. Their first son, who dies on the seventh day, represents Yeshua who dies in his first coming. Uriah might possibly be a picture of the “angel of light” representing the enemy or the father of flesh. David grieved over his son in fasting and prayer just as the Father must have mourned over Yeshua.

“I will pour out (the spirit) upon the house of David and upon the dwellers of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplications. They will look toward me whom they have pierced. They will mourn for him as one mourns over an only son; they will be in bitterness on his behalf like the bitterness for a firstborn son.”
Zechariah 12:10

“During a period of 40 days they saw him and he spoke with them about the kingdom of God…He instructed them not to leave Jerusalem but to wait for the “promise of the Father”, which you heard about from me. In a few days you will be immersed in the Ruach HaKodesh. You will receive power when the Ruach haKodesh comes upon you – you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Shomrom and the ends of the earth.”
Acts 1:3,4

Solomon, the heir to the kingdom, and second son of the union between David and BatSheva, is a picture of the second coming of Yeshua the Messiah as future heir and king over the kingdom. BeerSheva and BatSheva represent the Holy Spirit and the final fulfillment of the oath the Father made in the beginning, to all His children, in that He would pour out His Spirit upon all redeemed flesh. All sevens in Scripture point to this amazing revelation.

Continue reading »]]> Torah Gemstones:  Emor (say) Leviticus 21:1-24:23

“You shall take fine flour and you shall bake it into bake twelve loaves, two-tenths shall be for one loaf.  You shall put them in two vertical arrays, six in each array upon the table that is pure before Hashem.  On the day of the Shabbat and every day of the Shabbat, he shall arrange it before HaShem continually.”

                             A Literal translation based on the Interlinear Chumash                                                                                        from Shottenstein

 One can only imagine the smell of twelve loaves of freshly baked challah made each week by the priests and then placed on a special table (shulcan) in the Holy of Holies.  During the First Temple, there were actually ten tables each with twelve loaves of challah.  It surely must have been a heavenly feast for the senses.

 The twelve new loaves were baked on Fridays for a ceremony on Shabbat, which included removing the old loaves, dividing those loaves among the priests and replacing them with new loaves.  It was said that even though it was a week later, the bread still tasted as though it were freshly baked and still warm.  (BT Menachot 29:A).

 The twelve loaves represented the tribes of Israel and had a variety of names attached to them:  the bread of the faces (lechem haPanim), the bread of the presence, the bread of the arrangement or the row, the bread of the covenant and the continual bread.  All these names pointed to the spiritual significance of this bread being enjoyed at Shabbat, which is a shadow and a rehearsal for the Malkut Shemayim (Kingdom of Heaven).

 The table (shulcan) was made of Acacia wood and overlaid with pure gold.  There was also a special gold rim around the table.  The bottom loaves were placed inside special molds and placed directly on the golden surface of the table.  The table was constructed with unique frames for these specially designed molds that held the twelve loaves of bread. 

 The Hebrew word for table is “shulcan,” from the root “shalach,” meaning to “send out” or “send forth” as in a projectile.  This is the same root for “Shiloach,” or the Pool of Siloam, and for an apostle or emissary, which is “shliach.” The idea was of one sending out his hand to receive food from the table.  The table was likened to the altar of burnt offering because the priests arranged (arech) the bread on the table as they arranged the pieces of meat for burning.  Psalm 23 comes to mind!

          “You prepare (arrange) a table before me in the presence of my enemies.” 

The loaves were baked with the finest flour that had passed through eleven sieves.  Each loaf was made of two “omers” of wheat, which is the same word used to describe the portion of manna the children of Israel collected in the wilderness.  The double portion (omer) was gathered on the sixth day just as these loaves were prepared and baked on the sixth day for Shabbat.  The double portion signified the idea of “leftovers” and hinted at the food one eats in the time of the “World to Come.” 

          “Yeshua took the loaves of bread…and after they had eaten their fill, he told his talmidim, ‘Gather the leftover pieces’…They gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten.”

                                                          John 6:11-13

The imagery in this narrative reveals the never-ending supply of bread Yeshua provided to feed the crowd.  Remember, another name for the twelve loaves was the “continual bread.”   So the crowd experienced in a real way the eternal provision and the spiritual nourishment brought by the bread of heaven, Yeshua the Messiah.

Great care was taken to make and bake the loaves so that the lower and upper parts of the bread were exactly the same.  The preparation of the bread was by the Kohathites who preserved the formula as a secret family tradition.  The loaves were formed into shape using three different molds made from gold.  According to Maimonides, one mold was used while the loaves were just dough, another while the bread was being baked in the oven and a third was used once the bread was baked in order to protect the shape.  All this preparation offered support for the loaf immediately above the other loaves.  In addition, the loaves were shaped during the preparation process with each end turned up to resemble the Ark of the Covenant.

 When it came time to change the bread, four priests entered the Holy Place. Two of the four carried one pile of six loaves while the other two carried the bowls of incense.  These two bowls of frankincense were replaced each week along with the bread.  The old frankincense was later burnt on the altar before the priests could eat their allotment of the previous week’s bread.  The priests removed the old loaves and added the new ones at exactly the same moment.

 Each of the stacks of bread was supported by two posts, which were fitted with small projections and rested on half tubes.  These tubes were supported by the posts and were placed between the loaves to preserve them. There were twenty-eight specially designed tubes in all that were placed between the loaves to allow air to circulate.  The tubes were drawn out each Friday and then re-inserted between the new loaves.  The posts and the half tubes constituted a single apparatus.  Again, the half tubes protected the loaves from breaking because of pressure from the upper loaves.  They also protected the loaves against spoilage from coming in close contact one with another.

 As you can see, this was a rather complex ceremony that required precision and much preparation and there are some rather intriguing applications that can be made.  We know the twelve loaves represented the twelve tribes.  But I was struck by the similarities between the twelve loaves and the twelve talmidim (students) of Yeshua.  Most sages and rabbis recognize the bread is a symbol of unity for the brotherhood of the community of Israel.  It is also true, however, that the body of Yeshua points to a new spiritual unity of the one new man.

 Although the loaves were kneaded separately, they were baked in pairs and were presented on the table (shulcan) in pairs.  It was from the table (shulcan), meaning “to send forth,” that the loaves provided nourishment and sustenance to the priests in their service to God.

          Yeshua went through the surrounding towns and villages, preaching.  He summoned the twelve and started sending them out in pairs, giving them authority over the unclean spirits.

                                                                   Mark 6.4-7

 These twelve talmidim were the leaders of the spiritual community, who were sent forth by the “bread of heaven,” Yeshua the Messiah, in order to provide spiritual nourishment and sustenance to the whole world.  Though they were to go in pairs, they never lost a sense of their own individuality in how they presented the Good News.  Though they were part of one body, they never lost sight of their own individual ministry.  They were equipped with the “continual bread” which they in turn passed on to all future generations.

Continue reading »]]> Torah Gemstones: Acharei Mot (After death) Leviticus 16:1-18:30

This parshah contains the story of the eternal destiny of two goats at Yom Kippur and two sets of sons, one Nadab and Abihu, and the other Jacob and Esav.  It all began with the death of Aharon’s two sons, Nadab and Abihu, who offered strange fire before the Lord.  Some sages believe it was because they entered the Holy of Holies to make the fire offerings (incense), which was forbidden to them, and so they died.

“Aharon is to take a censer full of burning coals from the altar before Adonai and, with his hands full of ground, fragrant incense, bring it inside the curtain.  He is to put the incense on the fire before Adonai so that the cloud from the incense will cover the ark-cover, which is over the testimony in order that he not die.”

Leviticus 16:12

The Holy of Holies becomes a picture of the “World to Come” or the eternal world outside this dimension of time and space.  As such, only the High Priest, because of his sanctified state through the wearing of special garments and the washing of his body, was able to enter.  Nadab and Abihu were not.  They were not authorized to enter the Holy of Holies because their physical bodies were not prepared to enter that realm.  Ascending into the Holy of Holies became a picture of the eternal destiny of the righteous, which was connected to a body being raised imperishable and “clothed with immortality”.  The various ceremonies, including changes of clothing, performed by the High Priest on Yom Kippur, were rehearsals for that sanctified state.  No person in a “physical body” could enter the inner sanctuary or they would be destroyed by God’s glory, which was manifested in the cloud that hovered over the ark.

The concept of the sanctification of the body, through special garments worn by the High Priest, is first revealed in the story of Isaac as he bestowed his blessings upon his two sons Jacob and Esav.  Jacob was actually functioning in the role as High priest and his body represented a physical body being raised up to an eternal state.  Atonement is alluded to as Jacob is wearing the skins of a goat in addition to his brother Esav’s clothes.

Leviticus 16 picks up the concept of atonement and resurrection as the High Priest changed his clothing five different times throughout the ceremony for Yom Kippur.  The High Priest, Aharon, had two sets of clothes he wore depending on how he was servicing the altar.   His normal garments were the “golden” ones, which consisted of eight pieces, four of which contained gold.  For the service of Yom Kippur, he wore a special second set, which were four different garments made of white linen.  By changing his clothes and washing his body, he was rehearsing the spiritual reality of a sanctified and set apart body.

“Here is how Aharon is to enter the “Kodesh”:  He is to put on the holy linen tunic, have the linen shorts next to his bare flesh, have the linen sash wrapped around him and be wearing the linen turban – they are the holy garments.  He is to bathe his body in water and put them on.”

Leviticus 16:3,4

“Aharon is to go back to the Tent of Meeting where he is to remove the linen garments he put on when he entered the “kodesh” and he is to leave them there.  Then he is to bathe his body in water in a holy place, put on his other clothes, come out and offer his burnt offering and the burnt offering of the people thus making atonement for himself and for the people. This is a permanent regulation.”

Leviticus 16:23,24

It was said the garments of white linen represented the heavenly service of the angels.  White linen was related to one being clothed with light as well as being identified with the “World to Come”.

“As they watched, Yeshua began to change form – his face shone like the sun, and his clothing became as white as light.”

Matt 17:2

“For the shofar will sound and the dead will be raised to live forever, and we too will be changed.  For this material, which can decay must be clothed with imperishability; this, which is mortal, must be clothed with immortality.”

I Corinthians 15:50

Another important aspect of the Yom Kippur service was the offerings of the two goats as outlined in Leviticus.

“He shall take the two he-goats (seir’im) and he shall stand them before Adonai, at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. Aharon shall put upon the two he-goats (seir’im) lots, one lot for Adonai and one lot for Az’azel.”

Leviticus 16:7, 8

The usual word for “goat” is “Az” or she-goat and is used in every place in Scripture except here in Leviticus.  “Goat” or “kid” in this chapter is “seir’im and translated he-goat but means something hairy or rough.

Genesis 27:11 should come to mind.

“Ya’acov answered Rivkah his mother, ‘Look Esav is hairy, but I have smooth skin.’ ”

As part of the ceremony for the two goats on Yom Kippur, the High Priest tied a red woolen strip to the head of the goat dedicated to Az’azel and another red strip around the neck of the goat dedicated to the Lord.  When the goat for Az’azel was pushed over the rocky cliff, the woolen strip on that goat would miraculously turn from red to white to symbolize that Israel’s sins had been forgiven (Yoma 39a).  The name Edom, interestingly, which means red, was given to Esav when he was born, as well as after he ate the red pottage.

Before the goat was sent to its death, Aharon confessed Israel’s sin by placing his hands on the goat’s head.  The presence of this contamination on the goat rendered it spiritually dead.  The image imprinted on the minds of the nation was of an animal, without a human soul, carrying away all the sins of the nation.  According to Rabbi Hirsch, one must either “choose to move toward holiness or toward a wasteland of spiritual destruction”.   Az’azel represented spiritual destruction brought on by the forces of evil.

“But the goat whose lot fell to Az’azel is to be presented alive to Adonai to be used for making atonement over it by sending it away into the desert for Az’azel.”

Lev 16:10

Anciently, Az’azel was the chief of the Se’irim, or goat-demons, the one who haunted the desert and the one to whom most primitive Semitic (most likely non-Hebrew) tribes offered sacrifices. The Tanakh states that even Jeroboam appointed priests for the Seir’im. In other words, there was a special cult created by Jeroboam in his temples with images of goat demons.  The name ‘Azazel’ may be derived from ‘azaz’ and ‘el’ meaning ‘strong one of god.’  Leviticus 16 is the only place in all of Scripture that even mentions Az’azel.

Now if we return to the narrative in Genesis 27, where Isaac blesses Jacob and Esav, there are some fascinating connections to the Seir’im, the Az’azel, the garments of flesh of this world, and the spiritual garments of the “World to Come”.   Rebecca told her son Jacob to choose two kids of the goats from the flock so she could make a meat delicacy for his “Father”.  She then took the garments of her son Esav and clothed Jacob with them and took the skins of one of the goats to cover Jacob’s hands and neck.  Jacob is a picture of Yeshua, the righteous son, who literally took on the covering or flesh of the wicked son.  Yeshua took on the flesh or clothes of this world and became sin, defeated death, in order to make atonement for us?

The contrast between Jacob and Esav is also reflected in the description of their skin type.  Jacob was described as smooth-skinned which translates “a portion”, or the idea that the Father’s estate was divided into portions by his sons.  Normally the eldest received the double “portion”.   Esav, on the    other hand, was described as hairy and red, pointing to the goat sent out to the wilderness.  Again the word for hairy is seir’im, which is from the singular root s’ar.  This has a number of meanings that includes devil, goat, kid, satyr, or goat demons.  It can also mean a storm or strong winds that rage and cause fear.

Jacob ultimately becomes a picture of God’s portion while Esav is a picture of HaSatan’s portion.  Jacob took on the flesh of the enemy in the same way Yeshua took on flesh and dwelled among us in this world.  Yeshua conquered death, the enemy and the flesh, and made atonement for us so    we could have life eternal.  He took on the curse of the flesh, which reminds us of what Jacob said,  “I will bring upon myself a curse”.

When Esav came to Isaac to receive his blessing, Scripture says Isaac “trembled a trembling that was very great”.  The Rabbis said Isaac perceived Gehinnom open beneath Esav and that Esav was truly evil.   On the other hand, they said the name Jacob also meant “his sovereignty will supplant mine in the Olam Haba, that is, he will rule after me.  That means Jacob’s sovereignty will supplant Esav’s in the “World to Come” and Jacob will rule after Esav.

Continue reading »]]> Torah Gemstones:  Ta’zria (she conceives) Lev 12:1-13:59

This week’s Torah portion is Ta’zria, which translates “she conceives”.  The root of ta’zria is “zerah” or seed.  Here we have a woman “yielding seed”, but the conundrum is that a woman does not bring forth seed at the conception of a child.  The normal word for “to become pregnant” is the Hebrew word “harah”.  What adds to the mystery is that the woman is described as producing seed and giving birth to a male or female, yet a few verses later she is described as giving birth to a son or a daughter.

So the unanswered question is who might this woman represent?  There is only one other time in Scripture where this same idea is expressed.

“Let the earth (aretz) sprout vegetation, herb yielding seed (Ma’zria Zerah or seeding seed)…

And the earth (aretz) brought forth vegetation, herb, yielding seed (Ma’zria zerah or seeding seed) after its kind.”

Genesis 1:11,12.

Ma’zria is from the same root as Ta’zria, which is “zerah”, and refers to seed.  In the beginning, the earth “yielded seed” and that seed reproduced “after its own kind”.  The seed the earth yielded was planted by God Himself and was made in His own image and likeness.  Therefore, the original seed that came forth from the earth, or the dust of the ground, contained both male and female.  That seed was called Adam (man or humanity).

“So God created man (Adam) in His image, in the image of God He created him male and female He created them.”

Gen 1:27

The next generation of seed that came forth from the original seed was  made in the image of Adam and not in the image of God.

“On The Day he created Adam, He made them in the likeness of God.

He created them male and female.  He blessed them and called their name Adam on The Day they were created.

When Adam had lived 130 years, he begot in his likeness and his image (Adam’s image) and he named him Seth.”

Genesis 5:1-3

The word for “earth” is the feminine noun “aretz”.  Now, it is possible the   woman in Leviticus is actually a picture of the earth bearing seed.  The earth represents a womb like that of a woman, which incubates seed to protect,   preserve and nourish new life.  Just as God planted the original seed in the earth to produce Adam, He planted His original seed again in the womb   of Miriam to bring forth the seed of Yeshua the Messiah.  This seed had not       been corrupted by sin and so all those who believed by faith in the work of Messiah would once again be born in the image of God in a spiritual sense.

When Adam sinned it caused all future seed to be diminished, in a state of contamination or impurity, and in need of restoration.  God established “The Laws of Purity” as a mechanism to help man overcome what sin had degraded in our physical world.  In spite of this corruption, God always preserved for Himself a seed that would continue the human race.  That seed, however, could never conquer decay and death.  Noach probably best illustrates a seed that was preserved by God for the next generation.  He was a wonderful picture of the Messiah but an imperfect one as well.  Inside the ark, which is often compared to a womb, God protected His own seed through the life of the family of Noach, but still the corruption continued when he left the ark.

I Enoch 67:2  “I shall place my hands upon it/her (the ark) and protect it and the seed of life shall arise from it and a substitute (generation) will come so that the earth will not remain empty.”

I would like to suggest that the reproductive lifecycle of every woman mirrors this pattern of the original seed coming forth from the earth.  Again, contamination of the seed was the result of sin, and the consequences for both the earth and the woman came in the form of a curse.

Cursed is the ground because of you, through pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life.  Thorns and thistles will sprout and you will eat the herb of the field. For you are dust and to dust shall you return.

I will put enmity between you (serpent) and between the woman and between your seed and between her seed. He will crush the head and you will crush his heel.

Genesis 15-19

With the Laws of Purity, God made provision for the purification of the seed, but these laws could never accomplish what the original seed of God, in the form of Messiah, would accomplish.  They only represented a physical act that pointed to the fulfillment of a spiritual reality in the person of Yeshua.

In our physical world, these laws enabled a woman to be restored and purified from childbirth after her seven days.  This state of ritual impurity is called Niddah and means separation.  When her blood is shed each month a death occurs and a seed dies.  Menstruation is really a death because of the failure of an egg to be fertilized and implanted in the womb.

After birth a mother experiences a similar separation from the life growing inside her.  The worst thing is the loss of a seed because it represents the death of a living being, and it is final. No new life can ever come forth.  However, we continue to see God’s love and mercy in that He always preserves a seed for the continuation of the human race.  That is part of the picture of the laws of purity for a woman who has given birth.

A dead body represents the highest degree of loss of life, and a leprous limb is as if it were dead. It is the same with the loss of seed, because it had been endowed with living power, capable of engendering a human being. Its loss therefore forms a contrast to the living and breathing (Kuzari, II: 60).

Each month a woman experiences a death, if an egg is not fertilized, which then puts her in a state of contamination from something that died.  This state is called “tamei” and in the case of childbirth lasts seven days. The purification process included entering into a mikvah (immersion bath) to remove the contamination.  Then she assumed a new spiritual status called “tahor”.

Now compare this to the seven thousand years of the contamination of the earth.  After that period, the earth will be purified and raised up to a new level of sanctity just as the woman in the state of Niddah.  New life will be raised up as well for all those who sleep in the dust of the earth. The time of the earth’s Niddah will be over and the restoration will be complete.

When That Day comes a spring will be opened up for the House of David and the people living in Jerusalem to cleanse them from sin and impurity (Niddah)!

Zechariah 13:1

Continue reading »]]> This series looks at the wedding from a broader perspective. Not only does it examine the two stages of marriage, but also the wedding week through the celebration of all of Israel’s festivals.  It also explains how all the covenants relate to the marriage covenant in some way.  The series also examines the meaning of a variety symbols such as the Tefillin and the Tallit as elements in the wedding.

Part 1

Part 1 – Audio

Part 2

Part 2 – Audio

Part 3

Part 3 – Audio

Part 4 – Audio

Continue reading »]]> Torah Gemstones:  Sh’mini (eighth) Leviticus 9:1-11:47

The focus for this week’s Torah portion is found in Leviticus 11:41,42.

“Every creeping creature that creeps upon the ground; it is an abomination and shall not be eaten.

From everything that goes on its belly (gachon)…”

According to Rashi, “Everything that goes on its belly” is referring to snakes and worms.  So consider the image of a snake, described here as an abomination, creeping and slithering along the ground on its belly in a sideways motion; writhing and twisting in a contorted fashion.  The word for belly in this passage comes from the root “gachon” meaning bent or curved.  However, it is connected to “gi’ach” meaning to break forth, as in a fountain, or “go’ach”, to break out as an infant coming forth from the womb. Although often translated belly, it is more accurately a womb.

It is the same root as the Gihon, one of the rivers running through the Garden, as well as the Gihon Spring where the ceremony was held to inaugurate the kingship of Solomon.  Another meaning for Gihon is to “gush” as in water gushing forth.  The Gihon Spring was the main water supply for the City of Jerusalem and the life source for the people there.  From the Gihon, water passed through a canal Hezekiah constructed and then poured into the Pool of Shiloach (Siloam).  This is what Yeshua was referring to when he said,

“If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.  He who believes in me, out of his belly (womb) will flow rivers of living water.  He said this about   the Spirit.”

He was connecting the Gihon, the fountain of living water, to the life-giving Spirit.  It is interesting that this Fountain was anciently called the Virgin’s fountain and the spring of Miriam.

Micah 4:10-13 uses this same Hebrew word in speaking of the children of Israel who were dragged off into captivity in Babylon. They would, however, be redeemed and delivered when they returned to the land of Israel.

“For pangs have seized you like a woman in labor.  Be in pain and labor to bring forth (go’chi), O Daughter of Zion, like a woman in birth pangs…and to Babylon you shall go.  There you will be delivered.  There the Lord will redeem you from the hand of your enemies.”

A Jew’s prayer for a final end to Israel’s long exile from the land and from the Temple is found in Psalm 22:10 where we see hints of Yeshua the Messiah throughout the psalm.

“I am a worm, scorn of humanity, despised of people. You are the One who drew me forth “gochi” from the belly.”

Now let’s look at the curse that was placed on the snake in Genesis 3:14. God said to the serpent,

“Because you have deceived, cursed are you beyond all the cattle and beyond all the beasts of the field; upon your belly shall you walk and          dust shall you eat all the days of your life.  I will put enmity between you and the woman and between your seed and her seed.  He will strike at your head and you will strike at his heel (referring to the seed).”

Part of this curse on the snake is related to the belly (gachon), the place where new life comes forth.  The serpent is the father of all those who walk according to the works of the flesh and who are already condemned. The walk of the serpent and his seed is that of rebellion.  It is a walk permanently bent low in submission to God, condemned eternally, and permanently prostrated before God.  It is a walk that is twisted and contorted.  It is the walk of a perverse and crooked generation.  It is the opposite of the righteous whose walk is upright and on the straight and narrow path.

Now to the woman, who was deceived, God said, “I will greatly increase your pain and your childbearing; in pain shall you bear children.”  Eventually her seed, the Messiah, would come forth from her belly.  He is the seed who would bring righteousness and salvation to those who believe by faith.  He is the one who would make the crooked ways straight and raise up those bent low.

“Every valley shall be exalted and every mountain and brought low; the crooked places shall be made straight and the rough places smooth.  The glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together.”                                    Isaiah 40:4

The Lord said to Cyrus, his anointed, “I will go before you and make the crooked places straight.”                    Isaiah 45:2

This sets up the great conflict between these two (the woman and the serpent) and their seed over the course of the history of mankind. This is the major theme for the entire bible.  Ultimately, the serpent will be permanently brought low, eternally condemned, as well as all his seed. By contrast, the seed of the woman, although brought forth (gachon) in pain, will be raised up and walk upright, blameless and in righteousness before God.

This conflict comes full swing in Revelation 12:4, 9, 15.

“And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth to devour her child as soon as it was born…So the great dragon was          cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world…So the serpent spewed water out of his mouth like a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood…And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her seed who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Yeshua.”

The key to overcoming the curse on the seed is identified in this verse in Leviticus. The word Gachon (גחון belly) contains the letter “vav” (3^rd letter) which is an elongated, upright letter.  It stands out here because the letter, in the Torah scrolls, is enlarged and towers over all the other letters.  The letter “vav” is actually the midpoint letter or belly of the entire Torah.

Typically the “vav” represents the number of a man – that is the number six.  It also represents a tent peg, nail or hook.  It was after all, the Son of Man who, by the nails in his arms, became our righteousness to enable us to walk upright by our faith in Him.  He would, ultimately, bring deliverance to the rest of the seed of the woman.  The enlarged “vav” indicates that He will be great and defeat the works of the serpent, the flesh and death.  It is Yeshua the Messiah, born of the womb of a virgin, who was the true seed that would bring redemption to the whole world.

Continue reading »]]> Torah Gemstones:  Chol HaMoed Pesach Exodus 33:12-34:26

This week’s Torah reading is actually a portion from Ki Tissa (when you take) that was chosen by the rabbis to connect to Chol haMoed Pesach or the intermediate days of Pesach.  It also happens to be the exact same portion for Chol haMoed Sukkot or the intermediate days of Sukkot.  So what is the significance of attaching this reading to these two festivals?

Passover and Sukkot both point to the redemption and deliverance of Israel from her enemies, but in two different stages.  Yeshua, for example, in his first coming, delivered Israel from the enemy “sin and death” at Passover, and He would return to deliver Israel from the last great enemy, Gog and Magog, at the time of Sukkot.  Connected to this deliverance and redemption by Yeshua, is the work of Moshe who, in this portion, is a picture of the messiah.  Moshe recognized that if Israel was to experience the presence of God in her midst, in terms of redemption and deliverance, she must first find favor (chen חן) in His sight.

The attribute of “favor” (chen חן) is one of the most important the Father pours into His children.  In fact, the prayer that is called the 13 Attributes of God, is found in this week’s portion of Scripture and begins with the idea of compassion and favor (chanun חנן).

“HaShem, HaShem, God, compassionate and gracious (favor chanun חנן), slow to anger and abundant in kindness and trust,                          preserver of kindness for thousands, forgiver of iniquity, willful sin and inadvertent sin.”

Exodus 34: 6,7

According to Rabbi Hirsch, the real meaning of favor (chen חן) has to do with enriching ones’ spiritual knowledge, and is the attribute of God that He himself has gifted to mankind.  With this attribute of favor (chen חן), God bestowed upon mankind almost supernaturally: gifts, abilities and power.  Yeshua, for example, was the perfect vessel into which God poured His attribute of “favor”.

“Yeshua grew in wisdom and stature and favor (chen) with God and man.”

Luke 2:52

The word “favor” (chen חן) is used a total of nine times in this portion, more than anywhere in Scripture.  “Favor” or grace is also an anagram for the name Noach, which means “rest”.  Both words, “favor” (chen) and “rest” (nach), use the exact same letters.  In this Torah portion, God says to Moshe,  “I will put you at rest (nach).”

Scripture tells us Noach found favor in the eyes of God just as Moshe did in Ki Tissa. The sages say a person who finds favor in God’s sight has reached the highest perfection that a man can attain before God.  It is clear this is another example of how both Moshe and Noach are types of Yeshua the Messiah, and how all three found “favor” in the eyes of the Lord. So if we add the nine times “chen” is used to the one time “nach” is used the total is ten.

Noach was the 10^th generation from Adam and the one destined to preserve the seed for the entire human race.  Again, Noach was a type and shadow of the Messiah in His second coming.  Additionally, The Ten Commandments and the concept of the tithe (ten) hinted at preservation.  These two components served as boundary markers to preserve and protect the community inside the camp of Israel to keep them holy.

All the tenths given from the land whether from planted seed or fruit from any trees belongs to Adonai; it is holy to Adonai.  All the tenths from the herd or the flock, whatever passes under the shepherd’s crook, the 10^th one will be holy to Adonai.

Leviticus 27:30-32

Bereshit Rabbah 30:6 explains that, “the first yield (tithe) or primary product of a person is his own character. This is especially true for Noach who preserved the purity of his heart.”

Ten represents a time of rest and peace that is a blessing to the earth.  It is a pattern for the Messianic era.  The generations leading up to the birth of Noach had corrupted their way and were condemned by God.  Only Noach was found worthy in God’s sight, or found “favor” in God’s eyes, to serve as the basis for the salvation of the future. His responsibility was to save the seed of the righteous and pass it on into the future.

Noach’s father, Lamech, whose name contains the same letters for the word “king”, named his son Noach, for he would bring comfort and rest to the earth which was cursed. However Noach, as the 10^th, was not a perfect picture of the Kingdom because a curse still remained on the earth even when the ark came to rest on Mt. Ararat.  Ararat actually means mountain of curse.  Eventually, the messiah, the true seed of God, would remove the curse through his death, burial and resurrection – at Passover.

“Favor” (chen חן) is composed of two letters, chet and nun. The letter “chet” means the tent wall that protects those inside from the elements outside.  “Nun” means the continuing seed and is a name for the messiah, that is, Messiah ben nun.  So here the concrete meaning of “favor” speaks of the continuation of the seed that was preserved inside the tent.  Noach represented that seed and was preserved inside the ark to allow the human race to continue.

The value of  “chen” is fifty-eight which can be broken into two segments of fifty and the number eight.  First, fifty represents the year of Jubilee (yovel).

Then on the 10^th day of the 7^th month, on Yom Kippur, you are to sound a blast on the shofar, you are to sound the shofar all through your land; and you are to consecrate the 50^th year, proclaiming freedom.  The 50^th year will be Yovel for you.  It will be holy for you.

Leviticus 25:10

Then on the 50^th day after the seven weeks of seven days of counting the omer to Shavuot, they would become a kingdom of priests.

          From the day after the day of rest – you are to count seven full weeks until the day after the 7^th week; you are to count 50 days and then you      are to present a new grain offering to Adonai.

Leviticus 23:15,16

Fifty is a number closely associated with deliverance, redemption and the fullness of the Messianic kingdom.  Even many of the measurements in the Tabernacle, which is a picture of the Kingdom, are 50 cubits or are divisible by five.

Secondly, the number eight signifies life (chaim), especially life in the World to Come, the Olam Haba or eternity.  We should remember there were eight individuals in the ark, which included Noach, that survived the flood.  Life inside the ark was a picture of the World to Come.

Finally, favor (chen חן) is also known among the sages as an acronym for chochmah nistarah (the hidden wisdom).  The sages associate this with a supernatural dimension of the Torah, which is concealed until it is uncovered through study and through learning to fulfill God’s will on earth. Rabbi Hirsch concluded that those who found favor in the eyes of God are those with special qualities and faculties for a unique and exalted purpose.

May we discover that purpose in each of our own lives especially during this special Shabbat of Passover.

Continue reading »]]> This series begins by tracing the historical development of the rapture.  From there it takes an in depth look at the person of Enoch and Noach to show how these two figures are critical to understanding the resurrection of Yeshua the Messiah.  The series also examines the Sons of God (Benei Elohim) and the significance of their intermarriage with the Daughters of Men. Finally the teaching explains how the various verses in the Gospels and Epistles, that are used to prove the rapture, actually prove the opposite.

Part 1

Part 1 – Audio

Part 2

Part 2 – Audio

Part 3

Part 3 – Audio

Part 4

Part 4 – Audio

Continue reading »]]> Torah Gemstones:  Tzav (Command) Leviticus 6:1- 8:36

The week’s portion begins with the removal of the ashes from the altar of burnt offering.  Before removing these ashes, the designated Kohen (priest) put on his regular garments of linen, which were to be worn directly on his flesh.  He then separated out a handful of ash from the altar from the previous day and put those ashes on the floor next to the altar.  Following this act, the designated Kohen removed his regular garments and put on a different set of clothes before returning to the altar to remove the excess ashes.  These ashes were brought to a place outside the camp that was described as “pure”.  In this portion, we find there were actually two separate ceremonies involving ashes.

Ashes were an important symbol because they were the evidence that an offering had been accepted by God and had been fully consumed.  They were a witness to what had taken place at the altar, that is, that the offering had been accepted as a provision for redemption.  The ashes were, therefore, a witness to the redemption.  Could the ceremony of the ashes somehow be related to the resurrection of the Messiah, as well as the resurrection of the righteous dead at the time of the Kingdom?

The word for ash is normally “ephar”, but here in Leviticus it is “deshen”.  Deshen is a word that is rarely used in the Tanakh in comparison to “ephar”. In gematria, “deshen” reduces to the number three, which has a special emphasis in the book of Leviticus.  The number three is most often associated with redemption and with the resurrection on the third day.  There are numerous places in Scripture that speak of the third day.  For example, Yeshua was resurrected on the third day at the season of Passover.  Jonah was three days in the belly of the fish.  In Hoshea this pattern continues.

Come, and let us return to the Lord; For He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up. After two days He will revive us; on the third day He will raise us up, that we may live in His sight.

Hoshea 6:1,2

Deshen is more accurately defined as the fat of the animal mixed with the fat in the ashes and the real key to understanding the ashes starts with the first ceremony each day in the Temple.

The day began with the separating out of the ash, which was called “terumat haDeshen.”  In this Torah portion, we find there were actually two distinct ceremonies.  With the first ceremony, the priest removed a portion of the previous day’s ashes from the altar, and with the second he removed any excess ash from the same altar. The second ceremony was not necessarily done each day but only when there was a large build up of ash that interfered with the altar services.

There were three different piles of wood that burned on the altar.  The largest pile received all the offerings, the second pile provided the coals for the incense altar inside the Holy Place, and the third pile was the “eternal fire”, which was always kept burning for the services of the altar.  The largest pile of ash formed in the center of the altar from the remains of these three fires. This large pile of ash was called the “apple” because of the round, dome-like shape.

Before the Tamid Korban Olah (the daily elevation offering or burnt offering) was offered, the designated Kohen put on his regular priestly garments.  Once he had sanctified himself through water from the laver, he took a silver shovel and walked up the ramp to the top of the altar.  He stirred the coals and then collected a small amount from the ashes.  He only took those glowing ashes from the burnt flesh of the burnt offering, which was from the previous day, and not from the wood ashes themselves. The portion the priest took for this service was no larger than a handful.

In this case, the disposal of the handful of ashes was a ceremonial act and not so much a functional one.  The shovelful of ash represented the first portion of the ash, which was seen as a kind of first fruits of the heap. The priest then scooped up this shovelful from the innermost pile (the apple) and placed it on the floor of the courtyard east of the ramp that led up to the altar of burnt offering. This act was said to prepare the altar for a new day of services in the Temple.  The spot he placed the handful of ash was known as the “Place of Ashes”.  In addition, the crops from the burnt offerings of birds, the ashes from the incense altar, and the ashes from the menorah were also placed in the very same spot.

After removing the handful of ash with the shovel, an additional ceremony followed which involved the cleaning of excess ash from the altar.  Once the shovelful was removed, the priests raked all the remaining ashes into the very center of the altar.  When the pile grew too large and interfered with the altar service, the ashes were removed and taken to a place outside the city where they were buried.  At festival time, the priests allowed the ash pile to build because they saw this as “becoming to the altar”.  They rejoiced in the many offerings that were being burned on the altar.  Of course removing such a large amount of ash would cause the Kohen’s garments to become soiled, so they changed into garments that were older and more worn.

What is the significance of these two ceremonies?  What could the ash itself represent?  Why do the priests change their garments?  The following verse in Jeremiah opens up an intriguing idea.

Look the days are coming says Adonai when the city (Jerusalem) will be rebuilt for Adonai…the whole valley of corpses and ashes (deshen) …will be separated out for Adonai; it will never be uprooted or destroyed again.

Jeremiah 31:40

I’d like to suggest that the first portion or shovelful the priest removed, and set down on the floor by the altar, is a picture of Yeshua in his first coming.  As the priests were wearing their regular garments so too Messiah came in his garment of flesh.  He became flesh and dwelled among us.  He was a kind of first fruit like the first portion of ash. The excess ash on the altar might be a picture of the resurrection of all the righteous dead at the end of the age.  Our garments are as filthy rags to the Father just like the soiled, worn garments of the priests.  The excess ash was buried outside the city of Jerusalem in the Kidron Valley just like the righteous dead are buried there.  Since these ashes were placed in a “pure place”, they were preserved for the ages. The sages say the Kidron Valley is where the general resurrection will begin.

May we be ready and prepared to be excess ash in this age, but raised up in the World to Come.