CONGREGATION
MELECH YISRAEL OF TORONTO
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D'var Torah / דבר תורה |
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CONGREGATION
MELECH YISRAEL OF TORONTO |
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It's easy for us to appreciate the physical value of the ultra fine gold, a gold so fine that none of us have yet seen the like of it. Any of us can readily see immense value in the exquisite gems in Aharon's breastplate. But what do we understand of the Holiness, the Righteousness of Elokim? These holy articles, set apart and ordained for His worship, were to be treated with extreme care and reverence. Nothing unholy was even to touch the holy things. Sh'muel Bet / 2 Sam 6:6 And when they came to Nachon's threshingfloor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of G-d, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it. 7. And the anger of HaShem was kindled against Uzzah; and G-d smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of G-d. 8. And David was displeased, because HaShem had made a breach upon Uzzah: and he called the name of the place Perezuzzah to this day. 9. And David was afraid of HaShem that day, and said, How shall the ark of HaShem come to me? 2 Chr 26:16 But when he (Uzziah) was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against HaShem his G-d, and went into the temple of HaShem to burn incense upon the altar of incense. 17. And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him fourscore priests of HaShem, that were valiant men: 18. And they withstood Uzziah the king, and said unto him, It appertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto HaShem, but to the priests the sons of Aharon, that are consecrated to burn incense: go out of the sanctuary; for thou hast trespassed; neither shall it be for thine honour from HaShem G-d. 19. Then Uzziah was wroth, and had a censer in his hand to burn incense: and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy even rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of HaShem, from beside the incense altar. We must be very careful for the things of HaShem. We cannot worship Him on our terms, in a way that seems right to us. Pro 14:12 There is a way which seems right to a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. Let us learn from Nadab and Abihu in Vayikra 10:1 And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aharon, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before HaShem, which he commanded them not. 2. And there went out fire from HaShem, and devoured them, and they died before HaShem. 3. Then Moses said unto Aharon, This is it that HaShem spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aharon held his peace. Are we guilty of esteeming lightly the holy things of HaShem? Are we guilty of giving honour to those things which are not of HaShem? Think of the kind of precision workmanship involved in crafting the holy garments and temple articles. How focused and careful do you imagine those craftsmen were, knowing they we labouring on the Holy things of the Most High? What dedication, diligence and reverence must have been required; there was no room for the smallest error. Is this how we are working out our salvation? We, who have the gift of the Spirit, are not working on a mere copy or shadow of a heavenly thing, but are we even taking the same care as the workers in this parsha did? It is quite common for brides today to spend many thousands on a wedding dress. It has to be perfectly tailored, of the finest fabric, designed by the best of artisans, white and pure. That dress is treated as a holy thing, set apart, preserved and cherished, she wouldn't think of dishonouring it by spotting it with anything, let alone sprinkle it with blood. So, brethren - bride of Mashciach- how is our raiment looking? Just filthy rags or rags cleansed by the blood of the Lamb? No matter how beautiful and well crafted by the flesh the priestly garments were, they were not holy without the blood. And so all our works of the flesh profit nothing apart from the blood of Messiah. Luke 24:49 And behold, I send forth the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city, until ye be clothed with power from on high. Remember how they tarried in Yerushalayim for the seven days until the Ruach HaKodesh was given? In this parsha we're told the consecration period for the priest was 7 days Shemot 29:30 And that son that is priest in his stead shall put them on seven days, when he cometh into the tabernacle of the congregation to minister in the holy place. Likewise the altar, most holy to HaShem was concescrated 7 days: 37 Seven days thou shalt make an atonement for the altar, and sanctify it; and it shall be an altar most holy: whatsoever toucheth the altar shall be holy. According to the scriptures, Yeshua, our Passover, following his sacrifice for us, spent 3 days in the earth, for 40 days he appeared to his apostles teaching them about the Kingdom of G-d before he was taken up. So, 43 days from Pesach Yeshua was taken up leaving the 7 days until Shavuot- the 7 day consecration period for the High Priest. As soon as that period was complete He sent the Ruach HaKodesh. His first act toward us as High Priest was to give us the power of His Holiness. What are we doing with it and how are we keeping our inner temple? If the truth be spoken, we defile our - His - temples all the time and this parsha really shows up the contrast between the His Holiness and ours. Yechezkel 43:10 Thou son of man, shew the house to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities: and let them measure the pattern. And if they be ashamed of all that they have done, shew them the form of the house, and the fashion thereof, and the goings out thereof, and the comings in thereof, and all the forms thereof, and all the ordinances thereof, and all the forms thereof, and all the laws thereof: and write it in their sight, that they may keep the whole form thereof, and all the ordinances thereof, and do them. The Ruach HaKodesh is the holy oil of our lamp stand, our priestly garment, our breastplate of judgement, our Rrim and Thummim, our altar of incense. Incense is linked to prayers Luke 1:9 According to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of HaShem. And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense. Rev 8:3 And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. How careful are we with this most precious of gifts, this most holy unto HaShem? Mattityahu 12:31 Therefore I say unto you, Every sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men; but the blasphemy against the Ruach shall not be forgiven. And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him; but whosoever shall speak against the Ruach HaKodesh, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, nor in that which is to come. Now we might not be guilty of that, but how about esteeming it lightly? Is the Ruach not grieved when, for example, a cell phone calls us back to the world during bible study, prayer or worship? Are we careful to ensure that worldly intrusion, of any sort, into a holy convocation cannot happen? And if we are not careful to guard the Holy time He has sanctified for His purposes, then how careful are we about what happens during the rest of the week? Are our prayers offered on a holy altar of incense? Is there any bitterness within us to taint these most Holy offerings which are to be a sweet savour unto HaShem? Are we careful to ensure that we do not offer strange fire unto Elokim? Remember, strange fire is anything which He has not commanded. Vayikra 10:1 We must be dilligent to observe all that He has commanded, not to add and not to subtract from it. Devarim 4:2 Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of HaShem your G-d which I command you. We're rehearsing now for an eternity of Holiness to HaShem. You can be sure that nothing will be out of order in Heaven. We will not sanctify days for ourselves to worship Melech Yeshua but all will done in perfect order, in perfect accordance with His will. there will not be any article in that temple that Elokim himself has not ordained to be there. How prepared will we be? Time is running out and the rehearsal is almost over. It's almost showtime. Shall we not redouble our efforts now to get back to the faith once delivered? To be a pure community of that faith, unspotted from the world, approved in all our ways unto Elokim? Shoftim / Judges 1:2 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. Brethren, there are areas in our lives where it is very difficult to be faithful. Each of us has his or her own weaknesses and thanks be to HaShem that He has provided the atonement for our weaknesses in Messiah, Blessed be His Name. But let us not presume upon His mercy. He has also given us many areas where it is easy to be faithful. Mattityahu 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. It is easy to set aside work on the Shabbat. It is easy to walk past that slab of bacon in the supermarket and not look back. It is easy not to reap the corners of your fields – in case you missed it, that’s talking about the food pantry. It is easy not to seek out mediums and familiar spirits. It is easy to sweep out the leaven for Pesach. It is easy to keep His moadim as and when He says. It is easy to put away anything which He has not ordained for His worship to keep the place of meeting pure. It is hard to have purity of heart. To not let an evil thought in when someone offends you, to bless those who curse you and render good for evil. So, knowing our weaknesses and failures, confessing and repenting of them in Yeshua's name, can we at least say that we are careful for Holy things of Elokim? Can we say we are truly faithful in those things, that we can go before Him and truly say I am doing the very best that I can and I need your help to move the mountains in my life? Or are we in need of repentance for the things which we do carelessly, without reverence for the Ruach HaKodesh within us, things that, if we were living in the time of the mishkon or temple times we would not dare? If the altar of incense appeared here now, in our midst - who would venture forth to take hold of its horns? We should all be able to. I confess that I would not. Mattityahu 25:21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. Let us be faithful with the Holy things of Elokim, let us study to show ourselves approved, searching out matters (Proberbs 25:2 It is the glory of G-d to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter) and proving all things. Let us be faithful servants of the Most High who will bear no shame at His coming. Let us bridle our tongues and bring every thought into subjection to the mind of Yeshua! YYYYYYYYYYYY |
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