Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Parashah 20: Tetzaveh (You are to order) - Exodus 27:20 through 30:10.
Haftarah (Writings and Prophets): Ezekiel 43:10-27.
B'rit Hadasha (New Testament): Philippians 4:10-20.
1
When you apply the Commandments to your life and do them, you translate
what is in the Spiritual into the Physical through your obedience. It is unnatural
for people not to work on Saturdays, but you connect the Spiritual into the
natural, elevating that day to a Holy Day called the Sabbath, into a spiritual
experience with the Creator. This is what it means to shine His Light in this
dark world; you take things that shines from the spiritual and release them
through your life, shining them into the physical. When we allow the Torah to
become part of our lives, we can take everyday mundane things and elevate
them as Holy things as part of YHVH Renewal and Restoration process.
In the previous Torah portions, the Tabernacle is referred to as the Mishkahn,
the Dwelling Place or the Mikdash, the Pace of Holiness. In this Torah
Portion, it is called Ohel Moed, the tent of meeting and is the first place this
term is used to refer to the Tabernacle. The emphasis in this Portion is not on
the Structure of the Tabernacle as we have seen previously, but on the Meeting
Place where YHVH meets with man.
Q Why did the word change from Mishkan to Ohel in this Torah Portion?
It lines up with the theme of producing oil to light up the Tabernacle, to change it
from a dark empty box to a place of light and life where YHVH will meet with His
people. The oil in the lamp produced light that gave the Tabernacle warmth,
light and something of value and purpose. It changed the Tabernacle from a
Mishkahn, a potential Dwelling Place, into a real Dwelling Place. It also turned
the Tabernacle from a Mikdash, a potential Holy Place to a real Holy Place, all
because of the freshly squeezed oil.
The Menorah is not an object that is seen from the outside, but its purpose is to
illuminate everything around it on the inside. Ohel aleph-hey-lamed
consists of the short form of the Name of God, Elohim, namely El (aleph-
lamed) with a hey inserted in the middle. Hey means light and is linked to
the word for Tabernacle (Ohel) as well as the theme of freshly squeezed oil that
will be used to light up (hey) the Dwelling Place of El or Elohim.
Almonds: In the Previous Portion we have looked at the Lamp inside the
Tabernacle that symbolises the Spirit of YHVH. The Menorah has 22
almonds that decorate it, and these Almonds represents the 22
letters of the Aleph-Bet, this serving YHVHs Word as well. What
further confirms this is that the word almond is found 22 times in
Scripture (OT). This makes the Spirit and the Word Echad or the
same. The Spirit reveals the Word and the Word beautifies the Spirit and
enables it to shine. The one cannot exist without the other.
Olive Oil: Olive is the Hebrew word that comes from the root word
zif that means brightness that is found in 1 Kings 6:1 that
speaks of the month of Zif (2nd month, the month after Nissan
Biblical New Year) in the fourth year of Solomons reign, in the
time when the construction of the 1st Temple began. This
connects the Olive not only to light, but to the starting of the
building of the Permanent Temple or Dwelling Place of YHVH in
Jerusalem.
2
The Priestly Garments
In Exo 28:2 YHVH told Moses to make holy garments for Aaron his brother, for
glory and beauty. If you go back to last weeks Portion reading Exodus chapter
26, you read about the Holy of Holies with its walls of blue, purple, scarlet and
gold. Reading this weeks Portion, you will find the same colours and materials
mentioned to make Aaron, the High Priests garments (Exo 28:4-5). This makes
the High Priest a living breathing part of the Tabernacle.
The Garments were made for beauty and glory. Beauty is the word tipharah
beauty, splendour, elegant jewellery, honour, and renown. Glory is the word
kavode that means, glory, splendour, honour, riches and abundance. What
was on the inside of the Tabernacle was on the outside of Aaron. Keep these
two words in mind; we will look at them later on in this study.
3
The Priesthood Link
In last weeks Portion, we looked at the construction of the Tabernacle that gave
instructions for the building of the Ark of the Covenant, the Table of Showbread,
the Coverings, the Menorah and the Outer Court. What was not covered last
week were the Laver and the Golden Altar of Incense. Before He gave
instructions regarding these two furnishings, YHVH continues with the detail of
the Priestly Garments.
Q Why are the Garments mentioned now, before continuing with the Laver
and Golden Altar?
The reason the Priesthood is discussed here is that they are part of
the living Tabernacle, just like we saw with the High Priest. What
good is a Tabernacle without anyone accessing it? The construction
of the Tabernacle can be described at the hand of a chain where the
one link connects to the next link forming a chain that has a
purpose. The Priesthood forms part of this chain, and their link fits
in the right between the previous link found in the last Torah
Portion, namely the Outer Court and the next link found in this
Torah Portion, namely the Altar of Incense.
The one link has to do with interacting with People on the inside of the Outer
Court (fellow Believers), and the other link has to do with interacting with the
One behind the Veil in the Holy of Holies (YHVH the Father). It was the duty of
the Priesthood to interweave the Spiritual (YHVH) with the Natural (People),
and that is exactly what the name Levi means; to interweave. When you weave
a tapestry, you take vertical strands (connection with YHVH)
and interweave horizontal strands (connection with people)
through them in order to create a beautiful picture of man
interacting with YHVH. The Priesthood facilitates this
weaving function that creates a place where the Spiritual
and the Physical meets, this makes a beautiful picture of
YHVH and man becoming Echad (one).
4
Ps 17:8 Keep me as the apple of the eye; Hide me in the SHADOW of
Your wings.
What Paul is trying to say in Col 2 is that all the symbols and
detail found in the Ordinances are prophetic patterns that point
to Messiah to recognise Him when He comes. That is what we
have been doing looking at the Tabernacle revealing Messiah in
every object. You can see the same with the Feasts; they point
to the Work of the Messiah, the Sabbath, where we enter into
His rest, etc. All these objects are there, not only to recognise
Him, but also to understand and know Him intimately. If you
disregard all the things that point to Messiah after His Coming,
will you be able to know and understand Him? The answer is no.
People who ignore and disregard the Ordinances of YHVH, miss
out on so much in knowing the intimate detail of our Father and
Creator.
Secondly, we read in Psalm 91 and 17 where the shadow is described as a
good thing to submit under because they provide protection and guidance. To
abide in the shadow means you have to sit under the real. The fact that there
is a Real that exist in the Spiritual is not to say that the shadow is evil or not
applicable, that is foolish thinking. The shadow reveals the real and both are
important. If it were not for the shadow, you would not have known about the
real.
Thirdly, the Holy Place and Most Holy Place are the areas where you will find
shadows because of the lack of natural sunlight. These areas are where you
find the Showbread that represents the house rules or Word of YHVH, that
contains the Ordinances that covers and protects, which are the guidelines
regarding food, the Festivals and the Sabbath. Not only that, the whole
Tabernacle is a shadow of the real dwelling place of YHVH in the spiritual,
revealed in the physical so that we can study it and know YHVH more
intimately.
5
The Feast of Purim is about the Children of YHVH being oppressed, and they
experienced YHVH as being very distant. Esther means hidden, and you do
not find the Name YHVH anywhere in the Book of Ester except in 4 verses
where it is hidden within the first letter of 4 Hebrew words. YHVH hides within
His Creation as well as in the shadows within His Word.
This time of year is usually the season where you will experience YHVH to be
more distant than any other time of the year. This time is where things do not
run as smooth as they normally do, where you face more difficulties in your life.
If you look back on your life, you will recognise this pattern. Be of good cheer,
He is not absent from your life, but He is closer than you think.
We have discussed this very same topic in the Torah Portion
where Jacob encountered Esau, where YHVH was hiding
within the bad situation, being closer than Jacob through and
this is where YHVH changed his walk. Whenever you wrestle
with difficult times, always remember that YHVH is the One you
are wrestling with.
In the story of Ester, Mordechai overheard the plot to kill the
King, and he reported this to the powers to be and prevent it from happening.
Just after that, the King made a decree that all the Jews killed on a particular
day. Mordechai, who did a righteous deed, must have thought to himself; why
does it help to follow YHVH, you do the right thing, but things only get worse.
Q Have you ever felt like this, where it seems that you do the right thing
following YHVH, but things just dont turn out the way you think it should?
Sometimes you just have to keep on doing the right thing and trust YHVH to
change your situation as He did for the Jews in the time of Ester. Remember,
things will normally get worse before getting better to test you and make you
strong.
We find the second link between the story of Ester and this Torah Portion (the
story of the Tabernacle) in the two words; beauty or tipharah and glory or
kavode, that we touched on when looked at the Priestly garments.
Est 1:4-6 When he showed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the
honour of his excellent majesty many days, even an hundred and
fourscore days. 5 And when these days were expired, the king made a
feast unto all the people that were present in Shushan the palace, both
unto great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the kings
palace; 6 Where were white, green, and blue, hangings, fastened with
cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings and pillars of marble: the
beds were of gold and silver, upon a pavement of red, and blue, and
white, and black, marble.
We previously looked at the Priestly Garments and the Holy of Holies where
they share the same colours and materials, linking the High Priest to the
Tabernacle. Here we see the King preparing a feast, and they use the same
words as found in Exo 28; describing his glorious (kavode) kingdom and his
excellent (tipharah) majesty. Reading further, the colours used preparing the
dcor for the feast similar to the colours of the Priestly garments and the Holy of
Holies except red.
6
YHVHs Tabernacle and High Priest had Scarlet (shaniy), which came from dye
made from an insect called 'coccus ilicis. The King used Red, that is the word
behat that means glisten or reflection. Linking these two red colours from
the story of Ester and the story of the Tabernacle reveals deeper insights.
Spiritual Application: We find wisdom within the differences between the
two colours, Scarlet, and Red. Red represents mans efforts that are a mere
reflection of the real, and the Scarlet comes from an insect that had to die to
produce the colour. The Red and Scarlet both represent Blood, and the Red
is mans efforts trying to attain righteousness that is a mere reflection of the
Real Blood, the Righteousness and work of Yshua the Messiah.
Q What is this Season all about and its connection between the Temple,
YHVH hiding Himself and the persecution of the saints?
Personal Application: YHVHs Presence was not tangible during the
construction phase of the Tabernacle and was only filled with His Glory and
Presence after the completion of the Tabernacle. This means that the hard
times you are going through is the construction phase of your Tabernacle,
and that is why YHVH seems to be distant and hidden during this time. Allow
Him to complete His Dwelling Place so that His Tent of Meeting can be
prepared and ready to contain Him. This building of your Tabernacle is on a
yearly schedule that will be completed just before Passover every year.
Every year He is constructing something new in you so that His Presence
and Glory can be more fully expressed through your life.
Esther is all about clothing, it continually talks about what people
wear, and we know that clothing hides nakedness. We first read
about Mordechais clothing where he was clothed in sackcloth and
then in chapter 8:15 he is covered in royal appeal.
Mordechai was wearing regular clothing, and it changed to sackcloth
after he did a righteous deed. He kept on standing in the gap for his
people before YHVH with his sackcloth clothing, and when YHVH
stepped in when the breakthrough came, his clothing changed from
sackcloth to a royal appeal.
Personal Application: When you go through a tough time, stand fast
through prayer, seek His Kingdom till He brings an outcome, then your
mourning will be changed to gladness and your clothing will change from
sackcloth to royal attire.
Mordechai placed YHVHs righteousness first and then he was elevated to a
stature of royalty. This story of Mordechai is a beautiful picture behind the
passage found in the NT that talks about clothing and righteousness, Matt
6:19-34; seek first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness, and all
Of M ordec hai
these things will be added unto you
Q What does it mean to seek YHVHs Kingdom?
If you read Matthew chapter 6 in relation to the story of Ester, you will see in the
character of Haman that he strived to become a ruler of the Kingdom, but he did
it at the expense of the people. Mordechai, on the other hand, humbled himself
before YHVH and sought an outcome for the people. Everything he did was for
the sake of the people in the kingdom and YHVH elevated Him to a royal status.
7
The Kingdom is not something out there where YHVH is; the Kingdom is the
people. If you seek and place the Kingdom (people) first, you will be like
Mordechai, serving the people and seeking righteousness for their sakes, not
for yourself as Haman did. Our faith and living for YHVH are all about the
Kingdom, about the people that needed to be reached so that they can receive
YHVHs Righteousness and become part of His Kingdom.
Clothed in Righteousness
Clothing as explained in the following verses depicts YHVHs righteousness:
Rev 19:8 It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and
clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.
8
Philadelphia
We will now use the Menorah Pattern to reveal the
Pergamos
Ephesus r
Thyatira
Laodicea
Ephesus
prophetic truths regarding the Seven Churches found in the
Smyrna
Sardis
Book of Revelation. Each of these Churches has a
Lampstand or Menorah in their midst:
Ephesus - the church that had forsaken its first love.
Smyrna - the church that would suffer persecution.
Pergamos - the church at Satans throne.
Thyatira - the church that had a false prophetess.
Sardis - the church that had fallen asleep.
Philadelphia - the church that had endured patiently.
Laodicea - the church with the lukewarm faith.
Five of the seven Churches received a rebuke; only Smyrna and Pergamos did
not. (Indicated in Green on the Menorah). One Church received a warning that their
Lampstand will be removed (Ephesus) and one Church received a warning that
they will be vomited out of YHVHs mouth (Laodicea). (Indicated in Red on the
Menorah).
9
on the outside of the Menorah Pattern. This gives us the insight that removing
the Lampstand is similar to being vomited out of YHVHs mouth as a
consequence of this sin, that is, a Menorah without oil. The Menorah is
connected to oil and light, YHVHs mouth is connected to His Word. This gives
us the revelation that caused both to receive a severe rebuke; no oil no light
and no Word.
Personal Application - Laodicea: The Menorah represents you, and it might
look good in the daytime (good times), but has no use at night (times of
testing/tribulation) when you have no oil/light / Word. You Menorah can look
good when you are amongst fellow believers, knowing and discussing the
Word, but has no light when among people in the world (look and talk just like
an unbeliever) when you have no oil in it. The Scripture is like the window, but
the Word of YHVH is the light that shines through it. You need the Menorah to
have the light, you need the window to have the light, and you need the oil
(love) to generate the light. The Scripture is ink on paper that can be read or
ignored, it can be placed on a shelf where it collects dust, but the Word of
YHVH is the light that shines forth from your life as depicted by the Menorah
filled with oil or love of YHVH.
Q How do I know if I really love YHVH?
Ask yourself why you do the things you do regarding your faith? What is your
motive when you engage in YHVHs things? Do you do it to be seen? Do you do
it to get something in return? Do you do it to go to heaven and avoid eternal
punishment or do you do it because you love Him and expect nothing in return?
These are the things we looked in Parashah 18 regarding the Four Guardians;
the Renter, the Borrower, the Paid Guardian and the Unpaid Guardian. The
ultimate faith walk is the one who do not expect anything in return from YHVH
but serve Him out of love and free will; that is what it means to have a First Love
Relationship with YHVH.
Do you see how the Menorah Pattern helps to link the thoughts and reveals
more depth regarding the spiritual truth? What is Scary is that the 7th Church
represents the Last Church just before the Coming of Messiah and we have the
same warning as them, living in the End Times. We should be careful in our
relationship with YHVH and examine ourselves to see if we dwell around the
Brazen Altar, or do we have a real Personal Relationship with YHVH that is a
First Love Relationship, perceived from His point of view.
10
Q - How will we see the Father Who is to come?
After the 1000 Year Millennium, the New Jerusalem will come down, and that
will be the final Dwelling Place of YHVH the Father among His people. The New
Jerusalem is a cube, just like the Holy of Holies is a cube, and this is where the
Father will dwell with the Son in His Tabernacle on the earth with His Bride.
Rev 21:2-3,10,22,24 And I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem,
coming down from Elohim out of Heaven, prepared as a bride adorned
for her husband. 3 And I heard a great voice out of Heaven, saying,
Behold, the Tabernacle of Elohim is with men, and He will dwell with
them; and they shall be His people, and Elohim Himself shall be with
them and be their Elohim. 10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a
great and high mountain and showed me that great city, the Holy
Jerusalem, descending out of Heaven from Elohim, 22 And I saw no
Temple therein, for YHVH El Shaddai and the Lamb are the Temple of it.
24 And the nations of them that are saved shall walk in the light of it, and
the kings of the earth bring their glory and honour into it.
The Bride will be gathered at the end of the Tribulation to celebrate and reign
with Yshua for 1000 years over the earth while Satan is bound. Then after the
1000 years, Satan will be released, deceive the people on the earth and then try
to attack Jerusalem. [Zec 14] Then YHVH will send fire from heaven and devour
the people attacking Jerusalem, and this is called the battle of Gog and Magog.
[Rev 20:7-10] After that the New Jerusalem will come down so that YHVH can
live among His people in His Tabernacle. This is the event described in Rev 21
where the City is called the Bride as well as the Tabernacle of God. So the
Bride will then come down to earth within the City, inside the Tabernacle with
the Father and the Son after the last battle and cleansing of the earth. Rev
21:22 states that there is no Temple inside this City and the Father and the Son
(YHVH and the Lamb) is the Temple and the City, which is the Tabernacle or
Dwelling Place of YHVH. That means that the Father and the Son and the Bride
from the City or Tabernacle or Dwelling Place where we will live together in
unity Echad. This is our Exceedingly Great Reward.
11
The End Time events can be looked at in context of the Menorah pattern with
the middle Branch representing the climax of YHVHs restoration process that is
depicted by the 100y Year Sabbath or Millennium. Then we find a mirror image
of the events before and after to reveal the Fallen State and the Restored State.
War - Armageddon
Woman Bride of
City - Babylon
Messiah
Babylon
12