|
This Shabbat
we are looking at two weeks’ worth of readings
from the Torah: Ki Tissa (meaning “When
you take a count [or census]”) and
Vayyakhel (meaning “And he assembled”).
These parashot cover Exodus chapters 30 through
the end of the book. From Exodus chapter 19 through
Numbers chapter 10 we are primarily looking at
the Sinai Treaty. Moses is still up on the mountain
in the presence of God, receiving instructions
about the furnishings of the Tabernacle; including
the bronze laver (or basin) for the priestly ceremonial
washing, the special anointing oil for use exclusively
by the priests, and the special incense - also
for sacred use only. In fact, so serious were
God’s commandments concerning sacred things that
death was the penalty for any unauthorized use
of either the anointing oil or the incense. Aaron’s
sons Nadav and Avihu would later transgress this
and as a result forfeit their lives.
In chapter
31 we’re introduced to some very creative guys
- Bezalel and Oholiav and a group of people who
were uniquely gifted by God to manufacture all
the ornate furnishings for the Tent of Meeting.
They were enabled to do wood carving and stone
cutting and metal smithing. Do you have artistic
or musical skills? If you do, it is because you
were given them by God. You should not
neglect those gifts. Do not bury them, as it were,
like the lazy and wicked servant who was rebuked.
You also want to be careful to give the praise
to God and not seek accolades for yourself when
you do exercise those artistic gifts.
Also in
chapter 31 God reminds Moses of the seriousness
of the Sabbath, declaring that it is to be a sign
between the Lord and the people of Israel throughout
our generations. In fact, in verse 17 God says,
“It is a sign between Me and the sons of Israel
forever...” After this, God gives Moses the tablets
which He Himself inscribed.
But while
all this is going on atop Mt. Sinai, trouble is
brewing back in the camp. Two words: Golden Calf.
When Moses seemed to have been gone a long time,
our people panicked and urged Aaron to fashion
an idol to which they could then point and say,
“This is your god, O Israel, who brought you up
from the land of Egypt!” This despite the fact
that just six weeks earlier God descended on Sinai
and our people were told in no uncertain terms
not to make gods (idols) for ourselves. Aaron
acceded to their wishes, instructing the people
to bring him their fine jewelry and he took their
golden earrings and manufactured a golden abomination.
Our people offered sacrifices to the idol and
sat down to eat and then - the Scriptures treat
it euphemistically - “rose up to play” which is
a figure of speech still employed in some places
to refer to illicit sexual activity.
God tells
Moses to go down quickly, saying, “Your people,
whom you brought up from the land of Egypt, have
corrupted themselves...” Moses pleads on their
behalf, but says to the Lord that they are, “Your
people, whom You brought out from the land of
Egypt...”. Moses entreats God to be merciful for
the sake of the Patriarchs and reminds Him of
His covenant promises to Israel. On account of
Moses’ plea, God relents and Israel is spared,
but that did not mean there would not be consequences.
In fact, Moses, after throwing down the tablets
containing the 10 Commandments, drew the proverbial
line in the sand and said, “Whoever is for the
Lord, come to me!” Out of the entire nation, all
twelve tribes, only the tribe of Levi was willing
to stand up for what was right. Three thousand
of the leaders of that rebellion were put to death
that day. It is a tragic chapter in our history,
and its central placement in this part of the
Torah - it actually interrupts the chapters dealing
with the construction of the Tabernacle - is quite
intentional. We learn three important lessons
from it.
First,
only one out of the twelve tribes was willing
to stand up for Adonai that day. What does that
tell us? It tells me that merely following the
majority never, ever makes something right, neither
will it ever excuse our wrong choices or our wrong
actions.
Second,
it reveals both the falsehood and folly of the
claim that Jewish people do not need a middleman,
but can go directly to God. Really? Had Moses
not placed himself squarely between the wrath
of God and our people, the entire nation would
have been obliterated - and justly so. Neither
would this be the last time that Moses had to
serve as intermediary between God and Israel.
If Jewish people do not need a “middleman” then
you are hard-pressed to explain why God instituted
an entire caste of middlemen called kohaneem
- priests - to serve between Himself and the nation.
In fact, a correct understanding of the Levitical
system makes obvious why Messiah Yeshua had to
offer His life in place of ours. The innocent
party for the guilty; the just standing in for
the unjust. As the prophet Yeshayahu declared
“... by His wounds we are healed”.
Third,
a veneer of religious activity does not transform
what is evil into what is good. Aaron attempted
to sanitize the making of an idol by saying, “Tomorrow
will be a feast to Adonai”. We must not confuse
“spirituality” with theological reality. God exists,
He is to be revered, and we may not make up the
rules as we go along. We must abide by the terms
He has set forth.
God declared
our people to be stubborn and obstinate. That
caused the nation to go into mourning, and for
the duration of the wilderness wandering our people
no longer wore jewelry or any ornamentation. Now
it was time to move on. God instructed Moses to
cut two stone tablets like the first ones, and
to climb Mt. Sinai again, and God would inscribe
the second set. Moses ventured to ask an audacious
thing - he asked God to show him His glory. God
allowed Moses to see His receding glory, but no
man may see the face of God and live. As He passed
by, the Lord declared His name and His glorious
attributes, which we read earlier in our service.
It is difficult to imagine what infinite holiness
breaking into this earthly dimension would be
like, but when Moses returned from the mountain,
his face shone from having been in God’s presence.
The balance
of chapter 34 contains reminders that we were
not to make any treaties with the inhabitants
of Canaan, nor to intermarry with them, which
would lead inevitably to idolatry. We were also
commanded to celebrate Passover, Shavuot and Sukkot,
the three annual pilgrimage festivals, and charged
with honoring the Sabbath. I think it is important
to note that the prohibition against intermarriage
had nothing to do with ethnicity, but with the
threat of idolatry. Moses himself later married
an Ethiopian woman. Aaron and Miriam grumbled
about it, and God rebuked the two of them!
Chapters
35 to 40 resume the construction of the Tabernacle.
It is far more upbeat than the tragic events surrounding
the Golden Calf debacle. Bezalel and Oholiav and
the skilled craftsmen got to work fashioning both
the structure itself and all the adornments to
it. But they ran into a problem - but it was a
good problem. They came to Moses and said,
“The people are bringing much more than enough
for the construction work which the Lord commanded
us to perform.” So Moses had to tell the people,
“Enough, already!” You know, if I hadn’t read
it for myself, I would have been hard pressed
to believe that people had to be restrained from
giving their gold and silver. But there it is,
in Exodus 36.
There
is a lesson for us in this as well. You see, God
forgave our people for our grievous sin. We fully
deserved to be struck down in the wilderness for
what we did. Yet because Moses stood in the gap
for us, God relented and forgave us. What does
it feel like to be forgiven? What does it feel
like having had a death sentence over you and
the Judge pronounces the penalty already paid?
You’re set free! Wouldn’t you be beside yourself
with relief and joy? And how would you express
your appreciation? Wouldn’t you want to do something
really nice! So when the opportunity came, our
people responded with exuberance, and gave way
over-and-above. God really does love a cheerful
giver. And it’s really, really easy to be cheerful
in giving when you realize what you’ve been given.
Seven
times in chapter 39 we read that the sons of Israel
constructed the components of the Tabernacle just
as the Lord had commanded Moses. Finally,
the chapter ends with one more affirmation: And
Moses examined all the work and behold, they had
done it; just as the Lord had commanded, this
they had done. So Moses blessed them. And
in chapter 40 the Tabernacle is erected, its furnishings
put into place, and then the glory of the Lord
descended, filling the Tabernacle - His presence
so glorious and powerful that Moses could not
even enter the Tent of Meeting. And in chapter
40 the book of Exodus comes to a conclusion by
stating that throughout all Israel’s wilderness
journeys, God’s presence in cloud by day and fire
by night was always over the Tabernacle, leading
and guiding our way.
God is
still leading and guiding His people today. We
have guidance through His Word, the Holy Scriptures.
We who have put our trust in Messiah Yeshua have
greater guidance also through the indwelling of
the Holy Spirit, through whom we are able to have
insight into the Word of God, and to discern truth
from error. Even when we foolishly build our own
golden calves, as it were, God is able to restore
us if we’ll humble ourselves and confess that
sin.
But those
blessings are only applicable to God’s people.
Contrary to popular misconception, we are not
all God’s children. Israel had to formally agree
to enter that covenant with God before they could
be called His people. Covenant-making is no trivial
matter. Terms are set forth. Vows are made. Witnesses
are present. And when you enter that covenant,
you are under obligation. You are no longer a
“free agent”. But then too, when you enter the
covenant, you also reap the promised benefits
contained in it.
Following
Yeshua, Jesus of Nazareth, involves way more than
saying, “Sure, I believe.” It is a formal, life-long
commitment to be openly identified with him, no
matter the cost. You must willingly, openly confess
Him to be your Messiah and Redeemer, and that
in the presence of witnesses. You agree to abide
by the terms, the conditions of His Covenant.
Only then will you enjoy the inestimable benefits
and joy of belonging to Him. Oh, by the way, His
terms are easy and His conditions light - just
another way of saying “You can do this!”
Shalom,
Rabbi Glenn |
