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The name
of this parasha is “P-koo-day” - “amounts of or
number of” - referring to the amounts of the materials
given by the Jewish people to build the Mishkan.
A little
background: Israel has been redeemed from slavery
in Egypt with great power, signs and wonders,
and by the deaths of the Passover Lambs. We are
no longer slaves. We are a free people. We have
crossed through the Red Sea on dry ground. God
is providing for all of our needs, even miraculously,
with manna, and the water that came from the rock
that Moses struck. We’ve fought and defeated the
Amalekites by relying on the Lord, symbolized
by the hands of Moses being lifted up - then there
was victory. God then manifested His presence
on Mount Sinai, and the voice of God was heard
by all of Israel, and the Ten Commandments were
given. Other laws were given. Israel accepted
this covenant with God, promising to obey His
commands. Animals are killed, and blood is sprinkled
on the people. The covenant is confirmed.
Then Moses
and Aaron, Nadav and Avihu, and seventy of the
elders of Israel, climb Mount Sinai, and celebrate
this covenant with God. They had a meal on Mount
Sinai, and they saw the God of Israel, who manifested
Himself to them!
Now it’s
time to build the Mishkan The word Mishkan comes
from the Hebrew root Shachan, which means “to
dwell, to abide.” We get other Hebrew words like
neighbor and neighborhood from this same root.
You see, in spite of the Fall of man, and our
sinfulness, God still wanted to be our neighbor!
He wanted to dwell among us, and be a close and
good neighbor to us! He wanted to live in our
neighborhood! And, that’s the kind of God He still
is; but now He is dwelling among us, not in a
tent, or in a Temple made of wood and stones,
but in Messiah!
Then the
Lord called Moses up on Mount Sinai by himself,
where God gave him two stone tablets of the Ten
Commandments, written by the finger of God, along
with other laws, and the plans to make the Mishkan
and its various items. The plans for the Tabernacle
are described in chapters 25 through 31. Moses
remained on Mount Sinai for 40 days receiving
all this instruction.
Meanwhile,
at the bottom of Mount Sinai, the majority of
the Jewish people are quickly losing sight of
God, and His commands, and our covenant obligations.
The majority of Israel starts combining our religion
with the religions of the world around us. We
make a golden calf - other nations had visible
representations of their gods, so why shouldn’t
we too? O, we won’t deny the God of Israel altogether,
but let’s compromise a little, and worship the
God of Israel, and have an idol too! Even Aaron,
the brother of Moses, gets carried along.
If we
are not careful, it doesn’t take very long for
God to fade from our sight - only forty days -
less than two months. And if we do lose sight
of God, then we will start reverting to the ways
of the world around us. That’s scary! So, let’s
keep our eyes on the Lord!
Moses
comes down, destroys the Two Tablets of the Ten
Commandments, and ends this shameful debauchery.
3,000 men are killed, the golden calf is burned
up, ground into powder, scattered in water, and
the people forced to drink it, showing everyone
that it is no god. Then Moses intercedes with
the Lord, so that He does not destroy Israel.
Moses goes back up on Mount Sinai, and gets a
greater revelation of the Lord than he ever has
before. The Lord reveals His Thirteen Attributes
to Moses. Moses comes down after this second 40
days with his face glowing, and with another set
of the Two Tablets of the Ten Commandments.
Then Moses
assembles all the people, and takes an offering
to raise the things needed to build the Mishkan.
It was taken only from those who freely wanted
to give. And, most of the people responded. There
was a great outpouring of wealth. The people had
to be restrained from giving, because too much
was being given! When things are right between
us and God, we will want to give voluntarily,
willingly, generously to build up the Dwelling
Place of God. Do you?
The God
of Glory is so beautiful, so precious, so valuable,
and in keeping with who He is, the Mishkan was
made from valuable and precious materials: gold,
silver, skins, oil, spices, and precious stones.
B’tzalel, Oholiav, and the other men and women
of skill begin making the articles of the Mishkan:
the curtains, the boards, the veil, the Ark and
Ark covering, the Table to hold the bread and
wine, the Golden Menorah and Golden Altar of Incense,
the Bronze Altar and Washbasin. The Court, with
its pillars, sockets, and hangings of linen, were
made.
That brings
us to today’s section of the Torah, chapter 38,
verses 21-31, which is a tally of the amounts
of precious metals given. Approximately 2800 pounds
of gold, 9600 pounds of silver, and 6700 pounds
of bronze were given! That’s a lot. This generosity
is an indicator of Israel’s love for God. When
there is genuine love and dedication for God,
normally it is accompanied with an outpouring
of wealth to build up the Dwelling Place of God
on Earth. A person’s checkbook is generally a
good indicator of their true spiritual condition.
Where your heart is, that’s where your checks
will be too!
That brings
us to chapter 39, verses 1-31, which describes
the beautiful garments of the High Priest, and
the other priests. A Holy God needs a Holy People,
and a Holy Land, and a Holy City, and a Holy House,
and a Holy Place, and a Most Holy Place. Serving
in the Holy House there must be a Holy Priesthood.
A Holy Priesthood needs Holy Garments - special,
beautiful clothing. The clothing of the High Priest
included a breastplate, which was a square piece
of beautiful material, with twelve precious stones,
representing the twelve tribes of Israel. The
breastplate was placed on the front of the ephod,
which was a short, close-fitting jacket.
The ephod
also had two onyx stones, which were placed on
the shoulder pieces of the ephod. The names of
six tribes were carved on each stone. When the
High Priest wore the ephod and breastplate near
his heart, the Lord saw the stones, He remembered
His love and promises and covenants with all of
Israel.
Under
the New Covenant, Messiah Yeshua is our High Priest,
who carries us on His heart, into the presence
of God. The Father sees the Son, and love and
accepts Him, and because we are joined to Messiah,
and are bone of His bone, and flesh os His flesh,
God sees us and remembers us with love and mercy
as He sees His Son!
There
was a beautiful blue robe, worn under the ephod.
The blue robe had a hem of golden bells interspersed
with pomegranates of blue and scarlet and purple
material. When the priest served in the Holy Place,
the bells made their sounds, and nothing secret
or strange would take place, and the Lord would
not kill the priest. May the Lord keep each one
of us from secret and wrong behaviors that would
bring His wrath down upon us!
The priest
also had to wear a hat - a turban, with a gold
plate, with the words, “kodesh l’Adonai - holy
to the Lord” inscribed on it, telling us that
the head of the priest, and by implication, whole
priest, was set apart by God to accomplish God’s
purposes. Since the High Priest was holy to the
Lord, God would accept the priest, who represented
the nation of Israel, and who mediated on behalf
of the Jewish people. These were the garments
of the high priest. Ordinary priests had tunics,
sashes and caps, and linen underwear.
Under
the New Covenant, every Messianic Jew and every
Christian is also a priest. We are mediators between
God and men. We know the Lord, and we bring the
knowledge and blessings of God to the rest of
the world. A priest needs to be prepared for this
great task. He needs to wear the right clothing.
He or she reflects a little of the glory and beauty
of God. God must be seen as attractive, which
in truth He is.
What is
our clothing today? Holiness. Salvation. Godliness.
Being like Messiah. Are you clothed with the beautiful
new spiritual garments of salvation, and the robes
of righteousness? Is the way you conduct yourself
attractive to others? Does it reflect something
of Messiah, something of God?
May I
also say that on a more mundane, practical level,
if possible, when you are serving the Lord, dress
nice. Look attractive. Don’t wear schlocky clothes,
but nice clothes, when you come to worship the
Lord at the synagogue, and when you are serving
the Lord in other capacities.
Before
we come to Chapter 40, let me make another observation.
Six times, in verses 5, 7, 21, 26, 29, 31, the
words,“ka-ah-sher tzee-vah Adonai et Moshe - just
as the Lord commanded Moses.” Ka-ah-sher tzee-vah
Adonai et Moshe - just as the Lord commanded Moses.
Ka-ah-sher tzee-vah Adonai et Moshe - just as
the Lord commanded Moses.
Verse
32 informs us that all the work of the Mishkan
was now completed. The sons of Israel had done
everything according to all that the Lord commanded
Moses.
Then,
everything is brought to Moses, Israel’s leader.
Moses examined all the work, and seeing that had
been done just as God commanded, Moses blessed
them. I like that: Israel’s leader, and the mediator
between God and Israel, blessed them. And we too
will be blessed when we are careful and do everything
just as the Lord commanded us. Are you? But if
we are not careful, and don’t find out what God
has commanded, and don’t pursue what it is that
the Lord has commanded us, we will not receive
this kind of blessing.
That brings
us to the Chapter 40, the last chapter of the
book of Exodus.
Everything
has been built, but more needs to be done, before
God’s Sh’chee-nah, His Neighboring Presence, will
descend to the Mishkan, and the Living God dwell
among us.
The Torah
record that almost one year after Israel left
Egypt, on the first day of the first month, meaning
Nisan, the Tabernacle and everything in it was
set up, and put in place. But that wasn’t enough.
Building a building isn’t enough. It must be sanctified.
It must be made holy. It must be set apart for
God’s special purposes, before it can be indwelt
by God.
Outward
religion, even God ordained religion, is not enough.
A nice building is not enough. A prayer - even
a good prayer, reciting a confession or a creed
- even a good confession or creed, reading the
Bible is not enough.
Verse
9 tells us that the Mishkan and everything in
it had to be anointed by oil. The oil represents
the Holy Spirit. It is the indwelling presence
of the Holy Spirit that brings religious objects
and activities to life, and gives them true spiritual
power. Do you have the Holy Spirit? Is He living
and dwelling in you? Are you a little Mishkan?
And, the
priests not only needed to be anointed, but also
washed with water. A priest must be clean in order
to fulfill his tasks. A priest’s hands, which
represents his actions, and his feet, which represents
his walk, his lifestyle, must be clean in order
to serve God, come into God’s presence, and bring
the blessings of God to other people.
Under
the New Covenant, every Messianic Jew and every
Christian is a priest. We know God, and we bring
the knowledge and blessings of God to the rest
of the world. A priest needs to be prepared for
this great task. He needs to be clean. It’s not
good to try and serve God with dirty hands and
feet. Are your hands clean so that you can serve
God in the best way possible? Are there things
that you are doing that are dirtying your hands,
that you need to stop doing? Are your feet clean
so that you are walking with God, and living according
to His ways?
Have you
transferred your sins onto the head of the Ultimate
Sacrifice, the Messiah, by believing in Him, His
death and resurrection, and confessing your sins
to God? Are you turning away from sinful things,
and are you turning to God’s ways? Have you been
washed by the waters of baptism? Do you continue
to be washed by the cleansing that comes from
exposure to the Word of God? Do you continue to
be washed by confessing your sins, when you do
sin, and asking the Lord to forgive you, and by
His grace, help you to do better?
The tent
is set up, having been built according to God’s
command; everything else is also set up and in
its place. Everything is anointed; the bread is
on the Table, the lamps of the Menorah are lit,
fragrant incense is burned on the Golden Altar,
burnt offerings and grain offerings are burnt
on the Bronze Altar, representing the dedication
of God’s people, and their trust in God for providing
for their food. The Bronze Wash Basin is filled
with water, and used to wash the hands and feet
of Moses, Aaron and Aaron’s sons. The priests
are clothed in their garments, and anointed and
washed, and clean. What is going to happen? God
is going to come, and reveal Himself in a powerful
way!
Verses
34 through 38, which we earlier read in Hebrew
from the Torah, powerfully conclude this book:
Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting,
and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.
This is
the same cloud in which the Lord came down, while
the Jewish people were in Egypt, leading us, and
protecting us from the Egyptians; this is the
same cloud in which the Lord descended on Mount
Sinai.
The cloud
tells us that the God of Israel is so much greater
and purer than us that He is hidden from human
sight. He can not be seen by mortal eyes. No mortal
can gaze on the unveiled majesty that is God.
Even Moses, the man of God; God’s servant, our
leader and mediator, couldn’t approach the glorious
dwelling presence of God.
And
Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting
because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory
of the Lord - a special measure of the manifested
presence of God, either more light, or a special
heaviness, filled the tabernacle.
While
the older covenant mediated by Moses made having
distance from God essential, the New Covenant
make distance from God impossible! No more clouds.
No more veils. No more walls and temples to keep
us distant from our Heavenly Father. Now we are
joined to Yeshua, the Mediator of the New Covenant.
By placing our faith in Messiah, we are joined
to Him who is joined to God! We become bone of
His bone, and flesh of His flesh. His Spirit indwells
us, and we become the Mishkan of God!
Throughout
all their journeys whenever the cloud was taken
up from over the tabernacle, the sons of Israel
would set out; but if the cloud was not taken
up, then they did not set out until the day when
it was taken up.
And the
same should be true with us on our journey through
life. We keep our eyes on God. When He guides
and directs, we get up and go in that new direction.
When He moves, we move. If He doesn’t move - we
stay. If He says, “Loren My son, I want you to
head in a new direction. I want you to leave the
staff of Jews for Jesus, leave New York, and move
to Michigan. I will lead the way. I will be with
you. I will bless you” - then Loren must go. If
God says, “Nancy, I know you are doing a good
job for Me here in Michigan, but the cloud of
My Presence is moving to New York - but don’t
worry - I will be with you and guide you and protect
you” - then Nancy needs to start getting ready
to go.
For
throughout all their journeys, the cloud of the
Lord was on the tabernacle by day, and there was
fire in it by night, in the sight of all the house
of Israel. Wow! Day and night, for almost
forty years, the glorious presence of the Creator
of the Universe, could be seen by all of Israel.
And, if anyone else from the other nations got
close, they too would see that the Holy People
were blessed with the presence of the one true
and living God. God was alive and living among
His people Israel.
May this
same God, manifest His presence in and through
us, more and more, as we do just as He commands,
building according to His plan, have everything
set in its place, filled with the Holy Spirit,
washed and cleansed and serving the Lord, so that
all the world may know that the Lord God of Israel
is God, and the Messiah Yeshua is Lord and Savior!
And, may this glorious God once again restore
His visible presence to the nation of Israel.
And let us say, “Amayn”!
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