Elul 6, 5765 / Sept 10, 2005

Today’s portions relate the past, present, and future meanings of the priesthood and Temple. Both the Tabernacle and Temple were earthly models of the eternal heavenly Temple.

The Torah portion tells of the priest’s garments (See Commentary Y2-14 for details and pictures of the priest’s

garments), prepared for service in the Tabernacle. This Tabernacle was the place where God met with man for about 500 years, and may be seen as representative of this present life. A tabernacle (as the word sukkah is used in Scripture) is a temporary building. Our present earthly bodies are called tabernacles, and Yeshua came 2000 years ago in His tabernacle.

“For we know that if the earthly tabernacle which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our house from heaven” – 2 Corinthians 5:1-2.

“And the Word became flesh, and tabernacled among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth” – John 1:14.

The Haftarah portion (1 Kings) tells of the furnishings being completed for the Temple of the Holy One. This Temple was the place for God to meet with man for about 1000 years, and was representative of future earth. The Psalm speaks of the awesomeness of God as seen from His sanctuary – the Tabernacle or Temple.

“Because of Your Temple at Jerusalem kings will bring gifts to You. . . O God, You are awesome from Your sanctuary” – Psalm 68:29, 35.

The Apostolic portion speaks of our High Priest Yeshua, in the heavenly Temple.

“We have such a high priest, who has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a minister in the sanctuary and in the true Tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man” – Hebrews 8:1-2.

In the earthly models, Levitical priests offered sacrifices for sin, and thanksgiving offerings. Yeshua, who is our priest – after Malchi Tzedek, not the Levites – has made the ultimate sacrifice for our sins: the sacrifice that all the earthly animals pictured, and will picture in future sacrifices.

Ezekiel 45 gives commandment concerning how future sacrifices and offerings are to be performed. It is important, for understanding God’s Word, that we see that animal sacrifices never took away sin (“For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins” Hebrews 10:4): they were pictures of Yeshua, and in the future will still be valid pictures of Yeshua. The Passover sacrifice of Tabernacle times was intended to picture Yeshua’s future crucifixion; and after Yeshua’s work was accomplished, was to be a memorial picture of Yeshua’s crucifixion (“Do this in remembrance of Me” – 1 Corinthians 11:24). The past picture of what He was to do in the then-unseen future, will still be a valid future picture of what He did in the now-unseen past. The fulfillment of the crucifixion, which could only be seen for a brief moment, did not negate the usefulness of pictures to promote understanding and remembrance of its application to us.

When the Tabernacle was traveling in the wilderness, as the Ark moved, Moses said, (Numbers 10:36) “Arise, Yahweh! Let Your enemies be scattered, and let those who hate You flee before You”. But in Temple times, which

picture God’s permanent restoration of earth, the Psalm says, (v.1-3) “Let Elohim (the Creator-Judge) arise! Let His enemies be scattered, and let His enemies flee before Him.” And, “Let the wicked perish in the face of Elohim.” Smoke or vapor symbolize the haughty man, whose pride drives him to higher and higher toward power and riches, only to have it dispersed as he perishes. So, for the present we see the grace of Yahweh, in patience; but in the end, the judgment of Elohim, taking vengeance.

We have a God – Yahweh – Who deals with us in grace. He is loving toward us, working all things together for our good – even if it doesn’t always feel good to us. We can rest in Him, assured that He cares for us. Some of us have a hard time ‘feeling’ that we really have such a God. It isn’t a matter of us feeling lovey-dovey about God, but knowing that He created us for His glory, and is leading us to our final state. Today’s Psalm reads, (V.19-20) “Blessed be Yahweh, who daily bears our burden, the God who is our salvation. Selah. God is to us a God of deliverances; and to El Yahweh belong escapes from death.” We should note here, that His “deliverances” are from sin, resulting in our “escapes from death.”

But for those who have no part with Yeshua, it is not so. There is a judgment coming, where none can stand on his own before a Holy God.

In the last part of today’s Psalm, we are seen by God’s enemies, as we enter with a procession into the Temple: (v.24-26) “They have seen Thy procession, O God, The procession of my God, my King, into the sanctuary. The singers went on, the musicians after them, in the midst of the maidens beating tambourines. Bless God in the congregations, even Yahweh, you who are of the fountain of Israel.”

And once we are inside the Temple, it is: (v.35) “O God, Thou art awesome from Thy sanctuary. The God of Israel Himself gives strength and power to the people. Blessed be God!”

Then the Apostolic portion gives fitting conclusion: (Hebrews 8:1-2) “Now the main point in what has been said is this: we have such a high priest, who has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a minister in the sanctuary, and in the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man.” We have a high priest, who makes atonements for our sin. He is clothed in glory and light, and sits in the heavenly Temple. We have a savior Who loved us enough to go to an agonizing death for us, and lives to lead us to walk with Him, and is coming back to rule a perfected creation.

Readings:

Reader 1*  Amen. ¹ Moreover, from the blue and purple and scarlet material, they made finely woven garments for ministering in the holy place as well as the holy garments which were for Aaron, just as Yahweh had commanded Moses. ² He made the ephod of gold, and of blue and purple and scarlet material, and fine twisted linen. ³ Then they hammered out gold sheets and cut them into threads to be woven in with the blue and the purple and the scarlet material, and the fine linen, the work of a skillful workman. ⁴ They made attaching shoulder pieces for the ephod; it was attached at its two upper ends. ⁵ The skillfully woven band which was on it was like its workmanship, of the same material: of gold and of blue and purple and scarlet material, and fine twisted linen, just as Yahweh had commanded Moses.

Reader 2*  Amen. ⁶ They made the onyx stones, set in gold filigree settings; they were engraved like the engravings of a signet, according to the names of the sons of Israel. ⁷ And he placed them on the shoulder pieces of the ephod, as memorial stones for the sons of Israel, just as Yahweh had commanded Moses. ⁸ He made the breastpiece, the work of a skillful workman, like the workmanship of the ephod: of gold and of blue and purple and scarlet material and fine twisted linen. ⁹ It was square; they made the breastpiece folded double, a span long and a span wide when folded double. ¹⁰ And they mounted four rows of stones on it. The first row was a row of ruby, topaz, and emerald; ¹¹ and the second row, a turquoise, a sapphire and a diamond; ¹² and the third row, a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst; ¹³ and the fourth row, a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper. They were set in gold filigree settings when they were mounted. ¹⁴ The stones were corresponding to the names of the sons of Israel; they were twelve, corresponding to their names, engraved with the engravings of a signet, each with its name for the twelve tribes.

Reader 3*  Amen. ¹⁵ They made on the breastpiece chains like cords, of twisted cordage work in pure gold. ¹⁶ They made two gold filigree settings and two gold rings, and put the two rings on the two ends of the breastpiece. ¹⁷ Then they put the two gold cords in the two rings at the ends of the breastpiece. ¹⁸ They put the other two ends of the two cords on the two filigree settings, and put them on the shoulder pieces of the ephod at the front of it.

Reader 4*  Amen. ¹⁹ They made two gold rings and placed them on the two ends of the breastpiece, on its inner edge which was next to the ephod. ²⁰ Furthermore, they made two gold rings and placed them on the bottom of the two shoulder pieces of the ephod, on the front of it, close to the place where it joined, above the woven band of the ephod. ²¹ They bound the breastpiece by its rings to the rings of the ephod with a blue cord, so that it would be on the woven band of the ephod, and that the breastpiece would not come loose from the ephod, just as Yahweh had commanded Moses.

Reader 5*  Amen. ²² Then he made the robe of the ephod of woven work, all of blue; ²³ and the opening of the robe was at the top in the center, as the opening of a coat of mail, with a binding all around its opening, so that it would not be torn. ²⁴ They made pomegranates of blue and purple and scarlet material and twisted linen on the hem of the robe. ²⁵ They also made bells of pure gold, and put the bells between the pomegranates all around on the hem of the robe, ²⁶ alternating a bell and a pomegranate all around on the hem of the robe for the service, just as Yahweh had commanded Moses.

Reader 6*  Amen. ²⁷ They made the tunics of finely woven linen for Aaron and his sons, ²⁸ and the turban of fine linen, and the decorated caps of fine linen, and the linen breeches of fine twisted linen, ²⁹ and the sash of fine twisted linen, and blue and purple and scarlet material, the work of the weaver, just as Yahweh had commanded Moses.

Reader 7*  Amen. ³⁰ They made the plate of the holy crown of pure gold, and inscribed it like the engravings of a signet, "Holy to Yahweh." ³¹ They fastened a blue cord to it, to fasten it on the turban above, just as Yahweh had commanded Moses. ³² Thus all the work of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting was completed; and the sons of Israel did according to all that Yahweh had commanded Moses; so they did.

1 Kings 7:13

Reader 8*  Amen. ¹³ Now King Solomon sent and brought Hiram from Tyre. ¹⁴ He was a widow's son from the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a worker in bronze; and he was filled with wisdom and understanding and skill for doing any work in bronze. So he came to King Solomon and performed all his work. ¹⁵ He fashioned the two pillars of bronze; eighteen cubits was the height of one pillar, and a line of twelve cubits measured the circumference of both. ¹⁶ He also made two capitals of molten bronze to set on the tops of the pillars; the height of the one capital was five cubits and the height of the other capital was five cubits. ¹⁷ There were nets of network and twisted threads of chainwork for the capitals which were on the top of the pillars; seven for the one capital and seven for the other capital. ¹⁸ So he made the pillars, and two rows around on the one network to cover the capitals which were on the top of the pomegranates; and so he did for the other capital. ¹⁹ The capitals which were on the top of the pillars in the porch were of lily design, four cubits. ²⁰ There were capitals on the two pillars, even above and close to the rounded projection which was beside the network; and the pomegranates numbered two hundred in rows around both capitals. ²¹ Thus he set up the pillars at the porch of the nave; and he set up the right pillar and named it Jachin, and he set up the left pillar and named it Boaz. ²² On the top of the pillars was lily design. So the work of the pillars was finished.

Reader 9*  Amen. ²³ Now he made the sea of cast metal ten cubits from brim to brim, circular in form, and its height was five cubits, and thirty cubits in circumference. ²⁴ Under its brim gourds went around encircling it ten to a cubit, completely surrounding the sea; the gourds were in two rows, cast with the rest. ²⁵ It stood on twelve oxen, three facing north, three facing west, three facing south, and three facing east; and the sea was set on top of them, and all their rear parts turned inward. ²⁶ It was a handbreadth thick, and its brim was made like the brim of a cup, as a lily blossom; it could hold two thousand baths.

Reader 10*  Amen. ²⁷ Then he made the ten stands of bronze; the length of each stand was four cubits and its width four cubits and its height three cubits. ²⁸ This was the design of the stands: they had borders, even borders between the frames, ²⁹ and on the borders which were between the frames were lions, oxen and cherubim; and on the frames there was a pedestal above, and beneath the lions and oxen were wreaths of hanging work. ³⁰ Now each stand had four bronze wheels with bronze axles, and its four feet had supports; beneath the basin were cast supports with wreaths at each side. ³¹ Its opening inside the crown at the top was a cubit, and its opening was round like the design of a pedestal, a cubit and a half; and also on its opening there were engravings, and their borders were square, not round. ³² The four wheels were underneath the borders, and the axles of the wheels were on the stand. And the height of a wheel was a cubit and a half. ³³ The workmanship of the wheels was like the workmanship of a chariot wheel. Their axles, their rims, their spokes, and their hubs were all cast. ³⁴ Now there were four supports at the four corners of each stand; its supports were part of the stand itself. ³⁵ On the top of the stand there was a circular form half a cubit high, and on the top of the stand its stays and its borders were part of it. ³⁶ He engraved on the plates of its stays and on its borders, cherubim, lions and palm trees, according to the clear space on each, with wreaths all around. ³⁷ He made the ten stands like this: all of them had one casting, one measure and one form.

Reader 11*  Amen. ³⁸ He made ten basins of bronze, one basin held forty baths; each basin was four cubits, and on each of the ten stands was one basin. ³⁹ Then he set the stands, five on the right side of the house and five on the left side of the house; and he set the sea of cast metal on the right side of the house eastward toward the south. ⁴⁰ Now Hiram made the basins and the shovels and the bowls. So Hiram finished doing all the work which he performed for King Solomon in the house of Yahweh: ⁴¹ the two pillars and the two bowls of the capitals which were on the top of the two pillars, and the two networks to cover the two bowls of the capitals which were on the top of the pillars; ⁴² and the four hundred pomegranates for the two networks, two rows of pomegranates for each network to cover the two bowls of the capitals which were on the tops of the pillars; ⁴³ and the ten stands with the ten basins on the stands; ⁴⁴ and the one sea and the twelve oxen under the sea; ⁴⁵ and the pails and the shovels and the bowls; even all these utensils which Hiram made for King Solomon in the house of Yahweh were of polished bronze. ⁴⁶ In the plain of the Jordan the king cast them, in the clay ground between Succoth and Zarethan. ⁴⁷ Solomon left all the utensils unweighed, because they were too many; the weight of the bronze could not be ascertained.

Reader 12*  Amen. ⁴⁸ Solomon made all the furniture which was in the house of Yahweh: the golden altar and the golden table on which was the bread of the Presence; ⁴⁹ and the lampstands, five on the right side and five on the left, in front of the inner sanctuary, of pure gold; and the flowers and the lamps and the tongs, of gold; ⁵⁰ and the cups and the snuffers and the bowls and the spoons and the firepans, of pure gold; and the hinges both for the doors of the inner house, the most holy place, and for the doors of the house, that is, of the nave, of gold. ⁵¹ Thus all the work that King Solomon performed in the house of Yahweh was finished. And Solomon brought in the things dedicated by his father David, the silver and the gold and the utensils, and he put them in the treasuries of the house of Yahweh.

Psalm 68    (To be sung.)    For the choir director. A Psalm for David. A Song.

¹ Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered, and let those who hate Him flee before Him. ² As smoke is driven away, so drive them away; as wax melts before the fire, so let the wicked perish before God. ³ But let the righteous be glad; let them exult before God; Yes, let them rejoice with gladness. ⁴ Sing to God, sing praises to His name; lift up a song for Him who rides through the deserts, Whose name is Yahweh, and exult before Him. ⁵ A father of the fatherless and a judge for the widows, is God in His holy habitation. ⁶ God makes a home for the lonely; He leads out the prisoners into prosperity, only the rebellious dwell in a parched land. ⁷ O God, when You went forth before Your people, when You marched through the wilderness, Selah. ⁸ The earth quaked; the heavens also dropped rain at the presence of God; Sinai itself quaked at the presence of God, the God of Israel. ⁹ You shed abroad a plentiful rain, O God; You confirmed Your inheritance when it was parched. ¹⁰ Your creatures settled in it; You provided in Your goodness for the poor, O God. ¹¹ Yahweh gives the command; the women who proclaim the good tidings are a great host: ¹² "Kings of armies flee, they flee, and she who remains at home will divide the spoil!" ¹³ When you lie down among the sheepfolds, You are like the wings of a dove covered with silver, and its pinions with glistening gold. ¹⁴ When the Almighty scattered the kings there, it was snowing in Zalmon. ¹⁵ A mountain of God is the mountain of Bashan; a mountain of many peaks is the mountain of Bashan. ¹⁶ Why do you look with envy, O mountains with many peaks, at the mountain which God has desired for His abode? Surely Yahweh will dwell there forever. ¹⁷ The chariots of God are myriads, thousands upon thousands; Yahweh is among them as at Sinai, in holiness. ¹⁸ You have ascended on high, You have led captive Your captives; You have received gifts among men, even among the rebellious also, that Yahweh God may dwell there. ¹⁹ Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears our burden, the God who is our salvation. Selah. ²⁰ God is to us a God of deliverances; and to Lord Yahweh belong escapes from death. ²¹ Surely God will shatter the head of His enemies, the hairy crown of him who goes on in his guilty deeds. ²² Yahweh said, "I will bring them back from Bashan. I will bring them back from the depths of the sea; ²³ that your foot may shatter them in blood, the tongue of your dogs may have its portion from your enemies." ²⁴ They have seen Your procession, O God, the procession of my God, my King, into the sanctuary. ²⁵ The singers went on, the musicians after them, in the midst of the maidens beating tambourines. ²⁶ Bless God in the congregations, even Yahweh, you who are of the fountain of Israel. ²⁷ There is Benjamin, the youngest, ruling them, the princes of Judah in their throng, the princes of Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali. ²⁸ Your God has commanded your strength; show Yourself strong, O God, who have acted on our behalf. ²⁹ Because of Your Temple at Jerusalem kings will bring gifts to You. ³⁰ Rebuke the beasts in the reeds, the herd of bulls with the calves of the peoples, trampling under foot the pieces of silver; He has scattered the peoples who delight in war. ³¹ Envoys will come out of Egypt; Ethiopia will quickly stretch out her hands to God. ³² Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth, sing praises to Yahweh, Selah. ³³ To Him who rides upon the highest heavens, which are from ancient times; behold, He speaks forth with His voice, a mighty voice. ³⁴ Ascribe strength to God; His majesty is over Israel and His strength is in the skies. ³⁵ O God, You are awesome from Your sanctuary. The God of Israel Himself gives strength and power to the people. Blessed be God!

Hebrews 8:1-5

Reader 13*  Amen. ¹ Now the main point in what has been said is this: we have such a high priest, who has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, ² a minister in the sanctuary and in the true Tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man. ³ For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices; so it is necessary that this high priest also have something to offer. ⁴ Now if He were on earth, He would not be a priest at all, since there are those who offer the gifts according to the Law; ⁵ who serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, just as Moses was warned by God when he was about to erect the Tabernacle; for, "See," He says, "that you make all things according to the pattern which was shown you on the mountain."