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Discussions Prophets and Writings Torah

Get real about faith: God doesn’t want — or need — your virtue signals (Leviticus 6–8; Hosea 6)

We may soothe ourselves by saying, “I’m glad we don’t do that sacrifice stuff anymore!” But at key lesson of the Torah reading צו Tzav (“command,” Lev. 6:8–8:36) is that God is concerned about how we bring our offering of ourselves — who we are on the inside — on top of the instructions for the what and the how of the offerings.

We all need to figure out what our offering to God will be. Will our offerings be of shallow faith, shallow love, shallow actions? Or will our offerings come from a deep faith, deep action, deep love for God?

Categories
Discussions Torah

How to be a ‘nation of priests’ to a world that needs closeness to God (Leviticus 6–8)

We may think the instructions in Torah readings Vayiqra and Tzav (Leviticus 1-8) about Tabernacle/Temple offerings is quaint history, but Kefa (Peter), an apostle of Messiah Yeshua (Christ Jesus) wrote that in the “world to come” the people of God will be a “nation of kings and priests” (1Pet. 2:5, 9; Rev. 1:6; 5:10), then we need to put our mind to study Torah to understand the different kinds of offerings and how to properly handle them.

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Discussions Prophets and Writings Purim Torah

Burnt offering, Purim and Passover: Keep the coal of your heart’s fire burning long for the Kingdom of God

No, this isn’t a case of duct-taping Bible passages together into a hodge-podge teaching. There is an important link between instructions to priests about keeping the Tabernacle altar fire burning, the command to destroy the memory of back-stabbing Amalek, the reluctance of later generations to carry that out fit, Queen Esther’s bold intervention for the Yehudim (Jews), the memory of deliverance from slavery at Peskah (Passover) and the freedom brought by Yeshua the Mashiakh (Jesus the Christ). Strap in your brain for a wild ride.

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Discussions Prophets and Writings

Jeremiah 7-9; Malachi 3-4: Heaven’s salve for our hearts to prepare us for Passover

Why should we study the offerings of Israel’s Tabernacle and Temple, particularly after the arrival of the ultimate offering, Yeshua the Mashiakh (Jesus the Christ)? Thankfully, the prophets the LORD sent ahead of the Mashiakh help explain why this study is critical to learning more about the heart of the Creator of the heavens and the Earth.

The parallel passage (haftarah in Hebrew) for the Torah passage צו Tzav (“command,” Lev. 6:8–8:36) provides a sobering reminder that the Tabernacle has always been about the heart connection to Heaven and not works-based forgiveness. We learn that we are to forgive the sins, transgressions and iniquities of others completely, as God has forgiven ours. And we are to forget them, as God has forgotten ours, freeing us from our “house of bondage” of guilt. That’s a great prelude to the memorial of Pesakh (Passover).

Categories
Discussions Reflections on Scripture Torah

Leviticus 6:8–8:36: God wants a relationship with you that responds and grows

The relationship that God wants with you is a relationship that responds and grows. If we respond and grow, we are like a tree that will produce good fruit. If we don’t grow and respond, we won’t produce good fruit. The High Priest is supposed to encourage the relationship between God and His people produce good fruit for eternity.

When God commands one to do something, deviation from the instruction isn’t tolerated. The Torah reading צו Tzav (“command,” Lev. 6:8–8:36) includes detailed instructions on how the priests are to handle other people’s offerings, symbolizing their approach to God. The LORD told Aaron that doing this right matters, not just to the people, but to God.