Tag: Parashat Vayikra

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Apostolic Writings Discussions Prophets and Writings Torah

Do my actions really matter to God? What the Bible says about sin, sacrifice and change (Leviticus 4; Ezekiel 18; Matthew 7; John 9)

Oil palette knife–style digital painting created by ChatGPT. At the center stands a small golden altar of incense, richly textured in gold tones, with thick, glowing smoke rising upward. The incense transforms into radiant streams of light that form small, compassionate scenes: one figure feeding a poor person and another comforting an elderly man, symbolizing acts of mercy. The upper portion of the image opens into a brilliant, holy light, rendered in luminous golds and whites. Below, in deep shadow, lie broken and dim symbols representing sin. The composition uses dramatic chiaroscuro with deep purples and golds throughout. Overlaid text reads: “Do my actions really matter to God? What the Bible says about sin, sacrifice and change (Leviticus 4; Ezekiel 18; Matthew 7; John 9).” A Hallel.info watermark is visible on the image.

Many believers quietly wonder, “If Jesus paid for my sins, do my daily choices still matter?” This study walks through Leviticus 4, Ezekiel 18, the Gospels, and apostle John’s first letter to show how God weighs our actions, why some prayers go unheard, and why the end of our stories matters more than the past. Discover the biblical difference between intentional and unintentional sin, why “lawlessness” is so serious, and how real repentance changes both your life and your relationship with God.

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Apostolic Writings Discussions Torah

Can I really change inside? What the Bible says about a new heart and clean conscience (Leviticus 3; James 1)

This digital painting in an oil palette knife style, created with ChatGPT, shows an ancient Israelite man standing at the entrance of the Mishkan (tabernacle), placing his hand on the head of a sheep for a shelamim (peace) offering. The man’s internal organs—his heart, kidneys and liver—glow visibly through his torso, symbolizing his inner life and conscience. Warm golden light from the altar and the Shekhinah fills the background, with the tabernacle structure and rising smoke visible behind him. Overlaid text reads, “Can I really change inside? What the Bible says about a new heart & clean conscience (Leviticus 3; James 1).”

The peace offering in Leviticus 3 is a powerful picture of how God restores relationship with humanity. So why does Scripture talk about kidneys, heart, liver, fat and “inward parts”? In this study, we explore how the Bible uses these to describe our conscience, desires, and inner struggles — and how the offerings, from peace to sin to Yom Kippur, point to Yeshua (Jesus), Who brings true peace with God.

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Apostolic Writings Appointments With God Discussions Prophets and Writings Purim Torah

Tree of Knowledge and Haman’s gallows: Esther shows us how to overcome our desire to replace God

Tree of Knowledge & Haman's gallows: Esther show us how to overcome our desire to replace God. Artwork shows a fruit tree on the left side of the image.

Bible prophecy often talks about widespread persecution against the people of God in the “latter days.” But that seems so far removed from today’s society, where we have global human rights watchdog groups, U.S. First Amendment protections for religious freedom, the International Court of Justice and the United Nations.

This study of the Torah reading וַיִּקְרָא Vayikra (“and He called,” Levicus 1:1–6:7) plus readings for the Sabbath of Remembrance (Deuteronomy 25:17–19; 1Samuel 15:2–34; 1Peter 4:12–5:11) and the Book of Esther reminds us why we keep seeing outbreaks of perplexing violence throughout history, in spite of attempts to legislate away evil.

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Apostolic Writings Discussions Torah

‘He who has an ear to hear’: Listen as Messiah speaks through Israel’s Tabernacle offerings (Leviticus 1–7; Hebrews 10; Psalm 40)

'He who has an ear to hear': Listen as Messiah speaks through Israel's Tabernacle offerings (Leviticus 1-7; Hebrews 10; Psalm 40). A lamb stands in a grassy field.

The Torah reading וַיִּקְרָא Vayikra (“and He called,” Lev. 1:1–6:7) picks up immediately after God moved into the newly constructed Tabernacle (Ex. 40:34–38), ancient Israel’s tent shrine for the LORD. But the question then was, “Now what happens after God enters the Tabernacle and everyone must get out, for their own safety?”

To answer this and to help understand the seemingly strange and rather grotesque imagery of the sacrifices in the Leviticus, approach the book as one would a parable, like one tackles the parables of Messiah Yeshua (Christ Jesus).

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Discussions Prophets and Writings

Let’s make God in our own image? How idol hands are the devil’s workshop (Isaiah 43:21–44:23)

Let's make God in our own image? How idol hands are the devil's workshop (Isaiah 43:21-44:23)

There’s a domain that is ours and a domain that is not ours. And we need to respect those boundaries to live in harmony.

When our relationship with God is damaged, we have to listen and obey when God tells us where we went wrong and how to repent and make it right. That is, if our goal is fellowship with Him.

In this exploration of the parallel passage to the Torah reading ויקרא Vayikra (“and He called,” Lev. 1:1–6:7), we discover how the whole goal of the Dwelling Place’s being with mankind, whether it was in the Garden of Eden, the Mishkan, the Messiah, or in the world made new. That is God’s goal through time — to live with us.

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Discussions Torah

How our lives can become a ‘soothing aroma to the LORD’ (Leviticus 1–5)

How our lives can become a ‘soothing aroma to the LORD’ (Leviticus 1–5)

The Creator of the heavens and the Earth wants to live among humankind, but there humankind is too attached with the muck-and-mire ways of this world. Heaven’s solution is acted out in the imagery and ceremony of Israel’s Tabernacle and in the work of the Messiah, Yeshua (Jesus). Discover in the Torah reading ויקרא Vayikra (“and He called,” Leviticus 1:1-6:7) how our heart’s cry determines whether we are a “soothing aroma” as Heaven transforms us.

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Discussions Torah

‘We have such a high priest’: Sacrifice of praise and a bridled tongue (Leviticus 1–5)

Why does the New Testament have such a large discussion about the Israel’s high priest and the offerings of the Tabernacle (Hebrews 4–14) in connection with Yeshua the Messiah (Jesus the Christ)? In the Torah reading ויקרא Vayikra/Vayiqra (“and He called”), covering Lev. 1:1–6:7, we have the “what” and “why” the various qorbanot (“offerings” aka “sacrifices”) in the Tabernacle services that were revealed to all the children of Israel. In the next Torah reading, God reveals to the Levites and priests how the sacrifices are to be processed and presented to HaShem (the Name).

Heaven has communicated this through the Torah, Prophets and Writings: Actions matter; obedience matters; animal offerings don’t. We were designed to be close to God, in communion with Him. Obviously, the Fall made that much more difficult, but that desire is still innate within us. And this is where we learn how to come closer to HaShem.