TORAH and GLORY SCHOOL
Torah and Glory School Parsha Commentary Course
Word and Spirit
An education ministry of Bless the Land
Written by Hutch Church
May, 2012
Introduction: The Torah and Glory School lessons are based upon the whole Word of God—the Torah (Pentateuch, the first five books of the Bible, the Tanakh (includes the remaining books of the Old Testament, also referred to as the Prophets and Writings), and the Apostolic Scriptures (entire New Testament of Brit Chadashah). Throughout our lessons we exalt Yeshua and emphasize the nature, value, and necessity of living and serving within the full, active ministry of the Holy Spirit. We believe the return of Believers to (a) the study and standards of the Torah, (b) the fullness of the Holy Spirit (Ruach HaKodesh), and (c) their Hebraic heritage will usher the Body of Messiah into greater intimacy and identification with Yeshua, separate His people from the spirit of the age, and equip us more completely for discipleship and service in the end-times.
We invite you to invest one year of your life in study and spiritual growth. The Torah and Glory School offers two levels of association: 1. Reader level. The lessons are available for use to everyone. 2. Student [Talmidim] level. Here, people actually enroll in the school, commit to working our program, and invest one year of their lives into intense spiritual transformation. For information concerning the Torah and Glory School, and the process, requirements, and advantages of enrollment, click HERE. You will be taken to our school's Introduction Page where the program will be explained..
Parsha Lesson Lesson Number Thirty-two: Behar ("On the mount")
Torah: Leviticus [Vayikra] 25:1-26:2
Haftorah: Jeremiah [Yirmeyahu] 32:6-27
Brit Chadashah: Luke [Luka] 4:16-21 / Galatians [Galutyah] 5:1-13
Sections: 1. Welcome 2. Weekly Commentary 3. Study and Hearing 4. Prayer 5. Conclusion
Section 1: Welcome to the Word
נ
Nun [or Noon]. The fourteenth letter of the Hebrew alef-bet, nun, is related to the letter “N” in the English alphabet. It also represents the number 50, and was drawn in a shape that resembles a swimming fish. Hence, the letter also speaks of activity and life, since fish are such prolific reproducers.
“Thy word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105). “The word for lamp is ner [note the “n”, or the letter nun, beginning the word, and the letter “r” or resh, meaning head]. The word picture tells us that a lamp is life to the head (or person). [1] Further, the letter points to Yeshua, Who said, “ I am the bread of life…he who believes has everlasting life” (read John 6:27-6:68). Yeshua is the only One who establishes, nourishes and sustains the Believer’s spiritual life (v. 53).
Continuing with Psalm 119, fourteenth stanza: “O accept the freewill offerings of my mouth, O Lord, and teach me Your ordinances. My life is continually in my hand [in danger], yet I do not forget Your law. The wicked have laid a snare for me, yet I have not gone astray from Your precepts” (Psalm 119:108-110).
Prayer and praise are the freewill offerings of our mouths. Even lifting up our hands is a type of sacrifice (Psalm 141:2). In this way, by the sacrifice of voluntary worship, our hearts are opened to His grace and we gain deeper understanding of His revelation of truth. The psalm writer had his difficulties, as we have noted elsewhere in the psalm, and cries out again. He declares, though, that he has not permitted the persecutions and wicked devices of his enemies to turn him from YHVH’s Law or interfere with his obedience. We are reminded of Peter’s words to the Believers in the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Bithynia, and Asia who lived with persecution because of their faith. His encouragement is for those who endure persecution today. “God the Father knew you and chose you long ago, and His Spirit has made you holy. As a result, you have obeyed Him and have been cleansed by the Blood of Yeshua HaMashiach. May God give you more and more grace and peace…so be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even if you have to endure many trials for awhile” (1 Pet. 1:2,6)
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Throughout Psalm 119, the psalmist cries out with earnest supplication for grace to keep Elohim's commandments. Grace is a manifestation of favor, especially from a superior. Believers regard grace as the unmerited favor of Elohim. "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of Elohim" (Eph.. 2:8). Grace is the source of moral strength to perform a duty.
"Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Messiah Yeshua our Master" (1 Tim. 1:2). Paul invoked blessings upon Timothy, his son in the faith, that divine gifts would be diffused into his life and produce for him fresh strength. Wishing grace for those to whom they wrote was the Greeks' usual way of commencing a letter [epistle], while shalom, or peace, was the Jewish salutation. The apostle Paul unites the two forms here intimating that believing Greeks and Jews were one in Messiah Yeshua. His greeting differs from those of his earlier epistles with the addition of the word mercy. As he wrote, Paul was aware that his life was drawing to an end, and a sense of Elohim's wonderful mercy was making an ever deepening impression upon his soul. "And I thank Messiah Yeshua our Master, who hath enabled me...who was...a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy..." (verses 12-13). Paul had never demonstrated any mercy to those believers he assailed and abused, yet proclaimed, "I obtained mercy." He received mercy he had not sought and did not merit. Plus, he received the grace of apostleship added to it! We can rejoice with Paul for we are also the subjects of YHVH's mercy, a grace which is undeserved but flows from heaven to earth because of the compassion of the Most High.
"But after that the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Spirit; which He shed on us abundantly through Yeshua Messiah our Savior" (Titus 3:4-6).
May we live holy lives in the midst of unbelievers and thereby give testimony to our Redeemer, Yeshua HaMashiach, Who has given us light and life. Tamid kadima—Always forward.
Section 2: Weekly Commentary
Last week: In parsha Emor we read, "Speak to the Israelites and say to them: These are My appointed feasts, the appointed feasts of the Lord, which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies" (Lev. 23:2). The Torah declares the appointed times of YHVH. These were special times when Israel would meet with the Most High for spiritual renewal and edification. Leviticus 23 lists the moed'im and serves as YHVH's roadmap to the appointments of spiritual renewal positioned along Israel's yearly pathway.
This week: Our parsha this week is B'har ("On the mount"). "On the mount" indicates to us that all the laws written in the Torah, even those that were actually recorded after Israel journeyed, originate from Mount Sinai. The main topics in parsha B'har include: the Sabbatical year [the Shemittah], Year of Jubilee and the law of redemption, enslavement, ancestral land, Levite cities, charity, slavery, and idols. "The general principles of the Torah were given at Sinai [on the Mount], and the details [when God spoke to Moses] in the tent of Meeting." Talmud, Shabbat 6a.
Torah
Torah Note # 32: "Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law [commits lawlessness]..." (1 John 3:4). The Torah reveals sin as the transgression of the Law. It also points out the righteous, narrow road believers should follow. It is the pathway that YHVH "shall direct" (Prov. 3:6), that is--make straight and smooth, and joyful.
"For we are His workmanship created in Yeshua HaMashiach unto good works, which Elohim has before ordained that we should walk in them" (Eph. 2:10). The good works begin with the Ten Commandments. "...there are many believers who think that those who follow Torah are trying to earn their own salvation. They think that way because they are ignorant of the purpose of the Torah. The Torah was not given to produce a relationship between Elohim and us; it was given to prove a relationship exists. [The “I do” agreement for a formal relationship with Him came from the people first. See Exodus 19:1-9.] It was not given so we could earn our salvation; it was given so we could express it." [2] We are saved by grace through faith in Messiah. But faith has works. "...and I will show you my faith by my works" (Jas. 2:18). Torah is the pathway of righteousness on which the Good Shepherd leads us (Ps. 23:3).
1. "The Lord then spoke to Moses at Mount Sinai saying, Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, When you come into the land which I shall give you, then the land shall have a Sabbath to the Lord" (Lev. 25:1-2).
The Sabbatical Year (seventh year) was instituted in Israel to serve as a link between the Sabbath and Year of Jubilee, which was designated as the year following the seven-times-seventh year. Furthermore, the Sabbatical Year served to emphasize the importance of the weekly Sabbath, and was also a powerful symbolic lesson of the legitimacy of the Sabbath as a universal institution. During this time, the ground was not supposed to be tilled (Lev. 25:4), and the Law was publically read (Deut. 31:1-13). The sabbatical-year law, however, was difficult to monitor and enforce, and therefore seldom honored, that is until the period of the Babylonian captivity when the land was emptied of most its inhabitants.
2. "Six years thou shalt sow thy field...and gather in the fruit thereof; but in the seventh year shall be a Sabbath of rest unto the land, a Sabbath for YHVH: thou shalt neither sow thy field, nor prune thy vineyard" (Leviticus/Vayikra 25:3-4).
The Shemittah is the Hebrew name for the seventh year rest YHVH commanded for the land. The sixth year harvest would be large enough to provide for food and commerce for two years for the people, thus covering the seventh year and allowing a space for the land to lie fallow. During the seventh year the Israelites could not consider their lands as their own. Any foraging animal or man had free access to whatever food the land produced. However, gathering or reaping for storage or commerce was not allowed. The Shemittah regulation was given in the Wilderness but its practice was to begin at some point after Israel entered, subdued, and settled Canaan.
"The land's rest in the seventh year, too, teaches that the primary force in the universe is God, not the law of nature. By leaving his fields untended and unguarded for a year, the [Israelite] demonstrates that this world is but a corridor leading to the ultimate world, that true life comes when man stops striving for material gain in favor of dedication to spiritual growth. But man cannot abstain totally from the world he lives in. Shemittah is only once in seven years; that is why the Torah states clearly that man must sow and harvest for six years, just as it states that man works for six days and rests on the Sabbath. This recognition infuses holiness and purpose into our workyears and our workdays (Sfas Emes)." [3]
3. "And thou shalt number seven Sabbaths of years unto thee, seven times seven years; and the space of the seven year Sabbaths of years shall be unto thee forty and nine years. Then thou shalt cause the trumpet of the Jubilee to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month, in the day of atonement shall ye make the trumpet sound throughout all your land" (Vayikra 25:8-9).
The Year of Jubilee came every fifty years and was a time of joyful celebration. Slaves and indentured servants were freed with compensation, debts were cancelled, lands (which could only be sold for up to fifty years) were returned to the original owners, and the agricultural land itself enjoyed [was legislated to have] another rest. No plowing, sowing, or reaping was to take place. This excellent provision (gift) of YHVH was purposed to provide rest for the Israelites, undermine the spread of slavery, diminish poverty, restore property, renew agricultural land, and help re-stabilize Israel's society.
The Year of Jubilee was a type, or shadow, of the Gospel period, which is, of course, a time when people can enjoy freedom from the power and penalty sin and restoration of relationship with the Father through faith in Messiah Yeshua. The Jubilee Year is also representative of the Messianic era to come, when all Israel is returned to the land, reunited, restored, and under the reign of Messiah.
The Jubilee [Yovel] reminded the Israelite that the land, the freedom to cultivate it, and the harvest that came from it, were gifts of the Almighty. YHVH could do with the land as He pleased. Counting the years for the Jubilee evidently was the responsibility of the Sanhedrin, the ruling elders of Israel. The original Sanhedrin was the group of seventy elders formed and anointed in the wilderness. Moses was its original leader. Sounding the shofar was the means of ushering in the fiftieth year celebration. Note: The root of the Hebrew word, yovel, means "ram." Thus, the name of the celebration is derived from the blowing of the ram's horn, the act that consecrated the year. See Exodus 19:13.
The Shemittah (seventh year) and the Yovel Year (Jubilee)--the fiftieth year rest, are both years determined by groups of seven. A comment about the number seven and the feasts, starting with the seventh day weekly rest, seems appropriate:
The Sabbath is included with the Levitical feasts but it is not originally a Mosaic institution. It was first instituted at the end of the creation week (Gen. 2:1-3), and is therefore an Adamic law and was thus made incumbent [obligatory] upon all mankind two thousand years before Sinai. The Israelites themselves recognized it as a patriarchal law. In the Wilderness of Sin, before Israel actually ratified the Mosaic Covenant and became a nation, Moses instructed the people to gather a double portion of manna on the sixth day, in respect for the Sabbath. (Ex. 16:22-30). Sabbath was incorporated into the Mosaic law as the fourth commandment. It is a day of rest from business and labor, a holy convocation of refreshing and renewal in His Presence, and a day of prophetic anticipation, to be observed--"in all your dwellings."
4. "And you shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty through all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubilee unto you; and you shall return every man unto his possession, and you shall return every male unto his family. A jubilee shall that fiftieth year be unto you: you shall not sow, neither reap that which grows of itself...nor gather...for it is the jubilee; it shall be holy unto you..." (Lev. 25:10-12).
The land had a reprieve from being plowed and sowed in both the Sabbatical Year and the Jubilee Year. These sabbaticals were inspirational and logical. We have been told that such agricultural practices, when followed assiduously [with careful, consistent attention], rejuvenate the land. The main purposes of the Jubilee however were the liberation of slaves and indentured servants, the release of the indebted [borrowers]from their burdens, and the return of lands to original owners. The Israelites were tenants, and every fifty years the land reverted to the owner, the person to whom YHVH had originally assigned it. The practice was practical as well as humane. It was intended to stimulate the economy, and helped prevent the development of a welfare or feudal class ruled by wealthy landowners. Further, the practice of compassion was good for the individual and for the entire nation. It tended to increase awareness and appreciation of the value of freedom. The Year of Jubilee was also an important factor in the regulation solar and lunar time. Further, it typified the gospel blessings and spiritual rest from the heavy yoke of sin. When the Jubilee trumpets sounded, a new, joyful era of liberty, sufficiency, prosperity, and a heightened devotion to YHVH commenced in Israel, and the people [should have] awakened to find themselves released from their bondages and in possession of liberty and domestic well-being. The Year of Jubilee typifies the New Testament period which Messiah publically proclaimed in His hometown. "The Spirit of YHVH is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed, to proclaim the favorable year of YHVH" (Luke 4:18). This would be the year, or era of release. It was the announcement that the time for awakening and re-gathering the lost, spiritually blind, oppressed sheep of the house of Israel had begun.
5. "According to the number of years after jubilee you shall buy of your neighbor, and according to the number of years of the fruits...according to the multitude of years you shall increase the price thereof, and according to the fewness of years thou shalt diminish the price of it..." (Vayikra 25:15-16).
The Israelites were tenants of YHVH. They could regard themselves as landowners for fifty years only, but then all sold or rented land reverted to the ones (representatives) to whom the Almighty had originally assigned it. It was therefore valued, and bought or sold, with an eye to the volume of crops it could produce before Year of Jubilee. As Israel honored Torah's valuation laws, YHVH would remain pleased in the midst of His people.
The temptation to fudge in financial dealings, and in so doing oppress others, is universal. Paul had to admonish the Corinthians to be trustworthy. "Now I pray to Elohim that you do no evil; not that we should appear approved, but that you should do that which is honest..." (2 Cor. 13:7). Paul was earnest and unselfish. Because he was concerned for the spiritual welfare of the Corinthian believers, he was determined to inflict chastisement upon them who were offenders, both in doctrine and behavior, against the Gospel of Messiah which he preached. Dishonesty would make reprobates [worthless; not standing the test; condemned] of the Saints.
6. "You shall not wrong [financially oppress; over-reach] one another, but you shall fear your God; for I am the Lord your God" (Vayikra. 25:17).
The people of Israel were not to oppress one another with dishonest business practices. Cheating in commerce was forbidden. Neither were they to aggrieve one another with hurtful and dishonest words. True charity dictates that we are to help others, and never impede our neighbor from making a good and honest living.
7. "You shall thus observe my statutes and keep My judgments, so as to carry them out, so that you may live in the land" (Lev. 25:18).
Israel was clearly exhorted to obey the Shemittah and Yovel laws. But doing so would take faith to trust YHVH to meet the need for provision. During the Shemittah, plowing and sowing were suspended from the autumn of the sixth year until the autumn of the eighth year, the time of tillage. Then the people would have to wait further until the crop came before they could harvest and store the crops again. That was a relatively long period. Israelites had to believe YHVH Jireh [Elohim’s provision shall be seen] to make abundant provision come forth in the sixth year.
8. "The land shall not be sold forever: for the land is mine; for you are strangers and sojourners with Me. Thus for every piece of property, you are to provide for redemption of the land. If thy brother be waxen poor [becomes needy, destitute], and hath sold away some of his possession, and if any of his kin come to redeem it, then shall he redeem that which his brother [relative] sold" (Vayikra 25:23-25).
The relatives of anyone who had become impoverished, and had sold his land to survive, had the responsibility to do what they could to redeem that land back to the original owner at the earliest possible time, and not necessarily wait until the Jubilee/Jovel. "...his redeemer who is closest to him will come and redeem his brother's sale..." This required faith also. If the family/relatives raised the money, according to the fair market value of the land, the purchaser was required to sell it back. "The land shall not be sold in perpetuity." If a man sold his land he was bound by law to offer it first to his nearest blood-relative. If a seller could not raise the means to have his land redeemed, he would have to wait for the Year of Jubilee to have it restored.
Other regulations stipulated that houses that were within walled cites were not subject to the Jubilee law of restoration after one year from the sale. However, the houses of the Levites were always redeemable, but their lands could not be sold as they constituted a measure of the national property.
Although the sabbatical laws were probably difficult to enforce, ancient Israel understood her responsibilities, but there was always a remnant that followed Elohim's ways. Nevertheless, a willing and routine, widespread observation of His commandments on the part of disinterested and unschooled religious commoners, outsiders who would eventually be grafted into Israel [Ephraim and companions], would need to be bestowed and facilitated by divine revelation. The advent of the New Covenant heralded this current era, wherein the average Believer, through an encounter with Yeshua and the New Birth by the Spirit, could be internally inspired and empowered to obey the truth of the Torah. Further, restoration for all Israel could be initiated only by a Spirit-inspired hunger and thirst for His righteousness awakening within the soul of His people. The prophet, by the Spirit, saw this happening for all Israel. "...I will put My law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be My people" (Jer. 31:33). The present Hebrew Roots Movement, which may be the final prominent world-wide move of the Spirit before the coming of Messiah, is an end-times fulfillment of Jeremiah's prophecy. The Jovel points to Yeshua, our kinsman Redeemer, the people He "...purchased with His own Blood" (Acts 20:28).
"Forasmuch as you know that you are not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation [wicked, aimless life which was under the ownership of the enemy of your souls]...but by the precious Blood of Messiah, as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot" (1 Pet. 1:18-19).
9. "Now in case a countryman (brother) of yours becomes poor and his means with regard to your falter, then you are to sustain him...that he may live with you. Do not take interest [exact usury] from him, but revere your Elohim. You shall not give him your silver at interest...I am the Lord your God who brought you out from the land of Egypt to give you the land of Canaan and be your God" (Lev. 25:35-38).
A Hebrew would not become a servant or slave unless he fell victim to extreme poverty, and such destitution his brethren were obligated to relieve. But foreseeing (a) the likelihood of well-off Israelites withholding charity and compassion on one hand, and (b) the persistent lack of thrift and wisdom on the part of the poor, on the other--would produce a servant-slave class, YHVH established regulations that would alleviate its severity. Israel had a duty to provide charitable funds and loans to destitute Israelites, and to the sojourners among them. Interest (usury) however, could not be charged to a poor Israelite.
10. "And if thy brother that dwelleth by thee waxen poor, and be sold unto thee; thou shalt not compel him to serve as a bondservant: but as an hired servant...he shall be with thee, and shall serve thee unto the year of jubilee" (Vayikra 25:39).
The decline from poverty to slavery was common in ancient Israel. It is illustrated in the episode of Elisha and the son of the widow whose oil the prophet miraculously multiplied. "Now there cried a certain widow of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, thy servant my husband is dead; and you know that thy servant did fear YHVH: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen [slaves]." (2 Kings 4:1). In the day of Nehemiah we read again of unrelieved poverty leading to bondage and economic slavery. "Some also were there that said, we have mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses, that we might buy grain, because of the shortage. There were also that said, we have borrowed money for the king's tribute [taxes], and that upon our lands and vineyards. Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children: and, lo, we bring into bondage [slavery] our sons and our daughters to be servants, and some of our daughters are brought unto bondage already..." (Neh. 5:3-5).
An Israelite could not be held in bondage more than six years (Ex. 21:2). In reality, masters and slaves were equal, both belonging to the Almighty and being bondservants of His.
Relieving a person's poverty was (and still is) very important in YHVH's sight, for such unselfish action demonstrated charity, and also contributed to the economic stability of the nation. As a strong incentive for charitable giving He inspired David to write: "Blessed is he who considers the poor: YHVH will deliver him in time of trouble. YHVH will preserve him, and keep him alive; and he shall be blessed upon the earth: and Thou will not delver him unto the will of his enemies. YHVH will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing [on his sickbed]: Thou will make all his bed in his sickness [restore; heal him in his sickbed]" (Psalm 41:1-3).
11. "Now if the means of a stranger or of a sojourner with you becomes sufficient, and a countryman of yours becomes so poor with regard to him as to sell himself to a stranger who is sojourner with you, or to the descendents of the strangers family, then he shall have redemption right after he has been sold. One of his brothers may redeem him, or his uncle, or his uncle's son, may redeem him..." (Lev. 25:47-49).
It was humiliation for an Israelite to be so reduced that he had to sell himself as a slave to a non-Israelite resident of Eretz Israel. A Hebrew sold to a non-Israelite could be held for longer than six years. In such a case, the Torah provides a way of release by requiring one of the slave's kinsmen to redeem him as quickly as possible, and with a fair price. The price to be paid by himself or his kinsman redeemer would be the value of the slave's work figured to the next Jubilee.
The divine legislation did not abolish slavery in Israel, but it reduced its severity. In the Old Testament time slavery was an accepted fact, a way of life in the nations. During those centuries the practice, while harsh and cruel, declined only somewhat. In the New Testament period slavery was still accepted, but as Gospel principles gradually leavened civilization the dehumanizing practice was eventually shunned.
12. "For the sons of Israel are My servants; they are My servants whom I brought out from the land of Egypt. I am the Lord your God" (Lev. 25:55).
The neglect of the Sabbatical Year spoken of in the chapter was a cause of the exile, along with idolatry, immorality, and bloodshed. In 2 Chron. 36:21, abuse of the Shemittah laws, the transgression of the Sabbatical Year, is cited as a primary factor. Note: When King Cyrus released the captive Jews to return to their land, only 42,360 did so (Ezra 2:64). This was a very small percentage of the exiled nation, and all through the years of the Second Temple the majority of the House of Judah lived in other places, and multiplied.
The Mosaic laws reveal a balance of justice and mercy. The cruelty of wickedness had to be muted with good laws legislated for the general welfare. A. Kindness was strongly encouraged to be shown to those in poverty. Their needs were to be met. No usury was allowed to be charged to them. B. Kindness was not shown to the Israelite only, but also to the stranger in the land. C. Ransom prices were not arbitrary, but were determined by the years remaining before the Jubilee. The law favored the slave, but also showed equity to the master. Moral: The grace of Elohim should make people generous and expansive of heart.
Haftorah
1. "And Jeremiah said, The word of YHVH came to me, saying, Behold, Hanamel the son of Shallum your uncle is coming to you, saying, Buy for yourself my field which is at Anathoth, for you have the right of redemption to buy it" (Jer. 32:6-7).
The haftorah scriptures highlight the purchase and redemption of a relative's field [real estate] by the prophet Jeremiah. At the time, he was confined and under guard in the king's compound for preaching judgment on Judah and the exile of the people. His sermons were not appreciated by the leadership class. Today, his speaking would, in some quarters, be regarded as inflammatory hate speech. In any case, while in confinement, Elohim visited Jeremiah and instructed him to purchase his cousin Hanamel's ancestral land. Money was exchanged and a document was signed in front of witnesses, and placed in an earthen jar for preservation. The public transaction was symbolic, an object lesson for the weary prophet. It would also reinforce Jeremiah's future encouragements to the people, that though they would be exiled, yet "...houses and fields and vineyards will again be bought in this land" (v. 15). Jeremiah cried out to the Almighty, wondering how land could be purchased and redeemed that had been given into the hand of the Chaldeans. Elohim responded: "Behold, I am YHVH, the Elohim of all flesh; is anything to difficult for Me?" (v. 27). Then He declared to His servant: "Just as I brought all this great disaster on this people, so I am going to bring on them all the good that I am promising them. Fields will be bought in this land which you say, it is a desolation..." (vrs.42-43). YHVH reassured His prophet that He would be faithful to His promise.
"Elohim is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Yeshua HaMashiach our Master" (1 Cor. 1:9).
The "fellowship" Paul is referring to is more than discipleship. Such fellowship also goes beyond friendship. It is a partnership, a relationship with His people that Elohim is faithful to support and enrich. It is descriptive of the sons of Zebedee, John and James, "which were partners with Simon" (Lk. 5:10). The fellowship between Believers after Pentecost was also of a higher order. It was a partnership in which the people "had all things in common" (Acts 2:44). Our fellowship/partnership with Yeshua is the same. We have a relationship, but we also share all His good things. His Father has become our Father. His Spirit is given to us to be our Spirit too. His riches are our riches. His path is our path. Yes, even the very love with which the Father loved the Son is in and upon us as well! (Rom. 5:5; 1 Pet. 4:14). However, to enjoy this fellowship-partnership to the fullest possible extend one must disassociate from uncleanness and moral defilement and follow after righteousness (Mt. 6:33).
Yeshua: The Living Torah "I did not come to abolish but fulfill" (Mt. 5:17).
The mitzvot of Behar were given to Moses on the mountain while Israel was at Sinai. He, of course, went on to give them to the people. This action foreshadows Yeshua standing on the mount of Beatitudes, centuries later, giving the Law of the Kingdom of God to those Israelites who surrounded Him (Mt.5:1-2). He is also pictured in the Shemittah and the Yovel.
1. "And He came to Nazareth...and, as was His custom, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. And there was delivered unto Him the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written, 'The Spirit of YHVH is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the Gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed, to proclaim the favorable year of YHVH.' And He closed the book...and began to say to them, Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing" (Luke 4:17-21).
After His baptism, Yeshua had undergone the wilderness temptations, returned to the Jordan, and gone to Cana where His wonderful works had begun (John 2:1-13). Then He proceeded to visit Nazareth, the account of which is described in Luke 4:14-30. We observe: First, before appearing in Nazareth, He already had established a public ministry with a following. He did not create a rival ministry, but went to the synagogues and gained a reputation as a popular teacher (rabbi) whose authoritative speaking was accompanied by a flow of miraculous power. Secondly, on the first Sabbath after He arrived in His hometown He attended the services in the synagogue, as was His custom. What's more, Yeshua took part in the public worship. He followed the religious customs of His Jewish upbringing and placed honor on social and public worship, imperfect though it may have been. Messiah Yeshua took the place of the reader on this particular occasion, and the scroll of Isaiah was handed to Him. He read the passage that spoke of the mission of the Messiah. Thirdly, Yeshua was/is the embodiment of the text, and of the Year of Jubilee! He sat down in the chair of the teacher and expounded upon the Scripture. He was the Person about whom it spoke. Naturally, everyone's attention was riveted upon Him. The anointed Preacher and great Physician was among them, ready to proclaim the good news of the kingdom, open blind eyes, set captive souls free, heal the sick, and declare the season of liberty to which the year of Jubilee had pointed for centuries. Fourthly, Yeshua's sermon was at first received with admiration and wonder, but the town-folks' informality [Yeshua was a familiar acquaintance] soon affected their respectful observant attitude. "Is this not Joseph's son?" He had lived long among them, hence familiarity and pride quickly eroded from their remembrance His excellent reputation, and then shut down their interest in listening. The miracle they demanded was not given them, only a rebuke. Filled with wrath, the reckless Nazarenes' attempt to throw Yeshua off a cliff failed, and He ventured to another town, Capernaum. We can certainly learn from this episode that if old friends and family do not receive our testimony at first, and with an eagerness and joy we would like, let us remember our Master at Nazareth. Patience and endurance under the weight of disappointment, heartache, or even rejection, are the fruit of the Spirit and the example of Messiah.
The Holy Spirit "...but you shall receive power..." (Acts 1:8).
1. "Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words" (1 Cor. 2:12-13).
The heathen world was/is under the power of the evil one (2 Cor. 4:4; Eph. 6:11-12). Only Believers have the Spirit of Elohim, and thus are able to receive and understand His spiritual words and thoughts. He graciously bestows His gifts, "without money and without price" (Isa. 55:1). His goodness cannot be purchased (Acts 18:20). "But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as he wills" (1 Cor. 12:11). As we have mentioned before, faith is the currency of the Kingdom. The Spirit has complete knowledge and power. He has authority and wisdom. He is able distribute His words and gifts in order to satisfy every need and solve every problem.
"Out from the throne come flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder. And there were seven lamps burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of Elohim" (Rev. 4:5). The seven-fold Spirit of Elohim is described as present before the Throne. His nature is seven-fold. "The Spirit of YHVH will rest on Him. The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and strength (might), the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of YHVH" (Isaiah 11:2). The Restoration Scripture, True Name version, writes the verse: "And the Ruach Hakodesh of YHVH shall rest upon Him, the Ruach of chochmah and binah, the Ruach of counsel and might, the Ruach of da'at and of the fear of YHVH."
In His operations the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of YHVH, the Spirit of wisdom, the Spirit of understanding, the Spirit of counsel, the Spirit of might, the Spirit of knowledge, and the Spirit of reverence for YHVH. The number seven signifies completeness, totality.
"The symbolism of completeness occurs in a wide variety of uses of the number seven. For example, sprinkling of the blood of a sacrifice seven times (Lev. 16:14,19) indicates complete purification. The seven 'eyes of YHVH, which range through the whole earth' (Zech. 4:10 NRSV), indicate the completeness of Elohim's sight of everything in His creation. When the prophet John sees the Lamb, an image of Messiah, "having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of Elohim sent out into all the earth' (Rev. 5:6), the seven spirits are the fullness of the Divine Spirit, going out into the world as the Spirit of Messiah with complete power ("seven horns") and complete knowledge and insight ("seven eyes")." [4]
What a privilege it is to be invited to share fellowship and communion with the seven-fold Spirit of YHVH, the Gift of a loving Father to all His children. "The grace of the Master Yeshua HaMashiach, and the love of Elohim, and the fellowship of the Ruah Hakodesh, be with you all" (2 Cor. 13:14).
Let us pray daily and expect holy encounters with Him, and listen to hear His voice. "Have faith in God. Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him. Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they shall be granted you" (Mk. 11:22-24).
Develop your fellowship with the Ruach HaKodesh. Be baptized with His Presence and speak in the prayer language He gives you. Receive His love, power and wisdom, and trust Him as a best Friend. He is the Spirit of Yeshua HaMashiach.
Study: 1 Sam. 10:1,9-13; 16:13; Ezek. 37:1-10; Mt. 3:11; Mk. 1:8; Lk. 1:15,47,67; 3:16; 4:1; Jn. 1:33; 14:16-26; 16:4-15; Acts 1:6-8; 2:1-4; 4:8,31; 6:3,5; 7:55; 10:44-47; 11:24; 13:9,52; 19:6; 1 Cor. 12:1-13; 14:5,18.
Glory Note # 32: "Who is this King of glory? YHVH strong and mighty, YHVH mighty in battle" (Psalm 24:8). The Glory of Yah is upon the Messiah. He is the Master of the earth, the Judge of mankind, and the Sovereign of creation.
The command of the approaching procession to those behind the gates is--"Open the gates! Lift wide [open] the doors! For the King of glory approaches!" The response from within is--"Who is this King of glory?" The answer--"None other than YHVH Himself, full of goodness, and strong and mighty!" The prominent theme of the psalm is the approaching glory of YHVH. It celebrates David bringing the Ark of the Covenant from the house of Obed-edom to Jerusalem and the Tabernacle that had been prepared to receive it. The psalm represents a call for men to prepare their hearts for the Messiah and develop a spirit of devotion in their worship. His glory is manifesting increasingly in the earth today, and precedes His coming, just as the early morning glow grows brighter on the horizon and fills the sky just before the Sun comes fully forth. "To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood--and He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father--to Him be the glory and the dominuion forever and ever. Amen. Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen" (Rev. 1:5-7). Open your heart to Yeshua, the King of glory, and to the full exposure of His friendship and fellowship.
Parsha Summary
1. "You shall not make for yourselves idols, nor shall you set up for yourselves an image or a sacred pillar, not shall you place a figured [sculptured] stone in your land to bow down to it...you shall keep my Sabbaths and reverence My sanctuary; I am YHVH" (Vayikra 26:1-2).
After the parenthetical insertion of chapter twenty-four (the lamp and bread for the sanctuary), Bahar (chapter twenty-five) returns to the subject of the sacred festival seasons. Its main topics are the Sabbatical Year and the Year of Jubilee. The information concerning these years, and the laws concerning slaves, servants, and ancestral estates, was given to Moses at Sinai. The first two verses of chapter twenty-six, which conclude Behar, forbid idolatry and command the keeping of Sabbath.
The Sabbatical Year was instituted to serve as a link between the Sabbath and the Jubilee by means of the number seven--the sabbatical year being the seventh year, and the jubilee being the year following the seven-times-seventh year. The sabbatical year also enforced the lesson of the weekly Sabbath in a manner that could not be over-looked, and symbolically taught the universal application of the sabbatical law and that a rest would be attained hereafter by all Elohim's creation. [5]
Moses was given more instructions for successful living in the Promised Land--instructions involving Jovel. YHVH's intention for the Year of Jubilee was for it to be the nation's delight. He wanted it to be heralded by trumpets. As described earlier, this was the time debtors would be released from their obligations. Hebrew servants would be freed. Land would be returned to its rightful, original owners. YHVH's wisdom for the land was revealed in the Jubilee statute. Consistently honoring this important provision would produce: 1. Security from the over-accumulation (monopoly) of wealth and from the oppression or exploitation of the poor by an oligarchy. 2. Maintenance of family life and unity. 3. Dismantling of slavery. 4. Good cheer and hopefulness in the communities. 5. Benevolence and brotherhood. 6. Thankfulness for YHVH's wisdom and goodness. 7. Avoidance of excessive lawsuits and strife. 8. A forecast that the "meek shall inherit the earth." Unfortunately for Israel, the statutes concerning the seven-year land sabbatical and the fifty year Jubilee were not followed.
Thus the laws of Behar were also meant to teach Israel that (a) YHVH was Owner/Proprietor of the land, (b) moderation in land use would sustain its vitality, and (c) kindness of heart and brotherhood made for a stable society. The laws would also be a test of obedience that would try the Israelites' moral and spiritual character and thereby separate the wheat from the chaff (Ps. 1). The idle sluggard would continue to pursue folly, and the wise would pursue self-improvement, perform service to others, worship YHVH, and prosper.
The word "idols" in the above verse is elilim. It means "the nothings". This is what the pagan nations substituted for the true Elohim, YHVH. The words "bow down" convey the idea that both worshipping an image of some sort, or even worshipping in front of one, was forbidden. Those who worship YHVH will endeavor to keep His Sabbaths (weekly, etc.), reverence His sanctuary (His presence), walk in His statutes (study) and keep His commandments (love their neighbor).
Note: According to commentators there are three primary standards of Torah faith through which an Israelite could remain spiritually strong even when subjected to trying and difficult circumstances. They are: (1) the rejection and avoidance of idolatry; (2) the observances of the Sabbath; and (3) reverence of the Tabernacle/Temple. Reverence for YHVH was expressed by the three annual pilgrimages to Jerusalem. After the destruction of Solomon's Temple, the commandment to reverence the sanctuary was applied to synagogues and study halls that took the place of the Sanctuary during the exile.
Hear His Voice
“Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary” (Isaiah 40:31).
It is wisdom to take time to rest in the presence of Yeshua, focus on Him, and listen for His voice. There is a great demand placed on our time by the world , and people constantly place themselves under pressure to get here, go there, do this, visit that, get this done, and so on. The spirit of the age is successful in (a) distracting us from prayer and the Word of Elohim and (b) keeping us busy, busy, busy with other demands. But when we wait for Him and listen to His voice, we are renewed in faith, hope, joy, and love. Let us always put Yeshua first. Then we will be much more able to order our time profitably and handle life’s stress and pressures.
You have read our commentary. Now, enter into Section 3 and read and study for yourself all the parsha Scriptures. We have encouraged you to listen for the voice, the instructions and guidance, of the Spirit. Expect to hear from Him. He is your Teacher.
Section 3: Parsha Study
"Out from the throne came flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder, and in front of the throne seven blazing torches burned, which are the seven Spirits of God [seven-fold ministry of the Holy Spirit]" (Rev. 4:5).
The heritage of Israel are the Torah and the Glory of YHVH. The two are foremost revelations of His love, character, holiness, and perfection. For now we will define the glory of Elohim as the totality of the goodness and righteousness of His character as revealed in the Scriptures, in creation, and supernaturally expressed, even visibly and tangibly, by His weighty manifest Shechinah ("settling") presence that Moses experienced at the bush incident, on Mount Sinai, and when the Tabernacle was first erected (Ex. 3:3; 33:17; 40:34-35). "It came about when Moses was coming down from Mount Sinai (and the two tablets of stone were in Moses' hand as he was coming down from the mountain), that Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because of his speaking with Him" (Ex. 34:29). Both the essence of YHVH's Torah [Ten Commandments/Words written on the tablets] and YHVH's glory that were carried down the mountain by Moses are divinely birthed into the spirits/hearts of believers by the Holy Spirit and regeneration through faith in Messiah Yeshua (Jer. 31:31-34; Ezek. 11:14-21; Joel 2:27-28; John 3:1-16; Acts 1,2,10; 1 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 6:15). Therefore we believe it is YHVH's will for all Israel to experience His manifest goodness and His manifest glory increasingly as our blessed individual and corporate habitation, as our tangible mantle and divine supernatural covering. (1 Pet. 4:14). Our hope is based upon His Word: "I will cause My Shechinah [His glorious, radiant presence; the supernatural brilliance which is the outward expression of His character and goodness; See Matthew 17:1-8] to dwell [to settle] in the midst of [within, upon] thee" (Zech. 2:10).
Messianic Israel is called to make--by faith and obedience to His Truth--His anointing, His tangible presence, and His discernable, manifest glory, dominant internal and external realities which we experience in our lives. With this aspiration [motive] in mind, we have provided an explanation for your examination. Please read it and follow the study instructions. They explain the pathway of progress toward this pursuit of regaining the fullest possible measure of our spiritual heritage, the knowledge and experience of the Spirit and Truth of the Holy One of Israel. May the time we spend in prayer and study become times of divine encounters also.
Torah and Glory School Vision: "...search for Me..." (Jeremiah 29:13). This section is provided to help the student read beyond the basic commentary that we have presented, and study carefully all the Scriptures in the week's parsha for themselves. As each reader presses more deeply into the Word and learns to depend more consistently on the Spirit in his/her search for greater knowledge and intimacy with Yeshua, increased personal enrichment and spiritual transformation will be experienced and enjoyed. Section 2 contains a review of the weekly parsha's Scriptures, their topical content, and our questions. Working with each week's Scriptures and Questions are both very important to our purpose. They are designed to assist the student to (1) develop a vision for the restoration and reconciliation of the whole house of Israel, (2) grow in foundational knowledge of the Torah, (3) recover the principles, practice, and Holy Spirit power of the early, first-century Nazarene believers, and (4) experience and enjoy greater dimensions of the kingdom, power, and glory of Yeshua.
The assigned Scriptures and Questions, along with Section Three's prayer and bless activities, comprise (5) the heart of the Torah and Glory School's study program by which the student can be most edified and advanced spiritually. By them the student learns on his/her own while depending on, and thereby coming to know more personally, the Holy Spirit. We strongly encourage each student to rely upon the Spirit/Ruach--for understanding, revelation, insight, illumination of the Word, edification, and divine fellowship--during prayer, worship, and study. He is the close-at-hand primary Teacher of the course, not this author. [Note: Learning the Almighty's voice and experiencing His manifest glory, not just acquiring more information, are central goals of the Torah and Glory School.] In this way, the Scriptures--reading them while listening for the Holy Spirit, and the Questions--writing answers while under the Spirit's unction and receiving divine input, work together to comprise (6) the student's chief means of personal practice/exercise/training in seeking, waiting on, listening for, and promptly responding to the voice/word of Elohim. And by such seeking, faith-motivated students position themselves [spiritually, mentally, and emotionally prepare themselves] for experiencing a visitation of Yeshua's presence and glory through the Spirit. In this way the Scriptures and Questions also become (7) the channels through which the Spirit of Messiah will directly communicate personal instruction, direction, wisdom, and comfort to each engaged person. The students who faithfully follow the "game plan" and remain committed to do so for the year, will be transformed, and enjoying much closer fellowship with the Father, and Yeshua, His Son, and hearing the voice of the Holy Spirit, by the end of Deuteronomy.
Scriptures and Questions: Now, read through the parsha and answer the questions using your own words.
Prayer: "Open my eyes that I may behold wonderful things from your law" (Psalm 119:18).
Leviticus 25:1-26:2: The Sabbatical and Jubilee years / Laws of redemption.
Jeremiah 32:6-27: Jeremiah redeems the land of a relative.
Luke 4:16-21: Yeshua is our Jubilee.
Galatians 5:1-13: Walk by the Spirit.
Study Questions: "...be ready always to give an answer..." (1 Peter 3:15). Trace the theme, the main idea, through each question.
1a. In your opinion, what is the main theme or teaching of each of the listed readings individually? Starting with the Torah: What is its title? What is the interpretation? What truth/idea does the interpretation of the title suggest? What is the Torah section's main truth, as you see it?
1b. What is the corresponding idea in the Haftorah? In the Brit Chadashah?
2. What is the outstanding, central idea or subject that runs through and unites all the individual readings, as you see it?
3. Find in the Gospels where and how Yeshua declares, demonstrates, exemplifies, or exhibits the parsha's central truth, and explain. Give chapter and verse.
4. In what way was the glory of YHVH [manifestations of His goodness] revealed in the parsha lesson?
5. What does the parsha teach you about your Hebrew roots, your identity, your destiny, your duty?
6. In what way did the Holy Spirit/Ruach HaKodesh personally speak to you during prayer and study this week? Did He impress you about how to apply the parsha lesson directly to your life? Explain.
7. "...because of practice [by reason of use] have their senses trained [exercised] to discern..." You and I are called to return to hearing the voice of Elohim and to functioning in the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Progressing in these vital areas will require spiritual hunger, faith, and practice. He is waiting for us to approach Him. Ask the Holy Spirit to speak into your spirit/heart as you pray each day. Look for opportunities to lay hands on the sick, or to be used in prophesy. Faithfully record the prophetic words and experiences you receive, and be sure to share them with your brethren.
Start your own group.
It is helpful to share your answers, insights, and revelations with your study group (table class). We recommend meeting regularly in a small group. This allows for healthy interaction and exchange, and militates against stagnation. Practice operating with your spiritual gifts under the anointing of the Holy Spirit while among your friendly, supportive peers. Allow for open participation in leading praise and worship. Give altar calls at your table for healing, refreshing, and prophetic words. These are effective ways for all present to mature in their calling and gifting. The non-threatening small group provides a favorable and encouraging environment in which to learn the ministry of the Spirit.
Section 4: Prayer, Declaration, and Blessing
"On this wise shall ye bless the children of Israel, saying unto [over] them, the Lord bless thee...keep thee..." (Num. 6:23-24).
Important: Participate each week in the Bless the Land prayer, benediction, and singing exercises/activities, both individually and with your group. This is important for yourself and others. Your joining in with vocal participation--blessing and strengthening Israel with your spoken words, prophetic utterances, sung psalms, and intercessions--will also help develop and enlarge your prophetic anointing and sensitivity to the Holy Spirit. Daniel, who daily faced Jerusalem and Israel from his house in exile to pray, is an example of what we can do weekly from our homes today. "...Daniel...entered his house(now his roof chamber had windows open toward Jerusalem); and he continued kneeling...praying and giving thanks before his Elohim" (Daniel 10).
Bless the Land: "On this wise shall ye bless the children of Israel, saying unto them [declaring the Word to and over them], the Lord bless thee...keep thee..." (Num. 6:23). YHVH wanted to bless, keep, and shine His glory on His people. So He had his priests stand in His place [stand in for Him] and proclaim the blessings, which He in turn would perform for the believing recipients. Believers have a similar role today, as did Aaron and the priests in ancient Israel. "But you are...a royal priesthood..." (1 Pet. 2:9). When we take our place as a responsible priesthood and begin to declare the written and prophetic word and will of YHVH, even spontaneous songs, over His people, He will rise up and perform that which has been declared. He works in partnership with his set-apart royal priesthood. Therefore, "...bless, for to this you were called, that you may receive a blessing" (1 Pet. 3:9).
Note: "The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life" (Prov. 10:11). Believers' mouths are connected to the spiritual power that created the universe. Our words possess/carry both constructive power (building up) and destructive (tearing down) power. Job 22:28; Luke 4:18-19; Mt. 21:21; 28: 18-20; Acts 1:8; 2:4; Rom. 12:6-8; 1 Cor. 12: 1-11; Eph. 6:17-19; Rev. 8:3). "Death and life are in the power of the tongue" (Prov. 18:2). Therefore, let us fulfill our priestly role and declare with confidence His Word over Jerusalem, Israel, and the nation this week.
"And I will bless them that bless thee" (Gen. 12:3).
1. Pray for Israel
Isaiah 43:1-7. Commit to pray weekly for the land and people of Israel; for their welfare, safety, and return to righteousness. Use the prophetic words of Scripture as prayers and declarations.
2. Pray for Jerusalem.
Psalm 122:1-9. Speak this word over the City of the Great King.
3. Pray for America/Pray for your nation.
1 Chron. 7:14. Intercede. Pray for repentance, a spiritual awakening, and a harvest in all the cities of the land.
4. Sing the Song of the Lord/prophetic songs. [Teaching and Exhortation]
"...and speak one to another...come, I pray you, and hear what is the word that cometh forth from the Lord. And they come unto thee...and sit before thee as my people...and they hear thy words, but they will not do them...and, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song...for they hear thy words, but they do them not" (Ezek. 33:31-33).
The sons of Israel would come and be happy to hear Ezekiel's Spirit-inspired words--prophesies, exhortations, instructions, and even rebukes--but they paid no real attention to their intent. The men were curious, and would sit and listen to the prophet, but only as those who listen to a song but pay no attention to the meaning of the words. The passage carries a suggestion applicable to tehillah, the praise and worship of Believers today. Biblical worship, music, song, dance, and such must not be performance-based, or planned primarily for the entertainment and approval of attendees. Tehillah should be fashioned in a way that encourages and allows dynamic, two-way communication/interaction to take place between Yeshua and His redeemed and betrothed Bride. During our praise and worship we should speak and sing (1) to one another, (2) also to YHVH (not just about Him), and (3) experience Him speaking to us through a prophetic song [Song of YHVH]. When the worshippers yield to the Spirit, His anointing and spiritual songs (prophetic words) are released in greater measure to break bondages and bless the listening people. Every Believer has a fresh song in their spirit waiting to be sung. Such a ministry will take practice, but it will be worth the effort. Remember, He delights to see us rejoicing, dancing and singing, but He wants to speak to us through our worship as well. Ask Him to give you a song for Israel this week.
Section 5: Conclusion
1. "And thou shall number seven sabbaths of years unto thee, seven times seven years...forty nine years. Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the jubilee to sound the tenth day of the seventh month, in the day of atonement shall ye make a trumpet sound throughout your land. And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubilee unto you; and you shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family" (Lev. 25:8-10).
On Yom HaKippurim the trumpet would sound to proclaim the arrival of Jubilee and liberty throughout the land. One day, another great sounding of the shofar will herald the arrival of the Fulfillment of the Jubilee, Messiah Yeshua, as He returns for His Bride. "For the Master Himself shall descend from the shamayim [heaven] with a shout, with the voice of the chief heavenly malach [archangel] and with His shofar and with the tekiyah-ge-dolah of YHVH [trumpet of Elohim]: and the dead in Moshiach [Messiah; Christ]shall rise first: then we who are alive and remain at his return shall be caught up together with them onto the clouds, to meet the Master in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Master" (1 Thess. 4:16-17; Restoration Scriptures).
Great events in history have been heralded [grandly and enthusiastically announced] by the sounding of a trumpet(s). When Yeshua, Who is our Rest, comes again, "the trumpet shall sound" (1 Cor. 15:52). It is His trumpet because it is used in His service. Yes, the sound to herald Him will be from a literal trumpet, a powerful sounding, long and loud, like that which was heard on Mount Sinai (Ex. 19:16,19). Everyone will hear the sound and see His glory.
2. "For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another" (Gal. 5:13-15).
The Galatians had fallen back into quibbling and strife over the issue of observing extraneous laws, legalism, and salvation. Liberty and love are discussed in the epistle. The notion of freedom [rest from oppression and disturbance] is connected with the Sabbatical and Jubilee Years. Paul teaches that freedom does not provide license to fulfill the desires of the flesh, but it instead induces love, and that only love fulfills the Law, something of which legalism can never achieve. The passage affirms that grace has not endowed us to live selfishly or licentiously, but provides liberty from that which prevents us from growing in the knowledge of Yeshua and loving our fellow man. Loving our neighbor is the most noble, Elohim-like duty in the entire realm of responsibilities. Grace's purpose is to free us to follow and imitate Him. Love is the real liberty which delivers us from legalism's strife and division. Those who strain themselves to observe with exacting detail ceremonial laws and rituals will eventually collide with one another, and split apart. Division is the final destination of the religious spirit. Spiritual freedom and fellowship among the saints can only be sustained by the Holy Spirit and the bond of love.
"But this I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh" (Gal. 5:16).
Our dependence is upon the Spirit of Elohim. To Him we should consistently surrender and by Him we must be led. Growth in the knowledge of Yeshua and fruit-bearing as a disciple are the blessed results. As we (each Believer) maintain our dependence upon the Holy Spirit we will walk more naturally in faith and love, and be much less inclined to fulfill the lusts of the flesh. Further, the Spirit enables each redeemed Israelite to regard the Law--that which was proclaimed on the mount at Sinai and is internalized in us by the new birth--with a new perspective, or in a new light, so to speak. By the Spirit, the Law, which is perceived anew by us as it rises from the regenerated human spirit into the consciousness, becomes a welcomed rule of life. It is a revelation, and seen and experienced as the wise instructions of a loving Elohim. Thus, YHVH instructions are no longer a burden, or taskmaster, because Messiah has fulfilled its righteous requirements in our place. We note that returning Believers are taking new interest in YHVH's Law, which has been quickened by the Spirit Who abides in the inner man. We are being drawn in this hour to the feasts, the mo’edim of Israel, in increasing numbers. We deeply long to be blessed with His manifest, glorious, life-transforming company at these appointed times, and bless Him in return with our sacrifices of praise and worship. Thus His Word is a Law of liberty to us since we are not under it as an instrument of justification. We are blessed in Messiah. Shalom.
Seek Him continually: "Let me see Your glory." His glory is in you by the Holy Spirit. Pray and believe for His presence to rise up and envelope your soul with His goodness, and the revelation of His heart. You are a child of the Most High and He desires you to experience intimate spiritual communion with Him.
Next week: Parsha Bechukotai ("In My statutes") Leviticus 26:3-27:34
Remember! Growth for spiritual strength takes "lifting." Be sure to complete your answers and exercises. They represent the "weights" that the Holy Spirit will use to equip you with a strong, well-proportioned, balanced, spiritual physique of Spirit and Truth.
References: Weekly references generally include, but are not limited to, the following: Kehot Chumash; Spirit-Filled Life Bible; Pulpit Commentary, H. Spence and J. Exell, Eerdmans; Torah Club; Restoration Scriptures, Your Arms to Israel Publishing; Chumash, Stone Edition; Hearing from God, J. Meyer; Chabad.org. Parashah; Old Testament Survey, K. Conner; www.familybible.org/BeitMidrash/FAQ/Torah.htm; Torah, A Modern Commentary, W. G. Plaut; Fodor's Exploring Israel, A Sanger; Judaism 101 Torah; The Hebrew-Greek Key Study Bible, AMG Publishers; Restoration: Returning the Torah of God to the Disciples of Jesus, D.T. Lancaster; Christianity Reconsidered, W.L. Bowles; Living Israeli Hebrew, Dr. D. Ben-Gigi, Living Israeli Hebrew Publications; Hebrew Word Pictures, Dr. F. Seekins, Living Word Pictures, Inc.; Torah Insights, R. Fischer; Firebible, Student Edition, NIV, Life Publishers International; Internet Sites; Jewish Encyclopedia. com.
Note: The Chumash material, and other commentary references, may not necessarily represent our doctrinal beliefs, but are included as interesting, engaging commentaries, insights and plausible ideas of Jewish and non-Jewish scholars, and midrashim [midrash, plural; "investigate" or "study"], which are added for the readers' interest, attention, contemplation, and evaluation.
Footnotes: 1. Hebrew Word Pictures, F. Seekins, p. 66. 2. Christianity Reconsidered, W.L. Bowles, Montgomery-Porter Publishing, p. 127-128. 3. Chumash, Stone Edition, Parasha Behar, p. 696. 4. Encountering the Sevenfold Spirit of God, Extreme Prophetic, Maricopa, AZ, p.12. 5. Adopted from: Book of Leviticus, R. Collins and A. Cave, Pulpit Commentary Eerdmans Publishing, p.392.
