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 This
parasha is Exodus 30:11-34:35. The title of it is called Ki Tissa.
This parasha opens with YHVH instructing Moses to take a census. We
all know that Kings and leaders were not allowed to do a direct head
count of people. Sometimes a stone was used to represent a person,
here it is the half shekel that is given as an offering for every
male twenty years old and up. No one can count people directly by
their person, because that requires ownership of the person and no
one owns anyone except YHVH, who owns everyone. King David found this
out the hard way when he didn't follow this rule and caused a plague
to come upon the people because of it. (2nd Samuel 24:1-15) But David
was quick to repent from his error. This particular money gathered
here was to be used for the upkeep of the Tabernacle and for a memorial
before YHVH. It also speaks of the basin that was to be made of brass.
Brass represents judgment. The priests must wash their hands AND feet
at this basin before carrying out their duties. If they did not do
that, they would die, plain and simple. The basin had two spouts on
the bottom for the flowing of the water. The purpose of the washing
was for sanctity of course, not because their hands and feet were
dirty. Your hands represent the things you do in the world, while
you feet represent where you walk in the world. So you must dedicate
everything you do and everywhere you go to the service of YHVH. The
anointing oil was made by Moses. It was to anoint all the vessels
of the Tabernacle with, along with Aaron and his sons. Everything
anointed by this oil was made holy and set apart. Not only were the
vessels holy, but whatever touched them was made holy also (Ex.30:29).
This oil was not be used on just anything or anyone. After the instructions
having been given for the Tabernacle, YHVH now appoints Bezalel from
the tribe of Yahudah to oversee the work.
This is pretty incredible,
being as how Bezalel was only thirteen years old then. (Sanhedrin
69b) In 31:3 it states that YHVH had filled him with the Ruach (Spirit)
of Elohim. It goes on to say He filled him with chochmah (wisdom),
understanding (Yeshua), and knowledge (wisdom plus understanding =
knowledge). It's a good thing no one told him he had to wait around
until the Spirit was given in the book of Acts because no one had
the Spirit before then you know, at least according to the present
church teachingsJ. I wonder what the Spirit of YHVH was doing up until
that time, maybe just sort of hanging out, waiting for Pentecost to
hurry up and get here so He could do His thingJ. YHVH also gave him
a helper by the name of Aholiav from the tribe of Dan. So you have
both Judah and Ephraim represented here, one from each tribe as leaders.
But also notice that it says that in all that are "wise hearted."
What would it take to qualify to be in that group? If you have a wise
heart you will be walking after YHVH and following his commandments.
A wise heart is always a heart that seeks after YHVH. To these people
he gave "more wisdom". Next we are reminded about the importance of
keeping the Sabbath once again.
Even the Tabernacle work
stopped on Sabbath. If you defiled the Sabbath then, you died! How
many people would still be alive today if YHVH still held fast to
that rule without mercy? The new World Order wouldn't have to worry
about wiping out two thirds of the population, I doubt there would
be that much leftJ. It also plainly states this commandment is to
be kept for an EVERLASTING COVENANT. I do believe that means the same
as "forever." Now we are getting into the part where Aaron and the
people made the golden calf (eigel). Moses was gone for forty days
and nights on top of the mountain getting the Ten Commandments (Also
called The Ten Words). The tablets were pretty remarkable. The sages
say the writing read the same whether it was looked at from one side
or the other. Also the words that had space in-between the letters
were suspended in mid air. There were two tablets, a decree is established
by two witnesses, remember? The tablets also allude to their dual
nature, the stone was from the earth and the script was from Heaven.
So while Moses was up on
the mountain, the natives below were getting restlessJ. They believed
Moses was not returning. Aaron was a master goldsmith, so they turned
to him to make them a god. It appears Aaron did not resist too much.
But Aaron had not forsaken the God of Moses, even though I believe
he knew what he was doing was wrong. If you notice he told the people,
tomorrow is a moed (festival) of YHVH'S and built an altar to sacrifice
on. He never said, tomorrow is going to be a festival to the new god
of the golden calf. He said a festival UNTO YHVH! But YHVH had already
seen what had happened and informed Moses what the people had done
and that he was mad with a capital M! When Moses came down from the
mountain, he wasn't any too pleased either. So he first confronted
the man left in charge, Aaron. Of course Aaron lied like a rugJ. He
didn't just throw the gold pieces in the fire and out popped a golden
calf! You will notice that in Exo. 32:25, it says that Moses saw the
people were naked, for Aaron had made them naked to the shame of their
enemies. This word naked does not mean physical nudity, but exposed
their spiritual nakedness and weakness. Compare the word naked in
Genesis with the word here and it's two different words. That's why
you have to watch the English words sometimes in studying. So Moses
ground up the golden calf and spread it upon the waters and made the
children of Israel drink it in the water. This should take your mind
back to the ceremony of the unfaithful wife (sotah) in the Temple
when the priest mixed dust from off the floor with water and had the
woman drink it.(Numbers 5:16-28) If she was guilty her stomach swelled
and her thigh rotted. When Moses called for anyone who was going to
stand with him to come to his side, he knew what had to be done.
The Levites who came with
Moses had to kill all the unfaithful bride who had worshipped the
golden calf, be it brother, sister, or friend. They had to have the
conviction of YHVH to do the job. How do you think they knew which
ones to kill and which ones not to kill out of all those thousands
of people? If the person's stomach swelled, they knew he was guilty
and must die. So Moses pleaded with YHVH once again on behalf of the
people. That Moses sure was a patient man. I would have said, go ahead
and kill them Lord and let's start all over again, they deserve it.
Guess that's why I was not chosen to be MosesJ. But Moses took the
Tabernacle and placed it outside the camp. Then when Moses went to
the Tabernacle, all the people came to their tent doors and watched
him until he disappeared into the tent. As Moses would enter the Tabernacle
door the cloudy pillar descended and "stood" at the door of the Tabernacle
and it says YHVH talked with Moses. All the people saw the pillar
"standing" at the Tabernacle door and they rose up and worshipped
every man at his door. When was the last time you saw a cloud "stand?"
How could you tell if a cloudy pillar was sitting, kneeling, or standing?
I believe what the people saw "standing" was the incarnate Yeshua
standing in the Tabernacle door. The Scriptures say you cannot see
YHVH and live (33:20), so it must have been Yeshua in my opinion,
as it says he spoke to Moses face to face (panayim-el-panayim). Joshua
also went in the Tabernacle with Moses, but notice Joshua stayed in
the Tabernacle when Moses left. (33:11) In chapter 34 we see Moses
going back up the mountain to receive the second set of tablets.
This time YHVH let Moses cut the stone out to write them on
by himself. We always see in movies Moses carrying these giant stone
tablets down the mountain. But the scriptures never say Moses carried
them in his arms, it says he carried them in his "hands." I would
say climbing up and down a mountain with two stone pieces that big
would be a bit hard to do! But I guess that looked better for the
moviesJ. Notice also when YHVH passed by Moses in the cleft of the
rock He proclaimed YHVH YHVH two times. Do you think maybe Moses didn't
hear the first YHVH, no, I believe one represented the Father YHVH
and one represented YHVH/Yeshua. In 34:8-9, you will see the sinner's
prayer in the Torah. I bet you thought that was only in the New Testament
didn't youJ? You will also find what the Rabbis' call the thirteen
attributes of YHVH'S mercy listed in chapter 34. Now we see YHVH warning
the people not to mix with the people of the land where they are going.
You know the old saying, you lie down with the dogs, you get up with
the fleasJ. He instructed them not only to stay away from them but
to tear down their altars, break up their images and cut down their
groves. He reminds them they are to keep Chag Shavout (Pentecost),
Passover, and Sukkot. These are the three regalim (walking) festivals
when they were to appear before YHVH. The miracle here is this would
have been the ideal time for Israel's enemies to have struck their
camps because all their males would be gone to defend it. Yet YHVH
took care of this problem supernaturally. You'll see that in 34:24
where He says He will enlarge their borders at that time and cause
no man to desire their land. YHVH said, I won't even let the thought
cross their minds during this time to want what belongs to you. We
also read in Exo. 34:26, the verse that has been blown way out of
proportion and twisted around to cause all kinds of trouble. That
verse simply says, don't cook a kid in its mother's milk. Did that
ever evolve into a huge tradition of not mixing dairy and milk together
on the same plate! The orthodox Jews today buy two sets of dishes,
one for meat and one for dairy.
Gee, I don't remember them
having two sets of dishes in the desertJ. I don't remember Abraham
separating the meat from the milk on separate dishes when he entertained
the three visitors at his tent, one of which was YHVH/Yeshua. If there
was a time to serve anything kosher, I'd think that would have been
it! The ancient heathens would cook the animal in the mother's milk
for a "good luck charm" for a successful year. All YHVH was telling
them here is, don't do what the heathen do! Go ahead and have that
kosher cheeseburger, its okJ. Speaking of milk, it really is time
(really past time) for YHVH'S set apart people to start digging in
and learning their Word. The time for being content with the milk
of the word is past. In this area you can mix milk and meat all you
wantJ. But for the most part, many believers have been too content
for too many years to just drink their bottle of milk at church and
go home. They show up at their favorite church, hear about Jonah and
the whale, or Noah and the Ark, or David and Goliath, or how Peter
walked on water, but fell in when his faith grew weak, or how they
need to do better at keeping the ten commandments, is this not true?
People the time is growing short and we longer can waste our time
listening to these sermons on being kind to your neighbor every week.
YOU SHOULD KNOW TO DO THAT ALREADY! That's not a bad thing, nor a
wrong thing, but there's much more than that to this walk! We need
to learn how to keep YHVH'S appointed feasts, eat kosher, and how
to keep a Sabbath just to name a few. So as for me and my house, pass
the meat please! Shalom
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