Parasha Ki Tisa 5783

Me

This week we read Parasha Ki Tisa, Exodus 30:11-34:35, which opens with the discussion of the half shekel offering to be made to the Tabernacle for every male aged 20 and over. This offering is a type of atonement and was the same value given no matter how rich or poor someone may be, representative of all Israel being equal.

We then see the description of the basin for the priesthood to wash their hands and feet during their ministry service in the Tabernacle. This is followed by the detailed description of the holy anointing oil that would be used in the Mishkan and is not to be used for any circumstances outside the Tabernacle/Temple.

Exouds 31 leads us to the discussion of Bezalel and Oholiab who have specific gifts and skills which would be used in the building of the Mishkan and who are filled with the Ruach HaKodesh to serve the Lord in this role. Next we see a discussion of the mitzvah for all Israel to be Shomer Shabbat and it is from this passage that we get the liturgical prayer V’Shamru. The chapter is closed out with HaShem giving Moses the Luchot HaEdut, the Tablets of the Testimony which contained the Asheret HaDibrot written by the very finger of HaShem.

In chapter 23 we see Israel complain that Moses was on the mountain too long and they have no clue if he is still alive or not. So they convince Aaron to build them the Egel HaZahav, Golden Calf, to be their god and an altar to sacrifice to it and then they begin to worship the idol in a very terrible scene of debauchery. Adonai tells Moses to go down and deal with these people that Moses brought out of Egypt because they have turn aside from the ways of God and turned to idolatry. Adonai says he wants to wipe them all out start fresh with making a nation from Moses, and Moses’ immediate reaction to to intercede for Israel before the Lord, even before he has actually scene how bad they have fallen.

Then he comes down the mountain and this horrendous scene before him. He smashes the Tablets out of anger and disappointment then he burns the Golden Calf in fire and grinds it to powder, spreads it across the see, and makes Israel drink it. He asks Aaron how in the world he let all this happen and he gives a bogus excuse… 3000 of Israel die that day because of the sin of the Egel HaZahav…

In chapter 33 we see more of Moses interceding for Israel, more so this time because Adonai has said he will let Israel live but that He cannot allow His Shechinah to go with them. So Moses beseeches the Lord to not just send an angel to lead Israel but that the Presence of the Lord continue to lead Israel because it is the Presence of the Living God that differentiates Israel from all the other nations of the earth. He then begs to see the Glory of God and is hidden in the cleft of the rock and allowed to see Adonai’s back in passing.

Chapter 34 opens with Moses being instructed Moses to carve two new tablets like the first for the rewriting of the Covenant upon them to replace the ones Moses destroyed when he saw the Egel HaZahav. Then we see the 13 Attributes of God described. Parasha Ki Tisa is closed out with a series of mitzvot reminding Israel to remain faithful to Hashem alone, including reiteration of the command to be Shomer Shabbat, of keeping Pesach and Shavuot, and then we read of Moses’ face radiating from the Shechinah whenever he came down from the Mountain again and would come and go from the Tent of Meeting.

(Tell story about guy on airplane talking to Danielle and her throwing me under the bus)

We

God

As we consider this reality today, I want to focus on a specific area of Parasha Ki Tisa, and this is something that should be of special interest to us as followers of Yeshua HaMashiach. As we do I want us to focus on a very important principle we find here...

Principle: What the world around us needs to see more than anything is the revelation of the Glory of God upon His people.

Let me set up the scene for you a bit and then let’s dig into the text together…

Exodus 33:12–20 TLV

So Moses said to Adonai “You say to me, ‘Bring up this people,’ but You have not let me know whom You will send with me. Yet You have said, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found grace in My eyes.’ Now then, I pray, if I have found grace in Your eyes, show me Your ways, so that I may know You, so that I might find favor in Your sight. Consider also that this nation is Your people.” “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest,” He answered. But then he said to Him, “If Your presence does not go with me, don’t let us go up from here! For how would it be known that I or your people have found favor in Your sight? Isn’t it because You go with us, that distinguishes us from all the people on the face of the earth?” Adonai answered Moses, “I will also do what you have said, for you have found favor in My sight, and I know you by name.” Then he said, “Please, show me Your glory!” So He said, “I will cause all My goodness to pass before you, and call out the Name of Adonai before you. I will be gracious toward whom I will be gracious, and I will show mercy on whom I will be merciful.” But He also said, “You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live.”

(Expound)

Exodus 34:29–35 TLV

Now it happened, when Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hand when he came down from the mountain, that Moses did not know that the skin of his face was radiant, because God had spoken with him. When Aaron and all Bnei-Yisrael saw Moses, the skin of his face shone in rays, so they were afraid to come near him. But Moses called out to them, so Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation returned to him, and Moses spoke to them. Afterward all Bnei-Yisrael came near, and he gave them all the mitzvot that Adonai had spoken to him in Mount Sinai. When Moses was done speaking with them, he put a veil over his face. But when Moses went before Adonai, so that He could speak with him, he took the veil off until he came out. When he came out and spoke to Bnei-Yisrael what he was commanded, Bnei-Yisrael saw the face of Moses and that the skin of his face glistened. So Moses put the veil back over his face until he went in to speak with Him.

(Expound)

— At the Sinai Experience in Exodus 19 and 20 the Nation was not allowed to approach the mountain because the Shechinah of HaShem was on the mountain, they had to stay at a distance but could see His Presence on the Mountain. As we move toward the Tabernacle being completed toward the end of Exodus we’ll see the Shechinah descend upon the Aron HaBrit in the Holy of Holies in the midst of Israel, but the nation as a whole were unable to approach the Presence.

Principle: What the world around us needs to see more than anything is the revelation of the Glory of God upon His people.

— Exodus 19 and 20 was the giving of the covenant, Exodus 34 was the renewing of the covenant. This was also a prophetic foreshadowing of the Renewed Covenant made possible through the Besorah.

Jeremiah 31:30–33 TLV

“Behold, days are coming” —it is a declaration of Adonai— “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah— not like the covenant I made with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt. For they broke My covenant, though I was a husband to them.” it is a declaration of Adonai. “But this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days” —it is a declaration of Adonai— “I will put My Torah within them. Yes, I will write it on their heart. I will be their God and they will be My people. No longer will each teach his neighbor or each his brother, saying: ‘Know Adonai,’ for they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest.” it is a declaration of Adonai. “For I will forgive their iniquity, their sin I will remember no more.”

(Expound)

2 Corinthians 3:4–18 TLV

Such is the confidence we have through Messiah toward God— not that we are competent in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our competence is from God. He also made us competent as servants of a new covenant—not of the letter, but of the Ruach. For the letter kills, but the Ruach gives life. Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that Bnei-Yisrael could not look intently upon Moses’ face because of its glory—although it was passing away— how will the ministry of the Ruach not be even more glorious? For if there is glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness overflows even more in glory. For even what was glorious is not glorious in comparison to the glory that surpasses it. For if what is passing away is glorious, much more what remains is glorious. Therefore, having such a hope, we act with great boldness. We are not like Moses, who used to put a veil over his face in order for Bnei-Yisrael not to look intently upon the end of what was passing away. But their minds were hardened. For up to this very day the same veil remains unlifted at the reading of the ancient covenant, since in Messiah it is passing away. But to this day, whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart. But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit and where the Ruach Adonai is, there is freedom. But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory—just as from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

(Expound)

Principle: What the world around us needs to see more than anything is the revelation of the Glory of God upon His people.

(Expound)

Hebrews 12:18–24 TLV

For you have not come to a mountain that can be touched, and to a blazing fire, and to darkness and gloom and storm, and to the blast of a shofar and a voice whose words made those who heard it beg that not another word be spoken to them. For they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it shall be stoned.” So terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I am quaking with fear.” But you have come to Mount Zion—to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, a joyous gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are written in a scroll in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous ones made perfect, and to Yeshua, the Mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks of something better than the blood of Abel.

Hebrews 12:28–29 TLV

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude—through this we may offer worship in a manner pleasing to God, with reverence and awe. For our God is a consuming fire.

(Expound)

Principle: What the world around us needs to see more than anything is the revelation of the Glory of God upon His people.

You

(Call worship team up and unmute)

What is holding you back from experiencing the fullness of the Shechinah of God in your heart and life?

What is preventing others from seeing His radiant Glory on you as Israel witnessed upon Moses?

Is there an area of sin that you still haven’t surrendered fully to the Lord? Are you harboring unforgiveness against someone despite the great forgiveness Yeshua has provided you? Are you more concerned with the culture of the world around you than you are with experiencing the Presence of God?

Mishpacha, are you hungry and thirsty for the radiant Glory of God? Because the world around you certainly is, even if they don’t realize it, and the Lord wants to reveal His radiant Glory upon you!!!

Hebrews 10:19–22 TLV

Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have boldness to enter into the Holies by the blood of Yeshua. He inaugurated a new and living way for us through the curtain—that is, His flesh. We also have a Kohen Gadol over God’s household. So let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and body washed with pure water.

Principle: What the world around us needs to see more than anything is the revelation of the Glory of God upon His people.

We

Today is the day to truly surrender our hearts and lives to the Lord. Paul says in Ephesians 2:19-22

Ephesians 2:19–22 TLV

So then you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household. You have been built on the foundation made up of the emissaries and prophets, with Messiah Yeshua Himself being the cornerstone. In Him the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple for the Lord. In Him, you also are being built together into God’s dwelling place in the Ruach.

So let’s prepare our hearts today, let’s surrender our lives fully to His Ruach HaKodesh. Let’s give Him free reign for His Radiant Glory to be seen in us so that many will be drawn to Salvation in Yeshua because of His Presence in us as we witness in Acts 2.