Say! - EMOR - אמר - Audio Podcast May 6, 2023
Notes
Transcript
Leviticus 21:1-24:23
Review
TORAH GPS
We continue to use the Torah as our guide to do our portions
So far we have come from Genesis to now Leviticus, and God has been at work
We have talked about Vayikra in the last few weeks
So far we can summarize the book of Leviticus/ Vayikra like this:
Cumulative Summary and Overview
VaYikra Adonai el Moshe (and the Lord called to Moses), to draw near to His glorious Presence in the tabernacle.
God further instructs Moshe: Tsav (command!) the priests to receive offerings from Yisra’el. Take seven days to consecrate these men.
Ba-yom ha-Sh’mini (on the eighth day), the priests begin serving in the sanctuary. But things go wrong! Zealous to offer incense, Nadav and Avihu jump ahead of orders and die in the holy place …
The next two parashiot stress the importance of being tahor (pure/not impure). When a woman Tazria (bears seed), she remains tamei (impure) after childbirth. Only after waiting a set time can she approach the altar in a pure state. Waiting is not enough for the M’tsora (infected one). Unless God heals him, he remains barred indefinitely from the camp.
Acharei Mot (after the death of) Aharon’s two sons, God restricts access to His holy Presence. He orders the camp cleansed every Yom Kippur to restore purity lost by sin.
Respect for the sanctity of life requires all blood to be consecrated. Blood is holy, specially reserved for creating life, removing impurity, or restoring purity in the camp where the Holy One dwells.
All Yisra’el must obey Torah, keep the covenant, and maintain holiness—in the Land, in the households, and in the nation. In short, with help from God, we all must strive to become K’doshim (holy ones), for He is holy!
But God requires an even higher standard of holiness from the priests. He tells Moshe: Emor (say!) to the priests
We talked about Nadab and Abihu -wanting to do it their own way
The people shout and fall on their faces in glorious worship!
All know, on that day, that the Lord has appeared in the midst of His people.
We talked how the word seed/sara is so similar to the word for leprous/tsara - leprosy/Tsara’at (as white as snow)
Lashon Hara
How words have power and specially evil talk
We talked about the atonement the Lord made so that we could be holy
We explained how we keep holy
bribes
Clean up our tongues: Physical tongue - Inside Tongue called THOUGHTS
Holiness is in contention with sin.
They cannot co-exist.
One will take over the other.
Sin is the separation from God, which is exactly what makes us unholy.
In our last Torah Portion we talked about specific part of God’s Torah that shows us what the consequences are if we do not follow His Torah- That is when dealing with sin
Holiness is an integral part of the process walking with the Lord
Parents:
This Torah Portion teaches that respect for parents ordains not only that they be honoured through personal service, but that it would also be done in a respectful manner
Sabbath:
The definition goes beyond the 7th day of the week and includes the 7th year sabbatical of fields and loans, as they testify that God is the Creator and Master of the Universe
Idols:
We are exhorted that the prohibition against idolatry includes not only acts of worship, but anything that shows them (the idols) belief or respect, even when it may seen beneficial to do it.
I said, please listen to the warning
Introduction
Introduction
The roadmap
We will talk about the definition of our Torah Portion
Explain how God speaks to Israel and to the Gentiles
How serious it is to keep vows - consequences
We will study the roadmap for holiness in the Feasts
We will talk about the Nations becoming sanctified by the High Priest
We will discuss if He performs the sanctification process by Grace or Law
Is the Law and the Feast for Israel only?
We will close with the meaning of the 8 feasts
Leviticus 21:1
Speak - emor - אמר
606 I. אָמַר (ʾā·mǎr): v.; ≡ Str 559; TWOT 118—1. LN 33.69–33.108 (qal) say, tell, claim, i.e., speak or talk, usually with a focus on the content to follow (Ge 3:1); be said, be told, be spoken to ask, i.e., to request information (Ge 27:32); 4. answer, i.e., respond to a question (Ge 16:8); 5. promise, i.e., speak words with a certainty that they will happen - declare, promise (Dt 26:17, 18+); 6. intend, formally, say, i.e., to think with a purpose and planning (Ex 2:14); 7. command, i.e., give an order which is to be obeyed (Est 1:17);
1 And the Lord said to Moses, “Speak to the priests, the sons of Aaron, and say to them: ‘None shall defile himself for the dead among his people,
In verse 1:
Logos picture
Said, Speak and Say = Emor = אמר
1 And the Lord said to Moses, “Speak to the priests, the sons of Aaron, and say to them: ‘None shall defile himself for the dead among his people,
2 except for his relatives who are nearest to him: his mother, his father, his son, his daughter, and his brother;
More than a double standard for leadership, standards of holiness rise as those around the Lord move closer to Him.
Kohanim observe higher standards than for laity or Levites
And the Kohen Gadol observes the highest standards of all!
Perfect holiness means fitting into God’s picture
Being sanctified means becoming fit to be with the Lord.
In the case of priests, failure to observe priestly commands (e.g., on mourning and marriage) can profane the sanctuary (Lev. 21:6).
Kohanim may only mourn the loss of sh’erim (close family relations): mother, father, brother, son, daughter, and virgin sister (Lev. 21:1–7; cf. Lev. 21:12). Kohanim can marry only a virgin or the widow of a priest, but not a divorcee or a prostitute (Lev. 21:7).
Holy behaviors may sound discriminatory to western ears.
But what is kosher (fit) does not carry good or bad connotations in the Semitic world.
As in constructing a puzzle, each fit helps to complete the whole!
Defile - ceremonially unclean- picture
3237 I. טָמֵא (ṭā·mē(ʾ)): v.; ≡ Str 2930; TWOT 809—1. be unclean, be defiled, i.e., be ritually impure (Lev 5:3);
Yeshua said,
46 While He was still talking to the multitudes, behold, His mother and brothers stood outside, seeking to speak with Him.
47 Then one said to Him, “Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak with You.”
48 But He answered and said to the one who told Him, “Who is My mother and who are My brothers?”
49 And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, “Here are My mother and My brothers!
50 For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.”
21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
6 They shall be holy to their God and not profane the name of their God, for they offer the offerings of the Lord made by fire, and the bread of their God; therefore they shall be holy.
the food of their God, and so must be holy Sacrificial offerings are often called leḥem, “food,” and at least in a symbolic sense are considered food for God.
The priests must observe strict codes of purity because they are the ones charged with performance of the rituals
Loaf of Bread/ Food = (lehem) לֶחֶם
4312 לֶחֶם (lě·ḥěm): n.masc. occasionally fem.; ≡ Str 3899; —1. loaf of bread, i.e., grain flour mixed and baked (Ex 29:2); 2. grain product, i.e., any consumable grain product distinguished from meat (1Sa 25:11); 3. food, i.e., any consumable product, including meat which is in contrast to a drinkable liquid (Lev 3:11); 4. : לֶחֶם הַ־ פָּנֶה (lě·ḥěm hǎ- pā·ně(h)) Bread of the Presence, i.e., a special bread as an offering (Ex 25:30); 5. : לֶחֶם אֱלֹהִים (lě·ḥěm ʾělō·hîm) sacrificial food, formally, food of God, i.e., that which is an offering to deity (Lev 21:22); 6. : לֶחֶם הַ־ בִּכּוּרִים (lě·ḥěm hǎ- bik·kû·rîm) Bread of the Firstfruits, i.e., a special bread as an offering (Lev 23:20); 7. : עָשָׂה לֶחֶם (ʿā·śā(h) lě·ḥěm) make a feast, formally, make bread (Ecc 10:19); 8. : לֶחֶם עַצְלוּת אָכַל (lě·ḥěm ʿǎṣ·lûṯ ʾā·ḵǎl) be lazy, not work hard, formally, eat the bread of idleness (Pr 31:27);
The bread of their God - lehem hem elohim
Picture of Bread
8 Therefore you shall consecrate him, for he offers the bread of your God. He shall be holy to you, for I the Lord, who sanctify you, am holy.
17 “Speak to Aaron, saying: ‘No man of your descendants in succeeding generations, who has any defect, may approach to offer the bread of his God.
21 No man of the descendants of Aaron the priest, who has a defect, shall come near to offer the offerings made by fire to the Lord. He has a defect; he shall not come near to offer the bread of his God.
22 He may eat the bread of his God, both the most holy and the holy;
7 And when the sun goes down he shall be clean; and afterward he may eat the holy offerings, because it is his food.
food - lehem
25 Nor from a foreigner’s hand shall you offer any of these as the bread of your God, because their corruption is in them, and defects are in them. They shall not be accepted on your behalf.’ ”
18 And you shall offer with the bread seven lambs of the first year, without blemish, one young bull, and two rams. They shall be as a burnt offering to the Lord, with their grain offering and their drink offerings, an offering made by fire for a sweet aroma to the Lord.
20 The priest shall wave them with the bread of the firstfruits as a wave offering before the Lord, with the two lambs. They shall be holy to the Lord for the priest.
Lehem ha bikkurim = the bread of firstfruits
1107 בֵּית לֶחֶם (bêṯ lě·ḥěm): n.pr.; ≡ Str 1035; TWOT 241b—LN 93-place (loc.) Bethlehem: 1. town of Judah, 5 mi. S of Jerusalem, (Ge 35:19; Ru 1:1; Mic 5:1[EB 2])
2 “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.”
1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem,
42 Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the seed of David and from the town of Bethlehem, where David was?”
7 They shall not take a wife who is a harlot or a defiled woman, nor shall they take a woman divorced from her husband; for the priest is holy to his God.
Harlot = zonah = זֹנָה (zayin, nun, hey )
picture of harlot
2390 זֹנָה (zō·nā(h)): n.fem. [KB, BDB: qal act.ptcp.fem. of 2388]; ≡ Str 2181, 2185;—1. prostitute, harlot, i.e., a person who has sex with partner(sing.) to whom one is not married, for bribes, favors, or other kinds of payment (Ge 34:31), 2. LN 88.271–88.282 prostitution, i.e., the act or condition of sexual immorality by engaging in sex for bribes, favors, or money (Lev 21:7),
1 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with me, saying to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters,
4520 πόρνη (pornē), ης (ēs), ἡ (hē): n.fem.; ≡ DBLHebr 2390; Str 4204; TDNT 6.579—LN 88.275 a prostitute (Mt 21:31; Lk 15:30; 1Co 6:15; Heb 11:31; Jas 2:25; Rev 17:1; 19:2)
A harlot likes the privileges of the bride without the covenant.
We will see what awaits the harlot
Presentation
Presentation
After defined some of the terms we find in this Torah portion let us begin with
16 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
17 “Speak to Aaron, saying: ‘No man of your descendants in succeeding generations, who has any defect, may approach to offer the bread of his God.
Blemished priests, as blemished sacrifices, are not permitted to draw near to the altar or minister in the holy place, receiving offerings from the people, either kodshei kodashim (most holy) or even kodashim (holy).
Drawing near to God requires perfection.
Draw near picture
Blemished priests include the blind, lame, mutilated, broken-limbed, or those with skin, eye, and genital deformities.
Anything that mars the perfection (wholeness) of the kohen excludes him from officiating; however, penalties for officiating are relatively light [Munk, p. 260].
In fact, priests with blemishes can eat holy sacrifices.
In contrast, eating holy offerings in a tamei (impure) state—especially knowingly—incurs severe punishment, either mitah bidei shamayim (death by the hand of heaven) or karet (cutting off) (Lev. 22:9).
In the case of karet, the kohen is cut off from future altar service. In other words, where a breach of holiness occurs, one strike and you’re out!
17 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
18 “Speak to Aaron and his sons, and to all the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘Whatever man of the house of Israel, or of the strangers in Israel, who offers his sacrifice for any of his vows or for any of his freewill offerings, which they offer to the Lord as a burnt offering—
19 you shall offer of your own free will a male without blemish from the cattle, from the sheep, or from the goats.
Gifts for God
Voluntary offerings can be a vow, thanksgiving offering or a free will, voluntary offering.
God provided the gift of His Grace
The vow - offering, must be tarn (whole, perfect), without blemish.
The free will offering needs not be tarn (Lev. 22:23), since it could be sold (not put on the altar) and the proceeds donated to the sanctuary.
As voluntary offerings, these sacrifices can be wholly given to God as an olah (ascent) or shared as sh’lamim (fellowship offerings) among worshippers, kohanim, and God.
Vows are serious matters that must be wholly fulfilled.
One’s word must be kept, and kept perfectly.
Any blemish, any imperfection or shortfall, renders the vow unacceptable.
Vows must be kept perfectly.
Upon completion of a vow, the offerer’s offering must be an unblemished
a male sacrifice from the cattle, sheep, or goats.
The adage, “Half a loaf is better than no loaf at all” does not apply to vows.
Better never to vow than to try one’s best and fall short!
20 Whatever has a defect, you shall not offer, for it shall not be acceptable on your behalf.
1 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
2 “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘The feasts of the Lord, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts.
Proclaim holiness at the appointed times
Torah attributes holiness to persons, places, objects, and special times [Levine, p. 257]. L’kiddesh otoh (to sanctify it, to declare it holy) is accomplished through ritual, prayer, and formal declaration.
Shabbat is the first mo’ed (appointed time).
Torah calls the Shabbat day a mikra’ei kodesh (proclamation of holiness)
It prohibits m’lach’ah (assigned tasks, work) (Lev. 23:2–3). On this day, Shabbat is declared holy, set apart for God
picture feasts
Leviticus 23:23-24
Sabbaticals predominate the Hebrew calendar.
Torah marks the seventh month as zichron t’ru’ah (a reminder by horn-blasting) (Fox, Lev. 23:24, note p. 621).
Repentance
The “sh’varim-t’ru’ah” mimics the distressed sigh of a man coming before God’s throne on the day of judgment [R.H. 34a].
Repentance precedes times of rest and rejoicing
picture of repentance
Called Rosh haShanah (the Head of the Year), this actual name never appears in Torah.
Talmud calls Rosh haShanah the anniversary of the creation of Adam.
“On Rosh haShanah all that comes into the world pass before Him like flocks of sheep” [Mishnah, R.H. 1.2].
Nine days after Yom T’ruah (the day of horn-blasting) is Yom haKippurim (the day of atonements)
Now called Yom Kippur, the plural (or superlative) use by Torah marks the day when God is favourably predisposed to show the greatest mercy!
Thus, Yom T’ruah becomes the day of justice with mercy, and Yom Kippur becomes the day of mercy with justice [Ramban].
33 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
34 “Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days to the Lord.
Proclaim holiness! Cease from all work
starting on the full moon, the day that the power of the seventh month peaks.
Thus, the time commences for redemption of paradise on earth!
Sukkot and Sh’mini Atseret mark times of rejoicing in redemption
Sukkot (huts, booths) celebrates the final harvest festival.
The Promised Land ripens with grapes, olives, dates, figs, pomegranates, wheat, and barley.
Harvesting these first-fruits anticipates transforming the Land of Promise into a mini-paradise on earth (Lev. 23:39).
Joy of the harvest and the ceasing of servile labor project the hope of re-entering Gan Eden (the Garden of Eden/Paradise).
Offering first-fruits and firstborn cattle redeems not only nations, but even creation itself!
Sukkot lasts a week, which gives Yisra’el a Shabbat rest in the Land, amidst fruitfulness and joyous celebration.
Then commences the last holy day of Torah, Sh’mini Atseret (eighth termination) (Lev. 23:36), the day in which the Torah is fulfilled!
Is Sh’mini Atseret (eighth termination) only for Israel?
Read Num. 29:12–34, 35–38. Yisra’el sacrifices 70 bulls, one for each nation; then on Sh’mini Atseret, Yisra’el tarries an extra, 8th day, and sacrifices for itself a lone bull. Describe Yisra’el’s priestly intercession among the nations.
BULL SACRIFICES
In Genesis chapter 10 - before the Tower of Babel- we have an account of all the nations of the world descending from the sons of Noah
5 From these the coastland peoples of the Gentiles were separated into their lands, everyone according to his language, according to their families, into their nations.
After counting all their descendants:
SHEM = 26 descendants
HAM = 30 descendants
JAPHET = 14 descendants
70 Nations
Count
12 ‘On the fifteenth day of the seventh month you shall have a holy convocation. You shall do no customary work, and you shall keep a feast to the Lord seven days.
13 You shall present a burnt offering, an offering made by fire as a sweet aroma to the Lord: thirteen young bulls, two rams, and fourteen lambs in their first year. They shall be without blemish.
17 ‘On the second day present twelve young bulls, two rams, fourteen lambs in their first year without blemish,
20 ‘On the third day present eleven bulls, two rams, fourteen lambs in their first year without blemish,
23 ‘On the fourth day present ten bulls, two rams, and fourteen lambs in their first year, without blemish,
26 ‘On the fifth day present nine bulls, two rams, and fourteen lambs in their first year without blemish,
29 ‘On the sixth day present eight bulls, two rams, and fourteen lambs in their first year without blemish,
32 ‘On the seventh day present seven bulls, two rams, and fourteen lambs in their first year without blemish,
35 ‘On the eighth day you shall have a sacred assembly. You shall do no customary work.
1 Now He said to Moses, “Come up to the Lord, you and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and worship from afar.
23 That which has gone from your lips you shall keep and perform, for you voluntarily vowed to the Lord your God what you have promised with your mouth.
Following through with the vow
Back to
1 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:
2 “Command the children of Israel that they bring to you pure oil of pressed olives for the light, to make the lamps burn continually.
Priests eat holy loaves in the Lord’s Presence in a holy place (Lev. 24:9).
The kohanim must nurture a desire for holiness, a desire beyond eating good food in a godly place.
Man is created to fellowship with His Creator and enjoy Him forever!
Taste and see that holiness is delightful!
God commands Israel to supply pure oil which gives a pure light to the tabernacle.
His command extends across the generations and sets apart Israel as a pure and holy light to the nations!
The lightly pressed olives are crushed merely by their own weight
Impurities would darken this oil and cause the light to flicker, but pure oil casts a pure light in the holy place.
The kohanim arrange lampwicks, bread, and even frankincense to be burned as a fire offering unto the Lord (Lev. 24:2, 7).
In this holy place, the ritually pure eat the holy loaves, called kodesh kodashim (especially holy) (Lev. 23:4–8), under the watchful gaze of the Lord.
23 Then Moses spoke to the children of Israel; and they took outside the camp him who had cursed, and stoned him with stones. So the children of Israel did as the Lord commanded Moses.
Moshe consults God in the first matter to be clarified by God Himself (Lev. 24:10–12).
God decrees death to the ger (sojourner -no Jew - Gentile) who blasphemed His name (Lev. 24:13–14).
13 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
14 “Take outside the camp him who has cursed; then let all who heard him lay their hands on his head, and let all the congregation stone him.
Keep the holy within and the unholy without
According to Torah, anyone who curses God shall bear his sin (Lev. 24:15–16).
15 “Then you shall speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘Whoever curses his God shall bear his sin.
16 And whoever blasphemes the name of the Lord shall surely be put to death. All the congregation shall certainly stone him, the stranger as well as him who is born in the land. When he blasphemes the name of the Lord, he shall be put to death.
Rules for stoning require laying on of hands, a ceremony in which witnesses identify the executed as bearing his own sin.
The entire community responds to the divine decree by casting stones in immediate obedience, ka’asher tsivah Adonai et Moshe (exactly as the Lord commanded Moshe) (Lev. 24:23).
Punishing the ger (resident alien - non Jew- GENTILE) establishes the fact that there is one law for the citizen and the resident alien alike (Lev. 24:22).
22 You shall have the same law for the stranger and for one from your own country; for I am the Lord your God.’ ”
Carrying out the punishment keeps the camp pure. Punishment not only removes the accursed one from the camp (Lev. 24:14, 23)
but it also brings together the entire community to sanctify God’s name.
Many will say we do not live under the law anymore but under grace
Take for example the woman caught in adultery
Is she a harlot?
Grace or Law?
2 Now early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them.
3 Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst,
4 they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act.
5 Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?”
6 This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear.
Grace or Law?
A few things happen here at the same time.
1-TEACHING
2 Now early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them.
TAUGHT them
1438 διδάσκω (didaskō): vb.; ≡ DBLHebr 4340; Str 1321; teach, provide instruction
Didactic
4340 לָמַד (lā·mǎḏ): v.; ≡ Str 3925; TWOT 1116—1. LN 27.1–27.26 (qal) learn, train, i.e., gain information (or signals and cues) and respond properly to it with regular action, implying acceptance of, or submission to the information (Dt 4:10); be trained, taught (1Ch 5:18); be trained, taught (1Ch 25:7; SS 3:8; Isa 29:13; Jer 31:18; Hos 10:11+); 2. teach, instruct, train, i.e., impart information in a formal or informal setting, with a focus that the information will be responded to, so be a training of the object (Dt 4:1)
1 “Now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the judgments which I teach you to observe, that you may live, and go in and possess the land which the Lord God of your fathers is giving you.
20 And Moses said to the people, “Do not fear; for God has come to test you, and that His fear may be before you, so that you may not sin.”
15 “The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren. Him you shall hear,
16 according to all you desired of the Lord your God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, nor let me see this great fire anymore, lest I die.’
17 “And the Lord said to me: ‘What they have spoken is good.
18 I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brethren, and will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him.
19 And it shall be that whoever will not hear My words, which He speaks in My name, I will require it of him.
2- TESTING
Who is testing who? Jesus measuring
4 they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act.
5 Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?”
6 This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear.
Are they testing His teaching?
Jesus is measuring their application of the law
3 Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst,
14 “You shall not commit adultery.
18 “If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey the voice of his father or the voice of his mother, and who, when they have chastened him, will not heed them,
19 then his father and his mother shall take hold of him and bring him out to the elders of his city, to the gate of his city.
20 And they shall say to the elders of his city, ‘This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious; he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton and a drunkard.’
21 Then all the men of his city shall stone him to death with stones; so you shall put away the evil from among you, and all Israel shall hear and fear.
This is the council of the elders
30 The next day, because he wanted to know for certain why he was accused by the Jews, he released him from his bonds, and commanded the chief priests and all their council to appear, and brought Paul down and set him before them.
In the case of the woman caught in adultery,
Where are the elders? - Issue of Law
They are not at the city gates
57 And those who had laid hold of Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled.
58 But Peter followed Him at a distance to the high priest’s courtyard. And he went in and sat with the servants to see the end.
59 Now the chief priests, the elders, and all the council sought false testimony against Jesus to put Him to death,
60 but found none. Even though many false witnesses came forward, they found none. But at last two false witnesses came forward
61 and said, “This fellow said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days.’ ”
3- Penalty
They found her guilty of adultery w/o the elders? -Issue of the law
4 they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act.
5 Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?”
10 ‘The man who commits adultery with another man’s wife, he who commits adultery with his neighbor’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress, shall surely be put to death.
So, There is no elders
They are not outside the city - temple
They find her guilty - to stone her
There is no proper council
22 “If a man is found lying with a woman married to a husband, then both of them shall die—the man that lay with the woman, and the woman; so you shall put away the evil from Israel.
23 “If a young woman who is a virgin is betrothed to a husband, and a man finds her in the city and lies with her,
24 then you shall bring them both out to the gate of that city, and you shall stone them to death with stones, the young woman because she did not cry out in the city, and the man because he humbled his neighbor’s wife; so you shall put away the evil from among you.
Where is the man? - Issue of the Law
1 “If there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he gives you a sign or a wonder,
2 and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, ‘Let us go after other gods’—which you have not known—‘and let us serve them,’
3 you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for the Lord your God is testing you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
4 You shall walk after the Lord your God and fear Him, and keep His commandments and obey His voice; you shall serve Him and hold fast to Him.
5 But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has spoken in order to turn you away from the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of bondage, to entice you from the way in which the Lord your God commanded you to walk. So you shall put away the evil from your midst.
So, There is no elders
They are not outside the city - temple
They find her guilty - to stone her
There is no proper council
There is no man with whom she was committing adultery
4- Exercising the Law
5 Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?”
6 This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear.
Set up
What did He write with His finger?
13 O Lord, the hope of Israel, All who forsake You shall be ashamed. “Those who depart from Me Shall be written in the earth, Because they have forsaken the Lord, The fountain of living waters.”
18 And when He had made an end of speaking with him on Mount Sinai, He gave Moses two tablets of the Testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God.
What did He write? the law- Issue of Law
So, There is no elders
They are not outside the city - temple
They find her guilty - to stone her
There is no proper council
There is no man to be found
They are not applying the law well- without the direction (finger of God)
20 But if I cast out demons with the finger of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.
Who has the authority to judge? - Issue of Law
The authority of God comes from His law - Issue of Law
The scribes and Pharisees do not have the authority to judge
Only God can forgive sin
Our High Priest is about to exercise the Law - Issue of Law
14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.
15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.
16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
1 For every high priest taken from among men is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins.
2 He can have compassion on those who are ignorant and going astray, since he himself is also subject to weakness.
3 Because of this he is required as for the people, so also for himself, to offer sacrifices for sins.
4 And no man takes this honor to himself, but he who is called by God, just as Aaron was.
6 This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear.
7 So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.”
8 And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground.
9 Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
1 “Judge not, that you be not judged.
2 For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
So, There is no elders
They are not outside the city - temple
They find her guilty - to stone her
There is no proper council
There is no man to be found
They are not applying the law well- without the direction (finger of God)
He is able to forgive sin
All issues of the law
Who is exercising the law here? - Issue of Law
Grace or Law?
14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; Mercy and truth go before Your face.
15 Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound! They walk, O Lord, in the light of Your countenance.
16 In Your name they rejoice all day long, And in Your righteousness they are exalted.
Grace or Law? Yes
9 Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
10 When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?”
TORAH
15 “One witness shall not rise against a man concerning any iniquity or any sin that he commits; by the mouth of two or three witnesses the matter shall be established.
16 If a false witness rises against any man to testify against him of wrongdoing,
17 then both men in the controversy shall stand before the Lord, before the priests and the judges who serve in those days.
18 And the judges shall make careful inquiry, and indeed, if the witness is a false witness, who has testified falsely against his brother,
19 then you shall do to him as he thought to have done to his brother; so you shall put away the evil from among you.
20 And those who remain shall hear and fear, and hereafter they shall not again commit such evil among you.
21 Your eye shall not pity: life shall be for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.
So, There is no elders
They are not outside the city - temple
They find her guilty - to stone her
There is no proper council
There is no man to be found
They are not applying the law well- without the direction (finger of God)
He is able to forgive sin
There are no witnesses
All issues of the law
Verse 21 in Deuteronomy Chapter 19 is in our Torah Portion
20 fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; as he has caused disfigurement of a man, so shall it be done to him.
5- Torah is Grace - Truth and Grace / Grace and Truth - an Issue of Law and Grace
11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”
12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”
Grace or Law?
Yes
Closing
Closing
Back to
20 fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; as he has caused disfigurement of a man, so shall it be done to him.
21 And whoever kills an animal shall restore it; but whoever kills a man shall be put to death.
22 You shall have the same law for the stranger and for one from your own country; for I am the Lord your God.’ ”
23 Then Moses spoke to the children of Israel; and they took outside the camp him who had cursed, and stoned him with stones. So the children of Israel did as the Lord commanded Moses.
The same law for the stranger and for one from your own country - Israel
Many nowadays say there is a dispensation of Grace for the Gentile and a Judgement awaiting for Israel
I do not see that
If you belong to Yeshua, you will be able to fulfill the law by His grace in your life
Both Jew and non-Jew - same law
If you do not obey Him - there are consequences
Both Jew and non-Jew- same law
Emor -what the Lord says stands
Say! - EMOR - אמר
Remember Luke 14
The parable of the great supper describes a grand banquet in the making.
Formal invitations are sent and implicitly accepted
All who respond can eat at God’s house
Afterward, extensive preparations are completed
The host sends his servant to inform the invitees, who then respond with refusals that needed to have been communicated before preparations began (Lk. 14:16–20).
16 Then He said to him, “A certain man gave a great supper and invited many,
17 and sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, ‘Come, for all things are now ready.’
18 But they all with one accord began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused.’
19 And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them. I ask you to have me excused.’
20 Still another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’
Understandably, these tardy excuses enrage the host, who suddenly faces the embarrassment of vacant seats.
He invites new guests: the poor, crippled, lame, and blind (Lk. 14:13, 21).
13 But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind.
21 So that servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind.’
Empty spaces remain, so invitations are extended a third time!
Now the servant goes to the highways outside where the ger (resident alien - non Jew/ Gentile) travels, and to the hedges where beggars search for food left in the corners of the vineyard (Lk. 14:23).
23 Then the master said to the servant, ‘Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.
The servant urges even strangers to attend, for the host insists on a full house for supper- feast
Most certainly, the house will be filled!
Punishing the ger (resident alien - non Jew/ Gentile) establishes the fact that there is one law for the citizen and the resident alien alike (Lev. 24:22)
Emor - what the Lord says that stands
Say! - EMOR - אמר
22 You shall have the same law for the stranger and for one from your own country; for I am the Lord your God.’ ”
THE FEASTS
Are banquets given at appointed times: Moed
Every appointed time gives an insight of His law, mercy and grace
The parable describes that the house will be filled. This is certain
Emor - what the Lord says that will stand - Law
Say! - EMOR - אמר
The law provides the time and space to accomplish this:
Time - appointed times- Sabbath Days
Place - the banquet - at His house
1 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
2 “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘The feasts of the Lord, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts.
3 ‘Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation. You shall do no work on it; it is the Sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings.
Picture of Feasts
The "Seven Feasts" may be divided into two sections of "four" and "three."
The first section includes the "Passover” (Nissan), the Feasts of "Unleavened Bread," of "First-Fruits" and "Pentecost."
Then there was an interval of four months, followed by the Feasts of "Trumpets," "Day of Atonement," and "Tabernacles."
The "Three Great Festivals" were the "Passover," "Pentecost," and "Tabernacles."
They extended from the 14th day of the First Month to the 22d day of the Seventh Month (Tishri).
Passover
4 ‘These are the feasts of the Lord, holy convocations which you shall proclaim at their appointed times.
5 On the fourteenth day of the first month at twilight is the Lord’s Passover.
7 Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.
Unleavened Bread
6 And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the Feast of Unleavened Bread to the Lord; seven days you must eat unleavened bread.
7 On the first day you shall have a holy convocation; you shall do no customary work on it.
8 But you shall offer an offering made by fire to the Lord for seven days. The seventh day shall be a holy convocation; you shall do no customary work on it.’ ”
6 Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?
7 Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.
Firstfruits
9 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
10 “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘When you come into the land which I give to you, and reap its harvest, then you shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest.
11 He shall wave the sheaf before the Lord, to be accepted on your behalf; on the day after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it.
23 But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming.
Pentacost
15 ‘And you shall count for yourselves from the day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering: seven Sabbaths shall be completed.
16 Count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath; then you shall offer a new grain offering to the Lord.
1 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.
3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.
Emor - what the Lord says that will stand - Law
Say! - EMOR - אמר
4 months interval - no convocation during those months
The fullness of the Gentiles needs to be gathered
25 For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.
Grace and Law?
5 Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace.
The interval period will end, and the elect of Israel will be gathered back from the 4 quarters of the earth to keep the Feast of Trumpets
31 And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
Trumpets
23 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
24 “Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall have a sabbath-rest, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation.
25 You shall do no customary work on it; and you shall offer an offering made by fire to the Lord.’ ”
Emor - what the Lord says that will stand - Law
Say! - EMOR - אמר
The last trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed
51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—
52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
Then the day of cleansing from sin will come, full account given in Leviticus 16
Its typical meaning was fulfilled in Christ. He is our Great High Priest, who instead of offering a "Sin-Offering" for Himself, offered Himself as a "Sin-Offering" for us.
11 But when the Messiah appeared as cohen gadol of the good things that are happening already, then, through the greater and more perfect Tent which is not man-made (that is, it is not of this created world),
12 he entered the Holiest Place once and for all. And he entered not by means of the blood of goats and calves, but by means of his own blood, thus setting people free forever.
13 For if sprinkling ceremonially unclean persons with the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer restores their outward purity;
14 then how much more the blood of the Messiah, who, through the eternal Spirit, offered himself to God as a sacrifice without blemish, will purify our conscience from works that lead to death, so that we can serve the living God!
6 And I am sure of this: that the One who began a good work among you will keep it growing until it is completed on the Day of the Messiah Yeshua.
7 It is right for me to think this way about you all, because I have you on my heart; for whether I am in chains or defending and establishing the Good News, you are all sharing with me in this privileged work.
8 God can testify how I long for all of you with the deep affection of the Messiah Yeshua.
Tabernacles
33 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
34 “Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days to the Lord.
35 On the first day there shall be a holy convocation. You shall do no customary work on it.
36 For seven days you shall offer an offering made by fire to the Lord. On the eighth day you shall have a holy convocation, and you shall offer an offering made by fire to the Lord. It is a sacred assembly, and you shall do no customary work on it.
This was the last of the Seven Set Feasts.
It was a "Harvest Home" celebration to be observed at the end of the harvest, and was to continue seven days. Deu. 16:13.
The people during the Feast were to dwell in booths (arbors) made of the branches of palm trees and willows from the brook, which would remind them of the palm trees of Elim, and the "Willows" of Babylon. Psa. 137:1-9.
The Antitype of this Feast has not as yet appeared
though Peter anticipated it, when on the Mt. of Transfiguration,
he said-"Lord, it is good for us to be here; if thou wilt, let us make here three Tabernacles;
one for Thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias." Matt. 17:4.
What Peter desired, the dwelling of heavenly with earthly people on the earth, was not possible then, but will come to pass in Millennial Days, when Heaven and Earth shall be in closer union.
The Feast of Tabernacles points forward to the "Millennial Rest."
What the "Seventh Day," or Sabbath, is to the week, a day of rest; so the "Seventh Month" to the Other six months of the "Seven Months Cycle," typifies a period of rest-the Sabbatical Rest
The "Millennial Age," or 1000 years, in relation to the other six thousand years of the world's work day history.
Like the Lord's Supper is to us, a "Memorial" pointing back to the "Cross" and forward to the "Coming," so the "Feast of Tabernacles" will be a "Memorial" to Israel and us, pointing back to Egypt and forward to Millennial Rest.
While the Feast of Tabernacles began on the Sabbath and continued seven days, it was to be followed by a Sabbath. Lev. 23:39.
This Sabbath on the "Eighth Day" points to the New Heaven and Earth that follow the Millennium, and to the "Eighth
We continue with the appointed times, outlined in the feast of the lord, did they include it is the eighth day at the end of Leviticus 23, verse 39.
We can see at least three accounts in the gospels. This incident occurs in three of the gospels. It is commonly known as the day of transfiguration.
2 Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up on a high mountain apart by themselves; and He was transfigured before them.
1 Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves;
28 Now it came to pass, about eight days after these sayings, that He took Peter, John, and James and went up on the mountain to pray.
It says in Matthew 17: 1 – after six days
It says in Mark nine verse two after six days
Any it says in Luke 9 verse 28 about eight days after the teachings
In summary, the incident occurred about eight days after the teachings this is it Luke or six days after the teachings when He fed the 4000.
This is in Mark and in Matthew.
Yeshua takes Peter, James, and John to the mountain
there Moses and Elijah ordained Yeshua, Cohen Gadol – High Priest, after the order of Melchizedek.
This is an incident when some of the disciples get to see Yeshua in His kingdom before the death, but they will be sworn to secrecy until after the resurrection.
Both Matthew 17 verse one and MARK 9 verse two, report after meta—six days – Yeshua took three of his disciples to have mountain, when he changed before their eyes, and shone with the brightness of the sun.
Luke nine verse 28 records that same incident, His ordination as the Cohen Gadol- High Priest – after the order of Melchizedek, occurred “about” – (eight days after the teachings, after – meta—six days – is the seventh day - having not yet reached a point or number), the eight day is also the seventh day.
Both Greek constructions record the same event occurring at the same time but using two parallel Greek mathematical constructions.
The seventh day “after“ (inclusive of the day – a third mathematical construction, (include the teachings that concluded with defeating a 4000 disciples on the seventh day of the month) bring us to young Kapor – the day of atonement.
31 who appeared in glory and spoke of His decease which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.
Verse 31 says they spoke about His decease
2016 ἔξοδος (exodos), ου (ou), ἡ (hē): n.fem.; ≡ DBLHebr 3655; Str 1841; TDNT 5.103—1. LN 15.42 departure, exodus (Heb 11:22+); 2. LN 23.101 death, formally, departure (Lk 9:31; 2Pe 1:15+)11 James Swanson, Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains: Greek (New Testament) (Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997).
Verse 35 says the voice from heaven
the second witness, authenticated Yashua as the Prophet that we must “Shema” hear and obey.
And those who will not hear and obey will be diligently sought out and judged accordingly –
15 “The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren. Him you shall hear,
16 according to all you desired of the Lord your God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, nor let me see this great fire anymore, lest I die.’
17 “And the Lord said to me: ‘What they have spoken is good.
18 I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brethren, and will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him.
19 And it shall be that whoever will not hear My words, which He speaks in My name, I will require it of him.
This is the Torah Portions for Today
Shabbat Shalom