Ki Tavo (When You Come) Deut. 26-29
Torah Portion: Ki Tavo (When You Come) Devarim (Deuteronomy) 26-29
HafTorah: Isaiah 60:1-22
Tonight we study the Torah section Ki Tavo or, “when you come in.” In this section we read the blessings and curses that Moses lays out before the people before their entry into the Land. The blessings, if they follow the ways of G-d, curses if they do not. We also read of the Appointed Time of First Fruits known as what? It is called Shavuot or Pentecost and is the festival following Passover. Each farmer was called to bring the first fruits of his crop to the Temple in Jerusalem and present them as a tithe to the L-rd, to thank Him for settling them in the Land and fulfilling the promise to their ancestors. In the New Testament we see this time mentioned specifically in Acts 2, where we can see the people that came to the L-rd as the first fruits of the Messiah.
Vayak’hel and P’kudei Ex 35-40
Torah Portion: Vayak’hel (He Assembled) P’Kudei (Accounts) Sh’mot (Exodus) 35:1-40:38
HafTorah: Ezekiel 45:16-46:18
To begin with tonight I want to talk about something I saw this week that really caught my attention. In Sh’mot 38:21 we read, “The tabernacle, the tabernacle of testimony.” Usually when the Torah makes double use of a word it is making a deeper point. The Talmud picks up on this and states that here the point is that Torah is speaking of the earthly Tabernacle as being a shadow of the heavenly. This sounds really similar to Hebrews chapters 8-9, Hebrews 8:4 and 9:24. This brings us to the common argument used by many to say the Torah is finished and of little value to us as believers.
V’Zot HaBrachah (And this is the blessing) (Deut.) 32:1-34:12
Torah Portion: V’Zot HaBrachah (And this is the blessing) (Deut.) 32:1-34:12
HafTorah: Joshua 1:1-18
Tonight we finish our yearly Torah cycle by finishing the book of Deut. (D’Varim). Next week we begin the cycle again with the book of Genesis. Since we did not do a Torah study last week I wanted to take a moment to look at HaAzinu.
Hukath (Regulation) Num. 19:1-22:1
Torah Portion: Hukath (Regulation) Numbers (B’Midbar) 19:1-22:1
HafTorah: Judges 11:1-33
New Testament: John 3:9-21; 4:3-30; 12:27-50
Tonight we look at one of the harder things in Torah to understand. The Red Heifer here in the opening verse we read hukath Torah – The decree of the Torah. It is as if the Torah is saying “This is the point of the whole Torah.” A verse in the New Testament, Mark 12:30-31, reflects the same kind of idea. Here Yeshua gives an answer to a question that was meant to trip Him up. Love G-d and love your neighbor. What do the two have to do with each other?
G-d’s Plan – Vayigash Genesis 44
Torah Portion: Vayigash Genesis 44:18-47:27
HafTorah: Ezekiel 37:15-28
Ephesians 2:1-10
Tonight I want us to look at ways Joseph teaches us of the Messiah, those events in his life that find parallels in Messiah.
Chayei Sarah Genesis 23
Torah Portion: Chayei Sarah Genesis 23:1-25:18
HafTorah: I Kings 1:1-31
Matthew 1:1-17; I Cor 15:50-57
In this Torah portion we read about one of the times where Jews bought land in Israel, the other two being Joseph’s tomb and the Temple Mount. These three are now some of the most hotly contested places in Israel. Why?
Eikev (Following) Deut. 7
Torah Portion: Eikev (Following) Deut. 7:12-11:25
HafTorah: Isaiah 49:14-51:3
Hebrews 11:8-13; Romans 8:31-39
This Torah section could be called one of remembrance, not forgetting. In this section we see over and over Moses calling on the people to remember what G-d had done for them. In fact in Chapter 8 of Deut. Moses goes on about everything G-d did for them and included in the list were also trials that He led them through and why G-d allowed them to be tested. Living life involves challenges. By these we grow and our faith is built up. That is what He tells Israel to remember. For soon they will enter a land where they will be challenged in new ways.
Tzav (Command) Leviticus 6
Torah Portion: Tzav (Command) Leviticus 6:8-8:36
HafTorah: Jeremiah 7:21-8:3; 9:22-23
This week we read what could be called the priestly manual concerning the sacrifices. It starts with the word Tzav or command. Usually when G-d wanted Moses to communicate something to the people or priests He would tell Moses to “speak” or “tell.” But here He says “command.” Why? Was He worried they would forget or do something other than what He had told them? This Hebrew word carries with it the urgency of the moment but also to be consistent over time. It would be easy to do things G-d’s way when things were new and fresh, not so much as time went on. Here in lies our lesson as priests. Consistency. Our lives should show that same consistency, that same hunger as the first days. If what we have received from G-d is important we must live like it and carry on doing it until we are gathered together with Him. That thought is carried on with the first “how to” command of the burnt offering. What was unique about this? It indicated a complete sold out-ness to G-d. Everything was consumed on the altar and it was kept on the altar 24/7, even on the Sabbath. Here it is a physical picture of a spiritual reality. We are to live each day burned up for G-d, so to speak, especially as priests.
Messiah in the Five Sacrifices – Vayikra (And He Called)
Torah Portion: Vayikra (And He Called) Leviticus 1:1-6:7
HafTorah: Isaiah 43:21-44:23
G-d’s presence had moved from the mountain to the Tent of Meeting and called to Moses from the Tent. This is the third time we see G-d calling to Moses. The first time at the bush, G-d says Moses, Moses. -Exodus 3:4. Here he called Jacob twice Genesis 46:2, and here he called Samuel twice 1 Samuel 3:10. In the New Testament Acts 9:4 we see Yeshua use this same pattern with Shaul. Usually when a name is repeated like this in scripture it is a sign of special affection.
Vayakhel (And He Assembled)
Torah Portion: Vayakhel (And He Assembled) Exodus 35:1-38:20
HafTorah: I Kings 7:40-7:50
II Cor 9:6-11; I Cor 3:11-18
Tonight we look at the Torah section, “And He Assembled.” The root word in Hebrew Khal is the word usually translated as assembly. In the Hebrew Scriptures this word often refers to the people in the tabernacle or temple as the assembly. You have heard me often refer to the group here as the kehila which is the assembly. When the Hebrew Scriptures were translated to Greek, in the 2nd or 3rd century BCE, this word passed over into Greek as ekklesia. It appears throughout the Septuagint in place of khal. However, when this same Greek word appears in the New Testament it is almost always translated by the English word “church.” What does it matter? A recent letter to the editor in the Pensacola News Journal highlights this problem by stating, “The Old Testament is Jewish scriptures; those living under it are living under the law. Although it is our history, for Christians it has been replaced with the New Testament. Those living under the New Testament are living in the age of grace, which was ushered in by the resurrection of our Lord….” This gives the impression that the church is an exclusive New Testament term and draws a stark boundary between the two sections of the Bible. It is a way of disconnecting us from our Jewish roots as believers. Another even more striking example is the Hebrew word “eda” translated in Exodus 35:1 as congregation. When it came into the Septuagint it was translated with the Greek word “sunagogay”, it was usually linked to the place the “eda” met. However in places like James 2:2 the Greek again was translated into English as assembly. Paul uses the same word in I Cor. 11:16. The effect of such translation biases has been to hide any connection between Judaism, from which we sprung and Christianity. We as believers are the worse for it. We have to a large extent been deprived of the sweetness and spiritual food of the Hebrew Scriptures because of these sort of deceptions. And I for one count us most blessed that we have begun to restore some of what has been lost for almost 2000 years.