PARASHAH EMOR
(Leviticus 21:1-24:23) Week 31
EMOR: “Say to the Priests the sons of Aaron”.
KOHANIM: The Priesthood; all must be descendants of Aaron of the tribe of Levi
THE THREE SONS OF LEVI:
Gershon Exile: Meaning a DEPARTURE in Hebrew
Kohath Assembly: Meaning CONVOCATION in Hebrew
Merari Bitter: Meaning STRONG in Hebrew
CHILLUL HA SHEM: Desecration of God’s name. Jews would rather DIE than dishonor the name of ADONAI.
KIDDUSH HASHEM: Sanctification of God’s name
MO’EDIM: The EIGHT Appointed Times of the Lord!
Shabbat, Pesach, Unleavened Bread, Shavuot, First-fruits, Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur, Sukkot
SHALOSH REGALIM: The Three PILGRIMAGES: Pesach, Shavuot and Sukkot (2 in Spring, 1 in Fall)
AVOT MELAKHAH: 39 Categories which define LABOR which is prohibited on Shabbat.
LEX TALLIONIS: An eye for an eye or a tooth for a tooth! This encompassed government rulings. Jews use the term ‘Measure for Measure’.
BENEI TZADDOK: The Sons of righteousness. The prophesied Priests of the Millennial Temple and their AVODAH or Holy Service.
ROSH PINNAH: “THE CORNERSTONE” is YESHUA!
AM SEGULAH: A treasured People!
“Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people, once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” Hosea 2:23
The 3 Classes within Jewish Society:
- Kohen: The Priests or Ministers of the Sacrificial System (Korbanot) and Avodah or Holy Service
- Levite: Ministers in the Temple for service and maintenance of the Mishkan
- Israelite: The General Assembly of the Nation
The Tribe of Levi was chosen to serve in the Mishkan or Tabernacle, because of their loyalty to Adonai and His instruction.
This tribe of Isra’el did NOT participate in the Sin of the Golden Calf.
TAMEI: Ceremonially Unclean: The Priests could not serve IF determined to be Ceremonially Unclean! There were many rules, but the most stringent was coming into contact with the DEAD. Any form of death could NOT enter into the Holy of Holies, where the Shekinah Glory of the Lord dwelt in utter Holiness.
Red Heifer Sacrifice: (Beauty from Ashes) Consider the deep significance of the “Red Heifer Sacrifice” which is still a source of concern and expectation in Jerusalem among practicing Jews today for without the Red Heifer, the priesthood nor the Temple can be purified and made holy unto the Lord.
Temple service can’t begin without the Parah Adumah (red heifer). What does a cow have to do with the rebuilding of the Holy Temple?
How could a simple animal play a vital role in the success or failure of such a monumental event?
God’s word states that only the red heifer can restore the Biblical purity needed to rebuild the Temple.
An unblemished, pure red heifer is the key ingredient to Temple worship!
It is speculated the great importance of the perfect Red Heifer is in clear contradiction to the man-made Golden Calf of Idolatry of the Nation of Israel!
It is said that a perfect Red Heifer does not exist and never did! One with no more than 2 white hairs on its body, and a perfect body of form and function YET never yoked or worked by MAN.
This Red Heifer was utterly impossible to find. This Red Heifer sacrifice was for the sin connected to DEATH.
Yeshua Ha Massiache is the complete fulfillment of this sacrifice in every way. He was spotless, sinless, perfect, was NEVER yoked with or by men, but was utterly FREE in the Spirit in unity with the Father!
Why all the rules for the Kohanim? Who were they? They were the chosen tribe by the bloodline of Aaron, anointed by Adonai Himself, to serve Him in His dwelling place; the Holy of Holies inside the Mishkan. The rules and regulations revolve around the CRUX of the matter, since the beginning of time, and will be forevermore. YHVH is utterly Holy, and we are not. The Creator has a plan to dwell with us because of HIS great mercy!
These rules and regulations for the priesthood, and the Nation of Israel at large, were carved out by the Creator, out of MERCY, for in His presence, which He wishes to extend to us because of His love, we would literally burn up from the inside out, just as Nahav and Avidu did, as they pridefully offered strange fire in the Holy of Holies.
Note the N, S, E, W, position of the groups of 3 tribes around the Mishkan!
North ~ 4th Camp: Asher, Dan Naphtali
South ~ 2nd Camp: Gad, Reuben, Simeon
East ~1st Camp: Judah, Issachar, Zebulun
West ~ 3rd Camp: Manasseh, Ephraim, Benjamin
Forming a CROSS as they camped around the Mishkan.
Please Consider:
In light of new knowledge about Chillul HaShem, is there an area of life which does not honor, but dishonors the name of Adonai, which you have been convicted of? I shared that 10 years ago I was convicted of my casual use of God’s name in my conversational speech!
I am so glad today for this purifying conviction in my life that brought about swift and effective CHANGE!
Consider the deep meaning of the story of Shadrach, Meshack, and Abednego…facing the fires of Nebuchadnezzar and his evil ways! Do we see this lesson as a precursor to the End Times Saints and what they will face, during the reign of the Anti-Christ?
Adonai created a perfect Garden of Delight (Eden) in order to dwell and walk with Adam and Eve! But their sin brought DEATH onto the scene, and Adonai in His holiness cannot dwell in the midst of un-holiness!
He is utterly Holy. We are not. This is the lesson!
The people, stories, commands, which comprise God’s Word are to teach and train us to walk in a NEW way with Adonai! Because of our great Kohen Gadol or High Priest…Yeshua…who intercedes for us and has redeemed us by His own Life for Life Principal, paid in FULL, we now may dwell in SHALOM!
HAFTARAH (Old Covenant) READING: Ez. 44:15-44:31: “However, the Cohanim who are L’vi’im and descendants of Tzadok, who took care of my sanctuary when the people of Israel went astray from me – they are the ones who will approach me and serve me, it is they who will attend me and offer me the fat and the blood.” Says Adonai Elohim.
“They will enter my sanctuary, approach my table to minister to me and perform my service.”
Ezekiel prophesies the role of Benei Tzaddok, the Sons of Righteousness, who will minister to Adonai in the Millennial Temple.
BRIT CHADASHAH (New Covenant) READING: 1 Pet. 2:4-10: “As you come to him, the living stone rejected by people, but chosen by God and precious to him, you yourselves, as living stones are being built into a spiritual house to be Cohanim, set apart for God to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to him through YESHUA the Messiah.”
Peter states that the believer in Yeshua is part of the LIVING TEMPLE of the LORD!
As believers we are chosen as Am Segulah…a Treasured People!
Because Jesus is our ‘Kapporet’ or ‘Covering’, the Father sees us UNDER THE MANTLE OF THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF YESHUA!
“But you are a chosen people, the King’s Cohanim, a holy nation, a people for God to possess!
Why?
In order for you to declare the praises of the ONE who called you out of the darkness, into his wonderful light” 1 Pet. 2:9.