25th Portion
[24-30 March 2024]
Theme of the Book of Leviticus:
Life as a priest.
Meaning of "tzav" = "command"
This week's Torah portions:
Sunday: Leviticus 6:1-11
Monday: Leviticus 6:12-7:10
Tuesday: Leviticus 7:11-38
Wednesday: Leviticus 8:1-13
Thursday: Leviticus 8:14-21
Friday: Leviticus 8:22-29
Shabbat: Leviticus 8:30-36 & Jeremiah 7:21-8:3 & Jeremiah 9:22-23
Apostolic Writings:
Hebrews 7:23-8:6
Daily Bread for Busy Moms portions:
Isaiah 10-16
Psalm 148-150
Proverbs 1-2
Acts 15-19
The entire book of Leviticus is about life as a priest. So last week's portion was almost like an intro for what's to come in the rest of Leviticus.
Remember that we are still dealing with the tabernacle. The tabernacle was divided in three sections, namely: the Outer Court, the Inner Court / Holy Place and the Most Holies.
The Outer Court had two tabernacle items: the bronze altar (at the entrance of the tabernacle) and the copper laver/basin (before the entrance of the Inner Court).
The bronze altar was used for sacrifices. And the copper laver was used for cleansing. How profound!
If the priests wanted to enter the tabernacle, they firstly had to bring sacrifices. Then secondly, they had to cleanse themselves.
If we want to become the modern day tabernacle - the same applies to us! We have to bring a sacrifice; which is us laying down our lives. And then once we are born again, we have to go through the cleansing process. Where we are washed clean and being sanctified by the Blood of the Lamb.
In the Outer Court there are two important topics to grasp. One being dead to ourselves. And the second being alive and resurrected with Yeshua, through His Blood.
Then from the Outer Court, we enter into the Inner Court / Holy Place.
But many times the Outer Court is where many believers remain for their entire lives. Without ever realising or desiring to have more and access more intimacy.
Aaron and his sons was consecrated to enter into the Holy Place. Which teaches us that we also have to take up our authority after we have died to ourselves and was resurrected with Yeshua. The journey does not stop there. After that we have to choose to take up our responsibility as well as our authority. Just like Aaron and his sons had to. We need to deliberately choose to take up our roles as priests.
It's one thing to be born again. But it's a completely different thing to take up our responsibility as priests.
God anointed Aaron and his sons as priests. But they still had to do something from their side to walk into that calling which Abba had given them. In the same way, God has made us all priests. But just like Aaron and his sons, we also have to do something from our side to take up our calling.
Somewhere during our lives, after we are born again - we have to make this deliberate decision to take up our authority as priests. Authority ALWAYS comes with responsibility!
The priest had to clean the ashes from the bronze altar on a daily basis. And we also have to clean our lives from the ashes on a daily basis. You might be familiar with the song "Up from the ashes"... But do we really grasp the responsibility that lies therein?
We all want to hold onto the promise that God will give us beauty for ashes. But often times we do not realise the responsibility we carry and the part we play in receiving that beauty. We can't receive the beauty without removing the ashes.
As priests, we have to go through a continual cleaning process! When Moses inaugurated Aaron and his sons, they were not to leave the tabernacle for the period of 6 days (preparation) and the 7th day when they were inaugurated. What we can learn from this is that if we want to be the modern day tabernacle - it will require a continuous effort from our side. Just like the priests were not to leave the tabernacle. Remember that the sole purpose of the tabernacle was to create a dwelling place for God amongst His people. In the same way, we are not supposed to move away from dwelling with God and living in His presence.
It's the continual balance / harmony of right and responsibility. We have the right through the Blood of Yeshua to have beauty for ashes. But we also have the responsibility to remove the ashes.
God has anointed each one of us. Just like the priests were anointed. But to be inaugurated, they had to remain in the tabernacle, in God's presence. For us to receive the beauty for ashes and live in our anointing - we also have to remain in His presence!
Anointing in the Bible is always a shadow or reflection of the Holy Spirit. And thus when we walk in our anointing - the Holy Spirit will work in and through us. When we get baptised with the Holy Spirit - it's our spiritual inauguration. Like the physical one which the priests went through in the tabernacle.
Everybody knew and could feel God's presence in and around the tabernacle. In today's day and age, when we claim to be followers of Yeshua, we are the tabernacle. And people around us should be able to know, feel & experience God's presence around us!
We are called to follow Yeshua's ways. And thus we have to change our lives to reflect Him and Who He is. It's not a once off thing, but a continual daily responsibility. And the reward is so so sweet! Truly beauty for ashes!
We are all anointed. Not only a select few of us. But we all individually have to take up our responsibility to do our part so that we can walk in that anointing.
The tribe of Levi was the priestly tribe. However, the mere fact that they were born into the Levitical tribe did not make them priests. They had to take up their anointing!
We might be born and raised in Christian homes. But that doesn't ensure that we will walk into our anointing. We all have to make the deliberate decision for ourselves and do what's required of us!
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Portion 24: Tzav (This blog you are reading now)
