Tehillimandpoetry

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TZAV - COMMAND

Leviticus 6:8 to 8:36

Jeremiah 7:21- 8:3; 9:22-23

Hebrews 13:10-16

1Timothy 2:1-8

Romans 12:1-2

Continued from the last study: Vayikra (see reference section below).

Review: With the Tabernacle/mishkan (Bridal Chamber) built and the priestly garments made, Yahweh now teaches His people Israel (the Bride) how to live with Him in His dwelling. Israel consists of the twelve tribes of Israel along with those who have joined themselves to the nation of Israel. Those who have chosen to sojourn in the ways of Yahweh have become as a native-born Israelite and are given full citizenship status according to the Covenant of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Zechariah 8:23 “Thus saith the LORD of hosts/YHWH Tzva’ot in those days it shall come to pass, that ten men [reference to the scattered ten tribes from the House of Israel] shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt [the tzitzit that is attached to the hem of the talet] of him that is a Jew, saying, we will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you (KJV).

The purpose behind the book of Leviticus is not only to reveal Yahweh’s holy moral ways to His people through the restoration of the priesthood but also where they learn how to walk in Covenant understanding of their eternal heavenly calling (Hebrews 3:1). The Tabernacle / mishkan is a reflection of Jesus/Yeshua and is a picture of what a redeemed lifestyle and walk in Him looks like. The Spirit of the Holy One will lead the Bride teaching her how to live with her Bridegroom and how to bear much fruit. The instructions found in Leviticus are a continuation of what Moses received on Mount Sinai. These teachings are designed to support the Bride as she walks in her new role in the Covenant of Abraham and to help give understand of the marriage Ketubah as outlined in the Ten Commandments - a gift from her Bridegroom. It is these instructions in Leviticus that will help prepare her for His return; thus the Bride is making herself ready (Revelation 19:7).

2 Timothy 1:9 “…who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus /Yeshua Ha Mashiach before time began.”

In the last lesson we learned of the five offerings - three volunteer offerings of worship and the two required offerings for unintentional sins. In this lesson we will learn of the regulations for these offerings and the instruction behind them according to Yahweh’s eternal Kingdom plan.

The Elevation - Olah Offering

Leviticus 6:8-13

Yeshua is our volunteer olah offering who willingly offered Himself up on our behalf. The olah was offered for impure thoughts or failing to perform a required action. The offering was to remain on the altar with the fire burning continuously throughout the night. The flame was not to go out. This is a picture of how our hearts are to be open, willing and ready to walk in His will.

Exodus 13:21-22 “And Yahweh was going before them in a pillar of cloud by day to lead them on the way, and in a pillar of fire by night to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night. He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.”

Isaiah 4:4 - 5:1 “When Yahweh has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and purged the bloodshed of Jerusalem from her midst, by the spirit of deliverance and the spirit of burning, then Yahweh will create over the whole area of Mount Zion and over her assemblies a cloud by day, even smoke, and the brightness of a flaming fire by night; for over all the glory will be a canopy. And there will be a shelter (Tabernacle) to give shade from the heat by day, and refuge and protection from the storm and the rain. Let me sing now for my well-beloved, a song of my Beloved concerning His Vineyard….”

The priest receiving the olah would put on his white linen garments to remove the ashes of the burnt offering. When leaving the Tabernacle, the priest would change from his white linen garments into common garments and proceed to a ceremonial clean place outside the camp to dispose of the ashes. This prophetic picture described the very procedure Yeshua would travel on our behalf. Notice how holy these ashes were considered and therefore handled. Yeshua our High Priest handles our olah offerings in the same way. Our willing offerings become holy to Yeshua. See how He takes our sin and covers our transgressions day and night. In all our considerations, our speech is to be fortified with olah (elevation and encouragement) in all we do and all we come in contact with. This is a sweet aroma ascending to His throne. How we approach others and interact with them is how we approach Yahweh. This action is considered holy to Him. In learning these conducts we are consciously choosing to separate from the unclean and unholy in all of our thoughts, actions, speech, associations and relationships to walk a clean and holy lifestyle in our desire to fulfill this offering.

The Meal - Minchah Offering

Leviticus 6:14-23

The volunteer meal offering regulations were given in two parts. First, the minchah was described as being made of fine flour, oil and incense. No yeast or honey was to be used on this offering. Its form was either a baked cake or wafer (called challah) fried or cooked in a griddle or pan and broken. Secondly, this offering had a tenth of the flour removed (called the memorial portion) and was completely burned on the altar. This memorial portion represented Yeshua who is our memorial offering before Yahweh. The remainder of the offering, the ninety percent, was for the priests and considered most holy. It is only to be eaten by those who are consecrated.

1 Corinthians 11:24 “And when He [Yeshua] had given thanks, He broke it and said, ‘Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me’” (Luke 22:17-19).

1 Corinthians 11:27 “Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.”

John 6:51 Yeshua said, “I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he shall live forever; and the bread also which I shall give for the life of the world is My flesh.”

Today we, the Bride, the royal priesthood of Yeshua, may eat the remaining portion of the holy minchah offering because Yeshua, who is the memorial portion, who offered Himself up completely to Yahweh, has made the remaining portion of the offering holy.

Romans 12:1 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.”

In Yeshua’s memorial offering, He redeemed, renewed and restored the Covenant He made originally with His people at Mount Sinai. This is the same Covenant we, the Bride, broke throughout history due to our disobedience to the message (the Gospel) (1 Peter 2:8-10). It is only in our repentance and obedience back to the Covenant that believers are able to partake in the holy portion/minchah today. This is our reminder to always keep the Covenantal vows we made with Him at the beginning (Hebrews 8:8-10; Jeremiah 31:31-34; John 5:46-47).

Leviticus 6:18, 27 “Whatever touches [the minchah offering and the sin offering] will become holy.”

Psalm 116:12-17 “What shall I render to the LORD/YHWH for all His benefits toward me? I will take up the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD/YHWH. I will pay my vows to the LORD/YHWH now in the presence of all His people. Precious in the sight of the LORD/YHWH is the death of His saints. O LORD/YHWH, truly I am Your servant; I am Your servant, the son of Your maidservant; You have loosed my bonds. I will offer to You the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the LORD/YHWH”.

Acts 10:11-16, 24, 28 At the sixth hour of prayer (12 noon) Peter “saw heaven opened and an object like a great sheet [talet/torah scroll] bound at the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth. In it were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. And a voice came to him, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’ But Peter said, ‘Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean.’ And a voice spoke to him again the second time, ‘What God has cleansed you must not call common.’ This was done three times. And the object was taken up into heaven again. And the following day they entered Caesarea. Now Cornelius was waiting for them, and had called together his relatives and close friends. Then he [Peter] said to them, ‘You know how unlawful it is [in rabbinic law] for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation. But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean.’”

The meal/minchah offering was used for the ordination and consecration of a High Priest who came into office on the day he was anointed. This mincha was to be made without yeast, cooked on a griddle, broken and then completely burned. It was not to be consumed (Leviticus 6:19-23).

The Sin – Chatas Offering

Leviticus 6:24-30

The next regulation was the offering for unintentional sin/chatas. If a believer recognized any dishonoring or offending ways within him or herself and repented, they were restored. The required chatas offering was to be given by a willing, open and honest heart. Once presented the offering was seen as holy before Yahweh. A humble people who confess their sins regularly know that repenting is not an act of punishment or judgment. It is an act of deliverance and restoration that brings healing and wholeness, and also restores a right relationship with their heavenly Father.

Once offered, the chatas could not to be consumed. It was then taken outside the camp to be burned. Yeshua became our chatas offering crucified outside the camp for the sins of the whole Israelite community. He is our Red Heifer offering (Numbers 19).

Hebrews 13:10-16 “We have an altar from which those who minister at the Tabernacle have no right to eat. The high priest carries the blood of animals into the Most Holy Place as a sin offering, but the bodies are burned outside the camp. And so Yeshua also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood. Let us, then, go to him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace he bore. For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come. Through Yeshua, therefore, let us continually offer to a Yahweh sacrifice of praise-- the fruit of lips that confess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices Yahweh is pleased.”

John 6:53 –58 “Yeshua said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man [supreme Messianic name for Yahweh in the flesh, Yeshua] and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats Me, he also shall live because of Me. This is the bread which came down out of heaven; not as the fathers ate, and died, he who eats this bread shall live forever.’”

The Guilt – Asham Offering

Leviticus 7:1-10

The regulations for the asham offering are also considered most holy. If a believer walks in any dishonoring thoughts or actions and does not take responsibility for them by repenting, they will bring contamination upon themselves and incur the guilt and consequence for their sin. Yeshua has fulfilled the asham requirements past, present and future, however, Yahweh asks His people to be accountable for their sin so that guilt will not come upon them. Many people, even though they are ‘born again,’ still walk under the condemnation of guilt, as many believers have not been taught how to be accountable for that guilt or how to release it. This is especially true if believers have sinned after becoming ‘born again.’

Throughout Leviticus Scripture tells believers how to walk a priestly holy lifestyle. Why? Remember, the Levites served in the outer court, but only the Levitical priests were allowed to serve inside the Tabernacle. The Tabernacle is all about holiness. Paul in his letters taught that believers are the temple today. He continually exhorted believers not to be carnally minded. We are to take off that which corrupts us as we are a holy people. We have been sanctified and redeemed through the blood of Yeshua; therefore we must not mix unholy dishonoring actions or lifestyle with holiness (1 Corinthians 3:16).

Our salvation has been gifted to us as a wedding covenant that cannot be broken, stolen or lost. Yeshua, through His death and resurrection, has been faithful to keep it on our behalf. All through the New Testament/Brit Chadasha Paul exhorts believers to walk in a holy lifestyle. Why would he teach this to saved believers? Man’s theology has taught that salvation and eternal life are synonymous with one another but they are not. They are two separate matters in Scripture. We cannot lose our salvation (covenant) but we can lose our positioning in eternal life. Thus, Paul’s teaching is not about salvation but about sanctification and redemption. The sin and guilt offerings were not for salvation but for sanctification and redemption that leads to holiness and eternal life. This is why the offerings are still applicable today (Exodus 19:5-6; 1 Peter 2:9; Revelation 1:6; 5:10; 20:6).

In Galatians this point is made very clear to believers,

“[Believers] Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man [believer] reaps what he sows. The one [believer] who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one [believer] who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life” (Galatians 6:7-8 (NIV); Romans 2:7-8; 6:19-23; 1 Timothy 6:11-12; Titus 1:1-3; 3:1-7; 1 John 3:15).

The same Torah principle that caused Esau to cry out as he gave up his birthright is seen here again in Hebrews revealing to us that Yahweh’s word does not change (Genesis 27:34-35).

Hebrews 12:14-17 “[Believers] Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled; lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright. For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears.”

Hebrews 6:4-6 “For it is impossible for those [believers] who were once enlightened [born again], and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.”

This Hebrews 6:4-6 passage is taught to believers in Yeshua, which takes them beyond salvation into a walk of redemption and holiness. As believers we need to be finished with mixing the profane with the holiness in our lives. Our eternal position is at stake. The trespass could be for handling the holy in a common or a profane way, thinking of a fellow man in an incorrect manner or for sharing those negative judgments of our neighbor with others. It could simply be body language that gives a negative implication. Acting in this manner will bring guilt upon ourselves. To cleanse we need to be accountable and offer up an offering of repentance. Yeshua paid the full price for our guilt at His death. He took our place and died our death. His offering is there for us to appropriate. If we do not appropriate His offering to us that sin is not covered but still is active.

1 Corinthians 11:27-30 Paul said to believers, “Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep.”

Watching Our Thoughts and Words - We Reap What We Sow

When first coming into Yeshua’s kingdom as newly born believers we learn that what we say has a huge impact on our lifestyle and environment. As Yahweh’s disciples we are learning through sanctification that we are also representatives of His word. We are not to represent any other kingdom, especially our old kingdom that He delivered us from (the realm of death, the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil). We witnessed this in the Esau Scriptures. In James, he goes on at length to help believers understand that what we sow we also inherit - destruction or eternal life. If we sow good seed we reap a high yield harvest of blessings but if we sow weeds we choke Yeshua’s life out and wonder where His blessings are.

James 2:5-13 “Listen, my dear brother: has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? But you have insulted the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? Are they not the ones who are slandering the noble name of him to whom you belong? If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture [Torah, the instructions of Yeshua’s gospel given at Mount Sinai], ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’, you are doing right. But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. For he who said, ‘Do not commit adultery’, also said, ‘Do not murder’. If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker. Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives “freedom,” because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!” (Leviticus 19:18, Exodus 20:14; Deuteronomy 5:18, Exodus 20:13; Deuteronomy 5:17).

Torah (God’s teaching and instruction) is mercy.

The Covering

Yeshua is our High Priest. His offering was made on our behalf and His life covers ours. We see a picture of this with Adam and Eve and in Leviticus 7:8.

Genesis 3:21 “Also for Adam and his wife the LORD God made tunics of skin, and clothed them.”

Leviticus 7:8 “The priest who offers a burnt offering for anyone may keep its hide for himself.”

These are the prophetic pictures of Yeshua’s covering His Betrothed with garments from His sacrifice. When Yeshua redeemed us we were covered in His righteousness. Therefore if believers sin they need to appropriate Yeshua’s covering through repentance.

Hebrews 10:19-22 “Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Yeshua, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of Yahweh, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil [guilty] conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.”

1 Peter 2:24 “who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness - by whose stripes [reference to His instructions for life that are written on a Torah scroll] you were healed.”

The Fellowship – Shalam Offering

Leviticus 7:11-21

The instructions regarding the shalam or shalom voluntary offering were placed last in the regulation section, after the directives for the required offerings of sin and guilt. This offering is for the restoration of fellowship between man and Yahweh and is offered as an expression of thanksgiving to Yahweh for His Faithfulness. The sin of dishonor, whether intentional or unintentional, separates man from his Heavenly Father. For a proper restored union between Yahweh and man, man needs to be established once again after every sin especially after having become born again. The rules and regulations for this are in the shalam instructions. The fellowship offering also incorporates the thanksgiving offering. Both are served together. One is without yeast (the fellowship offering) and the other is with yeast (the thanksgiving offering) and both served with salt.

There has been question among some fellowships as to which bread to serve on Shabbat. On Shabbat believers gather to remember the blood of Yeshua’s sacrifice with unleavened bread. They also offer the grain or meal offering. This offering is always unleavened bread (matzo) made without yeast or honey. The salt of the Salt Covenant is also added to this offering. The grain offering is only to be eaten by people who have consecrated themselves to Yahweh and have a repentant or restored status (born again).

The fellowship or peace offering is also present on Shabbat. Within the fellowship offering is the thanksgiving offering. The thanksgiving offering is made with yeast usually in the shape of a braided baked loaf.

Exodus 23:18 “You shall not offer the blood of My sacrifice with leavened bread”

Luke 22:19 “And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’ ”

Leviticus 2:11 “No grain offering which you bring to the LORD/YHWH shall be made with leaven, for you shall burn no leaven nor any honey in any offering to the LORD/YHWH made by fire.”

Leviticus 7:11-13 “This is the law of the sacrifice of peace offerings which he shall offer to the LORD/YHWH: If he offers it for a thanksgiving, then he shall offer, with the sacrifice of thanksgiving, unleavened cakes mixed with oil, unleavened wafers anointed with oil, or cakes of blended flour mixed with oil. Besides the [unleavened] cakes, as his offering he shall offer leavened bread with the sacrifice of thanksgiving of his peace offering.”

In our home we serve matzoh/unleavened bread made without yeast or honey for the remembrance sacrifice and grain offering on the Friday night/Erev Shabbat. On Shabbat, if there is a mix of nonbelievers, we will serve the thanksgiving offering, which is made with leavened bread with an added side dish of sweet honey butter to dip into. The only time the grain offering is to be made with leaven is during the Feast of Shavuot/Pentecost. There, two leavened loaves are required for the wave offering (Leviticus 23:16-17).

Eat No Fat

Leviticus 7:22-25 “And Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, ‘speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘You shall not eat any fat, of ox or sheep or goat [biblically clean animals]. And the fat of an animal that dies naturally, and the fat of what is torn by wild beasts, may be used in any other way; but you shall by no means eat it. For whoever eats the fat of the animal of which men offer an offering made by fire to Yahweh, the person who eats it shall be cut off from his people.’”

Fat in Scripture represent not only the physical fat but also what produces fat such as spiritual sickness. If our thoughts dwell on sin long enough they can become one with our flesh.

Proverbs 23:7 “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he” (KJV).

Impure thoughts can poison our bodies by producing over-secretions of chemicals that can harm and lead to an imbalance in our bodies, which in turn can produce fat. Fear, stress and anxiety can be an underlying cause of obesity and/or disease in our bodies. When Scripture instructs us not to eat fat or blood it is not only speaking of the physical abstinence but also the spiritual avoidance, which includes emotional, psychological and verbal. Fat is also a reference to pride in Scripture.

Proverbs 16:17-19 “The highway of the upright is to depart from evil; he who keeps his way preserves his soul. Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. Better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.”

Fat and blood are very important elements to Yahweh. There are good fats and bad fats. Bad fats are harmful to our bodies. Our bodies represent living temples of Yahweh thus we are responsible for their upkeep. These instructions are to bless and give us a long life. If we bring contamination into our temples through disobedience to Yahweh’s instructions we leave ourselves open to sickness, disease and even death. The choice is ours. Obedience brings the blessings.

Proverbs 3:1-2, 4:20-27 “My son, do not forget my law [instruction], but let your heart keep my commands; for length of days and long life and peace they will add to you. My son, give attention to my words [they are wisdom, understanding and knowledge to you]; Incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart; for they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life. Put away from you a deceitful mouth, and put perverse lips far from you. Let your eyes look straight ahead, and your eyelids look right before you. Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established. Do not turn to the right or the left; remove your foot from evil.”

Proverbs 15:30 “The light of the eyes rejoices the heart, and a good report makes the bones healthy.”

Proverbs 16:24 “Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the bones.”

Proverbs 17:22 “A merry heart does good, like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones.”

Blood Forbidden

Leviticus 7:26-27 “Moreover you shall not eat any blood in any of your dwellings, whether of bird or beast. Whoever eats any blood, that person shall be cut off from his people.”

Blood in Scripture is used for atonement. If believers consume blood they go against what its purpose was created for. In Leviticus 17:11 life or the DNA is in the blood. The organs of the body contain blood, but Scripture is referring to the blood that circulates through the arteries and veins. This circulatory blood acts like a cleanser that processes the removal of debris and at the same time takes vital nutrients to the organs and members of the body. Thus the blood is both clean and unclean, containing the life source. If the lifeblood is not drained out but consumed, it will remain. That is why in pagan rituals they drank the blood of their offerings so that life will live on in them. Thus if believers ingest the circulatory blood they maybe exposed to animalistic characteristics, mindsets, fears, instincts and behaviors that can lead to idolatry. Therefore, believers are not to consume the blood or they will render themselves unclean.

Ezekiel 33:25 “Therefore say to them, thus says the Lord GOD: ‘You eat meat with blood, you lift up your eyes toward your idols, and shed blood. Should you then possess the land?’”

“Does This Mean We Cannot Eat Meat?”

Believers can purchase Biblically Koshered meats, which means the meat, under rabbinic supervision, has been butchered and bled properly or we can purchase good quality meat like organic grass fed and let it soak in cold salted water about an hour then drain and rinse very well before cooking (Acts 15:20-21, 29; 21:25).

Halal versus Biblical Kosher

Halal is not Biblically Kosher. As the Muslim population grows, Halal grocery products and animal slaughters are becoming more widely available in the western world. Halal is a slaughter similar to kosher but with a difference. Firstly, during a halal slaughter process the animal is prayed over by an Islamic priest/Imam who dedicates it to the Muslim god Allah. ‘Bismillah Allah-hu-Akbar.’ This Islamic prayer means ‘In the name of Allah, who is the greatest.’ Secondly, the religion of Islam declares, “There is no God but Allah who never produced a son, nor had a companion, nor needed a protector. Praise his greatness.” Thus does not agree with Yeshua Ha Mashiach, as the Son of God and the Spirit of the Holy One/Ruach Ha Kodesh. Thirdly, after the halal prayer has been pronounced over the animal, the slaughtered meat now becomes a sacrifice made to an idol. Scripture considers eating something dedicated to another god other than Yahweh, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, as food offered to idols. Fourthly, consuming halal products is in effect submitting, accepting, and surrendering (giving power) to Allah, the god of the Muslims and being in agreement with Islamic sharia law. Islam means submission or slave of Allah. Lastly, purchasing and consuming a halal product is in effect agreeing with sharia law, giving it power over and above Yahweh’s law. This includes sanctioning Islamic activities.

There are a growing numbers of meat markets, supermarkets, restaurant chains and even schools selling or using Halal certified products unbeknown to the consumer. Whole Foods, Trader Joes, Subway restaurants, McDonald’s, KFC, Campbell soups, Costco, Walmart, Nando’s, Domino’s Pizza are among the growing number of companies selling Islamic controlled Halal products on their premises, many without the consumer’s knowledge, as labeling is not mandatory (For a fuller list of companies see reference below).

Exodus 20:3 “You shall have no other gods before Me.”

Act 15:20-21 “…write to them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from things strangled, and from blood. For Moses has had throughout many generations those who preach him in every city, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath” (Acts 15:29; 21:25).

1 Corinthians 10:19-21 “What am I saying then? That an idol is anything, or what is offered to idols is anything? Rather, that the things which the Gentiles [Nations] sacrifice they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to have fellowship with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the Lord’s table and of the table of demons.”

Revelation 2:14 “But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality.”

Revelation 2:20 “Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols.”

Zechariah 13:2 “It shall be in that day,” says the LORD of hosts, “that I will cut off the names of the idols from the land, and they shall no longer be remembered. I will also cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to depart from the land.”

The New Zealand Meat Board

Over thirty years ago the Meat Board of New Zealand made an agreement with Iran to help boost their export sales. At the time European markets were slow and Iran was looking for a Halal source. New Zealand, from an economic and business standpoint, decided Iran would be a good match and offered their services. The farmer had no choice. The Board agreed to supply Iran 200,000 tons of lamb over a four year period and began converting freezers licensed for Halal slaughtering for their use. Iran in turn sent Moslem Imams and slaughtermen. When Iran failed in their obligations, the Meat Board exported Halal meat to other Moslem countries in the Middle East, Africa and Asia. Now New Zealand is one of the largest exporters of Halal lamb and beef in the world today.

Scripture warns against slaughtering animals to a false god. The Meat Board used legal authority to institutionalized idolatry through the means of a levy required by the farmer on all meat for export. Living on an island meant they would have to comply with the levy. This action perpetuated the infrastructure for the New Zealand Meat Board while eliminating trade barriers to promote New Zealand beef and sheep meat. Since initiating the program New Zealand has suffered setbacks with farmers needing subsidies to keep their industry viable, notwithstanding the severe droughts they have had to endure. 2013 was reported as the worst draught in thirty years. Young people have left the land in droves in search for a better life.

When a people submit to a religion, they give that religion power over them. Yahweh warns us not to do mix with other religions and their practices or curses will come upon us and overtake our land.

Deuteronomy 28:15-16, 20-22 “But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of Yahweh your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you: ‘Cursed shall you be in the city, and cursed shall you be in the country. Yahweh will send on you cursing, confusion, and rebuke in all that you set your hand to do, until you are destroyed and until you perish quickly, because of the wickedness of your doings in which you have forsaken Me. Yahweh will make the plague cling to you until He has consumed you from the land which you are going to possess. Yahweh will strike you with consumption, with fever, with inflammation, with severe burning fever, with the sword, with scorching [droughts], and with mildew; they shall pursue you until you perish.’”

This is the background behind Yahweh commanding us to clean our land as written in Joshua 3:10,

“And Joshua said, ‘By this you shall know that the living God is among you, and that He will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Hivites and the Perizzites and the Girgashites and the Amorites and the Jebusites” (Joshua 3:10).

Cleansing the land is very important as believers committed their hearts and minds solely unto Yahweh when they chose to obey the vow they made with Him. What we put into our bodies by way of thought, deed and action, or even in the association, is key to the priesthood of Yeshua. His priesthood will be a holy priesthood that serves Him in His Holy House/Tabernacle. If the intended bride of Yeshua incurs fat or that which produces fat in her body or eats blood in her food or consumes food offered to idols we must ask ourselves: “Is this the bride the Groom will return for?” The Groom is looking for a Bride who is made in His likeness and not the likeness of another god. We will see how important this issue is as we continue through the book of Leviticus. The very fact that every time fat and blood are mentioned in Scripture, the instructions for the priesthood are listed right after. In Leviticus these two teachings go hand in hand and become the pattern throughout the book. Believers will come to learn that there is a correlation between what they feed their minds and put in their mouths that decides the outcome of their eternal walk. Believers must decide if what they are eating and participating in is priesthood material or not, as it is all about sanctification.

Malachi 4:4-6 “Remember the Law of Moses, My servant, which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments. Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of Yahweh. And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.”

The Ordination of Aaron and His Sons

Leviticus 8

After all the instructions for the offerings were given, Yahweh had Moses bring Aaron and Aaron’s four sons, along with the anointing oil, the bull for the burnt offering, the two rams and a basket containing bread made without yeast, to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. Then Moses gathered the whole assembly to witness as he washed and dressed Aaron in his High Priest garments and Aaron’s sons in their linen robes. The required bull was offered for any sin of dishonor/chatas, and when its blood had consecrated the altar and made atonement for it, they took the bull with its hide, flesh and offal and burned it outside the camp.

Later, they voluntarily presented two rams, one for the elevation/olah/burnt offering and the other for the ordination of Aaron and his sons. The blood of this ram was put on their right ear, right thumb and right big toe. Along with the olah, the minchah was offered with a cake (challah) made of unleavened bread. After the wave offerings of the breast and thigh, Moses sprinkled Aaron and his sons with blood. To complete their ordination they had a meal of the holy offerings and stayed at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting a full seven days.

1 Timothy 2:1-8 Paul said, “I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone - for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus /Yeshua Ha Mashiach/the Messiah, who gave himself as a ransom for all men - the testimony given in its proper time. And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle - I am telling the truth, I am not lying - and a teacher of the true faith to the Nations. I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing.”

Romans 12:1-2 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

Shabbat Shalom,

Julie Parker