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This week’s reading is ‘Acharei’. It contains Leviticus 16:1 through 18:30. It begins with HaShem speaking to Moses about the death of Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu. If you read the commentary in ‘The Stone Chumash’ you will see that there is great discussion about this. One of the things that stood out to me was the fact the sages link this talk and these deaths with the introduction of Yom Kippur, The Day of Atonement. One of the things that they say is:

"Why is the death of the righteous (i.e., Nadab and Abihu) mentioned in conjunction with the chapter of the Yom Kippur Service? Because just as Yom Kippur brings atonement, so the death of the righteous brings atonement.”

Hmmmm.

"Because just as Yom Kippur brings atonement, so the death of the righteous brings atonement."

Hmmmm……

"so the death of the righteous brings atonement………"

Sound familiar? The death of a Righteous One bringing atonement? Of course it does. Over and over again The Torah points to the method and pattern of atonement / forgiveness / grace.

This area of the reading also points to the fact that it was not necessarily the fact of the improper actions of Aaron’s sons that caused their death. It was more just being in the presence of HaShem himself that caused their death. G_d instructs Moses to tell Aaron how to prepare for coming into the Holy of Holies. When you read this you will see all the preparation that Aaron must perform. And that is all just for once a year on Yom Kippur!

 You see, we cannot come into the presence of HaShem. We cannot bear to be that near to Him. We read a lot about ‘being in His presence’, about ‘being near to Him’. But in reality, according to The Word, being in G_d's presence  brings death!

We HAVE to have a mediator!

We cannot be ‘in His presence’. In most areas of The Word, when someone has contact with G_d, it is said that it is an Angel of The Lord. I have heard some will say that this is Yeshua. I have to agree with Daniel Lancaster, that it probably isn’t. Daniel  says that it is a ‘mask’, if you will. An Angel of the moment, created to interact with whomever He, HaShem is interacting with in order to prevent that person from being in His actual presence.

Because…..we CANNOT be in The Presence of The Lord without dying. Plain and simple.

I say again, we HAVE to have a mediator.

Our true Mediator is Yeshua.

For as He said….”No one comes to The Father except through Me”

‘The death of The Righteous that brings Atonement’……IS Yeshua!

Once more, patterns have been set in the Scriptures to point us to Yeshua.

For He truly is ‘The Word’.

Now, let’s talk about this 'death'. Passover is upon us. Robin and I are preparing for the Seder. All of our family is attending, which will be a first for us. I am so very excited about it!

I won’t go into all the ways that Yeshua fulfills the Passover, I have done that in the past, please refer to earlier newsletters. But I would like to talk a little about the celebration of Yeshua’s death and resurrection. This year is a perfect year to contrast our celebrations.

Passover Seder was ‘The Last Supper’ that Yeshua had in the upper room with the Apostles. Passover is commanded by G_d. An appointed time, a ‘Moed’. These ‘Moedim’ are the Feast Days and Holy Days that G_d commanded all of Israel AND the foreigner that sojourns with her, to celebrate.

His commands don’t say ‘until I establish a Gentile Church’. He says 'You shall observe this event as an ordinance for you and your children forever’.

Now, you can say, well, Easter is just one of those ‘moed’ with a Christian name. But you would be wrong! Easter is a pagan name,  a pagan celebration and not celebrated on or at the appointed time. As I said before, this year is a perfect contrast. Easter was almost a month ago, Passover is upon us. If Yeshua’s last supper was a Seder meal, then how can you celebrate His resurrection a month before the anniversary of His last meal?

The more I study and learn and grow in The Word, the more I see the importance of living in a Holy way, in following G_d’s commands and trying to live my life on that basis. I am a long way from where I want to be, but I am on the road. It is a difficult transition from where I have come.

Now, a lot of you will say that I am being legalistic. But based on normal definitions, Legalism is operating based on the Laws of Man. If I tell you that you have to wear your hair in a bun, I am being legalistic. If I tell you that you cannot drink alcohol, I am being legalistic. If I tell you to OBEY THE WORD OF THE LORD G_D ALMIGHTY, I am NOT being legalistic. I am teaching you The Word.

Yeshua said;

Matthew 5:17-19

17 “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.

 18 “For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished.

 19 “Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Let me restate this in what I find to be a more understandable translation…..

“Do not think that I came to do away with The Torah or the Prophets; I did not come to do away with but to fill up.

For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from The Torah until all that is written is accomplished.

Whoever then does away with one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”

You can check me on the translation with books and computer programs that let you look at the original languages. I think you will find that I am pretty close on this one.

It never ceases to amaze me that some Church folk will point to Matthew 5:17 and say “see, Jesus said he came to do away with all that stuff”.

Read The Word. Not one line, not one sentence, but The Whole Word, in context.

How can you read those lines from Our Savior’s mouth and think that “all this Jewish stuff” is done away with? It is not Jewish stuff, it is G_d’s stuff!

I have to apologize for getting so far off this week’s reading.

But, I go where My Father leads me when I am writing these. Sometimes I stay on course, sometimes I guess I take His Course. I hope that’s what I do. I try to.

And most importantly, I don’t know about you, but I want to be called great in The Kingdom of Heaven.

There is so much to learn in this weeks reading. Please, take the time to read and study it.

And look for Yeshua there. I know you will find Him!

 

Have a Blessed Passover!

 

Tony and Robin