Real life is messy. If you're going to accomplish anything worthwhile, you have to learn to be okay with rough edges. Consider this lesson from #proverbs 14:4…

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Nothing Happens without Some Dirt

Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean, but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox. Proverbs 14:4 ESV Real life is messy. If you're going to accomplish anything worthwhile, you have to le

Shabbat time South East of England = 07;15PM on Friday March 31 to 08;25PM on Saturday April 01.

SERIES K --- ISRAEL’S GOLDEN AGE --- LESSON 23

TEMPLE CONTRIBUTIONS

GIFTS FOR THE TEMPLE

From 1 Chronicles 29:1-25

After King David urged his son Solomon to remain faithful to Adonai and build a temple for Him, he spoke again to the assembly of Israel’s leaders. [My son Solomon is still young and has not yet had experience, even though YHVH has chosen him as king] said David. [The work of building the temple is great, for it is YHVH’s temple, not man’s. Therefore I have gathered as many of the building materials and treasures as possible. I have gold, silver, bronze, iron, and wood. I have gathered onyx, precious stones and beautiful jewels, as well as alabaster. Also, because of my great desire to see this temple built, I have pledged my own treasures for its use, beyond all that I have gathered. This treasure includes three hundred and ninety-three thousand pounds of gold {about one hundred and twenty million dollars!}, of the quality that comes from Ophir, eight hundred and fifteen thousand pounds of pure silver to overlay the walls of the buildings, as well as gold and silver for the articles in the temple, as the engravers may need it. Now, who else will give of your treasures to Adonai?] Then the leaders of the clans and tribes, the commanders of the army and the men in royal service made their gifts to the temple, giving six hundred and fifty-five thousand pounds of gold {worth almost two billion dollars today}, plus many thousands of dollars in foreign gold, plus more than one million pounds of silver and more than one million and a half pounds of bronze, as well as nine million or more pounds of iron. Many of them gave precious stones for Adonai’s treasury, directed by Jehiel, a descendant of Gershon. These gifts were given joyfully and with a spirit of enthusiasm. Needless to say, King David was very happy that his people had given so much. While the leaders were still gathered, King David offered his praises to Adonai. [Blessed are You, Adonai YHVH of Israel, forever and ever,] he prayed. [O Adonai, Yours is the greatness, power, glory, victory and majesty, for all that is in heaven and earth belong to You. Yours is the Kingdom, O Adonai and You are exalted over all. Power and might are in Your hand and You can make anything great or mighty. Now, Adonai, we offer our praise to Your glorious Name. Yet who am I and who are my people that we should have the privilege of giving an offering to You? All that we have has come from You, so we are merely giving You what You have already given us. We are visitors to this land, as our ancestors were. We are merely visitors on this earth, here like a fleeting shadow that does not endure. Adonai, the riches we have given to build Your house came first from Your hand. It has always belonged to You! Adonai, I know that You test the hearts of men to see if they are good, for You find Your delight in goodness. What I have done and given has been with good intentions and Your people have given their gifts with good feelings and with joy. Adonai YHVH of our ancestors Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, help us to obey You and keep our love steadfast, always faithful to You. Help my son Solomon keep Your Commandments with all his heart, following You in everything, so that he may build the temple with the things we have provided.] Once again King David spoke to the assembly of the nation’s leaders. [Offer your praise to Adonai!] he commanded. They bowed before Adonai and the king. The next day they offered sacrifices to Adonai, presenting one thousand bulls, one thousand rams and one thousand lambs as burnt offerings. They also offered Adonai drink offerings and many other offerings and it was a time of great joy, with feasting and drinking before Adonai. Solomon was anointed king, to serve along with his father David and Zadok was anointed as the priest. Solomon would rule as his father David had done, with great success. Later, the whole nation would rally behind him to serve him, including the tribal leaders, military officers and even Solomon’s brothers. In time, Solomon would become a great king, richer and more famous than his father David had been.

COMMENTARY

PLANTS FOR THE TEMPLE

How happy it made the aged David to see the gifts and contributions for the temple. David himself gave lavishly. All the leaders of Israel gave generously as well. David, the king, rejoiced greatly at this evidence of love for Adonai. The gum of certain plants was burned as incense in the tabernacle and temple to fulfil some requirements of worship. Other plants had symbolic meaning, much as the olive branch symbolizes peace for us.

SWEET STORAX
One of the ingredients of the incense for the tabernacle and temple was called [nataph] {drop}. The Greek word was {stacte.} It is probably sweet storax and thought to be the plant mentioned in -- Ecclesiastes 24:15. A beautiful shrub that grows as high as twenty feet, it blooms in March with white clusters of sweet-smelling blossoms. Moses used it as an ingredient of incense.

MYRTLE
An evergreen that grows as high as thirty feet, its name is Greek for [perfume.] Its leaves and white flowers have a pleasant smell. YHVH said He would grow myrtle in the wilderness when Judah returned from exile. The prophet Zechariah saw an angel standing among a grove of myrtle trees. Myrtle was used for the festive booths for the Feast of Tabernacles.

CASSIA
Two words in the Bible are translated as [cassia,] one in -- Exodus 31:24 and -- Ezekiel 27:19, which refers to the inner bark of the cassia tree. This is the spice we call cinnamon. Moses used it as an ingredient in the oil to anoint the tabernacle and its utensils. It was a holy oil and its recipe was not to be copied. The second word, in -- Psalm 45:8, is the Indian [orris,] a prickly plant used in perfume. The king’s robe was perfumed with it.

WILLOW
With long slender leaves, the willow grows well near brooks and rivers. It roots easily and grows abundantly in Palestine. Moses used it, with other branches, in the Festival of Tabernacles. Isaiah compared those who returned from exile to the willow; they would quickly take root and prosper.

FRANKINCENSE
Found in the Indian Himalayas and northern Arabia, frankincense was probably brought into Palestine by traders. It has star-shaped pink flowers with lemon centres. The wood is heavy and durable. The resin or gum is thick and bitter, but deodorizes when burned. Moses used it with the grain offering, as well as in the incense as a perfume. It was among the gifts which the wise men brought to Yeshua.

MYRRH
A large bush or small tree, the myrrh has a big trunk and knotted branches. Its home is in the Arabian Desert. Its bark is thin; pierced, the branches give off a thick white gum that hardens and turns red. This gum is prized for its pleasant smell. Moses used it in the anointing holy oil. It was also one of the gifts of the wise men, and was mixed with vinegar as a pain killer which was offered to the crucified Yeshua. Nicodemus used myrrh to anoint the body of Yeshua.

CITRON
The [fruit of goodly trees] in -- Leviticus 23:40 was probably the [ethrog] or Jewish [holy citron.] The meaning in Leviticus is however, not entirely clear. Citron was used in the services of the Festival of Tabernacles. Its fruit is used in salads in modern Palestine.

Let’s start to prep for Shabbat. Happy Prep Day!

Take Aaron and his sons with him...
Leviticus 8:2

God never asked Aaron or his sons if they wanted to be priests for the people of Israel. Sometimes there's a role to fill and God will take any qualified person who is willing. Sometimes there's a role to play and only one person will do. God called Moses to lead the people, Pharaoh to be his foil, and Aaron to lead the people's worship. None of them had any real say in the matter.

"Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate Yahweh? therefore is wrath upon thee from before Yahweh."

2Ch 19

I'm sorry for being a little late sending this out today. Sometimes I go on bunny trails as I read the Word, and this was definitely one of those days. Do you do that, too? https://archive.aweber.com/awlist6425868/LrZlU

There's a chiasm in #leviticus 8:1-5, which I believe illustrates how a leader's obedience to God's instructions is vital to a healthy relationship between his people and God.

- A - V1-2 – God told Moses what to do with Aaron and sons
--- B - V3 – God told Moses to assemble the community at the entrance of the tent of meeting
----- C - V4a – Moses did as he was commanded
--- B - V4b – Moses assembled the congregation at the entrance of the tent of meeting
- A - V5 – Moses told the community what he was to do with Aaron and sons

#tsav #biblepatterns