SERIES D --- YHVH’S TABERNACLE --- LESSON 06

HOLY THINGS

THE LAVER AND THE ANOINTING OIL

From Exodus 30

While Adonai talked with Moses on Mount Sinai, He gave instructions concerning the tabernacle. Here are some of those instructions: [Make an altar on which you will burn incense. Construct it from acacia wood, eighteen inches square and three feet high. The horns at the top must be made from the same piece of wood as the altar. Cover the entire altar, including the top, sides and horns, with pure gold and put a golden moulding around it. Put two golden rings under the moulding, one on each side, to contain the poles which will he used to carry the altar. Carve the poles from acacia wood and cover them with gold. Place this altar just outside the veil, in front of the mercy seat that covers the Ark of the Testimony, where I will meet with you. Each morning Aaron shall burn perfumed incense on it when he trims the lamps and each evening when he lights the lamps, burning the incense to Adonai. This will continue throughout all generations. Never offer any other kind of incense on this altar. Never make a burnt offering or meal offering on it and never pour a libation on it. Once each year Aaron will purify the altar by placing upon its horns the blood of the sin offering of atonement. Throughout all generations this shall continue each year, for this is an altar that is most holy to Adonai.] Adonai further said to Moses, [Whenever you take a census of the people of Israel, to see how many there are, each one shall pay a ransom to Adonai for himself so that no plague will come upon him while he is being counted. Everyone who is at least twenty years old shall pay this ransom, about a half shekel, whether he is rich or poor. It is an offering to Adonai to make atonement for yourselves. This money shall be used to take care of the tabernacle, a reminder that the people of Israel have made a personal atonement in Adonai’s presence.] Adonai also said to Moses, [Make a bronze laver or basin, on a bronze pedestal. Place it between the tabernacle and the altar and fill it with water. Whenever Aaron and his sons go before Adonai in the tabernacle or whenever they come to the altar to present burnt offerings, they shall wash their hands and feet there. They must always do this or they will die. This practice shall continue throughout all generations.] Again, Adonai said to Moses, [Gather the finest spices and make a sacred anointing oil, blended by skilled perfumers. This shall consist of five hundred shekels of pure myrrh, half that much of sweet-smelling cinnamon, two hundred and fifty shekels of aromatic cane, five hundred shekels of cassia, and one and one-half gallons of olive oil. Anoint with it the tabernacle, the Ark, the table and its furnishings, the lamp stand and its utensils, the incense altar, the burnt offering altar and its utensils and the laver and its pedestal. Consecrate them so that they will be most holy. Anything that touches them will be most holy. Anoint Aaron and his sons with this oil, consecrating them to serve Me as My priests. Tell the people of Israel that this shall always be My holy anointing oil, never to be poured on ordinary persons and never to be made by ordinary persons. It is holy and must be handled as something holy. Whoever mixes this oil himself or puts it upon an ordinary person shall be cut off from his people.] Adonai gave this further instruction to Moses, [Make incense as blended by a perfumer, seasoned with salt, pure and holy incense. Make it from sweet spices, stacte, onycha, galbanum and pure frankincense in equal amounts. Grind some of it fine and place some of it before the Ark in the tabernacle, where I meet with you. This incense is holy. You must never make this for your own perfume, for it is holy to Adonai. Whoever makes it for a personal perfume shall be cut off from his people.]

COMMENTARY

THE TABERNACLE INCENSE

At dawn each morning, the sweet smell of burning spices would fill the air of the tabernacle. The morning sacrifice of holy incense was being offered on the gleaming gold-covered incense altar in front of the Holy of Holies. The burning of incense was meant to honour YHVH, but it also was a part of the ritual through which people were cleansed of their sins. When the high priest entered the Holy of Holies on the Day of Atonement, he carried a smoking censer; a covered incense burner; in front of him. The thick smoke shielded him from the presence of YHVH on the mercy seat, which could have killed him. Incense smoke was also a physical sign of prayer to YHVH. On one occasion YHVH used it to protect the Israelites during a crisis in the wilderness when He sent a plague to punish them. {Numbers 16}. The burning of incense in the tabernacle drew YHVH’s attention to the morning and evening sacrifice services. The offerings in the courtyard were brought to His attention this way too. The pleasant smell may also have served a practical purpose; help hide the smell of the animal sacrifices. The incense altar was the holiest one in the tabernacle {Exodus 30:10}. Each year, on the Day of Atonement, the high priest sanctified this altar by sprinkling blood from the sin offerings on its four horns. A dish of holy incense was set on a pan of burning coals that had been taken from the altar of burnt offering. Twelve of these incense dishes were kept in the tabernacle, as a symbol of the twelve tribes of Israel. The incense dishes were actually shallow stone bowls with hollow handles. A wooden pipe was probably inserted through the handles so that air could be blown through the bowl to keep the incense burning. Only holy incense was permitted on the gold incense altar. If a priest burned any other kind, he would die. The Abtinas family of the Levi tribe was in charge of making this special incense. They alone knew the secret of making incense whose smoke rose straight up into the air when it burned. The holy incense had only four ingredients. Stacte {pronounced STAK-tee}, galbanum {pronounced GAL-be-num} and frankincense. These three were hard, sticky substances that came from trees and plants in Palestine, Asia and Arabia. They were mixed with onycha {pronounced ON-ih-ka}, which comes from a shellfish found in the Red Sea. A dash of salt was added to make the incense perfect. Sometimes however, frankincense alone was used as holy incense. The Israelites also made incense for use on everyday occasions. It could contain more ingredients than holy incense and did not have to be made by the Abtinas family. By the time of Solomon’s Temple, the incense contained sixteen different ingredients. And by Yeshua’ time, incense making had become even more complicated than that, the ingredients having grown in number. Many spices and extracts had been added, from myrrh and spikenard to saffron, cinnamon and lye from leeks. The people of Israel were not alone in their fondness for incense. The people around them believed that their gods also enjoyed fragrant smells and it was used in many religious ceremonies. Demons were exorcised with it too. The Egyptians were one of the first people in the world to burn spices, especially frankincense. Incense had been burned back in Egypt during banquets and at kings’ parades and funerals; unfortunately, it was also a sign of the prostitute’s trade. Incense is used in some faith services today. In the religions of India and the Far East; Hinduism, Buddhism and among many Japanese; incense is burned both as an offering and as an aid in meditation.

Thought for Today: Thursday January 05:

May you find moments of peace and quiet today to thank YHVH for all that is right in this world. May you have the presence of mind to release your cares and worries to Elohiym. May you have enough faith to grab a firmer grip on His Promises to you. May you start this day, knowing that you have gained ground, even during your sleeping hours, because YHVH is always moving on your behalf. As you trust your whole being to Him today, He will get you where you need to go. He is Faithful.

Happy birthday brother!

From https://open.substack.com/pub/....leightonwoodhouse/p/

When Jacob finished commanding his sons, he drew up his feet into the bed and breathed his last and was gathered to his people.
Genesis 49:33

"Gathered to his people" in Genesis 49:33 was probably a common idiom, but it's also an oblique reference to resurrection. In this case, it is clearly not talking about his burial with Abraham in the cave of Machpelah.

We will be embarking on a new adventure this month... we're driving from Central-ish New Jersey to Northern North Carolina to visit Mayberry (Hubby's first time and he's a big fan) and camp in the van with our youngest three.

A. We're in search of places to park overnight... super public places are out due to too much lighting and noise (little ones won't sleep through that) and many of the places on HipCamp are very pricey and may require more advanced notice. We're boondocking but, wouldn't mind electric to recharge our Jackery systems since it's due to rain almost the entire time we're gone. We have a backup plan without hookups though.

B. We're in search of suggestions for family-friendly hiking, vegan eating and indoor (low-cost) amusement, especially for kids and history enthusiasts.

C. We would love to meet up with any of you who may happen to be along that general path.

If you have any suggestions or would like to get together, please don't hesitate to share. Prayers are greatly appreciated as well! Yah Bless!

We should not judge people by their peak of excellence, but by the distance they have traveled from the point where they started. -Henry Ward Beecher

Posting from TTN app. Testin..testing
..1..2..tokyo...tokyo

On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets.
Luke 5:1-2

The story in Luke 5:1-11 of #yeshua calling Peter and company to become fishers of men is literally true, but it also contains an allegory. There were two boats. One went into the mission field first, represented by the deep waters, and called the other to follow when required. Some are called to sow, others to assist in the harvest and subsequent discipling. The great haul of fish are the people who respond to the Gospel's call to faith and repentance.

SERIES D --- YHVH’S TABERNACLE --- LESSON 05

A SPECIAL CALLING

THE CONSECRATION OF AARON AND HIS SONS

From Exodus 29

While Moses was with Adonai on the top of Mount Sinai, Adonai gave him instructions concerning the tabernacle and its furnishings. Adonai also gave these further instructions to Moses concerning Aaron and his sons, who would minister to Adonai in the tabernacle: [This is what I want you to do to consecrate Aaron and his sons as priests who will serve Me. Present to Me a young bull and two rams without blemish, along with a basket of unleavened bread, unleavened cakes mixed with oil and unleavened wafers sprinkled with oil. Use only fine wheat flour to make the bread, cakes and wafers. Bring Aaron and his sons to the doorway of the tabernacle and wash them there with water. Clothe Aaron with his robe, tunic, ephod, breastpiece and sash. Then put the turban with the golden plate on his head. Anoint him by pouring olive oil on his head. When this is done, dress his sons in their priestly clothes with their tunics, turbans, and woven sashes. You shall ordain Aaron and his sons to be My priests. When you have brought the young bull before the tabernacle, Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands upon its head. Then you will kill it before Adonai at the entrance to the tabernacle. Put some of the blood of the bull on the horns of the altar with your finger; then pour the rest at the base of the altar. Burn the fat from the inner parts, as well as the kidneys and the fat on them, upon the altar as a sin offering. As for the bull’s flesh, its skin, and its dung, take them outside the camp and burn them there. Next, take one of the rams and have Aaron and his sons lay their hands upon its head. Kill the ram and sprinkle its blood around the altar. Then cut the ram into pieces, wash the legs and inner parts, and burn all of these pieces, along with the head and other parts, on the altar. It is a burnt offering to Adonai, a pleasing aroma offered by fire to Adonai. Have Aaron and his sons lay their hands upon the head of the other ram as it is killed. Collect its blood and put some of it on the tip of Aaron’s right ear, on the tip of his sons’ right ears, on the thumbs of their right hands, and on the large toes of their right feet. Sprinkle the rest of the blood around the altar. Now take some of the dried blood from the altar and stir it into anointing oil. Sprinkle some of this mixed blood and oil upon Aaron and his sons and their garments, to show that they and their garments are consecrated to Adonai. Take the fat of the ram, the fat tail, the fat covering its inner parts, the part attached to the liver, the two kidneys and the fat that is on them. Put with these things a loaf of bread, a cake made with oil, and a wafer from the basket of unleavened bread that is set before Adonai. Put all these things in the hands of Aaron and his sons, and they will wave them before Adonai as a sign that they are a special offering to Him. After they have waved these things before Adonai, take them from their hands and burn them upon the altar as a burnt offering, a pleasing aroma to Adonai, offered by fire to Him. Wave the breast of this consecration ram to and fro before Adonai. Then keep it as your own, for it will be your portion at this ceremony. In future offerings the breast will be waved to and fro before Adonai and the shoulder will be heaved up and down before Adonai. This meat in future offerings will be for Aaron and his sons and will continue to be so in all offerings to come. The people of Israel will always give this portion of their offerings as a gift to Adonai, whether they are making a peace offering or a thanksgiving offering. Aaron’s sacred garments will pass on to the sons who succeed him, and they will wear them when they are anointed and ordained. This will be the practice from one generation to another. Whoever comes to this office of High Priest will wear these garments for seven days before he enters the tabernacle to serve Adonai in the Holy Place. Now concerning this first ceremony, boil the meat of the consecration ram in a sacred place. Aaron and his sons shall eat this meat, as well as the bread in the basket, at the entrance to the tabernacle. No one but them will be permitted to eat these things used in their consecration ceremony, for they are holy. Any food left over until morning must be burned and not eaten, for it is consecrated food. Consecrate Aaron and his sons exactly as I have instructed you. The ceremony shall go on for seven days, with a bull offered each day as a sin offering for atonement. Each day, during these seven days, purify the altar, making atonement for it and anointing it by pouring olive oil on it. The altar shall be a holy thing and everything that touches it shall be consecrated, or set apart, for YHVH. Each day you must offer upon the altar two lambs which are a year old. Offer one lamb in the morning, along with three quarts of fine flour mixed with three pints of oil pressed from olives and three pints of wine as a libation. In the evening offer the second lamb, with a similar cereal offering and libation, as a pleasant aroma to Adonai. This offering will be continued daily before Adonai at the entrance to the tabernacle. I will meet there with the people of Israel and sanctify the tabernacle with My glory. I will sanctify not only the tabernacle, but also the altar and Aaron and his sons who serve Me as priests. I will dwell among the people of Israel and will be their YHVH, so that they will know that I am Adonai who brought them from the land of Egypt. Yes, I am Adonai, their YHVH Elohiym.

COMMENTARY

SACRIFICE AT THE TABERNACLE

The Hebrew word for sacrifice; {zebach} {pronounced ze-BAG}; meant {slaughtered animal.} Among the Israelites, animals had been killed as sacrifices to YHVH since the time of Cain and Abel. Sometimes they offered flour, bread and the first fruits of the harvest as well. The pagan people around them also offered animals, but to their idol gods. The meat was thought of as food for the pagan gods, who were supposed to get hungry the way people do. Some of these neighbours believed the most highly prized offering they could make was the sacrifice of their own children. YHVH punished the Israelites at least twice by allowing them to be led astray and adopt the practice. Prophets like Ezekiel and Jeremiah cried out in protest against this, because YHVH had not allowed human sacrifice as part of His people’s worship. Adonai set forth His system of sacrifices when the priests of Israel were consecrated for the new tabernacle. There was to be a sacrifice at morning and at evening every day. These two were usually offerings of incense. Peace offerings and offerings to atone for sin had to be made, as well as sacrifices to give thanks, praise, or to express a promise, wish or desire. If the sacrifices were animals, they could be sheep, goats, bulls, pigeons or turtle doves. They almost always had to be male. And all the animals were required to be completely healthy in every way, unblemished, even without scars.

There were three exceptions to those two rules:

1 -- A red heifer; a young cow who had not yet given birth; was needed for the sin of murder;

2 -- Occasionally a peace offering could be made with a female animal;

3 -- Minor blemishes were allowed in offerings that were voluntary, not called for by religious Law.

Some offerings were completely burnt at the altar, particularly the important ones made on special holidays. Other offerings; ones and those of peace, thanks and of promise or desire; were shared among YHVH, the priest and the person making the sacrifice. The blood was poured out at the foot of the altar. The only exception to that was the sin offering. Then, the blood was taken into the tabernacle itself. The priest sprinkled it seven times on the veil of the Holy of Holies, and put some on the four corners of the altar of incense. He then returned to the courtyard, where he put more on the four horns of the sacrificial altar and poured the rest on the ground. Offerings of other things besides animals and incense were sometimes permitted. Israelites could bring unbaked wheat flour mixed with oil; the first fruits of a harvest, dry grain, bread mixed with oil and frankincense or baked unleavened bread without salt. Sometimes a little wine was thrown into the altar flames with the flour and bread.