Parasha "B'chukotai (in my statutes)

[Jacob Ben Avraham]

 

B’Chukotai (in my statutes) LEV 26:3 -27:34 (a deeper look into this same Parashah)

Returning to this same parashah before continuing into the next book of the Torah “B’Midbar” (Numbers) It would be good to go back a few verses and read the beginning of chapter 26;

“Do not make idols for yourselves and do not put up a carved image or a pillar for yourselves, and do not place a stone image in your land to bow down to it, for I am YHVH your Elohim. Guard my Shabbats and reverence (respect) my sanctuary, I am YHVH.

This is a repetition of two of the most important commandments that were given to us on Sinai. “us” being that all believers are part of the extended community of Israel which had its beginning there at the foot of Mt. Sinai about 3000 years ago.

Do we really go out and make ourselves idols? To bow down and worship? We would probably say “no”, yet what is an “idol”? It is anything that comes before our worship, service, and dedication to our ONE and Only God, Adonai-Elohim. Many people cease going to church or synagogue because “they don’t have time” or there are other “distractions”, or “work calls”.

One can put so much importance to things like sports, jobs, making money, leisure, relatives, that the things of God are left behind, if this is the case, then we ARE making for ourselves idols, and in an indirect way, we are bowing down and worshipping them. Better cease, or our heavenly father just might “remove” that obstacle from our midst! Like it or not.

Another reason for not making idols and statutes of the so-called “likeness” of God is because that would be like reducing our LORD God, who is “everywhere” to fit inside of that “thing” that is made in that “so-called” likeness. We see all over, pictures of Yeshua (Jesus) in different forms, some have him knocking at the door, others have him as the “good shepherd” holding a lamb, others just show a portrait. Others still have him hanging from the cross. Even though we might not bow down and worship these images, they are still “images” indeed, or so-called “likenesses” of what is supposed to be our “Mashiach”. No, they are not carved images, yet they are still images, is it a good idea to have them? Only you can decide.

“Guard/keep my sabbaths” when we “guard” something, we make sure that the thing we are guarding is protected from violation. The Sabbath day is a day to rest and come to worship our LORD and Savior. As Messianic believers we come to worship on Saturdays, as churchgoers, we come to worship on Sundays, even though the correct day has always been the seventh day, Saturday.

Yet whether we come to worship on Saturday or Sunday, or even “both” days, (which is even better)

It is important to set aside that day to rest in the LORD and avoid tasks and jobs which can be left for the weekdays.

Many families go out to eat on the weekends, so as to give the wife a day off, or two days off from cooking in the kitchen. That is a good thing. Another good thing to do is to visit others and share God’s word with them, perhaps some that can not get out to go to church/synagogue.

“Reverence my sanctuary” How is that done? When we go to worship, how do we go? In what frame of mind? Are the cell phones turned off? Are we dressed for the occasion? If the president of your country invited you to dine with him, how would you go dressed? In beach clothes or in a suit and tie? I am sure you would dress with the best you have. You are going to meet with the KING of kings and LORD of Lords, with “your creator” the one you will spend eternity with.

Are your kids in check? Or are they running up and down the hallway looking for the bathroom? Is there idle conversation while the message is being taught? Or are all eyes and ears on the pastor/teacher/rabbi?

We can either “show reverence/respect/honor” to our place of worship, or we can show “lack of” the choice is ours.

JEREMIAH 16:19-17:14

YHVH is my strength, my stronghold, and my refuge, in the day of distress the gentiles will come to you from the ends of the earth…

The main reason why Paul the apostle, Peter, and others went outside of Israel to preach and teach was to undo the “wrong teaching” of false gods among the heathen nations. The original meaning of the word “goy” or “gentile” was “idol worshipers and heathens” and these were the “nations” that surrounded Israel in ancient times.

Some Jews that left Israel (many by force and captivity) were engulfed into the cultures of the nations, some left and forgot their heritage and their worship of Elohim. The apostles brought back the worship of the one “true God” and preached “Yeshua” to those who would have ears to hear and open minds to accept the gospel.

“Heal me, o YHVH, so that I am healed, save me so that I am saved, for you are my praise” is the final verse in this portion of the Haf Torah. Adonai has indeed healed us, because by “HIS” stripes, we are ALL healed, healed of the deadly infirmity called the “curse of sin” a disease that affects both the soul and the body, and we ARE saved through the sacrifice of YESHUA on Calvary’s cross, we have gained YESHUAH through YESHUA so, therefore, “Tehilati atah!” (you are my praise)

LUKE 9:1-10:41

The feeding of the 5000 has always been a great story to look over. The number that is repeated is the number “5”, in symbolism, the number “5” is the number for “grace”. Yeshua had the crowd get into groups of “50” and also, there were “5” loaves of bread and “2” fishes. Our Messiah had love and grace for these people. He would feed them both physically and spiritually. He would fill their stomachs and souls.

The number “2” stands for “union” and “division” it takes “two” to make a covenant, we see the example at Sinai, Elohim made a covenant between himself and the people, two entities. The people that were fed were both “divided up” (into groups) yet still together in unison.

We can look at the bread as “Yeshua” who is the “bread of Life” and of course the fish as the early symbol of the first-century believers. The believers were made up of both Jews and Gentiles “2” groups of people. When we add 2 + 5 we get “7” which is the perfect number of God. We are all made perfect through HIM, who gave up his life for us ALL.

Shabbat Shalom… Ben Avraham