"On The Mount - In My Statutes"
Lev 25:1-26:2; Lev 26:3-27:34; Jer 32:6-32:27; Jer 16:19-17:14; Lk 4:16-21; Mt. 21:33-46; 2 Cor 6:14-18
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This week's Parsha introduces us to a new concept. This concept is the “Year of Jubilee”, the fiftieth year celebration of deliverance. This concept of Jubilee was established on the mountain while Moshe was receiving the Torah from G-D, before anyone actually had any tribal land given to them in Israel, before any conflicts concerning this land had come into being. G-D prepared a way for deliverance before there was even a need for deliverance. This is very much like our need for a Messiah. Before man was created our Messiah existed! Before sin entered the world the means for redemption of sin was established. Before you were born, even before your ancestors were born, Yeshua was here. Before the foundation of the world Yeshua was. Just as the promised “Year of Jubilee” was established before there was any need for it, salvation for sin was established before any need for it existed. One thing to remember is that this redemption for sin is available for you still today.
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This week's parsha is B'Har, found in Leviticus 25 starting with verse one. The name of this week's parsha means "On The Mountain." It is interesting that except for mentioning the Mountain, Mount Sinai in the first verse of the parsha. We don't hear anything about the mountain again in the whole parsha. The majority of the parsha deals with the Year of Jubilee. In Hebrew the word is "Yovel." The Yovel year was the fiftieth year, or the year after seven sevens. It was a time of restoration. It was also a Jubilee year when Yshua made aliyah and said, "I came to set the captive free." The parsha is called "On the Mountain" from the mention of the mountain in the first verse of chapter 25. The Year of Jubilee was the time when all slaves were set free and all family property was returned. (It is interesting to note that this return happened even to the slaves that chose to stay with their masters, and the property was returned no matter how short the time between sale and Jubilee was.)
I wanted to make a point about this parsha that I think will bless all
of us. I think that those dividing the text did not only choose the
name of this parsha, but that G-D chose it. I believe Har Sinai is
central to our faith. The reason I believe this is because:
(1) Moshe
walked up the Mountain and met with G-D,
(2) Without
that meeting none of us would have found Messiah
(3) Torah
was given to lead us to Messiah.
This parsha is dealing with deliverance of those that were servants.
The land that was lost is also central to our faith. Without the
promise of deliverance, without the promise given that we would be
redeemed, without that big huge mountain that stands before us so large
that nobody can miss it, we could not have the joy. We could not have
the peace. We could not have the hope. It is because that mountain
exists that we have Torah. It is because that mountain exists.
This parsha is named after the mountain. We have redemption. This
parsha is named after the mountain. Because as sure as this mountain
stands and as sure as we can see it with our eyes, we can look at the
promise of G-D as a sure thing...a hope we can see not only with our
eyes but also with our hearts.
This parsha talks about the Sabbath, the Shemittah, the rest every
seven years. It is a rest for the land and a time for the land to
restore. Then it talks about the Jubilee year, a time of rest for the
people of G-D and a time to restore. This parsha is what I call a
"Shabbat Sandwich." The first verse two verses talk of Shabbats, and
the last verse talks of Shabbat. In between those Shabbats are some of
the most powerful promises of G-D to man...promises that give us the
hope of redemption even when we make bad decisions. Man gave up his
fellowship with G-D in Garden Eden and sold himself out for pride and
false hope. Messiah won us back with prayer in the garden when He laid
down all pride and said, "Not my will but Thine."
Adam and Eve started in a state of peace and rest, a Shabbat. Messiah
died so that we could live in a state of peace, Shabbat. In Between
stands two mountains, Mount Sinai and Mount Moriah. Mount Sinai was
where Man met G-D to receive Torah. Mount Moriah was where Avraham
(Abraham) sacrificed his son. Mount Moriah was also where G-D
sacrificed HIS son. You see it all is centered upon "The
Mountain"...something so large, so big and so visible that NOBODY can
deny it exists. G-D chose the Mountain because it stands. And G-D's
Word will stand no matter what. No matter who stands and says, "It
isn't true" or "It isn't real' or "It doesn't matter." Everyone can
still see the mountain. Just as no matter who says G-D's Word isn't
true...no matter how they try to deny Messiah, the mountain of evidence
is too overwhelming to deny it is there.
How far away was Mount Moriah from Golgotha, the place where Y'shua was
crucified?
They are both part of the same mountain.
Numbers 1:1-4:20; Hosea 2:1-22; 1 Corinthians 12:12-20
In this week’s parsha, Torah introduces us to the blessings to those who choose to follow Torah and curses that are promised to those who choose to not follow Torah. Looking at these verses, we would all quickly reason that the Children of Israel would gladly choose to obey Torah and receive the promised blessings. It is clear common sense when reading these verses that anyone would want to choose the blessings over the curses. However, from reading the history of Israel in the Tanakh, we find repeatedly that the people G-D chose to bless, instead chose curses. From Korach’s rebellion to the many examples of idolatry and pagan influence that was woven into the history of Israel. We can look at the decisions made by both the leaders of Israel and the regular Israelites and marvel at the bad choices made repeatedly. However, lest we get proud or haughty, if we are honest most of us have made poor choices when it comes to obeying the Mitzvot.
We have all sinned and fallen short of G-D’s glory. The Brit Chadasha clearly tells us that the curse of the Law was nailed to the execution stake of Messiah. We need to be careful and understand that it was not the Law of Torah that was nailed, but rather the curse of the Law. In other words, when we fail to keep Torah, curses are the result. However, when we accept Yeshua’s Kipporah or atonement, the curse for failure to obey is removed. This does not take away our obligation to obey Torah. However, it lets us know that when we repent of our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us of them and cleanse us of all unrighteousness. This cleansing is the removal of the curses we would have upon our life for choosing to sin or transgress the Torah. Remember that when G-D listed the blessings and the curses that these words are a promise and G-D cannot break a promise. All people will choose either blessings or curses. When we make the choice, our lifestyle will demonstrate this choice and from the flow of blessings (or lack of them), people will see our choice.