Month: March 2024

Going Incognito

On By Bp. Justin ElwellIn Applied Theology, InspirationLeave a comment

Some years ago I recall hearing the story of a king who appointed a governor to tend to his people on the far side of his kingdom. Over time this governor became beloved and respected. The king desired to visit this region and his appointed governor. Yet, he did not want to draw attention, in order that he see for himself the lives of his people, so he went incognito. The only person who knew his identity was the governor.

As the governor walked through the streets, the king walked behind him. Dressed as a nobody, the people would greet and praise the governor, wishing him well, and thanking him for his kindness. The more the people greeted and praised him, while ignoring the king behind him, the more embarrassed and self-conscious he felt; after all, he was a man appointed by the king, and these people were the kings people. This respect belonged entirely to the king. Yet, it was the king’s wisdom that placed the governor in that far-off region, and as the king’s representative, the love poured out on the governor was love poured out upon the king who sent him, even if they could not see Him.

The first portion of the Book of Leviticus is called Vayikra, וַיִּקְרָא/And He called. The Lord calls out to Moses from the newly completed Tabernacle (Ex. 40:34-38). It is taught that as Moses recorded this moment in the Torah he marked it by diminishing the size of the final letter in the word vayikra, the letter א. The letter א/alef, represents strength and importance. The rabbis speculate that Moses wrote the letter smaller in order to make it look like the word ויקר/vayikar, which suggests an informal or chance encounter, not the intentional calling of וַיִּקְרָא/And He called. Why?

Moses did not feel that he should be so honored as to be called by the Lord. If you recall, when Moses was called by the Lord to go before Pharaoh he said, “Who am I that I should go before Pharaoh?” (Ex. 3:11). The Lord answered: “But I will be with you … the I Am Who sent you” (Ex. 3:12-14). After an early life of trying to advance himself, then years of hiding, when the Lord called and sent Moses, he knew the attention and glory that was directed to him belonged to the King, often incognito: cloud, fire, even in the tabernacle.

The Book of Leviticus begins with a call. It is an intentional call, not one by chance, to the people of God to draw close to Him. The Hebrew verb קָרָא/call, means: to call, proclaim, to read, make famous, cry, or summon. As Leviticus opens, we read these words: וַיִּקְרָא אֶל-מֹשֶׁה , “And the Lord called to Moses” (Lev. 1:1). The use of a proper noun indicates the intended of God’s call: Moses. The call was to go before Him, humbled by sacrifice in order to draw near to Him.

In Exodus the Lord calls Israel to its purpose, to be a holy nation of priests (Ex. 19:5-6). In Leviticus that purpose, we learn, is realized through sacrifice. Having been called by God, as Moses was, are we willing to sacrifice for what we are called to do?

Dear reader, in Messiah you have been called according to His purpose (Ro. 8:28). In Him we are called to be a living sacrifice, or a living-killing, (Ro. 12:1). This is a life of drawing near, the meaning of קָרְבָּן/qorbân, an offering drawing us near. We are drawn near as He works in us, we then begin to imitate and mirror more of the King Who sent us. Paul writes:

“For God has not given us a spirit of cowardice, but of power and of love and of self-control. So do not be ashamed of the witness of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but suffer hardship with me for the Good News according to the power of God, who has saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Messiah Yeshua before times of old.”

A holy calling, a divine purpose, a purpose established before “times of old” (Eph. 2:8-10). It is a calling of love and grace. It is a calling that He announced to His congregation, but also to us as individuals, in order to show His love for us (2 Tim. 1:7-9).

How do we walk out this calling? The King is with us.

In Galatians, as Paul is speaking correction to his audience, he reminds them of how they once received him, “and though my condition was a trial to you, you did not scorn or despise me, but received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus” (Gal. 4:14). Paul was weak, afflicted in some way, but they received him as a messenger from God, an ambassador of the Lord, even as they would receive Messiah Himself.

According to Moses, we are small in response to His holy calling. Paul would agree. Yet, Paul, like so many of us, did not make himself small, he was diminished in strength by affliction, but the people still received him as they would receive the King of kings. Paul knew who was with Him, like the governor from the above story, but, unlike the people in the story above, the people to whom he ministered also knew Who was with Him.

Remember in Whose presence you stand, and in Whose presence you serve, when you are with those close to Him, and those far from Him. He has you laboring in His Kingdom as an ambassador, the dignity surround you is His.

Friends, the King who calls and establishes is always with us, just incognito: you. We do not deserve the call, we do not deserve His purpose, but His grace works us into both. Still, the honor and praise of the call and the purpose belongs to Him. The blessing is being used and useful to the King of all kings, and Lord of all lord. To Him be the glory, honor and praise, forevermore.

Be well. Shalom.

Pekudei: Torah 23

On By Bp. Justin ElwellIn podcast, Torah AudioLeave a comment
Tap pic for link!

The certificate of occupancy of a home, the assurance that the structure has been built to specifications. We, in faith, have an even greater assurance of our acceptance: the Holy Spirit. As the Book of Exodus concludes, Moses assembles and disassembles the Tabernacle during the time of sanctification of the priesthood. The Lord showed His approval of the project by filling the Tabernacle. What can we learn from this? Is there a way for us to understand the construction of the tabernacle in faith today? Give a listen.

HOME

On By Bp. Justin ElwellIn Applied Theology, Inspiration, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Exodus opens beneath a banner of despair. A pharaoh comes to power who has no memory of Joseph. He enslaves the sons of Jacob. He issues a decree of death for the sons of the Hebrews. The children of Israel, at home in a strange land, became enslaved strangers in a strange land, exiles in the only home they knew.

The power of the exodus narrative is its relatability. While often not an exact parallel experiences to the exodus generation, the feeling of being a stranger, even a sense of homelessness, is certainly relatable.

I need not recount all of the details of the journey from the beginning of the book of Exodus to this, the final, portion called פְקוּדֵי/Pekudei, meaning to attend to, to care for, even to look after. The portion opens: אֵלֶּה פְקוּדֵי הַמִּשְׁכָּן, “These are the accounts of the tabernacle” (Ex. 38:21). It seems a rather bland end of this magnificent book, and an even more miraculous project. Yet, in the details we find the beauty.

In Genesis 50:25, Joseph says to his family, וַיַּשְׁבַּע יוֹסֵף אֶת־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לֵאמֹר פָּקֹד יִפְקֹד, “God will certainly, פָּקֹד יִפְקֹד, attend to you …” Joseph is saying, “When God surely attends to you, you will not forget me and leave me here.” “Just as the Lord will attend to, care for, and look after you,” Joseph is saying, “you look after me.” In this opening to a dry accounting, we find the same word used by Joseph about the care of the Lord, as both פְקוּדֵי/Pekudei and פָּקֹד יִפְקֹד, share the same root. Joseph wanted to go home, and he knew that the covenant Lord would bring them home.

As we know the bones of Joseph were carried out by Moses (Ex. 13:19), and probably remained in his care during the wilderness years. Even in death, Joseph would experience home, the longing of his heart. But how?

As the Book of Exodus concludes in chapter 40, the children of Israel had been invited to take part in the building of a home, an earthly מִשְׁכָּן/mishkan/tabernacle for the Lord “to dwell in their midst” (Ex. 25:8). The “accounting” that opens this portion speaks to the completion of home. The Lord attended to, cared for, and looked after each detail of the pattern (Ex. 25:9), and then, once Moses and the artisans complete their work, “the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle” (Ex. 40:35).

His approval and seal on this communal project was His indwelling presence: the Lord filled the house, and it becomes a home.

Dear reader, in faith, do you know that the Lord has attended to, cared for, and looked after every detail of your life (Ro. 8:28); and having accounted for it all, He has knit you together (Col. 2:2) into a home for the Holy Spirit with the Body of Messiah (1 Cor. 3:16)? He has done so according to express image of Messiah (Eph. 4:13). The seal of His approval again follows His pattern in Scripture, as the Holy Spirit dwells in you, and as Paul writes, you “were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:13, cf. 14).

Here, among and with the disciples of Messiah, just as the Lord made a home for Himself and Israel in the midst of the wilderness camp, those who were “far off” and those who “were near” (Eph. 2:17) have now found home away from their heavenly home. Yes, we have not yet reached the place prepared for us; however, we are not strangers in a strange land, as we are home among “the out called of God.” I counsel so many people who have a sense of drift, not experiencing home for one reason or another, but the message of Pekukei is that He has called you to help make a home for the countless others who feel homeless, lost, set-adrift in life. Perhaps you feel that I am exaggerating? Consider the words of the apostle Paul in closing:

“So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit” (Eph. 2:19-22).

He is attending to, caring for, and looking after you in every way, and He is doing so in concert with the Body of Messiah all around you.

When you are strangers no more, you are home.

Be well. Shalom.