Category: Inspiration

“Moses, Take Aaron”

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

There are times in the Torah cycle when it seems like deja vu. In last week’s portion of Vayikra, “And He called,” we read of the sacrifices repeated in the portion called צַו/tzav, “command.” Yet, just after the law of the offerings (Lev. 7:37-38), Moses writes of the consecration of Aaron and his sons (Lev. 8:1-36). There is a rather touching, and prophetic moment, when Moses wraps Aaron in his high priestly vestments.

In Leviticus 8:6 the Torah records: וַיַּקְרֵב מֹשֶׁה אֶת־אַהֲרֹן וְאֶת־בָּנָיו, “And Moses brought Aaron and his sons …” To begin this process, Moses washes Aaron and his sons. Still, there is language here that is sacrificial in nature, which can be easily missed: וַיַּקְרֵב/vayakreiv, translated “brought.” We are familiar with the root of וַיַּקְרֵב/vayakreiv, קָרַב/qāraḇ, meaning to bring near, offer or present. It is the root of קָרְבָּן/qārbān, offering or sacrifice.

The Torah is telling us that Aaron and his sons become the first sacrifice of the Tabernacle, as they were prepared before the first sacrifices were given. The language of dressing Aaron is also reminiscent of Abraham binding Isaac (Gen. 22:9), as Aaron and his sons are brought near as living sacrifices unto the Lord (Ro. 12:1). When Aaron is wrapped and bound in his garments he is a living sacrifice unto the Lord. He belongs entirely to the Lord, and the ministry of service in the Tabernacle. He and his sons will have no inheritance in the Promised Land, save for the Lord Himself.

When the Lord commands Moses to consecrate Aaron and his sons (Lev. 8:2), the Torah reads, קַח אֶת־אַהֲרֹן, “Take Aaron …” These words we find again in Numbers 20:25, at the end of Aaron’s life, קַח אֶת־אַהֲרֹן, “Take Aaron …” Why this repetition? In Leviticus 8:2, Moses is taking Aaron in order to dress him for priesthood. In Numbers 20:25, Moses is taking Aaron to undress him for death. Can you imagine?

Moses takes Aaron, washing and dressing him for ministry. Years later, he takes Aaron to undress him for death. Aaron’s sacrifice had been completed and accepted, he would be gathered to his people (Num. 20:24). Aaron’s end was there in his beginning, with his brother Moses. The one who adorned him in new life and purpose, would also prepare him for eternity.

When Aaron was adorned in the high priestly vestments, the glory of the Lord was wrapped in the image of a man (Jn. 1:14). So adorned, it was not Aaron who shined, but the Lord Himself. Aaron, in the process of renewal, would take on the godly qualities represented by the priestly garments. In the end, it was not Aaron, it was the Lord.

Moses shows us that by calling, as Aaron and his sons were called, the Lord adorns and wraps us. In this sacrificial language, we offer ourselves up as a living sacrifice, our reasonable worship unto the Lord (Ro. 12:1). What does this mean for us today?

In Galatians 3:27 Paul writes, “For as many of you as were baptized into Messiah have put on Messiah.” Further, Ephesians 4:24, “and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.” In Greek “put on” is ἐνδύω/endyō meaning to “sink into” or “saturate with.” In Hebrew “put on,” לָבַשׁ, means to “wrap in” or “perfectly fit.”

What is revealed by this language is simple understand, yet difficult to live: as with Aaron, we take on the qualities of the garment we are clothed in. “Put on the Lord Yeshua/Jesus Messiah,” Paul wrote, or as some translations render it: “clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ.” Be saturated with the qualities of Messiah. Saturated or wrapped in Him, there is no room for us to “show off the old man” when living with the human community.

The Father in Heaven draws us to Messiah (Jn. 6:44). The rabbis, specifically Rashi, speculate that Aaron did not desire or want the position of high priest, rather he had to be persuaded by Moses. This we find echoed in the words of Messiah. The language of “draw” as Yeshua uses it is rather unpleasant. It basically means to drag, as the result of an inward pull. The sin man does not want Christ, but conviction of sin by the Holy Spirit draws us to Him, and in Him, redeemed, we become as a living sacrifice (Ro. 12:1; cf. 1 Pet. 2:9).

When Moses dressed and undressed Aaron, he did so from death to life. In Messiah, death now having lost its sting (1 Cor. 15:55-57), we are clothed, not in earthly vestment, but in His resurrection and life (Jn. 11:25). And wrapped in Him, when our deployment comes to an end, we rest in Him, clothed in Him, our nakedness and shame forgiven and eternally covered in Him. Wrapped in His life, we shine forth His life into the world around us. Maranatha.

Be well. Shalom.

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.

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.