SHEMINI (Eighth) Lev 9:1–11:47; Num 19:1-22; 2 Sam 6:1–7:17; Mark 9:1–13
We have just celebrated the Feast of Esther last Wednesday which is a joyous festival of celebration. But it is an interesting thing that this book almost did not make it into the biblical canon of the Torah for a number of reasons:
1.The name of God is not mentioned in any form in the whole book of Esther. However, the fingerprints of God permeated throughout the story. How much are the fingerprints of God upon our lives even though we may not be speaking it out in words?
2. The moral standards in the book are puzzling. The food she would have eaten in the King’s palace where she stayed as a concubine would not have been kosher, and since she was hiding her true identity, she could not keep any of the biblical demands of the Jewish community such as Shabbat etc. However, there are occasions in our lives when compromise is acceptable. In Jewish law, this would include survival. No-one who is starving would deny some types of food even if it was not kosher if it kept one from starving to death. Paul also wrote from a different perspective in 1Cor.9:19-23:
“19 For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; 20 and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law; 21 to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law; 22 to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. 23 Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you.”
3. In the New Testament, the biblical holidays are mentioned, except for Purim. Not one quotation of the book of Esther exists there.
After the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem in 70 AD., the Jewish rabbis fought hard to keep the book of Esther as one of the books of the Bible in the same way as with the Book of James (Jacov) in the New Testament
In the Purim story, Mordechai the Jew and Esther succeeded in reversing the evil edict that Haman signed that allowed the Persian empire to murder all the Jews in Susa the Persian capital.
And so the whole book of Esther is read at Purim because it reminds us of the formula contained within all of the biblical holidays: The Gentiles hate the Jews. They want to kill them! God gives them deliverance, they have victory over those who hate them, now let’s celebrate and eat! Chag Sameach!
In this season where we celebrate the death and resurrection of Messiah Jesus, we crown Him King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He is and has always been the King of the Jews and we see this reflected beautifully hidden in a declaration made at His crucifixion.
“Over His head they put the accusation against Him which read: ‘THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS’.” (Matthew 27:37)
“Pilate also had a notice written and posted on the stake; it read, YESHUA FROM NATZERET THE KING OF THE JEWS Many of the Judeans read this notice, because the place where Yeshua was put on the stake was close to the city; and it had been written in Hebrew, in Latin and in Greek. The Judeans’ head cohanim therefore said to Pilate, “Don’t write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but ‘He said, “I am King of the Jews.”’” Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.” (John 19: 19-22)
The original Greek of Pilate’s inscription as recorded in the Gospel of John is, ‘Iesous Ő Nazaraios Ő Basileus Ton Ioudaion.’ (Yeshua of Nazareth, King of the Jews’). (Matthew 19:19)
It was a common practice in biblical times to use acronyms to gain a deeper understanding and meaning in words and names. This practice was later adopted by the Roman Catholic Church as illustrated (e.g., in religious art and artefacts) by the four letters INRI in Latin with the inscription placed on the cross of Yeshua: Iesous Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum (INRI—Yeshua the Nazarene, King of the Jews).
To understand the significance of this, one needs to focus upon the Hebrew that reads: Yeshua HaNazri, VeMelech HaYehudim (YHVH—Yeshua the Nazarene and King of the Jews). The Hebrew language reads from right to left, so we need to speak out the phrase to reveal an understanding of the hidden meaning. As the four letters of the Latin acronym were INRI, so the four letters of the Hebrew acronym would be ‘Yud’ ‘Hey’ ‘Vav’ ‘Heh’ (YHVH) representing the four letters for the name of God.
Translators guessed at the vowel sounds that are omitted in the original Hebrew for YHVH and bible translations came up with words such as, YaHVeH and YeHoVaH.
Historically, a few generations before the birth of Yeshua, Jewish people considered the name of God so sacred it could not be uttered. Today, many Jews refer to Him as ‘Ha Shem’ and represent His name in written form by the Hebrew characters, ‘YH’ or ‘YHVH.’
There is further significance in the name of YHVH as an attributed name for Yeshua, from considering the meanings of the ancient Hebrew alphabet (which originated as graphic symbols representing objects or ideas).
In the case of ‘Yud’ ‘heh’ and ‘vav,’ the letters that make up the name YHVH, we find that:
‘Yud’ is represented in the Hebrew as a picture of a hand.
‘Heh’ is represented in the Hebrew as a window, ‘to reveal or behold.’
So, in English the pictorial meaning of the Hebrew letters YH would translate as ‘to reveal (behold) the hand.’
‘Vav’ is represented in the Hebrew as a picture of a nail.
Therefore, the complete ideographic meaning of the Hebrew letters YHVH would be:
‘Reveal (behold) the hand, reveal (behold) the nail’ or ‘Behold the nailed hand.’
What a powerful and accurate portrayal of Yeshua as Scripture itself confirms:
“I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplication: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.” (Zechariah 12:10)
Yeshua has a memorial name (YHVH) which is revealed when we ‘behold the nailed hand.’ The One born to be king has also became our redeemer.
Interestingly, the ancient Hebrew meaning for Satan is also illuminating and quite literally means, ‘to destroy the covenant or cross of life.’
CELEBRATE THE RESURRECTION!
This is the season where throughout the world believers are celebrating the resurrection of Messiah Yeshua which is the key event that has ever occurred throughout eternity. Scripture makes this abundantly clear. Without the physical resurrection of Yeshua, our faith is empty and meaningless even though this is what some people who call themselves ‘Christians’ might claim:
“Now, let me ask you something profound yet troubling. If you became believers because you trusted the proclamation that Christ is alive, risen from the dead, how can you let people say that there is no such thing as a resurrection? If there’s no resurrection, there’s no living Christ. And face it—if there’s no resurrection for Christ, everything we’ve told you is smoke and mirrors, and everything you’ve staked your life on is smoke and mirrors. Not only that, but we would be guilty of telling a string of barefaced lies about God, all these affidavits we passed on to you verifying that God raised up Christ—sheer fabrications, if there’s no resurrection.
16-20 If corpses can’t be raised, then Christ wasn’t, because he was indeed dead. And if Christ weren’t raised, then all you’re doing is wandering about in the dark, as lost as ever. It’s even worse for those who died hoping in Christ and resurrection, because they’re already in their graves. If all we get out of Christ is a little inspiration for a few short years, we’re a pretty sorry lot. But the truth is that Christ has been raised up, the first in a long legacy of those who are going to leave the cemeteries.” 1 Corinthians 15:12-20 The Message (MSG)
“If the dead are not raised, let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die…” (I Cor 15:32)
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he gave us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, that is, into an inheritance imperishable, undefiled, and unfading. It is reserved in heaven for you…” I. Peter 1:3-4
The resurrection of Jesus is not a problem which we have to explain, but rather the Bible’s declaration.
The resurrection puts the seal upon the claims and teaching of Messiah Jesus.
Through the resurrection of Yeshua, it is possible for us to receive God’s promised blessings both here on earth and in the future for eternity (Romans 8:34-39; Hebrews 11:13-16; Revelation 20:4-6).
The resurrection reverses the devastating effects of Adam sin. Adam’s sin brought death to all men; Yeshua’s resurrection brings life (Romans 5:17-19; 1 Corinthians 15:21-22).
No wonder we can celebrate the victory we have in Yeshua both in this life and in the world to come!
Our Torah portion this week commences from Lev. 9:1 where in the opening verse we read, “On the eighth day Moses summoned Aaron and his sons and the elders of Israel.” The number 8 holds great significance biblically and represents covenant and new beginnings. In this respect it connected to a new phase for the Israelites with the introduction of the sacrificial system. If anyone sinned against God or man there now existed the means by which a person could be restored, by offering the appropriate sacrifice. Yet, it was still flawed in certain ways. For example, there was no substitute for certain sins, such as murder, desecrating Shabbat, or disrespecting ones parents (stoning), to name but a few. In addition, Heb.10:1-10 makes explicit that the OT sacrificial system was merely a step towards something infinitely greater as a type and shadow for what God had ordained in His eternal plan:
“The old system of living under the law presented us with only a faint shadow, a crude outline of the reality of the wonderful blessings to come. Even with its steady stream of sacrifices offered year after year, there still was nothing that could make our hearts perfect before God. For if animal sacrifices could once and for all eliminate sin, they would have ceased to be offered and the worshipers would have clean consciences. Instead, once was not enough so by the repetitive sacrifices year after year, the worshipers were continually reminded of their sins, with their hearts still impure. For what power does the blood of bulls and goats have to remove sin’s guilt?
So when Yeshua the Messiah came into the world he said, “Since your ultimate desire was not another animal sacrifice, you have clothed me with a body that I might offer myself instead! Multiple burnt offerings and sin-offerings cannot satisfy your justice. So I said to you, ‘God— I will be the One to go and do your will, to fulfil all that is written of me in your Word!’
…So by being the sacrifice that removes sin, he abolishes animal sacrifices and replaces that entire system with a newer covenant. By God’s will we have been purified and made holy once and for all through the sacrifice of the body of Yeshua, the Messiah!”
Yeshua conquered death and rose from the dead on the 3rd day following His crucifixion, on the 1st day of the week being the 8th day. There are 8 individual resurrections recorded in the Bible apart from those connected to Yeshua or the righteous saints of God:
- 3 in the OT
- 3 in the Gospels
- 2 in Acts 9 and 20
It is interesting that the 3 in the OT correspond to the 3 raised by Yeshua:
- The son of a widow (1Kings 17:17-25) and the widow of Nain (Lk.7:11-18)
- The son of the woman of Shunam ( 2Kings 4:32-37) and the daughter of Jairus (Mk. 5:35)
- An adult In Elisha’s tomb (2Kings 13:20,21) and Lazarus (Jn.11)
The miracles Elijah performed were 8 in number and the miracles of Elisha were 16 because he received a double portion of anointing from Elijah.
The Greek name for Yeshua ‘Ihsous’ has a gematria of 888! Many believers are bound by condemnation and past failures but God provides us with second chances and new beginnings.
The 7 names of Yeshua in Greek are all stamped with the number 8:
Christos, Christ (1480 = 8×185)
Kurios, Lord (800 = 8×100)
Kurios Hemon, Our Lord (1768 = 8×221)
Soter, Saviour, Saviour (1408 = 8sq x 32)
Emmanuel, (25600 = 8sq x 50)
Messias, Messiah, (656 = 8×82)
Huios, Son (880 = 8×80)
There are 8 commands in Scripture to keep Shabbat holy – 7 by God and 1 from Moses.
In Lev.11:44, we are again reminded about the importance of holiness: “Consecrate yourselves and be holy, for I am holy….” When we consecrate ourselves fully to the Lord, He reveals through us His glory for which the world has no answer. “This is what the Lord has commanded you to do, so that the glory of the Lord may appear to you.” (Lev.9:6) Blessed are the pure in heart…
Here on the 8th day following a week of purification, God’s glory descended upon Aaron and his four sons after they made sacrifices to Him- the sin offering – burnt offering – and the fellowship offerings. When they came out of the Tabernacle, Aaron blessed the Israelites; and the Shekinah Glory appeared to the entire population. The fire of God consumed the burnt offering and the fat parts on the altar. And the people screamed in alarm and fell on their faces because of His manifest and holy presence.
The fire of God cleanses us from sin and brings us into His holy presence. But for any person who claims to be a committed believer yet chooses to rebel against Him and reject Him, the fire of God will ultimately consume that person in judgement. The higher the ranking a person has in the Kingdom of God, the greater their accountability, and Nadav and Avihu are a sad example of this:
“Aaron’s sons Nadav and Avihu took their censers, put fire in them and added incense; and they offered strange fire [zarah – carries the connotation of being foreign or another kind.] before the LORD, contrary to His command.” So fire came from the presence of the Lord and consumed them and they died before the Lord.” (Lev10:2)
The closer a person grows to God, the greater the blessings but also the accountability. One of the saddest moments in Scripture is contained here in this passage when Aaron heard the news about his eldest two sons: ‘Aharon kept silent.’ He was not allowed to grieve, or make any excuses for his sons, nor show any emotion, or even question the Divine judgment of God.
Who dares choose to walk in the pathways of God in accordance to His revealed will through the Word of God? It is all of Him and none of us, yet simultaneously our free choice that each person exercises will determine our destiny. For those who choose well, remains the promise in Scripture of a crown of glory bestowed to us by God Himself that will bear testimony before all creation throughout eternity.
