RECOGNITION

2. RECOGNITION THE MESSIANIC PROPHECY BIBLE PROJECT http://www.messianicbible.com HEAR O ISRAEL www.hearoisrael.org SHEEPFOLD GLEANINGS WRITTEN BY JULIE PARKER www.sheepfoldgleanings.com MESSIANIC ISRAEL ALLIANCE http://www.messianicisrael.com AZAMRA TORAH FOR OUR TIME – RABBI AVRAHAM GREENBAUM http://www.azamra.org

3. PEKUDEI “Acounts” Torah:Exodus 38:21-40:38 Haftorah:1 Kings 7:51-8:21 B’rit Chadashah:2 Corinthians 9:1-15, Revelation 11:19, Ephesians 6:14, Revelation 3:4-5,18, Matthew 17:2, Revelation 15:5-8 All references: The Scripture 1998+ unless otherwise noted

4. AGENDA ABBA has an agenda, He intends to have an intimate relationship with His people. He desires us to want that relationship as much as He does. Our desire moves us towards maturity as He is waiting for His bride to be holy. Husbands, love your wives, as Messiah also did love the assembly and gave Himself for it, in order to set it apart and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word, in order to present it to Himself a splendid assembly, not having spot or wrinkle or any of this sort, but that it might be set-apart and blameless. (Ephesians 5:25-27 ) Short statement Ardelle, Living Waters Fellowship: “Individual salvation is only the first step of the plan of the Almighty in our lives. Salvation continues with the unifying of the body of Messiah through Torah in order that the Bridegroom might take His Bride to the land of Israel where He intends to dwell with her.”

5. PICTURE IN SCRIPTURE This is the main topic of Messiah יהושע when He walked this earth. As we read the Word we see the connections between the kingdom of heaven, the tabernacle, the bride, etc. From that time יהושע began to proclaim and to say, “Repent, for the reign of the heavens has drawn near.” (Matthew 4:17 ) Entering into the tabernacle begins with repentance at the altar of sacrifice. Thereafter we are reminded of a powerful prayer that perhaps we’ve forgotten to pray. It is a reference to that future heavenly tabernacle being brought to earth (Rev 21). “This, then, is the way you should pray: ‘Our Father who is in the heavens, let Your Name be set-apart, let Your reign come, let Your desire be done on earth as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6:9-10) Our main focus should be on the heavenly kingdom, not on our earthly cares as Gentiles as clearly stated in Matthew 6:31-33 “Do not worry then, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ “For all these the gentiles seek for. .. “But seek first the reign of Elohim, and His righteousness, and all these matters shall be added to you.

6. KINGDOM MESSAGE / HEALING יהושע combined the Gospel of the kingdom message with the healing of all sickness and disease.יהושע s desire was to bring the lost sheep back into the fold….this was harvesting. Therefore he sends his disciples to other lost sheep with the kingdom of heaven message. Like יהושע, along with the kingdom message, the disciples (labourers) were given the power to heal the sick. The message of the kingdom and the healing….they go together. And יהושע went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their congregations, and proclaiming the Good News of the reign, and healing every disease and every bodily weakness among the people. And having called His twelve taught ones near, He gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every bodily weakness. ..“Do not go into the way of the gentiles, ..but rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Yisra’ĕl. “And as you go, proclaim, saying, ‘The reign of the heavens has drawn near.’ “Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. You have received without paying, give without being paid. (Matthew 9:35-10:8 )

7. KINGDOM MESSAGE And He spoke to them much in parables, saying, “See, the sower went out to sow. “And as he sowed, some indeed fell by the wayside, and the birds came and devoured them. “And others fell on rocky places, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, because they had no depth of soil. “But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered. “And others fell among thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them. “And others fell on good soil and yielded a crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” And the taught ones came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?” And He answering, said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the secrets of the reign of the heavens, but to them it has not been given. (Matthew 13:3-11 ) It must be noted the parable speaks of “secrets of the reign of the heavens”or“mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven”

8. WORD OF THE KINGDOM “For whoever possesses, to him more shall be given, and he shall have overflowingly; but whoever does not possess, even what he possesses shall be taken away from him. “Because of this I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand ... blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear, for truly I say to you, that many prophets and righteous ones longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it. “You, then, hear the parable of the sower: “When anyone hears the word of the reign (kingdom), and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is that sown by the wayside. (Matthew 13:12-19 ) Have you ever tried to speak the Kingdom/Torah message and seen this happen?

9. BEARING FRUIT “And that sown on rocky places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet he has no root in himself, but is short-lived, and when pressure or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. “And that sown among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the worry of this age and the deceit of riches choke the word, and it becomes fruitless. “And that sown on the good soil is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields – some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.” (Matthew 13:20-23) Only the prepared and open heart will receive, the hard stony heart will block everything that is from God.

10. MYSTERIES OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of trespasses, according to the riches of His favour, which He has lavished on us in all wisdom and insight, (Ephesians 1:7-8) The above verse shows that initial step of salvation. having made known to us the secret of His desire, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Him, to administer at the completion of time, to gather together in one all in Messiah, both which are in the heavens and which are on earth, in Him, (Ephesians 1:9-10 ) Secret of His desire – remember the prayer….thy kingdom come, thy will be done? To gather together in one all in Messiah The joining together of both which are in the heavens and which are on earth, ….this is also what the tabernacle does.

11. GOAL FOR US For by favour you have been saved, through belief, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of Elohim, it is not by works, so that no one should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Messiah יהושע unto good works, which Elohim prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:8-10) Here again we see the individual salvation message. But verse 10 continues with His goal for us …. to walk in good works. Therefore remember that you, once gentiles in the flesh, who are called ‘the uncircumcision’ by what is called ‘the circumcision’ .. that at that time you were without Messiah, excluded from the citizenship of Yisra’ĕl and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no expectation and without Elohim in the world. But now in Messiah יהושע you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of the Messiah. (Ephesians 2:11-13) Verse 11 – “once Gentiles in the flesh”…implies no longer Gentiles Verse 12 – No longer an alien to the commonwealth of Israel and the covenants of Israel (Abrahamic, Mosaic, Renewed)

12. BY FAITH By faith we believe that the Messiah dwells in our hearts individually: Messiah, from whom all fatherhood in the heavens and earth is named, in order that He might give you, according to the riches of His esteem by power, to be strengthened in the inner man, through His Spirit, that the Messiah might dwell in your hearts through belief – having become rooted and grounded in love, (Ephesians 3:14-17) As we mature we (are united with the “head” who is Messiah! I call upon you therefore, I the prisoner of the Master, to walk worthily of the calling with which you were called, with all humility and meekness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, being eager to guard the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace – one body and one Spirit, as you also were called in one expectation of your calling, one Master, one belief, one immersion, one Elohim and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all... maintaining the truth in love, we grow up in all respects into Him who is the head, Messiah, (Ephesians 4:1-15 )

13. PURIFIED BRIDE The misconception is that we are immediately the bride when we accept יהושע, the fact is we become the purified bride as we are “cleansed through the washing of water by the word”. Wives, subject yourselves to your own husbands, as to the Master. Because the husband is head of the wife, as also the Messiah is head of the assembly, and He is Saviour of the body. But as the assembly is subject to Messiah, so also let the wives be to their own husbands in every respect. Husbands, love your wives, as Messiah also did love the assembly and gave Himself for it, in order to set it apart and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word, in order to present it to Himself a splendid assembly, not having spot or wrinkle or any of this sort, but that it might be set-apart and blameless. (Ephesians 5:22-27) This pattern continues into the future in the book of Revelation 21:1-2: And I saw a renewed heaven and a renewed earth, for the former heaven and the former earth had passed away, and the sea is no more. And I, Yoḥanan, saw the set-apart city, renewed Yerushalayim, coming down out of the heaven from Elohim, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

14. KINGDOM IN YOUR MIDST יהושע makes an interesting comment recorded for us in the book of Luke: And having been asked by the Pharisees when the reign of Elohim would come, He answered them and said, “The reign of Elohim does not come with intent watching, nor shall they say, ‘Look here!’ or ‘Look there!’ For look, the reign of Elohim is in your midst!” (Luke 17:20-21) Some translations say “….the kingdom of Elohim is within you?” Could יהושע have been saying that the kingdom of יהוה was to be found among those that were in the midst of them…i.e. the lost sheep of the House of Israel? Referring to the people or persons around us.

15. MARRAIGE FEAST Who will be there? Will those invited come? Yeshua gives the answer: And when one of those who sat at the table with Him heard this, he said to Him, “Blessed is he who eats bread in the reign of Elohim!” But He said to him, “A certain man gave a great supper and invited many, and he sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, ‘Come, for all is now ready.’ “But one by one they all began making excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I need to go and see it. I ask you to have me excused.’ “And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to try them out. I ask you to have me excused.’ “And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and because of this I am unable to come.’ (Luke 14:15-20 ) The excuses all have to do with choosing the world over the Kingdom of יהוה. What excuses do we have???

16. 1000 YEARS “And that servant came and reported this to his master. Then the master of the house, being wroth, said to his servant, ‘Hurry out into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor, and crippled, and lame, and blind.’ “And the servant said, ‘Master, it is done as you commanded, and still there is room.’ “And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out into the street corners and hedges, and compel them to come in, so that my house is filled. ‘For I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper.’ ” (Luke 14:21-24) It is not popular to suggest that יהוה makes a distinction among believers based on their choices in this life. But this is what the Bible teaches. There are rewards for those who live their life in line with the will of יהוה. The biggest reward is becoming a part of the bride of Messiah….living in the New Jerusalem and dwelling with Him there for a thousand years. Other believers appear to be travelling in order to see Him and learn from Him. Eternity seems to point to more of an equality ….. a thousand years is a very long time!

17. KINGDOM REIGN We have seen the kingdom of heaven, the heavenly pattern of which is seen in the picture of the tabernacle. So what about the evil one? What about his kingdom? In the tabernacle, it is יהוה who is being worshiped and served. Satan tempted יהושע by asking Him to worship him in his worldly kingdom. And the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the reigns of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said to Him, “All this authority I shall give You, and their esteem, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. “If, then, You worship before me, all shall be Yours.” And יהושע answering him, said, “Get behind Me, Satan! For it has been written, ‘You shall worship יהוה your Elohim, and Him only you shall serve.’ ” (Luke 4:5-8) Kingdom of יהושעvsKingdoms of satan After His resurrection, יהושע continued His kingdom teaching: to whom He also presented Himself alive .. speaking concerning the reign of Elohim. (Acts 1:3) Paul also proclaiming the reign of Elohim and teaching about ... יהושע Messiah ...(Acts 28:31)

18. EARTHLY TABERNACLE - OUTSIDE Let’s take a walk through that earthly tabernacle. We walk through the door (John 3:5;10:9) to the brazen altar. Without that altar and the death that it represents, no one could come into the presence of יהוה. It is the place of judgment and we can continue on because of the sacrifice יהושע has made for us. Next we move to the laver of water. We know the washing by the water of the Word matures us and allows us to wear those clean, spotless garments (Ephesians 5:25-27, Revelation 19:8). We walk through that first veil as priests of the Most High for the purpose of service.

19. EARTHLY TABERNACLE – HOLY PLACE The table of showbread on the right with its 12 loaves of bread symbolizes the unity of the 12 tribes of Israel. If you have walked into this Holy room, you have ceased to become an individual and are now part of the body of the priesthood. Ezekiel 44:23-24 details the duties of the future priesthood… to teach the difference between the holy and the common, the clean and the unclean, to keep His Torah and His Sabbaths holy. The light of the menorah floods this room symbolizing both the head and the body bringing the light of Torah to a lost world. We step up to the altar of incense where we are able to pray knowledgeably having partaken of the bread of the tribes and having the light of the menorah to guide us in our prayers.

20. EARTHLY TABERNACLE – HOLY OF HOLIES We are very close now to the Holy of Holies. Only a veil separates us. The Gospel accounts say that the veil was torn. However, there were two veils in the temple and we cannot see conclusively that it is this veil between the Holy and the Holy of Holies that was torn. According to Alfred Edersheim in his book The Temple, the first entrance into the Holy Place was “two-leaved doors, with gold plating, and covered by a rich Babylonian curtain of the four colours of the Temple (fine linen, blue, scarlet, and purple).” Edersheim also writes that “a wooden partition separated the Most Holy from the Holy Place; and over the door hung a veil.” So which veil was actually torn? The Greek verses in the book of Hebrews do not make it clear. Let’s first if there is mention of a second veil in scripture: For a Tent was prepared: the first part, in which was the lampstand, and the table, and the showbread, which is called the Set-apart Place. And after the second veil, the part of the Tent which is called Most Set-apart, (Hebrews 9:2-3)

21. THE HIGH PRIEST .. the priests always went into the first part of the Tent, accomplishing the services. But into the second part the high priest went alone once a year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for sins of ignorance of the people, the Set-apart Spirit signifying this, that the way into the Most Set-apart Place was not yet made manifest while the first Tent has a standing, which was a parable for the present time in which both gifts and slaughters are offered which are unable to perfect the one serving, as to his conscience, only as to foods and drinks, and different washings, and fleshly regulations imposed until a time of setting matters straight. But Messiah, having become a High Priest of the coming good matters, through the greater and more perfect Tent not made with hands, that is, not of this creation, entered into the Most Set-apart Place once for all, not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood, having obtained everlasting redemption. (Hebrews 9:6-12) Only a High priest can enter the set apart place.

22. יהושעTHE OFFERING יהושע said to her, “Do not hold on to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father. But go to My brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My Elohim and your Elohim.’ ” (John 20:17 ) And I saw a strong messenger proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loosen its seals?” ....“Do not weep. See, the Lion of the tribe of Yehuḏah, the Root of Dawiḏ, overcame to open the scroll and to loosen its seven seals.” And I looked and saw in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders a Lamb standing, as having been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of Elohim sent out into all the earth. And He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him sitting on the throne. .. And they sang a renewed song, saying, “You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals, because You were slain, and have redeemed us to Elohim by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and made us sovereigns and priests to our Elohim, and we shall reign upon the earth.” ... (Revelation 5:2-12 )

23. IST VEIL It must be noted firstly that his veil known as …the Babylonian curtain… not the veil separating the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies that was torn. When יהושע died, it opened the way for us to come in and serve as priests in the order of Melchizedek (King of Righteousness). Only יהושע, however, entered the Holy of Holies as the King of Righteousness. Today He intercedes there in the heavenly tabernacle on behalf of His people Israel (Romans 8:34). The entrance to the Holy of Holies (where the testimony is) opens in Revelation 15:5: And after this I looked and saw the Dwelling Place of the Tent of Witness in the heaven was opened. Only the bride will enter the Holy of Holies, the bedroom of the Bridegroom. She is still preparing for that Day. ‘Thus said the Master יהוה, “No son of a foreigner, uncircumcised in heart or uncircumcised in flesh, comes into My set-apart place, even any son of a foreigner who is among the children of Yisra’ĕl. (Ezekiel 44:9 )

24. WHO WILL ENTER “But the priests, the Lĕwites, the sons of Tsaḏoq, who guarded the duty of My set-apart place ..“They shall enter My set-apart place, and they shall draw near to My table to serve Me, and they shall guard My charge. “And it shall be, when they enter the gates of the inner courtyard, that they put on linen garments, and no wool shall come upon them while they attend within the gates of the inner courtyard or within the house. “They shall have linen turbans on their heads and linen trousers on their bodies, they shall not gird themselves with sweat. ..“And their heads they shall not shave, nor shall they let their hair grow long – they shall keep their hair well trimmed. “And no priest is to drink wine when he comes into the inner court. “And they do not take as wife a widow or a divorced woman, but take maidens of the seed of the house of Yisra’ĕl, or widows of priests. “And they are to teach My people the difference between the set-apart and the profane, and make them know what is unclean and clean. (Ezekiel 44:15-23 )

25. HOME FOR יהוה The details of the tabernacle tell us how to make a home for יהוה …both in our own individual lives and within the corporate body of believers. To make a “home for יהוה” means we need to make it a place that is receptive to His presence….a place that is devoted to serving His desires. The world as we know it is not an environment hospitable to יהושע. This world speaks of self. The epitome of self is seen in this picture of satan: Let them give esteem to יהוה, and declare His praise in the coastlands. יהוה goes forth like a mighty man. He stirs up ardour like a fighter. He cries out, yea, shout aloud. Over His enemies He shows Himself mighty. “I have kept silent from of old, I have been still and held Myself back. Like a woman in labour I now cry out, I pant and gasp at once. “I lay waste mountains and hills, and I dry up all their plants. And I shall make rivers become coastlands, and I dry up pools. (Isaiah 42:12-15) To make a “home for יהוה”, requires a transformation. We must go from a self-oriented person/assembly to something that exists purely for the joy of serving Him.

26. HOME RULES For the reign of Elohim is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Set-apart Spirit. (Romans 14:17 ) I call upon you, therefore, brothers, through the compassion of Elohim, to present your bodies a living offering – set-apart, well-pleasing to Elohim – your reasonable worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you prove what is that good and well-pleasing and perfect desire of Elohim. (Romans 12:1-2 ) The tabernacle gives that picture of how transformation occurs. It shows us how to be set apart…that is to be holy. Many of the valuable items that were given for the building of the tabernacle came from Egypt. Even the threads for the garments of the High Priest probably came from clothes that were unstitched so that they could be rewoven into kingdom garments.

27. BRIDE FINISHED 15 times it says in our Torah reading that things were made “as יהוה commanded Moses”. This is the key. As we also come out of Egypt, let us no longer wear the garments of an Egyptian. Let us unstitch and reweave our garment that it might be a kingdom garment. This is done by heeding and doing everything “as יהוה commanded Moses.” For this causes the transformation….the transformation from a self-oriented person to one set apart for a heavenly purpose and fit to dwell in the heavenly kingdom. And all the work of the Dwelling Place of the Tent of Meeting was completed. And the children of Yisra’ĕl did according to all that יהוה had commanded Mosheh, so they did. (Exodus 39:32) And he raised up the courtyard all around the Dwelling Place and the altar, and placed the covering of the courtyard gate. And Mosheh completed the work. (Exodus 40:33 ) The word for finished is kalah (strongs 3615). It is the root word for the word for bride…kallah (Strongs 3618). A bride completes her husband, as the two become one. This is the connection of the tabernacle with the bride of Messiah! The Torah will “finish” the “bride” and usher in the Heavenly Kingdom.

28. TRANSPARENCY This Torah lesson about "transparency" in good government is particularly timely today, when corruption is rife in business and government all over the world, and literally billions of dollars of tax-payers' money find their way into private pockets. In PEKUDEY of the Sanctuary we are given a full "breakdown" of the "budget" of this national project -- how much gold, silver and bronze, etc.-- together with an exact account of what they were used for. Much of the silver came from a "head-tax" on the entire nation, while the other materials were contributed by many different people, some wealthy, some poor. All were entitled to know what was done with their contributions. The Torah sets everything forth clearly for all to see.  When Moses was later accused of bad government (Numbers 16:13-14), he could stand up and pray: "Do not turn to their offering: not a single donkey have I taken from them and I have not harmed one of them".

29. BRINGING WORK TO COMPLETION In that same pattern, after יהושע declared that He had completed His work, He then went on to speak about the glory.   “And now, esteem Me with Yourself, Father, with the esteem which I had with You before the world was. (John 17:5) In the end, after we bring our works to completion, may we receive the blessing and hear those words “Well done, good and faithful servant.”  May we be able to declare, like the apostle Paul, I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have guarded the belief. (2 Timothy 4:7)