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. KI TISA “When you take” Torah: Exodus 30:11-34:35 Haftorah: 1 Kings 18:1-39 B’ritChadashah: Matthew 9:35-11:1 All references: The Scripture 1998+ unless otherwise noted

4. WHEN YOU TAKE And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying, “When you take the census of the children of Yisra’ĕl, to register them, then each one shall give an atonement for his life to יהוה, when you register them, so that there is no plague among them when you register them. (Exodus 30:11-12) The Torah portion is more often translated as “When You Take” or “When You Take a Census”. However, this reads a little different in the Hebrew; “Kitisa et roshB‟neiYisra‟ell‟paqadi‟heml‟natanahishkophernefeshal„YHVHb‟paqadetamv‟lo YHVH ba‟hemnagaphetam.” This literally means; “When you lift up the heads of B‟neiYisra‟el in the counting (paqad), they shall give of each man an atonement for his soul to YHVH, when you number (paqad) them, that from YHVH there be no plague (nagaph) upon them.” This is about taking a census, or counting the Children of Israel. However the implication here is that as this is done, they are lifted up before יהוה, as if they’re being inspected.

5. ATONEMENT ... shall give an atonement for his life to יהוה.. (Exodus 30:12)   The Hebrew word used for atonement in this verse is koper, which comes from the root K-P-R, or kaphar, meaning ‘to atone for’ as in Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. The atonement tax [ransom money] would shield the people from judgment. It was intended as a ransom for each life, "that there be no plague among them when you number them."The required judgment of יהוה would not smite them if this tax, their redemption price, was paid. The atonement tax taught Israel that: all men are guilty of sin, equally guilty, in His sight. As it is written,  ... there is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the esteem of Elohim, (Romans 3:22-23) The Israelites were shown that all men would be judged and the same price (penalty) would be required of each. Paul wrote,  For the wages of sin is death, but the favourable gift of Elohim is everlasting life in Messiah יהושע our Master. (Romans 6:23)

6. 10 “Everyone among those who are registered is to give this: half a sheqel [one-fifth of an ounce of silver] according to the sheqel of the set-apart place, twenty gĕrahs being a sheqel. The half-sheqel is the contribution to יהוה. (Exodus 30:13) A shekel, is a measure of weight used in all aspects of the Tabernacle and as the currency standard. One shekel equals 20 gerahs, so a half shekel would equal ten gerahs an important number in Elohim’s economy. In “Hebrew thought”, “ten” is the number of divine order. Ten is the numeric value of the letter Yud, the first letter of יהוה’s Name. There were ten generations from Adam to Noah and 10 from Noah to Abraham. There are also the “Ten” Commandments given at Mt. Sinai to complete the Covenant. There were “ten” plagues brought on Egypt to complete Yah’s judgment on the Mitzrites. There were a total of “ten” rebellions in the wilderness. Then, there was the parable of the “ten” virgins, given by יהושע, to describe the kingdom just prior to His return. Note: The ransom for the “first born” (5 shekels) is exactly “ten” times that amount.

7. SILVER This atonement (contribution ~ terumah) was in silver, silver (keseph) represents us (man) and our love for יהוה; wherein “gold” represents His love for us. The definition of silver is: a soft, white, precious univalent metallic element having the highest electrical and thermal conductivity of any metal. And the silver from the ones counted .. were for casting the sockets of the set-apart place and the bases of the veil: .. And of the one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five sheqels he made hooks for the columns, and overlaid their tops, and made bands for them. (Exodus 38:25-28) These are all integral parts to the support of the Mishkan. Those who were counted as Israel formed the support for the Mishkan (Dwelling Place) of יהוה. The same applies to those who become conductive to יהוה’s will, will become the support in the new Yerushalayim. “He who overcomes, I shall make him a supporting post in the Dwelling Place of My Elohim, and he shall by no means go out. And I shall write on him the Name of My Elohim and the name of the city of My Elohim, the renewed Yerushalayim, .. and My renewed Name. (Revelation 3:12)

8. EVERYONE WHO TRANSGRESSES “Everyone passing over to be registered, ..to make atonement for yourselves. (Exodus 30:14-15) Chapter 30, verse 11, reads; “when you lift up the heads of the Children of Israel in the counting,….” Verse 13 concludes with; the half-shekel is the “contribution” to יהוה. The word we read as “contribution” is “terumah”; “terumah” is the elevation (or lifted up) offering, a portion of which went to the priests. Verse 14 reads; Everyone passing over to be registered, from twenty years old and above, gives a contribution to יהוה. The word used here for “passing over” (or passing through as some translations read) is “abar” and also means to “trespass” or “transgress”. Also, in verse 14, the word we read as “registered” (or “numbered” in KJV) is “paqad” and means to “count” or “muster” as an army; but also means “commands” (ordinances). So we get a translation of “Everyone who transgresses the commands”. That would mean that through this census, we have יהוה telling Moshe that when he “lifts up the Children of Israel to count them, atonement is to be made for everyone who transgresses the Commands”.

9. 20 YEARS “Everyone passing over to be registered, from twenty years old and above, gives a contribution to יהוה. (Exodus 30:14) It was forbidden for leaders to count Israelites in the common, one person-at-a-time manner, just to acquire demographic or statistical information. When it was necessary for the census to be taken, it was accomplished by having the people individually contribute an item, which would then be counted instead. And the silver from the ones counted of the congregation was one hundred talents and one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five sheqels, according to the sheqel of the set-apart place: a beqa, half a sheqel for a head, according to the sheqel of the set-apart place, for everyone passing over to those counted, from twenty years old and above, for six hundred and three thousand, five hundred and fifty men. (Exodus 38:25-26) Note: An Israelite was reckoned to be a man at the age of twenty, was liable to serve in the army at that age, go to war (2 Chron. 25:5), and enter into other domestic and civil duties. Also at twenty the Levites began their service in the Tabernacle/Temple (1 Chron. 23:24; 2 Chron. 31:17; Ezra 3:8).]

10. NO PLAQUE יהוה tells Moshe that when he takes the census of the Children of Israel to give a half shekel for the atonement of his life “so that when you number them, there is no plague / death among them.” Throughout the rest of their wilderness experience, when sin entered the camp, plagues and death broke out and many died. If we look at 1 Chronicles 21 we see this played out, in the same context as our parsha: And Satan stood up against Yisra’ĕl, and moved Dawiḏ to number Yisra’ĕl. And Dawiḏ said to Yo’aḇ and to the rulers of the people, “Go, number Yisra’ĕl from Be’ĕrsheḇa to Dan, and bring the number of them to me so that I know it.” ... And it was evil in the eyes of Elohim, concerning this matter, and He smote Yisra’ĕl. ... And יהוה sent a plague upon Yisra’ĕl, and seventy thousand men of Yisra’ĕl fell. (1 Chronicles 21:1-14) David counted his fighting men without the payment of the half shekel. This tragic mistake led to the plague that followed and the death of seventy thousand men throughout the land.

11. ATONEMENT The paying the half-shekel was merely a temporary solution to the problem of man’s sin, Keil and Delitzsch say in their commentary on this passage: As an expiation [atonement] for souls, it pointed to the unholiness of Israel’s nature, and reminded the people continually that by nature it was alienated from God, and could only remain in covenant with the Lord and live in His kingdom on the ground of His grace, which covered its sin (Ibid.) Keil and Delitzsch’s point is further strengthened in Exodus 30:16, which says, “And you shall take the silver for the atonement from the children of Yisra’ĕl, and give it for the service of the Tent of Meeting. And it shall be to the children of Yisra’ĕl for a remembrance before יהוה, to make atonement for yourselves.” (Exodus 30:16) The Hebrew word for memorial is zikrown(Strong’s H2146) meaning reminder, token, record. TWOT, a zikrown is an object or act which brings something else to mind or which represents something else. It reminded them of their sinfulness and pointed prophetically to a Redeemer—Y’shua the Messiah—who would come and take away their sins once and for all (Heb 10:10).

12. HALF A SHEKEL ... half a sheqel according to the sheqel of the set-apart place, twenty gĕrahs being a sheqel. ..(Exodus 30:13) Why would this be phrased this way? First, a half shekel, then a shekel equaling 20 gerahs? Why not just say 10 gerahs? In the Hebrew, as we have learned, יהוה chooses His words carefully, in order to instruct us. Now, the word used here for “half” is “machatsiyth”, which means “one half”. But, it also means to “halve” (as cut in two). It is from the root “chatsah”, which means “divided”. The promise of redemption and a whole nation from Abraham’s loins was also made by the cutting in half of animals for the covenant. And he took all these to Him and cut them in the middle, and placed each half opposite the other, but he did not cut the birds. (Genesis 15:10) The rabbis teach that this shows us that no one’s atonement is complete until the other half, or House, of Israel is brought in, atoned for in order to be counted. In other words, the Kingdom cannot be atoned for until it is restored.

13. REDEMPTION PRICE “..The rich does not give more and the poor does not give less than half a sheqel, when you ..make atonement for yourselves. (Exodus 30:14-15) The silver prophesies of Elohim drawing near to man on the basis of the atoning work of Messiah יהושע. Messiahיהושע fulfilled our redemption price so that no plague would come upon us. But we see that the same price is paid for everyone. The bible does not distinguish between rich and poor, we are all going to be held accountable. The rich and the poor meet together – יהוה is the Maker of them all. (Proverbs 22:2) Even Satan does not distinguish: And he causes all, both small and great, and rich and poor, and free and slave, to be given a mark upon their right hand or upon their foreheads, and that no one should be able to buy or sell except he that has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. (Revelation 13:16-17)

14. BRONZE BASIN “And you shall make a basin of bronze.. for washing. ... “And Aharon and his sons shall wash from it their hands and their feet. “When they go into the Tent of Meeting, or when they come near the altar to attend, to burn an offering made by fire to יהוה, they wash with water, lest they die. ..it shall be a law forever to them, to him and his seed ...” (Exodus 30:18-21) The word for bronze in Hebrew is Strong’s #5178 nechosheth which is the word used for both copper and bronze. Bronze is made from a mix of copper and tin. Copper is a metal used for prevention of disease. Bacteria will not grow on a copper surface because it is biostatic. Copper doorknobs are used by hospitals to reduce the transfer of disease, and copper tubing in air-conditioning systems suppresses the spread of Legionnaire’s Disease. One of the famous Dead Sea Scrolls found in Israel was made of copper instead of the more fragile animal skins. Today, technologically advanced surgeons save lives and precious blood by using copper-clad scalpels. Copper is also the standard benchmark for electrical conductivity. It conducts electrical current better than any other metal except silver.

15. BENEFITS OF COPPER In a recent newspaper article on the benefits of copper it was noted that, Most people check into a hospital with the hope of getting better. However, many patients pick up serious infections during their stay in the health-care system. Despite fastidious cleaning and the routine use of gloves by staff, the number of hospital-acquired infections in Canada has swelled to an estimated 250,000 cases a year, resulting in 8,000 to 12,000 deaths. Other developed countries are facing a similar threat to patient safety. But U.S. researchers now think they have hit upon a relatively easy way to overcome this serious problem – cover frequently-touched surfaces with copper. Bacteria and viruses can’t survive for very long on the metal, thereby reducing the risk of harmful bugs spreading from one person to another. “It is a simple, elegant solution,” said Michael Schmidt, a professor at the Medical University of South Carolina.

16. BENEFITS OF COPPER con’t Dr. Schmidt led a pilot study in which copper was used instead of stainless steel and plastic in a wide range of objects in the intensive-care units of three U.S. hospitals. Copper covered the bed rails, tray tables, call buttons, IV poles and chair arms. When the researchers took culture swabs from the copper surfaces, they found the level of microbes had “dropped well below what is considered to be a risk,” Dr. Schmidt said. “And it doesn’t need any intervention other than normal cleaning.” The findings were presented at a recent medical conference in Atlanta. Previous lab studies have shown that copper and copper alloys, such as brass and bronze, kill 99.9 per cent of bacteria within two hours. Scientist aren’t sure why copper has such powerful anti-microbial properties. But Dr. Schmidt suspects that copper’s killing power is related to the fact that the metal is a tremendous conductor of electricity. “What I think is probably happening is that microbes are literally short-circuiting,” he said, adding that bacteria would lose electrons if they remain in constant contact with copper.

17. FOR US After giving our lives to יהושע and having experienced a status change by coming from an unclean realm (of sin and death) to יהושע’s Kingdom of Life/chai - we now experience יהושע’s sanctifying work operating in our lives, but the sanctifying cleansing of the soul is our work. יהוה sanctifies and purifies us through our obedience to His commands. It is not a work of or for salvation but a work of obedience leading to holiness and blessing. After that He put water into a basin and began to wash the feet of the taught ones, .. He came to ShimʽonKĕpha, and he said to Him, “Master, do You wash my feet?” ..יהושע answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.” (John 13:5-8) יהושע was preparing Peter for his role as priest in a royal priesthood and holy nation, and unless he washed his feet for change of status he would not be allowed to serve. Obedience brings the blessing. So then subject yourselves to Elohim. Resist the devil and he shall flee from you. Draw near to Elohim and He shall draw near to you. Cleanse hands, sinners. And cleanse the hearts, you double-minded! (James 4:7-8)

18. FORBIDDEN OIL And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying, “And take for yourself choice spices, five hundred sheqels of liquid myrrh, and half as much – two hundred and fifty – of sweet-smelling cinnamon, and two hundred and fifty of sweet-smelling cane, and five hundred of cassia, according to the sheqel of the set-apart place, and a hin of olive oil. “And you shall make from these a set-apart anointing oil, a compound, blended, the work of a perfumer. ... “And with it you shall anoint the Tent of Meeting and the ark of the Witness, and the table and all its utensils, and the lampstand and its utensils, and the altar of incense, and the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the basin and its stand. “And you shall set them apart, and they shall be most set-apart. Whatever touches them is to be set-apart. “And you shall anoint Aharon and his sons, and set them apart, to serve as priests to Me. “And speak to the children of Yisra’ĕl, saying, ‘This is a set-apart anointing oil to Me throughout your generations. ‘It shall not be poured on the flesh of a man, and make no other like it, according to its composition. It is set-apart, it is set-apart to you. ‘Whoever compounds any like it, or whoever puts any of it on a stranger, shall be cut off from his people.’ ” (Exodus 30:22-33)

19. CHOICE SPICES Anointing is required before service to יהוה. This oil was sacred and not for any other use. The definition of “consecrate” in the Hebrew, qadash (Strong’s #6942 and TWOT #1990), is: to consecrate, sanctify, prepare, dedicate; be hallowed, be holy, be sanctified, be separate; to be set apart, to be consecrated. It denotes two concepts: separation from the world and thoughts thereof, as well as the implication of total devotion to יהוה, leaving the worldly things behind and completely dedicating oneself to Him. For this purpose Elohim gives Moses the recipe for anointing oil; a very special anointing oil from “choice spices”: The Hebrew word used here for “choice” is “rosh” (reish-aleph-shin), Strong’s #7218 meaning “the head”, “the choicest”, and “the best”. The numeric value of “rosh” is 501, which, in addition to “best”, equals “eras” or “betrothed” and “ta‟ameen” or “you shall have assurance”. These “choicest” spices and olive oil would become the most set-apart of anointing oil.

20. SPICES - MYRRH 500 shekels of “liquid myrrh” (mem-reish): In its liquid state, since it’s a gum taken from the Arabian acacia tree, it’s very sweet smelling. However, it is very bitter to the taste. The word myrrh is from the root word “marar” which means to “be” or “make bitter”. 500 is the numeric value of “resh” or “to take possession”, “v‟nachalata” or “his inheritance” and “keeleetem“ or “you have fulfilled”. Now, the numeric value of myrrh is 240, which also equals “peytza” or “wound”, “le‟barah” or “to pass through” and “mi pekudah” or “those that were numbered”. Here, in the 500 shekels of myrrh, we get the picture of Israel as “His inheritance passing through to be numbered”.

21. SPICES - CINNAMON 250 shekels of “cinnamon”. The Hebrew here is “qinnamown” (kuf-nun-mem-vav-nun), Strong’s #7076 meaning “a fragrant laurel tree bark, sweet in odor” and is only grown in India and Ceylon. 250 (as in the shekels) is the numeric value of “meree” or “rebellious”, “k‟sam‟im” or “divination”, “voodarach” or “wandering” and “m‟horeb” or “from Horeb”. The numeric value of “qinnamown” is 246 which also equals “l‟haeer” or “to give light”, “me daber” or “speaking”, “mar‟eh” or “appearance” and “midbar” or “wilderness”. Here, we see that “to those wandering from Horeb, He appeared and spoke to them in the wilderness”.

22. SPICES – SWEET SMELLING CANE 250 shekels of “sweet smelling cane”. The Hebrew word here is “besemqaneh” which literally means “sweet” or “balsamic” “calamus”. “Calamus” or “qaneh” (kuf-nun-hey) is Strong’s #7070 and means a “sweet smelling reed”. But it also means “measuring rod”, the “balance beam” of a scale, “purchased”, the “shaft and branches of the menorah” and “Creator”. 250 (shekels) meaning “rebellious”, “divination”, “wandering” and “from Horeb”. Now, the numeric value of “qaneh” is 155, which also equals “qanah” or “he bought”, “v‟eelqet” or “and he gathered”, “l‟kohenim” or “for the priests” and “na‟aylah” or “were taken up”. Here, these same people who wandered, “He bought and He gathered for priests; and, they were taken up”.

23. SPICES - CASSIA 500 shekels of “cassia”. The Hebrew word here is “qiddah” (kuf-dalet-hey), Strong’s #6916, meaning also to “bow down”. It is a sweet smelling spice made from the bark of a Chinese evergreen tree and is compared to camphor. 500 (shekels), which equals His “possession”, “His inheritance” and “you have fulfilled”. And, the numeric value of “qiddah” is 109, which equals “l‟ehdah” or “for a witness”, “l‟yadah” or “to know”, “v‟henachem” or “and repent”, “l‟edah” or “the congregation”, “eezb‟lenee” or “will dwell with me” and “hancheelah” or “he makes to inherit”. In the “ 500 shekels of cassia” we see that “He makes His inheritance, the congregation, live with Him for a witness, for repentance and to know. And He makes them to inherit”.

24. HIN OF OLIVE OIL Add to these a “hin of olive oil”. A “hin” is a measure of about 5 quarts. It is spelled hey-yud-nun and has the numeric value of 65 which also equals “ha kela‟ee” or “vessels”, “Adonai”, “ad nee” or the “sockets” of the Mishkan and “m‟adacha” or “your possessions”. “oil of the olive” or “shemenzayith” (shin-mem-nun and zayin-yud-chet) which has a numeric value of 415 which, also equals “d‟atah” or “her issue / sickness” (as in the woman with the issue of blood that was healed by touching Yahshua’stzit-tzit), “haMishkan / the Tabernacle” and “haKodesh / the set-apart”. יהוה ordered it specially blended; “the work of a perfumer”. The Hebrew word here is “raqach” (reish-kuf-chet) and means “to compound” or “compounder / mixer”. The numeric value of “raqach” is 308 which also corresponds to “search out”, “come near”, “he shall wash” and “shuv / return”.

25. POINTS TO NOTICE These ingredients are included in the context of; “smells sweet / tastes bitter”, “His possession”, “His inheritance”, “rebellious”, “wandering from Horeb”, “He appears to us and speaks to us in the wilderness”,“He bought us and will gather us, make us priests and take us up” and “He has fulfilled His plan, for a witness and makes the congregation to inherit” the Kingdom of heaven (Yisra‟el) on earth. This anointing oil, that was not to be copied and is for no man; that oil is יהוה’s alone. It’s for the anointing of His set-apart sanctuary and all the utensils of the Tent of Meeting (His Dwelling Place), where He will meet with us. And, it’s for the anointing of His Priests. That oil is His Spirit in our lives. It represents everything you’ve done, everything you’ll ever do and everything He’ll do with you and for you. יהוה wants to anoint His House with you. That’s how much He loves you.

26. INCENSE And יהוה said to Mosheh, “Take sweet spices, fragrant gum and cinnamon and galbanam, and clear frankincense with these sweet spices, all in equal amounts. “Then you shall make of these an incense, a compound, work of a perfumer, salted, clean, set-apart. “And you shall beat some of it very fine, and put some of it before the Witness in the Tent of Meeting where I meet with you, it is most set-apart to you. “And the incense which you make, do not make any for yourselves, according to its composition, it is set-apart to you for יהוה. “Whoever makes any like it, to smell it, he shall be cut off from his people.” (Exodus 30:34-38) This time Torah describes the incense to place before the Witness (the Ark and the Torah) where He met with Moshe and Yehoshua, and will meet with the High Priest.

27. SWEET SPICES “Aromatic plant substances” or“Sweet spices”, “nataph” (fragrant gum), and means “drops of sap”, “gum” or “resin”. The numeric value of “nataph” is 139 which also equals “achaleq” or “I will divide”, “ha paduy‟im” or “the redeemed” and “Yahzeel” or “Yah distributes”. Spices: Sweet onycha root - The ISR Scriptures say “cinnamon” was used. That is really a mistranslation. The word in Hebrew is “sheqeleth” (shin-chet-lamed-tav) and is elsewhere translated as “onycha”. What it is, is the ground-up shell of a certain mussel found only in lakes in India; that when burnt, smells like sweet musk. The numeric value of “sheqeleth” is 738, which also equals “teshelach” which means “will send”, “to send forth” and “shall let go”.

28. SWEET SPICES 2. “galbanum”, which is the Hebrew word “chelbenah” (chet-lamed-bet-nun-hey) meaning a “strong, sweet tree resin” or “gum” from Arabia. However, it is from the root word “cheled” meaning to be “lasting” or “enduring” as in “forever”. The numeric value of the letters in “chelbenah” is 95, which equals “ha mayim” or “the waters”. “zak” or “pure” “frankincense”. In the Hebrew, it’s “lebonah” (lamed-bet-vav-nun-hey) and in its purest form is a white tree resin that is very fragrant. It’s from the root word “laban” meaning “white” or “pure”. The numeric value of “lebonah” is 93 which also equals “Chuppah” or “bridal canopy”, “m‟gan” or “from the garden”, “b‟eloni” or “by the terebinths”, “v‟eeml‟maoo” or “they were fulfilled” and “l‟machiyah” or “to preserve life”.

29. SALTED, SET APART, BEATEN It was to be salted, clean and set-apart. The Hebrew word is “malach” which literally means “to cleanse by washing, or rubbing, with salt”. It’s like rubbing meat with salt, to remove the blood. The numeric value is 78 which also equals “lechem” or “bread” or “food” and “va nee zebachah” or “that we may sacrifice”. This salting makes it “tahor” (pure or clean) “Tahor” has a numeric value of 220 which also equals “Ruach / Spirit, breath or wind”, “v‟yarad” or “and he came down” and “v‟yered” or “and he shall have dominion”. This incense is to be “kodesh”, “set-apart” to only יהוה. The numeric value of Kodesh is 404 and equals “v‟yeemshachem” or “and he anointed them”. The incense is to be “beaten very fine”. The Hebrew word here for beat is “shachaq” and literally means to “rub” or “wear away” like stones tumbling. The numeric value of “shachaq” is 408 which also equals “veeb‟katzir” or “in the harvest”, “chashak” or “he did love” and “t‟ahavah” or “shall desire”.

30. SWEET SAVOR This incense is to be יהוה’s own “sweet savor” to Him. The words and phrases associated with His incense, are “sweet spices”, “lasting and enduring forever”even though He for a time “divides us and distributes us” throughout the world. It’s in His purpose for us to find our brothers and share the Kingdom with them; that we all might be made “clean, white and pure” in order to dwell under His “chuppah, in the garden, by the terebinth trees (the upright ones)”. If we will submit ourselves to His washing, His tumbling so to speak, then He “will come down, fill us with His Spirit, feed us the Bread of Life and anoint us that we might have dominion”. To יהוה, we are also a sweet fragrance. Sha’ul spoke of this: But thanks be to Elohim who always leads us on, to overcome in Messiah, and manifests through us the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. Because we are to Elohim the fragrance of Messiah among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death to death, and to the other the fragrance of life to life. And who is competent for these? For we are not, as so many, adulterating the Word of Elohim for gain ... we speak in Messiah. (2 Corinthians 2:14-17)

31. SON OF URI “See, I have called by name Betsal’ĕl son of Uri, son of Ḥur, of the tribe of Yehuḏah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of Elohim in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all work, (Exodus 31:2-3) Betzalel was the “son of Uri” (Aleph-vav-reish-yud). Strong’s Concordance says his name means “Fiery” but, the direct translation from the Hebrew is “of light”. So, he was “ben Uri” a “son of light”. He was the grandson of “Hur” meaning “white” or “pure” as linen or someone “having white garments”. That’s the description of those who overcome, according to יהושע in “He who overcomes shall be dressed in white robes, and I shall by no means blot out his name from the Book of Life, but I shall confess his name before My Father and before His messengers. (Revelation 3:5) And of course, Betzalel is from the tribe of “Yehudah” those who “praise Yah”.

32. BETZELEL His name comes from the combination of three Hebrew words:  be (in), tzel(shade), and El (God), and can be translated “in the shadow (protection) of Elohim”. The rabbis, who calculated his age from the genealogies in Scripture, tell us that he was approximately 13 years old at this time. That means he went into the “Promised Land”. The numeric value of the letters in his name is “153”. Where do we see this: ShimʽonKĕpha went up and dragged the net to land, filled with one hundred and fifty-three big fishes. And though there were so many, the net was not broken. (John 21:11) “153” also equals B‟nei Elohim (Children of Elohim) and for us in the shadow or protection of God. The shade or shadow (tzel) of the Lord is such a secret, special place of refuge.   יהושע made reference to this place of refuge when he wept over Jerusalem, knowing the calamity that was about to befall the city. “Yerushalayim, Yerushalayim, ..How often I wished to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chickens under her wings, but you would not! (Matthew 23:37)

33. ARTISANRY The word artist in Hebrew is amanfrom the Hebrew root aleph, men, and nun, meaning reliable, faithful, confirmed, have faith, and to be firm. These three letters are also the root of the word we use at the end of our prayers–amen–meaning so be it, verily, and truly. The same three letter Hebrew root word also forms the word emunahwhich means faith. Here in Israel, Bezalel’s name carries such weight that one of the main streets of downtown Jerusalem is named after him.  Also named after Bezalel are schools of art here in Israel, and Jewish academies around the world. This study inspires us to let our creativity flow and no longer consider creative endeavours ‘non-productive’ and a waste of time. If we just look at the amazing variety and colours and incredible designs in the natural world, we can see that God values beauty for its own sake, and enjoys the process of creating.

34. OHOLIAB “Oholiab” (Aleph-hey-lamed-yud-aleph-beit) or “My Father‟s House” son of “Ahisamak” (Aleph-chet-yud-samech-mem-kaf) or “my brother is support”. To build the Dwelling Place of the Most High; as brothers, we are supporting posts of His Hekal (His House). In addition to “white garments”, as we’ve read together many times, Yahshua said in Revelation 3:12; “He who overcomes, I shall make him a supporting post in the Dwelling Place of My Elohim.

35. SHABBAT “And you, speak to the children of Yisra’ĕl, saying, ‘My Sabbaths you are to guard, by all means, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, to know that I, יהוה, am setting you apart. ‘Six days work is done, and on the seventh is a Sabbath of rest, set-apart to יהוה. Everyone doing work on the Sabbath day shall certainly be put to death. ‘And the children of Yisra’ĕl shall guard the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations as an everlasting covenant. (Exodus 31:13-16) The work of building the tabernacle was an immensely important task!  And yet in the midst of the instructions to build it, God reminds the Israelites to keep the Sabbath (Shabbat) – to rest. As important as any of our works are, even for the Lord, resting on Shabbat takes precedence. Even the work of God was not permitted to be elevated above the command to rest on the Sabbath. It is to be observed as a perpetual covenant, throughout time and generations.

36. GOLDEN CALF ..when the people saw that Mosheh was so long in coming down from the mountain, the people gathered together to Aharon, and said to him, “Arise, make us mighty ones who go before us. For this Mosheh, the man who brought us up out of the land of Mitsrayim, we do not know what has become of him.” And Aharon said to them, “Take off the golden earrings which are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.” “And all the people took off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them to Aharon. And he took this from their hand, and he formed it with an engraving tool, and made a moulded calf...they said, “This is your mighty one, O Yisra’ĕl, that brought you out of the land of Mitsrayim!” And Aharon saw and built an altar before it... Aharon called out ..“Tomorrow is a festival to יהוה.” (Exodus 32:1-5) The worship of the “golden calf”. It sounds silly, doesn’t it? It seems hard to believe that the children of Israel, after experiencing the voice and the glory of יהוה, could have stooped to such a low as to demand for and worship an idol calf made of gold. There must be more to the story.

37. MOSES GOING UP THE MOUNTAIN We are told that Moses (and Joshua) ascended Mt. Sinai without telling the people exactly when he would return: And יהוה said to Mosheh, “Come up to Me on the mountain and be there, while I give you tablets of stone, and the Torah and the command which I have written, to teach them.” And Mosheh arose with his assistant Yehoshua, and Mosheh went up to the mountain of Elohim. And he said to the elders, “Wait here for us until we come back to you. And see, Aharon and Ḥur are with you. Whoever has matters, let him go to them.” (Exodus 24:12-14) The information that Moses leaves with the elders is totally open-ended as far as when he will return, however we find out later it was .... forty days and forty nights. (Exodus 24:18) It must be noted up to this point Moses has gone on that mountain more than once to speak to Elohim: Exodus 19:3, 19:20, 24:1. None of these previous trips appear to have been more than a day or two. So how long do you think the children of Israel thought Moses would be gone?

38. THE JOURNEY And the appearance of the esteem of יהוה was like a consuming fire on the top of the mountain, before the eyes of the children of Yisra’ĕl. (Exodus 24:17) Mankind is by nature impatient. In fact we have a name for that and it describes us clearly … instant gratification. What would we have thought? Perhaps Moses had been consumed by the fire on that mountain. It had been so long … he was probably dead. SOMEONE would have to make a decision about what to do from here. They probably waited with great expectation for days, even weeks…then the stress of the situation became too much for them. What we do see is that nobody is talking about returning to Egypt. The conversations were consumed with “what shall we do?” They had been told over and over again of their future destination, .. a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Kenaʽanites and the Ḥittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Ḥiwwites and the Yeḇusites. (Exodus 3:8, 3:17, 6:8). They knew where they were headed (Canaan), but they really didn’t know many of the details for the journey.

39. THE ANGEL OF THE LORD What did they have? “See, I am sending a Messenger before you to guard you in the way and to bring you into the place which I have prepared. “Be on guard before Him and obey His voice. Do not rebel against Him, for He is not going to pardon your transgression, for My Name is in Him. .. “For My Messenger shall go before you and shall bring you in to the Amorites and the Ḥittites and the Perizzites and the Kenaʽanites and the Ḥiwwites and the Yeḇusites, and I shall cut them off. (Exodus 23:20-23) An angel is the Hebrew word melak and it means “messenger”. It can be a person, like the leaders of the assemblies in Revelation 2 & 3, or it can be of divine nature. The people would have thought this angel/melak was Moses? Certainly Moses had performed many miracles in the Name of יהוה. So with the information that they had, they formed a conclusion: ..when the people.. said ...“Arise, make us mighty ones who go before us. For this Mosheh, ..we do not know what has become of him.” (Exodus 32:1)

40. ANGEL & GODS There are two similar phrases in Exodus 23:20 and Exodus 32:1? • Exodus 23:20 – send an angel before you • Exodus 32:1 – make us gods that will go before us The word for gods in Exodus 32:1 is “Elohim”. This Hebrew word is usually used in the context of our Creator and Judge יהוה Elohim, but is sometimes translated in other ways: Yet You have made him a little less than Elohim (angels), And have crowned him with esteem and splendour. (Psalms 8:5) So perhaps what they are asking for is not a replacement for the Elohim that led them out of Egypt, but rather someone who would go before them. We know from Exodus 32:1 that they believed it was Moses who had led them out of the land of Egypt. They are looking for another leader, and in their minds this malek/elohim could be a symbol (they still had an Egyptian mindset) as well as a person. In their minds, they were not actively seeking idolatry or polytheism. They were just reverting back to what was familiar to them. They were aware of the requirement that “יהוה’s Name must be in him” (Exodus 23:21).

41. THE MIGHTY ONE And he took this from their hand, and he formed it with an engraving tool, and made a moulded calf...they said, “This is your mighty one, O Yisra’ĕl, that brought you out of the land of Mitsrayim!” (Exodus 32:4) Something is amiss, Israel just declared in Exodus 32:1 that it was Moses that had led them out of Egypt? Or….in the same way that they knew it was יהוה that led them out of Egypt yet in their words they say it was Moses that led them….were they also hoping that this calf could act as the symbol of the same יהוה they had put their trust in? In other words the calf just represented יהוה. They were not trying to replace יהוה, they were trying to replace Moses. Man has a need to have a visible proof of יהוה’s Presence. יהוה knew of that need, and had they waited for Moses to return they would have received the plans for the Tabernacle – יהוה’s choice for a physical reality based on a heavenly model. The same way today the cross has become a physical symbol of the presence of יהוה for many believers?

42. THE CELEBRATION Now the actions that Aaron and the children of Israel took seem to make sense because the next scenario is almost identical to what happened 40 days earlier on Mt. Sinai. Compare the two: And Mosheh ..rose up early in the morning, and built an altar at the foot of the mountain, and twelve standing columns for the twelve tribes of Yisra’ĕl. And he sent young men of the children of Yisra’ĕl, and they offered burnt offerings and slaughtered peace slaughterings of bulls to יהוה. .. they saw Elohim, and they ate and drank. (Exodus 24:4-11) And Aharon saw and built an altar before it. And Aharon called out and said, “Tomorrow is a festival to יהוה.” And they rose early on the next day, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings. And the people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. (Exodus 32:5-6) The similarities? • An altar built in front of some sort of a symbol • Burnt offerings and peace offerings were offered • Eating and drinking

43. WHY THE GOLDEN CALF We know that the nation had some issues coming out of Egypt. The culture that they had lived in for hundreds of years had taken its toll on them and they had not completely given up their pagan ways: “And you shall say to them, ‘Thus said the Master יהוה, “On the day when I chose ... to bring them out of the land of Mitsrayim .. I said to them, ‘Each one of you, throw away the abominations which are before his eyes, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Mitsrayim! ..“But they rebelled against Me .. I resolved to pour out My wrath on them .. But I acted for My Name’s sake, that it should not be profaned before the eyes of the gentiles .. (Ezekiel 20:5-9) These verses make it clear that what we have is a group of people who have physically left Egypt, but still have some of Egypt left in them. They have already been given some truth: “You do not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of that which is in the heavens above, or which is in the earth beneath, or which is in the waters under the earth, (Exodus 20:4)

44. STIFF NECKED And יהוה said to Mosheh, “I have seen this people, and see, it is a stiff-necked people! (Exodus 32:9) Someone with a stiff neck is not able to turn his head from the direction that he is going. Now if you’re going in the proper direction…no problem! Consider the path of your feet, And all your ways are established. Do not turn to the right or the left; Turn your foot away from evil. (Proverbs 4:26-27) But if you are walking based on the old ways that you are accustomed to…and they are contrary to Yah’s ways, and you are stubborn and will not change….then you are risking the anger of יהוה. In fact He has this to say about stubbornness: “For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and stubbornness is as wickedness and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of יהוה, He also does reject you as sovereign.” (1 Samuel 15:23) This verse is right on with what happened to the Israelites. Stubbornness led them directly into idolatry…even though in their minds, they would not have called it this.

45. DISSAPOINTED And when the people saw that Moshehwas so long in coming down from the mountain, the people gathered together to Aharon, and said to him, .. we do not know what has become of him.” (Exodus 32:1) The Hebrew word for long in coming is a term that actually implies that Moses had disappointed them. They had their own ideas of how long he should be up there on that mountain. They took their disappointment and turned it into a demand for a new leader who would fit their needs. Aaron was their choice since Joshua was not with them either. They remembered the promise for the land and they determined that it was time to move forward to claim their inheritance. Another phrase in the verse up above has significance… “we do not know”. This can be our downfall. Actually it was the downfall of Adam and Eve. They “did not know” if what the serpent was telling them was correct. How many times are we guilty of this when we become tired of waiting?

46. WAITING We would benefit to learn the valuable lesson of waiting on יהוה. Waiting with steadfast endurance is a great expression of faith. It means enduring patiently in confident hope that יהוה will act for the salvation of His people. Here are some beautiful verses on waiting: And it shall be said in that day, “See, this is our Elohim. We have waited for Him, and He saves us. This is יהוה, we have waited for Him, let us be glad and rejoice in His deliverance.” (Isaiah 25:9) but those who wait on יהוה renew their strength, they raise up the wing like eagles, they run and are not weary, they walk and do not faint. (Isaiah 40:31) Advice for those of us who are eager to get to their inheritance: Rest in יהוה, and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man doing wicked devices. Abstain from displeasure, and forsake wrath; Do not fret, also to do evil. For evil-doers are cut off; But those who wait on יהוה, They shall inherit the earth. (Psalms 37:7-9)

47. יהושע The very last command that יהושע gave to His disciples before His ascension included waiting: And meeting with them, He commanded them not to leave Yerushalayim, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which you have heard from Me (Acts 1:4) Had the disciples not waited as instructed, they would have missed being baptized with the Holy Spirit. Think of all those who waited….Noah, Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebecca, Jacob, Moses, David, Paul…. nearly everyone waited for the promises given to them. In Hebrew, the root of hope is wait. יהוה is the source of hope for His people, though they may have to wait. ‘For I know the plans I am planning for you,’ declares יהוה, ‘plans of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and an expectancy. (Jeremiah 29:11)

48. APOSTLE PAUL Now look how Paul teaches the concepts of waiting (persevering) and hope: Therefore, having been declared right by belief, we have peace with Elohim through our Master יהושע Messiah, through whom also we have access by belief into this favour in which we stand, and we exult in the expectation of the esteem of Elohim. And not only this, but we also exult in pressures, knowing that pressure works endurance; and endurance, approvedness; and approvedness, expectation. And expectation does not disappoint, because the love of Elohim has been poured out in our hearts by the Set-apart Spirit which was given to us. (Romans 5:1-5) And with verse 5 we connect again to Exodus 32:1 with the word “disappoint” which we saw earlier as one of the meanings of “delay”. Thus in Romans 5 we see the process of maturation as we are led in our trials from “waiting” to “hoping” which will not “disappoint”.

49. WE WILL KNOW For the Master יהוה does no matter unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets. (Amos 3:7) Ancient sources speak of the descendants of Joseph (Ephraim) leaving Egypt prematurely (30 years too early), and as a result being massacred. The Jewish Encyclopedia surmises that the tribe of Ephraim miscalculated the time of their deliverance from Egypt by 30 years. Because they rebelled against the Word of Elohim in leaving Egypt before the end of the captivity destined by Elohim had arrived, all except ten were slain in their battle with the Philistines. The ten men who escaped from the battle returned to Egypt and related to their brothers what had happened. According to Rashi, the source of the miscalculation was counting the years of exile from the Abrahamic Covenant, and not from the birth of Isaac, 30 years later. The Bible teaches a second Exodus. The details of that Exodus have still not been revealed to us. What we do know is that we must wait on Him. There is a danger of pressing on without Him. And belief is the substance of what is expected, the proof of what is not seen. (Hebrews 11:1)

50. CONSEQUENCES What was the result of the children of Israel not waiting on יהוה? They made their own symbol and they identified it with יהוה. They declared a feast day in the name of יהוה and celebrated in a way they found appropriate. Golden calf worship mixes יהוה’s system of worship with Egyptian, Babylonian, and Roman practices and beliefs and calls this true worship. Hundreds of years later, with the split of the Northern Kingdom, Jeroboam (Ephraimite) developed his own golden calf worship (1 King 12:26-33). He built two tabernacles and strategically placed them in the Northern Kingdom. One was north in the city of Dan and the other was on the southern border that divided the two kingdoms. Jeroboam mixed the Torah worship of יהוה with the Egyptian golden calf worship. He came up with a new festival date and called it יהוה’s.