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. ACHAREI MOT (After the Death) TORAH: Leviticus 16:1-18:30; HAFTARAH: Malachi 3:4 to 4:5; Isaiah 66:1-24; B’RIT CHADASHAH: Hebrews 9:6-28; Romans 3:19-28; 9:30-10:13; 1 Corinthians 5:1-13; 2 Corinthians 2:1-11; 14-17; 1 Peter 1:13-16 All references: The Scripture 1998+ unless otherwise noted

4. PURSUIT OF HOLINESS Leviticus teaches us as kings and priests in יהוה's government on earth, that to keep our hearts clean and free of spiritual contamination we need to bring our freewill offerings daily before יהוה. יהוה has taught us about clean and unclean, holy and unholy practices that separate us physically and spiritually from Him. Chapter 16 of Leviticus is the clarification of holiness and how to walk in it daily, weekly, monthly and yearly as a lifestyle. This is not about salvation; it is about temple maintenance, our temple maintenance – our bodies, because without holiness no one will see יהוה. We are complete at salvation but to have wholeness is about the pursuitof holiness and His righteousness through obedience to the Word spoken by יהושע at Mount Sinai (John 5:46-47). Pursue peace with all, and pursue apartness without which no one shall see the Master. (Hebrews 12:14 )

5. OBEDIENCE & FORGIVENESS Obedience without forgiveness is legalism, and forgiveness without obedience is lawlessness. Both of these components work together to prefect us into the image of יהושע. In Psalm 51:16-17 King David understood this when He wrote: For You do not desire slaughtering, or I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. The slaughterings of Elohim are a broken spirit, A heart broken and crushed, O Elohim, These You do not despise. David knew that no sacrifice would atone for the sins he committed therefore he relied entirely on יהוהs mercy. However, David also understood that forgiveness was only the starting point. Final verses of Psalm 51 state Do good in Your good pleasure to Tsiyon; Build the walls of Yerushalayim. Then You would delight in slaughterings of righteousness, In burnt offering and complete burnt offering; Then young bulls would be offered on Your altar. David realized that, after he was forgiven his obedient offering of sacrifices would please יהוה.

6. DRAWING NEAR Adonai spoke with Moshe after the death of Aharon's two sons, when they tried to sacrifice before Adonai and died; (Leviticus 16:1 CJB) The first verse of our Torah reading takes us back five chapters to the death of the two sons of Aaron. We do not know the exact reason for why Nadav and Avihu were not accepted when they “drew near” but that it was as result of “drawing near” to יהוה. The last five chapters have given every detail necessary for safely “drawing near.” We can only deduce that it is very important for us to “draw near” to Him for worship on His terms, not by how we determine worship should be.

7. יהושע יהושע spoke at great length on the condition of the heart. Although our heart condition can be hidden (at least for a time) from our fellow man, it is always exposed to the Father. The way we can be aware of what is in our own heart is through the Word of Elohim: For the Word of Elohim is living, and working, and sharper than any two-edged sword, cutting through even to the dividing of being and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all are naked and laid bare before the eyes of Him with whom is our account. (Hebrews 4:12-13) יהושע did make it possible for us to now approach (draw near) the throne of grace. But the verses up above which focus on the thought and intents of the heart are the context of the following verse: Therefore, let us come boldly to the throne of favour, in order to receive compassion, and find favour for timely help. (Hebrews 4:16)

8. HIS WAY The Word tells us to be careful to do things His way and that we can trust that what He has told us in the beginning is still relevant to us today: “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,” declares יהוה. (Isaiah 55:8) יהושע Messiah is the same yesterday, and today, and forever. (Hebrews 13:8) Chapter 16 gives us many of the details of the Day of Atonement, or Yom Kippur. The very essence of this day is about the necessity for the shedding of innocent blood to cover sin. The primary objective was to maintain a pure sanctuary so that יהוה would not withdraw His Presence from the Israelite community. The people also must be purified, beginning with the High Priest, the entire Priesthood and all of Israel.

9. ACHAREI MOT The numeric value of “Acharei Mot” total 665, which also equals “mitsnepheth” from Exodus 28:37, which is the “turban” or “mitre” worn on the head of the High Priest. Leviticus 16:1-4 – We note the following: The High Priest (KohenHaGadol) can only enter inside the veil, the Holy of Holies, once a year, at Yom Kippur. In order to minister before the יהוה on this holy day, Aharon first immersed himself in the mikvah (ritual cleansing). Before he brought the ketoret (incense offering) into the Holy of Holies, the innermost chamber of the Sanctuary, he donned simple, white linen clothing, representing purity and humility, which was appropriate for this sacred day, instead of his resplendent golden garments. When he comes into the Holy of Holies, part of his prescribed clothing is this “mitsnepheth” or turban, a reminder of his sons’ disobedience.

10. OFFERINGS Verse 3: Bull for a “sin offering”, a “chatta‟ah”. This offering was for the Priest and his house. The “bull” (“baqar”) represents strength, our strength. All of us must come before יהוה having laid down our strength; in fact, we offer our strength to Him. The “ram” (“ayil” in Hebrew) as the “burnt offering” (The “olah” or “ascension”). “Ayil” (the ram) literally means “righteous” or “upright”. The picture here is that only the upright and righteous may ascend to יהוה; and, we offer that to Him also as we can only be righteous because of Him.

11. HOLY CONFIDENCE ‘And the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I shall pass over you, [Hebrew: pasach] and let the plague not come on you to destroy you when I smite the land of Mitsrayim. (Exodus 12:13) “He should put on the set-apart linen long shirt, with linen trousers on his flesh, and gird himself with a linen girdle, and be dressed with the linen turban – they are set-apart garments. And he shall bathe his body in water, and shall put them on. (Leviticus 16:4 ) The rabbis provide insight into the reason for wearing simple, white linen garments on this holy day: When men are summoned before an earthly ruler to defend themselves against some charge, they appear downcast and dressed in black like mourners.  Israel appears before יהוה arrayed in white, as if going to a feast, confident that all who return penitently to their Maker will receive not condemnation but pardon at His hands.  (The Pentateuch and Haftorahs, p. 480)

12. AZA’ZEL “And he shall take the two goats and let them stand before יהוה at the door of the Tent of Meeting. “And Aharon shall cast lots for the two goats, one lot for יהוה and the other lot for Azazel. (Leviticus 16:7-8 ) Who or what is “Aza‟zel”? Strong’s Concordance refers to “Aza’zel” as the “scapegoat”. Gesenius’ Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon, to “cast out” or “remove”. The Hebrew sages teach that it means the “desert”, where the scapegoat is released, or the “cliff” from which the scapegoat is thrown. According to the Book of Enoch, Chapter 10, “Aza’zel” was the leader of 200 “fallen Malakim” who mated with the daughters of men, resulting in the race of giants known as the “Nephilim”. This name or word “Aza’zel” literally means in Hebrew “arrogant towards יהוה”. He is bound and is being held in outer darkness, in an “opening in the desert” awaiting the judgment and being cast into the “lake of fire”. In Modern Hebrew, the word “Aza’zel” means “hell”.

13. SCAPEGOAT Leviticus 16:5-10 Here we have the “two goats”. Lots were cast for the goats; one lot for יהוה and one for “Aza’zel”. …“But the goat on which the lot for Azazel fell is caused to stand alive before יהוה, to make atonement upon it, to send it into the wilderness to Azazel. Verses 20-22; ..“Then Aharon shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, and shall confess over it all the crookednesses of the children of Yisra’ĕl, and all their transgressions in all their sins, and shall put them on the head of the goat, and shall send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a fit man. ... This “scapegoat” is to bear all of the sins of Yisra’el upon its head and carry them to a “land cut-off”. This is how David could write: He has not done to us according to our sins, Nor rewarded us according to our crookednesses. For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is His kindness toward those who fear Him; As far as east is from west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion for his children, So יהוה has compassion for those who fear Him. (Psalms 103:10-13 )

14. PERFECT JUSTICE Aza’zel is spelled “Ayin-zayin-aleph-zayin-lamed”. The numeric value these letters in Aza’zel is 115 which equals “nisah”, “to tempt”. יהושע was tempted in the “wilderness” The rabbis teach that one goat was slain for our sin and on the second, or “scapegoat” was placed all of our guilt. Then it was sent to “Aza‟zel the tempter”. Thereby, all our former guilt is placed on him who tempted us. And, at the judgment, all the guilt is placed upon the one responsible for the temptation and accusation. That’s Elohim’s perfect justice. Soncino Pentateuch says of the Azazel Goat of Leviticus 16:10 that the word scapegoat, as used in the KJV, is a poor translation and should be rendered as dismissal. In the Septuagint it is translated as the one to be sent away, which agrees with the term used in the Mishnah. Azazel is not a proper name, but a rare Hebrew noun (lzlz[ ayin, zayin, lamed, zayin, lamed contracted to lzaz[ ayin, zayin, aleph, zayin, lamed) meaning dismissal, or entire removal. It is the technical term for the entire removal of sin and guilt of the community, that was symbolized by the sending away of the goat into the wilderness.

15. יהושעAND BARABBAS The act of laying on of hands (Leviticus 16:21) onto the Azazel Goat symbolizes the transference of sins from the guilty party (the children of Israel) to the innocent Azazel Goat. The innocent becomes the sin-bearer. Of course, who can deny that this is a perfect picture of יהושע and not Satan! So when they were assembled … the chief priests and elders persuaded the crowds that they should ask for Barabba and to destroy יהושע. (Matthew 27:17-20) Bar-ab-bas: Strong: #G912 Orig: of Chaldee origin (1347 and 5); son of Abba; Barabbas = "son of a father or master“ H1347 - From H1342; the same as H1346: - arrogancy, excellency (-lent), majesty, pomp, pride, proud, swelling. Arrogant, prideful, majestic son of a father or the son of an arrogant, prideful, majestic father. What we have here is the son of Satan set free and the sons of God Crucified.

16. SATAN “All the earth is at rest and at peace ...“The grave from beneath is excited about you, to meet you at your coming; it stirs up the dead for you, all the chief ones of the earth; it has raised up from their thrones all the sovereigns of the gentiles. “All of them respond and say to you, ‘Have you also become as weak as we? Have you become like us? ‘Your arrogance has been brought down to the grave, and the sound of your stringed instruments; the maggot is spread under you, and worms cover you.’ “How you have fallen from the heavens, O Hĕlĕl, son of the morning! You have been cut down to the ground, you who laid low the gentiles! “For you have said in your heart, ‘Let me go up to the heavens, let me raise my throne above the stars of Ěl, and let me sit in the mount of meeting on the sides of the north; let me go up above the heights of the clouds, let me be like the Most High.’ …(Isaiah 14:7-19)

17. AARON AND יהושע As Aaron, the High Priest, came into the Holy of Holies, there were several pictures of יהושע that were painted: The ritual that Aaron performed had to be done alone. No one else was allowed into the tabernacle: “And no man should be in the Tent of Meeting when he goes in to make atonement in the Set-apart Place, until he comes out. And he shall make atonement for himself, and for his household, and for all the assembly of Yisra’ĕl. (Leviticus 16:17) 2. Aaron was representative of all of Israel as he transferred their sins onto the scapegoat. Likewise, יהושע has taken on our sin: For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of Elohim. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

18. AARON AND יהושעCON’T 3.The High Priest took off all of all his holy garments Then the soldiers, when they had impaled יהושע, took His outer garments and made four parts, to each soldier a part, and the inner garment. .. (John 19:23) 4. The High Priest brought the blood of the offering into the Most Holy Place for the atonement of the people. For Messiah has not entered into a Set-apart Place made by hand – figures of the true – but into the heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of Elohim on our behalf, not that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest enters into the Set-apart Place year by year with blood not his own. For if so, He would have had to suffer often, since the foundation of the world. But now He has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the offering of Himself. And as it awaits men to die once, and after this the judgment, so also the Messiah, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, shall appear a second time, apart from sin, to those waiting for Him, unto deliverance. (Hebrews 9:24-28 )

19. THE LAW OF BLOOD And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying, … “Any man from the house of Yisra’ĕl who slaughters a bull or a lamb or a goat in the camp, or who slaughters it outside the camp, and does not bring it to the door of the Tent of Meeting, to bring an offering to יהוה before the Dwelling Place of יהוה, blood-guilt is reckoned to that man. … “And let them no longer slaughter their slaughterings to demons, after whom they whored. This is a law forever for them throughout their generations.” ’ “And say to them, … ‘And any man of the house of Yisra’ĕl, or of the strangers who sojourn among you, who eats any blood, I shall set My face against that being who eats blood, and shall cut him off from among his people. …“And any being who eats a carcass or what was torn by a beast, be he a native or a stranger, he shall wash his garments and bathe in water, and shall be unclean until evening. Then he shall be clean. “And if he does not wash or bathe his body, then he shall bear his crookedness.” (Leviticus 17:1-16 )

20. PLACE OF WORSHIP Up until this time the people had set up altars at various to make offerings to יהוה and other Gods. Here, with the consecration, or setting-apart, of the Priesthood and the inauguration of the Tent of Meeting, יהוה’s Dwelling Place, He establishes that from this point on, “slaughterings” (“qorbanot”) or “drawing near” can only take place where יהוה dwells and has placed His Name. For forty years in the wilderness, that Place moved about with the Children of Yisra’el. Then, after they came into the Land, יהוה placed his Name and ordered His Dwelling Place to be in Shiloh. There it stayed for 369 years; until He told King David to move it to the City of David, next to Jerusalem, where He would await the building of the Hekal or Solomon’s Temple.

21. A HOME FOR GOD “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. (Luke 14:23) Paul declares in Ephesians 3:14-19: For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Master יהושע 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, in order that you might be strengthened to firmly grasp, with all the set-apart ones, what is the width and length and depth and height, to know the love of Messiah which surpasses knowledge, in order that you might be filled to all the completeness of Elohim. (Ephesians 3:14-19 )

22. NEW COVENANT The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a sharing in the blood of Messiah? The bread that we break, is it not a sharing in the body of Messiah? Because there is one bread, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. Look at Yisra’ĕl after the flesh: Are not those who eat of the offerings sharers in the altar? What then do I say? That an idol is of any value? Or that which is offered to idols is of any value? No, but what the gentiles offer they offer to demons and not to Elohim, and I do not wish you to become sharers with demons. You are not able to drink the cup of the Master and the cup of demons, you are not able to partake of the table of the Master and of the table of demons. Do we provoke the Master to jealousy? Are we stronger than He? All is permitted me, but not all do profit. All is permitted me, but not all build up. (1 Corinthians 10:16-23)

23. DECLARED AS LAW BY THE APOSTLES The life-blood of the animal was for atonement. What Paul is addressing in the above scriptures is how unlawful it is to drink both the blood of an animal and the cup of יהושע, which speaks of His Atonement. This causes a mix of the two in us, defiling us and contaminating the temple, our body. For the one who is eating and drinking unworthily, eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the body of the Master. Because of this many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. (1 Corinthians 11:29-30 ) In Acts 15:20 at the Council of Jerusalem they agreed: … that we write to them to abstain from the defilements of idols, and from whoring, and from what is strangled, and from blood. “For from ancient generations Mosheh has, in every city, those proclaiming him – being read in the congregations every Sabbath.” (Acts 15:20-21)

24. BLOOD IS LIFE Atonement is based upon one life being offered for another. These animals gave up their lives to atone for the tabernacle and the people. Since life is dependent upon blood, an animal’s life/blood on the Altar is representative of the ultimate atonement – יהושע’s life for ours. ‘For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your lives, for it is the blood that makes atonement for the life.’ (Leviticus 17:11) Since Genesis, we have been told that life is in the blood: “But do not eat flesh with its life, its blood. (Genesis 9:4) So blood is life and blood is the element that יהוה has chosen for the purpose of atonement. Again….His blood for our blood….His life for our lives. This is the reason for the prohibition against ingesting blood. Blood cannot be misused. Even those dwelling with the Israelites not part of the community.

25. NEW TESTAMENT COMMANDMENT Blood is life and all life belongs to יהוה. Because of this command, many satanic rituals include the drinking of blood. To ingest blood is to despise life. According to the Jerusalem Council, there were three priority commands given to a new believer in Messiah. The rest of Torah could be learned as they continued to hear of it each Sabbath: “Therefore I judge that we should not trouble those from among the gentiles who are turning to Elohim, but that we write to them to abstain from the defilements of idols, and from whoring, and from what is strangled, and from blood. “For from ancient generations Mosheh has, in every city, those proclaiming him – being read in the congregations every Sabbath.” (Acts 15:19-21)

26. IMPORTANCE OF THE BLOOD OF יהושע: BatyaWootten’s book “Who is Israel” Messiah’s blood must be unique. For Him to be our Redeemer, His blood cannot be like the blood of any other “man.” Seeing this truth reveals another aspect of our Israel question. For the Word declares that: A brother does not redeem anyone at all, Neither give to Elohim a ransom for him; ... But Elohim does redeem my being From the power of the grave, For He does receive me. Selah. (Psalms 49:7-15) יהושע is our “Redeemer”, and only Elohim (God) can redeem us from the grave. A mere mortal man, an eesh, an individual male person, cannot eternally redeem the life of another. Such redemption can only come from “God.” (We can and should, be “redeemers” in earthly situations, but we cannot redeem another from death.) Only Elohim can pay the high price of eternal redemption, and the price of that redemption is sinless blood.

27. IMPORTANCE OF THE BLOOD OF יהושע: BatyaWootten’s book “Who is Israel” In his book, The Chemistry of the Blood, the late M.R. DeHann, M.D., states that mortal man cannot pay the price of redemption because mankind suffers from a universal “blood poisoning.” He explains that man’s blood cleanses his body from impurities, and this process relates to the way Messiah’s blood cleanses us (His body) from sin. DeHann further clarifies by noting that when the Father made Adam’s body from the ground he was not a living being until our Creator breathed the breath of life into him. (Genesis 2:7 ). DeHaan says that the “life” יהוה breathed into Adam had to do with “blood” because it was “life”... for the life of all flesh is its blood. ..(Leviticus 17:14) The Father warned Adam not to eat of the tree: .. for in the day that you eat of it you shall certainly die.” (Genesis 2:17 ) Adam bit anyway, and the poison in that bite condemned mankind to death. Since we are all descended from Adam, we all suffer from his “blood disorder,” because יהוה.. “made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth.. (Acts 17:26 )

28. IMPORTANCE OF THE BLOOD OF יהושע: BatyaWootten’s book “Who is Israel” יהושע is the one exception to the corruption of Adam because He does not have Adam’s blood flowing in His veins. Instead, He has the undefiled blood of His Heavenly Father. During pregnancy, the woman “contributes no blood at all” to her fetus. God created woman this way so that one day He would cause her to bring forth a new “Adam” (1 Cor. 15:45). Marilyn Vos Savant was asked: Is there any interexchange of blood between a mother and her fetus?” Her answer: “Actual blood cells and bacteria are too big to pass through the placenta…(Parade, 2/16/92). The Precious Blood of יהושע The blood of mankind is tainted, so mortal man cannot redeem us, but Messiah יהושע’s blood is different… He gave “Himself for us to redeem us….to purify for Himself a people for His own possession” (Titus 2:14). We are “not redeemed with perishable things…but with the precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Messiah” (1 Peter. 1:18-19).

29. LIFE Becoming one with the Messiah makes us part of His flesh, His body. This week we see the focus is on blood for atonement. Wine is symbolic of blood and we see the deeper meaning of יהושע’s words at His final Passover with His disciples: יהושע therefore said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Aḏam and drink His blood, you possess no life in yourselves. (John 6:53) יהוה promises atonement for sin and cleansing by the blood of a guiltless substitute. We are reconciled to the Father by the death of His Son, and we shall be saved by His life: For if, being enemies, we were restored to favour with Elohim through the death of His Son, much more, having been restored to favour, we shall be saved by His life. (Romans 5:10)

30. I AM יהוה And יהוה spoke to Mosheh, saying, “Speak to the children of Yisra’ĕl, and say to them, ‘I am יהוה your Elohim. ‘Do not do as they do in the land of Mitsrayim, where you dwelt. And do not do as they do in the land of Kenaʽan, where I am bringing you, and do not walk in their laws. ‘Do My right-rulings and guard My laws, to walk in them. I am יהוה your Elohim. ‘And you shall guard My laws and My right-rulings, which a man does and lives by them. I am יהוה. (Leviticus 18:1-5) The phrase “I am יהוה” is repeated three times? It is also repeated over 50 times from this point in Chapter 18 to the end of the book of Leviticus. Almost every time a new topic is introduced, we see this phrase. This is quite significant as it is only been mentioned once in the first 17 chapters of Leviticus. Why? The last half of Leviticus contains mostly commandments which pertain to everyday living, whereas the first half revolves around the tabernacle. Perhaps יהוה wants it made known that He is to be a part of our every day life, not just our worship in the tabernacle.

31. LAWS OF FAMILY PURITY “Laws of Family Purity” including the fundamental laws of incest and the various forbidden relationships, including mother and son, father and daughter, brother and sister, adultery, forbidden intercourse during a wife’s monthly period, prohibition of homosexuality, bestiality, etc. יהוה wants it made known to the children of Israel that there is to be a distinction between their behaviour and the behaviour of those in Egypt (where they came from) and Canaan (where they are going). It has only been a little over a year since they left Egypt, and the Egyptian culture is all they would have ever known. Did the Israelites see the immorality of Egypt as disgusting? יהוה did. Do we separate ourselves from those things which יהוה defines as wicked and disgusting?

32. ROYAL PRIESTHOOD 1 Peter 2:9, believers of יהושע are called a royal priesthood and a holy nation. Hebraically, semen is rendered as blood in the scriptures, as life is in the blood. "The nations of ancient times allowed many incestuous unions. The Roman Empire declared them lawful. Marriage between brother and sister was also common in Egypt, particularly in royal families. The Greeks approved of wedlock with a half-sister. Marriage with a mother, sister, or daughter was recommended by the Persians and was consecrated through mythological traditions (such as the pagan feast of Easter.) Torah also condemns impure fantasies and immodest glances as we see in Matthew 5:28 where יהושע says, “But I say to you that everyone looking at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

33. “UNCOVER THE NAKEDNESS OF” There is another often repeated phrase in this chapter. We find it first in verse 6: ‘No one is to approach anyone of his own flesh to uncover his nakedness. I am יהוה. (Leviticus 18:6 ) To “uncover the nakedness of” seems to simply imply forbidden sexual relationships between relatives. The literal meaning of the text is clear to see, but we know that Scripture has several layers of meaning. To check this out, we will have to return to Genesis to the first time the word “naked” is mentioned: And they were both naked, the man and his wife, yet they were not ashamed. (Genesis 2:25) Adam and Eve started out without sin in the garden. Some believe that they were covered with the light of the Almighty’s righteousness. After they sinned, they lost this covering of light and their nakedness brought about humiliation and shame. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made loin coverings for themselves. (Genesis 3:7 )

34. “UNCOVER THE NAKEDNESS OF” There is more than just an awareness of their physical nakedness here. They were also aware of their guilt towards Elohim. Their relationship with Him was impaired, which also upset their relationship with each other. Elohim, however, had mercy on His creation. He covered their nakedness with the skins of an animal (lamb?). And יהוה Elohim made coats of skin for the man and his wife and dressed them. (Genesis 3:21) So besides nudity, nakedness can also mean exposure, a lack of concealment, or a vulnerability that comes about through intimate relationships. We are most vulnerable within our families. Who knows us better than our own family? Who knows our past? Who knows our failings, the times we’ve stumbled, and the mistakes we’ve made along the way? If you choose to “uncover the nakedness” of your mother or father by exposing their mistakes to the public eye, you are shaming and humiliating them….that is, “uncovering their nakedness”.

35. NAKEDNESS Uncovered, naked, and full of guilt and shame, we are able to come before יהוה, just Adam did. When we accept the blood sacrifice (as Adam did), we receive His covering (as Adam did). To not accept Messiah is to leave ourselves exposed and naked. After Adam and Eve sinned, the Hebrew concept of “nakedness” has come to describe those who are not covered by the righteousness of Elohim. I greatly rejoice in יהוה, my being exults in my Elohim. For He has put garments of deliverance on me, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. (Isaiah 61:10) .. ‘Friend, how did you come in here not having a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. (Matthew 22:12 )

36. RIGHTEOUSNESS “The Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament” says that righteousness refers to an ethical, moral standard and of course that standard is the nature and the will of Elohim. יהוה is righteous in all His ways, And kind in all His works. (Psalms 145:17) Therefore, the righteous man is one who serves the Almighty according to His standard: “Then you shall again see the difference between the righteous and the wrong, between one who serves Elohim and one who does not serve Him. (Malachi 3:18) Job describes the righteous man as follows: .. I rescued the poor who cried out, and the fatherless who had no helper. The blessing of the perishing one would come upon me, and I made the widow’s heart sing for joy. I put on righteousness, and it robed me; right-ruling was my cloak and turban. I was eyes to the blind, and I was feet to the lame. (Job 29:12-15) This was the “righteous clothing” of Job’s life.

37. OBEDIENCE TO RIGHTEOUSNESS Righteousness implies relationship. And he believed in יהוה, and He reckoned it to him for righteousness. (Genesis 15:6) Continued obedience keeps us clothed in His righteousness: ‘And it is righteousness for us when we guard to do all this command before יהוה our Elohim, as He has commanded us.’ (Deuteronomy 6:25 ) Yeshua gave us our priorities: “But seek first the reign of Elohim, and His righteousness, and all these matters shall be added to you. (Matthew 6:33) Righteousness unto salvation does not come through the keeping of Torah, but our obedience to Torah leads to righteousness without which we will be naked before our judge: Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves servants for obedience, you are servants of the one whom you obey, whether of sin to death, or of obedience to righteousness? (Romans 6:16)

38. WE ARE CALLED TO CLOTHE יהוה’s righteousness will bring about the restoration of Israel: “Listen to Me, you stubborn-hearted, who are far from righteousness: “I shall bring My righteousness near, it is not far off, and My deliverance, it is not delayed. And I shall give deliverance in Tsiyon, My esteem to Yisra’ĕl. (Isaiah 46:12-13 ) Instead of “uncovering the nakedness” of those in our inner circle, we are to seek to clothe them. “Then the Sovereign shall say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the reign prepared for you from the foundation of the world – for I was hungry and you gave Me food, I was thirsty and you gave Me drink, I was a stranger and you took Me in, was naked and you clothed Me, I was sick and you visited Me, I was in prison and you came to Me.’ “Then the righteous shall answer Him, saying, ‘Master, when did we see You hungry and we fed You, or thirsty and gave You to drink? ‘And when did we see You a stranger and took You in, or naked and clothed You? ‘And when did we see You sick, or in prison, and we came to You?’ (Matthew 25:34-39)

39. IMITATION OF THE UNGODLY ‘And do not give any of your offspring to pass through to Moleḵ. And do not profane the Name of your Elohim. I am יהוה. (Leviticus 18:21) Genesis states that we are to be fruitful and multiply. At Mount Sinai a radical revolution in human morality was introduced. For the first time people were directed to submit their human instincts to a higher moral code and stop imitating the ungodly nations around them. ‘But you, you shall guard My laws and My right-rulings, and not do any of these abominations, the native nor stranger who sojourns among you, because the men of the land who were before you have done all these abominations, and thus the land became defiled, ‘So let not the land vomit you out for defiling it, as it vomited out the nations that were before you. (Leviticus 18:26-28)

40. MOLEK יהוה mentions Molek 4 times in these five verses. The word translated Mo-lech or Moloch (the spelling varies), occurs eight times in the Bible, in Leviticus 18:21, 20:2, 3, 4, 5, 1 Kings 11:7, 2 Kings 23:10, Jeremiah 32:35.The Ammonites, Carthaginians and at various times, some Yisra’elites offered and then burned their first-born children to this idol (see Jeremiah 7:31 and Ezekiel 25 & 26). Its name Molek (mem-lamed-kaf) is also pronounced “Melek” or “King”. It is speculated by the sages that the reason for these offerings of the “first-born” were a perversion of יהוה’s Torah regarding the first-born of B’neiYisra’el, as mentioned in Mikah 6:7; “Shall I give my first-born for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my being?” This idol, usually cast in brass, had the body of a man and the head of an ox. The Carthaginians called this idol “Saturn” and yes, that’s where the Greek name for the planet Saturn came from.