Parasha Tetzaveh

Sh’mot (Exodus) 27:20 – 30:10
Haftarah: Yechezk’el (Ezekiel) 43:10 – 27
Brit Chadasha: Philippians 4:10 – 20

The Alef Tav

• In the Revelation of Yeshua HaMashiach to John we find 4 references to the Alef Tav, the first and last letters of the Hebrew Alef Bet; Rev. 1:8, 1:11, 21:6 and 22:13.

• The translation reads “I am the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending.”

• Alpha and Omega are the first and last letters of the Greek Alphabet.

• Messiah Yeshua is a Hebrew man and not a Greek man therefore He would have said “I am the Alef and the Tav, the beginning and the ending.

• He is the entire Hebrew Alef Bet from A to Z so to speak therefore He is ALL the Hebrew letters, ALL the Hebrew words. Jn. 1:1 confirms this understanding. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with Elohim, and the Word was Elohim. He was in the beginning with Elohim.”

• In its ancient form the Alef Tav would read “strength of the covenant.”

• (Psalms 1:1-3) Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the Torah of Yehovah, and on his Torah he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.

Parasha Tetzaveh

הֶוַּ צְ תּ meaning to command, appoint or ordain (of divine act)

Parasha highlights:

• The command of pure olive oil for the Menorah
• The instructions for the priestly garments
• The inauguration ritual
• Succession of the priesthood
• The tamid offering

• 27:20 – 28:1 “And you shall command the children (יֵנְ ת־בֶּ א ( of Israel that they bring you pure oil of pressed olives for the light (Menorah), to cause the lamp to burn continually (ידִ ֽ מָ תּ .( In the tabernacle of meeting, outside the veil which is before the Testimony, Aaron and his sons shall tend it from evening until morning before Yehovah. It shall be a statute forever to their generations on behalf of the children of Israel. Now take Aaron ( from, him with ) אֶ ת־בָּ נָיו) sons his and, brother your) אֶ ת־אַ הֲ רֹ ן among the children of Israel, that he may minister to Me as priest, Aaron and Aaron’s sons: Nadab, Avihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.”

• It is when Aaron and his sons are called to the priesthood that the Alef Tav is connected to their names.

• Last week we discussed the word “tamad” which means to do continuously as in the cycle of festivals.

• The lamp, the Menorah, was to burn “tamid” or eternally. In fact Ner Tamid means eternal light. The eternal light is Torah. This is the light that was spoken into being in Ge. 1:4 “And Elohim saw the light ( ורֹאָ ת־הֶ א ,(that it was good; and Elohim divided the light from the darkness.”

• Jn. 1:5 The Alef Tav light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not suppressed it. **The Alef Tav light is Yeshua, the Living Torah. Darkness is the absence of that light, it is Torahlessness.

• Is Torah being given on earth as creation is spoken into existence?

• Ps. 119:105 NUN: “Your word (Torah) is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

• The Alef Tav light is Yeshua who will manifest this light, Torah, at His first advent.
• Jn. 1:1 – 4 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. **John is writing a commentary, a midrash, on Ge. 1:1.

Aaron

• Recall we are in the book of Sh’mot which means names. The name Aaron means “light bringer.” It is the responsibility of the Levites, of whom Aaron is a descendant, to bring Torah to the Children of Israel.

• The numerical value of Aaron is 256; 2 + 5 + 6 = 13; further reducing to a single digit 1 + 3 = 4. The number Four is associated to Yeshua.

• In its ancient form Aaron would read: “strength is revealed from the beginning who is the heir.”

• The Alef Tav Aaron and his Alef Tav sons speak to those involved in the priestly service.

• Aaron will be the first designated High Priest. Aaron is the first High Priest of the Mikdash, the Tabernacle in the wilderness. The Alef Tav speaks to the ultimate High Priest, Yeshua HaMashiach. Yeshua will be the High Priest in the third Mikdash, Temple.

• Zech. 6:12 – 13 “Then speak to him, saying, ‘Thus says Yehovah of hosts: “Behold, the Man whose name is the BRANCH! From His place He shall branch out, and He shall build the temple את־הֵ יכַל) ֶ ) of Yehovah; Yes, He shall build the temple ( לַיכֵ ת־הֶ א ( of Yehovah. He shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule on His throne; so He shall be a priest on His throne, and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.”

• There are several words that mean Temple or sanctuary. In last weeks Parasha we saw the words Mikdash and Mishkan being used. The prophet Zechariah uses לָיכֵ ה which means palace, temple, nave, sanctuary, temple (palace of Yehovah as king), hall, nave (of Ezekiel’s temple) or temple (of heavenly temple).

• Since לָיכֵ ה was used in Zechariahs’ prophecy with the Alef Tav attached we can see he was speaking to the “third” temple; the temple Yeshua will rule and reign from. This further connects us to the Alef Tav Aaron.

• We understand the Alef Tav is Yeshua; Yeshua is the Word of Yehovah, the Living Torah. Therefore the children of the Alef Tav are those who walk in obedience to these instructions.

• The apostle Paul is speaking of the Alef Tav children in Rom. 9:6 – 8 But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect. For they are not all Israel who are of Israel, nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, “In Isaac your seed shall be called. That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed.

• Children of the flesh walk in rebellion to Torah while the Alef Tav sons of Yehovah walk in obedience to Torah.

• I believe everything that agrees with the Torah and what is written in the Prophets. (Acts 24:14)

• I have done nothing wrong against the Torah of the Jews or against the temple or against Caesar. (Acts 25:8)

• So then, the Torah is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good. (Romans 7:12)

• Obedience to Torah equals righteousness. Scripture tells us that it is the Spirit of Righteousness/Holy Spirit that leads us into all truth.

• Jn. 6:13 However, when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak what He hears, and He will declare to you what is to come.

• Ps. 119:142 Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and Your Torah is truth.

• The Hebrew word for truth is emet, תֶ מֱ א .In its ancient form would read “the strength of the mighty is in the covenant.”

• The rule of first mention takes us to Ge. 24:27 And he said, “Blessed be Yehovah Elohay of my master Avraham, who has not forsaken His mercy and His truth toward my master. As for me, being on the way, Yehovah led me to the house of my master’s brethren.”

• This is the story of Avrahams servant, Eliezer, acting as the Spirit of Righteousness. Recall Eliezer travelled outside the land to secure a wife for Isaac. Much like the Spirit of Righteousness in our world today, still outside the land in a quest to secure a bride for Yeshua.

The Priestly garments

• 28:2 – 3 “And you shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for beauty. So you shall speak to all who are gifted artisans, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron’s garments ( יֵ דְ גִ ת־בֶּ א ( to consecrate him, that he may minister to Me as priest.”

• There are eight garments in total. Recall eight is the number of covenant (see the Covenant of Pieces, Ge. 15:9)

• In the Tabernacle below, one of the functions of the garments were to atone for the sins of Israel. The Talmud says,

• “R. Sason also said: Why are the sections on sacrifices and the priestly vestments close together? To teach you: as sacrifices make atonement, so do the priestly vestments make atonement. The coat atones for bloodshed, for it is said, and they killed a he-goat, and dipped the coat in the blood. The breeches atoned for lewdness, as it is said, and you shall make them linen breeches to cover the flesh of their nakedness. The miter made atonement for arrogance. How do we know it? Said R. Hanina: Let an article placed high up come and atone for an offence of hauteur.

• The girdle atoned for [impure] meditations of the heart, i.e., where it was placed. The breastplate atoned for [neglect of] civil laws, as it is said, and you shall make a breastplate of judgment. The ephod atoned for idolatry, as it is said, without ephod there are teraphim. The robe atoned for slander. How do we know it? Said R. Hanina: Let an article of sound come and atone for an offence of sound. The head plate atoned for brazenness: of the head plate it is written, and it shall be upon Aaron’s forehead, while of brazenness it is written, yet you had a harlot’s forehead.” (Zevachim 88b, Soncino Press Edition)

Yeshua, Melchi-zedek

• Like Aaron before Him, Yeshua is the final High Priest.

• Ps. 110:4 Yehovah has sworn and will not relent, “You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchi-zedek.” (Melchi = my king/Zedek = righteous, My King is righteous)

• Heb. 5:6 As He also says in another place: “You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.”

• The book of Hebrews is about the 6th festival of Yom Kippurim.

• 28:28 – 29 “They shall bind the breastplate (ןֶ שֹׁחַ ת־הֶ א ( by means of its rings to the rings of the ephod, using a blue cord, so that it is above the intricately woven band of the ephod, and so that the breastplate does not come loose from the ephod. So Aaron shall bear the names (ותֹמְ ת־שֶׁ א ( of the sons of Israel on the breastplate of judgment over his heart, when he goes into the holy place, as a memorial before Yehovah continually.

• The word for “Breastplate” (Choshen) has the gematria of 358, equivalent to Mashiach.
• חשן = משיח = 358•

• 28:30 And you shall put in the breastplate of judgment the they and ), אֶ ת־הַ תֻּ מִּ ים) Thummim the and ) אֶ ת־הָ אוּרִ ים) Urim shall be over Aaron’s heart when he goes in before Yehovah. So Aaron shall bear the judgment ( טַ פְּ שִׁ ת־מֶ א ( of the children of Israel over his heart before Yehovah continually (tamid).

• The words “Urim” and “Tummim” begin with the letters, ALEF and TAV.

• We are going to delve one step deeper into the Alef Tav Yeshua.

• The Alef is light, Yeshua being the manifestation of that light. The Hebrew word for “light” is אוּר . The numerical value of אוּר is 207; 2 + 7 = 9.

• The Torah light, Yeshua being the Living Torah. The Hebrew word for “Torah” is הָ תּוֹר .The numerical value of הָ תּוֹר is 611; 6 + 1 1 = 8.

• 9 + 8 = 17! Resurrection day. The Alef Tav, the lights and perfections = the work completed by Messiah Yeshua on His first advent.

Inaugural Instructions

• 29:1 – 9 “And this is what you shall do to them to hallow them for ministering to Me as priests: Take one young bull and two rams without blemish, and unleavened bread (matza), unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil (you shall make them of wheat flour). You shall put them in one basket and bring them in the basket, with the his and ) אֶ ת־אַ הֲ רֹן) Aaron And. rams two the and ) אֶ ת־הַ פָּ ר ) bull sons ( יוָנָ ת־בֶּ א ( you shall bring to the door of the tabernacle of meeting, and you shall wash them with water. Then you shall את־הַ כֻּתֹּנֶת ) tunic the put ), אֶ ת־הַ בְּ גָדִ ים) garments the take ֶ ) on Aaron ( ןֹרֲ הַ ת־אֶֽ א ,( and the robe of the ephod, the ephod ( ) the with him gird and), אֶ ת־הַ חֹשֶׁ ן) breastplate the and אֶ ת־הָ אֵ פֹד intricately woven band of the ephod.

• You shall put the turban on his head, and put the holy crown (רֶזֵת־נֶ א (on the turban. And you shall take the anointing oil (ןֶ מֶ ת־שֶׁ א ,(pour it on his head, and anoint him.

• Whose inauguration are we really speaking about?

• Lev. 8:12 tells us “And he poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron’s head and anointed (mashiach) him, to consecrate him. **The High Priest must be anointed with oil which means Messiah Yeshua must be anointed with oil.

• 1 Sam. 16:13 tells us “Then Samuel took the horn ( ןֶ רֶ ת־קֶ א ( of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of Yehovah came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel arose and went to Ramah. **The King must also be anointed with oil which means King Messiah must be anointed with oil.

• • This should mean that at some future point King and Priest
• Yeshua will be anointed. Once inaugurated what will be His
• abode?

• The prophet Ezekiel speaks of a third Temple.

The Altar of Incense

• 30:1 – 9 You shall make an altar to burn incense on; you shall make it of acacia wood. A cubit shall be its length and a cubit its width—it shall be square—and two cubits shall be its height. Its horns shall be of one piece with it. And you shall and, around all ) אֶ ת־קִ ירֹתָ יו) sides its ), אֶ ת־גַּגֹּו) top its overlay its horns (יוָ תֹנְ רַ ת־קֶ א ( with pure gold; and you shall make for it a molding of gold all around. Two gold rings you shall make for it, under the molding on both its sides. You shall place them on its two sides, and they will be holders for the poles with which to bear it. You shall make the poles (יםִ דַּ בַּ ת־הֶ א ( of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold.

• And you shall put it before the veil that is before the ark of the Testimony, before the mercy seat that is over the Testimony, where I will meet with you. Aaron shall burn on it sweet incense every morning; when he tends the lamps (תֹרֵנַּ ת־הֶ א ,( he shall burn incense on it. And when Aaron lights the lamps ( תֹרֵנַּ ת־הֶ א ( at twilight, he shall burn incense on it, a perpetual incense before Yehovah throughout your generations. You shall not offer strange incense on it, or a burnt offering, or a grain offering; nor shall you pour a drink offering on it.

• The altar of incense was to be placed opposite the Ark of the Covenant on the other side of the vail. The altar of incense, the table of showbread and the menorah were all to be placed inside the Holy Place.

Incense Ingredients

• Priest Jesus ben Thebuthi delivers some of the Temple treasures to Titus in exchange for protection. Included are two candelabra, solid gold and massive tables, bowls, and platters, the veils, the high-priests garments including the precious stones, and many other items. The Temple treasurer Phineas provides more, including priestly clothing and incense. The treasures are eventually displayed by Vespasian in Rome in the newly constructed Temple of Peace. (The War according to Josephus 6.387-391; 7.162)

• The ascending or elevated (Terumah) offering of incense is a foreshadow of Messiah as our elevated offering.

• In conclusion, the pure olive oil is used to keep the seven branch Menorah burning continually. Once again we see a picture of the “bride” (those walking in obedience) merging with the eternal light of the “bridegroom,” Messiah.

• The concept of being “born” again follows the pattern of the colors of thread used in the priestly garments. Being “born” again begins from Shamayim, heaven (gold). We receive the gift from above through Yeshua (blue), through His royalty (purple) as the Son of Yehovah. Accepting His atoning sacrifice, His blood (crimson). Our obedience clothes us with the garments of fine linen. His “light” dwells in us and we are commanded to let our “light” shine to the nations.

Haftarah

• Ez. 43:10 – 27

• Ezekiel, a priest whose name means G-d will strengthen, was among the Jewish exiles carried away to Babylon. The purpose of His ministry was to keep before the generation born in exile the national sins which had brought Israel so low; to sustain the faith of the exiles by predictions of national restoration, of the execution of justice upon their oppressors and the national glory under the Davidic monarchy.

• 43:10–12 Son of man, describe the temple to the house be may they that), אֶ ת־בֵּֽ ית־יִשְׂ רָ אֵ ל ) Israel of ) אֶ ת־הַ בַּ יִת) ashamed of their iniquities; and let them measure the pattern (יתִֽ נְכָ ת־תֶּ א .( And if they are ashamed of all that they have done, make known to them the design of the temple and its arrangement, its exits and its entrances, its entire design and all its ordinances, all its forms (וֹתָ ל־צוּרָת־כֶּ א ( and all its laws (יוָ תֹקֻּ ל־חָת־כֶּ א .(Write it down in their sight, so that they may keep its whole design and all its ordinances, and perform them. This is the law (Torah) of the temple: The whole area surrounding the mountaintop is most holy. Behold, this is the law (Torah) of the temple.

• We know this prophecy is with regard to the whole house of Israel. Beginning with the death of King Solomon the house of Israel is divided. Israel will remain divided until the second advent.

• Ezekiel is seeing the Alef Tav pattern and forms which is a vision of the future Temple. The Temple of the Alef Tav is the third Temple.

• The laws and ordinances of the third Temple is the Alef Tav, the Living Torah.

Brit Chadasha

• Heb. 13:10 – 27 We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat. For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned outside the camp. Therefore Yeshua also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate.

• Prophecies of a Millennial Temple: Joel 3:18, Isaiah 2:3, Isaiah 60:13, Daniel 9:24 and Haggai 2:7,9

• Prophecies of animal sacrifices in the future Temple: Isaiah 56:6,7, Isaiah 60:7, Jeremiah 33:18 and Zechariah 14:16-21