Shalom and Greetings, Beloved of Yehovah.
I trust that you had a mighty and restful Sabbath.
The Gist of Torah Reading 73
But before we got too far into this new week, I wanted to share some post-Shabbat Torah Reading thoughts and reflections with you.
Yesterday’s portion was the 73rd reading of the 3-year Torah Reading cycle. The reading was contained in Exodus/Shemot 38:21-31, the Haftorah reading in Jeremiah/Yermayahu 30:18-22, and the Apostolic in Romans 12:1-13.
We find in the Torah portion of our reading what I would describe as the beginning or start of an accounting of the materials donated for the Tabernacle building. In the Haftorah portion, we received a prophecy of the coming restoration of Israel. In the Apostolic, Paul/Shaul admonishes His readers to be set apart in all they do.
We learn from these passages that it becomes our responsibility to make Abba Yah a suitable dwelling place per His exacting requirements and specifications.
Our Bodies Have Become the Dwelling Place of our God
Let us remember that the Tabernacle and Temple are no longer in operation. Abba Yah, in his infinite wisdom, transitioned His dwelling place from these former edifices to that of our bodies (I Corinthians 3:16; 6:16,19). But we also know that Yehovah’s Spirit will not dwell in a place He has not sanctioned for Himself to dwell in. As He did with our ancient forebearers tasked with constructing the Tabernacle, He requires that our persons be appropriately tended to, which means that for His presence to dwell within us, our being must conform to His specifications. First and foremost, sin must be eradicated from our lives, and we must walk upright and perfectly before Him.
The example of the building of the Tabernacle from the freewill donations of our forebearers’ valuables shows us that Yehovah will use that which we are willing to offer Him from our lives as the elements that will comprise His dwelling place in us. Thus, He will use our unique giftings and talents; our drive and zeal for Him and His Ways; our understanding and love for Him; and so much more to construct His dwelling place within us. And when we avail ourselves to such an endeavor (through the working of Abba Yah’s Holy Spirit), Yehovah will transform that which we’ve offered Him and transform us into a beautiful and inviting abode in which He may dwell.
Our Tenuphah Goes to Constructing our Personal Temples
That which our ancient forebearers voluntarily for the construction of Yehovah’s Tabernacle are classified as “Tenuphah” or “Wave-Offerings.” Yehovah’s people willingly and happily rendered these offerings unto Yah for His expressed purpose. Thus, the valuable possessions of gold, silver, and other precious materials that our forebearers provided for the Tabernacle project were intended to fulfill Yehovah’s purpose and plan and for His glory on the earth. Contrary to their pagan counterparts, our forebearers did not erect Yehovah’s dwelling place to glorify themselves as a people. For the glory of Yehovah serves to enlighten the unbelieving world about Yehovah and His holy and righteous ways (Deuteronomy/Devarim 4:5-8).
Moses/Moshe, according to our reading, makes an accounting of every donated article. His accounting reveals that nothing presented went to waste or was misused. Everything that was donated was used in the building of the Tabernacle, and this fact is a miracle.
Typically, when people receive goods that are supposed to be used for Kingdom purposes, some of what is received tends to be misused, squandered, or even lost. But in the case of the precious donated items entrusted to Moses/Moshe and his skilled artisans, nothing went to waste or was misused.
The Work of the Holy Spirit in the Construction of our Personal Temples
Moshe and his trustworthy artisans are a type of Holy Spirit in that, for us today, everything we offered to Yehovah as “Tenuphah” is properly used for His glory. The Holy Spirit/Ruach HaKodesh, which operates in each of us who are Yehovah’s elect, uses it all to create within us a holy and acceptable dwelling place for Abba Yah. This includes, but is not limited to, our talents; our abilities; our material possessions; our understanding of Him and His ways; our life, health, and strength; our zeal; our hopes; our trusting faith. And when we willfully turn our whole lives over to Yehovah (i.e., everything), Yehovah’s Holy Spirit takes all those donated elements. It transforms them and us into glorious dwelling places for Yehovah that serve as shining testimonies to Yah’s love, mercies, holiness, righteousness, and truth.
This process is evinced by the faithful walk of Yah’s elect or their fruit (aka the Fruit of the Spirit as outlined in Galatians 5:22-23). This is embodied in the silver and gold donated and used by our forebearers in the tabernacle’s construction. But are these righteous characteristics or traits manifestly seen in us by the unbelieving world? These righteous characteristics or traits rarely manifest among the unbelieving souls of this sick and dying world. But they must be the faithful elements that form Yah’s dwelling place in us. Thus, for this all to happen, we, as Yah’s elect, must die to self; we must learn to “let go and let God!” And in our dying to self, we provide Yehovah the beautiful and holy dwelling place that He seeks from us. And the holy dwelling place that we provide for Him will give this sick and dying world hope and light in the midst of perpetual darkness.
Let us endeavor this week as we journey on in our pilgrim journey to Tenuphah, our lives to the service of Yehovah. May the silver and gold of our lives make for the most beautiful and holy dwelling for our Elohim.
Shavu’tov Beloved.
Faithfully, Rod.