Tetzaveh “You Shall Command”
Exodus 27:20 - 30:10
We finished last week with God giving the details of how to build and decorate the tabernacle and in perfect God fashion, He gives us beautiful details from measurements to colors. Now, we need to understand God’s desire for who is going to run this place. In this reading we see God appointing Aaron and his sons as priests, that will serve God. God gives intricate details as to the clothing that will be worn for their priestly service.
We see God giving instructions for a lamp that will burn continuously in the temple, even instructing that Aaron and his sons will keep the lamp burning throughout the night. Many of our synagogues and even some churches today keep this eternal light on as a reminder of God’s eternal light. Many of us believers understand Yeshua/Jesus as the “light of the world”. The olive oil was to be pure oil as the Lord asked for and the pureness of the oil would help in keeping the lamp continually burning. God expected a pure offering of the oil. I discovered some interesting “nuggets” regarding what can be so easily passed over in the text regarding the oil for the lamps.
If you have ever pressed olives it takes time and patience to have the pure oil excreted from the olives. This ensures there is no other debris that gets trapped in the oil and you have a pure oil to use. The oil’s purity and continual nature of the light in the temple, represent the ever presence and guidance of our Heavenly Father among His people. We also see that the people (or congregation today) assist in the upkeep and maintenance of the temple. It was the children of Israel that worked and made the effort that helped to keep the light burning. This was a commitment and effort from the ecclesia (the people), not to only fall on the leaders. In our culture today, many of us attend churches or synagogues and just think, “well, that is the Pastor’s or Rabbi’s responsibility”. But we see early on God expected a system to be in place that made everyone accountable in one way or another to the temple.
What is so special about the purity of something, like the oil God required for the lamps? God doesn’t want us to give what is convenient. I have seen first hand, that some of our most costly sacrifices have come from walking through a season of pressure. I have felt like I was literally being crushed, reshaped and cleansed through and through. We tend to grow weary when we are being purified, crushed and cleansed, but I will stand firm on, the end result can be the most beautiful and precious offering I could ever find. Unfortunately, our culture today is all about convenience. If you have ever offered to bring a friend or neighbor a meal that is in need, you understand the reward when you don’t take the easy way out. You take the time to make a list, go to the store, get all the ingredients, prep and cook everything…it makes you feel good, in a different way than just running through and grabbing fast food (please don’t get me wrong, I have done the latter many times, because of time restraints and it’s okay to do.) But I recognize the difference in how I feel when I have put time and effort into it. Kind of the same with our offerings we give to God. He wants our best and that can simply mean what we have worked hard for. A small little olive, I can’t imagine produces much oil. But many olives and time will produce much.
Have you ever wondered what to wear to church, a wedding or a special occasion? Well, God is very detailed in exactly what Aaron and his sons are to wear while performing service in the tabernacle. God addresses the intricate detail, design and placement of the precious stones with the engraved names of the 12-tribes. Aaron would wear a breastplate with the names of the 12-tribes, to wear before God as a remembrance. This wasn’t because God needed a reminder of the names of the 12-tribes. This implied to Aaron carrying the weight of the people. It is not easy for those that serve today, carrying a heavy load when seeking to deliver guidance, correction and even God’s judgement according to His word. The breastplate he wore was a reminder of Aaron’s obligations to God and to the people. We read about bells that are sown onto the bottom hem of the robe. You might wonder why actual bells…well, this is so they can hear when Aaron enters to get close to the Lord and when he departs from the Lord.
The tabernacle is now complete, we have the priests that will serve have been chosen, even down to exactly what they are to wear. Now, we need these men sanctified to be priests. Aaron and his sons must cleanse themselves physically before dressing in the beautiful garments. Once this has been done, we see Moses put anointing oil over their heads. An animal sacrifice is made and the blood of the animal smeared on the alter and at the base. This offering clears the sin. We also read about a “wave offering”, this is when part of the sacrifice is waved before the Lord symbolizing the presentation and dedication of the offering to the Lord. This practice demonstrates gratitude and trust in God.
We conclude this parsha with Aaron being directed to make a yearly atonement for sins upon the alter, today we know it as, “Yom Kippur” or Day Of Atonement.
Hi, I am Deena!
I am a wife of over 25 years, a momma of (3) not so littles anymore. I enjoy learning and growing in God’s word! There is so much to seek and learn. I absolutely love where God has put me in ministry, to grow myself and be able to help others do the same.
