Thoughts On The Torah Portion (Vayakhel) ... by Sarah

Shabbat Shalom!  This is Sarah.  I am sorry that no one posted about the Torah portion last week.  It was my turn and so it was my fault :)  Thankfully H and T forgave me and gave me another chance ... I'm just joking.  Truthfully, we had a very busy preparation-day last week and we had guests over and by 11pm or so ... I was not really wanting to write anything.

My portion this week is called Vayakhel/Pekudei | ויקהל/פקודי | "He gathered/Countings " and it is taken from: Exodus 35:1 - 40:38.  The Haftarah and Brit Chadasha are Ezekiel 36:16-38 and Mark 6:14-29/John 6:1-71.

I am going to focus on basically two, well, actually three things from the Torah portion.

First, from Exodus 35:10 to about the end of chapter 38, it is talking about the articles being made for the Tabernacle and the different things that had to be made and how to make them.  Anyway, I got to thinking, if we are believers then we are Temples/Tabernacles for YHWH to dwell in.  People think that you except Yeshua and then go on with life, which is true ... but there are also other things that have to be done. We have to fill our Temples/Tabernacles with something ... with articles, that is the Fruits of the Spirit, which are:

• Love
• Joy 
• Peace
• Longsuffering
• Gentleness
• Goodness
• Faith
• Meekness
• Temperance

We have to fill our Temples/Tabernacles with these articles.  Accepting Yeshua into your heart is wonderful, amazing and exciting, but we do not want to have a empty house for Him to live in ... that would be like having guests over and not having any furniture or food to share with them.

Second, Exodus 39:1-31 is talking about the priestly garments.  YHWH gave instructions on how the garments were to be made for the priest.  He has also given us garments/armor that we are to wear. Ephesians 6:13-18 says:


Therefore take up the whole armor of YHWH, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.

Third, Exodus 40:34-38 is talking about the cloud of YHWH settling over the tabernacle. As I think about the Bride of Messiah, I KNOW that we need to work on our garments/armor and the "articles" in our midst.  We have a lot to do to become the Bride of Messiah, let's not waste our time of betrothal in foolishness, but let us prepare to be the best bride. After that ... we will see Yeshua coming in the clouds (Mark 13:26) to gather us up.

May we all work on fulfilling our part of the Body of Messiah.  Love and Shabbat Shalom, ~Sarah