Thoughts On The Torah Portion (Vayikra) ... by Hannah

(Disclaimer: I had great intentions of getting this posted earlier today but we've been preparing for the United In Worship conference that is being held at our fellowship this weekend. It's after 11pm and we just got home from a wonderful time of worship and teaching. By the way, if you've never danced to Ani Ma'anim live with Jonathan Settel ... you're really missing out!)

Torah: Leviticus 1:1 - 6:7
Haftarah: 45:16 - 46:18
Brit Chadasha: Mark 7:1-30

My time to write is limited and frankly, what I learned from this Torah portion is not extremely complicated! I just want to touch on that, as I don't really have time to get into the Haftarah and Brit Chadasha.

In these first chapters of Leviticus, we read about the variety of different sacrifices that were required. So the question arises ... why the sacrifices? Why did YHWH give such detailed instructions and set up such an intricate sacrificial system?

I believe that it all comes down to His desire to be with His people. In order for that to happen, His people had to be cleansed and sanctified. He is a jealous God and does not share His glory with any other. When we read throughout the Torah (and also in the dedication of Solomon's Temple), it is after everything is perfected according to the order that He has given, that His shekinah glory descends.

So of course, I'm trying to be practical here and figure how this applies to our lives today. We have Yeshua the Messiah who was the ultimate sacrifice and through His blood, we are cleansed and reunited with the Almighty. We do not offer animal sacrifices for forgiveness of sins any longer. But ... what do we need to do in our lives for His glory to fill us and His presence to be a part of us? It is obvious through reading the Torah, YHWH is very particular in the way that we are to love and serve and worship Him ... essentially, He is particular about the way that we live our lives. When we do it His way, we bear His fruit.

Yeshua's words in John 15 comes to mind. Verses 2 and 4 read, "Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit ... Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me."

I think we need to seriously examine the fruit in our lives and if we're not bearing fruit, we need to see what changes need to be made and what areas of our life we need to line up with His word, so that His Spirit can fill us and His glory shines through us. Amen!