Messianics Dedicated to Service

This Week’s Torah Portion-Beha’Alotekha-The Menorah

On this Shabbat, I was blessed to read and reflect upon this week’s beautiful Torah Portion entitled Beha’Alotekha-The Menorah. The portion was contained in Numbers, chapters 8 through 12, And I don’t know if it’s me or simply the times in which we’re living today, on one hand I could not help but be inspired and refocused in my Faith and in my desire to serve YHVH, our Elohim. Yet on the other hand I see our Faith entering a period of time where there is little to no truth dedication to and zeal for the things of YHVH. There appears to be this sense of laziness and lack of dedication to serving the Kingdom as we’ve been directed to do by our Master. A cloud of uncertainty and coldness has seemingly gripped our community and members of our Faith are circling their individual spiritual wagons and stealing away behind the closed doors and enclosed walls of their homes. The Spirit of YHVH is becoming a rare commodity in the community of True Believers today. There is little thirst for righteousness and Truth.

A Sobering Email Received

I received an email this week from the company/organization that developed and distributed the Bible software that I’ve been using (virtually on a daily basis) now for some, going on, 4-years. That email announced that the company was closing its doors on 6-15-2108. And the reason that the writer gave for the closing down of the company had nothing to do with finances or loss of interest on the parts of the software developers and company owners. The reason given had nothing to do with scandal in the company or their product’s usefulness in the market being eclipsed and overtaken by a similar but superior product. No. The reason given was that “the need for their services had diminished to the point where they believed the Lord would have them use their gifts in other ways.”

How terribly sad and tragic. When one thinks how precious the Word of Yah is to the would be Torah Observant Believer, and should be for the average Christian, words cannot describe the ominous warning that this situation portends. This is not to tout the awesome value that this software system brings to those who would be serious students of the Bible, although I thoroughly believe it to be the absolute best Bible-based resource available to believers today. This is to speak to the apparent–the obvious lack of interest in Truth and the Word of YHVH that seems to be plaguing the world at large these days.

A Lack of Dedication to Bible Reading and Study

In a study conducted by LifeWay Research in 2017: although most Americans are fond of the Bible, over half the Christians (~53% to be exact)  sampled have actually read the Scriptures to any appreciable degree. In fact, the article goes on to show a very telling pie chart that reveals only 15% of those sampled have actually read 1/2 the Bible, while only 30% have read just several passages and or stories. It goes without saying that the remaining 55% have not even bothered to read their bibles. (There is indeed an epidemic of biblical illiteracy plaguing both the Hebrew Roots and Christian Faiths these days. See my post on Biblical Illiteracy for more commentary on the subject.)

The Purification and Dedication of the Levite

So what does this email from my bible-software provider and the study conducted by LifeWay Research have to do  with this week’s Torah Portion you may ask. Well, a lot, conceptually and spiritually speaking that is. The section of this week’s portion that captured my heart and spirit is contained in Numbers 8:5-26. In this section, the Moshe (i.e., Moses) describes the process by which the Levites would be purified and dedicated to the service of YHVH and His sanctuary. The purification and dedication process was quite notable. It required:

• Each Levite to be sprinkled with purification water. Paul wrote that the Body was cleansed and sanctified by the washing of water with the word (Ephesians 5:26; cf. John 15:3-Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you; John 17:17-Sanctify them through they truth: thy word is truth). Thus, we see, in a sense, in this ritual a shadow picture of the Word purifying us and dedicating us for YHVH’s service.
• Each Levite was instructed to shave their bodies, wash their clothes and bathe themselves. Process could be reminiscent of the process by which, when we come to Faith, we become born again (cf. John 3:3-7; cf. 1 Peter 1:23). Master told Nicodemus that unless His disciples of born of water and of the Spirit, he/she cannot enter into the kingdom of Yah (John 3:5). This re-birthing results in the introduction of a new creature. Essentially, the newly dedicated Levite was being born into the service of the sanctuary and of YHVH, assisting the Levitical Priests execute their day-to-day duties in the sanctuary.
• A “Burnt” and “Sin” offering (consisting of 2-bulls) were offered to make atonement for the newly inducted Levite. Clearly, the shadow picture being presented to us is the redemptive and atoning sacrifice of Yahoshua our Messiah. His sacrifice not only made atonement for our sins, but established our role in the service of the Kingdom of YHVH.
• Their service would begin at age 25 and end at age 50. They did not perform the actual sanctuary worship rites, they served the crucial role of assisting the priest in their conducting of the worship services.

The section went on to explain that this solemn dedication rite served to separate the Levite from the rest of the congregation of Israel. Most importantly, this rite certified that the Levite belonged exclusively to YHVH. The Levite was to have no property and no function in the nation (i.e., the Body) other than to serve YHVH.

Messianics Purified and Dedicated to Service Similar to the Levites

This amazing shadow picture, for me, puts our walk into the grandest perspective. We have been selected to serve YHVH as disciples of Yahoshua. We have no other true purpose when we actually look at this thing contextually. Master spelled this all out to us when He declared that we were to deny ourselves and take up our stakes each day and follow Him (Matthew 16:24; Mark 8:34; 10:21; Luke 14:27). It comes down to even placing every aspect of our lives into secondary and even tertiary levels of importance when it comes down to our service to YHVH and Yahoshua. Master described it in no lesser harsh terms than:

“If any man come to me, and hate NOT his father and mother and wife and children and brethren and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple (Luke 14:26; KJV)…He that loveth father or mother more than me is NOT worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me” (Matthew 10:37).

It’s about perspective. It’s all about having an understanding that our God-given role requires that we give everything to His service. It comes down to our dedicating ourselves to His service and devoting ourselves to daily Bible study and reading; spirit-filled, fervent prayer and fasting; dying to self and following the leading and direction of the Holy Spirit; living sinless lives; serving the will of our Heavenly Father. (See our post “Living a Life Beyond the Norm–Lessons Learned from the Levitical Priesthood.”)

It is Possible with YHVH

I know, easier said than done, right? Well, Master’s handpicked disciples initially felt the same way. But Master corrected their pessimism by asserting that “with men it is indeed impossible, but not with Yah: for with Yah all things are possible” (Mark 10:27). In other words, all that seems to be required of us to truly make it into the Kingdom and to effectively serve YHVH is impossible indeed. That’s why Father provided us His Holy Spirit to help us achieve this thing and achieve it in the finest fashion.

Let us glean from this Torah Portion this week the importance of dedication and purification (i.e., always being in a state of purity and ready to serve) to our walk with Master. It’s not just the vertical attention that many of us place in our walking out this Faith. It is about service and doing the will of the Almighty as He directs because we have been set apart to serve Him as a royal nation of priests unto YHVH (Revelation 1:6; 5:10; 20:6).

Come even now Yahoshua (Marana ta!) (1 Corinthians 16:22).

Shabbat Shalom Dear Saint and Friend,

Faithfully submitted,

Rod Thomas