The Types and Patterns of Torah

As part of our looking forward and plans for the coming months,I want to continue our study of Torah along the lines of the weekly Torah Readings (aka, Torah Portions). But instead of looking at the Torah Readings from a mechanical, duty-driven, historic, commandment rendering perspective, I will be treating the readings from the perspective of Types and Patterns.

I have referenced Romans 10:4 on numerous occasions on this platform and this passage, along with its supporting passages, are the driving forces behind my weekly reading and study of Torah. Paul wrote:

“For the goal of which the Torah aims is the Messiah, who offers righteousness to everyone who trusts” (CJB).

If we’re not reading and studying Torah from this perspective—from the perspective of Messiah—every bit of it—then I will boldly assert here that we’re wasting our time reading, studying and keeping Torah. We are no better than our cousins in orthodox Judaism who blindly follow their version of Torah underscored by their oral laws. And sadly, this is the direction that I fear so many in our Faith Community have taken. Many of us are ignoring Yeshua’s centrality to Torah in our study, reading and keeping of Torah. And in so doing, we are placing ourselves, not under our Master’s and High Priest’s oversight, but instead under the covering and teaching of the rabbis.

The New Testament writers put Torah into proper perspective for us and it is our responsibility to adhere to their perspective of the purpose and efficacy of Torah. Master appointed them to expound upon the Truth that they received directly from Yahoshua. And we know that Yahoshua is that prophet that we must shama—must hearken—that is listen and obey.

Yah revealed:

“I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their kinsmen. I will put my words in His mouth, and He will tell them everything I order Him. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which He shall speak in My Name, I will require it of him” (Deu. 18:18, 19; KJV).

All Scripture is Yah-Breathed

In expounding upon the relevance of Scripture to his young protege Timothy:

2 Timothy 3:16—All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.

Thus, Torah is God-breathed and the means by which we are to live our lives; the means by which we conform our behavior; the Truth that must be taught to the Body; the basis upon which improper behavior is to be judged and handled; how we interact and worship our heavenly Father; and the means by which we are to interact with the world around us.

Torah was Given to Teach Us About Mashiyach and YHVH’s Way of Life

Rom. 15:4—Whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

1 Cor. 10:6, 11—All these things happened unto them for ensamples (ie., types) and they were written for admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

The thing that we don’t want to see happen with our keeping of Torah as Netzarim is to fall into a trap of focusing on the how’s. One of the biggest concerns most Rooters have, especially those new to Faith, is how to keep this mitzvah (aka commandment) and or what must I do when I keep that mitzvah. Often there isn’t the slightest concern over why we do what we do and what we are to LEARN from the commandments. Paul brilliantly points out in these two verses that Torah was given for our learning and ensample.

Torah is all About Yeshua

Luk. 24:26, 27, 44-46—All things must be fulfilled concerning me.

Joh. 5:45, 46; Act. 3:22, 23—Moses wrote of Me (prophetically and typically).

Gal. 3:24—The law was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ.

Mat. 11:13—The prophets and the Law prophesied.

Psm. 29:9—All speak to His glory.

1 Pet. 1:11—All were prophetical of the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow.

The Law/Torah was and is a shadow (ie., an outline) of good things to come through Mashiyach’s holy office. Thus it becomes the purpose of the shadow to bring us to the substance—the core thing that Father is desiring to teach us. The shadow of the thing has no reality in and of itself—the Levitical Priesthood; the Mishkin; the purity laws; etc., all of which have passed away. These things can only point to that which casts the shadow.

One must trace the shadow with light before you come to the actual substance. If one, let’s say, were to ignore the light, then that individual would get lost in the shadow and begin to move further away from the realities. This is what we see happening in many parts of our Faith Community. Many people are moving from center to extreme, taking on Rabbinic Judaism, focusing only on the shadow and completely missing the substance.

Thus, the only true purpose in looking at the “Shadow of the Law” is to follow the shadow through until we come to Him—the shadow–whose shadow the Torah element pointed to.

Elements of Torah like the Tabernacle: its measurements, furnishings and curtains were all “separate revelations, each of which sets forth a portion of Truth” (Heb. 1:1,2) leading us to Mashiyach in one or more aspects of His Being, mission and purpose.

The Natural First Then the Spiritual

The way Abba set this whole thing up to work is to establish His Truths leading up to Mashiyach through physical things and actions and such.

1 Cor. 15:46, 47—First the natural, afterward that which is spiritual. Thus we consider the natural, the material, which is temporal; ie., that which is seen; in order to discover, by means of the Spirit, the Truth, which is Spiritual, and the eternal; things not seen by the natural mind of man (2 Cor. 4:18).

So we see examples of this understanding in the following:

1. The smitten rock from which the Children of Israel drank pointed to Mashiyach as the source of living water for the nations of the world (1 Cor. 10:1-4).

2. The manna which came from heaven pointed to Mashiyach as the living bread that came down from heaven (Joh. 6:45-67).

3. The sacrificial Passover lamb typified the Lamb of God that would take away the sins of the world (Joh. 1:29).

4. The High Priestly ministry of Aharon demonstrated Mashiyach’s priestly ministrations in the heavenly Mishkan and Mashiyach’s role as mediator and intercessor (Heb. 4:14; 5:1-5; 6:19-20).

5. The Tabernacle and its furnishings, metals, curtains, coverings and operations typified Yeshua HaMashiyach in His ministry in the Church.

Rom. 1:20—For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and G-dhead.

In other words, Yah gave us the visible things of creation to aid us in understanding spiritual things (ie., the invisible). Thus, the things we see are temporal, while the things that they point to are eternal (2 Cor. 4:18). Even the things from creation must be looked at as symbols, hiding or revealing Truths and different facets of revelation concerning Mashiyach and His ministries.

We know that Yeshua taught the Gospel by employing parables. It was a means by which finite man could understand some of the things of God through natural symbolic elements. God is omniscient and infinite. In all the parables that Yeshua spoke there was veiled Truth which the Ruach is still unfolding to us today. Today, Yehovah speaks to us in the parable of the Tabernacle of Moshe, taking the natural elements of creation and transforming them into symbolic language to reveal eternal truths. The whole of Torah becomes God’s story-telling board to teach divine Truth to the people of God.

Paul informed the Corinthian Assemblies that everything that happened to Natural Israel happened to them for types and ensamples and were written for OUR admonition (1 Cor. 10:11).

Understanding Types and Patterns in our Walk With Mashiyach

Why is it important for anyone to understand types and patterns of Torah as it relates to a believer’s journey and walk with Mashiyach? Because we are forgetful creatures. And we tend to ignore things related to our Faith as found in Torah and those things are vitally important to our walk with Mashiyach and our relationship with the Creator.

When we clearly understand why we’re doing that we’ve been commanded to do; or we see the significance or spiritual relevance in the stories and events and commandments recorded in Torah, we are better able to live according to the Ways Father always intended for us to live. Paul tells us that the things contained in Torah serve as ensamples for us—so that we don’t make the same mistakes that our forefathers did; so that we know how we are to do whatever we’re commanded to do; so we understand our Creator better—what He loves and hates; how He sees things; and what He expects of each of us in this life. The types and patterns contained in Torah provide us a sense of what’s ahead for us—they foreshadow or are shadows of good things to come. Those same types and patterns illustrate and teach us about holiness and righteousness and Faith and truth and above all they teach us about the Person and Office of Mashiyach—the Prophet who we must shama—that is, hear and obey.

Thus, it is vitally important that we keep our heads and noses buried in our bibles and that we seek the guidance and revelation of the Ruach haQodesh as to those all too important types and patterns so that we may walk out a powerful and effective life in Mashiyach that is based on Spirit and Truth.

Case in point, let’s look at the types and patterns contained in:

This Week’s Torah Portion Readings:

Exodus 15:19-16:24 and John 6:31-51

The Red Sea Crossing (15:19).

The Song of Miriam (15:20, 21).

The bitter waters of Marah in the wilderness of Shur made drinkable (15:22).

In this section of the reading we find the waters of Marah described as being bitter or undrinkable (vs. 23). Thus the people began to murmur against Moshe and Aharon because they lacked drinkable water. Moshe described this situation as a testing of the people’s trust in YHVH’s ability to provide for their needs despite the wonders that YHVH wrought in the sight of the people. Moshe went along with Abba’s instructions, but He himself was unaware of YHVH’s plans to sustain His people (vs. 24).

Moshe intercedes on behalf the people for water. And we can clearly see in this story that Moshe is a type of Mashiyach (vs. 25). Why? Because we see from Hebrew 7:25 that one of the roles of Messiah in the heavenly Mishkan is to make intercession on our behalf.

In response to the people’s murmuring and Moshe’s petition for water, Abba shows Moshe a piece of wood which when casted into the waters of Marah, made the water drinkable.

We can see that the piece of wood that was casted into the bitter waters of Marah is clearly a precursor of the cross/the execution stake of our Master Yahoshua. The cross—made of wood of course—serves as the vehicle by which life (specifically eternal life) was wrought unto the world, the world being illustrated in the waters of Marah. The cross or stake makes right the deadliness that is realized in the world today because of the scourge of sin.

The 12 Springs and 70-Palm Trees of Elim

Then we encamped in the wilderness of Elim where there were 12 springs of water and 70-palm trees. The 12-springs and 70-palm trees are of course types and foreshadows of things to come. The 12-springs refer to the 12-tribes of Israel from which eternal life will flow through the work of Mashiyach. Master told the Samaritan Woman that “salvation comes through the Jews” (Joh. 4:22; NLT).

The 70-palm trees refer to the 70-original nation peoples of the world that were placed under the oversight of 70-angels (ie., sons of God). (cf. Rev. 7:17; 22:2).

We find in Genesis 10 a listing of the 70-original nations that descended from Noach that were ultimately scattered to the 4-corners of the world at the tower of Babel incident. The indication that the 70-nations were placed under the oversight of 70-sons of God is mentioned in Deuteronomy 32:8, 9 with similar referencing in Sirach 17:17; 1 Enoch 89:59-64; 90:20-23.

(Note: Most English translations that are based upon the Masoretic Text us children of Israel as opposed to sons of God. But it appears that Jewish scribes changed their text from sons of God to sons of Israel, most likely sometime during the leadership of Rabbi Akiba. But the Septuagint—the Greek version of the Old Testament which out-dates the Masoretic text by a millennia—retains sons of God in the verse.)

Murmuring in the Wilderness of Sin

From Elim we journeyed to the wilderness of Sin, arriving on the 15th day of the 2nd month (16:1).

There at Sin we once again murmured/grumbled/complained against Moshe and Aharon. This time our grumbling and murmuring was because of lack of food—no bread nor meat which we referenced having in abundance back in our days as slaves in Egypt (16:2,3).

This is clearly a reminder to us all as it relates to our personal, present-day wilderness journeys of Faith—in our heading for the promised land—which foreshadows the Kingdom of God. Along our day-to-day journey we face testings and hardships and during those difficult times we have the natural tendency to hearken back to what we perceive were good times when we were in the world or in another Faith living life seemingly better than we may have at the moment. And we end up complaining about our present lot in life. Some of us lose faith; some of us doubt Father; some of us even blaspheme the work of the Father in our lives. But we lose sight and memory of those wonderful things Abba has done for us and continues to do for us. In such situation, Father tests our hearts and our resolve to remain obedient and trusting of Him. This same thing was happening to us in our wilderness journey.

Father then provides us sustenance in the form of Manna along with instructions on its consumption (16:4-10). And in the process Moshe reminds us that our murmuring or complaining was not against him and or Aharon, but really against YHVH who put us in our present situation.

Father informs Moshe that He’d heard our murmurs and complaints about not having any food to eat. So Father reveals to us that He will provide us bread each morning (in the form of manna) and meat each evening (in the form of quail (16:11-19). We were to take as much as would satisfy each member of our respective families. Yet, we were to leave nothing of these meals for the next day as these meals would become inedible.

God Giving Manna was a Teaching Moment—The Principles of Trust and Faith Still Applies Even Today

The principle Father was attempting to teach us during our sojourn in the wilderness of Elim and Sin was that same principle Yahoshua taught His disciples during the sermon on the mount.

Master taught that we are to give no thought for the morrow as the morrow takes care of itself (Mat. 6:34). For each day has enough troubles of its own (NET).

We of course did not obey Moshe’s instructions as many of us chose to squirrel away excess manna (and no doubt quail) in anticipation of the following day’s food needs (16:20).

Another principle that translates over to our Master’s ministry is found in the same sermon on the mount teaching where Master taught us to not store up for ourselves treasures in this life as such treasures are only temporal (Mat. 6:19; Luk. 12:33).

Thus, the manna represents for us many amazing Truths: the fact that Father will provide for us our daily bread and that we should not concern ourselves about where we’re going to get our next meal from; the “bread of life/from heaven” which is Yeshua Mashiyach; and the illegally stored manna represents riches that we hoard unto ourselves in anticipation of perceived needs for future times ahead.

Master instructed us further that when we seek first the Kingdom of Yah and His righteousness, all our physical needs would be taken care of (Mat. 6:33). In so making such a bold statement, Master was declaring to us that Father seeks our full, undivided attention and uncompromising trust in Him. Father does not appreciate us putting our focus on fulfilling our daily needs. For He will provide for His children’s material needs.

He thus provides for us when we place our trust in Him and give Him our full attention. As we render unto Him our focus and trust—He feeds us in the here and now the bread of life—and in so doing, Father adds to us the things we need to survive abundantly in this present life.

Just as Father Provided the Lamb (ala Abraham and Isaac), thus Father provided us Bread

The Brit haDashah reading for this week’s Torah Reading is found in John 6:31-51.

In this reading we find the story of Yeshua teaching in the synagogue at Kfar Nahum on Yom Teruah 27 CE. The whole issue surrounding Yeshua linking bread to His body is based upon the crowds following Him looking for their next meal (Joh. 6:25).

In our reading here we find the Jewish religious leaders brought up the story of the manna—this week’s Torah reading–to Yeshua (vs. 31; cf. Neh. 9:15-20; Psm. 78:24, 25; 105:40).

Yeshua reminded the Jewish synagogue leaders that YHVH provided their forefathers manna which sustained their lives. And the same Person who provided their ancestors this bread from heaven—ie., this manna–during their fathers’ 40-year sojourn in the wilderness, “gives true bread to you from heaven” (vs. 32). (Ref. Exo. 16:4-15; Deu. 8:3)

Then Yeshua describes the true bread of Elohim that comes down from heaven that gives life to the world (vs. 33). And Master reveals that He is that true bread from heaven. The manna was a type or foreshadowing of Mashiyach. However, the manna that fell from heaven, which was of course given by Yehovah, sustained their Father’s physical life. Mashiyach, the bread that came down from heaven, also given by Yehovah, provides us eternal life (6:33). For it was Yeshua’s broken body and shed blood that would bring mankind the opportunity for life eternal. Yet no one hearing Master’s words here in that Kfar Nahum synagogue that day before Yom Teruah in 27 CE understood a word of what Master was saying. The people hearing Master’s teaching, focusing on their next meal no doubt, interpreted Yeshua’s teaching from the standpoint of physical sustenance. Thus they begged Master for this bread—this erroneously perceived physical bread—food–that would keep them full and satiated forever (6:34).

Yeshua is the Bread of Life Come Down From the Father

In response to the people’s request for the bread that Yeshua spoke of–although the people obviously thought Yeshua was speaking about physical food–Yeshua informs them that He is that bread from heaven–He is the bread of life that He was speaking about (6:35) and any who would be His disciple and trust Him (i.e., have Faith in Him), they would receive eternal life.

Yeshua then vociferously touches on that fact that the people knew of Him and saw the things He’d done, yet they did not believe He was THE Prophet–the Mashiyach–that they were to shama (6:36). Yet anyone who would come and be His disciple–follow Him–He would in no wise reject (6:37). In fact, Yeshua made it clear in at least two places during his teaching in this passage that it was the will of His Father that every single person who Father draws unto Him (6:44, 65) will receive eternal life and be raised up to that life eternal on the Last Day (6:38, 39). Furthermore, this is the whole point behind Yeshua being sent as the Bread of Life that comes down to us from heaven–the giving of eternal life to those who take up a life that is modeled after Yeshua and those disciples trust Yeshua’s work as the means by which they will receive eternal life–as the means of their salvation (6:40).

So the Jews in response to this teaching murmured against the Bread of Life that came down from heaven (6:41)—just as their forefathers did throughout their 40-year sojourn in the wilderness. And why did they murmur against Master? Because familiarity has the natural tendency to breed contempt. The synagogue leaders and members, as well as the residents of Yeshua’s hometown of Kfar Nahum, believed because they knew Yeshua’s family personally–who they were and what they were all about–that Yeshua was a simple country boy who could not be anything other than a man from Kfar Nahum (6:42). Thus they pegged Yeshua for a fool or impostor.

Comparing and Contrasting Yeshua and Manna

Yet Yeshua responded that they should not murmur. Recall from the manna story back in Exodus, we know that Father does not appreciate murmuring. For the people’s murmuring for food was not against Moshe and Aharon, but against Yehovah Himself. In like manner, the synagogue leaders’ murmuring was not against Yeshua, but against His Father who sent Him. Yeshua was only doing what He was sent to do. And all their petty concerns and doubts and biases amounted to nothing, because none of what Yeshua said of Himself being the Bread of Life was entirely of YHVH’s doing. All that He taught and did was the message and mastermind of His Father (6:43, 44).

Yeshua reiterates that He is the bread which came down from heaven and that bread equals His flesh which He would give willingly for the sins of the world so that every man, woman and child may have a chance for life eternal (6:46-51). And once again, Master compares and contrasts the manna that fell from heaven back in Moshe’s day which sustained our physical lives until we died out in the wilderness over the 40-years of sojourning. But that manna only kept us alive until such time we were appointed by the will of YHVH to die. But the bread that Master analogized was that of His body which He would offer in exchange for our receiving pardon from the penalty of eternal death and receiving life eternal.

In Conclusion

So what I’ve tried to do here in my first attempt at examining a weekly Torah Reading is to illustrate the relevance of identifying types and patterns in the readings. And being able to readily identify and discuss types and patterns found in Torah is vital in our ability to evangelize and disciple others in the Faith. The natural question most people outside our Faith ask more than anything is why should we keep Torah when the Law was done away with by Christ’s crucifixion.

Peter told us to be ever-so ready to give every man an answer for the hope that is in us (1 Pet. 3:15).

As well as it is important that we understand within ourselves why we do what we do in our Faith simply because when we understand why we do what we do, we are more prone to keep Torah in Spirit and in Truth and not simply practice Torah mechanically without meaning.

Bottom line: when we know better, we’re expected to do better.

We’ve been at this Torah Living thing now for a few years. We’ve grown past the nuts and bolts of Torah-keeping. It’s time we move past the rote, mechanical keeping of Torah, to now realize the Spirit and Truth of Torah so that we become effective disciples for our Master and for preparing us to become a Son of YHVH (Rev. 21:7).