GET CLOSER - 5 July 2019
In ancient Israel, the very first lamb offering was prepared to be offered with SUNRISE. When the red glow of the sun was seen over the mountains of Hebron, the priest sounded the announcement of a new day - and the offering of the lamb began. Offerings CONTINUED UNTIL the 3rd HOUR (9 AM)
All the PREPARATIONS were done before dawn during the 4th WATCH [exactly at the SAME TIME when MESSIAH was to PRAY ON THE MOUNTAINS in GALILEE].
PREPARATION :
In preparation of the sacrifices:
1. The ASHES were REMOVED
2. CONTAINERS were FILLED with FRESH WATER.
3. NEW OIL was PUT into the OIL LAMPS to KEEP it BURNING.
4. NEW WOOD was put on the FIRE for NEW FIRE.
FOR US TODAY:
When the Levite PRIESTS REMOVED the ASHES - it is a SYMBOLIC PICTURE of US REMOVING the SINS (ASHES, CLUTTER, FILFTH) in our LIVES by PRAYER of REPENTANCE - TURNING AWAY with a RENEWAL of our MIND.
The 7 oil lamps of the Menorah that was filled with NEW OIL is SYMBOLIC of the HOLY SPIRIT and HIS FULLNESS in HIS SEVENFOLD MINISTRY IN us - the PROMISE from ABOVE - resting upon the children of Yahweh God - through Messiah Yahshua:
Is. 11:2-3 "And the SPIRIT of YAHWEH shall REST upon Him - the SPIRIT of WISDOM and UNDERSTANDING, the SPIRIT of COUNSEL and MIGHT, the SPIRIT of KNOWLEDGE and of the REVERENTIAL and OBEDIENT FEAR of Yahweh."
YAHWEH'S SPIRIT
WISDOM
UNDERSTANDING
COUNSEL
MIGHT
KNOWLEDGE and
REVERENTIAL and OBEDIENT FEAR of YAHWEH God.
SACRIFICES or OFFERINGS - KORBANOT (TO GET CLOSE):
The Hebrew term "KORBANOT" for sacrifices or offerings, comes from the Hebrew Picture Root meaning "TO GET CLOSE". Getting CLOSE to YAHWEH God was thus the PRIMARY PURPOSE of the Old Testament (Covenant) sacrifices - a manner of "GETTING CLOSER" to YAH through being OBEDIENT to His DIVINE APPOINTED SACRIFICES.
GIVING of SOMETHING VALUABLE (a KORBAN):
The SINGULAR of KORBANOT is KORBAN - meaning the GIVING of SOMETHING VALUABLE: Bulls, sheep, goats, lambs, rams or pigeons.
These SACRIFICES were a prophetic PICTURE of MESSIAH and POINTED to Him, Who eventually FULFILLED the SACRIFES with HIS OWN LIFE.
For this reason all of the animals offered were to be PERFECT - without DEFECTS of ANY KIND.
INDENTIFY and SUBSTITUTE:
The animal offered was a "SUBSTITUTE" for the PERSON who made the OFFERING - and a kind of "TRANSFER" took place - where the SIN of the person who brought the offering became identified with the innocence of the animal and the animal became identified with the offerer's guilt - this was all fulfilled in Messiah Yahshua Who was our Substitute ... His precious life for ours ...
DEALING WITH SIN FIRST - THE SIN OFFERING:
UNINTENTIONAL SINS:
The Hebrew Word CHATAH means to "MISS the MARK" or "to SIN" and the SIN OFFERING could ONLY be OFFERED for UNINTENTIONAL SINS. Unintentional sins are sins that are committed through carelessness, lack of knowledge, etc.
For INTENTIONAL SINS such as MURDER etc. there were NO SIN OFFERING that would bring atonement and ONLY the GRACE of YAHWEH GOD could bring ATONEMENT.
SIN is the THING that brings SEPARATION between us and our HEAVENLY FATHER.
The SIN OFFERING was VITAL to ALL the other OFFERINGS and the FIRST SACRIFICE in order to GET in RIGHT STANDING with YAHWEH God and to GET CLOSE to Him AGAIN before other offerings could be done such as: BURNT OFFERING (of DEDICATION) - GRAIN OFFERING (of SANCTIFIED LABOUR) and PEACE OFFERING (of FELLOWSHIP).
SACRIFICES AND FAITH:
Without FAITH, offerings were useless and not accepted by Yahweh God for He was NOT IMPRESSED with those who bring OFFERINGS but their HEARTS were FAR from Him.
Is. 1:10-14 "Hear ... the word of Yahweh, you rulers or judges of another SODOM! Give EAR to the LAW and the TEACHING of our YAH, you PEOPLE OF another GOMORRAH!.
:11 To WHAT PURPOSE is the MULTITUDE of YOUR SACRIFICES to Me UNLESS they are the OFFERING of the heart? says Yahweh. I have had ENOUGH of your BURNT OFFERINGS ... and I DO NOT DELIGHT in ....it without RIGHTEOUSNESS.
:13 Bring NO MORE OFFERINGS of VANITY, emptiness, falsity, vainglory, and futility; your hollow offering ... is an ABOMINATION to Me ... I CANNOT ENDURE ... it is INIQUITY and PROFANATION ...
Eph. 5:1 "Therefore be IMITATORS of YAH - COPY Him and FOLLOW HIS EXAMPLE as WELL-BELOVED CHILDREN IMITATE their FATHER.
:2 AND WALK in LOVE - ESTEEMING AND DELIGHTING IN ONE ANOTHER, as Messiah LOVED us and GAVE HIMSELF UP for us - a SLAIN OFFERING AND SACRIFICE to YAHWEH ELOHIM - for you - so that it became a SWEET FRAGRANCE."
Father, O ABBA, FORGIVE US OUR SINS in Yahshua MESSIAH'S NAME. Forgive us every sinful thought that came to mind, every sinful thing we looked upon, every sinful word that came out of our mouths ...Forgive us Father - our worldliness, our sinfulness - we choose today to let all bitterness go - to turn our backs on all indignation and wrath, passion, rage, bad temper, hate, pride, jealousy and resentment - anger - animosity and quarrelling - evil speaking - ignorance - and we banish any word that want to come out of our mouths that are not from You. Father, TODAY we CHOOSE to STORE YOUR LOVE - YOUR COMPASSION - YOUR MERCY - YOUR GRACE in our HEARTS (spirits) - and we CHOOSE Father, to become USEFUL and HELPFUL and kind to one another - tenderhearted - compassionate - filled with understanding and loving heartedness FORGIVING ONE ANOTHER - readily and FREELY as YOU FORGAVE us. Father, we shun immorality, sexual vice and all impurity of lustfulness - wasteful living - greediness and TURN WHOLEHEARTEDLY to YOU - to LIVE IN YOU - LIVE with YOU IN A WHOLEHEARTED COVENANT RELATIONSHIP - In Yahshua Messiah's name. Amen. (From Eph. 5:1; Eph. 4:31-32; Eph. 5:3)