This post begins with some questions
Do We Have Passover Faith?
Pesach Emunah
Pesach פֶסַח peh’-sakh
Strongs#6453 Passover
The Hebrew word for faith is Emunah
אמונה
and
Are you one of His Am Segulah – Treasured People?
עַם סְגֻלָּה
In the Torah, (first 5 books of the Old Testament), the people of Israel are called:
am segulah = a treasured people/nation.
סְגֻלָּה
Segulah pronounced suh-goo-luh.
Segulah has several meanings in Hebrew including treasure,
the same as in
Ecclesiastes 2:8, “and treasures of kings”
costly vessels and precious stones which kings store up.
For you are a people holy to the LORD your God, and the LORD has chosen you to be for him am segulah
Deut. 14:1-2 and Deut. 26:18.
HEB: לוֹ֙ לְעַ֣ם סְגֻלָּ֔ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר דִּבֶּר־
NAS: you to be His people, a treasured possession
Am = people or folk
Strong’s Hebrew: 5971. עָם (am) — folk
Strong’s Hebrew: 5972. עַם (am) — people
The children of Israel were also called
Am nivchar/nibchar = a chosen people.
Strong’s Hebrew: 4005. מִבְחָר (mibchar) — choicest, best
… out וטוב ᵐ5 Co); עַם מִבְחָרָיו Daniel 11:15 = his choice troops. Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance choicest, chosen From bachar
Strong’s Hebrew: 972. בְּחִיר (bachir) — chosen
And a Holy nation = GOY KADOSH
Strong’s Hebrew: 6918. קָדוֹשׁ (qadosh) — sacred, holy
And
a MAMLECHET KOHANIM =
a kingdom of priests, royal priests.
Ex 19:6.7.
Now if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, you will be My treasured possession out of all the nations—for the whole earth is Mine. ”And unto Me you shall be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you are to speak to the Israelites.”
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of the One having called you out of darkness into His marvelous light, Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.…
1Peter 2:9,10
We are grafted into spiritual Israel as one, when we accept the Jewish Mashiach/Messiah Yeshua/Jesus.
This means we are no longer a gentile because as we saw last post…
https://www.minimannamoments.com/where-is-madaba-what-was-found-there-and-why-is-it-important/
Hebrew/ivri, means:
cross over just as Abraham did.
https://www.minimannamoments.com/grafted-in-to-the-olive-tree/
So Yes we are one of His Am Segulah – Treasured People
עַם סְגֻלָּה
But
do we have Passover Faith?
Pesach Emunah?
So where is the
genesis/b’resheet/בְּרֵאשִׁית
beginnings
of
Pesach/Passover/פֶסַח?
What has Passover got to do with the book of Exodus?
It is because the very first Passover/Pesach is recorded in that book.
Exodus/She•mot/שֵׁמוֹת..
Passover/Pesach
is primarily the remembering of the children of Israel’s
exodus/deliverance/crossing over
out of Egypt
and the subsequent giving of Torah, (first 5 books of the Old Testament); and confirming of the covenant relationship made with YHVH, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob/Israel.
He gave Moses the directions of how to approach Himself and the 10 sayings/commandments, which were to give directional boundaries in establishing a new way of life; with new leadership and a new society.
All this is recorded in the Torah, and all the requirements that the Lord God gave them to cover their sins was incorporated within the sacrificial system. God instituted these requirements until the prophetic fulfillment by Yeshua/Jesus, His Mashiach would come. Messiah was to fulfill the law, Matt. 5:17-19; meaning:
He would confirm and complete the prophetic and typological parts of the law and the prophets. Yeshua/ Jesus came to preserve every jot and tittle of it
unchanged, until the end of the age.
“You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me. . . . If you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me.” (John 5:39, 46)
And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. (Luke 24:27)
The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob/Israel called the children of Israel, His Am Segulah – His treasured people. This was because they were chosen to be in covenant with Him/married to Him; and be a witness unto Him to the rest of the nations.
The season we are in is that of the Passover/Pesach.
What is the origin of Passover/Pesach celebration and
what does it entail and
how is it important to our halakah/walk and chaim/life?
The following is what He asked His
am segulah
to do
It is written for us in the book of Leviticus,
also known as
the book of sacrifices
and sometimes called:
Torat Kohanim = the law of the priests;
because it deals largely with the various offerings brought to the Lord for sacrificial purposes in the Tabernacle/tent of meeting.
Vayikra/Leviticus begins where the book of Exodus ended, with God/YHVH, calling to Moses from the Tabernacle/tent of meeting, regarding the laws of the various animals and meal offerings that may be offered as sacrifices. Lev. 1:1
Why is this important?
Because…
The sacrificial system of the Old Testament was a means of
GRACE
by which the relationship between YHVH/God and humanity
begins to be restored.
Here we must pause a moment
and take a closer look at the Hebrew word for
GRACE
because
By grace/chen we are saved through faith/emunah
The Hebrew word translated as grace is חן
(hhen, Strong’s #2580) and is a two-letter parent root.
More Hebrew words for grace:
noun חֶסֶד. kindness, charity, favor, graciousness, favour.
noun חֵן. favor, charm, beauty, prettiness, loveliness
Chen, the Hebrew word for grace is given in its Semitic root
which is just two letters Cheth and Nun.
chet (pictured by a fence, meaning private, or to separate from outside) and
noon (pictured by a seed of life or later a fish meaning activity, life, continue or heir.
The word itself means beauty or loveliness
and literally in the paleo hebrew means:
to separate from the outside or protect life.
God produces life in us and then
puts a fence or wall of protection around that life
so that it may not be destroyed or removed.
The English word grace, as we understand it, we accept to mean
unmerited favor, is a loose definition and is fairly abstract.
This Hebrew word chen is linguistically related
and part of the root cha-nan.
channun meaning: to be inclined toward or favor
and cha-nah meaning: to incline, or to make camp.
Another way of understanding this is that:
we favor or make camp with someone or those who are acceptable to us, and to find favor (grace) in someone’s eyes is also to find them beautiful.
It is interesting to note how chanah is used in regard to those who would camp near to the Tabernacle/Mishkan.
The sons of Israel shall camp /chanah, each man by his own camp, and each man by his own standard, according to their armies. Numbers 1:52
Strong’s Hebrew: 2580. חֵן (chen) — favor, grace
“Let us then approach the throne of grace/chen with confidence, so that we may receive mercy/racham and find grace/chen to help us in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).
we enter in by Grace/Chen.
Ultimately, the sacrificial system was inadequate, which is why Yeshua/Jesus came to earth. However, the 5 main Old Testament sacrifices are really worth knowing, as it helps us understand all that Messiah fulfilled.
The main meaning is that:
animal and bird sacrifices are no longer required;
and much of it was fulfilled at Passover/Pesach.
The Old Testament can be said to revolve around a system of sacrificial offerings performed by priests during rituals to atone for the sins of humanity, especially of Israel. These offerings of innocent blood covered the sins of the people and are recorded through most of the Old Testament. Genesis 3:20 may allude to the first sacrifice, where the LORD God offered garments of skin to Adam and Eve to express devotion and commitment to His priests (humanity) serving in His temple (the Heavens and the Earth), an act that may foreshadow the Burnt Offering more fully described in Leviticus.
The historical account we are given in Genesis and Exodus records both Gods heavenly/celestial actions, as well as Him choosing Israel as His own treasured people/am segulah. The God/YHVH and King of the Universe, Who led the Israelites out of Egypt and made a covenant with them at Mount Sinai and His presence came to live among them in the ark. This was located within the holy of holies at the center of the Mishkan/The Tabernacle, which was constructed as the focal point, the center of the covenant made at Mt. Sinai.
Now, God/YHVH was in the midst of His people and the book of vayikra/leviticus, reveals how He instructed for them to approach Him, a Holy God/YHVH, and how to be in relationship with Him.
The key for that time was the sacrificial system.
There were sacrifices made before the Mishkan and for example, the following individuals called, righteous ones – tzaddikim; were said to have offered animal sacrifices long before the Tabernacle/Mishkan was consecrated for Israel/Yisrael.
Abel, Adam’s first son, offered the best of his sheep upon the same altar to the Lord. Gen. 4:2-4
Noah after Noah left the Ark he offered sacrifices of the clean animals to the Lord in thanks for having survived the global flood. He knew the difference between clean and unclean animals. Gen. 7.
Abraham build at least four altars and offered animal sacrifices upon them. Gen. 12:7,8 13: 4 13:1; 22:9.
Isaac also built an altar and offered sacrifices.
Gen. 26:25.
Jacob built two altars and offered sacrifices.
Gen. 33:20, 46:1
Moses built several altars before he was given revelation of the Mishkan at Mount Sinai. These included the sacrifices made after the battle with Amalek. Exodus 17:5 As well as the sacrifices made at the foot of Mt Sinai after receiving the book of the covenant. Exodus 24:4 –6
How is it important to us?
What is the purpose of studying the sacrifices made in theTabernacle/Mishkan in the wilderness?
Isn’t this irrelevant to us today?
If we, non-Jewish Believers, have not studied the TeNaKH/Old Testament/Covenant, we will not be able fully understand the New Covenant/Brit Hadashah.
Why?
Because it is all about Our Heavenly Fathers’ plan to provide a Messiah Jesus/Yeshua Who will restore the broken relationship with Himself.
There are many terms used in the
Brit Hadashah/New Covenant/Testament
such as:
the Lamb
Atonement
Unleaven
Leaven
Blood sacrifice etc.
They will not have any meaning if we have not understood the Tabernacle/Mishkan and its purpose.
The book of Hebrews cannot be fully appreciated without the understanding of the tabernacle/Mishkan plan and true worship. Although the Mishkan is the past, it is most certainly a shadow/pattern/type of Mashiach/Messiah and the blueprint of YHVH/HaShem’s redemptive Covenant plan for Israel/Yisrael and whosoever will….
Sin,
sacrifice
and
confession and repentance
is the
korban principle.
Korban (Hebrew: “sacrifice” קרבן)
(plural: Korbanot קרבנות),
in Judaism, is the term for a variety of sacrificial offerings described and commanded in the Torah.
Such sacrifices were offered in a variety of settings by the ancient Israelites, and later by the Jewish priesthood, the Kohanim, at the Temple in Jerusalem.
A Korban was usually an animal sacrifice, such as a sheep or a bull that underwent shechita (Jewish ritual slaughter), and was often cooked and eaten by the one bringing the offering.
When a person sins against the Lord,
he or she deserves to die!!
The soul that sins it shall die. Ezek. 18:20
As we were ALL born in sin
and ALL have fallen short of the glory of God;
we have NO hope without a savior/redeemer.
Satan, the adversary and accuser, would come before God/YHVH to make a case for the persons soul…
BUT God/YHVH/YaHoVeH
allows the death of a sacrificial victim
to take the place of the Sinner.
PAUSE HERE a Moment and reread that last statement!
The adversary and accuser,
is after our eternal soul/spirit
that is his mission –
to separate us from our Heavenly Father for ever…
BUT OUR HEAVENLY FATHER
allows the death of
an innocent sacrificial victim
to take the place of the Sinner!!
The guilty person would lean his hands upon the head of the animal and said this confession.
I deserve to die instead of this innocent animal but the Lord mercifully accepts the death of this in one in my stead.
When God sees the shed blood, or the ascending smoke of the sacrifice, He forgives the sinner based on his faith and repentance.
Thank you Father for Your provision through Messiah.
Before reading on, consider this…
the sinner had to kill the sacrificial animal
it became the victim of the sinners sin.
If we were still under the old covenant we too would have to take the life and spill the blood of the innocent sacrifices to cover our sins.
Yes we are under the re-newed covenant however…
taken to its full conclusion
our sin killed Jesus/Yeshua!
The Torah States that out of all of the various kosher animals, only 3 kinds would be acceptable for sacrifice upon His altar. They had to be free of all defects, they were:
oxen = a bull, cow or a calf
sheep = a ram, ewe or a lamb
goats = a buck, a doe or a kid.
Note that each kind of these animals is domesticated and peaceful they are not predators.
Besides these animals only two birds were allowed to be sacrificed:
turtledoves and pigeons
both of which are likewise peaceful.
In addition to these a poor person could offer
grain offerings
which were used to provide bread for the priests.
The five types of Korbanot
The Hebrew word korban
comes from the root koraw meaning:
to come close;
specifically to come close to God.
These offerings korbanot were meant to
bring someone who was far off from God, close again.
Ultimately Jesus/Yeshua has made the permanent WAY back to the Father for us; for us who were far off to come close to Him. He was the perfect sacrifice and His innocent shed Blood cries MERCY/FORGIVENESS
for us concerning our sins.
The offerings were reflected in His life and death
He paid the price for us!
Below are the five types of offerings in the Old Testament:
the Burnt Offering, Olah עֹלָ֤ה chapter 1
the Grain Offering, Minchah מִנְחָה chapter 2
the Peace Offering, Zevah haShelamiym זֶבַח הַשְּׁלָמִים chapter 3
the Purification Offering, Korban Khatta’at קרבן חטאת chapter 4
and the Tresspass/guilt Offering Asham אָשָׁם chapter 5
These should not be viewed as legalistic rites one must perform to earn our Heavenly Fathers GRACE.
The Prophet Samuel said,
to obey is better than sacrifice. 1 Sam 15:22,
and Jeremiah likewise negates Burnt Offerings for atonement and says that disobedience results in calamity. Jer. 44:23.
Rather, the sacrificial system in the Old Testament
was a means of GRACE
by which one who unintentionally sinned might make reparations for that sin without paying with his or her life, or with the life of his or her child.
The system was an outward expression of a person or community’s inward desire to restore the broken relationships between humanity and God and humanity and the world.
Can we see Messiah in all the offerings?
עלה Olah or mowlah o-law’
1 Olah, the ascending or burnt offering:
The Hebrew word for burnt offering is
עלה
olah,
from the root Ayin-Lamed-Heh,
meaning: ascension.
The first offering is literally,
an offering of ascent
commonly called
the Burnt Offering.
‘Korban Olah’ {קרבן עולה}
which literally means:
‘a sacrifice/offering that goes up’.
The purpose of the Burnt Offering was for
general atonement of sin and
expression of devotion to God.
The instructions for the Burnt Offering are given in
Lev 1:3-17. The offering could be a bull (1:3), sheep or goat (1:10), or dove or pigeon (1:14). The animal was to be burnt whole overnight (6:8-13), though its skin was given to the priest (1:6).
This was a free will sacrifice that was consumed entirely by the fire on the altar. The sacrificial victims had to be an animal or a bird that is without defect. As that animal is slaughtered the priest catches its blood in a pan and sprinkles it on the altar. That animal is then cut up salted and entirely burned.
Normally semikhah,
the leaning of the hands
SEMIKHAH (Heb. סְמִיכָה; “laying,” lit. “leaning” of the hands).
on the head of the animal, and viduy/confession of sin, accompanies this sacrifice though in case of a bird olah, semikhah is not performed.
Burnt Offering – Leviticus 1:3-17; 6:8-13
Wholly burned up on the altar.
Sweet aroma to God. Unblemished animal.
The meaning for us:
We must be completely dedicated to God.
Matthew 22:36-40; Ephesians 5:2.
The fulfillment in Messiah Yeshua:
He was spiritually perfect and willingly gave His life for us.
2 מנחה
Minchah – meal or grain offering or cereal offering.
The word minchah, means: gift or a present.
min-khaw’; from an unused root meaning to apportion.
The purpose of the Grain Offering was a voluntary expression of devotion to YHVH/God, recognizing His goodness and provision.
The instructions for the grain offerings are given in Leviticus 2. Generally it was cooked bread—baked (2:4), grilled (2:5), fried (2:7), roasted, or made into cereal (2:14)—though always seasoned (2:13), unsweetened, and unleavened (2:11). Unlike the whole Burnt Offering, only a portion of the offering was to be burnt (2:9). The remainder went to the priests for their meal (2:10).
It was bloodless.
This was a free will offering of flour prepared with
flour, olive oil and frankincense
usually brought by a person of modest means.
Any flour offering must be baked quickly to prevent the yeast in the dough from rising and so keeping it as unleavened bread. Remember yeast is a type of sin. Like the animal sacrifices, these minchah offerings must also be salted.
Grain Offering – Leviticus 2:1-16; 6:14-23.
A minchah accompanied all burnt offerings.
It was a sweet aroma to YHVH/God.
Flour, oil, frankincense and salt.
