Shemot (Exodus) 27:20-30:10

In this week’s Torah portion, we find an amazing indication of something that was to be fulfilled in Messiah Yeshua:

“Now this is what you shall offer on the altar: two one year old lambs each day, continuously. The one lamb you shall offer in the morning, and the other lamb you shall offer at twilight; and there shall be one-tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with one-fourth of a hin of beaten oil, and one-fourth of a hin of wine for a libation with one lamb. And the other lamb you shall offer at twilight, and shall offer with it the same grain offering as the morning and the same libation, for a soothing aroma, an offering by fire to the LORD. It shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your generations at the doorway of the tent of meeting before the LORD, where I will meet with you, to speak to you there. And I will meet there with the sons of Israel, and it shall be consecrated by My glory. And I will consecrate the tent of meeting and the altar; I will also consecrate Aaron and his sons to minister as priests to Me. And I will dwell among the sons of Israel and will be their God. And they shall know that I am the LORD their God who brought them out of the land of Egypt, that I might dwell among them; I am the LORD their God.” Exodus 29:38-46

This is a significant scripture in that it gives us a picture of what was to come in Messiah Yeshua. The first thing I want to point out is the command to make a daily sacrifice. Here, the daily sacrifice is described as “a continual burnt offering” which was required for the future generations, and which would take place at the tent of meeting (the place where the Lord would meet with and speak to His people.)

Here, we already see the idea that a daily sacrifice is necessary in order to be in a daily relationship with the Lord. Yeshua our Messiah offered Himself as the final sacrifice, through whom we can have daily access to the Father, because He constantly intercedes on our behalf:

“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Yeshua the Messiah is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, and who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.” Romans 8:31-34

Because we have the perfect blood of Messiah Yeshua as an atonement for our sin, we can have fellowship with the Almighty! In essence, just like He dwelled among the Children of Israel, He also dwells among those who have accepted His atonement, Jew and Gentile alike. This is a sign that He is indeed their God, as verse 45 says: “And I will dwell among the sons of Israel and will be their God.”

One may argue that God can dwell wherever and with whomever He desires. While this is true because He is all-powerful and unlimited, He is also holy. Because of this, He cannot dwell among anything that has been tainted by sin. And since He requires the shedding of blood for the forgiveness of sin (Leviticus 17:11), it is only through a blood sacrifice that we can enter into the presence of the Almighty and come to a personal knowledge of Him.

Verse 46 sums it all up when it says that we will know that our Lord is God; it is also a reminder of God’s amazing redemption of His children:

“And they shall know that I am the LORD their God who brought them out of the land of Egypt, that I might dwell among them; I am the LORD their God.”

We can also know God through His redemptive power for us through Messiah Yeshua; I don’t know about you, but I am very grateful for the gift of knowing God through His son who intercedes for me each and every day!

Shabbat Shalom,
Moran