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Tzav

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“Kindness, Justice, Righteousness”

Leviticus 6:1[8]-8:36
Jeremiah 7:21-8:3; 9:22-23

excerpted from TorahScope, Volume II

While reading about the different offerings instructed, and the variety of sacrificial procedures in this week’s Torah portion, you can easily see how God was very specific about the guilt offering,[1] burnt offering,[2] grain offering,[3] sin offering,[4] and peace offering.[5] After detailing these specific offerings and their associated procedures, Leviticus ch. 8 describes how Aaron and his sons were to be consecrated as priests before the Lord. For the first time in the history of Israel, the high priest and the attendant priests were set-apart for service unto God and the people. Our parashah closes with a final word which seems to punctuate this selection of teaching in Leviticus chs. 6-8:

“Aaron and his sons did all the things which the LORD commanded by Moses” (Leviticus 8:36, WMB).

For centuries, Ancient Israel attempted to follow these instructions with varying degrees of zeal and accuracy. The Tabernacle migrated throughout the wilderness, into the Promised Land to the period of the Judges and onto Shiloh, to ultimately be placed on Mount Moriah, when a magnificent Temple by the direction of King Solomon would finally be constructed. Thereafter, Israel had a more permanent place to bring their respective offerings. But apparently by the time of the Prophet Jeremiah, the intentions of the offerings had digressed to various perversions which were rampant among the people. If you take the time to read the context of our coupled Haftarah reading (Jeremiah 7:21-8:3; 9:22-24), you should be appalled by the declension to idolatry, theft, murder, adultery, and even child sacrifice. Jeremiah even prophesied that the Temple would end up like Shiloh, and that the Southern Kingdom of Judah would be scattered just like the Northern Kingdom exiles had been two centuries earlier:

“‘Now, because you have done all these works,’ says the LORD, ‘and I spoke to you, rising up early and speaking, but you didn’t hear; and I called you, but you didn’t answer; therefore I will do to the house which is called by my name, in which you trust, and to the place which I gave to you and to your fathers, as I did to Shiloh. I will cast you out of my sight, as I have cast out all your brothers, even the whole offspring of Ephraim’” (Jeremiah 7:13-15, WMB).

Here are some rather direct remarks from this week’s Haftarah selection:

“For I didn’t speak to your fathers or command them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices; but this thing I commanded them, saying, ‘Listen to my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people. Walk in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you’” (Jeremiah 7:22-23, WMB).

When the Prophet Jeremiah declared God’s word, “when I brought your forefathers out of Egypt and spoke to them, I did not just give them commands about burnt offerings and sacrifices” (NIV), is this at all to be taken as a contradiction of the commandments witnessed in Leviticus chs. 6-8? Or, was Jeremiah’s declaration intended to have a deeper understanding, to a generation which had fallen into disloyalty and irreverence before God?

What Jeremiah said was that God was most concerned that the people obey His voice! If they did so, then they would have the Lord as their God, they would be His people, and they would be blessed by Him. God was more concerned with a personal and steadfast obedience from His people, and their loyalty to Him, than with them presenting Him burnt offerings and sacrifices offered in a hollow spirit.

When you reflect upon Jeremiah 7:22-23, and realize that the sins of the Southern Kingdom were greatly abominable—to the point of child sacrifice being present—the significance of Jeremiah’s prophetic utterance should take on some brevity. The word delivered indicates that a violent destruction of great parts of the Southern Kingdom of Judah, and even the beloved city of Jerusalem, were coming because of the terrible deeds committed by the people. We even see that those of the Southern Kingdom would largely choose death rather than life, even in the places where they would be scattered:

“‘Death will be chosen rather than life by all the residue that remain of this evil family, that remain in all the places where I have driven them,’ says the LORD of Hosts” (Jeremiah 8:3, WMB).

Such concluding remarks are so disturbing, that the Jewish Sages decided to add a few verses from Jeremiah 9—in order to allow the tradition of giving hope to the reader so that one’s study may end positively:

“Speak, ‘The LORD says, “The dead bodies of men will fall as dung on the open field, and as the handful after the harvester. No one will gather them.’’’ The LORD says, ‘Don’t let the wise man glory in his wisdom. Don’t let the mighty man glory in his might. Don’t let the rich man glory in his riches. But let him who glories glory in this, that he has understanding, and knows me, that I am the LORD who exercises loving kindness, justice, and righteousness in the earth, for I delight in these things,’ says the LORD” (Jeremiah 9:22-24, WMB).

While reading these final verses from our Haftarah portion, what is the redundant nature of the various offerings described in Tzav supposed to communicate to us? They are certainly very meaningful and specific instructions, with the Lord most concerned about detail and compliance. Yet, in lieu of our modern era—and especially in light of the ultimate sacrifice for sin performed by the Messiah Yeshua at Golgotha (Calvary)—I personally found that it was much easier to identify with Jeremiah’s statements. Jeremiah was speaking to a religious and secular audience, which is very similar to the one we cohabit within our current generation.

What delights the Holy One of Israel is that people can boast and exclaim of personal knowledge, understanding, and grand experiences partaken of in Him. By knowing the Lord, a person should understand that He exercises lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness. It is these three attributes which summarize the infinite love that our Creator has for His human creatures! When you take the time to review these awesome attributes, you will discover that when we mirror these attributes, we are a delight to Him.

While meditating upon these character traits, it is difficult to not consider a statement made by the Messiah to some of the religious leaders of His day, who He rebuked for their hypocrisy:

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint, dill, and cumin, and have left undone the weightier matters of the Torah: justice, mercy, and faith. But you ought to have done these, and not to have left the other undone. You blind guides, who strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel!” (Matthew 23:23-24, WMB).

Yeshua’s words parallel those of Jeremiah, in stating how obeying the Torah would reflect the graceful attributes of the Heavenly Father. The “weightier matters” of Moses’ Teaching are what we should all be seeking to demonstrate in our own maturation of faith. We should ask ourselves if we are extending justice to those who are oppressed. Do we show mercy and lovingkindness to those who need it? What about faith and how it relates to righteousness? Is it not by faith that we are considered righteous?

“Behold, his soul is puffed up. It is not upright in him, but the righteous will live by his faith” (Habakkuk 2:4, WMB).

What is our faith focused upon? Is it upon the variety of offerings and animal sacrifices we read about in Tzav this week? Surely these things are of the faith, but they cannot provide one with the internal confidence and trust in the Creator which only comes by focusing complete attention upon Him. And, for the Ancient Israelites who made these sacrifices with pure intentions, there were limitations in that they could not provide a permanent degree of atonement and/or restitution before the Holy One. Consequently, it is only faith in the completed work Yeshua—which is typified by those offerings—where eternal redemption can be found. The Apostle Paul’s statements provide us some thoughts to consider:

“Now that no man is justified by the law before God is evident, for, ‘The righteous will live by faith’ [Habakkuk 2:4]. The law is not of faith, but, ‘The man who does them will live by them’ [Leviticus 18:5]. Messiah redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us. For it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree’ [Deuteronomy 21:23], that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Messiah Yeshua, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith” (Galatians 3:11-14, WMB).

The Apostles taught that Yeshua the Messiah has redeemed born again Believers from the curse of the Torah (Galatians 3:13; cf. 4:4-5), the penalties and guilt incurred from common disobedience to the Law. The great value of the salvation which born again Believers possess in Yeshua is precisely because it is freely offered, and no human activities can be performed to acquire it. However, following salvation the redeemed are surely expected to demonstrate our faith via obedience to the Lord, as the Torah’s instruction is to regulate our behavior, attitudes, and physical actions. (Do not overlook how Leviticus 18:5 in Galatians 3:12 is quoted from a section of the Torah which relates to sexual conduct.)

James the Just addressed the connection between true faith and its fruit, which is evidenced in works. But keep in mind that these works are primarily works of grace and mercy (cf. James 1:27) which come from a person who has been perfected by the Holy Spirit:

“Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead in itself. Yes, a man will say, ‘You have faith, and I have works.’ Show me your faith without works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that God is one. You do well. The demons also believe—and shudder. But do you want to know, vain man, that faith apart from works is dead? Wasn’t Abraham our father justified by works, in that he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? You see that faith worked with his works, and by works faith was perfected. So the Scripture was fulfilled which says, ‘Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him as righteousness’ [Genesis 15:6], and he was called the friend of God. You see then that by works a man is justified, and not only by faith. In the same way, wasn’t Rahab the prostitute also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, even so faith apart from works is dead” (James 2:17-26, WMB).

If you have become a willing vessel for the Spirit of God to use for His good pleasure, then by faith you should be submitting to His will for your life and allowing Him to operate through you. As a result, the good works which He has prepared for you to walk in, will be evident:

“for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, that no one would boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Messiah Yeshua for good works, which God prepared before that we would walk in them” (Ephesians 2:8-10, WMB).

Additionally, it is critical that we diligently hearken to His voice, when His indwelling Spirit takes up residence in our hearts. Jeremiah implored his ancient listeners to listen to the voice of God, in order to understand and know Him. Thankfully, we can recall that our Messiah Yeshua also affirmed the reality that His followers will the voice of God, because He knows them. In fact, Yeshua was almost stoned for His description of how His sheep or His faithful followers hear His voice, which is, in no uncertain terms, the voice of God:

“The Judeans therefore came around him and said to him, ‘How long will you hold us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.’ Yeshua answered them, I told you, and you don’t believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name, these testify about me. But you don’t believe, because you are not of my sheep, as I told you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give eternal life to them. They will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father who has given them to me is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.’ Therefore the Judeans took up stones again to stone him” (John 10:24-31, WMB).

Our challenge, as we deal with the controversial issues of the day, is to cry out for wisdom and for a heart which listens more intently to His voice. In so doing, I believe He will conform us to His image over time, and in the process, allow each of us to extend lovingkindness, justice, equity, and true righteousness as we yield to His work. Offering ourselves together as a living sacrifice for His righteousness (Romans 12:1-2), is better than all the sacrifices listed in Tzav that we could make!

However, there are some distinct “offerings,” which faithful men and women must bring before His altar in Heaven. These include prayers for God’s people being persecuted all around the world, who live in countries where belief in Yeshua (Jesus) is outlawed or taboo. As Messianics, we should especially offer intercessory prayers for the Jewish community in the Land of Israel and abroad. We also must pray for our own Messianic community, as it struggles to be salt and light, working toward excellence and perfection (not so easily at present). As we listen intently to the Lord’s voice, He will surely instruct us in all things, but do not be surprised if your pleadings turn to groans or even cries:

“For we know that the whole creation groans and travails in pain together until now. Not only so, but ourselves also, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for adoption, the redemption of our body. For we were saved in hope, but hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for that which he sees? But if we hope for that which we don’t see, we wait for it with patience. In the same way, the Spirit also helps our weaknesses, for we don’t know how to pray as we ought. But the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings which can’t be uttered. He who searches the hearts knows what is on the Spirit’s mind, because he makes intercession for the holy ones according to God. We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:22-28, WMB).

Do you now understand why Jeremiah was often known as “the Weeping Prophet”? From the revelation he received, and the Voice he heard, he knew that the judgment of God was coming in just a matter of time to the rebellious Southern Kingdom. In a like manner, as we study the Scriptures understanding the ways of the Lord—while coming to know Him more fully—I pray that as we learn to listen to His voice, we also know that judgment is coming to our modern world because His righteousness requires it.

Our problem is that, by His grace, we do not know when the judgment or the Day of the Lord will erupt in its fullness (Jeremiah 25:31; Acts 17:31; Revelation 14:7). But we do know that He delights in our acts of lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness. May these commanded attributes be evident in our faith-exercised, as we hearken to His voice and demonstrate His goodness to all!