Parasha 64: From Separation to Direct Access to God

 

From Separation to Direct Access to God

-- T O R A H   P O R T I O N --

Introduction:

How much effort do you put into staying connected (to the internet, to people, to work) and how much effort do you put into staying connected to God? What happens when access is limited or blocked?

Because we live in a modern technological world, wherever we go we look for a good signal or internet access to use for work, chat with friends, or watch movies. Without good access, we have difficulty in our daily activities.

Last Shabbat, God instructed the children of Israel to bring offerings of gold, silver, bronze, different colors, acacia wood, and stones for the building of a Mishkan, so that He may dwell among them. These included the Ark of the Testimony, the table for the showbread, the menorah, and the Mishkan itself.

This Shabbat, our Torah portion is the continuation of the building of the mishkan, and now God wants the children of Israel to make a veil which in Hebrew is paroket meaning veil or curtain. It also came from the root word perek which means break apart or divide with severity.

God wants this veil to be colored blue, purple, scarlet thread and woven linen. Some commentators said these colors indicate Yeshua. Blue represents the heavens where He came from. In Exodus 24:10 GNT it says: "And they saw the God of Israel. Beneath His feet was what looked like a pavement of sapphire, as blue as the sky." The purple represents Yeshua's royalty. John 19:2: "And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on His head, and put a purple robe on Him." The scarlet represents Yeshua's blood that washes our sins. Matthew 27:31: "After they had mocked Him, they took the scarlet robe off Him and put His own garments back on Him, and led Him away to crucify Him." Finally, the fine linen represents Yeshua's righteousness even on His death. Matthew 27:58-59: "This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Yeshua. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth."

In verse 33, the purpose of the veil is to be a divider between the holy place and the Most Holy. Why? In Exodus 33:20 God said: "You cannot see My face; for no man shall see Me, and live." So the veil was to block someone who wants to see the Holy presence of God. Only Aaron the High priest could enter once a year but he has to bring blood of an innocent animal not only to atone the sins of Israel, but in exchange for his life. Aaron is also a foreshadowing of Yeshua, since He is our only Access to the Holy God.

Surprisingly in Hebrews 10:19-20, the author says: Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Christ, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh." So the veil is also Yeshua, the one who divides the holy place and the Most Holy. And since God's presence is behind it, Yeshua as the veil prevents God's fury. Here, we can already see what He will do and I want to share Mark 15:37-39 that says: "And Yeshua cried out with a loud voice, and breathed His last. Then the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. So when the centurion, who stood opposite Him, saw that He cried out like this and breathed His last, he said, 'Truly this Man was the Son of God!" Through the death and blood of Yeshua, the veil (His body) was torn. The veil that was a divider suddenly became an access to the Father. HALLELUYAH BARUCH HASHEM!

While I was writing this I couldn't stop crying because of the joy of what Yeshua did to each one of us. Now I also want to share the two other veils in the mishkan so that we could understand more the beauty of these three. The first veil can be found at the entrance of the courtyard which is the only WAY to get inside. The second veil can be found at the door of the holy place and herein lies the TRUTH about Yeshua as the menorah and the table of showbread. And the third veil is our main topic that divides the holy place and the Most Holy where the salvation and LIFE of the children of Israel depends upon the innocent blood of the animal that Aaron brings once a year on Yom Kippur. What I can see is these three veils represent Yeshua, for He is the way, the truth, and the life, and no one can come to the Father except through Him( John 14:6).

In chapter 27, God instructed the children of Israel to make an altar of burnt offering. It is the first thing seen upon entering the gate of the courtyard. The Hebrew word for burnt offering is olaw which means "ascend, stairway, steps" and since it's the first thing to be seen upon entering the gate of the courtyard, this is also the first step a person who wants to offer will do and after the animal burns, the smoke will ascend to God, a sweet aroma to Him ( Lev.1:9).

The instruction for the burnt offering shall be on the hearth upon the altar all night until morning, and the fire of the altar shall be kept burning on it. Meaning God is always open for those who want to offer and repent. 2 Peter 3:9 says: "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance." The burnt offering also foreshadows Yeshua. He offered Himself, slaughtered, crucified, died as a Lamb and shed His blood for our sins.

The first veil in the gate of the court is to separate the children of Israel from the mishkan court. The second veil, the hanging for the door of the mishkan, is to separate the priest in the mishkan court from the holy place. The final veil which divides the holy place and the most holy separates the priest from the most holy place where the presence of God resides. Through the death and sacrifice of Yeshua, where did this separate you? Do you appreciate the access that Yeshua made because of His death and sacrifice and that you now have the freedom to approach God the Father?

Access determines relationship. Distance is not the problem, separation is.

If God removed all obstacles to reach Him, what barriers still remain in your heart?

-- H A F T A R A H P O R T I O N --

Now here comes Israel in our Haftarah portion. In spite of the mishkan where the presence of God is to dwell with them, atoned them every time they fell short, they still got to betray God because of harlotry. In Jeremiah 3:6 it says: Then the Lord said to me in the days of Josiah the king, "Have you seen what faithless Israel did? She went up on every high hill and under every green tree, and she was a harlot there." It seems they have forgotten what God said to them in Exodus 6:6-7 where He made a covenantal words that He will BRING THEM OUT from under the burdens of the Egyptians, He will DELIVER them from bondage, He will REDEEM them with an outstretched arm and He will TAKE them as His people.

God clothed them with embroidered cloth of fine linen, adorned them with gold, silver, a great picture of a wedding and fed them with fine flour, honey and oil. These are the things of which the mishkan is made of and can be found inside of it. It could also remind them that there was a God who wanted to dwell with them.

But sadly, they failed. The essence of the mishkan and priesthood seems to have had no effect. That's why the author of Hebrews in chapter 10:4 says: "For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins."

The children of Israel broke the Sinai covenant, but the faithful and merciful God will renew it, not to be broken again and repentance (T’shuvah) is the key. And God will forgive them, and remember their sin no more.

How is your relationship with God now? How does God respond to you? How do you respond to Him? Maybe try to go to a very quiet place, reflect and analyze your relationship with your Creator.

The greatest tragedy is not Israel’s sin, but forgetting who clothed them, fed them, and called them His own.

God remained faithful while Israel chased other lovers.

Have you grown comfortable with God’s blessings while drifting from God Himself?

Is your relationship with Him marked by devotion or spiritual adultery masked as routine faith?

-- APOSTOLIC P O R T I O N --

And now, I want to grab this opportunity to connect it to our Apostolic portion, in which we have such a High Priest, who offered something better than the earthly priests. He is Yeshua, for He obtained a more magnificent ministry, as He is also the Mediator of a better covenant. He made the earthly priesthood outmoded because He is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; who doesn’t need to offer up daily sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people’s, for this He did ONCE FOR ALL WHEN HE OFFERED HIMSELF (Hebrews 7:26–27).

The earthly priesthood has weaknesses because they are human and need to sacrifice for their own sins. Besides this, they cannot write the Torah on our hearts nor give final propitiation for sins. Forever, Yeshua is our Great High Priest, seated at the right hand of His Father, interceding for each one of us. He alone is our Mediator and has the authority to write the Torah on our hearts. The earthly priesthood is a shadow that points to Messiah Yeshua.

The main point of Hebrews 8 is the comparison of Yeshua as the heavenly High Priest with the earthly priests.

Hebrews 8:3 – Every Priest Must Offer

“For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices. Therefore it is necessary that this One also have something to offer.”

Yeshua does not abolish sacrifice—He fulfills it.

His offering was not animals, but Himself.

This aligns perfectly with Isaiah 53, where Messiah is both priest and offering.

Hebrews 8:4 – Earthly Limitation

“For if He were on earth, He would not be a priest, since there are priests who offer the gifts according to the law.”

The Torah-defined Aaronic priesthood is still valid within its jurisdiction.

The issue is not legality but it's scope and effectiveness. Earthly priests minister on earth; Yeshua ministers from heaven.

Hebrews 8:5 – Shadow vs. Substance

“Who serve the copy and shadow of the heavenly things…”

The Aaronic priesthood was never the final way for redemption, it was a shadow.

Shadows are not false; they are incomplete without the reality casting them.

Hebrews 8:6 – A More Excellent Ministry

“But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises.”

Why is it better? Not because Torah is replaced but because the heart is transformed.

The better promise is not new commandments, but internalized obedience.

Yeshua did not merely open the way. He became the way.

Have you allowed His blood to cleanse not just your sins, but your conscience and your way of life?

The connection in Parasha 64 centers on direct access to God.

In the Torah, God establishes a dwelling place among Israel through the Mishkan, but access to His presence is limited and guarded by veils, showing that holiness requires mediation. In the Haftarah, God reveals that despite having access to His presence and covenant blessings, Israel broke intimacy with Him through unfaithfulness, showing that external access alone cannot change the heart. In the Apostolic writings, we see Yeshua as the heavenly High Priest who, through His once-for-all sacrifice, tears the veil and grants direct access to God by writing the Torah on the hearts of believers.

To strengthen our connection, let me use Hebrews 9:11-15 NKJV

"But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of eternal inheritance."

At the beginning, we talked about how we constantly look for a strong signal or good internet access so that we can function in our daily lives. Weak access limits communication, productivity, and relationship.

In the same way, God has always desired connection with His people.

In the Mishkan, access was limited by veils.

In Israel’s history, access was damaged by unfaithful hearts.

But through Yeshua, the veil has been torn, the way has been opened, and direct access to God has been restored.

The issue today is no longer whether access is available. The point is whether we are staying connected.

Adonai is not withholding access. He is waiting for our response.

You check your signal multiple times a day.

You move closer to a router when the connection is weak.

You adjust your position to stay connected.

Do you do the same with God?

When your prayer life weakens, when obedience fades, when intimacy grows distant, do you move closer, or do you disconnect?

The veil is torn.

The access is open.

The question is: are you connected?

Shabbat Shalom,

Topher

***************************************************************************

Sources:

blueletterbible.org 

bible.com

agodman.com

owlcation.com

abideinchrist.com 

superiorword.org

shema.com 

God’s Wilderness Tabernacle by Roger Walkwitz 

The Mac Arthur Study Bible

Parasha 63: Mishkan: “I Will Dwell Among Them”

 

Mishkan: “I Will Dwell Among Them”

-- T O R A H   P O R T I O N --

Introduction:

When you meet someone important, how do you feel, and where do you usually meet them?

Last week, God invited Moshe, Aaron and his sons, and the elders to go up to the mountain to worship Him, to affirm His covenant, and to have fellowship with them. Then God made another set of invitations, but this time it was only Moshe, because God gave him the tablets of stone, the Torah, and the mitzvot, which God wrote so that Moshe may teach the children of Israel.

Our Torah portion deals with the making of the tabernacle. In chapter 24, only Moshe, Aaron and his sons, and the elders were invited, but this time God wants the children of Israel to get involved in bringing an offering for the sanctuary. Going back to Exodus 12:35, they had asked from the Egyptians articles of silver, gold, and clothing, and these were the offerings that God wants for His sanctuary. The word sanctuary in Hebrew is miqdas, which means “sacred place” or “holy place,” and this is possibly the reason why God wants gold, silver, bronze, different colors, fabrics, stones, and more.

The sanctuary is part of the Mishkan that God wants the children of Israel to make so that His holy presence may dwell among them. Here, God is the architect, where verse 9 says: “According to all that I show you, that is the pattern of the Tabernacle and the pattern of all its furnishings, just so you shall make it.” The Hebrew word for tabernacle is Mishkan, which means “dwelling place,” and as He dwells among the Israelites, He instructed them to make the following:

The Ark of the Testimony (vv. 10–22) – Made of acacia wood and overlaid with pure gold inside and out. These are the Ten Words, and this is the most important part of the Mishkan, where the holy presence of God would dwell among the Israelites. This testimony is the agreement between God and His people. Remember how the ark became important to Noah when the earth was flooded because of the wickedness of man; the same is true for the children of Israel, as the ark would remind them that God is not only faithful but also just. Notice there is a mercy seat, which in Hebrew is kaporet, meaning “place of atonement.” The blood of the blameless animal would be sprinkled here once a year through Aaron for the sins of the people. This is a foreshadowing of Yeshua, for His blood not only atoned (covered) our sins but paid for them fully (propitiation). HalleluYAH, Baruch HaShem! Also, there are two cherubim at the two ends of the mercy seat facing one another, and their faces were toward the mercy seat to remind Israel and us that our attention should be focused on what is inside the ark, which is the mitzvot—our agreement with God.

The Table for the Showbread (vv. 23–30) – This is also made of acacia wood and overlaid with pure gold. Since they were in the wilderness, this showbread reminded them of God’s sustenance. In Leviticus 24:5–9, it says that Aaron and his sons shall eat the bread every Shabbat. In spite of the journey of the children of Israel in the wilderness, where food was difficult to find, God provided bread. This bread also foreshadows Yeshua as the Bread of Life from heaven (John 6:35).

The Menorah (vv. 31–40) – It is also made of pure gold, and it stands in front of the table of showbread. It has seven branches adorned with almond flowers. This menorah gives light inside the Mishkan for Aaron and his sons to serve God. The menorah is also a foreshadowing of Yeshua as, first, the Light of the World (John 8:12), and second, the True Vine (John 15:1, 5), and apart from Him we cannot bear much fruit. Regarding the almond blossoms, the Hebrew word for almond is saqad. Of all the trees, it is the first to arouse and awaken from the sleep of winter, so it is a reminder to the Israelites and to us that we should always be prompt in serving God.

The Mishkan (26:1–30) – Going back to the dream of Yaakov at Bethel in Genesis 28:13–15, which says:

“And behold, the LORD stood above it and said: ‘I am the LORD God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and your descendants… Behold, I AM WITH you and will KEEP you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not LEAVE you until I have done what I have spoken to you.’”

For God to fulfill this, He did many things, and one of those was the building of the Mishkan so that He may dwell among them (Exo. 25:8). The Mishkan has three sections: the courtyard, the Holy Place, and the Holy of Holies. The Mishkan was made of valuable materials, showing us that God is King—majestic, detailed, and organized.

Now, what can we learn from the Mishkan?

Adonai is Humble – He came from His throne. Though He was rich, He became poor (2 Cor. 8:9). He made Himself of no reputation by taking the form of a bondservant, and being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death (Phil. 2:7–8). The King of heaven came down to earth, born in a sukkah, and declared Himself as the Son of Man (Matt. 8:20).

Adonai is Approachable – When He invited Moshe, Aaron and his sons, and the seventy elders to come up to the mountain (Exo. 24:1), it means He is approachable. Even Yeshua said, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28). This means He is approachable. It is comforting to know that we have a God who can be approached at any time. Ephesians 3:12 (NLT) says: “Because of Christ and our faith in Him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence.”

It All Points to Yeshua – From the entrance to the mercy seat, it is Yeshua. There is only one entrance in the courtyard of the Mishkan, just as Yeshua is the only way to Adonai YHVH (John 14:6). The altar of burnt offering, where the animal sacrifice was burned, and the bronze basin, where the priests washed their hands before entering the Holy Place, point to Yeshua, for He offered Himself once for all (Heb. 7:27), and He washes our sins (Heb. 9:22). Inside the Holy Place, He is the menorah because He is the Light of the World (John 8:12). In front of the menorah is the table of showbread, and Yeshua is the Bread from heaven (John 6:31–33). The altar of incense, which stands before entering the Most Holy Place, pictures Yeshua as our intercessor to Adonai YHVH (Heb. 7:25). Finally, the Ark of the Covenant and the mercy seat also foreshadow Yeshua. As the high priest entered the Most Holy Place every year during Yom Kippur with the blood of an innocent animal, Yeshua offered Himself once to bear the sins of many (Heb. 9:27).

The Mishkan reveals that the Holy One does not merely want to be worshiped from a distance. He desires to dwell in the midst of His people, according to His design, His order, and His holiness.

The Mishkan was not built by human creativity but by divine instruction. Every measurement, material, and placement mattered because God was teaching Israel how to live with His holy presence in their midst.

As we reflect on the Mishkan, consider:

How do you make God your dwelling place?

Psalm 91:9–10

“If you say, ‘The LORD is my refuge,’ and you make the Most High your dwelling, no harm will overtake you; no disaster will come near your tent.”

A holy God chooses to dwell among a willing and obedient people.

The Mishkan challenges us not only to admire God’s dwelling but to prepare ourselves to host His presence.

Are you following God’s design for holiness, or shaping worship according to your own preferences?

-- H A F T A R A H P O R T I O N --

Our Haftarah deals with the final chapter of the book of Isaiah and its conclusion. God is not after a Mishkan that is made of stone. He is looking for someone who is poor in spirit and repentant. In Matthew 5:3, Yeshua said: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

God reminds Israel that He is the Creator, the Maker of all things. How could they think they could build Him a place to reside? Everything in the universe is the product of His hands, and without Him there would be nothing.

John 1:1–3

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. All things came to be through him, and without him nothing made had being."

Also in this portion, God is not after offerings and sacrifices as if they are merely routine. He wants to dwell in the heart of someone who is willing to obey His words. First Samuel 15:22 says: “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams.”

God condemns worship that lacks humility, obedience, and sincerity. Sacrifices without a surrendered heart are meaningless to Him.

Micah 6:6–8 

“With what can I come before Adonai to bow down before God on high? Should I come before him with burnt offerings? with calves in their first year? Would Adonai take delight in thousands of rams with ten thousand rivers of olive oil? Could I give my firstborn to pay for my crimes,

the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?” Human being, you have already been told

what is good, what Adonai demands of you — no more than to act justly, love grace and walk in purity with your God."

That is why in Jeremiah 31:33, God said through the prophet Jeremiah: “But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My Torah in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.”

The Torah written on the heart means a heart that is willing to obey the words of God.

Ezekiel 36:25–27 (NKJV)

“Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.”

Our Creator is not impressed with outward appearances. He wants someone with a humble and contrite heart. Therefore, let humility be our focus, and let us ask God to help us. James 4:6 says: “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

God does not dwell in buildings shaped by human hands, but in hearts shaped by humility.

Heaven is His throne, earth His footstool—yet He draws near to the one who trembles at His word.

The question is: Does your heart tremble at His word, or only listen when it is convenient?

May we not offer Him empty worship, but hearts that are yielded, teachable, and ready to obey.

-- APOSTOLIC P O R T I O N --

In the Apostolic portion, Paul urged the believers in Corinth to glorify God through their bodies. How? By reminding them of the following:

First, the body of a believer is no longer for sin, but for the LORD, and the LORD for the body (v. 13).

Second, the body is a member of Yeshua (v. 15). In Romans 12:4–5, Paul said: “For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.”

Third, the body is the temple of the Ruach HaKodesh (v. 19). In Romans 12:1, Paul said: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.”

Paul ended chapter six by reminding not only the believers in Corinth, but also us, that we were bought at a price; therefore, we should glorify God in our bodies.

Our bodies, like the Mishkan, are not our own, they are consecrated spaces where God chooses to dwell.

To misuse the body for sin is to treat the dwelling place of God casually. To honor the body through obedience is to declare that God is truly present within us. Holiness, therefore, is not legalism; it is love expressed through obedience.

1 Peter 1:18–19 (NKJV)

“Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.”

Paul’s teaching does not introduce a new idea, but builds upon the Torah foundation already established in the Mishkan. Just as the Mishkan was set apart, consecrated, and filled with the presence of Adonai, so the believer is now called to live as a sanctified dwelling place of God.

The same God who dwelled among Israel in the Mishkan now dwells within His people through the Ruach HaKodesh. This truth places responsibility upon the believer to live in holiness, obedience, and reverence.

The same God who filled the Mishkan with His glory now fills His people with His Spirit. 

Paul’s message confronts us with a serious question:

If our bodies are truly the dwelling place of God, how are we treating His sanctuary?

Reflect honestly:

• Does my lifestyle reflect the holiness of the One who dwells within me?
• Do my choices glorify God, or grieve His Spirit?
• Am I presenting my body daily as a living sacrifice, set apart for His purposes?

The Apostolic portion reminds us that redemption was costly. We were bought not with silver or gold, but with precious blood. Therefore, let us live as living Mishkans, holy, devoted, and fully surrendered so that God may be glorified in us.

The connection in Parasha 63 centers on God’s desire to dwell among His people. In the Torah, God instructed Moshe and Israel to construct a sanctuary so that He could dwell with them. In the Haftarah, God seeks a humble and repentant heart—one that trembles at His Word—so that He may dwell within. In the Apostolic writings, Paul reminds the believers in Corinth that their very bodies are God’s temple, where He desires to dwell.

We all have favorite places where we meet loved ones or friends, from childhood to the present. But for God, there is no need for a building, a location, or a ritual. He desires to dwell in us through His Son Yeshua, the living Mishkan, the Torah made flesh, who tabernacled among us.

Isaiah 7:14 NKJV

"Therefore the LORD Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel (God with us)."

John 1:14 NKJV

"And the Word (Torah) became flesh and tabernacled among us, and we beheld His glory—the glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth."

Psalm 90:1-2 NIV

"Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations. Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God."

God’s heart has always been the same: to dwell with His people, in humble hearts, through Yeshua—Immanuel, God with us.

May we open ourselves fully, so His presence fills every corner of our lives, and we reflect His glory to the world.

Shabbat Shalom,

Topher

***************************************************************************

Sources:

blueletterbible.org 

bethmelekh.com 

reformjudaism.org

shema.com 

oneforisrael.org 

4truth.ca

sdarm.org

The Mac Arthur Study Bible 

According to Roger Volume2

God’s Wilderness Tabernacle by Roger Walkwitz

Parasha 62: The Blood of the Covenant

The Blood of the Covenant 

-- T O R A H   P O R T I O N --

Introduction:

Have you ever entered into an agreement that required a serious commitment? How did it change the way you lived afterward?

There was an ancient ritual in the Philippines called Blood Compact. It intends to seal a friendship or treaty, or to validate an agreement. The two parties would cut their hands and pour their blood into a cup filled with liquid, such as wine, and drink the mixture.

In the year 1565, this ritual was done by Datu Datu Sikatuna of Bohol and Miguel Lopez de Legazpi of Spain which signified peace and friendship between the foreigners and the natives of Bohol.

Last Shabbat, God shows His fair treatment with the poor and the needy. Regarding the money lending, the lender must not charge interest to the borrower. Regarding justice, God gave instructions to His people to avoid false testimony, favoring one over another, and bribery to exercise fair justice. The observance of Shabbat and the three annual Feasts was also given. For the son of the female servant and the stranger may be refreshed.

This Shabbat, God invited three groups to come up to the mountain. First, Moshe was the leader of the nation of Israel. Second, Aaron and his sons are the priests who will lead in the Tabernacle duties. Third, the seventy elders who will help Moshe upon judging God's people. The Hebrew word for come up is Ala which means "To meet, to visit." God wants His people to come up because of three things:

• To worship Him - Going back to Exodus 9:1,13 it says: "Then the LORD said to Moses, “Get up early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh. Tell him, 'This is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says: Let My people go, so they can worship Me." After the incident of the ten plagues, the Israelites witnessed how powerful their God is compared to the gods of the Egyptians and did nothing at the height of the plagues. Since they are starting to travel to the Promised Land, they should also start worshipping the God of their forefathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The Hebrew word for worship is shakha meaning "to bow down, to prostrate oneself". From this meaning, God wants His people to bow down or humble themselves before Him because He is the One who brought them out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage (Exo.20:2). But notice, only Moshe shall come near to God, the rest shall worship from afar. Here, Moshe is the foreshadowing of Messiah Yeshua as a mediator between God and His people. What a privilege and blessing for the children of Israel because of the access that they have. Same as with Yeshua, our access to the Father. 1 Timothy 2:5: "For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the Man Messiah Yeshua."

• To affirm His Covenant with the people - Covenant in Hebrew is brit which means "constitution, agreement, ordinance." According to University College London, the constitution is the rule book for a state. It sets out the fundamental principles by which the state is governed. From Merriam-webster, agreement means "the act or fact of agreeing." And for the word pledge, according to Thesaurus it is "a solemn promise or agreement to do or refrain from doing something." The Torah is God's constitution for the Jew and Gentile (Exo.12:49,Lev.24:22,Num.15:16). In verse 3, the people agreed and made a pledge by saying with one voice: "All the words which the LORD has spoken we will do!" And to affirm the Covenant, there is blood needed. The Hebrew word for blood is dam which means "blood, lifeblood, and surprisingly it also means grape, wine." I believe this is a foreshadowing of Yeshua. Since the Covenant is important, only His blood could affirm and seal the Covenant. In Matthew 26:26-28 during the Pesach celebration, Yeshua reveals the meaning of His blood to His talmidim. He said: "Take it and eat it, for this is My body'. He then gave thanks and offered them the cup and said, " ‘Each of you drink from it, for this is My blood, which seals the covenant between God and His people. It is poured out to forgive the sins of many."

• To have fellowship with His people - In verses 9 to 11, it says that Moshe, Aaron and his sons and the seventy elders of Israel went up and they saw God, and they ate and drank. It was the last part of the Covenant ceremony to have not only a fellowship, but a covenant fellowship that involves eating and drinking. Throughout the Scriptures, wine is related with joy. Psalm 104:15: "And wine that makes glad the heart of man." also in Ecclesiastes 9:7: "Go, eat your bread in gladness, and drink your wine in joy; for your action was long ago approved by God." There is a reason to celebrate especially knowing that you have a covenant relationship and fellowship with God. In Isaiah 25:6, the prophet visioned a future eating and drinking fellowship between God and His faithful people. It says: "And in this mountain the LORD of hosts will make for all people a feast of choice pieces, a feast of wines on the Lee's, of fat things full of marrow, of well refined wines on the lees." Also, Yeshua said in Luke 14:15: "Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God."

In our Torah portion , God's invitation was specific, to a select group of people, and with a special purpose, to meet and worship Him. God also gave detailed limits regarding this invitation; Moshe needed to draw near to God, but the others who were invited were not.

Moshe came to the children of Israel, he told them the words of the God, and then he wrote down the words in the Book of the Covenant.

A covenant sealed with blood is not meant to be remembered lightly, but lived faithfully.

God’s invitation to ascend the mountain was purposeful. He called His people upward to enter into relationship, obedience, and fellowship through a mediator.

Moshe was permitted to draw near, foreshadowing the greater Mediator to come. Through Yeshua, what was once limited has now been made accessible not to abolish the covenant, but to confirm it by better promises and better blood.

The covenant was not confirmed because the people promised obedience, but because God provided the blood that sealed it.

How did you respond when God invited you? How did you take advantage of this invitation? John 10:3 says: “The sheep hear His voice and come to Him; and He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out.” 

For a moment close your eyes and try to imagine that God is calling you wholeheartedly by name. That means you are important.

May we never treat lightly the invitation to draw near to Adonai, knowing that it was sealed with blood, confirmed by the Messiah, and upheld by a faithful God who keeps covenant forever.

-- H A F T A R A H P O R T I O N --

Our Haftarah portion starts with the future vision of the city of Yerushalayim and how Yeshua will once again dwell with His people. 

First, He will be an everlasting light to them, and even Yochanan saw this in his vision. Revelation 21:23–24 says:

“The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb (Yeshua) is its light, and the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it.”

Second, He will put an end to their mourning. Revelation 21:4 says:

“And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”

Third, He will declare His people righteous and cause them to inherit the land forever. This righteousness is not temporary or symbolic, but covenantal and enduring. Psalm 37:29 says:

“The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell in it forever.”

Likewise, Proverbs 10:30 affirms:

“The righteous will never be removed, but the wicked will not inhabit the earth.”

Isaiah 61 brings all of this together by revealing that God will establish an everlasting covenant with Israel—one that results not only in restoration, but in visible vindication before the nations. As emphasized in Tonia Slimm’s teaching on Isaiah 61, this covenant is rooted in God’s character as ’Elohei mishpat—the God of justice—who faithfully rewards His people and makes a covenant that cannot be annulled.

“There would be no everlasting joy if it were not for the everlasting covenant.”- David Guzik 

Because of this covenant, Israel’s restoration will be public and unmistakable. Their descendants will be known among the nations, and all who see them will recognize that they are the people whom Adonai has blessed (Isaiah 61:8–9). Israel is not just restored for her own sake, but appointed once again to function as a living testimony of God’s faithfulness. The nations will finally acknowledge that God has kept His promises, that His covenant has never been revoked, and that Israel remains chosen and beloved.

If God’s covenant with Israel is truly everlasting, then it calls for a response not only belief, but alignment.

Do we fully trust that God keeps His promises even when history, circumstances, or appearances suggest otherwise?

As grafted-in believers, are we honoring Israel’s role as God’s covenant people, or are we subtly replacing it?

If Israel is destined to be a visible witness of God’s faithfulness to the nations, how should that shape our prayers, our teaching, and our walk before Adonai today?

Let this passage challenge us to stand in faith with God’s covenant purposes, to rejoice in His justice, and to walk as people who trust that what He has promised, He will surely bring to past, in His time.

-- APOSTOLIC P O R T I O N --

In Apostolic portion, while Yeshua was eating with His talmidim, He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. After that He explained that it's His body. Then in verse 27, He took the cup, and He told His talmidim to drink because it's His blood.

He mentioned the word covenant which involves His body(bread) and His blood(cup) to show His talmidim that He will sacrifice His body to be killed and His blood will be used to ratify the covenant.

His words connect to the incident between God, Moshe, Aaron and his sons, and the seventy elders in Exodus, and here He confirmed and sealed the agreement between God and to those who will have a genuine faith in Him.

The blood of the covenant occurs nowhere else in the Tanakh when Moshe splatters blood on the people who cooperated to God’s covenant, marking them as the chosen nation under covenant to their Creator.

Baruch Hashem Adonai for the precious blood of His Son Yeshua which gives us access to the Father! This blood is the blood of the covenant which qualifies us to participate and share in God and enjoy Him as our portion.

Isn't it a joy to eat with your loved ones? But it's even more joyful when you are part of God's covenant meal.

The covenant meal declares that redemption is not only something God does for us, but something He invites us to share with Him.

This is the power of the covenant meal: it is not an empty ritual. It is a holy invitation to participate in what God has established, to remember the cost of access, and to rejoice in restored fellowship.

If the covenant was sealed with the Messiah’s blood and the table has been set by God Himself, then the question is not whether we are invited, but how we come.

Do we recognize that to eat and drink in covenant is to affirm our allegiance, our obedience, and our trust in the Mediator?

And does our life beyond the table reflect that we belong to the God who called us near?

May we never treat lightly what was sealed at such a cost, and may our participation in the covenant meal remind us of our redemption in Messiah.

The connection of Parsha 62 is about covenant. In the Torah, God called Moshe, Aaron and his sons, and the seventy elders to affirm His Covenant. In Haftarah, God will make an everlasting covenant with Israel and He will use them to be a witness before all nations. In Apostolic, Yeshua explained to His talmidim that His blood is the blood of the new covenant to ratify it and for the remission of sins.

Truly, without the blood compact will be useless the same as the Covenant. That's why in our Torah portion, the blood of the animal was required and it foreshadows the blood of Messiah Yeshua as the blood of the new covenant not only to affirm it, but as a remission for our sins. In Hebrews 9:22 it says: "Without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness."

If there was an invitation in Moshe's time to come up to the mountain for God's covenant and His people, Yeshua also invited His talmidim to eat the bread and drink the cup to seal and ratify the covenant. In our time, He is still inviting us, and those who will respond and enters the covenant will experience not only the eating and drinking fellowship with God, but also a marriage supper of His Son Yeshua.

May we never forget the cost of the blood that confirmed the covenant, and may our lives testify that we were not only redeemed—but received, welcomed, and called near by a faithful God who keeps covenant forever.

The covenant is only made alive through blood. Without the shedding of blood, covenant is only words but through Yeshua’s blood, God’s promise becomes life.

Revelation 19:7-9 NKJV

Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready." It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.

Then He said to me, "Write, 'Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.'" And He said to me, "These are true words of God."

Remember, apart from the covenant there is no salvation!

Shabbat Shalom,

Topher

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Sources:

bethmelekh.com 

blueletterbible.org 

davidguzik

reformation21.org

jerusalemofgold.org.uk

hallel.info

rabbisacks.org

TheMacArthurStudyBible 

scenichillsblvd.wordpress.com