13th Month: Adar II 5784 (March-April 2024)
Parashah Project (Exodus 38:21-Leviticus 11:47); Hebrew Treasure (Waw from Psalm 119:41-48)
This is the sixth installment of the new monthly newsletter organized around the Biblical calendar and lunar months. This month is a leap month called Adar II (אַדָר ב) and is the 13th month. These leap months occur 7 times in a 19 year cycle. Thus, every 3rd, 6th, 8th, 11th, 14th, 17th, & 19th years is a leap year that contains an extra month. This month includes the last portion in Exodus and the first three portions in the next book of Leviticus. Additionally, this month contains the holiday of Purim that celebrates God saving the Jews from a threatened massacre in ancient Persia (modern day Iran).
Each portion has a brief summary followed by links that take you to devotional commentary designed to help you dive deeper into God’s heart by exploring Torah as the gateway into transformational Bible reading.
3/16/24 – P'KUDEI (פְקוּדֵי) “Accountings Of”
This is the final portion in Exodus and begins with “Accountings of” the materials received by Moses from the offering God prescribed earlier in Ex. 25:1-8. The exact amounts of gold, silver, and bronze are recounted as they were used to build the Tabernacle.
In summary fashion, chapter 40 recounts the instructions and obedience for building the Tabernacle with the climactic crescendo of God’s Holy Presence descending from the top of Mt. Sinai and into the Holy of Holies! God’s dwelling now has a “resting place” on earth as it is in Heaven.
How amazing that our bodies have become a temple for God’s Spirit. As Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 6:19, “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?”
Even more amazing is how God is working with individual believers as “living stones” and like “bricks” is building us into a Temple into which He intends to dwell again on earth! As Paul says in his second letter to the people of Corinth, “For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: ‘I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be My people.’” (2 Corinthians 6:16"). Paul is quoting the Torah (cf. Lev. 26:12) and the Prophets (cf. Jer. 32:38; Ezek. 37:27)!
Click here for commentary and daily reading guide for P’KUDEI.
Torah: Exodus 38:21-40:38
Prophets: 1 Kings 7:51-8:21
Apostles: Hebrews 8:1-13
3/23/24 – VAYIKRA (וַיִּקְרָא) “And He Called”
House build. Presence dwelling inside. God now calls to Moses from inside the Holy of Holies. “And He called” to give instructions to protect sinful people so they can approach a Holy God and not die.
God desires to dwell with His people. Moses and the priests were originally the only authorized ones to approach God’s holy Presence. In Messiah, all people can safely approach God because atonement is accomplished! What a gift!
This first portion in Leviticus gives the building blocks for the sacrificial system designed to help the people of God approach the Presence of God. This sacrificial system consists of five basic offerings:
Olah: Burnt offering (Lev. 1)
Mincha: Grain offering (Lev. 2)
Sh’lamim: Peace offering (Lev. 3)
Chatat: Sin offering (Lev. 4:1–5:13)
Asham: Guilt offering (Lev. 5:14–6:7 [5:26 in the Hebrew text])
When you read the text, keep your eyes on the blood. Where does the blood get applied? Leviticus 16:11 tells us, “For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life.” Furthermore, the writer of Hebrews tells us, “In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Heb. 9:22). There is power in the blood.
Click here for commentary and daily reading guide for VAYIKRA.
Torah: Leviticus 1:1-6:7 [5:26 Tanach]
Prophets: Isaiah 43:21-44:23
Apostles: Hebrews 10:1-18
✡ 3/23-3/24/24 – PURIM (פּוּרִים) “Lots”
Holiday Reading: Esther
3/30/24 – TSAV (צַו) “Command!”
The previous portion described the five main types of offerings that served as the building blocks for the sacrificial system from the perspective of God’s portion. In other words, the emphasis was on what portion of the animals’ blood, fat, and flesh that belonged to the Lord.
This portion rehearses the same five types of offerings, however, this time from the perspective of Man’s portion. In other words, the emphasis in this portion is on what portion of the animal’s flesh belongs to the priests and the one bringing the offering. God’s “Command” for these offerings is given to Moses who is to speak them to Aaron, the lead high priest. Furthermore, the portion ends with the instructions for ordaining Aaron and his sons who are set apart to serve as priests.
Click here for commentary and daily reading guide for TSAV.
Torah: Leviticus 6:8 [1 Tanach]-8:36
Prophets: Jeremiah 7:21-8:3; 9:23-24
Apostles: Hebrews 9:11-28
4/6/24 – SH'MINI (שְּׁמִינִי) “Eighth”
God's holy rhythms of time include 6 + 1 + 1 = 8. Work. Rest. Renewal. Six days of work. One day of rest. That's 7 days. But the next day — the 8th day — is really the 1st day in the next weekly cycle of time.
The Hebrew word for 8th is “Sh’mini” and it is packed with power. Renewal power!
Time renewed for anther week. Life renewed when Messiah overcame death on the 1st day (also the 8th day) of the week. In the portion, after the priests are ordained in Lev. 8 and camp out in front of the Tent of Meeting for a week, they offer the prescribed offerings “so that the glory of the LORD may appear” to them (Lev. 9:6).
And ADONAI does appear!
“Moses and Aaron then went into the Tent of Meeting. When they came out, they blessed the people; and the glory of the LORD appeared to all the people. Fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed the burnt offering and the fat portions on the altar. And when all the people saw it, they shouted for joy and fell facedown.” (Lev. 9:23-24)
While the next chapter, Leviticus 10 records the unfortunate consequences of disobedience for 2 of Aaron's sons, we are heading to the communal cleansing in chapter 16—Yom Kippur—that accomplishes the sweet communion of God’s Presence remaining among His people!
Click here for commentary and daily reading guide for SH’MINI.
Torah: Leviticus 9:1-11:47
Prophets: 2 Samuel 6:1-7:17
Apostles: Hebrews 7:1-19
This is the sixth installment of Hebrew Treasure from Psalm 119, the longest chapter in the Bible. Each month I mine nuggets of gold from the original Hebrew and my goal is to make the riches of God’s Word more accessible to you—even if you don’t know any Hebrew!
41. Let your steadfast love come to me, O Lord,
your salvation according to your promise;
42. Then shall I have an answer for him who taunts me,
for I trust in your word.
43. And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth,
for my hope is in your rules.
44. I will keep your law continually,
forever and ever,
45. And I shall walk in a wide place,
for I have sought your precepts.
46. I will also speak of your testimonies before kings
and shall not be put to shame,
47. For I find my delight in your commandments,
which I love.
48. I will lift up my hands toward your commandments, which I love,
and I will meditate on your statutes.
THE LINK THAT SLAYS LEGALISM
This 6th stanza of Psalm 119 begins with the word Vi’vo-oo’ni (וִיבֹאֻנִי) which means, And let come to me, and begins with the conjunction waw or vav (ו). In this case, we are focusing on the function rather than the meaning of the Hebrew letter/word. A conjunction is a part of speech that links words, phrases, and clauses. A conjunction, though seemingly small and often overlooked, serves a critical function–linkage. This conjunction is recognizable in a few of these eight verses in English translations, but is hidden in most of them (i.e. and, then). In Hebrew, all eight verses in this stanza do begin with the Hebrew conjunction waw. The conjunction waw links these verses together around the topic of loving God’s instructions as the path of relating rightly with God and others.
Legalism is toxic, but staying linked to Jesus is transformational. Legalism flourishes when there are rules without right relationship. When Christian community perpetuates a culture of legalism — a counterfeit for what God calls true religion (Ja. 1:27; Col. 2:8) — faith is undermined and love wilts. The antidote for legalism is right relationship with God and walking and working that out in real time with others. And let’s be honest — relationships are messy! But God is in the business of cleaning up our mess and Jesus is always the way God does this transformational work.
Staying linked to Jesus in right relationship in real time is the antidote to legalism. Psalm 119 is a huge help with this! Beloved, let the written word of God link you to the living Word of God. As you do, you are investing in right relationship with God that will slay legalism and spark the faith needed to love well.
Hebrew Treasure excerpt written by Thomas Boehm.
From The Psalm 119 Journey by Steve Allen, ©2022.
Used with permission.
Shabbat Shalom!
Thomas